Letter from Leonidas Washington to Brother--George--Gilmer Texas 17 Jan 1861

(Family history says this was the last time he was heard from & we think he was killed in the Civil War.
He was in the Texas Conscripts)

People & facts mentioned in letter
Gum? Brown
election of Lincoln
George
killing buffalo
buying part of his place (Leonidas selling his share of the place to George)
Ofeldia & John (Leonidas' children- 1860 Upshur Co. Census says Ophelia & John)
Flore Wade (a newborn  child of Leonidas & Lou
Siss (Loretta)
Lou (Leonidas' wife--1860 Upshur Co. Gilmer TX Census says her name is Lou)
Charley
Bill Rhea
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Dear Brother
(George is mentioned later in the letter as the recipient of the letter)
I seat myself at this time in order to let you know that we are still in the land of the living
And that although we have acted in some measure the part of neglect you are all still
burning lights in our memory. Yours of Sept the 22nd is now before me. Time after time
its contents have been perused. I should have written sooner had I not indulged in the fond
hope of (word missing) you all face to face. But seeing that circumstances are such that
I cannot at the present come, I write you this. That you may know that we are all well at
this time and doing tolerable. Well, I have looked to see Gum? Brown for some time but
as yet he has not come. Times are very hard in this country and everything in perfect
confusion owing to the election of Lincoln . I suppose that you have the news of the seceding
states there. Therefore I will only speak for this state. The delegates started to the
convention on yesterday to Austin. All of them the worst kind of secessionists. The lone
star is proudly floating in every town in east Texas and I have no hesitancy in saying
to you that Texas will on the 21st of this month follow the steps? of noble South Carolina.
If she does not I am ready to leave her.
Well, GEORGE that is not all the trouble. The reserve Indians have time and again
committed depredations upon the frontier citizens and went unrebuked for it until
forbearance ceases to be a virtue. Therefore, it is a current report and true that owing
to the scarcity of meat in four of the western counties, they have pledged themselves to
raise one thousand men to go and kill buffalo for the rest. Now what do you think of that crowd.
Well, GEORGE, you spoke in yours of Sept. 22nd of buying my part of the place and as
I stand in need at this time of all the help that I can get, I will sell to you at a reasonable
price. Make me an offer and the kind of pay you will make and let me know soon-- for
I am owing some on my place yet and may lose what I have paid if I fail to meet the
payments when due. Ofeldia and John says that they want to see you and there is another
customer arrived here the Friday before Christmas . We call her Flore Wade. She is a
fine looking child. All doing well. Tell MA I want her to write to me I have not received
a letter from her in a long time. I wrote to SISS some time ago--long enough to have had
an answer. If we can make a trade GEORGE, I will come as soon as I can. I have not
been on a visit since I got to Gil mer. It is now three years nearly since LOU has seen
her father and mother. They live about 140 miles from us. I have not had a letter from
CHARLEY for some time. I know not the cause. I have written two to him but no answer
comes. I believe I have told you a little of all. Give our love to all the family and
receive our best wishes to yourself

Your Affectionate Brother
L. L. Washington

P.S. Write soon and come if you can. My love to Bill Rhea and Gum Brown.
GEORGE, the hair on my head is getting thin. I enclose you a sample of the crop on my face