White County Historical Society board member Paul Miller submitted the following, which was published in the June 1985 edition of Arkansas Family Historian, courtesy of Martha Hubbard of Frankfort, Kentucky.
The writer is J.W. Pate.
North Byou Arkansas
December 15, 1848
Dier Brother,
We landed here in about four weeks from the time we started. I am well and harty I am not satisfied here the country is very low and swampy the land is very rich and purduces fine but I am afraid of my helth here I was up in White County on little red river and I like that county a greate deal better than I doe this thare is some very fine country about Sircy a little town on the little red river about fifty miles below Batesville a man can get good land for one bit pur acer there is a good many deer & bear in this country I have not killed any game since I have bin here but I have saw lots of them Bob killed one deer thare has been seven or eight bear killed in the nighbour hood since I have bin here tell brother gus that I saw a good many of our old acquainteces in White County Nelson Black old man Walker the widow parks and John parks and Alexander Allen I stade all night with a man in White county that said he was kin to us he is a kin to the Pates there is a good many pates up in the next county above White. They are sones and grandsones of old Claborn pate I had no time to gow to see any of them when I was up thare Miss Barnes is very much dissatisfide with this country She started this morning her and Bob both back to Nashville. She told me when she started that she was not a coming back any more if she does not its likely I shall be up thare in the spring if I don’t come in the spring I will be up thare in the fall give my bes respects to all inquiring fends tell Brother Tom that I am a gowing to bring him a little young bear if I can get one this winter I spoke to old man hugings for one he is a old bear hunter he says if he catches any young ones this he will let me have them & I will bring them with me when I come tell the old man I will bring him some bar meat when I come & some venesson I want you to be ready to gow with me to Cancies you & gus I shall remain your brother Dyrect your letters to plum byou J.W. Pate
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