Thought I would send a few more bits of interesting reading. Don Coatney The following is a transcript of a hand written letter from George Combe Coatney to his Brother Benjamin Harrison Coatney. Benjamin Harrison Coatney and George Combe Coatney were both born in Scott County, Indiana. April 8, 1896 Mr... B. H. Coatney Dear Brother: I read your letter some time ago but was fixing to move & did not write sooner because I did not know where I would stay & do not know yet but will write again soon as I stay. I am now at Mariposa in the Sierra Range of mountains prospecting but I am not fixed like I want to be. I am going to get a Burro for a pack animal and go north further in the mountains. It is warm and pleasant here although we are in sight of snow the year round. My health is very good. This mountain life is delightful. I have my blankets & sleep under a pine tree every night. I passed close to the Yosemite Valley yesterday but did not go with it is to cold now. I will not stop here long. When I locate a claim I will write. There was an old man 70 years old struck a ledge a few days ago & sold out for $60,000.00. Others every day making good finds. As I am in somewhat of a hurry I will close. I am so glad to know you are well again. I was very uneasy. Give all my best respects & don't write until you ! hear from me again. Respectfully yours: G. C. Coatney This letter was written to George Washington Coatney from his brother Nashville Coatney. George Washington Coatney lived in Scott County, Indiana. Yorktown, VA. May 2nd, 1864 Dear Brother it is with great pleasure that I seat myself for the purpose of dropping you a few lines in answers to yours of April 25th which just came to hand it found me well this leaves me the same and I hope it will find you all well. We left South Carolina and went to Florida and was there about 2 months and then we came back to Virginia. We are now on Gloucester Point opposite Yorktown. I don't know how long we will stay here. Well George I only have 45 days to stay. Wee will bee out on the 18th of June next so you may look for me home before long. If you can I would like to have the money you owe me by the 1st of September next. I will send you one of our company pictures and take good care of it for me. There is no news of importance so you need not answer this letter for I will bee on m way home before it could get here so no more. Nashville Coatney The following transcript is from a hand written letter from Thomas Jefferson Coatney to his mother Arminda Bernard Spurgeon Coatney Johnson in Scott County Indiana. December 14, 1878 New Madrid Missouri Dear Mother As it is Sunday and raining I will write you a long letter and tell you how we are getting along as well as some things about our trip. We are all well at present. George and Oswil (?) have been sick but they are getting well as fast as they can. Now I must tell you some things about the trip. We started from Louisville in a skiff. We had no beds so we slept on the rocks without any covers for two nights. Then we bought our boat. It is 7x25 with a cabin 7x14 ft. We are pretty well fixed. We have a good stove with a skillet, pot stewer, plates, knives, forks, and other things too numerous to mention. In the grub line we have plenty of meal, meat, salt, flour, apples, potatoes, beans, molasses, & game. We have plenty of ammunition, a lantern, lamp, and chimney, plenty of coal oil. For beds we have great big coffee sacks stuffed with straw. Our progress down the Ohio was slow but when we struck the Mississippi we went it skwting like opossum on a sleety limb. There is a great d! eal of difference in the scenery on the two rivers. That of the Ohio being a great deal the most beautiful. The banks of the Mississippi are giving away all the time with a swollen roar that sounds like heavy cannons 25 or 30 miles off. I saw a big tree go in yesterday clear out of sight.We have run into a bayou just above town. We are run with it up into the swamps to hunt and trap. Well mother I understand you have moved back to the farm so they wrote to us. I am glad to hear it. If you now have the boys with you and I reckon you have tell them I said to be good honest boys and to learn all they can and to take good care of you. Boys you must write to me. Both of you. Now don't forget it for I want to hear from you. I have not received any letters from home yet. Please tell uncle Ben to write and send me a democrat paper or two. Well mother I have written you a long letter. I will wind up by requesting that you write soon and let me know how you are getting along. Address ! at New Madrid, Madrid Co. MO. Yours Truly: T. J. Coatney