More letters from Tracy Stancil: LETTER # 3 Mississippi Sunflower County October 10, 1852 (Caswell writes to his brother Henry who is also buried in the family cemetery on Porter Road near Belvoir.) Dear Brother Henry, The much esteemed favour from brother Willie bearing date August 21 was gratefully received the 25th September informing us that our connections were all well except Rachel. (Rachel was the widow of Caswell's brother William J. Stancill.) I am very glad to hear that you all enjoy good health and have promising prospects for crops. Myself and family are at present in a reasonable state of health. Myself, wife, and two youngest children ,Caswell Paschall and Jane Leona, have had some slight indispositions though nothing serious. Rebecca Ann is not quite well yet though mending. She has not had any chills or fever now for about a week. He (brother Willie) mentions also that our much esteemed father departed this life the 16th November 1850 of which I had not heard till July last in a letter from my esteemed niece Harriett A. Johnson. I would like very well to know how long he was sick before he died, what sort of sickness he died with, and how he seemed and all the circumstance attendant upon his sickness and death, wether he was contented and satisfied to leave this world and his hopes of futurity. Brother Willie also mentions about the distribution of his property. He does not say wehter he left me anything or not. If he did I would like to know it. If he did not I would like to know it. I have heard since that Uncle Jesse Stancill who lived in Madison County in this state had also departed this life. I did not learn the time. Uncle Jesse lived about a hundred miles from me. I have been to see him twice since I have been in this country. He lived with Mr. Jones Ridley before he died. I have made an excellent crop of corn and cotton. We have had as yet a fine season for saving cotton. We have not yet had any frost. Please write to me and write how many children you have, how many sons and how many daughters, which are married. How many children has brother Jesse, how many has Theophilus J., Rachel, and sister Trezina. And where and how is L.B. Thigpen and Ollen Cobb? Brother Willie informs me that he has made a public profession of religion. Tell brother Willie to allow me to congratulate him upon his happy union with Christ. May the Lord bless him and keep him in the spirit and in the truth. May he be guided by the unceasing counsel of his will. Our three oldest children and Ruel Anderson all keep healthy. (Ruel Anderson was probably a nephew of Rebecca Ann, Caswell's wife.) Ruel Marcellus has picked 352 pounds cotton in a day, Godfrey 300 pounds, and Benjamin Eddie 268 pounds. I call that good picking for the boys and I expect will beat any of their age in NC. Present my highest respect and best wishes to all our connections and inquiring friends and accept for yourself sentiments of the highest esteem and present regard. Your affectionate brother, Caswell Stancill P.S. Say to sister Margaret that I did not forget her. What I have written to you is for her also.( sister Margaret is referring to his brother Henry's wife whose name was Margaret Latham.) Attached to this same letter is a note from Caswell's wife Rebecca Ann. She writes to Henry and Margaret as follows: Brother Henry and Sister Margaret, How do you do? It has been a long time since we saw each other and the children. You have not told me how many you have. I hope you are all well. I do spect you have remained mute a long time. I want to hear from you very much. Tell us about the children, the neighbors, anything you will tell us we will listen to with interest. Would you like to know what kind of house we live in? It is a cabbin three rooms below and two above. The river runs from west to east in front. We can sit in the gallery and see the boats pass. I raise as many chickens as we have any use for. The land is very rich. Mr. Stancill has cotton as high as my head and a tall horse. ( "Mr. Stancill" seems an odd way to refer to her husband- maybe that was just ettiquette or something) We have had four children since we have been in this state. Two of them are dead. We have five children living of which Mr. Stancill has mentioned their names. Margaret, you and the girls must write to me. Please write soon. Give my repects to all inquiring friends and accept for yourselves and family my love. Rebecca Ann Stancil LETTER # 4 Mississippi Sunflower County November 20, 1853 Dear Brother Henry, Your esteemed favour of August 2cnd was duly received which gave us much satifaction to hear from you and to hear that yourself and family and our connections generally were well. Myself and family at present are in tolerable health. Rebecca Ann has had quite a severe spell of sickness. She was taken about the last of August with something like pneumonia. She began to recover from that and relapsed. It was then thought she would scarcely recover , but at this time is as well as usual only she looks bad. Our daughter Jane Leona has been ill and also she looks pale but is well in other respects. I have been very badly crippled in my left foot occasioned by two great a pressure on my foot by wearing a heavy hard boot. It is yet a little tender, but I can go about on horseback very well but cannot walk much. I have made a very good crop both of corn and cotton. The crops of cotton generally are said to be short. The corn crops are said to be very good. Corn in the county is selling at from 25 to 50 cents per bushel. Cotton in N. Orleans from 6 to 10 cents /pound. Bacon from 10 to 12 cents. It would afford me a great pleasure to visit old North Carolina once more and to see you all, but it will be entirely out of my power to do so this season if ever. Brother Henry, when the decision in the property left by our father takes place, take charge of whatever may fall to me and take care of it until I can give further instructions. Inform me of the division as soon as it takes place and of the result. We had no great excitement about the election. The Democratic ticket carried throughout the state. Tell sister Mary she must excuse me for not writing to her before now. I will answer her letter shortly if nothing prevents. Present our respects to all our relations and to all enquiring friends and accept for yourself sentiments of the highest regard. Your affectionate brother, C. Stancill