> More letters from Tracy Stancil > > LETTER # 5 > > Mississippi, Sunflower County > > January 9, 1855 > > Dear Brother Henry, > Your esteemed favour of the 7th December was received yesterday the 8th > instant.(Instant was an old term meaning of the current month. Ultimate was > used to mean last month or the previous month) So was yours of January last > informing me of the results of the division of my father's property duly > received. > I did not answer yours of January last for several reasons, some of which I > will mention. In the first place, I received your letter about the time I > shipped my cotton to N. Orleans and thought I would wait until it was sold > to remit to you the balance that was due from me. ( He apparently owed Henry > money for a slave he had purchased.) My crop was not sold till about the > middle of May. It did not bring as much as I expected nor in fact as much as > it ought to have done. I had previously bought property to be paid for out > of that crop which lacked a little being sufficient, freight interest and > commission, however about the time I heard from the sale of my crop, I was > lame in one of my feet, occasioned by a hurt which kept me confined to the > house for about six weeks. I was at that time very far behind in cultivating > my crop and was therefore prevented from making other arrangements to make > you the remittance until the season was far advanced and money at such a > high rate of interest, I concluded I would wait till I could make a shipment > from my present crop, but in consequence of low water, I have not yet > shipped any.Besides meeting with great difficulty in obtaining North > Carolina bills of suitable size and not knowing that any other would suit, > have delayed some on the account. You will please inform me if any other > kind would suit, what or if you could use a check on New York for the > amount. > We regret very much to hear of the misfortune in your family and though at > so great distance from you we can and do properly sympathize with you in > your affliction; at the same time we are pleased to hear that the health of > your family is improving, and that the hand affliction , though visited in > severity is again becoming lighter and we hope will soon be removed. We > rejoice to hear that our family connection all again enjoying the > inestimable blessing of health. Myself and family are enjoying remarkable > good health since the last writing with some exceptions. The lameness in my > foot that I have already spoken of, some five or six weeks of debility of > Rebecca Ann; she has been quite feeble though not confined. > The past year has been really dry except a little while in the spring. The > crops of corn are generally short and is selling at $1.00 per bushel. The > cotton crop I believe are turning out tolerably well. It is thought that it > will be equal to last year's crop and bring up here from 6 to 8 cents per > pound. In N. Orleans from 6 to 10 cents. Provisions of all kinds are scarce > and high. I hear of no pork selling at all except in barrels which has been > from $18.00 to $20.00. Flour from $10.00 to $12.00 per barrel.Beef 8 cents, > bacon 12 to 15 cents per pound. Mules and horses are very high. Number 1 > mules $200. Fine saddle and harness horses from $250 to $300. > I shall send Ruel Marcellus and Godfrey both to college this year. Ben Eddie > and Ruel Anderson will both go to school also. I have not determined yet > where I will send them. > I do know that I wish to sell the boy George but wish you to take care of > him until I make the remittance due from me to yourself and the others. > I have little doubt brother Henry that the draining and clearing up of that > spring branch is the principal cause of the sickness in your family. The > best way to manage cases of that sort is to stimulate freely and keep up > the pulse to its natural highest as possible. You could use ginger, I prefer > brandy or whisky. I believe a good article of whisky to be better than > brandy. Give them plenty of pepper tea and whisky frequently. > If you do not wish to hire the boy George yourself please hire him to > someone you think best. > Rebecca Ann and all of the children join with me in presenting to yourself, > your family, and all relatives our best wishes and highest respects. May the > God in heaven bless, guide and direct you through time and its > uncertainties and finally save you in his everlasting kingdom above. Present > our respects to all our relatives and enquiring friends and accept for > yourself sentiments of highest regards. > Your brother, most affectionately, > > Caswell Stancill > P.S. I have no hesitation in saying that I perfectly agree to the > appropriation and purchase you propose to make for the Grave Stones. If > nothing prevents, I will write to brother Jesse in about one month. > > C. Stancill > My post office now is Shell Mound, Sunflower County, Miss. Write me your > most convenient post office. I scarcely know where to direct letters to you. > > C.S.