The following is a lengthy posting, and this may not be quite the appropriate place to offer it, but I thought the following 1860 letter might be of general interest to Hill County researchers: Letter from Elias MacKey (son of Thomas MacKey and Sarah Murphree MacKey Forsythe) of Hill County, TX, to his sister, Mahala MacKey Burns Ellington Gentry Hicks of El Monte, CA (Letter originally passed down to Delilah Blum Gearhart of Amarillo, TX, descendant of Wallace and Elizabeth ("Betsy") MacKey Sevier (sister of Elias and Mahala)) "Hill Co. Texas July the 16th 1860 My dear Sister, It has been some time since I received your kind letter of Nov. the 2nd & I feel ashamed to mention it but business & brotherly love requires me to answer it. Yours found us all well & this leaves all enjoying reasonable health tho there has been some deaths in the family. Since I recd yours Wallis & Betsy lost a little girl this spring & they lost a little boy last summer their too youngest at that time. They now have another girl which was born this spring. A L Foreman was kiled this spring by the Indians near Cora in Comancha Co. Nancy has come to my house to live. She is not in first rate health. Mother is married & doing tolerable well & enjoys good health her husbands name is Thomas J. Forsythe they live about 2 miles from us on Mill Creek. I believe the ballence of your old acquaintinces are all well. My dear sister at the last spring term of court Mr. Winkler had collected nine hundred & 22 dollars for you after takeing 10 percent for collecting & Mr. Anderson's order has been paid out of that which leaves three hundred & 22 dollars in my hands for you & there is yet some money uncollected on the note as yet though not much. I recon I will get it this fall at court. I would send you the money that I have but for fear of some mistake I want to hear from you a gain. I don't egactly understand your last letter. I cant not under how nor to who you want the draft sent. Your letter is not satisfactory on the subject-& then again it has been so long since it was written that something might be wrong. So upon the whole we think that we had better hear from you again. I want you to be very particular in writing your directions as to sending the draft. I think it will be just as safe to address the letter to you as any other person but you know best. I will send in this the Anders! on or Eubank order which has each payment on the back the date and all so as you can know how to settle with them. My dear sister we are going to have a hard time of it in Texas this year on account of dry weather we have had no rain since the 23 of April to do any good & our crops little account. We will about make bread. The stock water is getting verry scarce & if it dont rain son we will have to drive our stock some where. The Brazos has quit running & it only stands in holes. Our last girl we call Mahala Jane after you. She is about 7 months old & is doing well. You might come to see her some day. Betsy Nancy & all send their love to you & children. Pleas accept a brothers & sisters love while I remain your affectionate brother. E. MacKey" Deven Lewis Hill County Surnames: MacKey, Sevier, Burns, Foreman, Ellington, Boyles