North Carolina senator writes his Father In law
Author
Recipient
Date Written
Oct. 30, 1870
Member of Series
Andrew Carson Cowles was 37 years old when this was written.
The recipient, Reuben Reynolds, was 57 when it was received.
Andrew Carson Cowles died 10 years, 2 months, 6 days after writing this.
It was written 152 years, 11 months, 3 days ago.
It was a Sunday.
Hamptonville, N. Carolina
October 30, 1870
Mr. Reubin Reynolds,
My Dear Sir,
I had thought to be able to pass over to Statesville during the coming week and to persuade Maggie over with me. Bro’s Wm. and Henry, with the weather permitting will go over tomorrow and I regret very much our inability to go over with them. The more so on account of the special request of sister Bell that we should do so. I hope to induce Maggie to go over with me, the last of this coming on the first of next week.
I am very busy hauling in corn my own crop_____with the___makes it somewhat laboring and tedious. I ought to be sowing wheat but am engaged all my spare time in threshing, I procured Esq Housin’s Thresher and separator but it broke down after threshing about 50 bushels, so I shall have to finish with my own machine which at its best will only clean about 30 bushels a day.
It will be impossible for me to make anything like a trip south owing to the short time intervening between now and the assembling of the Legislature. You spoke of a willingness to go south and take some of my stock and couple of wagons, and take some of Uncle Hugh’s mules. If you have concluded to do so, I would like to hear from you. On____have you think of it so as to let me know when we come down.
My black mule’s eye which you will recollect got so badly torn by the hook of the Single Tree has healed without disfiguring her perceptibly. Our hogs are getting pretty fat, and should the weather be propitious, I will kill half of them in a couple of weeks.
I am much cramped in my business arrangements by the near approach of the meeting of the Legislature and often regret my election but so it is! And it is now too late to reconsider.
I think if sister Bell had been here the past week she would have enjoyed herself and I know we would have been pleased to have had her with us. Maggie has got a terrible stay at home spell on her just now but I think and hope I will be able to persuade her aff. wish___on a visit to you all before I go to Raleigh. She is now writing to sister Bell and will draft a sheet for herself. Give my love to all, and believe me,
Affectionately yours,
Andrew C. Cowles
P.S. I have 9 bbls. of brandy inspected and stamped ready for market and shall have as many more fixed. If Uncle Hugh will send a barrel of his whiskey up in the wagon by Lee giving her special instructions in regard to it, I think it will come through safe. I’ll rectify it and have an order from your neighbor B____ for 20 gals. At $2 per gal. Say to him that first now is a prohibition time to sell it as whiskey will decline as soon as corn gets hard enough to grind.
Please call at the express office and send any package that may be there for me by Lee. I have a little box containing some______plates at the Depot which I wish Lee to bring.
Affectionately, Andrew
Scans of Letter
