[At the time of the 1860 Census, Jesse Kinley and his wife, Susan, were living on their Davidson County farm with their eight children, ranging in age from one year old to twenty. The Census indicates that Jesse and Susan could not read or write.]

State of Northcarolina Davidson County
October the 17 day 1863 Gov Z Vance
Dear Sir I take the oppertunity of Droping
you a few Lines to Let you Know how I
have been Damage this weeke By the Detales
Sente from the 42 Rigment of Northcarolina
to hunt Deserters and twelve of them come to
my house and stayed all night I fede them
night and moring thay dident paye me
Any thing for it But When thay Went
to Leave thay Plundder my house and
taken sume of my Clothing and some
of my harness and sume stocking
and taken them of with them and payd me
nothing for Any thing thay don

now I will Give you a Statement of what
thay don to others thay takeen all Chickens
thay cude kech where thay went
a long thay went By woming houes
that never ware married and never
hade Any sons to be Deserters infact never
hade Any Children of Any kind thay
Catch thare chickens tooke of never payde
them for it and so thay went on
taken property from from people which
will be ablige to suffer if the Like is
not stoped thay went to houses and
noboddy at home thay wode Breake the
Locks and going in and take want Every that
thay wanted and wee want to know
from you What we hade better do
Wright to me soon Jesse Kinley
post master at spencers post office in Davidson
County NC To Gov Z B Vance