South Carolina } July 21st – 1863
Laurence District }

Dear and only Sone I now gladly imbrace this one
more oppertunity of writing you a few lines again to let
you know that I am well and family at this time
hoping that these few lines may reach your hands in due
time and find you in good health I recieved your letter
last saturday Fryday which gave me a great deal of
satisfaction to hear that you was well but sory to
hear that you had not got W D Simpson letter I havenot
saw W D Simpson since but I expect to see him soon
William you rote to me that Margret had bin riting to
you that she wanted to come back home and wanted
me away she never let me know athing about it all
though she got so that nothing I could do would please
her and i could hear of her talking and vilafying me
to other people I know not for what nor hardly ever comes
a ny us nor speaks she comes to old Mrs cooper and goes on
apon me I sepose I did not know she had got dissatisfied
staying at Willise s ther was one thing I knowed it have
be come to bee a common country talk about her staying thare
she has commenced wrong if she had told me that she wan
ted to come home and could not come unless I got away I
would have got away as soon as possible I do not know what
she rote to you I have tryed to please that woman as
hard as I ever tryed to pease any body in my life I think
William I come to your place to try to advantage you and her
all I could I have done the best I could for you it was a
good deal of expence a moving thare besides a great deal of
troble it cost me 25 or 30 Dollars to get thare besides the troble
when I got thare I found the plantation and the mare and
colt in abad fix I hired a black boy and we fell to
work and I got them all recruted in gathering the crop
[cost?] me a good deal at the start
[Page 2]
I had about 1200 rails split and the cross fence maid
besides the out side fence maid up and so fair has got as
good a crop as ever can be maid on the place again
William you know I would not of come hear with the
expence and trouble Jest for one year but all I ever
done or all I can do for you my sone I dont think
hard of I have worked very hard in the crop this
year and carsly any in the shop and has not made
much money you stated to buy the owens place william I
do not think I could get it and if I could it wouldnot
suit me or you stated to build on your place william ther
is more on your place now than it will suport
I will gether the crop william and I will try to get me
aplace and move to it I know not where my sone away
furder from you than I was before o how it hurts my
hart to think that I have but one sone and to live at
a distance from him women can cause trouble and destress
with men William I was onest in hopes and offen prayd for
it that we might live together again but my hopes has
vanished the dye is cast I dont think hard of you my sone
I aim to devide the crop when getherd and give place
then you may say farwell fany and the colt too
they would of bin ded long a go if I had not come here
it will be a nother expence for me to get a way from
here again but William I think you ought to help me
with that expence it is Just with you you are sending
a good deal of money to margred which she dont need
but when she gets home and finds old Mrs Coopers family
and stalk she will need it but the petishness of
wimen I dont mind I have no hard thoughts you
at all my Sone and I hope you wont think hard
of me for I know you wish all could be agreeable
[Page 3]
William you stated in your other letter to let you
know about the shotes and colt being alterd and spaid
I had all the shotes yourn and mine spaid and they
all done well and is well long ago the colt I sent
word to newman they told me he was a good hand I sent
word to him two or three times and he never come
then I sent word to Power and he has not come
now it is dog days I dont want it done till they are
out I have got my wheat out and the pasture
open and and the horses hogs and cows all in it
and it is a splended paster the colt looks will
I recon is well as you ever saw him the mare holds
her own very well for her chance to work hard all
the week and pull from three to five in the buggy
[nearly?] every s[???] I laid by your crop and done
plowing and the buggy is broke now I am in hopes she
will git to run in the pasture some William Daved Cooper
and Poter Elage is gawn to the army at Charles town
ther has bin a draft here afew weeks ago and now they say that
the governer has ca[??]led all from 18 to 45 no reserves at all
William I will submit to your reques in your last
letter as soon as I can gether my crop with no hard
thoughts at you atall William I want you to
write to me as soon as you git this letter I will see
W D Simpson shortly and if he did not write I will git him
to write soon I must Come to a close by ascribing my best
love and affection of your old farther to an only sone

Wm I made Joseph B Box
forty one bushels of wheat To William I Box