November the 19 1862
Dear Son your letter of the twelfth came to hand
the sixteenth and also your letter of the thirteenth came
to hand the nineteenth which gave me great satisfaction
to hear that you was well and doing well. we are all tolerable
well, you wrote to me that you had sent some salt
and also that you wanted me to send you some clothes
by Mr. Perry I sent Charles right off the same day
I received your letter to see about it he got some
salt. there was not quite three pks of it I did not pay
the freight on it as I was not expecting Charles to
get the salt I sent him to see about sending
things to you. he did not see Mr. Perry and Mr
Swift could not tell him when he would go back
and so I did not know what to do I was going
to send them up to Thomaston but you say you
dont want me to send them without I send
them by one of the company and so I am still
at alloss to know what to do. it is so far to Thomas
ton that I have a bad chance to know when any of
the company is at home you said you had heard
something about my getting salt from the government
I got 21 lbs by paying 1 $ for it and they say that
there is more coming. I havent had any chance to pay my
tax yet. you spoke of wanting to know whether
I had sold any corn or meat I sold nineteen
bushels of corn at one dollar pr bushel I sold bacon
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enough to bring 20 $ some at forty cents and some
at thirty cents what I sold 30cts was for a sick soldier
you wrote to me that I might sell the grey geans
that I made for you if I thought best. there was
a man come the next day after I received your letter
and payed four dollars per yd for it. I settled
sixteen dollars of Dr.. Bazemores with four yds and a half
brown geans. The negros has sold their corn to Dr. Bazemore
at 1 $ pr bushels I have payed off Mr. Robinsons
last years account. I got arrangements to get some
winter shoes I got leather from John Brown I got 5 lbs of
uppe[r] leather and 6 of sole leather I payed one dollar
seventy five cents pr pound for the upper leather and and one
1 $ ½ for the sole leather I had to promise to kill
a beef and let him have the hide to get it at
that. he says he will allow me twenty five cents
pr pound for the hide green I havent kill him
yet but I have got him in th pea feild trying
to fattin him. We are very busy at this time sowing
wheat I mustered about until I found nearly
a pound of bluestone Sis had a little and we
both together made nearly as pound I swim it and
than soak it I divide it so as to soak it all some
I recon I shall finish the feild with oats after I
am done sowing wheat if I think I can soak it
enough to do any good I shall sow seven bushels I want
to know if you dont think I had better sow the
balance of my oats in the old gin house feild
and try to tend the upper feild as it so
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ill convenient to water for a pasture It is Mary
Anns calculation to move down here as soon as she
can Tom is at work here now helping my folks
so as to be ready to move as I can get ready. She
speaks of keeping her negros and her stocks wher Mr.
Collins lived last year and she will live here in the
house in the house with me Mr. Bevel is making
the shoes he promised to have them done this week
he said he would not be hard with me about the
price he said he would take provisions if I had
rather pay it that way. The load of corn that
I promised to have measured Just measured 25
bushels, I am in hopes that I will be able to do
better buying salt here soon than you can do in
Savanah as there is so many wagons gone from
about here to try to get salt I am anxious to
send you the things that you sent for but I dont
know how to manage to send them you must write
to me when any of the compay is coming home and
I will them to Thomaston May the choiest [??]
blissing of heaven rest upon is the sincere
of your affectionate Mother Mary E Ivey

Dear Cousin as Aunt Elyza has left a little space
I will fill it out althoug I have nothing of interest to
write you I was very agreeably surprised this evening to receive
a letter from you and was glad to hear that you was
well and doing well, I received a letter from Priss last week
things were all well except colds the last they heard from Bud
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he was at Bunker Hill [1] It is raining and
getting late so I will close by subscribing
Your affectionate Cousin
L McNeice