[At the time of the 1860 Census, Peter Amos was living in St. Clair County, Missouri, where he was employed as a “tobacconist.”]

Weaubleau st Clair county Mo september
the 2nd 1860
Dear parents I received you letter and
was very glad to hear that you was
all well I also recieved a letter
from William one mail before yours I am
stil alive and well and hope this may
find you all well and happy I am
almost ashamed to write after remaining
silent so long but hope you will excuse
me and I will try to do better hereafter
I am very glad to hear you have good
crops in that Country Crops here as I wrote
before are a failure though some portions
of mo have a pretty fair crop of corn
corn is worth one dollar per bushel and
wheat $1.50 cts bacon 12 ½ to bacco from 2 to
10 dollars in the leaf stock is low here
from the scarscity of food to winter them
on times are tight and money scarce
politics runs very high and is the general
theme for conversation this section of country
is pretty well dicided between douglas bell
and breckenridge st louis st Josephs and
a great many of the river towns are
strongly republican I had turned democrat
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since I left carolina but since the
party have split ive become disgusted
with the whole school of politicians I
believe there is none of them honest I have
seen the result of your election and was
very well pleased with your choice for govenor
father you say you think I had better
settle my self to one place and buisiness
you think rambling over the world is
not profitable well you are right it
dont pay every time I knew that
before I left home but was not satisfied
and my desire for travel has increased
with my adventures but I mean to stop
and devote my attention and mind to
something permanent though I shal
learn this section of country first I
intended leaving here this month but have
declined doing so I will remain here now
perhaps til november I would like to
come home this fall but I think I
would not be satisfied to settle there so
I think I will settle my self first and
then pay you a visit I would try to
persuade you to move west but you are
well settled there and it would be foolish
to break up and come to a new country as
you are getting old and would never be as
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well fixed or satisfied as you are even if
you wished to do so Bettie ann has my
thanks for her kind remembrance of me and
the few cherful lines she wrote and dearest
mother let not my absense destroy or in the
least diminish your peace or hapiness I am
able to take care of my self I often think
of what you used to tel me that when
I left home I would not find a mother or
home again your words are too true still I
find kind and warm friends wherever I go
you say you would like to have us all together
I hope I will yet have the pleasure of meeting
you all again give my love to all Brothers and
sisters tel them to write I stil cherish
the memory of many friends and associates and
would like to hear from them father I will
be glad to hear from you when you get
this I will try to write oftener I have no
more to write at present But remain
your affectionate son
Peter Amos