county 16th . 1856
State of Gorgia sumter november
Dear brother I know take the oppertunity
of riting A few lines to let you no
that me an my famley an famley
conection is All well at this time
present hoping that these few lines will
reach and find you all the Same I reseived
your letter alittle time back and was
vary glad to heare from you all I
reseived a letter from harmon
Elkins hes in Illanois and sister Polla
is ded Crops hear is rather sorra hear this
year Corn is from 75 cents to a dollar per
bushel Cotton is worth 12 ½ cents bacon
worth from 10 to 12 ½ cents I have only
one of my Children with me know
tha have all marred and left me but one
Elizer is with me yet maraan runaway
and marred William Jackson afew
day ago I hapend to A little of good
luck one tim in my life in the time
of the Indaan ware I was in the sirves
about 20 years ago and I have Jest reseived
my land warnt for my sirveses and [1]
I sold it for one hundred and 37 dollars an
a half has hope me sum wen I [2]
expcted nothig so turn over [3]
[page 2]
you wanted to no how we was
All gitting along I beleive my
Children All keeps even with the world
and sum to speair tha was All poor an
marred poor but all mared smart men
you must rite to me as soon as you
Can so nothing more at present only I
remain your loving Brother untel Deth
Steph Phillips

[page 3]
Dear unkle I once more take the
oppertunity of riting you a few lines to
let you no that I am yet la[?] an is
All well at present hoping these few lines
will reach and find you All injoying
the same blessing I have bin
living in the state of Alabama tel
last spring I moved back to old sumter
a gain but I am sorra I ever Comb
back for thare was vary good land
thare at 12 ½ an 25 cents per Achor it
would make from 10 to 15 bushels of Corn
to the Achor I went and a place in
henry County and stade thare about 8
months and sold it and moved About
50 miles farther to Covington Conty
and got dissetisfide and Comb back to
gorgia sumter tho I enterd one hundred
and 20 Achors in Covington County at
12 ½ cents per Achor that was vary good
land know in closing I must tel you
how how many children we have only
three one boy and to girls Enos Anguish
is the boy then Julaan lisebeth then
martha Jane So nothing more at
present only I remain yours untel deth
John Phillips to Jesse Phillips famley
and famley Conection