The following is a letter written 23 May 1881 by Charles Riddle Patterson of Henderson Co., TN to his brother, Thomas in Newton Co., AR.
Daniel R. Lanter, dlanter@camalott.com
"May the 23 1881
State of Tennessee henderson County
dear brother and sister and famley i take my pen
in hand to rite you a few lines in ancer to your kind leter
that came some time ago i was glad to heare from you all
and heare that you was all well we are all well at this
time hoping when these few lines comes to hand will find
you all well my wife is dead she departed this life the
7th day of May 1881 beter that five months that se never
walked nary step without help the complaint peralsy she
has bin a stout woman she made 216 pounds las summer no one
can tel what she sufferd my wife seed your hair and your
wifes hair tookit in her hand and loked at a few days before
she died the connection is well soare as ino we had the
hardest winter i ever saw the wether so cold and the roads
so bad people could hardly get about we have hade abundance
of rain this spring people are not done planting yet a geat
deal of cotton just coming up farmers are wors in the grass
than i ever new them before mighty little wheat sowed in this
country thae has bin two weaks now without rain old land
is geting very hard Thomas i can say to you father and Mother
and my wife oldest son is berried in a butiful place near the
old brick yard father told mee the day before he died that
tare was where he wanted to be berried i have sot out a
square twenty steps each way the moast about ten feet high
i want you to rite when ever you can isnd my bes
respects to all of the famley
C. R. Patterson to Thomas Patterson
this darke is alock of my hair
the white is abunch of my beard"
Trying to find relationship between Charles Riddle Patterson and Sarah H. Patterson. They are supposed to be brother and sister. Parents: Mark Patterson and Sarah Dicey Riddle. Any help would be appreciated.