Earliest extant letter found to date to/from the first Obion County Settlers.
To David Hutchinson, York Courthouse.
From John Hutchinson, Postmarked Troy, TN

This letter was transcribed from the original by Allen Stokes, Director of the South Caroliniana Library, University of South Carolina, where the York County Hutchison family papers are archived.

Mr. Stokes writes in explanation about his transcription, “I did not capitalize all the words that he appeared to capitalize. I also put in some periods to make sentences. I retained his spelling. I put in question marks (?) after some words about which I was not certain. In some instances he used “they” when he meant “the”.

My thanks to Mr. Stokes. All other discrepencies between the original and the following are probably my mistakes. I think the James Hagge mentioned in the letter may actually be James Hogue.
(signed)  Debra (Hutchinson) Lowe

Tennessee Obion County    August 26th 1826
Dear Uncle,
I take the preasent oportunity of writing to you to let you  know some of the particulars concearning the land of  promised land. I g[ot] to it without any dificulty more than ba[d] weather. We were nearly eight weeks on the… James Hagge lost one of his best horses on the… owing to unreagular feeding and watering and wate … I never had one of my horses to be sick one…from I started untill I came here.

We have got to a very plentifull country. Every thing can be made in great abunda[nce] and bought on the cheapest terms. The lan[d] will from forty to eighty bushels of corn… acre and from twelve to fifteen hundred of cotton to the acre. I have not made…and cotton myself as yet but I expect to… and from what I have seen grow I know it…be don[e] with a great deal of ease. Cotton…they have planted here late in May…foot wide by the last of July was left in…row and was as high as my head and is n[ow] begining to open. Corn they plant four foo[t]…a half wide and leaves three and four…in they hill. The river and large creek…here is not worth they attention of any perso[n] unless it is for range and timber and boats…them. We have abundance of as yet next…they bottoms the land lies leavel though…plenty. I think for health and the ritch…land that I ever seen or ever expected to see. Their is another qualtity of land that lies very high and broken and very…though not as good as the land near the rive[r] bottoms. I have taken up two hundred and fifty acres of vacant land at fifty cents per acre. It is first rate high land though considerably broken…I have hired out my Negroes this year one at twelve [do]llars and one at ten dollars per month and…ter to William HUtchinson eight month…or fifty dollars. I was hard run for cash when…I came here. I had but two dollars and 75 [cen]ts in cash and they two dollars I had to [giv]e to the midwife in nine days after I came…I have seported my family plentifully without…any in debt. I have plenty of corn paid…to do me another year and some meat. I have…cows and calves two sows and pigs and about…hundred and fifty dollars in cash coming…We git everything that we s[t]and in need of…low we can go to the Mississippi and git what..stand in need of at any time. Prime flower…$3.50 cents per bar[re]l salt 62-1/2 cents (Debra’s note: this was written differently, but the limitations of the universal computer keyboard…) per bushel bacon five cents per pound whiskey 31-1/4 (Debra: ditto) cents per…and every thing that you can name…in proportion. I want you to do me…more favour if possable that is to go down…see John Baxter and advise him to move [he]re for I am confident that he can live better here by working four months in they year than [he] can their working January to January. If he does come I will provide something for him by the time he gits here and do all I can for him ever after. If I had him here I would be much better contented than I am. If he move…if you can make yourself safe from D…Patton and Eavens (?) with the ballance of …debt which was not due without the two…that I left with you on Baxter. You may…them out to by Robert harper this…or if not whatever is over making you…I would neither wait with him ten years for him to be detained one year from…their was three years payment of Pattons and the balance of Evenses (?). I don’t recolect at this time.

James Hagge wants you if his negro woman is caught to take her in posession and do with her as if she was your own and sell her for cash and send her out by the first good opertunity. He likewise wishes you to send him word about her. I have had my health better since I cam[e] here than I have had for four years…freand(?) are all generally well at preasent except some complaints amongst the women such as is common in all healthy climates. Matilda sends her compliments to aunt and all the family. I want you to write me immediately you receave this. Let me know every thing about Charles Harts defeat and who he swore against and whether it is the opinion of they people that they are gilty. Let me know all the rest of the particulars. No more at preasant but your afectionately &c.

John Hutchinson

Addressed to David Hutchinson, York Courthouse. Postmarked Troy, Tn.