Stampless letter sheet:
Addressee:
       Mr James Seahorn, Jonston County, Iowa City, Ioway Territory
Manuscript postmark & rate:
       Rheatown T -- 25


} The State of Tennesee
1841
Washington County January the 23
       I now take the opportunity to write to let you now that we are all well and hoping that these compliments may find you enjoying good helth and the friends are in good helth at presant and I can inform you that I got home the sixt of December And found them all fat and sassy and had no bad Luck on the road but my hors got lame on the Road for two Dayes and when I got home I found the times hard as ever there is one thing that [I] have to say to you Stand up to the time brat and If ould [old] granny harison is hour president hold on for the Day will bee ours yet for the batel [battle] is foaut [fought] And the ___try [Country] is lost and william Seehorn has Sold one hundred and seventy two and fifty cents worth of hogs and the balance of youre money it is hard to tell atney thing [anything] about that for times is very hard And you may tell betsy that the boys is well And Sometimes i think i wood like to bee in that country but the Distance is very grait and the road is bad and marget is very loath to leave her mother while she still lives but when I think of the Contry I cant give it out to them if work in fathers Store the balance of my dayes in Tennesee for times Still grows harder and harder
       wont you write to me how the land is run out and how the lines does run and soon and so forth I can in form you that John haws is married Again he married in five weeks after nansy [Nancy] Died and he married one hail the balance of her name I cant not tell you for there ant very much nabring amoung them sinc the ____ took her and tel polly and narsy and betsy the best and graitest respects to them all and anny [Annie] Seehorn Enquired of them all and expect not to moove this fall for the motherinlaw cant give up andrew and to think of coming and leaving him I cant but write to mee when the land does come in market for I will atend to youre Afares and send to you if i can ___ with a good c__ there is a grait manney talkes of coming to youre Contry
John Williams has give out Coming to that Contry
       He has Comenst clearing and fixing of his farm and ther is no thing more at presant
Remaines youre friend
E. R. Carson
Marget Carson


Notes:
U. S. Federal Census for Washington County, Tennessee, 1840 shows:
Edward Carson, p 218
John Haws, Sr. P 201
William Seahorn, p 216
John Williams, p 219

Washington County Tennessee Marriage Records:
John Haws m. R. Hail, 13 October 1840
Presumably, John Haws previous wife Nansy died in early September, 1840

       “ould granny harison” is undoubtedly William Henry Harrison, 9th President of the United States. In 1836 he was one of the candidates for president put forward by the newly formed Whig party, and four years later he captured the White House as the “Log Cabin and Hard Cider” candidate. He died in office, 4 April 1841, just 30 days after his inauguration.