Robertson F. Winchester was married to Judieth Russell, daughter of Robert Russell, believed to be a brother to my Great, Great, Great Grandparents, Alexander and Elizabeth (Wallace?) Russell.  The reference in the letter to Uncle Elek and Aunt Betsy is thought to confirm this connection.  The letter was written to my Great, Great Grandparents James L. & Peggy Watson who lived in Hardin Co., Tennessee.

Jan the 29^th ./60

     State of Arkansas                                                      James Fork PO

Well friend James I received your letter not long since. I was not a little surprised and was not a little gratified to hear from you.  Your letter found us all well very well.  Some of my old Tennessee friends that has lately came in sayes that I am about the size of John Davy and Judy is not much less.

First you will ask me the question ar you all well pleased with the country.  Well Judy says she is better pleased here than she ever was any place.  The girls is also very well pleased.  I hardly no what to right to you from the fact that I know your circumstance as well almost as well as you do yourself.  Tharfore I no you want moove to risk a living in a strange land – though you requested me to gave you a fair description of my country & if (you don’t) think that I am taxing your patience I will in my plane maner proceed to gave you a fair impartial History.  First this portion of the country lyes between the Boston on the North, the Sugar loaf and Cavino Mountains on the south.  Your map tells you that the Arkansas River winds her course between those mountains and empties herself into the farthers of waters 600 miles from here.  Also you se that the City of Fort Smith is on the Arkansas River at the Mouth of Poto River and also that river is the line between the cherikes and this state and also the Choctaw Nation comes up to the Fort.  Well the land on the river is rich of course and produces well out from the river.  It is rather broken in places with Perayrees (prairies) between and valies.  To come to the point thar is what is called ridges that is from 15 to 500 feet high.  Those ridges runs east and west for miles strate as a line.  Between those ridges is valies from a quarter to a half for some 1 ½ miles in width.  Here we live by the thousands.  The land is a molatto mixed with sand suited to the growth of corn, wheat, oats, rye, the potato turnip vegetable grows well.  Stock grows well and perfectly healthy for stock.  I live 1 ½ miles from the Choctaw line in that distance 1 mile wide thar is nuf of grazing in that bounds to fatten 5000 head of cattle in the summer.

As to land under the graduation act of 54 we enter our land at 75 cts. per acre.  After the first of July nex we can enter at 50 cts.  The swamp land belongs to the state that is in Market now at 50 cts and the preemptors can ditch thar land and pay for ther land in that wey if they schose.  My land belonged to Uncle Sam.  I had to pay 75 cts per acre. 

We have good market here as New Orleans is I mene as far as country produce is conserned the City of Fort Smith is a large place & a great many people in it.  The all must eat consequently the demand is great:  Eggs 25 cts Butter 25 cts Chickens 25 cts Potatoes $ 1.00  Turnips $ 1.00.  And then it matters not what you want or how much from a steam engine down to a sowing moshiene thar it is if a man comes in and wants a lot he can get it by covering the ground with Silver.

Thar is of every hugh and color, every tongue & language under the sun, thar is French, Spanish, Germans, high and low, Indians of every kind, Greeks & Romans, Jews & Gentiles all in Fort Smith, no diference what tongue he may be that comes here he will find his language used here.  The Uankees you no has the sway.  Of course they hold the reins of government of Fort Smith in their hands.

I will say that thar is a vast of welth in Sebastian & not so much aristocracy here as you spoke of in old Hardin.  Thar is the smartest (men) here that is living, in our government.  I don’t number myself in that class but they are here.  Uncle Sam you no must & will have smart men to do her work.  HeadQuarters if kept at Fort Smith.  The Quarter Master & evry other  kind of master is thar.  The Indian Agent is stationed thar, the great Major Rector who made the Treaty with Billy Boughlegs in Florida & brought the principle portion out here.  Billy is dead now, the remaining portion is verry much dissatisfied.  Rector tells them if they don’t be quite he want pay them thar annuity a nuf that.

Now James I am penning the preamble mearly to gave you a better ide of this country not that I have the least ide of you ever seeing this country let alone moving for I know you won’t ever leave that old place.

Well perhaps you might want to no something about our overland mail through from Fort Smith to California.  Well sir they make the trip through in 19 & 22 days.  The company binds themselves for the sum of $ 100 to take you from the Fort to San Francisco in 22 days & set you down right side up.

Thar was a man who did live in too miles of me. He and his wife had some difficulty & he left & went to California.  When he left he left a large family some children verry small & while in California he made a fortune.  So day before yesterday he came back & his old lady & one girle was all that was at home.  All had grown up several had died one was killed by lightining he geing absent 10 years.  The old lady had all this time lived at same old place.  When he came up to the gate the girl who was the baby when he left saw him & thought he was some loafer for he had disguised himself & she run behind the house.  The old man came in of course when the too old one saw each other they was not deceived & flew to embrace each other.  The girl meanwhile heard the fuss & supposed the loafer was killing her mother & sprung in & at the pitch of her voice her told him to let her Mother alone.  The mother as soon as she could says Nancy this is your farther.  Then she sprange to embrace her farther.  Well he came through in 19 days with 40 pounds baggage.

I am well pleased so much that if I had or was donated 1000 acres of land at my choise in Hardin or any of the joining countys I would not live thar.

Now James & Peggy I have no ide that any person or persons will take any interest in this letter but your family & when you read this letter over till you ar satisfied burn it.  Let Uncle Elek and Aunt Betsy see it.

R. Winchester