Misc110TN-X TENNESSEE, MISC June 15th, 1845 Written to Mr. Philip Draper Trenton Gibson County, Tenn. Dear Brother State of Louisiana Parish of Desoto Sent from Mansfield, LA June 27 I now take the oportunity of writing you a few lines to let you now that I am well at presance hoping theas lines will Reach you enjoying the Same blessing I Received your letter So long Since that I have forgoten the date but think it was about the middle of April which was the first line that I had ever Received Since I left home hit gave me Some Satisfaction in one Respect & in one it did nt that I Received a letter from Booker Since which gave me Some Satisfaction that I was mistaken I Received a letter from Roy Carlen before either of the others I am Sorry that I cannot Comply with your Request as Respects Coming to see you I would be very glad to come Indeed but business is so arranged that I cannot Come dyrectly but will Come indirectly I had all most as live bee dead as to live in a Strangeplace away from all of my Connections Idid hate very much to part with you all but I thought it for the best you had no idea of the trouble I was in when I was thar is no better yet I will not give way to it yet but will work along the best I can I am not capable of advising olden persons but do think it best if you would Come to this Country for two or three things that is because the country is new and Setting up very fast and work in your line is very high & another is it would bee to my interest for this Reason I sat in to work with one of the finest young Carpenters in the Country to leam the trade and him and his pardner desolved copartnership & he left the Country I had Jus got So that I could begin to leam and I would like to complete my Study with Some good Study fellow the facts is this you could never bee out of a job if you wished the town of Mansfield is improving very fast there was a Sale a few days Since & I bought three lots if you wish & will come you can have an interest in them if you wish I have no doubt but tha will bee valuable Some day for this Reason it is the county Site & ther is no danger of its ever being moved it would bee a great pleasure to me for you to come an Settle in this town the fact is this ther is no Study workmen in this country I detennin on beeing a workman before I Stop if you Say you will Come and will write to that affect I will come out in the fall and come with you I Sertainly would do very Rong to advise you that way if I did not think it best from what I saw when I was thar you was not Satisfied thar and whar a man is not Satisfyed he had better not be thar I suppose Texas is annexed and the pople will bee moving thar and this is write in the Road from Natchitoches to _______ that is one Reason why I think it will Sertainly bee a considerable town after a few years & as to health it is as healthy as any part of the united States is has good land all Round to Support it & that is very Good Symptoms I believe you would bee pleased with the Country it is along ways from home but you had as well bee hear as anywhere a person has but so long to live no how & food is plenty & Range is good Crop is promising this year Squire is living in the Same place and owns two or three lots Peyton and Stephen ar about one hundred miles from us tho I came by thar as I came on the last I heard tha war all well I think it likely that I will go back to tennessee Some day and mary that widow yet the Girls in this Country hold ther heads very high and as no great things at last I would not give and old Country Girl for one dozen of the Suthem Reered girls I am so confused I cant give you much Satisfaction I hope you will excuse me I am yours with much Respect Caleb Pate You will direct your letters to Mansfield, Desoto Parish, Louisiana 1016/97 Notes by Jinks Pate Lee: Caleb Pate is a brother to Booker, Squire, Peyton and Stephen. Booker stayed in TN; Caleb and Squire moved to DeSoto Par, LA Peyton and Stephen moved to Claibome Par, LA Philip White Draper md Caleb's sister, Elizabeth Pate *********************************************************************************** Placed here this day August 25, 1999 by: Mary LEDBETTER Hudson - ggranddaughter of Victoria DRAPER Neil. --- mahud@fidnet.com Minnie Opal HALL Ledbetter, child of, Estella NEIL Hall - Julius Hall Estella Neil, child of, Victoria DRAPER Neil - George Neil Victoria Draper, child of, Philip White Draper and Mary Elizabeth Pate Philip White Draper, child of, Philip Draper and Sarah Return to Mary's homepage ***********************************************************************************