Lyle B. Fawcett - 1834-01-02

Gainesville  Jany 2nd 1834

Dear Father
        I need not apologize to you for my long silence, when I tell you that I have our store, the Post Office & some land speculation, besides being one of the board of Directors for the Gainesville & Narketa Rail Road Company, all on my hands and have but Bob & our clerk to help me, and last tho not the less important I am about to be married – yes I am serious when I say I am to be married on the 10th inst to Mrs. Elizabeth Bell, Sister to Col  Scott who married Elizabeth Smith who you all know – as to the character of my intended I know you and my dear old mother will be entirely satisfied, whenever Willis writes to you of her – he has settled in the neighborhood where she now resides – she is a widow – without property of any account – some 7 or 8 years my junior – reminds me often of aunt Phoebe altho not so tall.  I should like to have had Erasmus present at the wedding but thought his arrival rather uncertain, and therefore followed the promptings of my own heart which bids me use all haste.
        Our business continues very fair the only difficulty we have is getting money – we have to shift the best we can and run our credit.
         I received a letter from Willis yesterday three days old – he has begun operations in these new hours and from what a friend says, they will doo[sic] very well.
        I have anxiously expected Erasmus for the last month – I have great need of him and intend taking him from Willis.  I am interested in a considerable quantity of land in the county of Kemper and have sent some goods there also, now if Ras was there I would feel more safe, and could often sell land that no one now knows the owner of .
        I, according to promise, placed $100 to your credit with Archer & Ellison and subject to your order – did you draw for it?
        Willis and myself have several projects in view – I will write to you on my return, from my weding [sic] trip, more fully and give the result of our conference
        Remember me to my dear mother & the family – tell my pet that if I ever get my hands on him, I intend making a clerk of him.
                    I must close – Bob is waiting on me.—

Your affte son
L. B. Fawcett