February 29, 1868

Cherokee County Texas Feb the 29 1868
Dear cosen I exspect you will be verry
much surprized to get a letter from
from mee as we never did corispond
with each other I left there when
I was small & we did not now any
thing a bout each other I had the
pleasure of talking with Mr Daniel
& Elic Dunlop just from there they told
mee about you I told them I would rite
to you they are living in three miles
of mee runing a large distilerry making
monney I live in the neighborhood
of the McCrimmons they are all
well Barny Sears is dead & wife
uncle John Sears is living in
Louisania I have just ritten to one
of uncle Barneys sons that live in
Louisiania mi father & mother is
dead I am practicing medicen
here I will say this to you I would
like for you to fix up your business
early this fall & move to this country
you can do as well here as you want
dont stay in that old country
when there is as good a country as
this for you to come to the land
is as cheap as you want it and
as good you can get land for
one dollar for acre that will make
a bale of cotton to the acre so fix up
& come dont delay the time
So I will have to close soon

I will give you some idea
so you will know who I am
more clearly I am a son of
Allen Martin that marrid
Elizabeth Sears mi uncle John
Martin is ded John McCastle
is living hear I want you to rite
to mee soon I would not advize
you to do any thing that I would
think that would be for the worst but
I can say this to you the best thing that
you could do for your self would be
this just fix up & come to this
county you never will regret
it I want you to rite to mee often
give your family my respects
mi family sends them love to
you all  address New Salem
Post office Texas  So fare well
god bless you all I remain
your cosen til death

BL Martin, M.D.