Augusta County: A. J. Gilkeson to Gilkeson's brother
(probably Hugh Gilkeson), January 21, 1866
Summary:
In this letter, Gilkeson updates his brother on the family's health. He goes on
to deliver his impression of the attitudes of African-Americans toward contract
labor. He closes by complaining about new postwar land taxes and a struggling
economy.
Jan. 21st/66
Staunton
My Dear Brother
I received a letter from you several weeks since. I would have replied sooner but
for the fact, that having sent your letter out to David soon after I received
[added: it], I was under the impression until
yesterday that he had answered it. I was delighted to hear from you once more;
and truly thankful to hear that you were all living and in your usual health. My
little family are all in their usual health also. Em. and my two little girls returned from Wheeling, about ten days
since, whither they had been on a visit since the last week in October. I took
them out, and on my return home I met with a merchant from Chattanooga, who was
on his way home from New York, whither he had been to purchase goods. I thought
it a good opportunity to communicate with you, as it was then very difficult to
send a letter directly through to Summerville. (Indeed I do not know that it is
much
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less difficult yet.) I accordingly wrote you on board the
cars and gave the letter to him to mail in Chattanooga which he promised to do.
That was written on the 2
nd
of November but I have never heard whether you ever received it.
Feb. 3rd You will observe
more than a week has elapsed since I wrote the foregoing. The reason of the
delay in finishing my letter is this. I did not have time to finish it on the
day I commenced it, and I concluded the next day that I would wait until there
might be a decided change, one way or the other, in David's condition, who was
then quite ill. He has been very much better now for three or four days past,
and, I think, with care will be well in a short time. He has had an attack of
inflammatory rheumatism, but not near so severe an attack as he has had. But his
nervous system seemed to become very much deranged, and he was in a state of
delirium, most of the time, for three or four days. He has been sick about one
month: suffered
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a good [unclear: eal] with rheumatism in his
arms, hands and legs, the first two weeks; but has been in a measure clear of
pains for the last ten days. He has no negro men employed now: he has, however,
two white men and boy about seventeen years old. Ann & Mary are still
there, but I learn indirectly that they contemplate leaving in the spring. Ben
still remains with me and also my woman, and are both doing well. Henry left
David soon after the surrender, and is now living with William Guthrie. The
negroes are very trifling, as a general thing; and none of them are willing to
contract by the year, and a majority of them do not seem to be willing to
contract at all for any length of time. Business of all kinds is very flat now,
and there seems to be no money in the country. It is almost impossible now to
collect a few Dollars from the best men in our community. And what is more the
tax collector is here now gathering in the Land Tax. I very much fear many of
our farmers will forfeit
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their land from their inability to pay the
Tax. The Tax here is 27 cents on the 100 Dollars on the assessment of 1860. And
if the Tax is not paid in a [unclear: certain] time the government will
sell the land and appropriate all the money arising from the sale. Aint the Yankees the most fiendish nation on the face of
the earth? We have just got in money sufficient ($42.50) to pay the Tax on
Father's Estate. Write me and let me know whether you will be able to pay the
Taxes on your land. If not, and the thing is possible, we must
[unclear: assist] you in order to save your land. Em and the children send much love to you and your children. How
much we all would be to see you and them. Write so soon as you receive this and
find me all the news. And now I must close May a kind providence protect you and
yours
I am as ever your affectionate brother
A. J. Gilkeson
