Sentinal Prarie Polk Co, Mo, March 1st/60
John W. Martin,
Dear cousin,
Yours of the 5th of Dec. came to hand in due time, and was read with pleasure & interest. I was truly glad to hear from the land of my nativity and to learn that those who are near to me, both by the times of affinity and consangunity were in the enjoyment of good health, and that they had hearts and minds to fully appreciate the same with all other blessings that are bestowed upon us by beneficent Heaven. I am truly thankful to our great Creator and kind Preserver that I am able to say that we are all in the enjoyment of good health, notwithstanding disease and death have been abroad in our land and cut down our much beloved and respected cousin Nathaniel M. Martin. He died the 12th of Dec., with consumption, he cam to this country about 15 months before he died, taught school six months in the lower end of the county; about the first of July he went to Arkansas and stayed until the first of Sep. He then returned to Mo. again after his trunk stayed with us a few days and then returned to Arkansas to teach this winter but against he arrived there he found himself unable to teach, he hired a man to bring him back to Mo. intending to spend the winter with me and his brothers in law in Pulaski but was unable to reach either.
He got to the neighborhood where he had taught school and was not able to get any further. He lingered about 2 months was only confined to his bed 2 weeks. I was with him frequently during his sickness and the last week I was with him 4 days but was absent when died. He was perfectly resigned to his fate, he said he had a desire to live but nothing to fear in death, he was universally love[d] and respected by all who knew him.
Cousin Elisha and Emily arrived at my house a week after his death, they stayed with us three weeks and then returned to Pulaski where their sons in law live. They take the death of Nathaniel very hard, Emily was almost prostrate.
George is with us this winter teaching school for us he is getting 30$ per month and is well liked as a teacher and well qualified for the business. Cousin Elisha likes the west very well, but Cousin Emily is very much dissatisfied but I hope as her troubles wear off she will become better satisfied. I am very well pleased with the country. I have much better health than I had in Tenn. Health is generally very good here. The west is a pretty good country, land is cheap to what it is in that country. Timber is scarce in places, but along the creeks and rivers timber is fine. Water is very good but at certain seasons of the year it is rather scarce. This is a fine grass country and well adapted to raising stock. The land is much easier cultivated here than it is there, and produces much better. Society is very good for a new country, will compare with the older states. A good school system and a large public fund, but it is unnecesaary that I should particularise or hold out inducements to you as you expect to live and die an old bachelor and will have no use for a fine farm in the far west.
Winter is gone and spring has come a gain and if the weather remains as it is a few days the earth will be clothed with a green carpet decorated with flowers of various hues.
We have had a very cold open winter, very hard on wheat, all late sowed wheat is finally killed, what I have sowed looks promising.
I must come to a close as it is getting late, you must write soon. George F. Martin sends his love and respects to you. Give my love to all my friends and relations, tell Andrew Martin that I will write to him shortly. Give my love to Aunt Peggy and all the family and accept the same yourself. Your Cousin most truly,
Samuel R. Lyttle
