Sent by John J. Bennett to his brother Oliver P. Bennett.  Oliver lived in Richland county IL. 
John's farm was east of Lynchburg in Jefferson county.  Both John and his wife Bethany are 
buried in Laird cemetery, Opdyke near another brother Andrew Wilson Bennett and his wife Philena
Submitted By: John Bennett
jbennet_9@yahoo.com

[Written at top] - Excuse a short letter.  Write soon.  Hand this to some of Amos¹s(1) folks.

January 1st 1866
O. P. Bennett
Sir, I will take tonight to write you a few lines to let you know how we are & what we are doing.  
We are all well at this time.  We have not had any chills for some time. I [think] we are done with them.

We are all well satisfied with our new home in the brush.  We have got a good well of water that I think
will never go dry.  We have as good a fire place as I ever sat by.  It is brick.  I built it myself.  I¹ve got
three good hogs to kill,  yet I have not killed one.  I have got two of the best sows that runs in this flat.  
I have only 3 pigs but they are good ones & I am looking for some soon.  I have two good cows & two 
steer calves, tom & brandy(2) .

George & Eck(3) says they are going to have a yoke of oxen.  I bought 4 sheep yesterday for $10.  
All my stock is good but my team is too old.  Dick has bought 125 acres of land 1 mile east of me 
for $1,250, about 40 acres fenced, 200 young choice fruit trees, and a never failing spring.  I think it a good bargain.

I have nothing worth writing or I would have wrote sooner.  There is more game in these parts this Winter 
than has been for many years - deer & turkey.  I don¹t hunt any so it does me no good.  I have seen turkeys 
several times but I never have my gun.

Beathy(4) has got most enough cotton spun for 12 yards of muslin.  I am going to make us a loom this winter.  
I have got a draft of it.  It will be 3 feet 7 inches wide, 4 feet 8 inches long, 2 feet 6 inches high.  It won¹t take as 
much room as a bed stead.

I got a letter from William T. Beavers(5) a week ago.  I will write him soon.
J. J. Bennett

Transcription footnotes:
(1) Jonathan Amos Beavers who married Polly Bennett.  Amos was John J¹s brother-in-law and lived in 
Richland county near Oliver & Hannah.
(2) Another person who translates many 19th century letters reports instances where steers were given names.  
As there is no punctuation in the original, it is hard to tell.
(3) This could mean ³George & etc.²
(4) John¹s wife Bethany Montgomery sister of Doctor Martin Van Buren Montgomery of Opdyke.
(5) This may have been John¹s nephew, as Amos & Polly had a son William.