Benjamin Lafayette Smith October 11, 1842 — October 20, 1933. Copies of letters written by the above B. L. Smith, which he copied into a bound unlined notebook. The date of the first. letter is February 10,1856 and date of the last letter is March 6, 1859. Included also in this notebook are poems and a diary or record of some of his service in the Civil War. It is written in ink, and some of the images are rather dim because of the poor quali- ty of ink used apparently. The first page lists the persons written to, which he wrote in his latter days. The letters will be copied as written except for added punctuation where needed. Blanks in curves will be substituted for words impossible to read because of Lading of the ink. List of Persons Written to Martha and Mc Warren, daughters of my father’s only sister, Nancy, who was now Nancy DeLony. Carrie Delony, daughter of aunt Nancy DeLony Bettie Seay, the daughter of mother’s half sister Bob Toland, the son of mOther’s half sister Mrs. Seay and Mrs. Toland were own sisters Fannie Smith, father’s half sister - Bob Toland, son of mother’s half sister Bob King, a school mate that had moved to Carroll county with his father Turnipseed commenced to teach Feb, 1856 and quit July 1st 1857. Felix Woods taught a little in Fall of 1857 Thompson commenced to teach Feb 1858 and taught until Civil War commenced. July 4th 1856 The M&O RR. was completed to Macon, Miss, and to Okolona in summer of 1860. The cars ran through from Mobile to St. Louis early in 1861. Martha Warren married Bob King Dec. 1855. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artesia, Miss. February the 10th 1856 My Dear Cousin Mc (Warren was added later) I received your letter yesterday and was very glad to receive it, you asked me why I did not write to you, I and Cousin Martha both wrote to you at the same time, and put both of our letters in the same envelop. I did not see anybody Christmas. I have not been two miles from home not since Christ- mas, untill last week. I went to Columbus on Wednesday a very cold dlay. It has snowed four times since Christmas, I got very tired of it before it quit. I have never written to Carrie yet, I will write to her befOre long. Father has not received any letter from Uncle Frank in two or three months. Cousin Mc I was very much surprised that you did not know which was the oldest, Sher- man or Penn. Sherman is the oldest. I have not commenced going to school yet, we are looking for a teacher from Aberdeen. When I was going to school my studies were Latin Graimnar, Ceasar, Fifth reader, Arithmetic, and Dictionary. There did not anybody come with Cousin Bob but Rush. Father received your letter last week. Cousin Martha did not stay but one day after she was married. She promised to write to us a week after she got home, but we have not received any letter from her yet. Bad weather commenced soon after she left and it has been bad weather ever since she left. Father has killed all of his fatten- ing hogs, the heavyist weighed 380. 1 have not seen Uncle Wade or Uncle Bery since Cousin Martha was married. Mother has just finished a carpet for her room twenty feet square, it is made of rags. I think it is a very nice one.