September 1, 1861. Went to church in the morning & evening with Mother and the boys. In the afternoon Tina came also Lou Reed & Mary Carr. Willie went to the “Bar” in the morning.

[Winston Stephens to Octavia Stephens]        

                                                                                                Rose Cottage Sept 1, 1861       

My Very Dear Tivie

                You may think very strange of my commencing this letter to day, but the truth is I have been thinking of you until I could not refrain from writing any longer.  I feel quite well & I am happy to say my very extensive family are Do.

                I arrived late on wednesday P.M. and did not have the pleasure of meeting a pair of pouting lips, such as you sometimes present when in the best of humors, but instead, loneliness greeted me on every turn & at last I turned from the house & have since devoted myself to the mill.  It goes quite hard with me as it has been so long since I did such hard work, but I suppose I will get use to it by the time I finish the job, Jane & the two small boys have dug about one third of the ditch.  They will have to pick cotton next week but will perhaps get over in time to work one or more days on the ditch, but that will depend upon the weather as the cotton has opened in last few days more than formerly & if the sun continues to shine it will take them all the time to keep up with it.  Yesterday PM Ben & myself went out to take a set down for Deer & an old gobler ran by me & as a matter of respect to his gobler‑ship I shot him down & to day we had him for dinner & Clark and the boys dined with us, Clark asked me when you had decided to come home and I at first sayed on monday one week & his face relaxed into a smile, but when I corrected myself & sayed two weeks, he remarked what two weeks! & he went right off into a deep study.  I tell you Old Lady I think he feels as I do! Its mity lonesome!  Clark has since writing the above told me that Tina was coming home one week earlyer than you as he exacted that promise of her before she left.  I am sorry on your account as she would be company to you returning.  I have just shot the Sabbath in too as a hawk made an attempt to catch a chicken & caught a ball.  I'l stop until Wednesday.

                                                                                                Wednesday 5 oclock A.M.

Good morning Old Lady

                I suppose you are in bed taking your mornings nap to make up for late going's.  Your affectionate letter with the articles sent came duly to hand also one from Willie, all of which was duly appreciated & the letters perused with no little interest.  I was glad to hear you all had landed safely & that Ma & the Girls met Jessup at the wharf.  I hope a few days rest will recruit Ma's strength.  I had a letter also from Sister on monday & when she wrote all were sick.  her letter was written on the monday before you left.  She sayd every boddy on Blk Creek were sick or had been sick. I fear it is a sickly place I suppose all the news concerning the elite of the neighborhood will be interesting & I will give you what transpired the day after you left. Clark went up to see the Hon. Cone & Mrs. Kirby married & at the appointed time they all got in small boats & went up to the Osgood place to meet the Rev. Mr. Long, but they waited in vain as the Gentleman disappointed them, they went to the Wharf & no Long made his appearance, so they returned home had supper & concluded to wait some other opportunity. Poor Couple I feel sory for them, dont you? Breakfast is ready & you must wait until dinner time for the rest.

                I have just put down the axe and now take up the pen to finish this.  the pen is much the lightest but I think I can trace a line with one about as well as the other. I will now try & answer yours first thing. 1^st I hope you & Tina injoyed Star gazing at Palatka to your intire satisfaction, sorry you could not rest well & that the musquitoes annoyed you so much. Did you mean to say you became acquainted with all the passengers that got on? If you did you had a busy time of it! I am glad you injoyed the last two hours so much as it in a measure compensated for the first part of the trip. Tell Henry I am much obliged for the cuttings &c & you bring them when you come.  that is if you are coming, as Davis says you cant come, or you can send them any way by Rosa & Racheal.  If he will let them come.  I am very much obliged for the kind invitation of Davis & Mother, but I cannot come as you can explain to them, Mr Simmons will be here at work on the mill and nothing could go on as it should without me I would like so very much to be with you & them, but I must fore go the pleasure this time.  Jane is the proudest negroe on the River as she has picked over 30 lbs of cotton pr day this week.  The chickens were left but I send them & you must pay the freight, I am exactly well. Do back. you can buy what you are in need of & if any money left get 1/2 Gal Fluid, you will not have money for Factory thread.  The tax Collector is to be at Welaka on the 16th to collect taxes. I want you to kiss your Mother & Rosa for me & then let them kiss you for me.  Give much love to all.  I have two pigs in a pen in the yard & I want you to make Mother & the boys promise to come up Christmas & help eat them.  I hunted hogs all day Monday & got seven, one of them is large & the rest are my shoats.  I have finished the hardest part of the mill job as I have all but two of the peaces out & the rest will be light work.  I can keep up with the cotton & will not be so bad off for Rachael next week & want you to stay if you wish. Mrs. Sams Col Titus & Lady got here on Monday & Mrs. Sams sayed she had seen you & I understood her to say you were coming home on Monday. Good by my Dear Wife I hope you will keep well & injoy yourself. Mrs. Hopkins is sick with chill & fever your aff husband

                                                                                                Winston