Letter from John Wesley Dean to his brother Perry Foster upon the Death of Lucinda (click link to see entire original; letter belonged to Verba Jo Dean Pearce, conveyed by Gloriabb; translation uses ".." where writing appears illegible)
Brown Wood
Brown Co Tex
May 24, 86
Dear brother & sister. I take this opportunity of dropping you.. ..are getting along toward a better life with it third time through we have had a heap of sickness. Pery, Lucinda is dead. She died the 22 of April. She was taken on Sunday.. ..with a smile on her face & said that she wanted to go that there was a crown in heaven for her & that she was going home to rest & left all the evidence that heart could wish that she is gone to rest. Pery, I want us & our children to try to live & so act that we may be able to meet our mother & my wife & our sister in heaven they.. ..in heaven may we all meet them on canaans bright shore where parting will be no more we have got the same debt to pay ere long & will we be as ready as they was when.. ..may God bless us & save us is my prayer.
Pery, our country is burnt up wheat & oats is gone. Some oats field wood burn corn & can't stand it. very much longer the grass is all dried up water for stock is very scarce there is lots of stock has to go 8 miles to water then back to the range.. ..corn is 60 cents. oats 50 cents. wheat one dollar. bacon 10 cts. lard 10 cts.
Pery, I want you to wright to me & give me all of the news in the country.. ..Pery, I put Lucinda away nice & decent. I must close for this time. So I remain your Brother as ever wright often to me for I want to hear from you all often may God bless us & save us all together is my prayer.
J. W. Dean