This is a letter from Emmitt McEwen to Mollie Eller, whom he describes as an acquaintance. Emmitt writes about how he hopes to get married soon and that he worries he will not be able to marry any of the women who live in Ashe County because they might all marry before he gets back.

This is a letter from F. Kirby, one of Samuel J. Kirby’s children, to an aunt or uncle. The letter begins with mention of a robbery that occurred in a nearby county in Missouri, a robbery that likely was committed by the Jesse James gang. In the remainder of the letter, Kirby discusses how ugly women are in the area they live in.

This is a letter from John Pennington to his cousin Luke Eller. Pennington writes the letter primarily to catch up with Luke as well as to inform him about his son getting married and moving back to live near him. Pennington ends his letter with a few remarks about his slaves and how much they are worth.

This letter from D. L. Pickett to two of his friends, William (Wm.) Daniels and Luke Eller, discusses Pickett’s recent move across the American Midwest. He mentions the natural geography of the country he tours, discusses people he sees, and includes the prices of various goods that he notes in the stores.