letter written to: (Nathan Riley)
Mr. N. R. Harrison (Son of James)
Healing Springs	                            Gibson County
N. Carolina                                 Tenn. Dec. the 25, 1851
           

Dear cousin I take the pleasure of writing you a few to let you
know we are all well at the time and hoping when those few lines 
came to hand they may find you all in good health and all of the 
family connection enjoying good health. I can inform you that all 
of the connection in this country well at this time. I can inform 
you that I receive a few from you bye all a letter that Grant got 
from you since he left that country but I have not wrote before altho 
I ought to have done so before. I can inform you that I was glad to 
here from you and of your doing well in your country but was truely 
sorry to learn from Grants leaving your country that they was none 
of you that was in any notion of moving to this country and that it seam 
like that all of you intend to stay and ware yourselves out in an 
old poor country_ like yours Is. I am not speaking of the people but 
of the land for I very well know that 100 acres of our land is actuly 
worth more than 500 of yours in your country and it will make 5 times 
as mutch as yous will with the same tilage at all ease and who is it 
that would stay in such a country as country is agoing to be one of 
the greatest places in the united states in a few. Will have as good 
a country of land as any man can want and we can make in abundance 
of produce of any thing will grow in our latitude and the greatest 
thing of all in our country wee are a going to have a rail road through 
our country in a year or two and land is a going to be most worthy 
bye inparticular about of our county seat and near the rail road they 
was a man bought apiece of land the other day near Trenton rite on 
the road at 24 dollars per acre and was offered $200 for his bargain 
and would not take it. land is ranging from 5 to $15 per acre all 
the county and as soon as the rail road is completed it will be 
3 times as hye as it is now and as soon that road is made evry thing 
have will bring many a good price. we will have an intercourse with 
the larg eastern citee and with Mobel and New Orleans by railroad. 
I want you to write to me as soon as possible and geve me all the 
good news you have and I would the gladest in the world to here the 
glad tidings of some of your movin to this country. You will have 
time to move this spring and do well if any of the connection wants 
to come tell to come out for there is rasms aplenty in our good 
country. I will give you the price of produce in our country. Corn 
is 50 cent pe bu wheat 75 pork 5 cent pe pound and is resing beef 
3 to 4 cotton is low tobacco is on the low order but cotton and 
tobacco both is rising. gave my best regards to all enquiring friends 
and tell your father to write to me. end ad all of the family to do 
the same. tell your father I would be gad to see him once more and 
all of the connection and tell cousin Henry Harrison and his family
and all the same and more than that I would still be the glader to here 
of their coming to this country for this is agoing to be truly a great 
place. read this letter to all enquiring friends. I can inform you 
that uncle Turner daughter SAlley Ann t hat is Travis Redwines wife 
is dead and oldest daughter is dead also. I can inform you that I 
am now teaching school at the present time and expect to continue 
teach on nine months more. I have only taught one. I must bring 
my letter to a close by biding you all fare well.

                               C. M. Harrison