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From: John Martin
Campbellsburg, Ky

To: John L. Ragland
Bellcombrea Post Office
Ballard Co., KY

July 6th or 7th, 1851

Dear Friend,

I embrace this opportunity of informing you that I am well and all the ballence of Father’s family is enjoying the same health. John I have been lying off to write for sometime. I received your letter and I was very glad to hear of you all. John, I have but very little of importance to write you but the best news is we are all well and our crops looks fine. Some of neighbors wheat was very thin and they did not cut it but Father’s wheat was very fine. The corn crops looks very promising. John I enjoyed myself very well this last six weeks.

The twenty second day of May we had a great May walk at Newscastle and of all the ? there was there was a sight, Mr. Simmons female scholars and Mr. Williams male school schollars marcht out to Mr. Browns pasture, and there they all spoke and sang and the sixteenth day of June there was grate odd fellows and mason perrade and thear was too or three diff men spoke but that beat New Castle for pretty girls for Casra was thear. She can beat New Castle herself, not only that they had a brass band and thear was a good many ? from Cincinnate and Louisville and Madison and Tent and Vera. I forgot to tell you that we had brass bands at New Castle.

On the fourth day of July thear was a great barbacue at Silgo for the sons of temprance and thear is said thear was about 5,000 thear. Thear is a sons of tempreace lodge in our town now, and have about 30 members. Sam Thisle and Thomas Bery have joint them. I must tell you of our big day on the fifth day of July. We hat a great Pick Nick party witch beat all the others. We hat our table out in Mr. Bowlars woods pasture and we hat two swings out on the ground. John we hat one best tables you ever sat. We hat oranges, pineaples, ice cream, lemonade, floats, and kinds of candyes. All kinds of cakes and all kinds of meats and everything that is good. Then Mrs. Feris marched her school and all neighboring out there and all the girls were dressed in white with a reethe and blew ribbon on thear heads and we plaid all day.

John, it has rant nearly all day. Me and Mary Anne Lyda was going over to Canes Run and it rained so that we could not go.

John, I am not married yet, but I will the first chance I get. G. Bartlett and Miss Baker are married at last. John give my best respects to all my friends tell T.P. Lenes that I don’t think he would speak to me since his family has increased so. Jesse Scott has got home from Hannover College. I must come to close. You must write me as soon as you get my letter. I wish you well.

Your
John J. Martin

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