Sent by Jan Silverthorne Urban
randjurban@gulftel.com
Personal letter written by J. W. Rutters of Portsmouth, Virginia to someone in Craven County, NC.
Mentions:
Fred Sawyer - Camden County
Arites(?) McPherson - Camden County
Matchet Taylor
Jas.(James?) Forbes
Evin Overton
Sylvester Powers - Portsmouth, Virginia?
Shell Burton - Portsmouth, Virginia?
It reads as follows:
Portsmouth, Virginia
May 1st , 1868
Dear Sir,
I have gotten up a power of attorney in ample form & according to law. For it would be no use of sending you a bogus one. I couldn't get it no sooner for it had to be attested before a commission from N.C. before it could be of any value. The cost of it is $6.00 - which you will please forward to me as soon as you can, for it shall if nothing happens take the degrees in the "Commandry" on or about the 15th or 20th of this month & then I shall need the money. You will please soon & let me know how things stands in Craven. It appears that N.C. have ratified the new constitution. I was speaking to Fred Sawyer & Arites(?) McPherson in market this A.M. & they said there was quite a number of the people in Camden voted for the constitution, but they seemed to have but little opinion of Machet Taylor. Jas.(James?) Forbes, Evin Overton and several others voted for it in that section to vote for the constitution in Va. Is prolonged by Gen Schofield until Congress appropriates more money for the registration board & we don't know when the election will be here. My little baby have been quite sick but is quite well at present. I have been quite unwell several days but I am getting better. Sylvester Power's wife is dead & left a little baby a month old. She was cooking over the fire and was takened very suddenly & died in a few minutes. Shell Burton is at work in the Navy Yard. Times continues to be quite hard here. Let me know how you madeout with the dead, and give me outlines of the affair. Give my respects too all inquiring friends, if any. Nothing more. Yours Truly,