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Sarah Jackson to Andrew Jackson III
Sea Song Septr 3rd 1860
My dear Son,
Your very welcome letter?of the 9th inst written in camp on the Arkansas River, mailed on the 12th at Pawnee Fork, was recieved, and you may be sure I was very much gratified to hear from you. I have great solicitude about you, and your situation and profession is one of my sorrows. I long to see you and to be with you. I am separated from all my dear children, alone with your dear Pa, as far as those I love are concerned, and I cannot be happy. I feel that my old age is to be one of unhappiness unless I can have my children near me, if not with me. Your Brother, our dear Sami, has been in Tennessee since last April, he has spent the Summer with our darling Rachel. Your Pa is very much dissatisfied with this country. he has been sinking money ever since he purchased here, nothing has been made. some disaster befalls us every year. he has been obliged to sell negroes, and to buy [illeg] meat and corn; and nothing to do it with. consequently debts are incurred at high intrest, and we never know what it is to have peace of mind. last year he sold about 16, and was nearly free; but the intrest on the remainder with the expenses of the year will make it necessary to sell as many more this fall. he is very much cast down and discouraged,