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October 1859
John Brown, with a group of armed men, seizes the Federal arsenal at Harper, s Ferry.
On October 23, Samuel informed his mother that he had cast his very first vote (he had turned twenty-one the previous year, having been bom June 9, 1837). He had to ride 20 miles to the Bay to do so; Willis Claiborne was elected to the House of Representatives. It is a brief letter, but he manages to convey something very personal: ?Miss Fannie Ogden looks as sweet as a pink. So you must not be very much ?disprisied? if you see me come driving up in a ?Cabroushe? one of these cool winter evenings.? [Letter reference].
By November 27, the date of another letter from Samuel to his mother, the cotton crop should have been finished, but it must have not been sufficient to pay all the debts. Samuel advised that Logan ?Sovit? & Co. seemed to be ?very uneasy, and write they can not and will not wait any longer. I think they have heard of his changing his house. Mr. Russ has been here spent one night with me and sayes he can not wait any longer on Pa that he has borrowed money on very short time and is compelled to have it. Mr. ?Lenard? has also written and sayes his merchants have also written him Pa had failed to settle some business matters with them early in the Fall...Tell Pa I have not a grain of com on the place. ? [Letter reference].
In spite of the financial problems, it appears from the letter that Samuel is expecting his parents to move down soon along with the furniture and Negroes.
Apparently, Sarah remained at the Hermitage while Andrew Jr. traveled. On December 5th, he wrote from the steamboat Daniel Boone near Vicksburg, telling Sarah that he had transacted ? fl^MJjusiness? in Nashville, and ?my business partly in Memphis - with a promise ^ I to have it all ?fixed? in a few days and sent to me - if they will do so, all will be right - but I doubt it very much - now a days there is Little or no confidence to be placed in most of mankind -- &c. &c.?^[Letter reference].
1860
On January 1, Samuel?s short letter stated that Pa had made two visits since he left Sarah, but remained only a day or two each time. He had saved about one thousand oranges, but ?Pa