remained low the entire spring and summer, and the people almost came to want for groceries, especially for salt, which went to the enormous price of twenty dollars a sack. Some may think when they see this, that it is a mistake, or exageration, but I repeat it, salt was worth twenty dollars a sack. So great was the distress, that some persons went to Alexandria, La., Houston, Texas, or some point on the Mississippi river, with ox teams for supplies. Think of that trip with an ox team, gone forever. Horse or mule were something very rare in those days.

Persons who read this may think perhaps, that it is a history of the family, or country, or both, rather than an autobiography of myself, but I find it impossible to leave out some incidents of which, if I was not a participant, I was an observer.

This brings us up to A. D. 1856, of which year I remember nothing of special interest; also A. D. 1857. I suppose, however, they were spent in the usual way, spring and summer on the farm, a short-time in the fall at school, the remainder about the gin.

About this date the Eastern states, especially Georgia, began to send her emigration to this state -- none, however, or few, were satisfied after their arrival, yet they still remained; and bemeaned the country, and its ill conveniences, which, no doubt were difficult to become accustomed to by people who had been used to railroad facilities.

I remember nothing definitely of A. D. 1858; I suppose however, it was spent the same way of previous years. In the fall, I think I went to school. My teacher was W. S. Turner -- a good teacher for that day and time.

About this date, I lost a little brother, Robert Obediah, whose birth I failed to note in its proper place. The baby (the Benjamin of the family) was two years old, or upwards, at his death. (I have no exact date at command.) A bright, promising boy; we idolized him. Indeed, I never learned for many years to become reconciled to the death of him, and other brothers and sisters (given an account of above), and to not wish them here again -- circumstances in the future, however, showed me my folly.

The year A. D. 1859, was, I suppose, spent in the usual way, though I remember nothing definitely, more than I spent a short time at school. My teacher was Mr. Turner. That it was a very fruitful year, and the emigration continued to pour in from the Eastern States.

The year A. D. 1860 was a memorable one, on account of the drouth, which almost ruined crops, and for the excitement that prevailed on account of the Presidential election. Almost a famine prevailed; distressing even to the old settlers, and much more so to the new emigrants, who often inquired if such was often the case, and like the children of Israel, "sighed for the fleshpots" etc., but strange to say, they all, with few exceptions, remained; complaining of the failure in crops, and society, the later a favorite theme, of which I heard so much that I looked forward with pleasing anticipation to the time when they, the company of reformers from the