Henry Perry Letter - 1853

Contributed by: Jeanna Perry Chowning
Email: chowning@centurytel.net

[Notes in brackets by Jeanna Perry Chowning. My Great Uncle John Morgan 
Perry, typed these letters on a typewriter sometime in the 1930’s from 
original letters that were borrowed from a Tennessee cousin, Henry Eugene 
Pinkelton. The letters were returned to Eugene. Morgan had heard that 
there was an estate to settle and was trying to establish who the heirs 
might be. Morgan’s Perry lineage is…Morgan, John Richard, Henry, Solomon, 
Jeremiah “Ridge”, John Sr. Eugene Pinkelton’s Perry lineage is…Eugene, 
Elizabeth Perry, Henry, Solomon, Jeremiah “Ridge”, John Sr. Eugene’s last 
name was originally spelled “Pilkinton” in the earlier census.] 

The State of Texas Harrison County 
This is the 17th Day of December of 1853 (or 1854)


Dear Father and Mother

I take my hand to inform that we are all well at present, hoping these few 
lines may find you in the state of health. We were five weeks on the road, 
my sorrel mare died on the road and I had to buy another horse. We went to 
my brothers in Titus County and stayed two weeks and then moved over into 
Harrison County to Uncle Alfords. I have been in four counties and it is 
the poorest country that ever I saw. I don’t expect to stay here any longer 
than I can get back. We are all here in the same house five miles from 
Uncle Alfords. We expect to come back if we can sell our wagons and horses 
and get on a steam boat.

Mahalie has the rumatic pains about like she did back there. Pork is worth 
six dollars a hundred corn is worth two dollars a barrel. This is the scarcest 
country that ever was for provision. When I get back I want to build a house 
on your land. We are all the worst dissatisfied people that ever lived. This 
is a very sickly country and bad water. We would be glad to see you all. When 
you write to me write how Uncle ___ is we would be glad to see him. As soon as 
you receive this letter write to me. Nothing more at present but
Remain your son until death
Henry Perry

Direct your letters to Texas Harrison County Port Caddo Post Office

(The above letter was written by Henry Perry to Solomon Perry. A portion of this 
letter could not be read and was left out.)


[Henry Perry was in Maury Co., TN in 1850. In Jan. of 1853 Henry’s uncle, 
Alfred Perry, wrote to Henry’s father, Solomon, from Harrison Co., TX and 
invited them to come out to Texas. Apparently Henry took him up on the offer. 
It sounds like it took 5 weeks to get to Texas. First they went to Henry’s 
brother’s place in Titus Co. I do not know which brother this was. Then they 
went over to Henry’s Uncle Alfred’s place in Harrison Co. (This was Solomon’s 
brother Alfred instead of Alford as my Great Uncle Morgan typed). Henry’s wife, 
Mahala Campbell, still has “rumatic” pains. Henry was not at all happy about the 
living conditions in Texas and wanted to get back to Tennessee as soon as 
possible. He wanted to build a house on Solomon’s land back to Tennessee. He did 
make it back to TN because he was back in Maury Co., TN for the 1860 census. I 
wish I could have seen the original letter to see what my Great Uncle Morgan was 
unable to read and so left out of his typed version.]