I obtained this handwritten letter off the internet in February 2008.  Click here to view the actual letter. (My notes are in parenthesis and in blue color)   Letter: Mailed March 15, 1855                Received March 29, 1855 From Will Williams, Nashville, Tenn To John W. Williams, Osceola, Arks   Home March 15th ’55 (1855) Dear John, Your of 5 & 7th came duly to hand.  We were pleased to hear Martha had recovered her health & that the boy was doing well.  Father had me named William & baptized.  His other three sons he called by scriptural names.  In my old age my name occasionally is an inconvenience.  My papers are sometimes taken & letters opened.  Williams pervades the U.S. & as far north as Buffalo some Wm Williams opened my letters.  John, James, Joseph, Josiah, David & Moses in this order pleases me but then for distinction, add on this on a family name by your side of the house Philips, Horn, Heron, etc English & Josey, I know not what & Hunter, Irish or English Irish.  On Martha’s (John Wharton William’s wife) side Pennington & Graves, English & Bondurant, Huguenot or French Protestants.  They the Huguenots were persecuted from France & even to Boston through England, and Norfolk & even south but many settled in So. Carolina now.  From any of these take an initial for the second name.  You & your wife select at your option.  I have years past had that of Frederic William or the converse; but since your cousin (Joseph Philips Williams son Frederick G. Williams, also of Osceola, AR) Joe’s Frederick has appeared, if you & Martha then choose to leave the name to me I now prefer William Henry.  Whatever you & your wife settle on take him to church so soon as he is well enough, & have him baptized; & what is of more important than the mere ceremony, remember your vows and raise the youth in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  You can’t begin to train him too soon if it be done judiciously.  The mother in a few weeks, will be able to make impressions on his minset(sic) & the more attention & kindship(sic) you bestow on him, the sooner you will secure his love & confidence.  Remember then you have jointly the care of an immortal being.  At a proper age you may call in the assistance of the schoolmaster; but the forming & fixing the character of the child God will require at the hands of parents.  They can’t transform nor shake off the responsibility.   Your mother took on or had colic & cough & influenza, then Charlotte, and lastly Van also recovered or improving.  House servants also.  Of the out down people, Austin has been more or less immobile since October & is now lingering, walking out in good weather but not able to do any work of exertion.  Williams’ family well two days past.   The sheep sent were counted as yearlings, so that you need not expect more than one or two increases multiplying late.  The buck was the best we had & the next best dogs have killed.  Beside the Pennsylvanian mare, your mother’s riding mare for which I gave Monk & $25 was apparently inside on the 13th and next morning deceased.  She had been in the wheat lot and whether colik (colic) or apoplexy or a stroke of lightening in the storm struck her we could not conjecture.  If you are compelled to turn out the sheep hold one. They hear a squeal & follow even when they can’t see each of them.  The heifers sent are of good stock & the calf a present from Van, is of a champion herd.  Take care of him & he will improve your herd.  -  Every kind of provision & forum scarce here except bacon & turnip greens.  Lack(?) bacon, a few irish potatoes & enough sweet to plant.  Van asked for sweet potatoes for William.  If you send them more than half will rot and the good will not be worth the freight.  Half the fowls sent were just worth the freight.  I hope they will stock the paint on the bundles. The pea fowls among the named were not mine & are from being shot as useless as deer.  By another year I hope to be in a condition to furnish you a pair.  Affectionately, Will Williams   N.B. (Nota Bene which means “Take Note”) The sheep I charge, as I have charged Wm Wms; the heifers are to meet the interest of your money, which has in part been rec’d (sic) by each of them Tho (sic) not in amount to the price of the cattle.  I expect in a few days to have the balance due you subject to order.  W.W.   P.S.  The old woman (Not sure who?) wanted to go with her children, and at last that has been effected in part.  Graves (Probably Martha’s brother as her father and mother were dead by then) carried her home lately. Upon what terms he & John (Probably Martha’s other brother) landed I have not learned.  They will apprise you.  The house is lost probably.   P.S. The money with Sharppard I think is safe as if in another bank.