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Straits near Beaufort, Nov 18th, 1821

Dear Brother,

By the unmerited blessing of a kind Providence, I am enabled to acquaint you with Samuel's return. He arrived on the 26th of October, bringing with him all the goods agreeable to my memorandum amounting to $420.31, and those for his own use amounting to $93.55, and the remainder of cash amounting to $368. These sums together with the freight and other necessary expenses completed the whole sum of $1000. The goods, after reserving those for my own use, I have distributed as follows: As my deceased daughter Mary Ann was all her lifetime a dutiful and beloved child, and in her Mr. Dill has to lament the loss of an industrious and prudent wife, and his children (4 of them young and unable to provide for themselves) a most kind and tender mother, I have considered them as the most needy and accordingly given a larger allowance than the rest. As my daughter Sally is my only surviving child and pays great attention to me, ever seeking for opportunities to administer to my relief and comfort, I have duly considered her merits and so aided her accordingly. As to the rest, I have considered their circumstances, giving more to those who have families to provide for and less to those who have only themselves to support, and so ordered it that none have been neglected and all seem satisfied.

As Samuel left his own business at home and went to New York to do mine and had performed it to my satisfaction, I have made him what I think ample compensation for his services. He seems also to have received much satisfaction from his visit and was proposing to write, but we have concluded it best for me to write now and for him to do it at some future day when perhaps he may have something of more consequence to relate. He therefore wishes to be remembered to all friends and to be excused from writing.

As I have no occasion to make use of any of the money on my own account, I shall take care to preserve it until it shall become necessary to dispose of it agreeable to your generous intentions. People have been rather sickly this fall, and sundry cases have happened among our relations, but I believe they are generally in health at present. As for myself, I have had several complaints but am, through mercy, tolerably well at present. The infirmities of old age are upon the increase, as it might reasonably be expected at eighty-five, and as I am alternately stronger and weaker at short intervals, I can plainly perceive that I am gently descending from my present stage of life to its last reward. My daily petition to the throne of mercy is that I may be enabled with pious resignation to wait my appointed time and die in peace at last, and that you and the rest of my dear relations and friends may enjoy the same felicity that I solicit for myself in the prayer and heart of your truly loving brother.

Saml. Leffers