The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 65, July 1961 - April, 1962 Page: 46
663 p. : ill., maps (some col.), ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
The following is a copy of a letter from D. A. Orviss and a
photostat of the original: Calvert, Texas
Mr. E. A. Bush November 3d 1872
Dear Sir
Mrs. Orviss wrote you a few days since, in which letter she ex-
pressed a desire for you to come to Texas. It has always been her
wish for you to live nearer to her, and her wishes has ever had the
warm support of the writer, her husband.
After the close of the war I had a long struggle with adverse for-
tune, which frustrated my plans very materially,-am now however
getting out of the woods, & if no serious disaster overtakes me, will
soon be independent once more. Texas is what I call a new country,
and a very good one for a poor man. The majority of her people
are good-kind and well disposed, and a small element is rough &
disposed to be bad citizens, the latter class is growing less every year
-we have chills & fever in a small degree nearly over the whole
state, particularly in the bottom lands, which are very rich & pro-
ductive; uplands however, are considered healthy-this particular
locality has been remarkably healthy. (Post Oak upland). We have
considerable land in the state-principally on East of Trinity river,
2,ooo acres in Wood County which I suppose is covered with pine.
No improvements & am told by my agent that several good farms
could be laid off out of the tract.-We have 289 acres in Trinity
County near the county seat Sumpter-upon which there has been
25 acres improved, several years ago-& presume the improvements
at this time are in a dillapidated Condition-the land is represented
to me by my agent as being mostly good hammock land--covered
with the finest kind of pine, and well watered, and health of country
good.
That section of Country until recently has been undesirable for
reason of its being far from the principle markets. The Rail Roads
now being built will bring it into notice-The Great Northern Road
will run about ten miles from this tract-8c am told very near the
Wood County land-if not through it-The Trinity land is about
two days ride east from Calvert-good Cotton & Corn Country &
famous for hogs-If after due deliberation you wish to try Texas,
we will furnish you the land-and all the material necessary-pro-
visions-implements-money [etc.] not only to come out with, but
to stock any place you may select, to give our Texas a trial-our R
Road is nearly completed to St. Louis & if you desire to come out
here & take a look at some of the country-& our tract in Trinity,
I will send you necessary funds to do so-our planting commences
soon after Ist Jany-let me hear from you on the subject.
Albert and Calvin Olden Came here two days since-The state
is filling up rapidly with movers from the old states
yours Truly
The whole family would be happy to have you come
D. A. Orviss
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 65, July 1961 - April, 1962, periodical, 1962; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101195/m1/64/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.