Details
GARRETT, PAT, LAWMAN. AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED (P.F. GARRETT) TO HIS WIFE, ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO, 16 JULY 1893. 2 PAGES, OCTAVO, WRITTEN IN SLIGHTLY PALE INK, QUITE LEGIBLE, WITH ORIGINAL POSTMARKED ENVELOPE IN GARRETT'S HAND.
TWO INTIMATE PAGES DETAILING THE BLEAK CONDITIONS OF THEIR PREVIOUS HOME IN ROSWELL: "THIS IS SUNDAY MORNING. I GOT HOME THURSDAY, AND FIND THIS COUNTRY DRYER THAN I EVER SAW IT. EVERYTHING LOOKS BAD; THE CATTLE ARE DIEING (SIC) AND EVERYTHING HAS A DESOLATE APPEARANCE. I WENT OUT TO OUR OLD PLACE THIS MORNING. IT LOOKS ABOUT AS IT DID WHEN WE LEFT EXCEPT THE COTTON-WOODS HAVE GROWN CONSIDERABLE (SIC.) THE GRAPE VINE ARE LOADED WITH GRAPES AND LOOK WELL BUT THE PEACH TREES LOOK BAD; SEVERAL HAVE DIED. I FIND THIS MORNING, ALL OF THE OLD SETTLERS WANT TO LEAVE THIS COUNTRY AND SAY WE ACTED WISE IN SELLING OUT AND LEAVING. CAPTAIN LEA TOLD ME THAT HE WAWS ANXIOUS TO GET AWAY FROM HERE. MR BALLARD'S FOLKS ARE ALL WELL. LOVE TO ALL AND KISS MY BABY FOR ME; GOT HER TO SING LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD FOR JOHN AND LIZZIE." GARRETT MAKES REFERENCE IN HIS LETTER TO CAPTAIN LEA, WHO FOUGHT IN THE CIVIL WAR AND WAS KNOWN AS "THE FATHER OF ROSWELL," AND TO CHARLES L. BALLARD WHO WAS SHERIFF OF CHAVIS COUNTY, ROSWELL, IN 1907. (3)
TWO INTIMATE PAGES DETAILING THE BLEAK CONDITIONS OF THEIR PREVIOUS HOME IN ROSWELL: "THIS IS SUNDAY MORNING. I GOT HOME THURSDAY, AND FIND THIS COUNTRY DRYER THAN I EVER SAW IT. EVERYTHING LOOKS BAD; THE CATTLE ARE DIEING (SIC) AND EVERYTHING HAS A DESOLATE APPEARANCE. I WENT OUT TO OUR OLD PLACE THIS MORNING. IT LOOKS ABOUT AS IT DID WHEN WE LEFT EXCEPT THE COTTON-WOODS HAVE GROWN CONSIDERABLE (SIC.) THE GRAPE VINE ARE LOADED WITH GRAPES AND LOOK WELL BUT THE PEACH TREES LOOK BAD; SEVERAL HAVE DIED. I FIND THIS MORNING, ALL OF THE OLD SETTLERS WANT TO LEAVE THIS COUNTRY AND SAY WE ACTED WISE IN SELLING OUT AND LEAVING. CAPTAIN LEA TOLD ME THAT HE WAWS ANXIOUS TO GET AWAY FROM HERE. MR BALLARD'S FOLKS ARE ALL WELL. LOVE TO ALL AND KISS MY BABY FOR ME; GOT HER TO SING LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD FOR JOHN AND LIZZIE." GARRETT MAKES REFERENCE IN HIS LETTER TO CAPTAIN LEA, WHO FOUGHT IN THE CIVIL WAR AND WAS KNOWN AS "THE FATHER OF ROSWELL," AND TO CHARLES L. BALLARD WHO WAS SHERIFF OF CHAVIS COUNTY, ROSWELL, IN 1907. (3)