Lebanon, Ala.
December the 15th, 1867

Miss E. Hackworth,

             Dear cousin, through a well directed chain of a Kind Providence I am blessed with this privilege of communicating with you through the medium of letter.  I have no news of great interest to write.  We are all well at present & getting along tolerably well.  Brother Dobbs and Sister Martha are at home and in good health, sister has been at home for some three weeks, but brother Dobbs just arrived yesterday.  The whole family are at home except for father[.]  He will be here in a few days, we will all have the pleasure of enjoying our selves together around the family alter and it may be the last time on earth that we all will be together.  Dear Lizzie how I wish you were here tonight to enjoy our company while we are all together.  Tell cousin Levi that father had a well dug since he was here & have tolerably plenty of water in the yard which I think will be of much advantage.

             Our crops are tolerably good this year[.]  Corn is only 50 cts per bushel here, wheat $2.00 per bushel, pork 10 cts meat, &co—We have had bad luck with our fatning hogs[.]  Four died with some disease.  Money is scarce in this country but times are getting better they have been.

             The health of this neighborhood is very good at this time, thoug there has been one of our neighbors died this year, (Mrs. Ward) who was a very good woman & much lamented by all. 

             Lizzie I have been looking for you and W^m down this fall but it appears almost in vain.  I would like to go up there this winter but it is almost improbable none of us will have the chance to go up there this fall or rather winter.  Tell Aunt Betcy mother sends her love to her & the rest and would have written to her but she has had a felon on her thumb so she could not write.  Dear Lizzie you will be surprised when I tell you that brother William has joined conference & gone to preaching.  He has been assigned to a circuit of some three or four appointments in the southern part of this state something near a hundred & seventy miles from here.  The work will be light & give him plenty of time to study.  He is at home at present [and] will start to his work in a few weeks; he seems perfectly resigned to go.  Father is going to travel again next year he is on the Van Buren circuit which is near home.  Brother Dobbs & Sister are sent to White Plain circuit some sixty miles from home.  We have a man name of Brindly on this circuit; he is a very good preacher & I think will please the people.  Dear cousin I have enjoyed myself very well since I was up there.  I have been going to school some nine months of the time, though I am now working on the farm[.]  I intend farming it next year & going to school in the nex fall.  I have commenced the study of Latin & intend completing it before giving up my school career.  I have been debared from the privilege of getting as education during the war which will compel me to go to school longer than I would otherwise have done.  Dear cousin in reviewing the past part of my life I feel almost condemned before my God for the manner in which I have missimproved[?] my time.  Let us try in the future to so live & act that we may ever review the past with joy & not with sadness.  Write some[.]  Give my love to all the connection & friends.  I remain yours, truly until death

 H. B. Williams