[These are unedited.]

Mrs. Maggie B. Doble
West Liberty, West Va

Center Belpre
August 2nd, 1863

Dear Cousin,

I suppose you think before this time I did not receive your letter ore else I have forgotten you, but no! I received your ?final? favor in due time, with some others which I have not answered yet, but must today. My time for writing letters this summer has been but little, owing to the amount of work that had to be done, also Mother's ill health. Mother, I am sory to say is very feeble, has been growing more feeble every week for about seven weeks and for two weeks seems to be getting weaker every day, and now sits up but litt.e not an hour at a time. & hase quite a cough. Mother I fear is failing. When I was getting my writing material she wanted to know who I was going to write to - I said you. She said, "O do I want to hear from her so much" sends her love to you.
One of us hase to stay by her all the time - the rest of us are all well as usual including T.W. & family. We had a letter a short time ago from Uncle Wm stating the death of Aunt Isabell, support of course you know all about it. The aged as well as the young seem to be dropping off one by one. We received a letter from Lizzie Lucas a few days after I wrote to you. she told us of her father's illness. we have not herd from her since. We answered her letter as soon as convenient, I should like to hear from her, also her Father.
I was very sory to here of his affliction. I fear he will never recover from it entirely. Think Lizzie visit has greatly ?marred ended? I hope it will be more pleasant the next time.
This day has been quite warm and looks very much like rain this evening. We have been needing rain very much latley although we have had two or three very refreshing showers which helped vegitation very much. Wheat & grass has turned out better than thought ?tho? far at first.
Oats is quite short. Corn looks well, we have had green corn to eat, have you? The pears are ripe now I wish you was here to help eat them. I suppose you hear from Mr. Doble & Wm. regular, do you? I hope they are well. We had a letter from Brother Wesley? last week said he had a bad cold and his teeth had been troubling him some but was a little better. he is still in Kentucky. he has not been home yet, (although) he did not give much encouragement in the last letter about it, but we are in hopes he will on account of mother's illness. I suppose you know all about the "Morgan rail" there was quite an excitement in Belpre at the time of it but it was only a short time untill there were plenty of Union Soldiers flocking in every direction. Ha! ha! the gentleman is being taken care of now. Wesley was one of the number that started after Morgan, his horse gave out & he had to turn back to camp. he did not go out of Ky..
When do you expect to go back to Cal? Ask Lizzie if she has all of those kisses yet that she stole from me, I am glad she still thinks enough of one to call her doll for me. Tell her if she waits till I get to be a little girl like her I will go to Cal with her. I must close. Pleas write soon my love to all. A. E. Mcfarland
P.S. I believe you promised Mr. Doble Photograph tro me, did you now? Don't forget. Lizzie Too. A.E.McF.

[postmark is "Belpre" Aug 4, with a 3 cent stamp]

another envelope postmarked Shelbyville, IN, ?Oct 9 1863? addressed to Mrs. M. B. Doble, Linden Station, Ross County, Ohio.

Pleasant Hill, M. County, W. VA. July 12th, 1865

My Dear Niece M. B. Doble,

Your letter of June 9th came to hand on the 10th inst. truly sorry to hear that you had not received the money I had sent you by Express ($176). Yesterday I went to the Express office in Moundsvill - saw the agent Wm. Armstrong, he acknowledged he had received the money, & gave me the receipt that I then produced; he said he had forwarded the letter at the time - that it must have been lost or mislaid Somewhere - that he would attend to it immediately and make it all right. I hope ere this letter reaches you, you will have received it, if so, write immediately, as I feel much concerned.
My health is not very good, altho I go about, I cannot do much work. Your Mother and Mr. Darlings family were well last account.
We are all as well as usual, except self. Parker is get with his Reg't the 56 Ohio, at N. Orleans, his health is good. We hear from him weekly, his wife Lizzie has quit the college at Evanston, on her way here she visited many of our friends, been at John's in Iowa, at her brothers in Illinois, stoped at Brother Thomas's at Bellpre, there I met her on June 25th. Brought her and her dear little boy (Olin) home & here they are in good health.
On the same day that we got home from Belpre My Son Wm & his wife arived here on a visit, he has seen some hard service, he was in the Ohio heavy artilery - is now dismissed; but poor fellow he is almost blind - we fear he will loose one eye entirely.
Brother Thomas Wesly has got home, he was wounded in the face, a Minnea ball entered his noes right side, & lodged in his left jaw bone - after intence suffering five weeks the ball was extracted - he is getting well although he has a stiff jaw - the rest of the family were well.
We do most cincerely & heartily rejoice that the dreadful ordeal through which we have been passing as a nation is being brought to a close. Victory, victory over rebellion & treason - some have already suffered the penalty (death by hanging) and we have reason to believe many more will have to pay the same penalty.
I believe there is a divine superintending providence "his purposes will (ripen fast), unfolding every hour: the (bud) may have a bitter taste but sweet shall be the flower"
We of West Va. took a noble stand at the first against secession -we are now a new state, a free state, we are now having our public free schools established, where high & low, rich & poor are to be educated out of a public fund raised by taxation.
I think I informed you in my last of the death of M. Low, John's father-in-law, also of the death of W. Weatman & the death of Josina Brothers Thos, wife verily we are passing away.
I have no doubt but many of your friends would be glad to hear that Mr. Doble and family were about to return from California. O! it is so far away. I have not heard as yet of Wm return. I hope he may soon come & bring a "big pile" with him.
Please write soon & often & oblige your old friend.
Wm McFarland

envelope postmarked Powhatan Point, Feb 5, addressed to Mr. Abner Doble, SF, Ca (10 cents stamp)

envelope postmarked Shelbyville, illegible date, to Abner in SF, 10 cent stamp

envelope postmarked Wheeling, VA, May 6, 1863, to Abner in SF, 10 cent stamp

envelope postmarked *anyon City, *T, Feb 26, 1864, to A Doble, Esq, SF, CA

envelope addressed to Mrs. M. B. Doble, Linden Station, Ross co, Ohio, "Care of Wm. Lucas" from West Liberty