James Richey, Hopkinsville, Kentucky, to his parents, Ireland, 2 March 1826. Hopkinsville State of Kentuckey March 2nd 1826 Dear Father and Mother I have been waiting Months after months and I may Say nearly years after years in constant expectation of hering from Some of you but it Seems as if all with one accord has forsaken me or thinks no more of me. I do assure you it is not the case with me I have written Several letters Since I recvd one from any of you except one I got from Sister Jane I hope you all have your healths as well as formerly for thank God I never was better in my life than I am now and indeed I have always enjoyed Good health Since I came to this Country though I have witnessed many of my fellow beings falling victims to the Iron Hand of Death with almost every Sort of Disease--every Fall Season we look for Sickness as regular as you go for the Pox after enoculating. the Disease that generally prevail here is the Billious Fever and SOmetimes Tipes fevers -- at present this part of our country and indeed the Western Country Generally is looking out with dreadful apprehensions for the Small Pox which is now raging to the South with dreadful destruction and hundreds dieing every day of it. I mean particularly down at New Orleans it Lies about 1600 hundred miles South of this it was first introduced into that city by Ships coming from Europe but though new orleans lies at SO great a distance that Intercourse between that place and this is SO great that it will travel here rapidly without doubt. Steam Boats runs from there here in about 6 days though the distance by water is nearly 1800 miles America though Generally is healthy Keeping