[Pastor Kilian wrote this letter on behalf of Hanna Locke Jung.]

Serbin, 26 October 1868
To Johann Schiwart, Bischheim near Kamenz

Dear brother,

I received your letter of 2 June 1868 on July 5 and was very happy that you wrote.

I had already given up all hope of receiving an answer from you, because your letter was so long in coming. I did not know whether or not my letter reached you or if you forgot (to write).

The gift you gave me at the time of my departure from Europe touched my heart very much, because from it I recognized your great love. You did not give from your surplus, but rather from what you needed for yourselves. Therefore I want to again give you a gift. Christoph Bader, who with his wife and children arrived here in good health last week, borrowed 8 Prussian Talers from me and expects that his brother, C. L. Gallasch in Dresden remit this amount to you, my brother Johann Schiwart in Bischheim. Gallasch, to whom his brother, Christoph Bader, will write these days, should send you the money via the mail from Dresden to Bischheim.

We suffered very much sickness last year and therefore did not harvest more than the daily bread. Also we had to improve the buildings on our farm, which cost us. Therefore we are unable to do much for you now. My husband is old, over 67 years and therefore he is unable to do hard work or a great deal of work. And my best years are over, since I am in my 52nd year. Now that both of us are healthy we made a better harvest this year than last year.

A fair number of immigrants arrived here last week, all healthy and hearty.

Last Friday a wooden steeple was placed on the west end of our new stone church. The church is 70 feet long, 40 feet wide and walls 24 feet high.

The fact that my brother, George Schiwart in Uhyst kept my letter so long before giving it to you is unacceptable. Even though by this he displeased me I also send my greetings to him and hope that you will have the opportunity to deliver the greeting. Ask him to write me sometime.

Lastly, I want to ask you if the sister-in-law of my late husband, Rosina, the widow of Johann Socke, cottager in Kamina, is still living and how she and her family is doing. If she is still living give her my best regards and tell her I am still healthy and I that things are better for me here than in Germany.

And now I commend you, your wife and your children to God's grace and remain yours in love,

Your Hanna, formerly married to Locke, but now married to Jung.

Address:
Philipp Jung, Serbin
Bastrop Co., Texas.

[Biar]

[No German transliteration available.]