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Hillsboro Company Sep 24th 65
My Dear Son
I should have acknowledged your letter before this but have been absent from home and a good deal engaged with my domestic matters - I shall go to Fairntosh tomorrow: and if I can will have you a pair of shoes made - you have very many wants - your letters hardly ever fail to tell us of some want. When I had the means I ever felt glad to furnish my dear children with anything that they needed - but I am obliged to tell you my dear boy that I have no command of [cash?] and find it difficult to provide my large family with what I know they need. And I look forward this winter to not a little anxiety on the subject of supplies of wood & clothing - You must make up your mind to get along with just what will do - your mother & sisters seem disposed & willing to make the best efforts to save expenditures - I will not go in debt - nor can I consent that my children shall make any debt - we must be free of debt - We are to have a great revolution in society & social life - and those who do not now go to work & make a manly effort to sustain themselves & families will go down. Prudence industry, & a [illegible] of our means
is all that can sustain & take us out of our present condition - My life is arriving to a change on Monday last I completed my 56 year - the 25th of Sept being my birth day - I hope my dear boy that you will do all you can to fit yourself to become the chief support of the family when I shall leave it - You wlll have to provide for yourself - you will have to labour to live either by your head or your hands!
We are now if possible more than ever anxious to know that you are making the best use of your time - God bless and direct you in all your efforts. Give yourself fair play - do not think of any thing else but success in your standing - Make yourself perfect Master of arithmatic strive to write an elegant hand - and make yourself the finest scholar in your school if it be possible -
We are all well Maggie at her school again - Josh? now we have [high hopes?] Howland & Miss Mary Pettigrew here on a visit - both well & most pleasant friends -. When you go to see your Grandfather - don't run all over the place, but sit with the family & make yourself agreeable to all Keep the company of no low person have nothing to do with a [negro?] - write to us as often as you can - & strive to excell in all things God bless you my son Yours P.C. Cameron
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Alamance - Sept 29th 1865 My Dear Sir, Jesse is just setting off to Hillsboro so I have only time to acknowledge your late favours and to thank you for what you done & what you have written for me. I hope, you seat with my memorial the accompanying letters of Mr Moore and Mr Worth, as supporting vouchers. - I have not tried your Ale yet, as the state of my bowels made me doubt the propriety of doing so. But I will shortly- at hand, make the experimentI am be no means certain yet, that I shall not go to Hillsborough, as a place of some serenity & privacy for my Family, that is, unless I can get such labourers here and servants as will provide a living and some comforts - I should of course prefer living here if I can. But I doubt
believe any of my people will stay with me & unless they will, with perfect willingness, joy go with them.
Bless you all! Thomas Rubbing
P.C. Cameron Esqr