[Postal notations, upper right corner, undecipherable] Samuel Hodgdon Esqr. Com[missary?] of [Military?] Stores [Philadelphia?] State of Virginia Jan 2^d 1799 Southampton County (Co. S. [Virg.?]) Dear Sir, By a l[ette]r [undecipherable] from your City I had the very great pleasure of hearing of your welfare and be assured [that?] it will be [pleasing?] to me to hear of your prosperity through [life?] — You will accept of my gratefull Acknowledgements for the information [undecipherable] and the kind Treatment I received from you whilst under Charge [of] Mr. [undecipherable] I hold your conduct toward me as friendship rarely to be met with such as I call disinterested — As I [still?] know you [undecipherable] respect me I will take the Liberty to mention to you [undecipherable] a Sketch of my progress through life since I left you, [since?] Oct 1, 1786. I married a worthy Country Girl an Equal Match on both sides, then resided in the County of Brunswick had not been there three months before a relation of mine a leading Character: The County took Notice of me, I was soon appointed Captain of a Comp[an]y of Militia Justice of the Peace, a Commissioner of the Revenue, County Treasurer, &c. and in fact appointments far beyond my most Sanguine expectation. — I live there for ab[ou]t Nine Years, then sold my profession there & Bought this place and Commenced Merch[andising?] in partnership with my Brother In Law In ab[ou]t 22 M[onth]s found that business did not suit my Genius in course I closed that [ac]count and rented my Store house to a Worthy Quaker who keeps a Stock of Goods of ab[ou]t £2000. Generaly well assorted him & his Young Man with three others loads with us — We are in Tollerable easy circum=stances living free from want and [the?] boun=[undecipherable] life we chuse it, We have had four children [Two?] But living both Girls, I have had it on Contemplation to take my Eldest to [undecipherable] But for Months past I have been much afflicted with the Rheumatism if that continues I shall decline the trip tho probably her Uncle may go with her thither — I dont Know what more to say until I hear from y[ou]r. w[hi]ch I hope will be the first post Via of Jerusalem, which will most Certainly fully reply, In the mean time after refering y[ou] to [undecipherable] for my [undecipherable] You will have my best wishes for y[ou]r Welfare And — [I] remain Y[ou]r Most [undecipherable] Thomas [undecipherable] P.S. I left in Mr Boy[ces?] hands, a forage & Expense Acc[oun]t. w[hi]ch was justly d[u]e. If any thing has been done in the business, [let?] [me?] know it Jno. Jones [Sam[ue]l Hodgdon]