The following came from Elvin Pettet in December, 2007. The transcriptions were provided to him by Dan Ford.

Sarah Jane⁴ Pettet (WILLIAM³, THOMAS², ELIAS¹) was born 26 Nov 1838 in Perry Co. Ohio, and died 06 Apr 1888 in Benton Twn., Hocking County, Ohio. She married James Clay Lindsey 30 Nov 1865 in Hocking County, Ohio, son of William Lindsey and Lydia Beard. He was born Abt. 1834 in Ohio.

1864
Bloomingville
Hocking Co. Ohio
June the 24

Dear sir it is with much placher that I take my pen in hand and move to ancer your kind letter which i got las mail, and was glad to her from you agin and that you was well. it found me the same and I hope when you get this it will find you still well. this is the third letter that I hav reeting to you and you never get any of them.

I dont no the resen of you not geting them. I spect you think that I never write to you, but I have ancerd ever letter that I ever got from you. your time is beter then haf up and i wash it was clear up. I am afraid tha will take you and put you in the battel field when your time is up. you stated in your letter that you get ordes to go to the frunt and I hope that will never be the case. the heaf you running around so much that you never get any letters that i write to you. well I am glad to her that you can go to meeting sundys. it will help to pass away the time.

well we havnt had any letters from Jo sins you left here and for along time before you left, but we herd that he was in the hospitel at tensee sick, and that is all we can her from him, for we dont no the number of the hospitel to write to him. well James Lindsey i havent nothing strang to tell you fo ther is nothing strang going on her. I was to meeting last sunday. twist for the first time sins you left here. well James L I must bring my Letter to A cloas for this time. pleas excus my bad writing and all the macks. write soon as you get this if you can and i will ancer them all. I wash you was at home agin. i will not for get you while you air gon. good by for this time if you ever get it

your truly
From Sarah Pettet to Mr. James Lindsey

Bloomingville
Hacking Co. Ohio
July the 22 1864

Dear friend I agin take my pen in hand to ancer you most kind letter wich found me well and truly glad to her from you agin, and that you was well tho you have A hard life to live while you air gon ispose. but as you say your time is prety nair out and then you will get to come home ispose alittel, which but I cant no haw long you will get to stay. I am sarey to her that you have to littel to eat but your time will soon be up. well James I got a few lines from you to day and you said you got a letter from me with no stamp on. if you did it has ben taken of for I never sent such a letter to any parsan. I want you to tell me if you had it to pay for agin.

Well James you needent to send me any more stamps for i have stamps what will dou me til you Come home agin. well James you say you air giting tired of sangern. ispose you air for i no it is a hard life to live. Well James we got a letter from Joseph and more and he is well and is going to his regimet agin. well I was down to town yesterday, and I herd you regement was in a battel, and that ther is severl of them wounded. I hope you air not one that air hert. I hope the time will no be long when you will get home agin

well James i must bring my shart letter to a cloas for this time. you must excus me for this time if you pleas. I have answerd all of your letters but one and that was in harvest and I did not have time to write, but I will ancer all of the rest so you must excuse me for not ancern it write soon, from your friend

Sarah Pettet
to Mr James Lindsey

excuse my bad writing and all macks if you pleas