Washington, No. Ca.
April 30, 1866
Mr. Duncan McIntyre,

Dear Sir,
Yours of Jany 10th was rec'd a few days ago. Forwarded to me from Ocala Fla. I am glad to hear from you, hope you are doing well. I met Mr. Hoggard in New York in March. He told me you had left my papers with him. I wrote to you soon after I got home and had leisure. I suppose you did not receive the letter. I find your papers, or Statement of papers left with Mr Hoggard all right 1 will collect $200 for the cotton seed sold to Merriwether. I will make provisions for Mr. Jones' claim, but I do not think he ought to claim it. After leaving you in Baker Co. Geo. we got along quite well with but few troubles. Lucy & children stood the tramp (?) well. They did not enter a house from the time we left you. until we reached home in Fla. (11 days.) had good weather. Camped out every night.
I managed to save the crop of sugar in Fla. the Negroes wanted $15.00 per month and rations. I offered them 1/3 of all they could make, they feed and clothe themselves, they were not satisfied. I drove them all off and rented the land. I learn now from letter most of them un satisfied with freedom, and want to engage with me for next year. I have moved to No. Ca. now living 2 miles from Washington where I expect to sell Milk & Butter Poultry, eggs, vegitables [sic] &c &c in Town. it is a new business to me dont know how I will succeed, I think I will like it, it will enable me to do most of my work and not be troubled with free negroes. I can milk th cow with both hands, and make the milk fly.
Lucy & children often speak of your mother & sister, and wish you lived near enough to be neighbors.
I find there is a great effort to make cotton here. good land here makes from 300 to 500 lbs Lint cotton per acre. the land that is offered for sale sells for $10.00 to $15.00 per acre with improvements. I was offered a good tract 465 acres, 45 acres opened good house, for $4500.--. there being more land than I wanted did not buy. 100 acres is as much as I want for my business.
Lucy & children send much love to your mother & sister, and join me with kind regards to you and your brothers family, let me hear from you again
Yours Truly
Geo. W. Howard

P.S. I rec'd a letter from a Henry Wilson a short time before I left Fla saying Henry (negro) had stolen a horse and run away with him, supposed he had gone to Fla. in my neighborhood Henry knows too well to come about me after trying to injure me. I paid him before I left; it bought his and Melrinis' claim on the crop cash. Hoggard said nothing about the trouble with Henry, hope it has all blown off I have arranged my matters with Hoggard to enable me to settle without going to Baker.

G. W. Howard