Beloved Sister [Elmira Sloan McCorkle Roache]–
          It has ever been my constant delight to correspond with you. Through all the shifting scenes of 24 years of separation none has been more prompt to inform you than I, of the paßing events or dispensations of Providence in our circle of relations either prosperous or adverse–like a faithful mirror I think I have reflected with all that moral honesty that characterized me when quite a child.
          To you it is only necessary to speak of actions in our little circle, to bring your mind into lively exercise, and you are yet enabled to look back and view at one glance, more than I could communicate through the dull medium of pen ink and paper in a whole volume.
          For several of the first years of our separation it was my highest pleasure to inform you of our prosperity and the all=most uninterrupted health of our country even tho then it fell to my lot a few times to record the fact that death had not mißed some of our tenderest offspring. at a more recent date [1848] it was revealed to you that our mother [Margaret Morrison McCorkle] had bid adieu to time. A little later, our next brother [“Jem” Jehiel Morrison McCorkle] left the living circle. Still later our niece and now I am called on to communicate the solemn fact that Edwin is gone.  ––– 
          It never was my disposition to inflict sorrow on any being. Therefore I will forbear to describe my solitary sensations. [page break]
It is enough to say I am your only living brother, but when we reflect that all our friends have died in hope of a better life, we should feel thankful, and I humbly trust that you and I shall have formed characters that will with our departed relatives, enjoy eternal felicity.  ––
          Edwin’s health has been infirm for near 3 years– he had to attend to some busineß in Trenton [county seat of Gibson County, Tennessee] better than 2 months since. The weather was inclement then, and there it was he took his death sickness.  Has never been able to be about since. never complained of pain but once or twiste. The Dr. calld his disease Typhoid Pnewmonia. he expired yesterday at 1 o clock and will be interred to day about that time –– 
          Jane [Jane Maxwell Thomas McCorkle, Edwin’s widow] says he has left a will tho I do not know its arrangement. ––The family are now enjoying moderate health tho David [David Purviance McCorkle, a son of Edwin and Jane & a nephew of the writer], Anderson [Anderson Jehiel McCorkle, also a son of Edwin and Jane & a nephew of the writer] & Elizabeth [Elizabeth McCorkle (Reeves), a daughter of Edwin and Jane & a niece of the writer] have all been sick this fall & winter ––––
and Hiram [HRA McCorkle, a son of Edwin and Jane & a nephew of the writer] is lying low with the same disease at this time. I fear he will not live, tho he appeared some better day before yesterday evening tho at that time I thought [our brother] Edwin was getting well. [Hiram R. A. McCorkle survived this illness, to die some 54 years later, in the next century, in 1907.]  ––– I intend to go up and see him as soon as his Pa is buried ––––
          [Addison Alexander. McCorkle was a son of RAH & Tirzah Scott McCorkle, as was Robert Eusebius McCorkle a son] Addison and Pamelia’s son Leander [Scott] [the writer's sister's son, that is, Margaret Permelia McCorkle Scott, Mrs. Lemuel Locke Scott’s son: ] are off at school.  I think I will send for them to be at the burial.  They are only five miles off   –––  [Lemuel Locke Scott was the brother-in-law of the writer through the writer’s sister Margaret Permelia McCorkle. Lemuel & Margaret Pamelia McCorkle SCOTT had a son named Lemuel Locke Scott—who was to marry 1st a Cowan woman and then 2nd Addie Fernandez or Fernandes.:]
Lemuel’s health is not good tho he was able to come and see [his brother-in-law] Edwin Sunday. The balance of his family are in good health.-----

Quincy [Roache] and [Quincy Roache’s wife] Rebecca [née Sunderland] are well ––
[The addressee Elmira Sloan Roache’s son Robert Quincy Roache was destined soon to move up from Newbern in Dyer County, where he had a store called McCorkle & Roache, to the town of California in Missouri and to become president of the Moniteau [County] Bank in California, Mo. Quincy’s mother Elmira Sloan McCorkle Roache when elderly lived in Quincy’s home in California, Missouri, as did Elmira’s husband, the retired Dr. Stephen Roache ]
Wednesday the 12th at night:
At 1 [one o’clock] yesterday we assembled at the grave, a solemn scene to me.  There lies my Father [Robert McCorkle, died 1828, son of the Northern Ireland Scots immigrants Alexander McCorkle & Nancy Agness Montgomery McCorkle, the latter buried at Thyatira Presbyterian Church, Rowan County, North Carolina], Mother [Margaret Morrison McCorkle, died 1848] , Daughter [Margaret P. McCorkle ] , Two brothers [Jehiel Morrison McCorkle & now Edwin A. McCorkle] with some of their tender ones. Oh if you could be here to comfort Jane.  Lemuel [Lemuel Locke Scott] and [Lemuel’s wife] Pamelia [née Margaret Permelia McCorkle] said with her last night. She [Jane] went with them up to see [her]  poor  [son]  Hiram [HRA McCorkle, Newbern diarist]. she had not got back late this evening. I must go to see him in the morning  ––––
          I am thankful to know Jane [Maxwell Thomas McCorkle] has a family of good children.  David [David Purviance McCorkle] is boarding at home but works in a black smith shop about 300 yards from the house. His boß lives on David’s place–––Anderson [Anderson Jehiel McCorkle] is an uncommon good man timid [turned?] industrious man he is very large weighs 200. will manage the farm. Rebecca [née Rebecca McCorkle, then Mrs. John C. Zarecor] is living in a half a mile and can be with her mother often. she has a sweet little daughter ––––
          Brother Edwin was our most efficient Deacon and will be much mißed in our worshiping aßembly.  we have been in the habit of meeting on Lords days for three years.  Reading the Scripture, singing psalms, hymns & spiritual songs, prayer and breaking the Loaf has generally been our order of worship and contribution for the poor saints was not forgotten.  We seldom have preaching.
          I got a letter to day from [presumably: our father’s brother, or perhaps a 1st cousin in Indiana: John McCorkle he said he had seen Addison [Addison Locke Roache, Sr., eldest son of the addressee Elmira Sloan McCorkle Roache] a few days before.  they were all well  ––––

Elmira S Roache

To the above letter from her last surviving brother, RAH McCorkle, Elmira appended this note:

My darling brother, no one knows how I miss him. his letters were always lessons of instruction--& expressions of tenderness & deep felt affection.  Oh I feel so lonely since he is gone—a last & withered branch—of the old ! old tree.
E.S. Roache

                 Yorkville, Tenn          Robert McCorkle
                 January 15