To Governor John P. StJohn Topeka Kansas
Respected sir.
I write a few lines to you for information about our emigrating to your state next fall. We are hard working people but can not reap the benefit of our labor I went to the State of Ohio in 1877 to see if we could not make a better support than in Miss I found the laboring class of people could it has taught me to know there is better living in a grain fruits and stock growing state than in a cotton growing one Rev. Ephraim Strong my brother served in united states army three years during the War of 1861 and was honorable discharged at its close desired me to write to you for information on making a support in that state We wants to know if we can get any assistance from the govrnment or any society to emigrate to Kansas. We have seen some papers from there and feell if we could get there we could make a better support the way we are paid for labor in Miss. there will be very few of us that will be able to come without aid I have been teaching public schools in the districts ever since they began in Miss. in 1871 When the republican [XXXXX] rule the state I made right good support at it but since the democratic power has got in the we can scarcely board and clothes ourselves but for the love of our race we keep on I remain in the state of Ohio ten months and saw that it was better for a farmer to raise

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grain fruits and stock than cotton and have desires to go to a grain growing state ever since to live all the people in district I taught are wanting to emigrate to Kansas this fall if they can get assistance from any quarter and if all do not come if I can get information from you that I can get in any business for a support and get assistance to get there my brother father and husband and I am coming a great many desired me to write to Kansas for information I thought it would be best to write to you I see in the Mo. Republican that you have a freedmen aid society thinking perhaps we could get assistance from it please answer our letter and let us know if you can aid us and on what term you would be willing to aid us by doing so you will us and a great many more and we will be grateful in our hearts
Your humble obedient and grateful servant
Roseline Cunningham