Letter to Mrs. Eliza Thornton,Lauderdale County, Mississippi, from Elizabeth Baggott, Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio 1847

Dayton P O Ohio montgomery Co. march the 14th 1847

My Dear and affectionate Aunt

Father is married again.. He married A lady by the name of Caylor., She was about twenty when he married. She has had five children. their Names are Martin V B is 9 [originally “8"] years old Virginia Helen was ten months when she died., she has been Dead six years., Oliver P he is five years old Josephine Boneparte She is three years old James K Polk is two years old this month Mother had 8 Children four dead and four a living William is the Eldest he is 27 years old George is 23 years old and I will be 21 the 21 [sic] the sixth of next month Martha Ann will be 17 the 28 of this month

... continue reading Letter to Mrs. Eliza Thornton, Alamucha P. O., Lauderdale County, Mississippi, from Elizabeth Baggott, Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio, March 14, 1847

1838 VICKSBURG, MS LETTER - SLAVERY, COTTON

Letter from Vicksburg Mississippi, June 14, 1838, to sister. Unsigned, but identified on verso, "Abel Rawlins" Circleville Ohio. The letter contains a wealth of information and the entirety of the slavery related content. Highlighted excerpts:

"Perhaps you wish a description of this country...Well cotton, land and negroes constitute the wealth of this State. A man who has a cotton plantation that works a hundred negroes is rich, for each good hand is worth $2,000! Mississippi money and there are hundreds who have this much. But what to me is most extraordinary, there are so many Northern men, who were born and reared under different (and in my mind) better institutions of domestic economy, holding slaves here..."
"Notwithstanding Slavery does exist here. It has been much exaggerated (I speak of the city alone) by the reports of the Abolitionists. Once a day, on Sunday the Methodist Church is thrown open for them and one of our preachers preach to them. The Slaves are well dressed and well fed so far as I have seen and for the most part appear to be happy and contented with their lot. But
'Slavery thou art a bitter curse, Disguise thee as thou wilt.'"
Plus, commentary on the splendid climate, but "Wickedness abounds..."; high wages and high prices. "I get boarding for $5 per week, by sleeping on a bunk!"
The incomplete third page appears to have content on a childhood reminiscence and religion.

Ebay Item number:230381318901

Cronalie Kendrick Burt to Fannie Kendrick Egger, Mississippi, 1901

E-mail: bjberrykeeper@yahoo.com

March 28, 1901
Sumner, Miss.

Dear Brothers and sisters,

I will write you a few lines to let you know how we are all getting along. All well but myself. I have been feeling bad all day. I think I have gout. The Blue's thought perhaps I would feel better if I would get up and talk to you a little.

Well Fannie, Eddie got home the 27 you know I was glad. He has been gone 7 months and Henry Burt came down the 17th and left the 19th. Ellen went back home with him to stay 3 years. She will come home and visit in the fall. Henry is doing well. He has got a find place and a fine house built with 6 rooms. He lives at Armory, Mississippi. It is a big town near where Ellen will go to school. In town Eddie went to see Billie and Uncle Martin last week. They are all well.

Eddie says Billie has got 4 fine Boys as he ever saw & the smartiest Boys & the best looking boys of any Batch. Uncle Martin is losing his mind. The poor old fellow sent me his Aunt Hass furniture it would nearly break your heart to look at them. They look so old. Belle & Payton is going to come down this fall. Yes & Uncle Hort sent me a sha base full of sweet potatoes. I have eat the bach and they are a fine sort.

Mother is well. Her & I went to town yesterday. She went to have her picture taken. You can look out for one of them in 2 weeks. She will send you one. Dad Kendricks sent me his picture. Imagine him & his folks is living in Columbus also Corce & her family. They are working in the factory. Eddie says imagine will weigh 240 pounds.

Well I will close for this time. Hoping this will find you well.

Write soon, your sister,
C.J. Burt Cornalie Jane Kendrick Burt

Notes: C.J. Burt is Cornalie Jane Kendrick Burt, daughter of Mary Ellen Stanley and Jonis Wesley Kendrick. Cornalie is writting to her sister, Fannie Clara Kendrick Egger.

Civil War Letter: Ashley J. Frazier, Mississippi (no date)

Name: JAN BETTENCOURT
E- mail: JANNPAUL@WMCONNECT.COM

U.s. ste john rearn brumis burough miss. Feb 26

cous i receivied your letter today and was glad to hear from you. My health is good and we are confiscating cotton. I got in last night about 10 clock after two days scouting cotton we found 800 bailes back in the hills concealed. We brought in 100 bailes with us and are going out after the rest a baile of cotton is worth $350 no just count that up and see we are making money for uncle sam recolect that is not half we are at the business all the time, we have got the rebs cleaned out in these parts for awhile

well i must tell about my getting my dinner at port gibson we made a raid on port gibson the other day we charged into town on a gallop but found a few rebs there hill is back and with me after we got into town we stopped on main street to let our horses rest and eat a bit of hard tack hill called me by name and there was an old man hered him and come up to me and wanted to know who i was. I told him and he claimed kin with me and made hill and my gang eat dinner with him. We had a good dinner and good buttermilk, his name was milegan. He has some relation living in clinton and fayette co., Ohio so you see i have friends hear in the suney south i also got acquainted with dr. Sprute out there by hill knowing his dad at keokuk, iowa he wanted us to come and take dinner with him next time we come to town hill is stouter than he was so no more for this time

ashley j. Frazier writ soon

Civil War: Natchez Mississippi Hospital 1869 - Ashley Frazier

Name: JAN BETTENCOURT
E- mail: JANNPAUL@WMCONNECT.COM

Natchez missippi
u.s. hospital ster woodford
aug. 27,1869

Notes: dear cousin i am down the river 110 miles below vicksburg at a nice town called vatchez the nicest place i have saw in the confederacy we come down for a holaday the head dockter thought it would be a nice tripp for the sick and so it is. We get all the fruit we can eat and melons by the dossen so you we have good times i took the ambulance and took a load of boys on out to see the town we had a merry time i tell you i bought some apples and a mess of dumplings but i missed aunt malindas cream dip very much and will have something more good.

The 48th regt passed hear going to new orleans yesterday my health is not very good i have got the gripp? Part of the time so no more now write soon ashley j. Frazier well lydia we once more in sight of vicksburg and will soon land there againe our frollick is over for a while but i have some hope of getting a letter and that will be joy give my love to aunt malinda tell her i had apple dumplings for dinner give my love to emma stalker tell unkle beve i will vote for john bough for governer of ohio and i am going to send my ticket home

ashley j. Frazier direct u.s. ster woodford

Civil War: on board the Steamer John Raine 1862

Name JAN BETTENCOURT
E- mail: JANNPAUL@WMCONNECT.COM

U.S. Steamer John Raine
Vicksburg, Miss.
April 22nd 1862

Miss Lidia Burgess

Your Kind Letteer Of The 12 Ins, Came To Hand This Morning Finding Me Enjoying Reasonable Fashion Of Health, I Got One Letter From Ashley Some Time Ago. I Will Send It Enclosed With This And You Can See For Your Self What He Has To Say. I Also Herd From Him A Few Days Ago They Was In Al. Then. I Don't Think They Will Be Sent To Richman On The Account Of Our Troops. You Spoke Of The File At Columbus I Guess It's A Mistake But Perhaps You Have Herd Of The File At Fort Sillow? One Of The Most Horred Things I Ever Herd Of On The Nite Of The 22 The Gun Boat Number 5 Was Sunk Up The Yazoo River And Number 11 There Was 3 Shots Entered Him But She Made His Escape Being Disabled Some. The Dianna And The Adams They Run Up And The Rebs They Disapered, The Hopital Woodford Was Sunk Up Red River She Run Afowl Of A Snag And Sunk In 15 Feet Of Water, No Lives Lost. One Of Our Transports Was Sunk Below Natier By The Rebs Nite Before Last.

It Appears As Tho The Rebs Are Getting The Upper Hand Of Us Now. This Is All Done By These Gorillas.We Have Just Come In From The River But We Coudn't Find Anything. I Guess They Are Afraid Of The Marines. You Wanted To Know About Our File. We Was Guarding A Train Of Cotton And As We Was Coming In We Was Ambooshed ... We Fought Them About 20 Minutes When They Retreated Killing 2 Of Our Men And Taking 10 Prisoner. We Killed 5 There Men And Held Our Ground And Wounded Some They Took All Of Our Advanced Guards. Ash Was In The Advanced.

Please Exuse This As I Am Have A Lame Arm And Can't Write Much. And Write When Concenietn And Direct To As Before

Respectfuly Yours J.H. Hill

Notes: This Writer Is A Friend Of Ashley J. Frazier, He Is Writing To Cousin Lydia To Let Her Know That Ashley Has Been Taken Prisoner.