---p1---
Nov 24th 1880
Huntsville Ala
My Dear Cousin John
I received yrs. of 17th & feel very much flattered that my letter should
have given you so much pleasure. I have no doubt it was a pleasant surprise
& as an evidence you wrote me that lively charming interesting letter
that makes me crave to see you & talk with you -- You have brought to
view old scenes that no one cared to know & [made] me familiar with them
- & there are so many things I could tell you I dont know where to begin--
Our great great grand mother & Father [Janes came] over from Wales to
Va. They were well off but ate bacon & greens for supper -- Their son
John the only child I know of married Miss Elizabeth Walker who was [our]
great grandmother I spoke of -- She was highly educated & was practical
[at top:
I did not wish to write about Lous family I wanted her to answer you letter
& tell you herself. (pencil)Cant you come to see us --
]
---p2---
was called on to draw writings -- was a tailoress doctoress -- papered her
own Parlour -- the first papered room I ever saw -- Her husband went blind
not long after they were married & was blind thirty years & died leaving
six or eight sons & two or three daughters -- Tom Janes & James lived
in Camp bell county Va & Joel our grandfather Charles -- Arthur &
Samuel in Guckingham county -- Uncle Sam was the [one] you saw & was the
youngest -- grand mother Jones as I said was Miss Walker -- no relation of
Uncle John & James Walker & I dont remember ever seeing or hearing
of any of them. She was rich & lived alone & at her three sons till
she was near a hundred & was in her dotage -- so they took her to Uncle
Arthurs against her will. I was there one day & my Father & one of
her sons came in -- She was glad to see them but could not call their names.
[at top:
(pencil)I never heard of fighting Bill but knew Capt Wm Janes who was a nice
man --
]
---p3---
& said faith I know you -- & they gave her a slate & pencil &
asked her to write her name & she asked what it was & she wrote Elizabeth
Jones well I lived in the neighbourhood with them & knew them all well
-- I never saw our grand father or mother Jones she was Miss Sally Patric
from P[itt]sylvania Va -- Father took us to see his grandmother Patric while
on her death bed -- She had a fine plantation on Apomatox river -- We all
go[t] so[me] of her negroes - & one or two Father got are alive now --
Now I will go back to our grandpa he was an athletic man & but he got
hurt inwardly some way & the Doctor gave him a dose od quick silver &
it came through his back in the bed - & when the Droctor heard of it he
left quickly for fear of his brothers -- He left three daughters & two
sons -- My Father & Uncle Joel -- he was at my house before the war
[at top:
(pencil) I could not tell you in a letter as I would like -- & fear you
will not understand.
]
---p4---
he lived in Arkansas -- I have not heard from him since -- Our grandmother
married Georg Cox -- you may have seen him -- she had one son Uncle -a-re-----x
& died -- Then they all scattered their grandmothers took some & their
ants [sic] took some -- my Father married at twenty & my mother six months
gaun--- & took uncle Joel & After a while Aunt Betsy married &
took Aunt Polly & Aunt Martha & soon they married & all done well
-- I think they had well regulated minds to have done so well & raised
such nice children -- The Jones's were a peculiar people -- they lived on
the best were hospitable & all married in good families made good husbands
but were lords at home -- were money making but lived too fast -- Uncle Charles
drank
[at top:
& occasionally drove his wife off -- She was Uncle James Walkers sister
They had but one child a daughter -- She married Dr. James Jones her first
cousin - Uncle Toms son - & I think you must have hear he killed his Father
in law -- & it was considered just he was nevere tried for it -- Uncle
Sam sometimes drank too much but was not disagreeable
]
---p5---
I never heard of any of any of [sic] them fighting - but no doubt they would
& I think though they were popular, people were afraid to come in contact
with them -- You know Court days once a month was a great day - where all
the county met if posible [sic] & there was gene-ally some quarreling
& fisticuff figh-- & I heard my Father say one Court --ay Peter Francisco
walked up & down the Court green & chaneledged [sic] any man to fight
him & his Father accepted a would [have] faught him but Peter backed down
- I think the negro must have heard that & got it wrong - I never heard
of his fighting - My Father was one of the best men I ever knew - was popular
commanding every body knew hime & respected him - Mr Rice said he had
the best regulated mind & was the best pro
[at top:
I think Mrs Jack Johns was one of the most elegant women I ever saw - she
named Lou Patton Marian Louise & Lou's only single daughter bears that
name - Lou's sister Eliza Goodrich is a widow & lives in New Orleans &
has a son & daughter they are poor
]
---p6---
-potioned man he ever say - He was six feet high & weighed two hundred
pounds - When you saw him he had liver complaint & became dropsical &
died at the age of 45 - It really seems to me but a few years - & the
same as to my husband & children - I feel under his invluence yet - &
still wh---- ---- back to those old people I have been writing about I feel
like I had lived a thousand years - & I know & feel -- will not be
long before I hope to --- them where parting shall be no more. My husband
died in 49 - I had a son & daughter left - my daughter Amanda died in
Cuba in 53 - seventeen years old & my son died in 61 at 19 years old -
I took him to Europe & he came near dying there I have lost 13 children
- & O I grieved but never murmoured - but trusted more & ,pre - I
have met with kind firends & there are two families who have a--ed me
to live with them - but I am like old
---p7---
Grandmother Jones - prefered living alone -- This is Thanksgiving day &
it has rained all day so I could not go to Church to offer up my thanks in
the house of prayer. I belong to the Episcopal Church -- we have a nice pastor
Mr Banister of Petersburg Va - a good ----- gentleman -- It is not the -------at
maked the Christian - -- have had a very cold spell but no ---w - This is
a cold rain & but for ---- I could not have written before tomorrow --
I dont often write a letter with so little hindrance -- I have not been out
& but few callers lately -- I have ont seen Lou Patton since she brought
me you letter to read -- she will be surprised when she hears I have written
to you & received an answer A few days before I received your letter I
saw in the music stand a package of letters & in looking over them found
one from you to Lou Patton dated
[at top:
(pencil) 25th I could not finish my letter last night
]
---p8---
30th July 1874 with your daughter Martha's Photograph in it -- I was surprised
and am sure she will be -- I suppose I have had it a long time no doubt &
Lou hass been so busy she ---- know where it was -- I will give it -- her
when I see her -- She is very pretty & I have no likeness of mother or
Fath-- & only Protraits of my two last I hi--- Amanda -- there were no
Photographs -- those days -- I will try & have mine taken for you -- I
have Mr. Rice's Minature a splendid likeness taken by Badge -- Dear Cousin
I woul like so much to know you & your wife & children - I have known
none of you & think you must be the flowere of the flock - Helen Baily
asked me if I told you about her she is lame from being paralised - is 13
yrs
[at top:
old & has been with me 4 years - she is very bright - I dont often write
such long letters everything tires me is my greatest complaint. I weigh about
200 - & every body says I look just as I did 20 years ago -- My love to
your wife & children God bless you & yours -- Affectionately M. P.
Rice
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