July 4th 1881
Huntsville Ala
Dear Cousin John Jay Johns
I
received your Postal card to day & both the papers - I am much obliged
to you for them - I had rather visit those old homesteads where my Father
Grandfather Uncles & Aunts lived than any where in the world - my recollection
of them is vivid - I would like to know who lives there - Uncle John &
James Walkers beautiful site stans [sic] on two hills & Haliday Creek
flowing between them & the red gullies & hills & the road so narrow
at the foot of the hill carriages could not pass as the gullies commenced
on the oposite side of the hill right from the road - it was a fearful place
to pass - Uncle Glover your Father lived nearer to us than they did &
at a nice place & --- grandfather lived about 3 miles from there &
my Father lived at several places but never left the neighbourtood [sic] then
my aunts were such beautiful housekeepers & I think they must have been
the best wives in the world they were practical - the nicest place we ever
lived was two miles from the Courthouse or Maysville as it was called - that
was a beautiful place & well improved - The last time I was there was
the year I was married 1821 - I visited them all then when they were all in
health & prosperity - I have often been to Va since but being with a party
could not go so far out of the way when I had no relation there to visit -
I have often been to Lynchburg where I used to go to school to Parson Read
as we called him a Presbyterian minister & one of the best of men - Cousin
Sally Walker went there before I did & died there - Uncle Johns daughter
& I was taken from there very ill - Do you remember Old Peter
Fr[an]cisco that lived near your Fathers - the strongest biggest man I
ever saw - he could take a man standing in his hand & carry him about
& jump over chairs sat in a row - I am glad you have been there -
Now I must tell you some home nuse [sic]- Our Cousin Lou Patton has swapped
her house & some land for a place joining - that has a large framed house
on it & well improved grounds - she is very comfortably fixed but not
elegantly as she was before - She was in debt $6000 - 00 & never could
get out by taking boarders - & she got $6000 to boot & paid her debts
- & and now she has to take some boarders as she has little or no income
- but that is so much better than being in debt - She has but one child living
with her a daughter about 18 years old - then she has a single son living
in New Orleans - & one married son & one married daughter are all
- 4 children are all she has living - She is a restless woman always fixing
& trading - She looks young & pretty now - but takes no pains in dress
- I dont think she could live a quiet life - yet she is kind & her business
is upwards in her mind - Mr Patton has nothing to do with it - he is a quiet
man - & they seem to get on well - you spoke of Our Cousin John James
Walker does he live at the old homestead I suppose he is Uncle John's son
- I have lost sight of them all -
I dont think I shall leave home this summer - I am comfortably fixed here
& it is so fatigueing to me to travel in the heat & dust I have a
dread of it - I have generally gone to the Sweet Springs in Va with the Beirnes
- but Mr Beirnes health is so bad & he has lost his mind almost entirely
& I fear will be sent to an Assylam as he gets worse -
I received a letter from your daughter in Phila & answered
it - & I thought if I left home this summer or fall I would go to Phila
with a little girl who lives with me & her Father & nearly all her
relations are there - Her Father Mr Baily lives here but but [sic]
has sold out to his partner & Helen is lame has been paralized & he
may take her there to the institute - She wears a brace & has been treated
there & I am not certain he will take her there before next January -
so I expect to stay at home I wrote this letter last night by gaslight without
glasses I hope our next trip will be to see me my love to all of your family
jr Aff cousin
M. P. Rice
I am grieved that the President should have been shot - I have not heard
today how is is -Write soon Am I mistaken perhaps you did not go to the old
places the weather has been very pleasant for several days -