These are two letters that I have been sent a copy of the actual letter. They are
from John W. Tharp (son of William Bailey Tharp, Sr.) who lived in Munfordville, Hart Co.,
Kentucky to his brother Christopher Baumgardner Tharp who lived in Menard Co., Illinois.
I have typed it just as I have it. All the spelling and punctuation are
original.
Here is the transcription and then after I will add my additions, corrections & comments.
Munfordville Oct 14 1883
My Brother with gratitude of Love to you i take the plesur to all rite you A few Lins Informing you that I am well and Hartey At this time I Hope this will find you Improving I wish I war with you to day it wold be of grate plesur to me to see a you wants mor in Life and Talk with you and Jane and the children I wold not know one of you If i war to meat you from Home you have never rote to me one word in your Letter Letting me no how you ar a getting a Long and if you ar Improving or not Scence you Left hir I Hope some one of you will Spar the time and Rite to me and let me no How you ar a getting I want to Hir from you as Bad as one of the Rest of your Brothers and Sisters ar our deer old Father He Stade all nite with me Last Nite he is well I wold be Proud if it war so I cold come and see you my Brother and all the rest of you it wold be of grate plesur to me if I with you to day and talk with you of the past it wold be of grate Injoyment to me to hir if you war Improving and restard Back to helth a gane Brother Wee all haft to bur our Burdens and do the Best wee can I have my hands full My children ar all gon No Bodey hir but me Larrar has gon to denver Colorado Baley has gon to Larral Co in this State 2 miles from home To work at fiften dollars A month Lotte and Alice is well and dawing well Brother and Sister as I never Have Rote to you all in my Life my Love is as Kind As if I had Rote you a Thousand Letters I think of you all day and nite in my Lonley hours When you Receve this I hope you are will ancer at wants and Let me No how you ar a getting a Long So nothing mor But Remane you Kind Brother May God Bless you. John W. Tharp
The Next letter is to Christopher's widow (Sarah Jane Pratt Tharp)
Munfordville January 21th 1884
My Sister I take the plesur to rite you a few Lins to Let you wee ar all well at presant hoping this will find you well and a dowing well father is well he scends his Love to you And Children you must Excuse me for not scending you this pictur Befor this time we ar having mitey Cold wether hir I want you to rite to me and Let me now How and the Children is a getting a Long I hope this will find you well and a Dowing well Will I Be glad if it was so I cold Come and Seea you all I wold do So I have no nus of importance To rite to you I want you to rite to me when you rece this And Let me no how you Ar a getting a Long nothing mor at presant But remane you Kind Brother untel Dethe John W. Tharp
Corrections/Additions
Well we can draw a lot of conclusions and information from this letter.
- We find out from the 1st letter that Christopher (and possibly family) had come
back to Hart Co. for a visit. Also at least Christopher (if not more of the family)
were sick at the time of the trip.
- We can assume that Hattie Bales (John's wife) is already dead, as he states that
he is all alone. The 1st letter also give us an idea where John's children have
gone.
1. Larrar (Laura) has gone to Denver Colorado. It doesn't give us a hint if she is married or not. I haven't found out if that is where she stayed or not.
2. Baley (Bailey) had gone to Larral Co. (Larue Co.) Kentucky. I haven't tried tracking him down either.
3. Lotte (Lottie or Charlotte) and Alice (Addie Alice) it seems like they are married but he doesn't really say that.
- We can also narrow down William Bailey Tharp, Sr.'s death date. We know
that he is alive as of January 21st 1884 and dead by the 1900 Hart Co. Census. Which
is pretty good considering he was born about 1803.
- The 1st letter also tells us that the location of the farm was about 2 miles
from the Hart Co./Larue Co. line. Probably just east of Mammoth Cave. That
also coincides with the stories I have heard of where William Bailey Tharp, Jr. is buried.
- I know from corresponding with a descendant that Christopher died Oct. 17, 1883
in Menard Co., Illinois. So that is the reason why the second letter is addressed to
Sister (Sarah Jane Pratt Tharp).
- The picture that John mentions in the second letter is more than likely the picture that I have on the Tharp Picture page. The one with William B. (Will), William Bailey Tharp, Sr. and Christopher B. Tharp.
Back to my Family Letters page
This page was created on October 14, 1998
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