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The following is the text of a letter that, until
recently, was in the possession of Clussie Thomas of Jackson Co., AL. It
is a letter to Francis Marion Thomas of DeKalb Co., AL from Hamilton
Jarnigan of Jackson Co., AL. This letter was written by Hamilton Jarnigan
practically on the eve of his departure from Alabama for good. He moved
his family to Denton Co., TX.
Text of letter follows:
Dodsonville, Ala
Oct 9th, 1870
Respected Friend
I am happy to inform you that we are well—I would been better
satisfied if you could have come seen me—it would be a source of great
pleasure to have spent one night of social converse with you before I
started. I have not forgotten you nay never will I forget the the
tramps hardships and privations that we have taken together. I am sorry that we have been able to be together more for the
past two years but as it is so it has to be.
Frank, I received my ________ from ________ No. 5
last may a year ago. The _______ were 50 cents per quarter or two dollars
per year. It cost me tin dollars-being five years since I was raised.
Friend I enclose a letter to Ed Samply which please
hand him and kick his ass for me for he has told me more lies than any man
I ever met with. He has owed
me $3.60 for two years and has told one hundred lies.
Friend when I get to my journey’s end I will write
to you and give you all the news. I will have to close for want of time.
H Jarnigan (signed)
Please read the letter I enclose for Sampley and give
it to him and write to me what the shitass says.
Dodsonville, Ala
Oct 9th 1870
Mr. Sampley
Tis
since I saw you I have seen the County Superintendant he informs me that
there will $81.80 ______ T5 R5 in 1868.
This will _______ 66 percent of my claim if no other claim comes
in. I have settled with my
employers and allowed that _______________________________________ with
you. Your account is $3.60 x .66 = $2.37. Deducting 66 percent leaves
$4.25 due me. Please pay this to brother Franklin. I want it to finish
paying for fixing fathers grave. Brother Franklin has authority to receive
and receipt you for the same.
Yours
H.
Jarnigan
The following letter was
submitted by Jerry Haynes of Lake Charles, LA. (through shariben@aol.com
) He has a trunk which has been passed down through his family and
contains items belonging to the William & Elizabeth Jarnigan family of
Jackson Co. AL. Jerry's ancestors were the Skeltons. One of William &
Elizabeth's daughters,
Amanda, married Geo. Skelton.
Apparently Amanda Jarnigan Skelton died when her children were young, and
two of her unmarried sisters, Mary A. & Sarah, took care of the
Skelton children. This letter was written by William &
Elizabeth's son Hamilton
Jarnigan, who had moved to Texas, to his sisters Mary & Sarah back
home in AL.
Waketon Texas July 16th 1899
Beloved sisters and children,
We are happy to say we are all
about and enjoying moderate health. We hope this may reach you all
enjoying the same blessings We received a letter from you some weeks ago
and we were very happy to hear from you all and to learn that you were
alive and well. We past through the coldest winter I ever known in our
country. We have had dry weather throughout the spring months too much so
for corn and oats but will make enough corn to do the people(?) Oats made
half crop, wheat is being thrashed and is average from 10 to 20 bushels
per acre. There was a large amount sown cotton, crops were never finer at
this season, gardens good, melons and potatoes very fine,
a great many melons are being
hauled to market now and good price.
Money matters are close at
present but plenty of provisions in the country. I have not heard anything
from Uncle Horatio since last winder, he was alive and in moderate health
then. Aunt Ellen is blind. Uncle has had Newton Leonards children ever
since Newton and his wife died, which has been several years. They live in
Garland Dallas Co. Texas. So you write to them at that office. I want to
go and see them this summer if possible. Will will go over there soon.
William is still at home but I don't know how much longer he will stay
with us. I think he will go into some traveling business.
Our crop is tolerably good but
some not as good as last year. Sisters I want you to write to us and let
us know how you are getting, it is a great joy to us to get news from you
all. Tell Bro Frank I will write him soon. I will close as Orlena intends
writing some. Write soon direct to Waketon Denton Co. Tex.
Your affectionate brother,
Hamilton
Dear Sisters,
Hamp has written all the news
but I will write a few lines to tell you I have not forgotten you. I
raised quite a flock of chickens this year, nearly two hundred I think.
They are nearly all large enough to fry now. We have a chicken flea here
that kills the little chicks sometimes, they get on their
heads and stick so tight that
they can't be taken off except by putting grease on them.
We had a good garden for such a
dry spring, now since it rained the grass has nearly taken it. We have
very little fruit, a few peaches scattered over the orchard, we have had
one peach pie. I will close hoping to hear from you soon. How many of the
girls live with you? I recon Fannie is a grown woman now. Tell them to
write to us.
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