Letter from Martha Ann Saphronia Heflin Cook, Randolph, Alabama http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/randolph/history/letters/cook.txt ==================================================================== USGENWEB PROJECT NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Project Archives to store this file permanently for free access. This file was contributed by: Penny Dodd ==================================================================== March 2000 Letter written by Martha Ann Saphronia (Heflin) Cook printed from Penny's Southern Diggins' [This letter is transcribed exactly as it is, no errors or omissions of punctuation were corrected.] _________________________________________________________________ Do Not destroy This letter. Keep it in the family for future reference H M Gay [my grandfather] Cooksville, Ga, Tue, June 3, 1892 Mrs. S.A. & H.R. Gay Gay, Ala Dear Sister and family thise lines leave all well at this time hope to find you in like condition, I received yours yesterday I was truly glad to read a letter from you once more I had come to the conclusion that you had not got my letter but I will excuse you this time, all the connection are well so far as I no I was at Sister Amanda's two weeks ago She was a getting along very well all but her eyes they pain her mitely at times I wish you and Sister Semantha would come to see her She looks So pitiful Since Sister Emily's death for She could console her better than any body else for She was like a mother to her in her afflictions and all through life always ready to help her no doubt but she is a ministering Angel over her now but the vail is so thick we cant See her but I hope we will all meet her in the Sweet by and by in that land that is purer than any She was very anxious for us to visit you in February but I was taken Sick the2 day we wanted to get off about the 15th and then Josie Hendrix got Sick and her baby and She miscarried about the15th and Sister worried with them to much she come to See me twice before She was taken Sick but I was So low that it Seemes like a dream to me Brother Jep is quite feeble they all take Sisters death very hard and well they may for She was the main Stake all the time with them all, I wish I could be with you and Sister awhile we could talk a heap Sister come down to See me I could Set up in a chair but could not walk only by holding to something for Several weeks and I am very Stiff yet my hands have ben swolen ever since they are Some better now I am at this time with my daughter Etta Davis will go to my Son Wilson at Franklin and Stay next week and then I will go back home I don't know when I can come out there I will try to come this Summer or fall if I can keep well Billie is notable to work you and him mite come we are all anxious to See you Sorry to hear of Brother William being so feeble glad to hear of the cousins marring and doing well Etta Says when you come She lives rite on the road and you must visit her and give her love to all your children She has not forgotten them, we havent had a line from Harrinton Since last winter nor heard from any of our relatives Since Sister was hear She said the Gaunt case would come off the next Monday and wished some of the heirs would go out there to Court none went and we have never heard a word I want them to wind up the buisness sell all the land this fall and settle with us if there is anything for us you Said you wanted me to inform you of our Parents ancestry our fore Parents came from England our great Grand Farther lived and died there his son James our Grand Farther Settled in North Carolina his wife was Bethania Davis they had 3 Sons and 3 daughters James, Wiley and Wyat, Sally Tempy and Abigail, James married Nancy Thurman, Wiley married Hannah Boggus, Wyat married Sarah A Stell our Father our Uncle Wiley raised our Father he was 12 years old when his Father died, our mothers Parents came from England She told me that our Grand Father had died and left our Father a great legacy and Brother John T Heflin was gone to the City of Washington to See about it and She was very uneasy about She wanted Pah to go and his health would not admit of it I no John went and got everything fixed up but I no Mah was not willing for Brother John to go aftir it for fear he would never get back but now you can get your lawyer or agent to attend to it so I never heard no more about it untell last December Brother Robert came to Franklin and Stayed all Knight with Brother Jeptha and he told them that he was on his way to the City of Washington to get a great legacy Sixty eight thousand dollars in money and he wanted them to help him and Dr. Jim Daniel and Brother Jep let him have Some money and Sent him down to me I was not at home So Wyat and Sterlin let him have enough to make the trip and he was to be back in eight days he had all his papers and letters to Show that it was actually So and read them to them and them that himself an J.W. Heflin of New york was the only heirs Sister Said way it looks to me like all Pah's children would be entitled to a share as well as you two, he then said when I was in congress J W Heflin and myself give a lawyer Smith five hundred dollars a peace to get it for us and he has just now got it wrote to me be at Washington by the 8 of Dec, and she never come by as he promised and has never wrote to us So if there is Such a thing we are just as much entitled as he is Say nothing about what I have wrote you maybe you can find out for all them papers was in John's possession Some body's found them he Said our Grand Fathers name was Joab Heflin, I didn't get to See Robert or I would a found out more about than the rest did they boys Said he was carried away with the idea of getting such a pile I was in hopes he was about to make a fortune again I wish that I could go to See him and get him tell me all about his trip I no there is Something of it or he would not have went. Our Mothers Parents came from England to North Carolina and from there to Green or Hancock County where our Parents was married from there to Morgan County from there to Fayette Coweta and then to Randolph Alabama our Grandmother Stell was Elizzobeth Jones our Grand Father name was Robert Malone Stell I think he died in Hancock County Ga. Grandmother died in Fayetteville Ga, 8 children John D married Rachel Carrol Thomas I married Sallie Hog 2 time Rebecca Cook Robert Married Ellen Stel Sharp, Nancy Willium Harkins Betsy to James Fletcher Polly to George Long Sarah to W.H Heflin Patsy to John Cook I could tell you more than I can write your loveing Sister MAS Cook