Hancock-Warren-Jasper County GaArchives History - Letters .....Historical May 25 1867 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Mary Jean Zimmerman edzimm@aol.com November 21, 2003, 7:52 am In his book, “Sketch of Col. Joseph Woodruff, Revolutionary Soldier, Of Boro Neck, McIntosh County, Georgia” by Dr. Caldwell Woodruff, published in Hyattsville, MD on 23 July 1917 (available in the Library of Congress- Call # CS71.W887 1917), page 82-83, we find the following letter transcribed as printed: Mayfield, Georgia 25 May 1867 Mrs. A. Nabors, Dear Madam: I am induced to write you, after seeing an obituary of your father in the last Southern Christian Advocate. I am glad of being able to correspond with those that I have so long desired, and have never before had the necessary information to know where to write. I presume I am not mistaken in the family. If not I beg to say that I am now living within a mile of where your mother (Agatha Medlock) was born, and I did own a portion of the land that was originally owned by Uncle George Medlock, your grandfather, and subsequently owned by cousin Lafayette Medlock, your uncle. I sold the land to a man who owns a factory erected at the shoals on Ogeechee river, where your grandfather (George Medlock) had a mill. I am living at the old homestead, where I was raised. My father’s name was Charles. He died in 1840. My mother died in 1850. There was but two children of us. My brother is now living in Columbia County, Arkansas, having moved there in the year 1858. He had several children, and lost two sons in the War. One died at Shiloh and the other at Goldsboro, N.C. I have but two children living, Charles and James. One is married and living near me. I lost one son at the battle of Fort Harrison near Richmond (George) a very pious boy. He was in the junior class of Emory College at the breaking out of the War. I own where I live, about 1600 acres of land, nearly all of which was originally owned by my father. Cousin Mary W. Howell, who was a Jordan, is living near me, and family all well. As I had but few relatives in this country on my father’s side I have long since made many inquiries to learn the whereabouts of your family, so that if we could not see each other we could at least correspond. I have often heard my father speak of your family. A good many of your grandmother’s relatives are now living in this section. She was a Smith if I mistake not. I am now fifty years old, have been a member of the M.E. Church for the last twenty six years. Am living in Hancock County, Georgia, on Ogeechee river and my Post Office is Mayfield. The Milledgeville Railroad runs within five miles of me. Would be very much gratified to see some of you at my house, or to hear from you at least by mail. Come to see the old place. Please write me all the particulars about your immediate family, and inform me where they live so that I can write to them. I have often felt that I would be pleased to visit my relatives and hope that I may yet enjoy the gracious privilege of doing so as it would afford me a great deal of pleasure. Write me immediately and direct your letter to Mayfield, Georgia. Your relative, M.S. Medlock Additional Comments: Transcribed from a copy of the book from the Library of Congress #cs73.w887 – 1917 By Mary Jean Zimmerman. Comments from Transcriber: 1. Letter was written to Mary Ann Woodruff Madris Nabors. Daughter of Agatha Medlock Woodruff and James Woodruff of Hancock/Jasper County, Ga and ultimately Bibb County, AL. 2. Agatha Medlock was the daughter of George Medlock d. 1800 in Warren Co. Ga and Ferbiee Smith daughter of Ezekiel Smith. 3. George Medlock was the son of Col Charles Medlock (d. 1797 Warren Co. Ga) and Agatha his wife. Col Charles Medlock came to Ga. from Anson/Richmond Co NC. His children were: George, Israel, Keziah (Haley), Anne(Jordan) and Henry Medlock. Note: 2002: Col. Charles Medlock was the brother of George Medlock who died in Louisa Co. Va in 1800. 3. Mary W. Howell formerly Jordan was the daughter Anne Medlock and William Jordan sometimes spelled Jordon. Mary was often called Polly. 4. Montgomery’s father, Charles Medlock m. Martha Latimer in Hancock Co. in 1815. Charles was the son of Israel Medlock. 5. Montgomery was born in 1816, married Henrietta Latimer and had children: George Medlock who died in Richmond; Charles M. Medlock who died in Hancock Co Ga; James Medlock who died in McKenney, Va in 1897. Montgomery’s mention of “Uncle George Medlock” and “ cousin Layfayette Medlock” were referring to the terms his father used for these individuals. Layfayette Medlock was known as George Layfayette Medlock, son of George Medlock who was father to Agatha Medlock Woodruff and left Ga when Montgomery was about six yrs old. 6. Montgomery’s brother was Benjamin Franklin Medlock who married Eliza Whaley and moved to Columbia Co. Arkansas before the start of the Civil War. 7. A special note of thanks to Maj. Dot Tribble who contacted me through the USGenWeb message boards of Hancock Co. and sent me this letter written by my Great, Great, Great Grandfather. I would never have found it without her and tho I eventually went to the Library of Congress to obtain a copy of the original, will always be eternally grateful to her and the USGENWEB. According to Dot, whose research area was of the Woodruff family; the original letter was in the possession of a member of the Caldwell Woodruff family. Mary Jean Medlock Zimmerman January 2001. This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 8.8 Kb