1867 letter of Robert E. W. McAdams to his sister Rebecca McAdams Gould Submitted for the Union Parish Louisiana USGenWeb Archives by Shawn Martin, 4/2004 . ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ Jacksonville, Alabama Sunday, Sept. 15, 1867 Rebecah Dear Sister, Your letter of 13th Just came to hand yesterday morning by due course of mail and I do Assure you that I was glad to heare from you and the kin viz your children and thiri familys; my self and family are in common good helth. I am so horce that at time I can scarcely speak os as to be herd through the suffering of pain. I presume from the way you wrote you had not herd of the death of Brother James. If I am not miztaken in my recollection he has been dead over three years. All his sons are dead. Suster Polly Barnett has been dead some 2 or 3 years and Frank Barnett her husband married again but to whom I have not herd. One of Brother Joshua's sons was shot through the head killed at Murphreysborough, Tenn. His son-in-law, Addison Morrow was killed at home in Walker County, shot by a disterter that he was gardin. The diserter managed to get Morrows gun from him. Old Jimmy Burk died about the first of the same month that your husband died. Sister Eliza had no children by Burk. She married shortly after to a very fine man by the name of Rasullus Hughes, one of her nearest neighbours. Since there marriage they have had a son. I think he is weaned. Sister Isabell is living in sight of Eliza and about 20 miles from here right toward Talladega. My daughter Polly about 13 miles off. She has had only one son. It has been dead perhaps four or five years. My son Thomas has only two children living, a son and a daughter. He has 2 sons and one daughter dead. Thomas's wife died on the 13th of July after being sick 22 hours. His is in Talladega at work at his trade. His children and Little Sarah, Sister Isabel's daughter that Thomas took to raise are all 3 living at present with me. I presume you have long since hird of the death of my first wife, Catherine. She died of Rhumatism on June 2, 1863. My son James died in the Montgomery Hospital at the White Sulphur Springs in Virginia some months before his mother. Hillary was wounded at the battle of the Wilderness (in Va) in the left leg it had to be taken off above the knee. 18 days after he took fever and died in a few days. They nither of them had ever married. Abner went out in the 10th Ala at the first commencement of the war, came home twice on short furloughs. Before he returned the last time he married went back and there remained till the Surender. His wife has no children. My first wife died June 2, 1863. I remained a widower 2 years and 4 months lacking one day. On the first day (Sunday) of Oct 1865 I married a Miss Sallie J. Williams whose parents live near Carrollton, GA about 65 miles from here. She had spent some 4 or 5 years in teaching school. She is about 31 years old. Says she does not know that she ever did weight more than 96 pounds. Dark eyes and hair and amongst if not the very best natural women living. She had no mail connection by the name Wiliams living except her father and 2 little brothers. Her two older brothers died in the Confederate Army. My understand is that tey took sick on the same day and died on the same day. My wife is a member of the Baptist Church. My sister the reason of my writing such a letter as this is that I don't know what you may have herd of my self or the connection before this. The reeson is one thing I do know I have taken more pains to try and keep up a correspondence with my relations than any of them has with me. If you have not forgot at your house I complained of your not writing me. I think the excuse was want of paper. I handed you a half quire if not more requesting it to be wrote up in letters to me. I have never seen or herd of it since. I wrote several times to you since but no responce. I have no quarrells on the subject but have the most friendly feelings for you and your children. As such I close with my best wishes to all. Your Brother s/ R. E. W. McAdams ################################################################################### Note by Contributor: The letter was written by Robert E. W. McAdams to his sister Rebecca McAdams Gould. The "death of Brother James" is talking about James T. McAdams of Union Parish. The next sentence states "all of his sons are dead". This would be referring to Ethelbert or E. J. (died during the Siege of Vicksburg), James F., Robert Franklin (died in Camp Douglas, IL prisoner of war camp), and Rufus Henry McAdams. I found Robert's son Hillary buried in the Confederate Cemetery, Fredericksburg, VA. # # #