Letters to Jacob Berrier, Sr. - Davidson County, NC Submitted to the USGenWeb by Stephanie Harrison info@conquestmusic.com Letter to Jacob Berrier Sr from Andrew Berrier, his son. Wilksboro (GA) June 24 1846 Dear Father I believe I promised to let you know how I was getting along just as soon as I got my school properly started, and I think this will be as good a time as I can expect this session. Well I commenced my school on the first of June as was my intention when I left home. I had a safe trip to Wilkesboro, but had difficulty in getting a suitable place to hold my school, which difficulty has been somewhat met on the part of my employers and also on my own. I have at present a school worth one hundred and thirty dollars for the session, out of which I will have to pay my boarding and other expenses. I have the promise of several scholars from a distemce this session yet, but do not expect them on until the first of next month. I have been under the necessity of purchasing some books and my stage fare to this place which was four dollars instead of three and also my tavern bill at Salem and one meal on the way which things taken together have exhausted the little money I had when I left home. So you see I am again left pennyless as usual. If I had but two or three dollars it would see me safe through this session, but I have been dunning you so much, that I begin to think that you are getting tired of my calls for money. It would however, be most greatfully received if convenient on your part. I heard from D Crooks last week and they were all stirring at that time. Write to me as soon as possible and let me know how you are all doing. I am getting into the good graces of this people, have been at one great wedding since I left home and have every reason to think that I shall do well in this place. Give my love to all at home and accept my best wishes for your own happiness while I have the honor to subscribe myself you Son A. Berrier Letter from Andrew Berrier to his father, Jacob Berrier Sr Georgia Gordon County Sept 11 1852 Dear father and mother allow me by letter to introduce Mrs. Amelia A Berrier, formerly Gaston, we were married on the first day of July. I intended writing to you from day to day but was prevented from doing so by multiplicity of business until 25 August when I was taken sick, since which time I have been unable to write and am at this time unable to hold a pen. Mr King, my brother in law, is writing for me. I am laboring under a severe attack of Typhoid fever and am thought by my Physician, Dr Reeves, and friends to be in critical condition. I feel dear father and mother that if it be the will of my heavenly father to call me hence at this time that I have the assurance of my acceptance at his right hand, where are blessings forever-more. If I live I think that I will live to his honor and glory the remainder of my days. Oh how I wish to see you-all my relatives and friends. If I live I will write to you as soon as I am able. If I die you will be informed by Mr King. dear parents if I live I wish to forward on what I can spare out of my earnings the present year to be applied to the liquidation of my tuition debt which as yet I have not been able to meet. But if I lasts I will be able to spare something every year until that matter cancelled. I do not wish my friends to dispare of getting their money, nothing but death shall prevent my paying all my debts.... Believe me my dear father and mother your affectionate son A Berrier per David G King Calhoun Gordon County Geo. Sept 29 1852 Mr Jacob Berrier Dear Sir, In compliance with the last request of your son Andrew Berrier, I address you with these lines, to inform you that he died on last Sabbath evening-26th inst.-at 1/2 past 7 o’clock, he died believing that he was going to heaven, the last words to which he gave utternace, were (to me)- tell my father after I die, that I died and that I have suffered enough to atone for all my wrongs of boyhood. He suffered severely during the whole of his protracted illness, but you may console yourself with this thought, that he had every attention during his illness, his wife and myself gave him our undivided attention the whole time. He has though his time with us was short, left a wife and a great number of friends and relatives to mourn his loss, though we do not mourn, as those who do not have hope, yet we feel sorely, the loss we have sustained, His wife seems irreconcibilable. He said something about oweing a school debt and about owing for books at two or three places, about all of which I wish you to give me all the information in your power to give. I will be happy to correspond with you in regard to any information which you may desire, in relation to any matter that has come under my knowledge. and belive me Yours respectfully David G King Letter to Jacob Berrier Sr, Davidson Co, NC from his brother David Berrier, Iowa (Letter is typed as written) Names of friends or relatives included in letter: Jacob Long, Alexander Miers (Myers), Valentine ”Felty” Long, Dan and Peter Kane, Alexander and Susan Mikle (Michael), Henry Koons, Mathias Grimes, Jonas Grimes,Betty Grimes,Jelty Sowars, Henry Sowers,George Sowers Children of David and Polly Berrier named in letter: Phillip,Susana,Mary,George,Steven, Ellen November the 8th 1855 Desmoines Ct Iowa Dear Brother I take this opportunity to inform you that we are all well at present hopeing that these lines will find you and family all in good health. After my best respects to all my relatives and you and inquiring frinds, I will inform you that I was gone to Missouri last spring and was gone tin weeks. I went with my son Phillip he moved to the north part of Masoere state, and I looked round there and then I went to my daughter Susana, she lives in Sullivan County Masoerie rite south of where Phillip lives. Philip lives in Putnam County Masoeri just a half a mile from the Iowa line. and Mary my daughter lives about four miles south of where Mary lives, they have a beautiful soil but it is more broken country than we have here, but their soil is more plesant to work in the spring of the year. george and steven is both bin out to see Philip,Steven likes that country tolerable well but george does not like it much, when I was out there in the spring I was at FELTIE LONGS and at JACOB LONGS, ALEXANDER MIERSES they were all well, feltie is quite gray and frany, in fact their hair is more white than gray, and mother in law looks very old but she can still git about right peart. ALEXANDER MIERS is a giting very gray and old MIS KANE was alive when I was out there in the spring a cuting around among them. her boys are doing tolerable well DAN and PETER KANE. I have seen a good many of our old Carolina Friends this fall, old JONAS GRIMES, from Indiana was at my house, he was well and said he left his family well and he said his mother old BETTY GRIMES was well when he left home and then ALEXANDER MICKLE and his wife and the two girls come to see me and you can gues I was made up then to see Alick and Susan, I tell you we talked about old times some with a great satisfaction, I do not think I had more satisfaction since I live in the west than I had when ALEXAND MIKLE and SUSAN staid with me. I had a letter from him since they got home and he rote that they were all well, and next HENRY KOONS and wife and family come to see me and they were all well, and MATHIAS GRIMES and family were all well when koons came to see us for he come rite by grimeses, and to my surprise I came home about ten days ago and there was a man a geting on his horse and he asked me if he could git to stay all night, it was a giting dark like I told him I was not very well fixt to keep people and he asked me how fur to the next house and I told him it was omly a half a mile and then he began to laughf and then i knew him it war JELTY SOWARS from Indiana and then wee had a happy time that night and he told me that his brother HENRY SOWERS was a moving a family to marharky county, Iowa and Felty was to meet him there So I told Felty form him and Henry to come by as they went home and so they did Day before yesterday they both come to my house and staid all night and then started for home. Felty had drove some cattle out to sell and to look at the country and he told me he had seed the best land he had ever seen in his life and told me to rite to you and tell you that he had left home five weeks ago and his family was all well then and the people were generally well threw their country and HENRY SOWERS told me to tell you that he had left his wife well and he him selff was well but rather lean for he only wayed two hundred and twenty five. those boys tell me old uncle GEORGE SOWERS was a live yet, well all well. We had a very dry season here this last season our corn crops were short wheat crops was tolerable good only some fields of spring wheat were hurt by the chinch bugs, they done a grate deal of damage the drowth was tolerable bad in Indiana. There are five of my children married two of the boys and three of the girls. Stephen and George are single yet but are a managing for themselves I have only the two little boys at home and Ellen and she is grown. She is about as large as your Susy. I would a sould my farm last fall if Polly would a bin willing but she said she had moved about all her life time and had no good of a orchard and had helped raise four till they would begin to bare and then sell and move and she was tired of that way of doing. But the money was what would intice me to sell. I could a sold for a tollerable good price there was an old man from German come her and offered me fifty six hundred dollars for my farm there are a grate many germans in our section I have some old times here a talking with them, land in our neighborhood sells high from twenty to forty dollars pur acre. Land round Burlington that sold when I first come to Iowa for from five to seven dollars per acre can not be had for less than seventy five and one for the last four years prices of produce has kept up so well and with all hogs has bin a good price and hold up good yet but I think times are a little on the down ward way. Now I want your son Jacob to see this letter as I calculate to surve you and him as a answer from letters sent from you both. and do not forgit to rite to me and then you find my relations and friends tell them all that I am still living in Iowa and would be glad to hear from them all and when you rite give me all of the information about my relations you can and also my inquiring friends as I have nothing more at present I shall look for you as soon as this comes to hand-as I remain your brother till David ============================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogy information on the Internet, data may be freely 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 presentation by other organizations. 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