Green County, NC - Charity Edwards Letters ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CHARITY EDWARDS LETTERS Located at Perkins Library, Duke University This is a small Collection of letters written by Charity Anna Hart Edwards Canfield to her sister, Margaret Eugenia Edwards Smith (Mrs. James Simon Smith), who lived in Greene County. Charity wrote some of the letters from Salem Academy and some from Mississippi after her marriage to Julian Orlando Canfield. The two girls were children of Newit Drew and Mary McKinnie Edwards. Most of these letters were too faint to copy and time did not permit a transcription so these are abstracts. In places the letters were too faint to even read from the originals. Ruth Fentress has identified some of the people mentioned in the letters. Uncle Sam – Samuel Hart Edwards, son of Charles and Charity Hart Edwards Mag – Margaret Eugenia Edward Smith Brother Jim – obviously her brother but Lee Edwards did not have a James listed as a sibling Mr. Grainger – probably Henry Mary – probably Mary Grainger and her sister Sarah and children of Henry Grainger Charlie – may have been her brother, Charles Little Sis – probably her sister Cora Esther Sally Patrick Emma Ma?Gowns Cousin Betty – Betty Edwards who also attended Salem Aunt Em – Emily Edwards daughter of Charles and Charity Hart Edwards Uncle Dan – probably Daniel Edwards son of Charles Edwards Myrtle – Pruss or Priss – written both ways Mary Esther Blount from Salem Sisters, index to Salem [North Carolina] female academy students, 1804 – 1904 compiled by Martha W. Giles, Heritage Books, Inc. 2001 Name Last, first, Birthday, Birth Co., Birth State, Came Guardian, Relationship, City, County, State, Notes #4416 McGowns, Emma L. b. 1851, entered 12 Jan. 1866, J. W. McGowns (none given) Kinston, Lenoir, NC #4399 Edwards, Anna, b. 1850, ent. 29 Dec. 1865, Sam H. Edwards, guardian, Hookerton, #4400 Edwards, Bettie, b. 1849, entered 29 Dec. 1865, W. F. Edwards, Hookerton, Greene #4417 Sarah H. Patrick, b. 1851 (Sally ?), ent. 12 Jan. 1866, J. M. Patrick, cousin/exer., Hookerton, Greene #5500 Bettie Patrick, b. 25 Aug. 1864, John & Jane Patrick, ent. 3 Sept 1880, Hookerton, Greene #4414 Mary Jane Grainger, b. 1848, ent. 12 Jan. 1866, H. H. Grainger, bro./ guardian, Hookerton, Greene Note Sister: Sarah Frances Grainger (was she "little sister ?" in the letters ) Esther Blount, b. 1850, ent. 18 Jan. 1866, R. H. Blount, Clinton, Jones Co., GA. ************ A List of County Orders possessed and allowed at Feb Court 1816 to be paid by the Country Trustees agreeable in November James Hooker 1816 Feby Term Lewis Harrell 1816 Feby Term John Harrell 1816 Feby Term Samuel Moore, Junr 1816 Feby Term George W. Bell 1816 Feby Term END OF DOCUMENT Letter from William Duvall to Dr. James Smith, Merchant, Hookerton, NC 19 Sept 1839, Barrington, King and Queen County, Va Dear Uncle, He bought Mulberry trees and had 90 or 100 of them – wishes uncle to sell 50,000 buds for at 2 cents a bud – mentioned Uncle Francis (no last name) – mentioned Uncle John Duvall – both uncles also appear to have had mulberry trees and buds for sale Signed William Duvall END OF LETTER Letter from Charity to Mag – probably written from Salem Academy April 4, 18 (last digit not readable) Dear Sister, NOTE: Her sister was Mag and she was now married Mr. Grainger wrote to Mary that he was going down home this week so writing a few lines – received a letter from Uncle Sam last Friday and he sent $2.00 – Charity said she had been living on bread and molasses for along time so she was glad to get the $2.00 – had also been eating old pickled beef, fried fruit and sometimes rice all of which are thick with worms and the molasses has flies – Uncle Sam was going to send something but he is waiting as Ma was going to send a box this week – she never knew what it was like to be hungry – will not be long before the school will close – she will miss Mary and Priss when she goes home – Mary Esther Blount has gone home and saw her take the stage and would like to have gone also – please write – give love to brother Jim – wanted to know if Mag will live in Hookerton next year – said the girls (at Salem) were stealing and one girl lost $50 in gold – wrote to Charlie – mentioned "Little Sis" (she never calls her by name) Love, Charity END OF LETTER A letter that was not readable but probably written about the same time END OF LETTER Salem – 26 Jan 1866 Dear, dear Sister, Please give love to Mrs. Harper, Julia and Miss Zack ??? I suppose you are Mrs. Smith by now and no longer Magg Edwards – I am Miss Edwards - - Mary and Sarah Grainger, Sallie Patrick, Emma Ma?Gowns have been here two months to stay – they are dissatisfield – I had a most miserable time before school started – mentioned Cousin Bettie and Mr. Patrick and wanted to know if they went to our house (probably for the wedding) – did little Sis cray at the wedding? – went to Grandma’s at Hookerton – dress she (not clear but probably Grandma) gave to poor little Johnny??- wrote Ma and Miss Susan and Aunt Em – Mary received a letter from her brother Frank saying that Uncle Dan was at Leagtown ??? with him – give my love to Cousin Bettie and Myrtle and also to brother Jim Love, Charity END OF LETTER This letter was to sister Mag probably from Charity while at Salem Academy 30 March 1866 My dear Sister, Love to brother Jim and cousin Bettie – I need a letter from Sis – there is no regularity in the mail – I have been there three months – Ma wrote and said Mr. Jones left the farm and she can’t farm anymore – I need a new dress – mentioned Mary Grainger who received a box last week including 2 hams – Sallie Patrick expects me soon END OF LETTER Columbus, Miss – 20 Dec 1867 My dear Sister This letter was describing her trip to Ms by coach and train apparently after her marriage – this is the most disagreeable country and the roads are impossible – will be moving tomorrow She signed the letter Mrs. J. O. Canfield END OF LETTER 11 Dec 1870 – Columbus, Ms Dear Mag, Most of this letter is not readable as it is too faded Charity mentioned she was happy and mentioned her brother Jim END OF LETTER 4 April 187? Charity to Mrs. Maggie E. Smith Charity mentioned she was lonely and had no company END OF LETTER Columbus, Ms 22 Aug 1877 Letter addressed to Mrs. Mggie E. Smith, Fountain Hill, Greene Co, NC & Mr. Charles Edwards Dear Sister Charity had just returned home – Pruss had written her – mentioned her husband Orlando and said he had a good crop – she mentioned the children (not by name) of sister Mag – brother Jim lost his home – indicated that Jim had 7 children – wanted to know if old Mrs. Albritton was dead yet END OF LETTER 28 Oct 1879, Lowndes Co, Ms Dear Sister Charity indicated she had recently left NC to return to Ms – tell Brother Jim to write – insist the children (not sure if the children of Mag or Jim) go to school so they can learn to write to me – children were Durwood, Jimmie, Estelle and Maggie - Priss and Sis write me that your health is bad as you have ???? (not readable) disease – Charity had a nice garden and 100 turkeys but they are small - ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Martha Mewborn Marble - mmarble@erols.com ___________________________________________________________________