WILKES COUNTY, NC - MISC - Lenderman Letters, 1827-1838 ==================================================================== USGENWEB 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. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Linda Revis Pllsr@aol.com ==================================================================== State of North Carolina, Wilkes County Lewises Fork September 8, 1827 Most Honoured Brother and Sisters and Nephews To: Henry and Eve Lenderman I am blest with that happy privilege at this time to try to write to you as it appears you do not write to me. I want to inform you that we are all in common helth at this time, through the mercy of God. Hoping these lines may find you all in good helth. I have nothing very strange to write more than I expect you no, that is the grate shaking earth this last spring. I want to no how it is with you in that country. It shook the houses and made them crack and trimble and a sound herd like distant thunder which was very shocking to us in this part of the world. We have had a very difficult season this year. A wet spring and dry summer. It made crops of corn very short. The first rain we had since we laid by corn came the last of August with a grate storm. Blowed all night and the next day like March winds, with great destruction in the corn - nearly all blown down and broke together, but with some other distraction we shall make plenty to do us. My family is leaving me fast. Polley and Betsey is both married to Leonard Whittington's sons. Betsey married first to Allen and Polley to James. They are both living near the Deep Ford on Readies River and a doing well. Dear Brother, you don't know what trouble it is but when your children leave their home where they were raised, never to live there again. If they are doing well, you will take it to your heart. I never knew what it was till I had the trial. Hesse Shew is married to John Glass and has a son. All our people is in common helth as fair as I know. I have bought the old place where Osborn lived from Jacob Michael, and have paid for it with thirty dollars in money - twenty two dollars and one half in trade. I shall make the worth off of it this year, fruit is plenty with us this year. I have more to write than I can write. I should be glad to see you all & have conversation face to face, but I never shall see any of you till you come here, for I think my time is very short in this world. I feel the lonesome, sorrowful hours fast approaching. My sun is most Down. I oft times think I shall never see any of your faces again. And if I never see you more, I want you to remember me in your prayers, for you all have gone where I can't go, for I can't stand to travel. Remember me to your children in purticlar and for my sake to travel the paths of virtue and forsake all bad company. Tell my namesake Leonard howdy for me and all the rest of the children. I shall expect Eve to come in this fall. I shall try and have money to pay for her pewter and bed if she wants to sell them, and if not, they are here ready for her. My pen is so bad I can't hardly write. I want you to tell Sister York and Leonard howdy for me and Henry York and Polley and Daniel Shew and Dolley York, Phillip Shew and Salley York, Oren and Zil. All our best respects and love as a parting friend with tears, farewell. A few words about your domestic affairs. Tell Daniel Shew that I could not rent nor sell his land on the terms he told me to do. I went to see John Adams and he would not do any way that was right and it lies just so. I fear it might be sold for taxes. I told Boston Shew to see to it. I live so far off from there. I can't see to that as I would if I lived there. I never herd from any of you since you got to your Journeys End. I could not write in a week all that I want to. So I must end my letter and wish you all well and Subscribe myself you Efectionate brother and sister till Death. Leonard and Anne Lenderman ************************************************************* State of North Carolina, Wilkes County Lewises Fork January 24, 1828 To Henry and Eva Shew Lenderman Most Honoured Brother and Sisters and Nephews after a long time in separation in body. I yesterday rec. a letter from you dated November the 11, 1827. With joy in the first place to hear from you all and that you are all on the stage of action. Secondly sorrowful when I read of your distress of sickness and misfortune and fateague on your journey to that country. (Indiana) I ever saw before me that dangerous fateaguing. journey, but now I hope you have got a country where you can do much better than here. We are all in common helth at presant through mercy, hoping that these few lines may find you all in good helth. I have nothing strange to write, more than I wrote in a letter last fall. I directed the letter to Vigo County, Terre Post Office - by this letter you never got it. It certainly is there. I can't contain in a letter what I want to do. These times get harder, if possible. I no not whats to be done. My family desires to be remembered to you all. Polley and Betsey is married since you left this country. (Wilkes Co., NC) Polley married James Whittington and Betsey married Allen Whittington, both brothers. Dear Brother (Henry) when I think of the past time in our first days and now you are gone and my family is leaving me - instead of my Last Days being my best Days to the reverse. Sorrow and pain. Many are the Lonesome hours when the Evening of old age are fast approaching. When I must expect my time is not long. Still should be glad to live and die near my relations. Still I must freely give them up for their wellfair if not for my Satisfaction. We all have to try to live in this world in a honest way. Old Sister Siller was well not long ago, all of our Relations is in common helth as far as I know. Tell Daniel Shew that I can not rent his place for what he told me and it lies just so. I tried to rent it for the third and failed to rent for that. It lies just so, in a Loosing Dispositions. I no not what to do with it, he had better come in and sell it if he can, for the times still get worse instead of better. I want you, Henry, to not fail coming in at the time you was to come, for it may happen that I can not see to your bisness, when called on. For I am Somoned to attend at Lexington in Davidson County to appear at Each and Every Supearor Court held in that county untill the Suit is ended which may not be in my time. I have been in one court and have to be there again, the first Monday after the 4 in March. Also I am sumoned to attend at Statesville in county court on the first Monday after the 4 in April and no expectation of those suits being ever ended in my time. I have attended one cort at each place. I rec pay for attending at Lexington at one cort, the suit is Samuel Scott plaintiff & Joseph Williams Deft. Summoned in behalf of Williams, brother of L. Williams. Sum to prove character of Williams on Plaintiff side. You no the distance to Lexington and Statesville. You no my infirmities. My distress about traveling. Try to come at the time you are, if you can I will do my best for you, if I am at home. The town of Lexington has so improved since you or I was there. I had no idea of the place. In those many difficult (times ?) you may expect is distressing to me. I want you to remember me to Sister York, Daniel Shew, and Phillip Shew. Henry York and all their familys. Orren Dowdy and Zilphey York. If you don't get the other letter, I must inform you that all Eve's people is in common helth, and that Hesse is married to John Glass and has a fine son. (Hesse was a sister of Eve) I wish to be remembered to all inquiring friends if any. Please excuse my bad writing and spelling for it is a very dark and wet day. So we wish with respect to you all to subscribe Our Selves. Your most Efectionate and loving Brother and Sister till Death. So we wish you well. To: Mr. Henry and Eve Lenderman From : Leonard and Anne Lenderman ************************************************************* State of North Carolina, Wilkes County July 23, 1838 Dear Brother and Sisters and Nephews, I rec. your letter dated July 4, 1837 which gave us grate satisfaction to here of you all and of your wellfare. We and our family is at this time in common helth at this time. Thanks be to the Lord for His grate blessing. We hope that these few lines will find you all well. I must inform you at this time about the loss of our daughter Elizabeth, the wife of Allen Whittington died the 19 day of this month July, was taken in child birth, and had her child and died in about three or four hours after the child was born. The child is yet living. I cannot relate to you the distress that we are in at this time. She had five children living and she was rich, had a full store of goods and 2 plantations on the Readies River with good buildings and farms. But I hope that she is richer now in the Kingdom of bright glory there, singing and praising her Lord for ever. She died in full fellowship in her Church. I wish to inform you that old Moses Shew is dead and that William Curry's wife is dead. Bin dead about both about one year. Perhaps you may have hird of it. I have sent you two letters to ____ County and by the account of your last letter you never got them. I directed one to Terry Haut post office. You direct your letters to Wilkes County Readies River Callverts post office. I hird from your old settlement the other day, and Siler and our Sister is moved away to Grason (Grayson) County Virginia State. I have nothing very strange to write. Crops of wheat is very good this year and oats are good. Corn looks very promising. Old corn at 45 cents per bushel, wheat one dollar, bacon 10 cents per pound, sugar six and one-half pounds for dollar, coffy five for dollar. We have four children living single yet - times of relegion seems dul and cold. At this place I saw John Adams not long since and he says times is so where he lives and he is to preach at our meeting house the 4th Sunday in September next. And Jesse Adams is yet preaching. I have wrote to you about the death of Samuel Fyff, but I no not whether you got it or not, and since that his widow moved out to Athens and in Tennessee and she died last May. I wish my best respects and gratest love to all my relation and friends in your Cuntry - Excuse my bad writing and spelling for I am pesterd with company, the town gentlemen from Wilkesborough (Wilkesboro NC) while I was writing part in the night - So far well. Dear Brother and Sister when you write, write how all my relations are, so no more at present , but we still remain your effectionate brother and sister until death. Lenonard Lenderman and Anna Lenderman to Henry and Eve Lenderman To Henry Lenderman Indiana State Vimillion County Clinton Post Office