Harrison Co. TX - William Sampson Grimes Papers This is a Duplin County, NC family, after they migrated south. The following papers are copies of letters, papers and entries in ledgers found in the effects of William Sampson Grimes' about his journey from Alabama to Texas to live near his brother, Jesse Grimes. Each item bears its own explanation. I deem it a fertile field for research, analysis and much guessing. My conclusions are:- The first entry in the ledger of William Grimes is January 1, 1819. He was a little over 27 years old at this time and his wife was exactly 19 years old. This is the oldest record so far found to have been made by him. Jesse Grimes, his brother, came to Alabama in 1817. It is my guess that Wm. Grimes was a young man who had just married and had just started in life on his own. It is hardly probable that he married prior to 1816 and is less likely that he married any later than January 1, l8l8. Wm. Grimes wrote a letter to his son Wm. S. dated January 1, 1858, giving him Instructions as to route etc. from Washington County, Alabama, to Harrison County, Texas. In view of the fact that he dated it on January 1, 1858, and according to the attached log of the trip, shows that Wm. S. Grimes and. John F. Everitt also left Alabama on that date, it shows that all of them were in Alabama on that.date. According to the expense account also attached, it seems that W.S. Grimes and J.F. Everitt took the belongings, in- cluding negroes, in wagons through the country and William Grimes and family with the wives and children of W. S. Grimes and J.F. Everitt, went by boat. I would, say that Wm. Grimes and family arrived at Marshall, Texas, around February 1, 1858, as they were there when Wm. S. Grimes and John F. Everitt arrived there February 13, 1858. You will note that the expense shows expenses for "Alice and Sarah". This Sarah was apparently a negro nurse for Estelle Grimes as she was only about three months old at the time. It surely was not the wife of Joseph W. Grimes as they did not arrive until the following year. I cannot account for the entry under the heading "Paid out for Everitt" for "Passage to N.O. for 3, unless there was no charge for the small children. Perhaps this is true as no mention is made in first account for expenses for more than two. Margaret was 14, Joe was 9, Albert was 12, perhaps Hiram was along also but Rose did not arrive until the next Valentine's Day. The remaining letters are for their historic value or for your amusement. Those beginning with those signed by Laura relate to the Rain family except the last. These papers lose much of their color by being typed. The spelling was copied as written but capitals, commas and periods were scattered about to make the reading a little easier. They were almost devoid of all except in the ease of proper names. Hope this will at be of some interest. L. E. Grimes In Memory of Leon Eugene Grimes b. Jan. 11, 1893, d. 1967. S/o Samuel John Grimes, GS/o Joseph Warren Grimes, GGS/o William S. Grimes, Sr. ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Sharon Timmons ___________________________________________________________________