RANDOLPH-ENGLEDOW LETTER - Nacogdoches County, TX Submitted by East Texas Genealogical Society P O Box 6967, Tyler, TX 75711 4 October 2002 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ***************************************************************** All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ***************************************************************** Originally published in the East Texas Family Records, Volume III, Number 4, Winter 1979, by East Texas Genealogical Society. RANDOLPH-ENGLEDOW LETTER Furnished by Bonnie and Rose Blackwell, P.0. Box 35, Canton,TX. It was written to Creed and Elvira Randolph Engledow, great grandparents to the Blackwell sisters. It was written in McMinnville, TN to the Engledows in Missouri. These Engledows had settled in Nacogdoches County, TX in 1835,and they apparently lived in Missouri a short time before returning to East Texas. July the 13'th, 1840 Dear Son and Daughter I will embrace this opportunity of informing you that we are all in Reasible State of health at present and all our connections are all well as far as I know at this time Please to excuse me for not wrighting to before this time So paged with pitty Lassiney offersers (?) that I have not had time to wright you any good news and bad news comes always too Soon and therefore is not worth sending. However bad or good I will Send this to let you know that I have not forgotten you yet for you cannot conceive how glad I would be to See you at this time and that Same nearness and affection that always Exists from parents toward their Children is now worn in our breasts and please to Remember that the tears is now Streaking in my eyes while I am wrighting. Ready to drop tears of Sorrow for never to Expect to See you again in this world So don't think it is because I have no regards for you that I have not wrote to you before for you live and will Still live in my Book of Rememberance until time with me Shall be no more. Your mother has had a Spell of Sickness. Seems to be the Scarlet fever and has never been in right good health Since then. Rest of us has generally been in good health ever Since you left us. There is one thing I must inform you of while I think of it and that is one dram of whiskey ever three months does me more good than five hundred did in the Same length of time twelve months ago. Times is bad in this country in regards to money to pay the peoples debts a great deal more So than it ever has been Since it was Settled for there is not half money enough in this county to pay for what the people is now Sued (Signed?) for. Wheat are very good. Corn crops looks well at this time. James Hunter is very ailing at this time with Spitting and pucking (?) of blood. it is not expected that he will recover his health again. You have heard of the death of Captain Nolbert I Expect for he has been dead Sometime and there has been a Smart Division of property among the Children for they all flock in when they hear their Captain was dead and laid under the clod. give my Best Respects to Elija Randolph. tell him that his Brother Jess has been up here a time or two in the Corse of Eight or nine months and inform me that his Connections was all well as far as he knew. Tell lige that Jess looked as large as life when riding home behind a drove of Sheep and a wagon and two youk of Stears and Negroes Enough to drive them. I do ashore you Ots Si has moved back and has bought the mills and is living there and has a pretty Smart looking woman for his wife. Mrs Garner's folks is about the Same as when you left here only has got Religion and one or two of the girls as they Say the laughing Religion if ever you hear of it has been pretty bad here at liberty meeting house las camp meeting and Since that time but is dying away a little and I think it will finely disapear and go to where belongs. Our Convensioners is now Seting at Nashville in order to form a new Constitution but they have been there a good while and have done no Business yet and we don't Expect they will do Eney. Give my Best Respects to Mr. Engledow and family and tell him that I was very Sorry to hear that he had found the Arkinsas in that frozen zone of a place. tell him that I would be glad he would send me a Basket full of that warter if he can make it Convenient as soon as he can. I am told it is good to cool a baby's milk at this Season of the year. One thing I like to forgot is the people of this place is in grate hopes that the Seat of Government will come to McMinville if it is aStablish as a State at Eney place. Howell Remembers his Best Respects to you Both and intends to come to See you in your Country and he wants you to wright in your next letter what is the price of house Carpenters work in your town and County and whether there is plenty of it to do or not. James Evans is married to a Miss Elizabeth Wharton. The old man Evans is about as he was when you left here and John is living on the Tilley place and is a fine Nabour and a good Cityson. John Royal is living on the School lane and doing better than he has done heretofore. Betsy has had a fine Son Since you left here. Do you know who went from this County as members of the Convension? Well I will tell you. It was General Smart and Isaac Hill. Dr. Payne and family is well at this time. I one more request that you would excuse me for not wrighting to you and send me a letter as soon as this comes to hand and write at least once in every four or five months. Patrkric Henry has not forgot you yet, Viry, for he can tell about your helping Rose that little frand(?). I know you would hardly know him now for he is a great Big Rude Boy. So no more at Present but Remains your affectionate Father and mother untill death. Stay well. Henry and Sarah Randolph