Letters from Maryann Venable to her children in Texas Submitted by Rick Featherston and Betty Venable Phillips 17 January 2004 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ********************************************************************* St. Clair County, Alabama September 12, 1861 Dear sons and daughters: I again attempt to address you. This leaves us all well at present hoping to find you all well and on the land of the living and on pleading terms with our great master, ruler of the world, and high heaven's power. Jane and James and Freeman it is a long time since I received a word from you. It is over twelve months, I know not the reason only I expect the mail was stopped. If this is the reason, you are excused. You know whether you have written or not. I have written often times to you and received no answer. I received a letter from Hugh the last of July. He wrote it when he was at Dallas. He stated he had volunteered for twelve months and would start in three days to Ft. Smith in Arkansas and I could not make out the place where he stated he expected to go to from there but I think it was Missouri and I want you to write to me where he is and who is his Captain and General of the regiment he is in. I get the news from all parts of the war, oh distressing news it is. I see statement of a heap of battles in Missouri and great slaughter of the Confederates and great many taken prisoners and maybe Hugh is one of that number. My heart aches, you may be sure. (page 2) Write to me who of his acquaintance went with him and who is his Colonel in his company and if you have any word from him. Since he left he stated he might be dismissed and if he was, he would come here. Write to me if he intends to go back there if he l ives. He said something about he might be dismissed at Ft. Smith. I want you to write all about him and if you can get letters to him tell him I received his letter and if he lives I want him to com here without fail. Tell him I pray for him night and day (he must pray for hiself) and I hope my prayers will be answered. Oh, I wish you all to pray that he may not fall a bloody victim. He stated he was not afraid of being killed. He knew where his dependance was. He has strong faith in God. He said he was afraid of being crippled. Oh Jane, Freeman, James, Betsey - be diligent in prayer. Pray to God that my prayers may be answered. Hugh requested us all to pray for him and tell him to write to me every week, if you can get letters to him. If he writes, his letters will come to me and in who's care I may direct my letters to. Betsey's people is all well as far as I know. James Strange, Ben Strange, (two of old Ben Strange's sons), Tom Turner, Bob George's two sons, Joe Strange, Marien King, Calvin King, son of Watson, son of O. Watson and heap more is gone from here to the war. There has been a heap of trouble on account of this awful distressed government. There is no union now. Jane Simpson, Van Simpson, James Vandergriff, Jack Karr gone the will not except diseased men. St. Clair County ____________ and out her number. (page 3) James, be careful how you talk. There is no union now and I am afraid the worst has not come. There was two Negroes to be hung at Clinton(?) but I have not heard whether or not I could write a heap but I must come to a close. James, write to me and tell me your ups and downs as far as you can. Jane, write and let me know how you are a doing. Freeman, also, and let me know every thing you can. Let it be good or bad. Fail not, Freeman, you know that my heart pants with anxiety to hear all your concerns. Jane, write at least every two weeks. James and Betsey do the same. Hugh wrote he had joined the Baptist church. Everly More wrote a letter last Nov. to Mrs. Oliver and stated he saw Hugh put under the water. I have looked for a letter ever since, to let me know the particulars. Jane, write and let me know all the particulars about his conversion. I want to know if James has ever made a profession yet. I expect to see you yet Hugh stated he did not expect to make Smith County his home any more. Write and let me know his mind if you can. There is very good crops here. Maryann Venable to her children in Texas - James and Betsey, Freeman and Jane and Hugh. (Betsey is James' wife and Madison Freeman is Jane's husband) ------------------------------------------------------------ St. Claire County, AL February 5, 1871 Dear Jane - I am in common health and I am hoping when these few lines comes to hand they will find you and your sweet babes well and doing well. I was glad and thankfull to eternity god to heare from you all. I received your letter the 29th of January. It was a lively day with me. Jane, I am sorrow for you in your troubles. Jane, I want you to put your best foot formost to take care of yourself and take time to raise them sweet childer (for on yourself in any and everything.) Lift nothing heavey and do not go to work in the field. I know you can't stand that altho you may think you can but I know you cannot and live. I want to know how your health is and how you have enjoyed health since I left there. Jane, I want to know if Hugh is in the Masonic lodg at Tylar and if he is not, aid him in means to help insodoing if he will. I can go there and it will not cost me one cent. You spoke of coming here on a visit this fall. Get Hugh in that institution and it will not cost you one cent. You need not doubt you will bee taken care of. Hugh told me one time that he intended to join the masons and if he is or will you and mee boath can and not without. I went to see brother Veasey, that is a church brother, and he told me my chance was to push up Oliver. He said I could then he told me that he taken in thirteen ladyes a short time before I talked with him. Oliver is not able - he was broke up in the war times and is on back ground yet if he could get what is acoming to him he could peep over. I have been solicisited and he said it would be a good thing for me to do. I want Hugh to join them just as quick as possible and write to me. I fear Hugh's chance is bad so many little childer to support. If I had money I would aid him in sodoing. This railroad will bee finisht in a short time and if it was I could go there in four or five days. William Forman was at Oliver's when this letter come hand. Oliver is not able to work very mutch but keeps a trying and doing all he can. The rest of the family is well. They have had four childer since they come back. I will write their names - Susan (William Bryson) O.H.P. (Elizabeth Hugh Daniel) is the youngest. She is going on five years old. Will is in his tenth year. Hazard in his seventh year. I will tell Betsey something about her folks. Old Benjamin Straing movd to Mississippi and died. Randolph is dead. James Jorge is dead. Jo Strange is dead. Graney say that he is alive. Charlotte has too childer, a boy and a girl. She married Alen Mize. David Forman and Mary Ann has five childer, four boys and one girl. Too boys dead. Dan Forman is dead. James Forman is living in Springville and has a store there. P.K.(?) has moved to Mississippi. James Strange married Jack Phillips daughter. Pee(?) Forman is married to old John McLaughlin's son James, a young Dr. William Forman has four childer, the youngest is a boy. Jane, Adaline says she wants to see you and says come oh come Aunt Jane. She says Uncle Hugh come and all the balance. Idella you can come with Aunt Jane. I want to see you and Andy and every one. Hugh, James, Jane, wind up your matters and come here if you can. I believe do better here than you can do there. You can go back on a visit any time you want. Jane, I want you to come. Don't wait to fall. Come and spend the summer - you and your little childer. Jane, I want you to leave off a grieving. You will bring on a disease that will shorten yore dayes. Try to put it off and live to raise your children. If he (Madison Freeman) is gone, never to come again, all the grieving in the world will not do any good. It will shorten your days. Hugh, I want you to fetch Jane to me and not to fail if life and health will permit. I want her to live with me long as I live. I have need of her - sutch need as you know not of and you will not know it unless I can put my eyes on you or her. You can fetch her if you try. Come and stay one year yourself. You can go back and bring your family. It will not hurt you. You can come by public conveyance or by land. Help her to sell her land. There is a place joining Oliver for sale. She can manage to sell it if she wants to. Jane, come and live with me as long as I live. You can go back if you want to. Now put your minds together, prepare and come. Sarah, do not you be dissatisfied. You can come and stay a while, surely you can. James, if you would come you could get more work than you could do or as mutch. Jane, you could get this place, I think you could, and the rent would support you. I know another place close by for sale. I intend to have this letter expryst if I can. I have heard there is a exprys company at Springville. To pay ten cents it will go in four or five dayes. I will have to come to a close for this time. Write as quick as these lines comes to hand. May god add his blessings to each and every one of you. Jane and Sarah kiss them little childer for me. Tell little Maryann howdy, and little Hugh also. Maryann Venable to her chilner James W. Venable Hugh Venable C.J. Price And there family