Augusta-Rockingham County Virginia USGenWeb Archives History - Letters .....Letter To The Editor May 25, 1876 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Johanna Standish lacerta123@comcast.net December 23, 2014, 12:49 pm Transcribed as written by JK Standish GAINESVILLE, ALA, May 25 1876 MR. HUTTON: - As a “Centennial” is the order of the day, I send you two letters from my grand-father, dated, respectively, “September 26th and October 8th, 1774. These letters, as you will see, were written within the then limits of Virginia, which embraced the whole of Kentucky, Tennessee, and the greater part of Ohio. The Governor mentioned in these letters was a Colonial Governor. As this was anterior to the Declaration of Independence, this expedition terminated in the memorable battle of the “Point” in which the whites were victorious. At that early day, settlements on the fron(tier?) were (worn away) men were in the expedition. This made it very hard on the women of that day as all the farm labor fell on them. My grandmother used to tell of her trials, on one occasion she had gone a long distance to mill, and had got belated and lost her way in the night, and to add to her troubles her bag of meal fell off, and she was not strong enough to put it on again, so that she had to lay out all night. Her reflections on this long and lonely night were any thing (sic) but pleasant. She had left four or five young children at home, with instructions not to venture out of the house during her absence. Small bands of predatory Indians, had come in behind the army and had murdered and scalped a family, not far from her settlement. But all things end, so it was with this night, in the morning she divided out her meal by making an impromptu bag out of her garments and was enabled to load up and start home, where she found all safe. It was her custom to take an axe to bed with her each night, to defend herself with, she laying (sic) in front and her children behind her. These were the times that tried (torn) ‘s “pluck.” - The “son John,” mentioned in the letters, I visited at McMinneville (sic), Tenn. in 1883. He was then quite an old man, but stout and active. He told me he was one of Gen’l Washington’s body guards, was present at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis, at York town, Va., close enough to see the swords delivered and hear the conversation. These links of the “olden time” have nearly all passed away and it is our duty to weave their note into history. The old gentleman’s chirography is excellent whilst his spelling is fair, and will, average with the present period, as will his honesty in wanting “that dollar paid.” By holding these letters in proper position you can readily see the English water mark, and the date the paper was made. The ink is well preserved considering its age. R.G. McMAHON ***************************** Green Briar, Virginia September ye 26th, 1774 Mrs. Debora McMahon Augusta County, Va. DEAR WIFE: - These few lines will let you know I, and my Son John Are in good health at present. Thank God for all his mercies to us, and I hope these few lines will find you, and my Small family in the same. We are now at the mouth of Elk River about fifty miles from the mouth of New River we are now about to make Canoes to carey our flower to the mouth of New River. the pack horses are to return tomorrow to the Levels for more flower, and I expect John will go, for I have all my horses yet. I got that one which I lost on the Levels, and they are all in middling good order as yet. The Indians have not attacked us yet and we expect that we are now past the mos(t) (worn away) places to (worn away) being surprised by them. Since (that?) Col. Field had one man killed, but ye Indian Schalping the man he had killed, a young man that was near killed ye Indian upon the spot. There was one other Indian who Emediatley ran away. I do not know when those whom God will Spare will return home, but we expect It will be before christmass. I expect this will be the last opportunity that I shall have of writing to you,, I hope therefore as these are my last words to you, that you may pray for me and may the Lord grant that you may be heard for me and me for you. I am your lovin’ Husband till death. (This sentence is readable in a portion of the letter copied by AL museum but is upside down to the main body of the letter and it is not clear where it was originally placed: William Framme and John are well and…) JOHN McMAHON N.B. – As before remember my compliments to all my friends and enquiring neighbors. John Cox lent me a dollar If I should not return pay him for me. I wrote a note and balanced John Cam-l’s ape. you will find It in one of the drawers which is the money I justly owe him. I need not. Remind you to be careful with the affairs of (the) Plantation. I would be very de(worn away) if I (worn away) should return I have requested H(ugh?) Donehye to take and collect my Books. I am yours as before whilst I am JOHN McMAHON Great Canawa, Virginia October ye 8th, 1774 Mrs. Debora McMahon Augusta County, Va. MY DEAR WIFE; - I expect this may be the last opportunity that I may have of writing to you as we are now encamp at the mouth of the Great Canawa on the Ohio River about three hundred miles from Home. This day four more Spies from the Governor’s Troops arrived here wher informed me that his Excellency is encamped about ninety miles up ye Ohio with about thirteen hundred men. It is said that the Deleware Indians is sueing for a peace, but his Excellency’s intentions are not yet known. It is expected that we will have a Battle with the Sh(awnee?) (worn away have (gone?) up the Canawa (worn away) miles to the mouth of Elk for more provisions. We expect they will come back in ten days. Our Troops that we have here, are About fourteen Hundred chiefly all in good spirits, we are now about Sixty miles from ye Sahnee Towns. I am now in good health thank God for it, and have not rid above a mile since I left home William Frame is well and desires to be remembered to his wife, and all his friends. Remember me to all my friends and enquiring neighbors, I am your most effectionate Husband whilst I am JOHN McMAHAN Additional Comments: Robert Grattan McMahon,1813-1880. (William, John, Robert) The McMahon family was in Augusta County Virgina as early as 1742. The above transcriptions of John's letters were done by his grandson, R.G. McMahan, and were included in his letter to the editor. Robert's father, William, removed to Rockingham County, Virginia about 1807/8 after selling the family land, The Plow & Harrow. William ultimately moved to Courtland, Alabama. His children, including Robert Grattan McMahon, remained in AL. This material was obtained from the Robert Gratton McMahon Collection, un-catalogued, which is held by the Department of Archives and History, P.O. Box 300100, Montgomery, AL 36130-0100. An early recorder/archivist has entered: “The Paternal Grand-Father of R.G. Mc Mahon”, on the bottom of one of the copies of John McMahon's original letters. John's original letters are not easily read but are scanned elsewhere. John's transcribed letters, as published by the newspaper, are accurate in content but are not accurate as to spelling and punctuation. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/augusta/history/letters/letterto346gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/vafiles/ File size: 7.7 Kb