Augusta County, VA - Letter from John C. Beard, IL, to brother William, 1875 File submitted for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Michelle Bley Chelle2032@aol.com ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. http://www.usgwarchives.net ************************************************************************ Letter to John C. Beard residing in Cass Co., IL from brother, William Beard in Augusta Co., VA written on March 4, 1875. Dear Brother, I today shall break the long silence between us. I had expected long lines to have received a letter from you and as you have not written I shall write to you and see if I cannot wake a reply. We are all well and all my children. Those from the parental roof are well as those under it. I have 10 children living. The 4 eldest have all left home. Lizzie is married and lived in Winchester. Jimmy is in Mo. William is living in this neighborhood. Emmett is married and living in Nelson County, Va. My last children are at home except Maggie. Jimmie who is going to school at Martinsburg, West Va. Signora the eldest is 21 yrs. of age and Charles Yeck the youngest is 5 yrs. old. Nelie, Annie and Nettie are going to school. Charles has not started yet. It is not necessary to give you a history of the varied events which have taken place since I last wrote you, as it would take a book to do so. You are no doubt familiar with many of them. Facilities for transmifain (sp?) of news and intelligence are so great that you can learn of things transpiring here as quickly and readily as could be done 20 years ago if the same took place in furthered end of Rockingham or Augusta counties. We have had a dry and cold winter. Snow now on the ground. Wheat is looking badly. You are not acquainted with this neighborhood and consequently I can write little of interest to you outside of that which pertains to myself and family. I have enjoyed in the main tolerable health though age is making its invade upon me and I am admonished from my fine gray locks that I am hastening on to the tomissers (sp?) of my earthly pilgrimage. I have plenty to live on as yet, but any fortune has been greatly impaired so much so, that I have fears of being carried through with a bare competency. You no doubt will ask how is this? I answer that this war was the cause. I was not extravagant nor was I descipated or reckless. I owed considerable money at the commencement of the war. I had more money owed to me, than I owed. I collected that which was owed to me in Confederate money, and paid non of my debts. My money was lost and my debts remained unpaid, which with accumulated interest swelled my indebtions to an alarming content. Brother David and family are well as far as known. He is getting along tolerably well. Aunt Sally Crouch is still living, somewhere on South River, she is quite old over 80 years. James Bunch and family are living in Piedmont and are well. Cornelius G. Shafer died a few months ago. A great many change have taken place in the ownership of properties in the old neighborhood. A part of my old home is owned by Mrs. Geo. Misery (sp?). Geo. Mowry's farm is owned by Koiner, Geo. Peters place is owned by young Thos. Walker, Major Walker's farm by Frank Walker, Jacob Humbut by John C. Barger, Geo. Robertson by James M. Stout and many other changes. I could mention, but have not the chance all the changes were made under decretal order for debt. I believe that one half of the real estate has and will be sold for debt in the counties of Augusta and Rockingham. Lands under forced sales bring low prices and as lands were the only property that was saved from the devastating influences of the war, and as the debts will have to made out of the real estate and the low prices that _____ such estate. ______ to those are much in debt must inevitably follow. Our country however as a whole is inspiring I think. Lands are having made more production. Large estates are being cut up into smaller ones and more attention is given to the improvement of land now than family. But a great deal of suffering will be inflicted upon many of the original owners of the said, their lands will pass into the hands of strangers and they will become poor. I want you to write to me immediately on receiving this. Give me the particulars of yourself and family. How Henry is and family, who he married, of C. E. Yeck and family, of all and everything in regard to my friends and acquaintances and friends in that county. Write a long letter. Your Brother, Wm. Beard Come in and see us. Your are able I have no doubt. Now is the time you can travel cheap while the R Road war is going on. Give love to Mary Ann and family. Mary and the children send their love to all. W. B.