James Clay McCargo Family Bible & McCargo Letter Dated 1881 - Halifax Co. VA (Submitter note: I located this Bible through the Virginia State Archives in Richmond. The catalog lists: McCargo Family Bible - Halifax County Va ( a Photocopy) Though the catalog is indexed to Halifax Co, the family lived first in Charlotte, then to Halifax and finally to Mecklenburg counties. Presented by Mr Otey T Driggs Sr. Rt 1 Box 109 Chase City Va. Through Mr. H. C. Brooks R 1 Box 149a Hopewell Va. I went to Chase City - contacted Mr Driggs, who told me the Bible was actually in the possession of Charlie McCargo, Sr., who I subsequently found out was a descendent of Isaac Henry and also a resident of Chase City, living out Highway 640 West. At the time I visited him, (April 1979) he was recovering from a massive stroke that left him unable to speak clearly, and most of my conversation was through his wife Hattie Spain McCargo. The best I can determine, the Bible was presented to James by his mother Elizabeth and the first entries are in her handwriting. The bible is in poor condition, at the time that I saw it Hattie brought it from the attic, in a large cardboard box. The binding has deteriorated to the point that it only a collection of separate pages. The frontispiece is missing, hence I could not determine the publisher, the date of publication, nor the dedication.) Fly page Little John McCargo was born September 24 1779 Elizabeth williams was born December the 7th 1792 and was maried October the 29th 1806 wednesday George Radford their son was born November the 30th 1807 Monday Eliza Hugh McCargo was born May 13th 1810 Sunday James C McCargo was born May 24th 1812 Sunday Mary Magdalene Smith McCargo was born May 21st 1814 Saturday Hugh Williams McCargo was born May 13th 1815 Saturday Little John S McCargo was born June 4th 1817 wednesday Elizabeth Williams McCargo was born Febuary 6th 1819 Susand Jane McCargo was born October 6th 1820 Saturday Wednesday William Travis McCargo was born May 14th 1822 Sunday David Alexander McCargo was born Febuary 10th 1824 Wed Patrick Henry McCargo was born July 1st 1825 Friday Virginia Ann McCargo was born October 29th 1826 wednesd Charlotte McCargo was born July 23rd 1828 wednesday Virgia Lettice Missouri McCargo was born July 16th 1830 Friday Emily Ann McCargo was born January 2nd 1832 monday Tabitha Ann McCargo was born May 30th 1833 tuesday Charles Clay McCargo was born Febuary 21st 1863 FAMILY HISTORY BIRTHS Little John H McCargo was born October th 31 tuesday knight 1848 James C McCargo was born th 24 May 1812 Martha C McCargo was born October th 14 thursday 1819 James Thomas McCargo was born May th 31 1851 Saturday morning Mary Ann McCargo was born August th 31 Monday morning 1840 David Little John McCargo was born May th 8 1853 Sunday knight William Hubbard McCargo as born May 29th 1842 Thursday knigh Louise Harriet McCargo was born March 21st 1858 Lewis Napoleon McCargo was born the 6th of June Wednesday evening 1844 Isaac Henry McCargo was born September 4th 1859 Ellen Hugh McCargo was born September the 9th 1846 wednesday knigh Julia C McCargo was born the 14th day of July 1861 Frances G McCargo was born 28th of Febuary 1863 Eliza C McCargo was born July 23 1865 Charles Clay McCargo was born Febuary 21st 1868 Effie T Ward was born December the 2nd 1882 Note: Written just outside ther left border and parallel with the edge: _______________ McCargo Aug 1/9/1882 FAMILY RECORD - MARRIAGES James C McCargo and Martha C Blankenship was married November 13th 1839 Charles H Dickerson and Lou H. McCargo was married December the 12th 1883 James C McCargo and Mary Frances Coleman was married April 15th 1857 Eddie Burnett and Fannie McCargo was married Febuary 14 1900 I H McCargo and L H Forlines was married December 22th 1881 Egbert T Ward and Julia C McCargo was married February 26th 1882 Mary P Coleman [Born] July th 24 1824 FAMILY RECORD - DEATHS Hugh W McCargo died September 8 1845 Ellen H McCargo Died September th 26 thursday 1850 Charlotte V McCargo died June th 15 1852 Little John H McCargo Died Febuary th 7 Fri 1851 Tabitha A McCargo died June th 27 1852 Martha C McCargo the wife of James C McCargo Died August the 26 1854 Eliza Barnes died July 7 1854 David Little John McCargo Departed this life 17th of January 1857 Elizabeth W McCargo the wife of Little John died December 10 1854 George R McCargo Died May 16 1881 Snr Little John McCargo died March 23th 1856 Little John S McCargo Died May 9 1889 J T McCargo Died Feb the 27 1889 FAMILY RECORD - DEATHS A biting frost the 5 of May 1891 Mary N McCargo died May 25 1892 James C McCargo Died March 13 1899 Mary Ann McCargo Died December the 12th 1913 Friday Isaac Henry McCargo Died Febuary 1941 (A Blank page) April 15th 1857 Easter Sunday Snows all day David died June 10th Charlott the 12th Wm the 15th Ann th 27th =================================================== The following is a transcript of a letter found in the bible. The letter is written in pencil, on both sides of a sheet approximately 7" x 10", folded to make four 7" x 5" pages. It is poor condition, having been further folded in thirds, possible by the writer, to fit a small envelope. This cannot be determined with certainty, since the envelope is missing. The age of the paper and perhaps many folding and re-folding, have caused the sheet to become separated at the folds. It is now in two sheets with each further partially separated at the top third. The transcript was prepared from a tape of Mrs. Charles McCargo Snr reading the letter in her home on April 27, 1979 Cadiz, Trigg County Ky August 1, 1881 Dear Father It has been so long since I have heard anything directly from you all, that I am almost at a stop how and what to write. It seems to me at times that I am a far out-cast making my way through this wicked and unfriendly world - with no hopes in it - but with a hope that is worth more than ten thousand such as this - a hope that is both sure and steadfast - a hope that is anchored on high, where Jesus is - who twenty-seven years ago called my mother from a world where true happiness is nevermore found - except in Him - to that rest that's the reward for the perfect in God - who's prayers, the very echo of which I sometimes imagine I can hear - who taught me that as she had denied herself and took her cross and followed her savior, so must I do, if I would live with her when Jesus reigns. This I am endeavoring to do, amidst trials of every description; and I can but say, in the name of Jesus, who shed His blood for me, to you all - come and journey with me, and it will do you good. I and my family are well at this time. I have a wife and two little children. One little girl named Martha Christine, favors Julia and Aunt Charlotte more than anyone else. She soon will be five years old. She has begun to be of some help to me, and is apt to learn anything. I also have a little boy named William Joshua. He is a pretty child, and I do not reckon that any grand child and grandparent ever favored any more, that you and he does. He has temper enough for half-a-dozen children. He calls himself Jim Charlie, trying to call your name. He is only two years old - well grown to his age. I own a small farm here. I have two good mares and a colt and I am tolerably fixed. I bought land here, right in the woods. I have opened twenty- three acres and built a very good house - all by myself; within the last six years. I have never hired any at all, but the cost of lumber and nails, has kept me bare of money. As yet I have never gotten anything by me wife, but I will ultimately. My crop this year, owing to the dry weather, is sorry. Crops are generally sorry out here. I live fifteen miles from Poly. I never knew he was going to Texas, until a few days ago. I was to see him last Thursday to ascertain the cause, and he has a good crop of corn, but sorry tobacco. While looking in his album, I saw the picture of a man. Upon inquiry, I found it was me. I have broken as much as you. If we were to meet tomorrow in Richmond, we would not recognize each other as father and son. I also saw two of Tom's and Julia's, that I never knew. I too would like to have all of your pictures. Try to send me some. Give my love to Sister, Tom, Julia and all the family. Tell them, write me. Respects to all old Christian friends. Tell them I love them all yet. Your affectionate son Wm H McCargo Editors note: Punctuation has been supplied and all spelling corrected. Mother mentioned in the letter is Martha C. Blankenship, first wife of James C. McCargo. "Poly" is the family nick name given the writer's younger brother Lewis Napoleon McCargo, who just shot and wounded Kiah Malone in an argument over a loan made by Poly to Kiah. Incidently Kiah's father had married a sister of Martha Blankenship. A half brother Charles Clay McCargo had also gone to Texas, earlier the same year. The exact location is not presently known, but Charles Clay later lived in Amarillo. The reason both were attracted to Texas has not been determined, but family tradition says that Poly ran to his cousin's home in Texas - which given the large families of his grandfathers Little John Mccargo and Hezikiah Blankenship, could include half the families in Amarillo in 1881. "Poly" did not return to Kentucky until the fall of 1883, when it became clear Kiah had not been mortally wounded. "Sister" is Mary Ann McCargo, sister of the writer, who never married and died in 1892. "Tom" is James Thomas McCargo is a brother, and subsequently came to live with Poly during the last year of his life. He died in 1889 of consumption and is buried in the Hartwell Wood cemetery in Christian Co. Ky. "Aunt Charlotte" is Charlotte Virginia McCargo, a younger sister of James Charles McCargo. She died June 12, 1852, when the writer would have been 10 years old. Note the entries made in the blank page above concerning the deaths of four of Little John and Elizabeth McCargo's children within seventeen days. Tradition in the Isaac Henry family says they were poisoned by a trusted slave, but I am inclined to doubt this, thinking instead that they were victims of the scarlet fever epidemic that swept Virginia that year. ========================================================= Submitted by Tom McCargo ************************************************************************ USGENWEB 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. ************************************************************************