by Terry Thornton
email: hillcountrymonroecounty@gmail.com
email: hillcountrymonroecounty@gmail.com
In the set of estate papers currently being examined at Hill Country (see previous posts INVENTORY OF FAMILY DOCUMENTS and VESTY NIX WHITWORTH'S PROMISSORY NOTE), is a letter from FENDALL WHITWORTH to this brother THOMAS J. WHITWORTH.
The letter was written January 14, 1861 in Lafayette County where Fendall lived and was sent to Thomas. Because Thomas lived in Monroe County and because the letter was recovered from Monroe County, it is assumed the letter was mailed to Monroe County. No envelope was found within the papers to indicate how the letter was sent nor to what address.
Fendall F. Whitworth (born 1829) and Thomas Jefferson Whitworth (born 1836) were sons of Thomas Jefferson Whitworth and Vesta Nix Whitworth. They were both born in Monroe County, Mississippi.
In 1847, Fendall married Elizabeth Hamilton in Monroe County. It is not known when they moved to Lafayette County which is about 90 miles to the northwest from Monroe County.
At the time the letter was written, Fendall would have been about 32 years old and Thomas about 25 years old.
Here are the four pages of the letter. Below each image is a partial transcription of the letter and some notes of explanation. Any help you can give in completing the transcription will be most appreciated. Images can be enlarged by clicking.
January 14th
The State of Mississippi
Lafayette County 1861
Dear brother this morning
presents it self to
me with the
opportunity to writing
you a few lines which
ma inform you that
we are all in tolerable
good health except my
self and I am better
than I was when I
left there. I have nothing
to write at present only
Charles has declined the
idie of going to school
& is verry well satisfied
to work with me 12 months
at $12 per month. John
hasn't come yet but we
are looking for him everyday
The reference to CHARLES may be to their younger brother, CHARLES CALVIN WHITWORTH, then 17 years old. The JOHN mentioned is probably another brother, JOHN LEROY WHITWORTH, then 29 years old.
and he will fetch your
mule home. I want you
to write to me as soon
as this comes to hand. There
is so many girles in
Charles head I don't thing
it worth while for him
to go to school and I
hired him for the year
and I expect to make him
earn what he eats. I have
hired cook at the same.
So nothing more only to
give our best respects to
Tater and his new grown
___ in a ____ and went
to Robbirds town. Gave our
best respects to Tater & his
family. Tell Tater that
there is a very pretty girl
here says for him to come
from the recommendation I gave him.
See previous note about CHARLES. The nickname "TATER" is to an unknown relative. The oldest brother, ELI WHITWORTH, was the Administrator of their father's estate; other brothers not mentioned previously were WILLIAM B. and FRANCIS MARION WHITWORTH. "Tater" is probably either Eli, William, or Francis.
The transcription of the phrase "Robbirds town" is questionable --- and the location of such a town is unknown.
Well Jim I want you
to write to me every month
and tell Mama to come
with Ike out here next
summer agreeable to
promise and I want you
to come too & all the
rest. I want you to quit
going about with them girls
so freely. If you don't
mind they will spile you
for I heard one say she
would see you out with
it. So you had better mind
how you step for I think
the charge is all against you
from what I could find
out. Keep your eye open
Spikey for ___ is not long
off about the ___ or ____
you will heard from it I
would not be surprised there
"JIM" is probably a reference to T.J., the brother to whom the letter is written. References to Mama are to VESTA NIX WHITWORTH; it is unknown who IKE is. SPIKEY is probably a nickname for T.J. WHITWORTH.
is others that will come
inn not far from that time.
I want you to write whether
that girl has had any more
______ fitts or not.
I want you to be sure to
write soon and give me the
news in full. So nothing
more at present only I still
remain your affectionate
brother untill death.
F.F. Whitworth
to T.J. Whitworth
5 comments:
I just love the letter-I feel like he is someone I know after reading it. I like the warnings about girls-not much changed since then. And I loved the "tolerable" from the beginning. I recall folks saying they were doing tolerable well.
Thanks for sharing these!
The hand writing and spelling make it tough. I think it says:
Keep your eye open
Spikey for she is not long
off about the ris? of grass
you will hear from it I
would not be surprised there
not that it makes much sense. He says something about watching your step and then follows up with the word grass so maybe a very old expression?
Great job so far.
TIPPER, I still hear "tolerable" being used frequently in the Hill Country to describe how one feels --- or how one's crops are growing . . . "Just tolerably." The brother's concern for his sibling is most interesting.
APPLE, That is a hard section to transcribe. I, too, thought there may be an old expression being used there that makes no sense at all to us "modern" folk. Perhaps some day I'll be able to get a complete understanding of what he is telling his brother. Thanks.
TERRY
I read that as "keep your eyes open Spikey for she is not long off about the rise of grass," which I interpret as early springtime, the letter having been written in January. In the context it makes one wonder if Spikey potentially faced a paternity allegation.
On p. 2 I believe Fendall sent his respects to Tater for his "new grown self," suggesting Tater had recently come of age.
p. 4, I believe, asks if that girl has had any more "femonyne fitts."
I'm a descendant of another Fendall Whitworth, a cousin to the writer of this letter. There were many Fendall's in that extensive family. And I grew up with "tolerable," a word commonly used in my family throughout my childhood.
KEN, Thanks for helping transcribe the letter --- spelling and phrases have changed so much over the years that any help in figuring out the meaning of words used informally in 1861 is appreciated. I agree with your suggestion that the "keep your eyes open" warning may be because of a paternity issue.
"New grown self" could indeed mean that one had arrived at the age of this majority. Thanks for the suggestion.
I'm still thinking on what sorts of "fitts" one could have in 1861. Tolerable or not tolerable I guess! LOL!
Thanks again for writing,
Terry Thornton
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