FROM: Bluebank farm,
Will M. Calhoun., owner
Berkshire Swine and Farm Products
First and Grand Champion Carcass at
1925 International, Chicago (All breeds competing)
Freight and Express Office, Wynnberg, Tennessee
Post Office Ridgely, Tennessee
March 11, 1928

TO: Miss Georgia Calhoun
Tallulah, Louisiana

Cousin Georgia:

Your letter was so interesting to me. I am one of the few Calhouns who is demonstrative in my appreciation of relatives. The Calhouns, I know, think a great deal of their kin but are not very demonstrative about it.

If any of them is sick or in trouble the whole clan is aroused but in the common run of human affairs they seem to care little for each other.

I am interested in the “Family History”. I love to find out things. I can learn much about the Gracey’s (my paternal grandmother, Mary Gracey Calhoun’s family). We began the annual Gracey-Calhoun fish-fry and reunion five years ago. It began with the immediate descendants of Warren Walker Calhoun and Mary Gracey Calhoun, my grandparents and your uncle and Aunt, but we have spread out to include all descendants of Patrick Gracey (Mary’s grandfather) and the descendants of John Calhoun I, and his wife, Martha Walker Calhoun.

The children of John and Martha Calhoun were Warren Walker 1793-1859; Milton ? (the father of Cousin Alex, one-armed soldier); I am not sure of name of father of John of Glenmora; John Newton 1809-1875; James (I have his picture) 1795-1874; Sidney (youngest child), red haired, one of great pugilists of his day and one of the early Texas patriots, died in Mexico San Perote prison; two daughters, one married Christopher Bell, the other Manuel Roberts.

This is my meager information. I do not hope to complete the family tree but I am collecting data so that someone, some time may finish the job.

We belong to a historic race. It is a wonderful heritage to have blood in our veins that can be traced back through so many generations and find so little contamination as can be found In the descendants of John and Martha Calhoun. Practically all are good, honorable, dependable Christian citizens. So far as I can find there is not a jail-bird or pauper in the kin. Very few have had any marital troubles. I know of two separations but not one divorce. I wish you would help me collect data to complete the tree to date. If you could give me the marriages of the kin and their descendants, it would help so much.

If Cousin John would give me Cousin Alex’s children’s marriages and grandchildren and great grandchildren, births, deaths, etc., it would be data I could include in my collection and perhaps someone., some time would complete it. ?lease jog his memory about it. If I come to Louisiana this summer I am coming to see you and say “howdy” anyhow. Oh., if we all could gather together at our reunion August 24, how grand it would be!

I suspect you are the only living member of the second generation of John and Martha Calhoun. We want you so much.

My father saw your father in the early 40’s. Uncle Newton was on a visit to Tennessee, from Mississippi. We gave Grandfather a razor. That razor is in the possession of  Henry 0. Calhoun of West Plains, Missouri. Henry’s father was named Augustus Newton (for your father) and I, William Newton, for Uncle’s maternal and paternal. However, the razor is one of the best I ever used. Henry always brings it to reunion.

I heard my father say that the occasion of Grand-uncle Newton’s going to Mississippi was brought about by a difficulty he had forced on him in Fayetteville, Tennessee by a bully named Kirkland. Kirkland concluded to whip Grand-uncle Newton. Uncle tried to reason with him, told him there was no reason for a fuss but Kirkland came on him. Uncle backed up against a cord of wood in front of a store and told Kirkland to stand back. Kirk land came on endeavering to strike Uncle, who by this time picked up a stick of wood and struck Kirkland over the head, apparently killing him. Father was born in 1832 and was old enough to remember his Uncle coming to Grandfather. My father says they both thought Kirkland was dead by he revived and became a power as a Cumberland Presbyterian minister for 50 years. In facts he attributed his conversion to the blow Uncle gave him.

Grandfather advised your father to get out of the way until the trouble blow over, hence his trip to Mississippi. Did you ever hear of this?

If this tradition is correct, as you heard it from your father, I would like to verify it.

On your father’s visit in the 40’s to Grandfather, Grandfather said “Newt, did you ever see a bowie-knife?” His answer was to pull one from its scabbard in his bosom and show it to Grandpa and family. I know I heard father say so many good things about his Uncle Newton but running true to human nature. I remember the razor, bowie-knife and Kirkland strange, isn’t it? All my Calhoun Kin in Tennessee of father’s and grandfather’s generation were Cumberland Presbyterians. Father was a C. P.  minister 52 years. Four of father’s children were teachers. I taught 26 years. Myself and one sister were college graduates. I have three degrees from my old Alm Mater, Bethel College, McKenzie, Tennessee,

I learn that you were and perhaps are a teacher. Many of the Calhouns are teachers and quite a few preachers. My only brother is a Methodist preacher. All Calhouns (so far as I know) have to be contrary on some point or have some pet idiosyncrasy and brother joined the Methodist church just to be different from any kin here. That is what I told him. He will not admit it.

Please, Cousin Georgia, write me at your leisure and give me all family history you can and if you ever come in a mile of me, stop.

Please excuse me using both sides of paper but that is “Scotch”. you know.

Lovingly,

Will Newton Calhoun