C. P. BONDURANT to Frank C. LEE in 1920’s
Note: Frank is Franklin Custis Lee, son of John Lee and Eliza Alezander. Franklin was born Sept 13, 1950 in Weakley Co. Eliza was born 22 Oct 1827 also in Weakley, daughter of Simpson Alexander and Delilah Jackson. John was born 12 May 1818 in Union SC son of Thomas Lee and Mary Green/Smith? John was the brother of Green Thomas Lee. This letter is not dated but must be from the 1920’s as my mother and aunt were born in 1911 and were Frank’s only grandchildren.
6264 Columbia Ave Feb 24th St Louis mo.
Frank I reed your letter and you said you had no correspondence since you left you wrote BOB TEMPLETON the letter come back unclaimed Bob is liveing I saw him in Martin four yrs ago I had not seen him 40 yrs he has fleshened up so much I did not know him, Sams boy told me who he was I just talked a few minutes some one called him away. when Albert was at BRO CHURCH funeral at Sharon some man come to him and said aint your name BONDURANT (?) ALBERT told him yes did you know the Templetons he said yes I knew them all well he told ALBERT THAT BOB had bought the old TEMPLETON place and he expected to live and die there.
Frank there is so much that has happened since you left it would take a book of a thousand pages to tell you all. you knew uncle COLEMAN SMITH you have heard him preach he was called a good man and was there is more of his grand children and great grand children and great great grand children sent to the pen than any man in the county JIM FOWLER MARIED MARTHA YURBEVILLE (?) they had five boys I will give them in rotation ELBERT the oldest one WES BUD HENRY AND IKE. ELBERT when he was twenty five went to Texas stole a watch they put him the pen his father give HUL (?) BARR five hundred dollars to go out there and get him out he did they all come back to gether JIM ELBERT AND BARR EBERT (SIC) had only been home a short time when he went to Como and stole DR WILSON black sadle horse the Dr telegraphed to several places and to the Sheriff at Huntingdon he had just got the telegram when ELBERT come up he took him in brought him to Dresden this was Saturday.
SAM AND ALBERT was both in town when he come in ELBERT kept a handkerchief tied over his face he said he wanted to go by home to change his clothes he got a way from the officers the Dr did not trouble him any more he was gone twelve months and come back nothing was done. DR WILSON MARIED FRONIE LOVELACE. BUD FOWLER AND HENRY AND FLETCHER SMITH two boys fel out over a land line they had been fussing for several yrs so they agreed to meet and settle it Bud and Henry started off singing[swinging] MRS FOWLER called to them not to have any trouble mother we wont have any when they met THE SMITH BOYS was armed they SHOT HENRY KILLED HIM DEAD. FLETCHER walked up shoved HENRY with his foot and said been lieing since he was nine yrs old they did not kill BUD instantly he lived to get home told his mother. HENRY was dead and he soon would be he lived til two oclock next morning they was both buried in the same grave at pleasant hill. the SMITH[S] was sent to the penn and there was a strong talk of mobing the SMITHS they come very near sending FLETCHER up for kicking HENRY after he was dead THE SMITH BOYS was turned out their health was bad one of them died soon after turned out I dont know that the other one is dead or not.
Well you knew BEN SMITH younger than BERRY he forged a note on NEAL SMITH and court was in session all that kept him out of the penn ARTHUR paid it off .TOM SMITH had a boy WES HE MARIED SARA ANN FOWLER COLEMAN daughter they had one son he was a dope fiend he forged a name to get dope he is in the penn now. well you knew GORGE YURBEVILLE he is dead has been for several yrs he had a son named GORGE he too was a dope fiend he was a bootleger and sold dope he too is in the penn
FRANK if I could see you I could tell you a lot more. MISS FANIE MYRICK is verry feeble looeing (looseing?) her mind she lives with her son TOM ED CAMPBELL has to watched all the time. SAM keeps up but is feeble ALBERT is failing but is up my family is all well I have so much to tell you I just cant tell all it would take a book of a thousand pages you spoke of your grand children you are doing the right thing to educate them you give them something that cant be taken from them I guess you think as much of them as if they was your own if they was thrown on their own resourses they could make their own liveing. you said you was lassy[lazy] if you are you have got that way since you went to Texas your wife spoiled you now you make him do some work I think of you both when I write………C P BONDURANT write when you can. Submitted by Lee Gary
