GROOMS – JOHNSON
LETTER FROM RED RIVER TX BY BRIGHT GROOMS
To a Daughter & her husband who still resided in Weakley Co., TN.
Published in the Red River County Texas Genealogy Newsletter. contributed by Mrs. Kathryn Bone Chatfield.
Mill Creek, Texas June 3rd 1860
Dear Son and Daughter, [William Brown JOHNSON and Sarah GROOMS JOHNSON]. Through the kind mercies of God I am permitted to take my seat in order to answer yours of 25th of April last which came to hand the last day of the month and found your mother much improved from what she was last year. She has not taken any medicine since here and she and I have been able to go about our business even on until the last few weeks. I have been troubled with a pain in my head and neck something like a cramp in my neck and a deadness in one side of my head and deafness in my left ear. All the connection here are well but your sister Jane [his daughter, who was the wife of James POPE] is very poorly. She has a chill I think every day and a high fever with a troublesome cough. [Jane died 4 Oct 1860]. Hoping when this comes to hand it may find you and yours with all the connections and friends enjoying good health.
I had just started a letter to M. DECK [Mathias Deck, husband of Bright’s daughter Catherine] and you and Washington [W. REDDICK, husband of Bright’s daughter Susannah] and D. OVERTON [David O., husband of Bright’s daughter Martha] giving you all the news that I thought would interest you but on looking over yours I see the VADEN did not pay you for the trees as he did not get them. You never said but on looking over yours I see that Vaden did not pay you for the trees as he did not get them. You never said why it was he did not get them. In the next place you wrote me that Mathias had an account against me larger than mine. I wish you to share this to him as it is my request that he make out his account each item and the charge and send it to me as I am anxious to see it while here for I did not think if he had anything against me it would have been the proper time to name it and to have taken it out of the note that he gave for the cupboard which he never hinted. I wish to see his charges. You also wrote to me of my Gibson business [Gibson Co., Tenn.] Business and of the trouble you had with old Bodkin.
I wish you to attend to his case sure at the next court as I think you have the Old William by the nose. Hold him fast and it may be the mens of deterring others from doing as he has done. And now Sally [Sarah GROOMS, wife of Wm. Brown JOHNSON] hear what Mamma says. Well Wm. Brown and Sally if you were here and had a place opened, you could do well. But you had better stay there. Yet she thinks this the healthiest country and wishes Wm. To come and see us this Fall and look for himself. As to my part I think this the best country that I have ever been in. Sure it is we have been at some trouble to get our supplies but it is enough to stimulate a man to cultivate such land and sell at such prices. And now I say to you without boasting that I could change my place it would be only to improve it. It is just as it should be.
Tell George CARTER and Mrs. CARTER howdy for me. Tell them that although I am surrounded with troubles, trials, an difficulties that I consider myself this far from on my way to that home, my long sought home, where all my trials will be over. Tell them to writ to me and I will answer them. Give my regards to Esq. CANTRELL [ probably A. P. Cantrell ] and to all inquiring friends any of whom I would like to see.
William, I wish you to write to me all about the times there and how you are getting along with BODKIN and whether you have any account from McFARLAND or not. Do the best you can for my interest. Try to come out as many of you as can and see us this Fall. Same for John GOODWIN. Well Franklin and Brown [sons of Sarah GROOMS & William Brown JOHNSON] I tell you boys I have seen Indians of all sorts. And I tell you their skins are red and eyes and hair black, so I do not like them much. But I tell you boys we ketch the fish sometimes. I caught one cat that weighted 53 lbs. And some buffaloes that weighted 22-23 lbs. Well Boys I tell you not I can pile any of the Texas Boys certain, So I can. I now conclude by saying write yourself and tell all to write. I remain your father until death. … Bright GROOMS
Note: Information from Billy E. Butts (Jan 21, 2000): The Butts, Pope farms were on the line between Red River & Bowie Counties. James Pope’s farm was mostly in Bowie County. The Ope Springs Cemetery [where Bright & Catherine Winders are buried] is on the old James Pope farm. I have the impression that Grooms Lake was north & east of these farms but that was back in the late 30’s or early 40’s that I was in that area. Submitted by Charlie Campbell
