SHARON TENN 4 NOV 1888

R H Taylor to J M T His son.

,,,, J.M. Taylor-Dear son after so long a time in answering your letter I seat myself this beautiful Sabath morning to try in my  scribbling way to write..........this leaves us all in tolerable health at this time except bad colds and i ...... and trust when this comes to----it may find you and yours well and doing well Jo i dont want you to think hard of me for not writing to o you sooner\ for I was in very bad health when i got your letter and i wold neither work or write for two or three months my health got better and i had to go to work and when i work daily i am in pore fix to write sorry must excuse me for not writing sooner as i am away from home all the week and Sunday involved around here
2
The health of this country is running good at this time though there have been a great deal of sickness this summer and fall and some deaths John Underwood is dead the Doctors thought he died of yellow feverthe connection isall well------------well Jo i wish you was here to help me lay brick for they have been puting me through for the last ? months and i am   not near through yet if i keep able to work i have at least a months work on hand yet well Jo i would like to no how you are getting along with your ---? and well digging and so on i would like very much to here how your getting along in general and how your wifes health is and the news of your country so turn over. 
3
Well JO i  no you would like to hear from your sisters  children. Hannah was at our house in August and her bunch (beard?) talked of moving to Texas and i gave them your county and poste office so as   they could write you a letter i saw willie and gave him your address and he spoke of coming to see you this fall or winter iman? is living with Allie beard Somma is living with sam pointer - Ellen is living in the north part of the county i have not  seen her since her papa died Dan Jackson is preparing to move to arkansas in green or clay county they aim to get between now and Christmas I think it a bad move for he was getting along very well Jo give my best respects to Mr Wagner and tel him i would to see him and visit his spring and take a good  drink of his health restorer
4
well we have the best crops of tobaco we have raised for years though the river is very low and the farmers are down in the mouth cotton is very good and is fare price we have had a very fine fall for gathering our crops. Jo dont fail to write to me as soon as you get mine as i am very anxious to hear from you give my best love and respect to Ida and frank and tel them i would be very glad to see them your ama and the children send their love and respects to you and Ida Jo I hardly ever go to sleep at nite without thinking of you and i hope you will remember me write as soon as you get this tell Ida to write and let me
know how the geese come on i hope you will come to see us soonyour affectionate father
 

Submitted by Charlie Campbell

June 3rd 1860

Dear Son and Daughter,

    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, youcould 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 -- to William B. Johnson and Sarah Johnson

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 Marshall & 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
 

    Letter To: Georgia Taylor Fowler   From: William Coleman Fowler 

     Jackson, Tenn     Dec. 21, 1922 

     My dear daughter,

 We are well as usual, as we both are never well but able to be up.  Well daughter, it was just 27 years ago tomorrow that your dear mother past away so you know it makes me sad to pass over this time of year.  Baby, I feel bad not to be able to give you all a Xmas present but daughter I just haven't got the where with to get anything but daughter I love you just the same as if I had so I could buy.  But money is sure scarce with us.  I do not know when I can go to see you.  The weather is so uncertain to get so far
away from the mail road.  Hope you all will have a nice Xmas.  Let me hear from you soon. 
     I am ever your loving Papa,  W.C. Fowler