To W. and L. Norwood
(from) Falkner St. Jan 3 1881
Dear Uncle and Aunt:
I seat myself this morning to answer your
much welcome letter. We felt it was a great privilege to get a letter
from you. Glad to hear you are all well but sorry to hear of brother
Charles death. It makes us feel so sad but we do hope he rests from
his labors and he may rise in the likeness of Christ. This does not
leave us very well. I have been in mighty bad health all fall and
winter. Been down and not able to do anything for four or five weeks.
But am much better at present. I am not able to write but I was so
eager to answer your letter I thought I would try as David has got so he
can't write a letter I have obliged to do the writing. David is not
well. He is troubled with pains in his shoulders and breast.
I think he has exposed himself too much in the cold. Uncle Billy
you wanted to know how we were getting along in spiritual things.
We are still clinging to that blessed hope. I feel the Lord is my
Shepherd and when I leave this world my troubles will be over. David
is a deacon in the church and has been for many years. As to temporal
matters we are doing very well. We have a good piece of land and
plenty to eat and wear. we have enough hogs to do us, cows and one good nag
and a wagon. David made two bales of cotton this year and that brought
him over a hundred dollars. He is almost out of debt. Our doctor
bills hurt us mighty bad and David isn't able to work like he did.
He is sixty-four years old in this month. I was sixty-one the second
day of November. David's head is as white as cotton. I am not
very gray. We don't know anything about Wiley Caskey. James
Thompson lives in Tennessee, Weakley County. His children are all
married but three. Will and Sy are in Texas doing well. Jim
and Jain get along mighty bad. We hear Jim is partially deranged.
They have seven children, had a nice family of children. Josiah Thompson
still lives in Arkansas the last we heard. We got a letter from him
about three years ago. His first wife died and he was married again
to a nice lady about forty years old. He has four children, two oldest
married and gone to Texas. Our Peninah married a man the name of
Duson that lives in Weakley County, Tennessee, near the Kentucky line.
They are almost rich. He owns one of the best farms in Weakley
on Rhine River. They have everything that is needed. Fine houses
and them all painted, fine orchards, plenty of stock makes plenty and plenty
to sell. He is a real money making man. Peninah has had fourteen
children, five dead. She had twins once. She is forty one years
old. They have two children married. We have five great grandchildren.
So you see, Uncle Billy, we have done some towards replenishing the earth.
Oag (thought to be Jonathan Oglesby Thompson*) had eight children. He lives in Masori (Missouri) We heard
Ann has been dead three years in February. So I will close.
Write soon. Your nephew and niece,
David and Frances (M.G.)Thompson
(note: this letter found in a Bible owned
by a descendant of Nancy Ann (Norwood) Tipper, and as far as I know contains the only reference to any of Elizabeth Norwood and Samuel Thompson's family)
*(July, 2000) Just discovered by Les Campbell: Johnathan Oglesby Thompson md
in Lincoln Co TN, Sep 1838, Lucinda Ann Hall (she d Feb 1878); it
is almost certain this is the couple referred to in this letter
Surnames
Home
This page hosted by 
Get your own Free Home Page