Bettie wrote:
Dear Mr. Crocker,
In going through an old box that has been sitting in the attic... that belonged
to my Mother...she passed away in the late 1970s, I found a book with a hand
sketched picture...very detailed. The following is written at the bottom
of the picture:
"To Mr. and Mrs. (Matty)
John Thompson at Humboldt....
very Respect...."
Part of the bottom has been torn off or just rotted away with age. My
husband thinks it could be middle to late 1800s from the clothes.
I went through the book page by page and also found tucked between pages the
following in part:
"IN MEMORIAM
On the morning of Jan. 12th, 1907, the spirit of Mrs. Louis Todd was called from
this earth to her Heavenly home to spend Eternity with loved ones of whom she
often spoke.
She was 72 years of age,...."
It continues saying "Five sons and two daughters mourn the loss of mother
and grandchildren miss grandmother too."
It does not say what Church or cemetery or what town and does not give a date.
Also between the pages was the following newspaper clipping:
"Henry Spraggins, son of Noel Spraggins, of this place, died of consumption
in Crockett County a few days ago. We extend our sympathy to the afflicted
family. We did not learn any further facts."
My Mother and Father, Mexie and Sam Morris, and my sister and I lived at 157
North 28th Avenue in Humboldt, Tennessee and Mrs. Fred Spraggins lived across
the street from us. I believe the sketch of the Thompsons may have a
connection to the Spraggins. I have been researching my Mother's side of
the family (Lyon)...we have already researched the Morris side...and I know how
exciting it is to find articles or photographs regarding our ancestors. It
is possible, of course, that the sketch is of some of my relatives but at this
moment, I can't recall anyone by the name of Thompson.