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

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

Submitted by 
Peggy Miller Trevathan
Mary S. Williams
Bill Green
 

Letter form Stephen Goldsby to his nephews, Thomas and James Goldsby Simpson concerning the settling of their Grandfather's (James Goldsby) estate. 
Copy in Goldsby papers of Ruth Dale Goldsby Brown
Transcribed by Doris Bratcher of Clarkson, KY  (1982)

State of Tennesee,  Weakley Co.,  March 30, 1843

Dear Nephews,

I, now have selected a few moments from the busy scenes of life to inform you that through the mercy of God, we are all in common health at this time with the exception of  bad colds which is common in our county at this time.  Hoping these few lines may come safe to your hands and find you all in good health.  I received your letter dated the 7th on the 17th which gave me great satisfaction to hear that you was all well.  Agreeable to your request in relation to your grandfather's will.  His will in the first part bequeathed to your grandmother as much stock as she wanted, and household and kitchen furniture and as much of the farm as would do her, during her life and at her death what was not consumed of the stock and household and kitchen furniture to be sold and equally divided between all his heirs.  Secondly, he then give her the old negroe woman, Tener and Fill, the oldest man, or three hundred dollars in money, instead of the negroes, left to her choice to take the negroes or the money, and then says the will, the heirs that got land in Kentucky, they was to be charged with one hundred and fifty dollars each for the land, and when those that never got land received one hundred and fifty dollars, then the balance of the estate to be equally divided between all the heirs.  On the first Monday in January last, when myself and Mr. GILBERT, the other executor went to court to prove the will, I found there might be some difficulty arise, if we sold the eight negroes not mentioned in the will at all.  So we proved the will and entered into bond with approved security in the sum of eight thousand dollars for our faithful performance as co-executors and had to file a petition in the Circuit Court for a decree to sell the negroes, and on the 19th of January we sold the most of the stock and farming tools, corn, oats, and  fodder which sold amounted to about $300.00 to be due at Christmas next.  So on the 3rd day of February there being some tobacco and some stock and other articles that not recollected at the other sale to about the amount of $40. or $45. due at the same time and on the 13th of February our petition came on to be heard in the Circuit Court.   By this time your grandmother begin to find she could not get along so well without some money, she concluded to have Tener, and Fill, put in the petition which was done and the Court decreed that we sell the negroes after first advertising twenty days, and requiring the purchaser to pay 3% in hand and giving bond and approved security payable at next Christmas and a lien retained upon the negroes till payed for.  So on Thursday last the 16th, we sold all the negroes.  They brought $2,387.06 1/4.  Your grandmother bought Tener and Fill for $125.00.  Stephen A. Brady bought a lame woman for $150.  Adam Perkins bought Luda, and 3 children for $896.06 1/4.  Ambrose DUDLEY bought Lewis for $313.00.  Edwin A. GOLDSBY, your uncle Edwards'son, bought a boy about 11yrs old for $400.00 and there was one girl 13 years old was bought out of the family, for $503 and there is some oweing to the estate I have not as yet been able to collect and for that reason cannot give a correct account of the debts as it is somewhat difficult collecting in this county in consequence of the pressure for money.  I expect the proble amount of the estate after all expenses is deducted and debts paid may amount to $2,300.00 or thereabouts.  If there should be no bad debts made which is a matter almost unavoidable these hard times as there is numbers of our biggest men braking daily almost.  That is besides the land which is to be bought.  And at Mother's death it is to be sold and divided between all the heirs.  Your grandmother is as well as could be expected and is living on the place and I expect will remain there. 

       I think you wanted to know something about our relatives in this county.  They are all well as far as I know or was the other day.  S.A. BRADY lives a mile of here.  Adam PERKINS lives in Henry County near where he did when you was here.  Ambrose DUDLEY, he married your Aunt Ann, lives in Carroll County.  Your Uncle W.T. GOLDSBYs, widow lives in Warrich Co, Lynnville. (Indiana)    I received a letter from them a few days ago, they was all well.  If you see Moses AKIN, give him our complements and tell him to write to us and let us know whether his mother is living or not.  Write to us and let us know when you are coming.  I must close this epistle for want of room.  So no more but remains your Uncle til death.

Stephen Goldsby

Give my compliments to Archiblad MOORE and all other inquiring friends.  I have only five children living and three grandsons and one granddaughter.

Stephen Goldsby was justice of the peace in 1856, as he was preforming  marriages. 
 

National Wagonstock Co. Manufacturers of Bent Rims and Other Wagon Material

F. L. Mitchell, President
H. M. Kinney, Vice-President
Jas. L. Jones, Secíy and Treas.
B.A. Keopple, Superintendent

Little Rock, Ark., Feby 27th 1908

Col.V.Y.Cook, Elmo,Ark.,

 Dear Col:-
   It is with pleasure that I acknowledge receipt of your very kind letter of the 24th inst., which was forwarded to me here from Newport and which came to my hands this morning. I desire to thank you for the kind expressions of friendship and sympathy in being bereft of both Father and Mother so recently. I greatly appreciate your kind offer in volunteering to write "THE CONFEDERATE VETERAN" a sketch of his life and I assure you that there is no one I would rather have write it than yourself. Below, I give you the information asked for which, I believe, covers the case. I will forward this letter to my brother (Dr.O.E. JONES) at Newport with the request that he look over it and make any necessary corrections as to dates and etc. and add anything he might think of that I have overlooked. My Father was born and reared on a farm in Weekly County, Tennessee. His father and mother were named Darling and Margaret JONES. He was born on the 3rd day of July 1846 and his full name was John Miller JONES. When the Civil War broke out, he enlisted in "Co. H" Forrest Cavalry, Commanded by Capt. D.C. KELLY, who is now a noted Methodist Minister

[Page 2]
   He served under this Captain until the surrender and his discharge (or PAROLE) was dated at Ganesville, Ala., on May 11th 1865 which was the date that Forrests Command surrendered.
After the surrender, he took up the study of Medacine and graduated with high honors form the ["State Medical University of" was lined out and "Med. Dept. of Univ. of Nashville of Nashville" written in] Tennessee, after which he moved to Arkansas, Jackson (but now Woodruff) County. He returned to his old home in Tennessee and was married to the sweetheart of his boy-hood days, Miss Callie PATTERSON, on February 29th 1872. He moved to Newport Ark. in the Fall of 1877 and continued to practice medacine up to the time of his death, which occurred on the 13th day of February1908. His age was 61 yrs. 7 mo. and 10 days. He survived his wife, who was an invalid for about ten years from rheumatism, only five days; her death having occurred on the 8th day of the same month and year.
   Five children survive him as follows:-
    Mrs. Wm. Yerger  Lake Villege  Ark
    Jas.L.Jones  Little Rock    ě
    Mrs. N.Lacy Tilghman     ě       ě    ě
    Dr. O.E.Jones   Newport    ě
    Miss Hazel Jones       ě     ě
  We would be very glad to have his picture inserted 

[Page 3]
in the Veteran and I hand you herewith check for $2.00 to cover that charge as per your advice.
We request that this picture (which I am sending you by this mail under separate cover) be returned to me just as soon as it has served its purpose and a cut has been made from it. Please request that the cut which is to be made from this Photo. is also returned to us, and order one dozen (12) copies of the Confederate Veteran in which this article appears, mailed to me at Little Rock C/O National Wagonstock Co., together with a statement of the amount due for same. The first time you or any of your family come to this City, my wife and I would be very glad to have you notify us upon your arrival and we will take great pleasure in making their stay while here as pleasant as possible. We are boarding at the present time, but we are always just as glad to see our friends. We hope to be keeping again in the very near future, in which event we can better entertain our friends and make it all the more pleasant for them. Kindly remember Mrs. JONES and myself to the members of your family. With best wishes for your continued good health and prosperity and assuring you of my continued friendship, believe me,
   Sincerely Yours,
   /s/ Jas. L. JONES
----------
National Wagonstock Co. Manufacturers of Bent Rims and Other Wagon Material

F. L. Mitchell, President
H. M. Kinney, Vice-President
Jas. L. Jones, Secíy and Treas.
B.A. Keopple, Superintendent

Little Rock, Ark., March 6th, 1908

Col.V.Y.Cook, Batesville, Arkansas.

Dear Sir:-
 I have your favor of the 3rd inst. And carefully note itís contents. I am sorry you have not as yet received the photo of my father which I mailed you on the 3rd inst. at Elmo, Ark. I inferred from your previous letter that you were at that place and would be there for some time, so I addressed both the letter and photo there. If you instruct it forwarded to you at Batesville, you can describe is as being wrapped in white fools cap paper and tied with a cotton string and has one of the National Wagonstock envelopes addressed to you, pasted on face of package. The envelope above referred to is of the same style as the one in which you receive this letter. Hoping that this will be sufficient description on which to have same forwarded and that you will receive it without further delay, I am,

      Sincerely your friend,
       /s/ Jas. L. Jones

[stamped on left side]
DICT. BUT NOT READ BY J.L.J.

The following is an excerpt from a letter dated 9 March 1936 from Benjamin Gilbert PATTERSON to one of his daughters as transcribed by Virginia Stephenson in her book, The Patterson Family. 
 

. . . .The old Negro HORNBEAK must have moved away from Greenfield when I was very small.  I donít seem to remember him, but I remember the family to whom he belonged.  I knew them mighty well.  Their home is three miles northeast of Greenfield.  Their place was settled about 1817.  His master, in slavery time, was Alex HORNBEAK, a fine man.  Their family settled there long before there was any Greenfield.  My grandfather, Gilbert PATTERSON, settled one and one-half miles west of where Greenfield is located shortly afterward.  There was one other family by the name of "MOSLEY" who settled two miles south-east, & they helped Grandfather build his first home.  The three families were the first settlers in that section of West Tennessee.  The town of Greenfield was started the year I was born, 1872.  My father, "Bunk" PATTERSON, built the first house in Greenfield.  It was used for a saloon and ten-pin alley.  He built several of the first houses.  He was a fine carpenter.  Before the Illinois Central RR was built, the folks living in that section freighted what they had to have by wagon and team from the steamboats on the Mississippi River, some forty miles away. 
 That country was so unsettled, at that time, that Grandfather's family lived for the first eleven years on game killed from his doorstep, such as bear, deer, wild hogs, and wild turkey.  Squirrels played on his house top and yard fence, and he didn't waste his ammunition on game that small.  He tanned his leather, and made his family boots and shoes.  Grandmother made the cloth from which they made clothes.  They raised a family of thirteen children.  You can tell your children that they descended from grand old families . . . . My fatherís folks came from North Carolina  . . . . Tell the children that they must make fine men and women, and live up to the record.

Submitted by Nancy Denty Breidenthal