Here is a copy of a letter dated February 23, 1862, from Reuben Wilson to J. B. O. "Neal" Barkley:
A few years ago I transcribed the letter as follows. I welcome any corrections.
South Carolina Anderson Dist Feb 23rd 1862
Dear friend
As I expect to leave to morrow I thought I would drop you a hurried line which leaves me well hoping when they come to your hand they may find you enjoying the same. I have nothing of importance to write at this time. I see an account of those 13000 prisoners that should have been taken at Nashville have cut their way through to Nashville with the loss of 2500 on our side and six thousand on the enemy tho. Weather has been so bad that I did not make the trip we was talking about; but I hope this wil not be the last opportunity I will have. Kennedy Blake got home last Thursday. He is bad off; with pain in his back. I got a letter from Dr. Knight last Friday dated the 12th of this month, he was well & says the health of the camp is tolerable with the exceptions of colds. When you get these lines answer it at Manassas. You must excuse my short letter as I have put it off until to day and have a good deal of company. Give my love to all the boys and retain the same. I remain as ever your devoted friend, Reu. Wilson to J. B. O. Barkley
This is a copy of a letter dated February 1, 1862, from J. B. O. "Neal" Barkley to Martin V. Barkley:
A few years ago I transcribed the letter as follows. If you see I have transcribed a word incorrectly, I would welcome hearing from you.
S.C. Feb 1st 1862
Sullivans Island Charleston
Dear brother, I take my pen in hand to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well hoping that theas lines may find you and all the rest well when they come to hand. I received your letter you sent by L. J. Scott and the 500 bill you by him. I was glad to git the money and still glader to hear from you for it has bin some time sinse I had heard. I hant got the money nor letter you spoak uf sending by J. W. Major. I doant think that Jo will be hear in somtime from what I hear. If Joab comes down in a few days he
(Pg. 2) may fetch it to me or if you have got it back you may keep it for I can maik out to come home if I git the chance. I wrote to you to send me som money by S. E. Moore but you may let that a lone for I think I can make out without you sending me aney moore money. I think I will git to come home in a week or two if the still keep on furlowing and I think the will. This has bin a big day hear to day. Colonel Orr resined his colonels commission to day and left at 1/2 after one oclock. We all met up at the Moultrie House at 10 oclock this morning and the colonel maid his fair will address to us
(Pg. 3) and then we went and got our dinner and then met at the colonels quarters and march down to the wharf where we bid him a due and returned back under the comand of Col. Marshal Lead better is Leut Col & Livingston is Major. It was a very sollom time when the col left but I hope he will do us as much or moore good where he is a goin for we nead a good senitor. Martin, I want you to have lather a nuff to make me 2 pair of shoes. I want thin lather for the uppers, I want you to have good soal so have all
(Pg. 4) if I git the chance to come home. Tell Mrs. Margaret Stone that I heard from Thadious 2 days ago, he is thout to have the measels. Tell Mrs. Johnson that her son is in our company and is well. James Watson, M. W. Gambrell, Wm. Turner, W. Leavell, T. W. & J. M. Fowler, & R. E. Cartee & L. J. Scott is all well. Tell Reuben Wilson not to start back to soon for I want to see him. Give my best respects to all the neighbors & friends, so no moor but remaning your loving brother to death, J. B. O. Barkley / M. V. Barkley
Write soon.
Here is a copy of a letter dated November 1, 1861, from Martin V. Barkley to J. B. O. "Neal" Barkley:
Here is my transcription of the letter done to the best of my ability a few years ago. I welcome fresh eyes who may read something differently:
South Carolina Anderson District November 1st 1861
Dear Brother, I take the present time to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present hoping these few lines may find you well when they come to hand. The health of the connection is good, neighbors also. I received your letter under date 26 Oct and was glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well but sorry to hear of the boys being sick. You wrote about your shoe tools. Bill Vehoon and Rev. S. L. Garrett has both volinteerd under J. V. Moore and I would like to of sent your tools with them but I cant do so on the account of your sole leather. Pickle & Horton has none worked out. Pickel will have some in a few days and I will send your tools as soon as I can get the leather. I will get it I think at 36 cts pr lb. I exspect that I could get it from R. H. Andies at 55 or 60 cts pr lb. but I will not buy it at that price and it very sorry at that. I cant say the day that I will ship your box, it is owing to the leather. I think I will send the lock in the box and fasen the led with screws. I may fix some other way, if I do I will write how to get into the box. I have not seen Richard Fowler nor heard any thing particular about him. The report is that he has had the measels. I mailed a letter to you last Sunday eavning. I stated that I was a going to Dr. Wilson. I went but did not get to see him. We have not fixt up that salt matter but will as soon as we can meet. We have got along gathering the crop slow but will get done next week if nothing hapens, then we will sow wheat and fix up your buisiness. When I do this if my health improve I want to come down and help you to mend shoes but I will not come without your advice to that business. Your hogs are doing fine. If you could see them you would think of spare bones and back ribs, so turn over.
(Pg. 2) Mr. Watson wants James to direct all his letters to Williamston in sted of Belton, mind that! Dr. Wilson got a letter from Ruben Wilson last week. He was unwell and has bin so ever since he went to the Potomac to build a battery with a bad cold. Albert Stone landed back home last Tuesday. He has bin sick for a long time with the typhoid fever. I have not seen him yet. Thos. C. Martin was down to see us the other day. He looks very well and talks of going back to Virginia before long. Thos. came and give his note in place of a note you got from him on Charles Irby. I have not collected any of your notes and accounts yet, all remains as they did when you left. Mother wants to know if you want a bed quilt for she is afraid that you lie cold. I will give you Vehoons volinteering. He sliped out of bed Oct. 29 close by me and appeared very cold, steped out of the house and i did not know where he went. Presently I got up and there was some talk where is Bill. I went in the other house & hapened to put my hand in my pocket and found the following note
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J. W. L. Vehoon is gone to Anderson C. H. to join Capt. John V. Moore's Company and will return this eavning at home and I wish that you would have me some clothing against they stark. I cant stay a way no longer to M. V. Barkley, read it rite.
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George wants to no the price of shot by the sack in Charleston. If you can get them at 10 cts pr lb he wants you to send him a sack duck-shot. Eliab will take a part of them, at leas find out the price. Bill and S. L. Garrett can tell you later news than I can write. I think Bill will make a real zouave at all hazards, try him. I have wrote all i can think of at present. I remain your affectionate brother untill death.
M.V. Barkley to J.B.O. Barkley
B. F. Ducus is a coming and wants to be trans ferd into J. B. Moors Company insted of J. V.'s.
Here is a copy of a letter dated September 27, 1861, from Eliab Hazard "Elip" and Anna Lucinda McCalister Barkley to J. B. O. "Neal" Barkley:
I did my best to transcribe this letter a few years ago, but I welcome fresh eyes that may see some words better than I did:
South Carolina Anderson District Sep 27th 1861
Dier Brother I tak this opertunity of riting you afiew lins to let you know that wee ar tolreble well at this time & hoping thes lins may find you in goin the saim blessing for God kind mircy to us all. Wee resevd 2 letters from you and was glad to hear from you. Wee have nothing of importince to rit. Wee hear a grait deel of news but dont know that it is so or not. Martin was herar day befor yesterday and your father famley was well. Brother Jess Allen McCalister and his wife has bin over to see us all. He has inlisted and is coming to Fourt Johnson. That is not fair from whear you ar. I reckon this is as wet a day as i ever saw. I have bin thinking all the morning about you a bein out in sutch weather. I saw a letter from Columbus Rogers last Sunday, he had bin sick but was better. Eliab and mee went to Whight field last Sunday night to meeting and i saw Miss Jane Vonn. She asked mee when i was agoin to rit to you. I told her that i shold rit in afiew days. She told mee to tell you that she saw father and mother fowlar and sis was well. James Watson sent Elep a letter in th one you sent mee. Was glad to hear that he was well. (moton?) was hear yesterday to hear from him and tha was all well. Elep is a goin to rit on the other sid of letter and i shall have to close. I shold bee glad to see you. I want you and James to have likeness takin in one bace and send it to mee, so no mor at this time, from under the hand of A. L. Barkley to J.B.O. Barkley.
(Pg. 2) Sunday 29th
Well Neal, Elep did not feel like riting eney so i have to finish this letter. I want to send it off to morrow. Mr. Mrs. Shirley takin dinner with us to day and told me to tell you to tell Stephen Jones that tha was well. Neal, James B. Willson wife is died. She died 27, that was last Friday. George went to the berien and com by to day from thar. Martin and Vehoon was hear to day and said that tha was all well. Wee want you to rit offton as you can for you have more to rit then we do but i will rit sumthing. Elep sas to tell James Watson he saw Will and Bluford yestarday at th Whight plains and tha was all well. I have heard that thar was a grait deel of sickness whear you ar. I hop not so bad as I hear. Rit all about the helth of th place. So I want you to excuse my bad riting and spelling as it is th best i can do, so no mor at this time. Remains yours loving brother and sister untill deth, E. H. Barkley and A. L. Barkley to J. B. O. Barkley
Write to me with out fail
Here is a copy of a letter dated September 3, 1861, from William Barkley to Josiah M. and Elizabeth Barkley:
Once again, I am posting my transcription from a few years ago. I welcome fresh eyes that may see things a little differently than I did back then.
Cherokee County Ala
September 3rd 1861
Dear Brother and family and Sister,
I now propose to write you a few lines that you may know that I am still numbered among the living tho am just geting up out of a severe spell of sickness. The flux has raged extensively in our county for the last six weeks or two months causing a great many deaths but has now pretty much abated. Joseph Martin died in April 11th day not of flux however. Wm. H. Barkley's oldest son Wm. T. W. son four years old died 18th of July of flux. Samuel M. Barkley my son died 11th of August of flux and many of the neibourhood died of flux (unity?) Wilson is now sick tho better. In answer to your inquiry about the names of Wm. and Andrews children I answer Williams, Anna Elizabeth, Hannah Vashti, William Thomas Washington, Asa Lafayette, of Andrews, William John Haley, Cynthia Anna, Andrew Jackson. You ask who and how many of our connection is in camps. Draton Lafayette Rains is in the service and prehaps Banister Rains. H. F. M. Wilson is in the service. Yet so very many of us but we are all Southern men no love of living to see the South subjugated. Our crops of wheat was fair average, our corn is excelent. We think we can keep our soldiers in good fighting order for two years on the crop we now have on hand.
(Pg. 2) I receive a letter from Polly Barkley and her daughter Sarah Carter, also from Micayah Trap Walker, also James Wilson. You will please show them this letter as it is designed for you all. Also George Washington Manly. I am now old almost 77 years. I do not feel like I should ever feel able to travel to S.C. again but would be glad to see any and all of you. These you know is war times. Consequently money is scarce but we have plenty to eate, drink and ware however salt and coffee is hard to get but we can do with coffee and can make salt within our Confederacy, plenty in fact. I do not believe that there is a spot upon the face of this green earth the sise of the Southern Confederacy that can come nearer producing every essential for the support of human nature than this Confederacy can. I have now written all I can think of and perhaps as much as you can read. I therefore close asking however that you write soon and often. Direct to Blue Pond Cherokee County Alabama.
Yours as ever,
William Barkley to Josiah M. Barkley and Elizabeth Barkley
Several years ago I acquired copies of Civil War era letters to and from my Barkley family from a collection housed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Here is a copy of a letter dated March 11, 1861, written by William P. Traynham to J. B. O. "Neal" Barkley:
If you click on the image of the letter, you can get to a larger copy of it. My transcription of the letter done several years ago follows. I welcome fresh eyes which may see something I didn't.
South Carolina, Laurens Dist, March 11, 1861
Dear frend I take my pen in hand to drope you a few lines to let you & all the rest know that we ar all well and well pless with our home hoping when this comes to hand it will find you all in lake manor. I recived your letter you wish to know if I will let Mrs. Barkley goe in my house. She has leave to goe in if she will give place whene ask to and take care of the house well and all that is on the pace and you must see that no gree timber is destroid as I know not how sune I may sell it. I will traid it for a smell negor. You must pay my tax or Rubin Willson and send the rest of the money to me or to mothey Avary and you will oblige. I have to stay at home of a night. We have had the chance of going to see eny of our connection sense Chrismas. We live at home and bord at the same place. Yours respectley, William P. Traynham to J.B.O. Barkley
NB Write and come when you can & all the rest. The sociation will be in fore miles of your house, so ends.
Welcome to the genealogical branch of my Seek Ye Truth blog. Here I will post gleanings from my 20 years' research on my family tree. I have extensive research on the following surnames:
Adams, Barkley, Batson, Buffalo, Button, Cadotte, Clark, Collier, Davis, Decoteau, Easley, Eaton, Fleming, Garrett, Heath, Huff, Jackson, Kirkpatrick, Koslowski, Lafferty, Lowery, Mason, McCalister, Melton, Miro/Myrow, Nelson, Null, Oelrich, Owen(s), Patman, Phillips, Pomeroy, Potter, Rains, Rankin, Richardson, Slocum, Smith, Soulier, Spence, St. John, Stach, Stark, Steep, Sullivan, Walters, Warner, Wichmann, Wilbanks, Wrobleski, and Zinda.
Some family research is much more extensive than others, but I am willing to share all that I have. I welcome comments and sharing of other information here.
