| ©Barlow Genealogy 1998-2006 |
Rosemary Barlow transcribed this letter written
by Elizabeth Carnley Lansdale, in 1866. The original letter
was very worn and the she put in parenthesis what she believed
is said. The lines indicate the torn off ends. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bradley Co., Arkansas February 20 To: H.M. Bradley Dear Cousins, we take the (opportunity) of trying to rite a few lines to you (to tell you)that what remains of us is in tolerable (good health) and we sincerely hope this may reach y(ou and find) you and yours enjoying health of body a(nd peace of) mind. We received your inquiry of the 13 of (January? on) 9 inst. which gave us great satisfaction to hear (from you) and to hear that you was all alive and w(ell. We) received your inquiry of last February and in_______ both answered it and the mail was not rece_____reach the nearest point was 75 miles from us____ brought to us from there by hand and we______ mailed til last fall and we don't know wether _______(torn) we have to send this to the________river to get it mailed; we have nothing, cousins t(o say that) will be any satisfaction to you what we have to (tell is that) we have had the misfortune to lose Henry and L(ewis). Note: Lewis was Lewis Carnley and Henry was married to the writer of the letter, Mrs. Lansdale Henry died Nov 1864 at Memphis, Tennessee. He belonged to (the Confederate) army and he was at the post at Pine Bluff (when he lost his)health and they started North with him and (he died during) the trip, and Lewis died last Aug(ust)_____day af(ter a) spell of sickness from the 20 of June til the a______ day and we don't know hardly____what did_____ to be in a typhoid state and medical aid can't be had for such as)his case. I tell you cousins I am left in sad (straights. In my) cas I a(m) left with 5 children and two of them (are very sick. The) baby was but a month old when he died________ you don't know nothing about trouble without____ to the _______ misfortune. Isaac and J(ohn) servived the war. Tha made Isaac leave_______ never got John out. Their families as both w(ell). Mary has a baby the same age of mine they call (the little o)ne Rosanah. We have told you the family matters (and a little) something about how we fared in the war. They_____e us up(?) They takened all the horses that we had (raised here,) two apiece from us and one from Isaac and ______takened care of one for him til the ______and they just robbed our houses for fun. (They would steal) the last thing in our houses that they (could pick up). They even takened the dirty hand towel from (the peg. The pain) and the ruin and misery that they inflicted (on the coun)try was awful. They punished with ___ both___rope (and with gun)shot and imprisoned and some came a _____. (W)e can't tell you what become of them and this____party that fared so bad here, cousins. (There was) a many a day here at home that I was afraid (I would die) and I want to know if you ever was thirsty. (I hope) not___and we want you (to write) all the family matters how you fared and all the country and (all of the) kind folks (kinfolks) news who lived and who died (during the w)ar. We want to know how many of uncles (are survi)ving and what they are doing and tell _______ (a)nd the Folmars that you have heard from (us and that we w(ant) them to write to us and tell them____ to hear____age we recon the ___e establisht in a short time. We are (all very) anxious to hear from you all (as soon) as this comes to hand and don't (have any) more at present but we remain (Your loving) cousins until death Elizabeth Lansdale M.C. Carnley |
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