Selena James Reid to Rachel Fulton Caldwell
Selena was living with her son, William Washington James, at the time of this letter.
Rachel is a widow living in Arkansas with her son, James Leander Caldwell
July 15 1896
Picking Co Gea
Dear Neice I received your most welcome letter I was so glad to hear from you and you was able to go about the house I have had a spell of reumatism and I could not go then I have got better my coff is no better I think it will wear me out I would have rote sooner I have bein waiting on Gilly Godfrey1 to come down She has bein to Missouri to see her children there is four run away and gone to Missouri to escape justes she come back she has not come down to see me yet they are not doing much good tom godfrey2 took the homestead and never would pay reid3 the bouried money he owed him and I cant get her to pay a cent and her rich son in law4 is about to die and when he dies the will have to go to rooting they have lived high since allace5 maried the marble man he bought [?] from tom before he died and never has wort none yet and if he dies they will be flat bill godfrey widow6 is drawing a pension and wont pay me a cent and they think ther homestead paper will pay there way to heaven if I could get two hundred dollars it would help me to git things that I have to do without I will trust the Lord to help so I may have plenty to live on till I die and when the meet Justes there home steads and pension will be dead money for them Mr Watson7 died 5 July there has been severel death sumoner Well Rachel I will send you my name and yours so you can see some of my work and you can put it in your bible for a book mark Rachel if you was here I could tell you so much that has gone by sence you left here
Crops is vary good Bill8 made hundred and 28 bushels wheat corn looks fine there is a lady bug that eats up everything where we kill all we can well I will close rite when you can and I will rite to you May the lord be with us to the end
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I would rite more my mind is so scattered I am the only one of the family that is alive now I received the scraps and picture and the wedding peace she is happy now and doing well.
Rachel Caldwell Selena Reid
- Gilly James Godfrey, d/o Sharud James and Doria Marie Duncan [Dunkin]
- Husband of Gilly James
- Hiram Reid must have lent money to Tom Godfrey to buy land from the administrator of old Sherod’s estate
- Patrick C Daly
- Alice Godfrey Daly
- Could be Mary Godfrey, wife of William Godfrey (brother of Tom)
- Elijah P Watson, Clerk
- William Washington James