Letter 19 Julia Ann Patterson to Martha William Wright Moody

Date: 19 Mar 1835 [unknown]
Location: Petersburg, Virginia
Surnames/tags: Moody Wright Petersburg March,19th. 1835

My Dear Cousin

I arrived safe in Petersburg yesterday was a week, but I have seen very little of the place or anything else as yet the small Pox is in town and we are all afraid to go out there has been five cases at Mrs. Jones's and 1 death, I went to old Mr. Moss's on Monday Afternoon to see Mrs. Rainy. she has been very sick with the measles we went in Mrs. Moss's room and she asked me a great many questions about your Mama and you. she says your Papa used always to carry you to see her when he brought you to town she says she had an Old Carriage and Uncle Daniel used to drag you all over town in it she says it is broken now but she keeps the peices under the front porch to think of you. I expect she will have it repaired now for little Trip to ride in. she amused Cousin Jane and me very much talking of you and the old carriage. I have not been to school yet as Father has not had time to go and see Mrs Simson. Cotton and Lizzy started last Tuesday to Miss Sweat. she is called an excellent teacher. Lizzy came home yesterday evening with a medel. she is very much pleased. she says you must tell her Papa when you see him, we have had very few visitors as yet. Mrs Elliot Ann Eliza and Mary and several others has been to see us Mary Elliot has been to see us three times I like her very much indeed she called last night for us to go to the Presbeterian Church. I was very much pleased we had an excellent sermon from Mr. Hutchinson. how does little Triplett come on. tell him I hear from his daddy almost every day and he is very well write me what you have named him as Mr. Estes is very anxious to know his name how does Miss Sally and Banjo come on. has he ever been to see her yet, you must be sure and come down as soon as you get well. I want to see you all very much please do not show this foolish letter to any person. All of the family joins me in love to Mr. Moody, yourself and all of our relations. Kiss the baby for me

Your Affectionate Cousin

Julia A Patterson

P.S If you do not answer this as soon as you receive it I will never write to you again.

JAP

Addressed to Mrs. Martha W. Moody

Pleasant Hill

N.C.

Postmarked: PETERSBURG Va MAR 21

Postage: 10

VLR (Virginia Leigh Refo)

A letter from Julia Ann Patterson to her first cousin Martha William (Wright) Moody. Julia's mother, Alice Wren (Crump) Patterson, and Martha's mother Martha Robinson (Crump) Wright Charlton were sisters. This letter continues to puzzle me. I am confused about "Trip" and "Triplett". I think that both names refer to Martha's first child, William Scott Moody, who was born according to Blandford Cemetery tombstone Sept. 17, 1835, some six months after this was written. The tombstone dates are wrong. (The date of his death was Sept. 17, according to cemetery records. I thought perhaps they had reversed the month and day for the dates of birth and death, but that would mean a date of birth of April 26, a month after this was written.) And the mention of seeing his father every day? Maybe John Mason Moody, Martha's husband, had business in Petersburg. Maybe "Trip" and "Triplett" are different children, but I don’t believe so. Obviously, from this letter Martha has just had a baby, and William's year of birth is given 1835, reconfirmed in later census records, so I believe he is the new baby, not yet named.

Mrs. Elliot is Ann (Wright) Elliott, daughter of John Wright, Martha's father's brother. Martha's "Papa" was William Wright. Two of Mrs. Elliott's daughters are mentioned Ann Eliza Elliott and Mary E. Elliott. There were also Wright relatives who were named Jones, so Mrs. Jones may have been a relative, also Mr. Estes, but I cannot find this name in any papers (see letter #7). The names of Mrs. Rainey and Mr. and Mrs. Moss mean nothing to me at this point--maybe just friends of the family. I believe Uncle Daniel to have been a servant. Lizzy may be Elizabeth Dorothy Crump, daughter of Dr. James Robert Crump and his first wife, Dorothy "Dolly"(Parham) Crump (who died at the child’s birth). I don’t know the name “Cotton”—it could be a nickname for Lizzy’s half-brother, Richard W. D. Crump, son of Dr. James Robert Crump and his 2nd wife, Mildred Turner (Williamson) Crump. Perhaps the children were sent to Petersburg to go to school and were staying with the Pattersons, aunt and uncle. Mrs. Simson and Miss Sweat were apparently teachers. Julia's "Father" is John Hamilton Patterson.

Cousin Jane may be Mary Jane Charlton, only 3 1/2 at the time. I can’t find another cousin “Jane”. There is a Jane Atkinson mentioned in letter #5; she may have been a relative, but I can't establish the connection. I can’t identify Miss Sally and Banjo. Banjo may have been a slave or a pet animal.

Acknowledgement

• Many thanks to cousin Virginia Leigh Refo whose research and transcriptions added to this profile. The originals were donated to the Library of Virginia in 2004 by Liz Edens Vermillion with the help of Virginia Refo Moody Family Papers, 1750-1881. Accession 40535, Personal Papers Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.