Letter 36 Julia Ann Crump Leigh to Martha William Wright Moody

Date: Aug 1846 [unknown]
Location: Boydton, Virginia
Surnames/tags: Moody Wright

Dear Martha

I received your letter yesterday, and as you requested no one should see it--I read it aloud to a very attentive audience, all eager to hear from cousin Martha. I have hardly time to write at all now, for Mr Leigh is as busy as a bee fixing for Mississippi. he wants to start the 1st day of Oct with his negroes, and carry us next fall--he wants you to write by the very next mail and say whether or not Mr Moody has gone if not when he starts; and if Mr Leigh could see him before he goes. he thinks if he could see Mr Moody he might be able to get him to rent or secure a place for him any way will you ask him the following questions and give me the answers can he rent for one year? and upon what terms? a plantation on which he could work 20 to 25 hands I think I heard him say he rented from Seth Peebles' estate will he want it again? and lastly does he know of any good mules for sale? in your neighborhood we want six to move them out I think if Mr Leigh knew exactly when he would find Mr Moody he would go down to your house to see him.before

Mr. Chisn arrived the wednesday after Sister left, and staid until the following Monday when both he and Mr Humphries left-- the girls were very much pleased with him, and delighted with his comic songs they went to treats both at Col Rogers and Mr. Duncans after you left "and Mary she give another" so you see they had fine times, but unfortunately old Taylor told the servants at Mr. Duncans that he was a speculator and had run away and left his wife that knocked all the fat in the fire. Tell me whether or not you are going to the west. When I think of going my heart suddenly seems to get as heavy as lead, but I am determined to try to do right and leave the result to providence go where I may I will try and keep a conscience void of offence and then I must be comparatively happy.

There will be a temperance address to night in the chapel the girls want me to go with them so I have to conclude.

Farewell, dear Pat if we cannot see each others face often the lets us meet at the throne of Grace

Yours affectionately

J A Leigh

When Mr. Moody goes to the west you must spend some of your time with us.

Addressed to: Mrs Martha Moody

Pleasant Hill

N C

Postmarked: BOYDTON Va AUG 25

Postage: 10

VLR (Virginia Leigh Refo)

A letter written to Martha William (Wright) Moody from her aunt, Julia Ann (Crump) Leigh. Julia is the wife of Rev. William Leigh, a person whose financial and stewardship skills were very poor. His brother-in-law, Rev. Hezekiah Gilbert Leigh, married to Julia's sister, Mary Jane (Crump) Leigh, secured him a position at Randolph-Macon College as the person who ran the "hotel"--more like a dormitory-- where the worst of the students, who could not find private homes to board them, stayed. It must have been the worst job available. He did not do any better in Mississippi. (See letter # 41.)

Mr. Moody is John Mason Moody, Martha's husband. The girls refer to Julia's older daughters: Martha Leigh who later married James Eckford in Columbus MS and Anna Leigh who later married Thomas Short in Columbus, MS. Younger daughters were Rosa Leigh and Alice Patterson Leigh. Julia died in Columbus, MS in Nov. 1847, not long after arrival. Was it of a broken heart? Rev. William Leigh died in 1851, leaving his younger children essentially in poverty. "Sister" refers to Martha's mother, Martha Robinson (Crump) Wright Charlton.

The Peebles family is prominent one in Northampton Co. Seth Peebles was racehorse owner and breeder and a neighbor of William Moody, JMM’s father, before going to Mississippi. William bought his land in Northampton.

The other names in the letter are unknown to me. There is a reference to a Dr. and Mrs. Duncan in letter # 61. Mr. Duncan may be the father of that Dr. Duncan, as both seem to have a connection with Randolph-Macon College. At first, I thought Dr. and Mr. were the same person, but Dr. Duncan did not graduate from RMC until 1849.

Date: August 1846

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.