Letter 43 John H Peele to John Mason Moody

Date: 11 Apr 1857 [unknown]
Location: Normal College, North Carolina
Surnames/tags: Moody Wright Normal College, N.C. April 11th 1857.

Jno. M. Moody Esqr.

Weldon, N.C.

My Benefactor:--

Thinking that you have returned from the South before this, and feeling assured that you would be glad to hear from one whom you have so highly favored, and in whom you seem to be interested so much, I have concluded to write to you and think it a duty I owe both you and myself.

When I saw you in Weldon, the day I came up here, I felt very dependent and dejected, and had almost desponded, (having tried very hard to get a little money) thinking that the most of my friends loved their money a great deal better than they did me.-- But when you manifisted such friendship for me, and showed so clearly your intention to help me your approval of my undertaking, your desire for my success, I cheered up immediately---and I have felt like I should conquer ever since.

And now, Mr. Moody, my brother and myself tender our sincere gratitude to you for your kindness towards us, and hope that we can shall have the pleasure of exhibiting our gratitude in another way some of these times.

I think we are making rapid progress in our studies so far; we have gotten the highest grade in them all as yet. We entered the Freshman Class in Mathematics, and we shall be prepared for the same Class in Languages by Commencement, which is on the 17th of July;--we are now reading Virgil.

I think we have money enough to last until Commencement, after which, I shall be obliged to call on you. It will take about one hundred and twenty five dollars more for this year I think. I would be very glad to hear from you, and get some of the good counsel you are so capable of giving.

Your sincere, though unworthy friend,

John H Peele

VLR (Virginia Leigh Refo)

A letter to John Mason Moody, husband of Martha William (Wright) Moody. I have no knowledge of John H. Peele. Apparently John Mason Moody, Sr. sponsored him and his brother at college. One story that is recorded in Bishop William Moody's memoir is that John Mason Moody liked to go to the tavern in Weldon. He would walk across the railroad bridge from Garysburg. His wife said "Mr. Moody, why do you go there? You have no business there." He then bought the tavern and responded, "I own the tavern; now I have business there." Papers found with these letters show that he did have partial ownership in the hotel in Weldon. Perhaps the tavern was part of the hotel.

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.