Letter 63 John Mason Moody, Sr to Martha William Wright Moody

Date: Jun 1876 [unknown]
Location: Northampton, North Carolina
Surnames/tags: Moody Wright

Woodlawn, Friday evening June __ 1876

My dear Patt

As you complain so about my not writing- have concluded to drop you a few lines-- You do not say in any of your letters when I may expect you Harriett and the Children- but in every one, that you think, "I ought to be thro' in this time & ready to go to Town & that to stay." It is time I ought to be and would have been, sufficiently so to have spared one week--had there been rain after my crop was planted--but I did not have any until a week ago-- Consequently the seed lay in the ground some 4 or 5 weeks after they were planted-- And now the young cotton has come thick-- it will be much better for you to come & bring the children from Town- than for me to go in without you wish to come on the biggy. If so let me know

I set off to look for Mr. Junius the other morning and met Bill in the road and was pleased to meet with him-- Tho' I would not have been more surprised to have met His Holiness the Pope of Rome--- he came down with me and staid about thirty minutes-- he had better come out here-- tho' he may have an aversion to the place-- I'll get Buddy to write to his Brother & know, if he will sell or lease his place at Stony Creek, the place that Doct- someby lives- as I understand that he told Waverly that he would give it up with suit-- & there is a good store near it on the opersite side of the R Road---

It is generally healthy in the nighbourhood--some cases dysentary--my old friend Henry Garner, I think will die with--he will not take medicine---

If you do not come out-- I may run down sum time towards the last of next week-- but it will be much better you to come & bring my Babies they need a change--

When you come, if you think that you will need a stimulent, I'll advise you to bring a private Bottle, as I do not keep any on hand. I mean any thing in the bottles--

When you come order your paper to be sent during your stay--

The crops in the neighbourhood are generally good, mine & tenants, the very meanest---

Kiss my little darlings--and believe me as ever your's affectionately

Jno m Moody

N.B. The Rail Road charges for every bundle, that a person brings out so I learne- so should you come that way and wish to bring a lunch for the children, I would advise that you get that suid big Trunk and put it in.

J. M M

[Some one has written "John Mason Moody to daughter Alice"]

VLR (Virginia Leigh Refo)

This letter is from John Mason Moody, Sr. not to his daughter Alice, but to his wife, Martha William (Wright) Moody, whom he always called “Patt” (Patty being a nickname for Martha). His daughter Martha Alice (Moody) Leigh was always called “Alice”. The children referred to in the letter are the motherless children of John and Martha's children: William Robert Moody, son of John Mason Moody, Jr. and Laura (Tabb) Moody; and Annie Gray Lockhart, daughter of Mary Elizabeth (Moody) Lockhart and Joseph Gray Lockhart. Both children were born in 1867. Laura, William's mother died in 1868, and Mary died in 1871. Martha Moody raised both children. Harriet was, I believe, Harriet Stoddert, granddaughter of Daniel Mason (see letters #46, for further relationship, also see #60, and #62).

Henry Garner was a friend and neighbor of the author. He is possibly mentioned again in letter # 29, although that could be a different "Mr. Garner". There were many Garners in western Northampton County, and several connections with the Moody family.

Mr. Junius could be Joseph Lockhart's nephew (see letter # 62), son of Benjamin F. Lockhart and .Seignora (Stith) Lockhart, perhaps working on Joe Lockhart's neighboring property. The rest of the paragraph is more confusing. Is "Bill" Dr. William Scott Moody? Would he have an aversion to the place? William did own property in Sussex Co. (where Stoney Creek is located) about this time. Is "Brother" John Mason Moody, Jr? If so why would he have "Buddy" write, rather than himself? Maybe this is not a family matter.

It must have been very difficult and humbling for a man, who not long before was one of the richest men in the county, to have to pinch pennies by packing all the lunches in one case so as not to be charged for each parcel.

This is the last letter we have from John Mason Moody. He died a year after this was written, fatally shot in a duel.

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.