Letter_from_T_O_Ellis_Sr_to_William_Davis_6_October_1866.pdf

Letter from T.O. Ellis Sr. to William Davis 6 October 1866

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Date: 6 Oct 1866 [unknown]
Location: Centerville, Fresno, California, United Statesmap
Surnames/tags: Ellis Davis
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After the death of Sarah Jane (Ellis) Davis (1838-1930), a collection of family letters, including the following letter, was found in a trunk. The original is held by members of the Davis family. The index to the complete collection is found at The Letters of Rev. T.O. Ellis, M.D.. The letters are all written by Reverend Thomas Oliver Ellis, MD (1808-1879), and almost all of them were to his daughter, Sarah Jane, and/or her husband, William Hale Davis (1828-1871). Ellis wrote from various locations in central California to family members also in that area.

Contents

Biographical and Historical Context

The following letter related news about health and family. Ill health continued in the Ellis household, with Dr. T.O. Ellis, himself ill, attending to patients miles away. The loss of the crops added to the situation, but T.O. found comfort in a successful Camp Meeting and rejoiced in the 29 people who joined the church. Glimpses of humor appear in this letter. T.O. joked about the devil being in the hogs (referring to a Bible verse) and Grace in the people (after Camp Meeting) and prided himself on maintaining his temper after the destruction of his crops. He also joked about the impending marriage of his daughter Mattie to S.J. Garrison, a Southern Secessionist, that the couple was turning “Union.” Garrison’s refusal to swear an oath to the Union was reported in the letter of 19 January 1863.

The courtship of Mattie Ellis seems rapid, but the Ellis family had known S.J. Garrison since at least 1862 when he was the junior editor of the Equal Rights Expositor in Visalia, Tulare County, California, where the family lived at the time. In reporting the event, a Visalia Delta newspaper editorial commented, “Ah! ah! That’s what brought you, was it friend G? Well, when a typo sets his head on marrying, there’s no use resisting, so we wish you all imaginable happiness and prosperity.” The paper also reported that the marriage took place at the home of A.O. Miller, with William McDaniel serving as justice of the peace[1] which varies from the plan T.O. reported in his letter.

The Ellis family was engaged in education starting with T.O. Ellis serving as a teacher[2] and superintendent over the years[3] [4] and several of Ellis' daughters held teaching positions, as is mentioned in this letter.

Note: spelling and line breaks preserved from the original. Transcriber's additions or interpretations in [square brackets].

The Letter

Centerville, Fresno Co., Cal. Oct. 6/1866,
My Dear William
In answer to your slow
traveling Letter of the 23d Ultimo, [preceding month] I will
say I have some considerable news
to communicate—some things you
were not expecting. I will how-
ever first talk of health. Wednesday
night, 3d Inst. [present month] about Midnight I had
an awful shake, had to be held in
the bed, pressed down to keep from
shaking to pieces & the blood seemed
cold all through me. Next day I
visited a patient 8 miles off & one 2
miles distant, but still poorly & now
scarcely able to hold my pen to write.
Georgia H. has been sick, but now,
up & about. Your Ma [referring to his wife] is pretty pert.
Calhoun [son-in-law] has been sick with a Bowel
complaint but better. Sophia remains
In statu quo, that is as usual, no change
but daily expecting one. The rest are
able for their allowance when they
can get it. Well, now for the hogs.
They have eaten up all my potatoes
& three fourths of My corn, damaging
me over $100. & still I never got
mad, which I consider the best
[page two]
part of the story. But I have something
better to tell you. We have had a glo-
rious Camp meeting with 29 access-
ions to our Church. It was a good
time. I never saw a Revival I
had more confidence in than this.
The Devil is in the hogs & Grace
getting in the people.[5] May the latter
continue & the former disappear!
One more singular matter to tell.
While the Camp Meeting was in full
blast Mattie took a Buggy ride
with a very wealthy Gentleman
by the name of Fowler,[6] &, when she
returned to the place of worship
who should first greet her do you
think? Yes before she got out of
the Buggy? Behold! Mr. S. J. Garrison
presented his hand & Mattie sprang
from her seat & again sat down, & then
reached clear over F.[Fowler] & shook hands
with her old Friend. Several stand-
ing round told F. he was knocked
into pie, & he looked vengance but
said nothing. In 30 minutes M. & G.
were in the Buggy driving with
as much composure as though
they had enjoyed Angels visits.
[page 3]
I had been to see a patient & as I
returned to the Campground, who
should I meet but Mr. G & Miss M.
I bowed & passed on, but discov-
ered a smile play on the lips of
the mysterious parties. At night
I was approached very politely by
the Ex Editor, [Garrison] for such things inspire
politeness as you very well know, &
I was informed the Matter was most
sweetly, jointly & severally adjusted
& of course the question was popped
to me for a blessing. A Dozen eyes
were on me, but, but — well, I could
not well help it, hated to make folks
unhappy, &, so — what! Well I yiel-
ded. Yes I weakened & said Amen.
Sept. 31st Mattie accompanied with
her sister Mary & Mr. G. went to Visa-
lia to make some trimming & when
they left the intention was to Celebrate
the Union the 17th Inst. on Wednesday
& have your family & all present.
Strange to tell, I received a Letter very
politely written Oct. 2/66 from Mr. G
who asked my permission to let the
affair come off Oct. 7th '66 at
Visalia & I have yielded owing
to the very awkward condition
[page 4]
of our family which I need not explain
as Sophia you know is here, not know-
ing the hour &c, So you see Mr. G.
& his Intended have turned Union folks
& will take the Oath of Everlasting Al-
legiance next Sunday, Parson Turner
the Officiating High Priest! Ere this
reaches you, if no accident; the Die will
be cast. The Indian once was eating fat
meat very fast, & was aked why he was in
such a hurry, he said “No like him want
to get done quick”. So I think, wish they
all were grown & all Married quick
in one day, Me no like im to lose all
my sweet ones. Wish to have all the trou-
ble in one week. But still I say, May
God Almighty in Christ bless them all
& take them to Heaven, & Me & Mine with
them. . . . Lizzie is keeping School
on Dry Creek, & Mattie's on lower King's
River is knocked into pie, hope Mary will
get it, but can't tell. I think you had
better stay with Mr. W. [likely Charles Watts, mentioned in prior letters] another year, it
is better than any thing you have said
or that I know. Write soon & come to
see us if you can. All of us Send love
God bless you My Son & family
William Hale Davis Esq {T. O. Ellis Sen.

Additional Information

The next surviving letter, written to Jane, not William, was written on 24 November 1866.

Sources

  1. “Married,” Garrison-Ellis, Visalia Delta (Visalia, Tulare County, California), 10 Oct 1866, page 2.
  2. “Family Records of the Ellis & Leonard Families,” Microfilm 41865, DGS 8706429 (Ellis & Leonard Families : accessed 9 July 2022); handwritten family record with newspaper clippings, 285 pages. Some of the handwriting appears to be that of William Josiah Ellis (1834-1918). Later entries likely by Georgia S. Peugh who submitted the document in 1926.
  3. “Tulare County Election Returns,” Visalia Delta, Tulare Co., CA, 18 Sep 1862, p.2, microfilm photocopied May 1999, California State Library.
  4. Untitled notice in Visalia Weekly Delta, Visalia, Tulare Co., CA, 14 Nov 1861, digital copy, Fresno Library, Fresno Co., CA.
  5. Matthew 8:28-34. This a reference to an event in the New Testament, when Jesus cast evil spirits into the swine.
  6. This might refer to Thomas Fowler, a well-known Visalia area rancher. Annie R. Mitchell, "The Way It Was: The Colorful History of Tulare County," (self-published), 1976, page 40-44.




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