Letter from T.O. Ellis Sr. to William and Jane Davis, 22 April 1867

Date: 22 Apr 1867
Location: Centerville, Fresno, California, United States
Surnames/tags: Ellis Davis

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 1 Biographical and Historical Context 2 The Letter 3 After the Letters 4 Sources

Biographical and Historical Context

The themes In this letter include health, finances, family, religion, and current events. T.O. began the letter describing his health and expressing his concern over his finances. Daughters Mary Carolina Ellis (1847-1927) and Elizabeth Long Ellis contributed their teaching earnings to the family. T.O’s income had dropped due to other physicians moving into the community. He exhorted his family in his role as a minister of the Gospel and shared news of Sarah Jane’s half-brother, William Josiah Ellis (1834-1918) and step-brother, Vincent Reed Bailey Gray (1828-1905). T.O. Ellis gave thanks for coming to California before the Civil War and lamented the position that Southerners found themselves in at the end of the war.

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

The Letter

King’s River, Apr. 22/67
Dear William & Jane
Your welcome commu-
nication reached here this morning, being
nearly a Month on the road, only lacking
three days. We are well except myself.
I am afflicted with great soreness in my
right arm, so much that I can scarcely
write being in pain might & day. I was
digging holes with a shovel some six
weeks ago to set in Posts to make a garden
fence, worked hard, became warm & Took
cold & have been bad ever since, &, hence,
will lose my Garden, not being able to work
Practice lasts only about four Months in
the year, &, besides, Doctors have moved
in & ruined the Business. Mary & Lizzie
only taught school six months each & are
not now in business & no certain open-
ing. What they did make they divided
half with me, & so did Mattie the three
months which she taught.^[1]We have two
cows & calves & two heifer yearlings & get
plenty of Milk & But[ter] & have Bread for two
months, but owe over $300. & no prospect
ahead whatever that I can certainly see.
If the Girls would or could get into the
[page 1]
Business of Teaching & adhere to it, I might
come out, as it is, all is gloomy. The best
I know to do is to live for God. I am
clear on this point. I sometimes say
I am a man of one idea, but is a Heav-
enly one. I know not what I shall do,
or can do, as to temporalities. My attention
has been called to several places, but I
cannot, some how or other, see the point.
I am glad you are about to settle on
Mariposa Creek, hope you will do well,
especially in a Religious point of view.
There never was more importance attached
to time than just now in relation to the
efforts we should make to “Prepare to meet
God” in peace! I hope you both will do
all you can to “strive to enter in the straight
Gate, for, many..shall seek to enter in & shall
not be able”. We should agonize for Heaven!
The Visalia Friends are well. Your Bro.
& sister, W.J. & wife, are somewhat indis-
posed. Vincent & family, which remain
are well. Times are alarming & omin-
ous in the Political heavens! Poor Southerners
what a Gracious escape we made in
coming to California. The family send
you both love & compliments & all with
& expect you to visit us.
[page 2]
My address is Kings River & not
Centerville-there are two Centervilles in
the State, hence, ours was changed to
Kings River, do not forget it. I hope
you will continue to write, & live right
&, when you get gloomy or doubtful I
desire you will read the 13th Chapter of
First Corinthians. It will sweeten you
& bless you. I thank you both for your
kindness & liberality & good wishes & sym-
pathy & hope the Lord will bless & save
you and yours. My love ot the dear
children one & all. Bishop K. will
Preach here the 3d Sat. & Sund. in May,
suppose you come down instead of
we going up to Mariposa Creek
I am in love your affectionate

Father	T.O. Ellis Sr.
W.H. Davis & S.J. Davis	King's River
Union	Cal.
Cal.

After the Letters

T.O. Ellis became superintendent of schools in Fresno County sometime prior to 1868, a capacity that he served in through the mid-1870s. He proved up on his homestead in 1871, and continued to be involved in the Methodist Church. Sarah Jane moved closer to Kings River after the death of her husband, William Hale Davis. T.O. Ellis died 25 March 1879 in Centerville.^[2] His wife, Elizabeth Long Ellis, died in 1913,^[3] and Sarah Jane (Ellis) Davis died in 1930,^[4] all in Fresno County.

Sources

1. ↑ This refers to Mattie’s marriage to Samuel Jones Garrison (1838-1913), described in the letter of 6 October 1866
2. ↑ WikiTree contributors, "Thomas Oliver Ellis MD (1808-1879)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ellis-11044 : accessed 25 October 2023).
3. ↑ WikiTree contributors, "Elizabeth (Long) Ellis (1820-1913)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Long-11863 : accessed 25 October 2023).
4. ↑ WikiTree contributors, "Sarah Jane (Ellis) Davis (1838-1930)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ellis-13203 : accessed 25 October 2023).