Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch to her daughter Georgiana Abbot Bowditch, 24 May 1889

[From Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch, probably from Burnsville, North Carolina, to her daughter Georgiana in Micaville, North Carolina. She talks about an evening spent with Mrs. Woodfin, and a visit with Mr. Broyles; describes an incident in which two men had stones thrown at them when they were returning home from a prayer meeting; and mentions various people she's seen and visited with.

The letter is incomplete, with the last page(s) missing, but from the content and handwriting was clearly written by Elizabeth to her daughter Georgiana.

The letter is dated "Friday 24th '89," without a month being specified. In 1889 the 24th fell on a Friday only in May. It was written in pencil, and has faded in some spots. Some words, especially in the creases where the letter was folded, can't be read.]

My dear daughter,

Uncle John1 says he shall go in tomorrow to stay, and I shall miss him very much. It seems like home to have him about, so I am writing you to send by him.

To go back to last Tuesday. I saw you leave town at 5 o'clk & at 7 I imagined you at home, thinking of food & supper for your family. It blew up right cold that night, and it made me think much of the garden. Indeed ever since then it has been much in my thoughts. I hope all things escaped the frost. On Caney R. & about in low lands, corn &c. was bitten. I hear no complaints in this neighborhood.

On Wednesday I spent the Eve'g with Mrs. Woodfin.2 Took my knitting and had a nice social time sitting by a good fire, for she complained much of cold. It was exceedingly windy, but I ventured out as she was expecting me, & I thought there was no danger of my blowing away. She was very much pleased to have me with her, and said she wished "the days were a year long while I was in town." She must be very lonely! Told me of her trials & difficulties in getting along, & I truly pitied her. She is an intelligent woman, and I believe free from all suspicion. I think her a real Christian, and by my visits shall give her much of my time, as she expresses herself so warmly.

I trust you did not get cold in your face. You must keep it well protected these cool mornings, so much wind!

Mr. Moore3 came into town this morn'g, has been away since you were here. Landon4 goes & comes, has gone out this morn'g. His practice is much on our side of Burnsville.

Whom should I see day before yesterday come into town but Mr. Broyles.5 He spoke of all of you, of his doctering the family when they had Diptheria, &c. He is a great talker. Has just taken a hook from a tree at the "Gudger place" that was used to pull Prof. Mitchell6 out of that pool where he was found. Says he had it made by Knack Boon and carried it up there, and assisted in recovering the body. He brought it back, and fastened it into this tree to hitch his horse to, and while here went to get it, or to see if it was still there, and found it considerably embedded in the tree, where (as I understood him) it had grown over it and a small part broken off, but the hook is the same. I think it a great curiosity. He is going to take it to Asheville & publish it in the papers, & it will be noticed by many.

He says he fears Delia7 will not live long. She has suffered more than he could describe.

I expect John8 will tell you all about the finding of Mitchell, as he was much interested in the description, &c.

He talked of Burnsville in the old times, & of the Penlands, and it seemed to recall that time of my life over again. Asked much of Pa, & sent his respects &c.

I see Johnny McCampbell9 every day in the distance. Have not seen Sudie10 or her mother.11 Old Mr. Dellinger12 and Phoebe Ann13 (or as he calls her "Furby Ann") was here this eve'g, and he said he had just been into Mrs. Carters,14 and she had many things bitten in her garden during this cold spell. Mentioned Potatoes, Beans, &c. Mrs. Ray15 saw nothing injured here. I trust we may be one of the fortunate ones, & every thing is "all right."

Last night was Prayer meeting. No one[?] went from here, but on Cora's16 return from school today, said that as Mr. Boring & Mr. DeVault were returning home they were rocked several times between Mr. Austins & Riddles. Mr. Boring ran, but Mr. DeV. stood his ground. This eve'g Mr. DeV. himself confirmed the report. He says there were four or five rocks came and hit the fence 2 yards from them, and some made the "fire fly out of the rocks" (as he termed it) close to them. He remarked that if it had not been so dark he would have followed him. He could see nothing, but heard the corn stalks crush under his feet as he ran. He thinks there was but one that did the act.

It is the opinion of some that there is a strong under current that will end in something bad at last. Mr. Dellinger says he did all in his power to make things quiet a week ago, but David's17 wife18 is inflexible, will not forget, forgive, nor be quieted in any way.

I also saw Wood Young's19 wife20 here this morn'g. She told me of the death of John Blaylock's21 son, who had lately married John Westhall's22 daughter. His name is Sam,23 a brother to Will.24 They married sisters.25 He died of Typhoid, and other members of the family have it. As she termed it, they were in great distress.

Yesterday & today I have not been out. The windy day &c gave me a slight cold, but I am really quite well now. Had a sick stomach &c. I fasted some, & took some ginger tea, & I am all right. I have not stopped my knitting at all.

The sick N. Yorker left yesterday eve'g for Big Tom Wilsons,26 to go upon Mitchell's peak. It has not been as clear as it ought to be to get good views. It is clouding up & looks like rain some.

Old Cripple Jim has mended Uncle John's shoes, and he can show you his work. He cuts wood, & many jobs for W. Young. They say he is very industrious. If you have any nice jobs bring them up. He could fix the toe of that shoe of mine, if it were here.

They had the first letter from Julia27 today. She will come on Friday next. Mrs. Ray has Sally English in the kitchen, to stay while Julia is away. She don't like her, the same one I saw at Mr. Sam's last summer. So ugly!

Bis,28 John Ivans & Jerry Hughes' son went up the river fishing yesterday morn'g. I forgot to ask them to stop & ask you for some Tomato plants for Mrs. Ray. So if Pa29 sees them on their return, please give them some, for she would like them exceedingly.

I have filled up two sheets with little or

[The above line is at the end of a sheet, and the rest of the letter is apparently missing. The following text was added at the top of the first page.]

I received your letter & package today. I am very well, do not feel uneasy. I am enjoying myself every moment.

  1. John Edwin Abbot (1831-1911), Elizabeth's brother
  2. Louisa Mourning Lewis (abt 1831-)
  3. William Martin van Buren Moore (1834-1899)
  4. John Landon Ray (1857-1922)
  5. Isaac Mitchell Broyles (1820-1909)
  6. Elisha Mitchell (1793-1857). He died while on an expedition to verify his measurements of a peak in the Black Mountain Range of North Carolina. He had first measured the peak in the mid 1830s, then again in 1844, at 6708 feet, making it the highest peak east of the Mississippi. In 1855 Sen. Thomas Clingman, a former student, measured it at 6941 feet, and claimed that Mitchell had measured the wrong peak. In the 1857 expedition Mitchell left his party, got caught in a thunderstorm, and apparently fell down a waterfall into a pool where he drowned. The U. S. Geological Survey later verified his original measurements, and named the peak Mt. Mitchell. He is now buried at the top. See Elisha Mitchell and Elisha Mitchell, 19 Aug. 1793-27 June 1857.
  7. Cordelia Josephine Broyles (1846-1897), Isaac Mitchell Broyles's daughter
  8. John Abbot Bowditch (1856-1933), Elizabeth's son, Georgiana's brother
  9. Possibly John Jay McCampbell (1868-1944)
  10. Possibly Susan Elizabeth McCampbell (1866-1951), John Jay McCampbell's sister
  11. Sarah Epps Clark (1838-1919)
  12. Logan Henry Dellinger (1814-1904)
  13. Phoeiba Ann Young (1837-1919), Logan Henry Dellinger's wife
  14. Laura Jane Avery (1838-1929)
  15. Elizabeth Burchfield (1833-1912)
  16. Cora Ray (1871-1934), Elizabeth (Burchfield) Ray's daughter
  17. Probably Solomon David Dellinger (1844-1931), Logan Henry Dellinger's son
  18. Mary Ann Ray (1844-1926)
  19. Thaddeus Woodville Young (1856-1895)
  20. Probably Savannah Robertson (abt 1858-)
  21. John Collis Blalock (1829-1925)
  22. Probably John Baird Westall (1842-1937)
  23. Elizabeth (or John Young's wife Savannah) may have these details wrong. No record has been found for a Samuel Blalock marrying a Westhall (or Westall), or dying in 1889. William Blalock, son of John Collis Blalock and Susannah C. Young, did marry Alice Westall, daughter of John Baird Westall. William's brother Samuel John Blalock was born in 1873, but he died in 1965. Family trees at Ancestry list another brother, Robert Price Blalock, who died in 1889 in Washington, but no marriage has been found for him.
  24. William Daniel Blalock (1858-1932)
  25. One was Alice Westall (1869-1962)
  26. Thomas David Wilson (1825-1908). Known as Big Tom Wilson, he was a well-known mountain guide and bear hunter in the Black Mountains of North Carolina, and led the search party that found the body of Elisha Mitchell.
  27. Julia Sarah Ray (1870-1966), Elizabeth (Burchfield) Ray's daughter
  28. John Bispham Ray (1873-1924), Elizabeth (Burchfield) Ray's son
  29. Joseph Henry Bowditch (1818-1900), Elizabeth's husband, Georgiana's father