1859-08-01: Sarah Fitzpatrick Mitchell to Mary Louisa Mitchell Williamson, Letter
This document is a letter from Sarah Fitzpatrick Mitchell to her daughter Mary Louisa Mitchell Williamson, written from Line Creek, Ala., on August 1, 1859. The Fitzpatrick family emigrated from Ireland to the Virginia colony in the early 1700s. Over time, the family moved from Virginia through the...
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| Format: | Electronic |
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Auburn University Libraries
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| Online Access: | http://content.lib.auburn.edu/u?/fmw01,32 |
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Electronic |
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Fitzpatrick-Mitchell-Williamson Papers Collection |
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Auburn University Digital Library |
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Auburn University Libraries |
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Family letters |
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Family letters 1859-08-01: Sarah Fitzpatrick Mitchell to Mary Louisa Mitchell Williamson, Letter Mitchell, Sarah Fitzpatrick |
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Family letters Mitchell Family; Fitzpatrick Family; Alabama--Social life and customs--19th century; Letters; Peoples -- Domestic Life; History -- 1838-1874: Sectionalism, the Civil War, and Reconstruction; |
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1859-08-01: Sarah Fitzpatrick Mitchell to Mary Louisa Mitchell Williamson, Letter |
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1859-08-01: Sarah Fitzpatrick Mitchell to Mary Louisa Mitchell Williamson, Letter |
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This document is a letter from Sarah Fitzpatrick Mitchell to her daughter Mary Louisa Mitchell Williamson, written from Line Creek, Ala., on August 1, 1859. The Fitzpatrick family emigrated from Ireland to the Virginia colony in the early 1700s. Over time, the family moved from Virginia through the Carolinas and into Georgia before finally settling in Line Creek, Alabama and Verbena, Alabama. Several members of the family were active politically including William Fitzpatrick, who served in the Georgia legislature, and Benjamin Fitzpatrick, who served two terms as governor of Alabama. Sarah Fitzpatrick, a descendant of this family, married Columbus White Mitchell who was from a prominent Alabama family. The couple had ten children, seven of whom survived infancy. Three of their sons served in the Civil War on the side of the Confederacy (Phil F. Mitchell, Joseph A. Mitchell, and Columbus White Mitchell). Their daughter Mary Louisa, a central figure of this collection, married Dr. Samuel "Trinley" Thomas Williamson in September 1861 shortly after the war began. Williamson was a medical doctor who also fought in the Confederate armed forces. With Williamson and the three Mitchell brothers away fighting, Mary Louisa was left home to run the household with only the help of her sick mother and her sisters. At this time she was also pregnant with her first child who was born in 1862. All three brothers and Williamson survived the war. The family continued to live in Alabama following the Civil War. Since the mid-1900s, some branches of the family have spread out while some continue to live in Alabama. This item has been aggregated as part of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL)'s "Deeply Rooted: The Agricultural & Rural History of the American South" project. |
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Mitchell, Sarah Fitzpatrick |
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Mitchell, Sarah Fitzpatrick |
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AUfmw0132 |
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http://content.lib.auburn.edu/u?/fmw01,32 |
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https://cdm17353.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getthumbnail/collection/fmw01/id/32 |
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1705449246229004288 |
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1859-08-01: Sarah Fitzpatrick Mitchell to Mary Louisa Mitchell Williamson, LetterThis document is a letter from Sarah Fitzpatrick Mitchell to her daughter Mary Louisa Mitchell Williamson, written from Line Creek, Ala., on August 1, 1859. The Fitzpatrick family emigrated from Ireland to the Virginia colony in the early 1700s. Over time, the family moved from Virginia through the Carolinas and into Georgia before finally settling in Line Creek, Alabama and Verbena, Alabama. Several members of the family were active politically including William Fitzpatrick, who served in the Georgia legislature, and Benjamin Fitzpatrick, who served two terms as governor of Alabama. Sarah Fitzpatrick, a descendant of this family, married Columbus White Mitchell who was from a prominent Alabama family. The couple had ten children, seven of whom survived infancy. Three of their sons served in the Civil War on the side of the Confederacy (Phil F. Mitchell, Joseph A. Mitchell, and Columbus White Mitchell). Their daughter Mary Louisa, a central figure of this collection, married Dr. Samuel "Trinley" Thomas Williamson in September 1861 shortly after the war began. Williamson was a medical doctor who also fought in the Confederate armed forces. With Williamson and the three Mitchell brothers away fighting, Mary Louisa was left home to run the household with only the help of her sick mother and her sisters. At this time she was also pregnant with her first child who was born in 1862. All three brothers and Williamson survived the war. The family continued to live in Alabama following the Civil War. Since the mid-1900s, some branches of the family have spread out while some continue to live in Alabama. This item has been aggregated as part of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL)'s "Deeply Rooted: The Agricultural & Rural History of the American South" project. [page 1]
August the 1. 1859
My Dear Mary Louise,
I am to day at your
Aunt Celia's and as the mail will
go day after tomorrow I thought I
would write to you before I go home
I am this far on my return from the springs
your Uncle Clem Uncle Billy and their
families Aunt Celia myself and the girls
all went to hear Mr Clopton and Mr. Judge
make their Past speeches. Our little Davis
acquited himself with great honour. Mr.
Judge had not spoken more than ten
minutes before there came up a storm. the
people all dispersed in different directions
we went in to a front piazzer near by the
wind and rain blew in I got damp and
my feet very wet in going from the house
to the carriage gave me a chill
[page 2]
I was quite sick for a day and night.
did not go out any more during my stay.
but have missed the chill and hope I will
not be sick any more. I am very weak
and my hand trembles so I can scarcely
write. There was a great deal of excitement
a great many persons and more enthu-
siasm I never saw or heard of amongst
the people during an election before
Troup [Randal ?] applied himself with a
flag of stars and stripes with something
written on it I don't know what P------
think it was five yds long - he placed
himself on the stand and hollowed louder
and made more jestures it seemed
to me than any one else Your aunt C
and my self were very much amused at him
there were several up in trees near the
stand screaming some for Clopton and some
for Judge. John Thompson acted a
conspicuous part he held a
[page 3]
flag with a mimic portrait of Judge
painted on it, they would not let him get
on the stand. they showered bouquets on the
stand for Mr. Clopton and some for Judge
too but we were not there to hear his speech
the girls had a fine time Cousin Mary Beck and
the Miss Harwells were there had plenty of
beans both nights Doctor Pope was with Fannie
he plays beautifully on the flute, a great many
persons of your acquaintance was there and
enquired for you. I told your Cousin Martha
that Bettie and Mary would come home with
you and if they did you would all visit
her, Cousin Mary says you must stay some
with Beck [and ?] she will give you a party she
says next time you go to Tuskegee you and Bettie
and Mary must stop with her. You wrote to know
whether you must come or not, I am very anxious
to see you. but if you have not tired then
all of you; and you want to remain longer
you can do so, I want you to be very prudent
[page 4]
and particular in your course of
conduct remember that the least imprudent
act or misdemeanor would grow to be
a mountain in the eyes and mouths
of the world and there are so many talking
mischief making people in this world.
that we should all be very particular espe-
cially young ladies, you can never
know how very desireous I am for your
welfare and success in life and how
many anxious moments I have about you
I trust that I may not be disappointed
If you do not come home - take time to write
me a long letter and take pains with
your writing improve your self in
reading good useful books - and prac-
tice a good share of your time learn some
new pieces, your Aunt Celia is anxious
to see you and so are the girls - and you know
that your own dear mother is anxious
more than all others, but for your pleasure
I am willing to submit and for you to remain
a while longer with your good cousins
and relatives a while longer
[page 5]
Your Buddie received a long and
very interesting letter from your cousin
Mollie Griffin the other day she also sent
him her ambrotype it is very pretty she is
[stazis ?] in Atlanta this summer.
Are you not getting bare for drepes
that is are not your drepes very much
used up I wrote you to get some fine
bleached domestic do so if you
have an opportunity write me when
you wish to come home. I shal
look for a letter next mail. write
to Toby he woul be proud to receive
a letter from you the little girls
are anxious to see sister come home.
Give my love to the girls
tell them we would be proud to
have them visit us, I must close
for I am growing very weak and [hevvy ?]
write me very soon
your dear mother
Sarah F. Mitchell1859-08-01Mitchell, Sarah FitzpatrickMitchell Family; Fitzpatrick Family; Alabama--Social life and customs--19th century; Letters; Peoples -- Domestic Life; History -- 1838-1874: Sectionalism, the Civil War, and Reconstruction;Line Creek, Montgomery County, Alabama, United States1859-08-01Fitzpatrick-Mitchell-Williamson Family Papers, 1850-1989, Auburn University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives, Auburn University, Auburn, AlabamaRecord Group 1223, Fitzpatrick-Mitchell-Williamson Papers, Folder 115 pages, 18 cmengAuburn, Ala. : Auburn University LibrariesThis image is the property of the Auburn University Libraries and is intended for non-commercial use. Users of this image are asked to acknowledge the Auburn University Libraries. For information about obtaining high-resolution copies of this and other images in this collection, please contact the Auburn University Libraries Special Collections & Archives Department at archives@auburn.edu or (334) 844-1732.Stillimage; Text;1859-08-01_MitchellSF_to_WilliamsonMLM_letter.pdfapplication/pdfDeeply RootedAuburn University Librarieshttp://cdm17353.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/fmw01/id/32 |