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Thursday, July 21, 2016

1844 letter-John Lloyd to Robert Lloyd

One hundred seventy two years ago, my 3rd great grandfather wrote this letter.


A letter from John Lloyd to his brother Robert.
I transcribed the letter exactly as it was written.

The letter is important because it tells when John was in Missouri and where he lived.
It states that his sister Mary and Brother Abner were deceased.  
John lists his children and I can figure the birth date of William Walker.  He lists his daughter Jane's marriage and her husband as well as their baby's name.

Lots of information about his crops and the county he lived in.

He also gives information concerning other family members, the Smith's and McCullocks.  McCullock was his mother's maiden name.

Can you imagine writing to your parents that you never expect to see them again?







To:  Mr. Robert Lloyd
       Tennesse Grandger Co  Rutledge


Return Address:  Elm Grove, MO
                              June 22nd

State of Missouri    Clay County   June 10th       1844

Dear Brother and Sister
We avail ourselves of the present opportunity of letting you know that we are all well at this time   through the services of god  hoping these few lines you all enjoying the like blessing.
Dear Brother   We have nothing of deep interest to relate   it has been a long time  since we have rote to you and sill longer since we have heard from you   with the exception of some man that passed throgh  _______county about 12 months.   Since who told an acquaintence of  mine that he lived in the neighborhood of  Father’s and all the connection was well when he left home  the last letter we got stated the death of sister Mary and Brother Abner.   Dear Brother you say to me your health was not good but better than what it had been  I have great reason to be thanksful for my health is as good as I would wish it with vctfition I am sometimes afflicted with biles  Nancy health has not been as good through the winter and spring as she has som only enjoyed but better than it was for several years after  we waz first married 
We have 9 childrain whose names is as follows  Jane, Mary Ann, Abner Thomas, Nancy, Eliza, Malinda, Albert Galiton, John Calvin, William Walker who is the baby & was three years old 21st of last February and a bad prospect for any more childrain at this time   Jane was married last December two years ago two a man by the name of George Murphy  they live nine miles from us they have got a home of there own and is making out very well   they have one child which will be two years old this fall  they call his John Calvin   I have dwelled lenthey on the family affairs  I will try to say something about the times and seasons   we had quite a moderate winter the fore part of the spring was very good since that time the weather has been very wet and sometimes so therez a great deal of corn to plant yet I had the good luck to get my corn planted before the wet weather commenced and have it plowed over the second time with the exception of about half a days plowing   there is at thiz time a bad prospect for corn and hemp wheat and oats looks well provision is plenty and money very scarce I have eight or nine thousand pounds of tobacco on hand at this time which will not bring more than two dollars per hundred if that much at this time  I am trying  to raise for  _____ thousand this season  I have as handsone a place as in Clay County
I have built a large frame barn  calculated for a grain barn but is using it as a tobaco barn at this time  the floor when put in will be twenty nine by twenty nine feet and half square as I have a one hundred and twenty or one hundred thirty acres of land under fence but more than one one third of the ground under fence is in pasture   we have a fine grass county  there is vast quantityes of people moveing from Missouri to Oregon and Texas but numbers coming to fill the places   So they are not missed    ______ Platte purchase is the thickest settled county that I was ever in and as good land and water     William Smiths and Nancy Mcullochs familiez was well not long since William Smith has got sick since he came to Missouri   Nancy Mcullochs family is making out well  none of the childsran married but Betcy and Willaim has to go I do not know what has become of him  he left this county over five years ago about marketing  Some hogs that did not belong to him William Smith childrain is all married  that is grown   with the execption of George brother Robert  if this letter comes to hand I want you to let father and Mother and all the connection see it that is convenient to do so   old Aunt Mary Johnson is dead   I have understood aunt Elizabeth Mculloch and her son James lives in the same yard as I am informed and is doing well so I shall change the subject  Very Dear Brother you rote to me that you had made a profession of religion which I was glad to hear when this comes to hand if it does I want you to sete to me and state how you are getting along in your feelings and what your prospects is for heaven and happiness and whether you trust in your acts of obedience for your salvetion or in the efficatious blood of Christ  my reason for being for being so inquisitive is this I do know that there is two grand decisions among the professing past of the people one says fsll glace free grace the other says works as to my hrart I am the one that believes in acts of obedience to follow after juetification but not to be justified for obedient acts my little hope that I obtain in Carolina near twenty five years ago still abides with me and has often afforded me consolation even when I thought that I was in a few minutes of being done with time and time things 
I wish to be remembered to Father and Mother Brothers Sisters nephews nieces and all inquiring friends   we shall add no more but remain you affectionate Brother and Sister while life remains.
                                                                John Lloyd
                                                                Nancy Lloyd

Dear parrents and friends   Mr. Lloyd has rote lenthy but I feel like I want to say sum thing  Dear Parrents I can not say that I have the best expectations of ever seeing you in this life  May the lord of his infinet me try grant we may all be prepare to meet in heven whar grieving for the lofs of departed friends will benomore we are with our two oldest children lafatizt and with them we wish to live and die fare you to well my loving friends   far well  Nancy





The original letters were digitized by the Allen County Public Library with the help of Curt Witcher.
They were donated to Fort Walla Walla Museum in Walla Walla, Washington in 2015
They were handed down through the family.










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