Dear Sister Mary It has been a long time since we have heard from you Dr [Sion Boon Hawkins, Louisa's brother-in-law] and I talked of you on your birth day (24 of July) and I thought I would write then but was busy and put it off but this morning I feel obliged to write I have been in Americus ever since march they need me more here than Mag does in Eufaula [Margaret A. Dickerson Stevens] Sallie [Sarah Elizabeth Hawkins McCormick] and her children live here and Sallie keeps house but she can't take care of Brother Sy [Dr. Hawkins'] Neal and Rinna [Neal & Varina Hawkins] I make and mend for them [Louisa has been a dressmaker] and see after their welfare it is very pleasant here we all get along nicely together have no family gars(?) and I have two very good homes I am entirely dependant on Dr H. and Mag as I am too old to earn on dressmaking but can still make a fine dress for Sallie and Rinna [Julia's children] and feel thankful that I am still able to earn my living my health is very good and I weigh one hundred & sixty and am 65 years old but oh Sister how I long to see you once more Dr says he will send me to see you this fall he thinks your country is too unhealthy for me to go in the summer
Janie [Jane Hardy Kelsey] wrote to me in April that she was coming to see us all this summer I answered immediately urging a long visit but have never heard a word from her since she lives in Sherman Texas she and Fannie [Anna Frances Tyner, Janie's daughter] live together but the home is Janies Fannie is very dependent on her Mother and I think the reason Janie did not come to see us is that Fannie was not willing for her to leave but I should think a husband [Charles F. Gribble]and two children [Frank and Maude (b. March 1884) are still living] was company enough for 3 or 4 months There are only 3 of us left [sisters Louisa Margaret, Mary Elizabeth, and Jane Hardy] out of a large family and think we ought at least to write to each other I have not been to Atlanta in 2 years Kate's [Katherine Wales Kelsey Toy] 2 daughters [Caroline Elizabeth "Lizzie" Toy Kershaw & Sarah Jennie Toy] are very poor Jim [James Monroe Toy, their father] has to help Lizzie she is a poor manager with a housefull of children Eliza [Eliza Teresa Perry, James Toy's second wife] does all she can for them Johnnie [Kate's son, John Henry Toy] is doing very well, is a real nice man has a nice wife [Laura Eugenia Edmonds] I tell you Sister Mary, you all did not give Eliza justice she was and is very kind to Kate's children Johnnie and Jennie love her as well as if she was their own Mother I love her dearly and she treats me like an own dear Sister Joe's family [Joel Kelsey, Jr. d. Jan. 9, 1971] have gone to the dogs (excuse the course expression, but it is true I never did like Fannie Hill [Joel's widow] and to think the wretch should drag our name down with the scum of Atlanta for she still calls herself Mrs Kelsey Thank God Father & Mother [Joel & Diana Kelsey] never lived to see it As for my own children Mag has a smart money making husband [Charles Allen Stevens] and 3 fine children a girl [Annie Lou] and 2 boys [Robert Kelsey & Edgar Charles] if Chalie [Charlie] Stevens lives he will be a rich man in ten years they are two people that live for each other as for my boys Arthur lives in Chattanooga has a good wife makes an honest living but will never get ahead but he is an honorable man with many friends but no children I went to see them two years ago and was very much pleased to see him doing so well but poor Alfred married nobody she is a woman I can't visit I never hear from them though they live in Ala and not more than 30 miles from Eufaula
You would be surprised to see Brother Sy he is the youngest looking man for his age (66) you ever saw very stout and apparently as able to carry on his Medical practice as he ever was his children are all with him or not more than 3 hours travel Charlie's wife [Mamie] died in July [1884] leaving six children the youngest only 10 months old [Charley b. Sept. 1883] Sallie has 4 children [Roy Duncan & Julia Ann McCormick and two more born after the 1800 Census] but her husband [John D. McCormick, d. 1881] left enough to educate them and Dr does not charge them anything for board they are living well Bobbie married well has 2 boys I know Nannie [Mary's daughter; my great-grandmother Nancy Caroline Gresham Biscoe] would be surprised to see Rinna [Varina Hawkins] she has grown to be a healthy girl 18 years old very pretty face and her limbs are perfect but her body very misshapen although when dressed you would hardly observe it they all wish you could come to see us Dr says he would rather see Sister Mary than any one on this earth O I wish you could come all the family send oceans of love to you and yours now my darling Sister make some of your girls write a long letter direct it in care of Dr S B Hawkins or I will never get it you must excuse the pencil as I couldn't find a pen that would write but never mind if you can read it good bye for this time do write immediately to your

Loving Sister Lou M Dickerson
I almost feel like saying Dear Julia sends her love too for she seems ever present with me in this house [Julia had died on Feb. 24, 1881] ___________________________________________________________________

The comments in brackets are mine. Based on the age given for the youngest child of Charlie and Mamie Hawkins (10 months old), I have determined the year to be 1884. (Charley Hawkins, b. Sep 1883 - 1900 Census)

Transcribed by Caroline Luck, June 14, 2012

Jane Hardy Kelsey to Nannie Gresham Biscoe Clarke

Notes from Caroline: Meet Jane Hardy Kelsey Tyner Campbell Speake (and all those little Gribbles I spent so much time sorting out).
No date, but I estimate 1907.
Maude's engagement must have fallen through. Apparently she didn't marry the man mentioned here, and she was still at home in 1910.
Oops - my, my - I just noticed. ANNA married "Mr. Blanding" in 1912. But there were two Blanding brothers of the appropriate age. Oh, well I don't have to sort that out.
These two Kelsey sister letters might have saved us a lot of trouble!

Sherman Aug, 20

My Dear Nannie,

You letter reached me after some days delay. I was so glad to get it, to hear from you some more. I would give anything to meet you at Cornith, but am not quite well enough yet I have had a several spell of conjestion of the stomach and am afraid to leave home. I am lots of trouble with these spells yet Fannie will not consent to it. She is so distressed. She did not think I would live for two days. I am doing very well now, but am mending as you can see. How I do wish I could have seen you and Mattie and Pat, and Katie and her children. I must see you once more before I die if possible.

Fannie, Mr. Gaibble and the children are well. Frank, the oldest son married two weeks ago, they have gone to housekeeping, and are very happy. He married a Miss Alicre Kelly, a very nice girl. Maud is engaged to a young man in Corcican, he graduated from Justice (??) College last June and is a fine young man I think. His father is a lawyer in Cor-; Mr. Blanding. The young man has his way to make ___, no time is fited for the marriage. He ____ very capable of getting on in the world.

Anarce has one more year in school, Edith two. Let me hear from you and I will write you a long letter.

I know you have had a lovely time, give much love to all the loved ones you are with. I wrote you how we liked Mr. Clarke. It was good of him to come and see us when he was here, and we did enjoy it. Oh, Nannie, how I do wish I could see you all. Will I never again? I hope so. Fannie and all the children join me in love. Do let me hear from you soon.

Loving by your
"Aunt Janie"