Thoughts on 'A Letter Home From War'

      On Monday I posted a letter that my GGG-Grandfather Franklin E Leaphart wrote to his wife during the Civil War. In his letter, he touched on many different topics, all of which provide great insight into his life and the world around him. 

The War
     On 9 February 1863, Franklin E Leaphart was camped at Fredericksburg, Virginia with the rest of Company C of the 15th South Carolina Infantry (he had originally enlisted on 28 December 1861 in Lexington, SC with the 20th Regiment). At the time of the letter, Frank and his regiment were at rest. He does not give any information on previous battles, but given that he had been at war for over a year, he must have seen fighting by this time. I wonder why he doesn't talk about it directly? A quick reference check shows that the 15th fought at the battle of Fredericksburg, which had taken place a few months prior, so Frank should have fought in that battle.

     At the time of the letter, Frank wrote that,

"I cannot tell you anything positive about the war. We have orders for General Lee to be ready at all times. To march to battle at a moments warning."

"We suffer enough without fighting. Tongue cannot express how bad we fair out here but O how thankful I will be to my maker if I am spared to see peace made and get home to you and our dear litle children, there to have rest from my pains and trouble during this unfriendly war."

     Reading this, I feel bad for the conditions that Frank and his fellow soldiers find themselves in. They are miserable and can only look forward to more bad times for years to come. The 15th would fight at Gettysburg, Chicamauga, Spotsylvania, and Petersburg, to name a few battles. Frank himself died on 12 Oct 1864 from wounds and disease in a Virginia hospital. It really makes me sad to know how he died, his last years in misery, and that he could not live to an old age with his family.

Family

Ida Leaphart Hyler

     Frank's wife was Julia Ann "July" Craps / Crapps, the daughter of David Craps. The couple made their home on land purchased from David. In his letter, Frank makes reference to "our little boys," Wade and Pierce. At the time Wade would have been eight and Pierce was only three.  A bit further down in the letter, Frank talks about Julia's "confinement." Julia was then pregnant with her daughter, Ida, who was apparently conceived while Frank had been "sick at home" the previous fall. Frank writes that he hopes to come for his daughter's birth and "will use every exertion to get a furlough to come home about that time." Ida was born on 30 May 1863, a time during which Frank is listed as "present"with his regiment. However, a year later Frank did make it home. On 6 May 1864 he created his will, which was witnessed by three of his neighbors. I'm glad that he came home at least once and met his daughter, since he never made it home from war.  Also, it seems that he truly loved his wife, signing his letter as Julia's "true and affectionate husband until death." Julia died less than a year later (cause unknown to me). I wonder if things would have been different if Frank had come home?

The Economy
     A good amount of Frank's letter is instruction to Julia on running the farm: clearing ground, moving sheep, buying land, etc. It makes me wonder about the way the family ran the home. Is this just a reminder of the general way to run the farm that Julia probably already knew how to do? Or was this needed instruction that Julia didn't previously know? I suspect the former. I can't see that a farmer's wife wouldn't know some of these aspects of farming and animal care. I would also guess that many of these decisions were up to Frank. He was probably the one who set the schedule on when to do what, so Julia might not be used to making such decisions and would appreciate the guidance. All of this shows that Frank is not only fighting a war, but he's also running a farm from hundreds of miles away.
     In his letter, Frank also talks about the price of paper. Part of the letter is missing here, but paper costs $3 - though for one piece or more is unclear. That's pretty expensive for paper! He instructs Julia to tear out pages from a book in order to write back. I wonder how much paper would have cost her - or if it was even available?

Slavery
     The third sentence in Frank's letter gives reference to slavery. Apparently in her last letter, Julia had informed her husband that she had "hired a Negro" to work on the farm. This would have meant that Julia had paid a slave owner for the use of their slave.
     Later in the letter Frank asks about a slave that have been offered for sale by "old... Fort" for $600. The slaveowner's first name is missing here, but looking at census records, I think that the owner is probably A H Fort. Mr Fort is the only indexed Fort in Lexington County and, at 73 years old, would qualify as "old." He owned 34 slaves in the 1860 census. Frank wants Julia to try and purchase the woman for $400. I cannot find any record of Frank & Julia owning slaves in the 1850 or 1860 slave census records, nor in Frank's estate records. I'm not sure if Julia left a will, which might have reflected slave ownership. I do know that Julia's father, David, owned three slaves in 1860 and there are a number of men named Leaphart in Lexington County who owned slaves.
     So, I can't say for certain that Frank & Julia bought the woman - but they were willing to. I know for a fact that my Craft, Albea and Quattlebaum ancestors owned slaves. As many white Americans whose ancestors owned slaves, I find myself conflicted on how to view my ancestors. On one hand, this was the culture of the time and the way my ancestors were raised. On the other hand, there were millions of other whites in the country and around the world that had already come to the realization that slavery was wrong, wrong, wrong. Seeing where my ancestor was bargaining for the price of a human being makes it so much more real and heartbreaking. I can't help thinking about the poor woman that is being offered for sale. She's already been hired out as a worker to their neighbor, and now she might be sold to yet another person. She had no say in any of this. Considering the number of slaves that Fort owned, some of them were probably family. She might never see them again. Maybe some of the many children that Fort owned were her children. I hate that in a letter in which Frank writes so lovingly of his family, he can be so oblivious to the sufferings of others.

Religion

     Frank ends his letter with a prayer:

"July, I want you to take good care of my little boys. Try to raise them right and if I never meet you and them no more on earth, I hope to meet you in heaven. May the Lord be with us in all our troubles and help us with the pleasure of meeting again before long, to stay in peace at home and raise our children and to rest from our troubles in this war."

     I'm not sure what religion Frank followed, though it should have been some form of protestant Christianity. It's possible that they were Lutherans. The book, "Journal of the Rev. Godfrey Dreher, 1819-1851," by a Lutheran reverend lists numerous Leaphart and Craps individuals from the area. Regardless of their exact denomination, it's obvious that Frank is a, at least relatively, religious man. He places his hopes for the future in God's hands and hopes for the best. Again, this prayer makes me sad when I know that Frank will never come home from war.



     Every sentence in this letter provides clues into the lives of Frank & Julia Leaphart. This letter touches on both the good and evil in life, but in the end it paints an honest picture of my ancestors. I only wish that I had a letter like this for all of my ancestors!

_____________________________________________

Sources:

1. Franklin E Leaphart, letter to Julia C Leaphart, 9 Feb 1863.

2. "F Leapheart," Confederacy, South Carolina. American Civil War Soldiers [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.

3. "F E Leapheart," Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of South Carolina. Footnote.com (NARA M267, Record Group 109)
4. "DreherJournal" at Palmeto Genealogy Association.

A Letter Home From War (Amanuensis Monday)

   About a week ago, I was contacted by another researcher on the Leaphart family. She had seen my blog posts about the Leaphart family and wanted to exchange information. Among the documents that I received was a transcription of a letter that my GGG-Grandfather, Frank E Leaphart, sent to his wife Julia (aka July) in 1863, while he was away at war.

   In this letter, Frank talks about the war and his health, gives farming advise to his wife, talks about buying a slave, and ends with a prayer. I'm posting the transcription today, and I'll post my thoughts on it soon.

___________________________

Dear July [Julie],
Having just received a letter from you I will hasten to reply. Your letter was thankfully received. I was extremely glad to hear from you again, it affords me great pleasure to hear that you and our little boys are well and also to hear that you have hired a Negro to help you along with your work. I am not very well at present. I have taken such a severe cold and soar [sore] throat and also that disease which I have in my breast hurts me a great deal worse since I have taken such a severe cold. I have never reported sick, yet some days I am not able to walk 2 miles. We have no duty to do, except inspection and guard duty and not much of that. if we had to drill much or march much I would be compelled to give up and report sick or unfit for duty. I cannot tell you anything positive about the war. We have orders for General Lee to be ready at all times. To march to battle at a moments warning. Therefore, we listen every morning for long role to beat. I am unable to say whether we will have a fight soon or not. There is a great many men getting furloughs now. It seems by that our leading men does not think that we may never have another fight. We suffer enough without fighting. Tongue cannot express how bad we fair out here, but O how thankful I will be to my maker if I am spared to see peace made and get home to you and our dear litle children, there to have rest from my pains and trouble during this unfriendly war. July, you wrote to me that you wanted me to come home. I cannot tell you when I will come home as there is so many here that claim a furlough before me and all these that have been home since they left the coast. I want you to let me know in your next letter, when you expect to be confined and if I am spared I will use every exertion to get a furlough to come home about that time. July, if you have not had the new ground cleaned of yet, you would better have the bushes cut and piled and get some person to help you and have it burned of before the March winds come and have all the land broke up as soon as you can that you have at home and if you are of mind to, you may get a few acres more to tend from your Pa or some other person if you think it will pay. Be shore (sure) and let me know how you like that Negro when you write and let me know whether you have got our sheep or not. When you get them you better keep them up till they bring lambs, drive or take them up to that little field and change them about as much as you can and do not neglect giving them and old Susie salt occasionally. July, I have understood from Doc, since I have been here, that old... Fort offered to sell that Negro witch Daniel Jackson has hired for six hundred dollars. I want you to find out whether he will take four hundred $ yet or not. You can ask him, when you see him in paying. if he will take that I will buy her. I have about three hundred $ coming to me independent of what I owe, which I think I will be able to collect this spring and the balance I can give good insurance for until we can make it. So be shore [sure] and find out and let me know as soon as you can. I would like very much to buy her at that price. Edwin Price has got to flouring [flowering] valentines for the boys here at such a rate that I thought I would send you a copy, so do not let it alarm you at all [Mr. Price was making stationary for the soldiers]. July, if you have received that book which I sent you, use some of it for writing paper, use it out of the last of the book and save the alphabet in the first part of the book. I bought paper ......though, paper is selling for $3.00 a.... here from the sutlers. Must bring my letter to a close as I have nothing more that will interest you at present. July, I want you to take good care of my little boys. Try to raise them right and if I never meet you and them no more on earth, I hope to meet you in heaven. May the Lord be with us in all our troubles and help us with the pleasure of meeting again before long, to stay in peace at home and raise our children and to rest from our troubles in this war. So nothing more, but remain your true and affectionate husband until death.

F E Leaphart

            

Writing to Hawhammock

In an effort to expand my genealogy research strategies, I'm challenging myself to try a new, non-internet, avenue of research each month. This month, I'm going to contact the church of my Boatright ancestors. Hawhammock Missionary Baptist Church is located in Swainsboro, Emanuel, Georgia.

I started my inquiry by trying to research the best ways to contact churches. I didn't find much. From Family Tree Magazine, I found a list of Church Record Resources, including the American Baptist Historical Society (though FTM has the wrong link, I was able to find their site via google). From their website, I found that they, "have found that Baptist church records are generally not helpful for genealogical research." This is mainly due to adult baptism that is not recorded, the fact that marriage is not regarded as a sacrament and records are not often kept, and because there is no regulated administrative policy. They do, however, keep records of those who served the church as pastors or missionaries.

Well, regardless of this, I'm still going to attempt to contact the church to see if they have information. I read in someone else's research that my ancestor, Reubin Boatright, was a deacon of the church. Also, many of his family members are buried there, so the church might have some burial or death information.

Here's the letter I'm sending via the contact form on their website:

"Hello,

I'm contacting you to inquire about your church's history. I'm an avid genealogist and my ancestors were members of your church, many of whom are buried there.

I was wondering if your church kept records of your members? My ancestors include Reubin Boatright (1794-1878) and his wife, Demaris Boatright (1829-1900) and their son, Stephen Boatright (1863-1950) and his wife Dora Logue (1863-1935).

I apologize for making this such a broad request, but I'm not sure what information you might have, if any. I would be grateful for information that your records may contain and would be more than willing to compensate your for your time.

Thank you for any assistance."

I'm not sure how good this letter is, but I guess I'll find out when (if?) I receive a response.

What I Learned From a Letter

My Grandmother, Betty Huyler Albea, was born in 1931. She was only 7 years younger than her youngest uncle on her mother's side. Because of the closeness in age, she viewed her uncles as more of cousins and friends than as elders. Also, because she was an only child, she was very close to the rest of her family. She kept up a correspondence with her family through letters, a few of which she kept.

One of those letters, from her Aunt Katherine (who married her uncle, Milton Waters) provided a wealth of information - once I figured out the handwriting.

(Katherine McGahee and Milton Waters, 1964)

One of the most important parts of a letter is, as far as I'm concerned, the envelope. There's so much to learn from an envelope: Two or more people's names, addresses, the date, relationships and titles - even the cost of postage.

This particular letter is a good example of that. The letter is from Mrs. Arthur C. Saunders and I had no idea who that was. Once I opened and read the letter, I learned that Katherine had remarried after the death of her husband, Milton. I'm also able to date the letter as 1976, from the postmark, and give the locations of the two women corresponding.

The first page of the letter shows that it was written July 11, 1976. Aunt Katherine talks about Betty's children, including my mom, Ruby. She comments on my mom's marriage and the difficulties she was having. In just over a year my mother would be divorced. She then talks about folks I have yet to figure out who they are. Step-children maybe? As far as I'm aware, Katherine never had any children of her own. More research is needed to discover their identities.

Katherine also mentions that "We've been getting ready for our trip... we're going to England in Aug." From her second husband's obituary, I discovered that Arthur Saunders was born in England.

The next page shows that they are visiting relatives, who will be taking them on a side trip to Scotland. Fun times!

After this, and anther paragraph, the letter becomes a gold mine. When I read this letter I really only knew Katherine's name, and that she was married to G-G Uncle Milton. That's all, no details or dates. From the next paragraph I learn:

• Katherine married Arthur Saunders in April 1972
• Katherine married Milton Waters in June 1945
• Her birthday is 3 July 1925

She then goes on to talk some about a cousin-in-law, Emma and then someone else - Ben?

Whoever it is she's writing about, they write often and have young grandchildren. Katherine then goes on to ask about the rest of my Grandmama's children, noting my Aunt June being in college and my uncle getting married.

This letter gave me lots of little tidbits of information and a peak into the lives of my family in 1976. It also gave me tips of where to look for more information. I'm very glad that my Grandmama held onto it.