Letters
of Catherine (Watson) Newton and Samuel McMillen Newton
In
the possession of Marylee Watson Knight
NOTE:
The following letters were written by Catherine (Watson) Newton and her
husband Samuel McMillen Newton to Catherine’s brothers Joseph Fowler “Joe”
Watson and James Newell “Jim” Watson. Sam, born in TN, was the son of
Ebenezer J. Newton and Sena (Erwin) Newton.
Catherine “Kate”, born in Panola Co TX,
was the daughter of William Watson and Nancy Barcenia (Lindsey) Watson.
The land discussed in the letters as being sold in exchange for goods was their
part of the land grant their maternal grandfather John Lindsey received from the
Mexican government in 1834. This
land was situated in what is now Polk County TX.
The money from Paul Gray and the Gary land relates to the sale of Panola
County land they had inherited from their father, William Watson.
The death of Mary refers to the death of their sister Mary Ellen, the
second wife of John Tolbert Browning. Browning’s
first wife was another sister Martha Watson. The following is typed exactly as
it appears in the original letters with the writer’s spelling, punctuation and
grammar left intact. The original
letters are in the possession of Marylee Watson Knight of Beckville TX and are
kept in a bank vault. Marylee is the granddaughter of Joe Watson.
Ravenna
Texas March 2nd 1884
Mr
Joe Watson. Dear Sir. We received
your kind letter a few days since and hasten to answer.
Well, I can say that we are all tolerably well today and living in our
own house again. Kate is getting
along tolerably well now. Not able
to do the house work yet, she got along very well at first for a while but when
she began to think of getting up, she took a chill and was might sick for a few
days and that put her back as far as she was at first, but she is able to be up
all day now. I think she will get
along all right now. There is some
sickness in the country now though the connection are all well so far as I know
at this time. Well, Joe, you had
better come up and buy you a lot in our town.
I learn there are some for sale now.
I do not know at what price I expect they will ask twenty dollars or more
for twenty by one hundred feet. I
don’t know whether you can do better in your business here or not. There are two stores here and they both keep groceries. I can
say this when you get time come up and see us and then you can find out whether
you can do better here or not. They
sell goods at a price that will make money if they can only sell enough of them.
We have a very nice little town here, it is improving some.
If it continues to build up we will have quite a town. There is a good school in about two hundred yards of our
door. We will start Jimmy, Willie
and Nelia in the morning. Ola cant
go till Kate gets able to take care of the house.
You said something about sending us some money.
If you want to send any send it by Post Office order, get the order on
the Office at Bonham and send to me at this Office Ravenna Fannin County Texas
and let me know in whos name the order is taken out, or you can send the order
to Bonham and notify me at this Office whichever you like.
We will be glad to get some money now, as we are in need of some just at
this time. Well Kate wants to say a
few words, so I will quite and give her a chance.
Tell Jim to write to me. I
wrote to him when we first got here and have not heard from him yet. Would like to hear from him.
Let us hear from you often. Come
and see us if you can. Kate will
finish this letter. S.M. Newton
Dear Brother Joe I thought I would write you a few lines in Sams letter as I am just now getting able to write you say you want to know how I like the country well I hardly can tell you yet as I have not been any where that is visited none yet I like my new home very well though scarce of house room yet have plenty of visitors I like my neighbors very well they seem to be kind and sociable I like the name you sent the baby very if it was not so much like Olas name. Mary Dial calls it Joe Anna it don’t make much difference about the name any way tell Jim and Sue I have been looking for a letter from them but have not got it yet come and see us next summer write soon As ever your Sister Kate Newton. You can pay my part of the law suit expenses out of the Paul Gray money or the Gary money just which you please.
Ravenna
Texas May 6th 1884
Mr
Joe Watson Dear Brother
I
received yours of the I have forgotten the date instant and hasten to
answer. I will say in the first
place that I have nothing new to write. We
are all tolerably well except Will he thought he had a chill day before
yesterday and we gave him Quinine last knight to keep it off today and he is not
feeling so well today. I will say
to you that if you think it best to sell for goods, that we are willing to take
you and Jim for our part as you proposed in your letter which came to hand
yesterday. You can do as you think best about selling.
I received a postal from Br. Thomasson a few days ago.
He said he could sell for $1.12-1/2 per acres if we would take goods for
it. Well Joe if we have any money in your hands, you will please
settle our Taxes and all expences and send the remainder if any to us as we are
in need of a little at this time. I
wrote to you a few days since giving directions how to send.
I will close as I have nothing of interest to write.
I am making a garden for Kate, we have not gardened any yet.
I don’t know that there is any time lost though.
Write
to us often.
Ever
Yours
S.M.
Newton
To
Joe and Jim Watson
Ravenna
Texas May 15th 1884
Mr
Joe Watson, Dear Brother
I
received a card from Bro Thomasson in which he said he had sold the Polk County
lands for goods, and wanted to know what to do with our interest in them. If you and Jim are still in the notion of selling goods, and
want them, and will take them on the same terms you proposed some time ago, you
just say to Bro Thomasson to turn them over to you.
He wanted me to write to him and let him know what to do with them.
I don’t know his office. You
can use this letter for your authority to receive them if he requires any.
Crop prospects are a little better now.
Farmers have had a good time to keep up with there work, they have lost
no time on there farms. It is
raining some now. If it continues
long it will be to wet to plow. This
leaves all well. Green and Asa Dial
both died with pneumonia a few days ago. Excuse
me for this time, the mail is ready to leave, and I want this to go in todays
mail. Write to us soon and let us
know what you have done.
Sam
Newton
Ravenna
Texas May 10th 1885
Dear
Brother will try to write you a few lines to inform how we are all getting along
well we are all sel at present the health of the country very good. I was very sorry indeed to hear of Marys death although she
treated me so indifferent I don’t know why she was so hard hearted toward me.
Sam said she didn’t ask a single word about me when he was down there
So you see she treated me as though I was not in existance tell Tolbert he has
my sypathy he is so unfortunate with his family.
You wrote you thought of visiting us this summer.
Oh how I wish you would come. Quarterly
meeting commences here the fourth Sunday in July make your arrangements to come
then if not before. Tell Jim to
come too. I would like to see you
and him one time more we are few in number now.
I would have written to you sooner but I thought I would have my babys
picture taken and send it to you will send it in this letter it is very much
like her. We have never named her
yet we call her teet Kate will be one of her names Sam wants her called that I
don’t like the name my self. Jim
Newton got a letter from Brother Carter to day he has just got back from a visit
to his mother in Misouri he brought a wife back with him.
We are going to have a big barbecue here next Saturday I wish you could
be here. Well I will have to close
for this time as Sam is going to write you.
Write as soon as you get this I would like to hear from you often.
Kate
Newton
(Note: The remainder of this letter, whatever was written by Sam Newton,
was not preserved.)