James T Livingston Letter - 1873 Contributed by: Elnora Lloyd League Email: LeagueTree@aol.com The following information is about James T. Livingston, b: 1804, Montgomery Co., NC, d: 1876, Harrison Co., TX, buried on his land. He married Sarah Elizabeth "Betty" Redfearn, b: 14 May 1807 at White's Store [Community], Anson Co., NC. They married 21 Nov 1828 in Anson Co., NC. They had 6 children, the last, Sarah E., died with Sarah in childbirth in 1852. James never remarried, raised his children and some of his grandchildren alone. He kept in touch with his kin in North Carolina, and on one occasion wrote to his nephew Edward, son of John, his brother. Copy of letter follows. The original of this letter is among several letters and other documents of the Estate of Harry Stracener, who passed away in 2002, great grandson of James T. Livingston. [Those documents have been donated to the Knox Co., TN Historical Society in Knoxville in the name of Harry Stracener.] A copy of this letter also on file at Harrison County Historical Museum, Marshall, TX, submitted by Alice Vaden, June 13, 1980. Copy on file at Clayton Genealogical Library, Houston, Harris Co., TX, submitted by Wilson League, March 2000. The spelling has not been changed, and a few words are not clear. "HARRISON COUNTY, TEXAS, JANUARY THE 15TH 1873 (Letter written to) EDWARD LIVINGSTON Dear Nephew: I take this opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know that my self and family are all well at this time and I hope that when these few lines come to hand they may find you and family enjoying the same blessings. I received your letter on the 23rd of December which afforded me great pleasure to hear from you all. I would have answered your letter sooner -[?]- very bad when I received your letter. My health has been very bad for twelve months. You wrote to me to know something about Legron. I never saw him but one time. He lives about 15 or 20 miles from here. He follows merchandising. I think he stands very high in his neighborhood, as to his property I know nothing about although I think he is in very good circumstances. You want to know how far to river I am. I do not now, you also wanted to know how far to Trinity river in Andison County it is about 100 miles I think. You wanted to know if I would accept an agency. I am not able. My health will not admit of it. I have not been able to tend to my own business since the war. Alexander attended to my business as long as he lived and since his death, Wilson has been attending to it. Alexander died the 6 of April 1871. He died withy consumption. Alexander had never been well since the war. He served in the war 4 years and surrendered in N. Carolina under I. Johnson. Alexander is my oldest son and James is my next. James died in the service in Arkansas at Camp Nelson near Little Rock with typhoid fever in 1862 -- After James death, I have only three children living. Nancy and Wilson and Henry -- Nancy and Wilson is living with me. Henry is married and lives 2 miles from me. He has 2 children. He married a Miss Hall. Nancy husband was killed at the battle of Altontat Georga. She has 2 children, Sarah Elizabeth Stone the oldest 13 years and Mary Evaline Stone the youngest-11 years old. All living with me. Nancy's little girls is going to school in Marshall on the cars. I live near the station called Coldwater Station. The railroad is running right through my land. I live six miles from Marshall. It cost me twenty fore cents a piece a day to send the children to school on the cars. I generaly by a thousand mile ticket for forty dollars. They have fine schools in Marshall. Lizza is studying spilling, [?] geography and history and Mollie the youngest is studying spilling reading arithmetic and geography. They are learning very fast. We made very sorry crops last year owing to the drowth. I made a little over a third of a cotton crop. I made about twenty bales weighing five hundred pounds and corn is selling at one dollar a bushel. Cotton at fifteen and a half, I have not sold but fore bales. I want to hold the balance of it until a better price. We are all getting along very well. I make more clear money than I did when I owned slaves. You spoke of coming to Texas. I think if you would come there is plenty of oppotunity in Texas even to Free Nigros. We have a few carpet baggers and scalawags mixed with them but they begin to --[?]-- They can get office but they are not able to give bonds. It would disgust you to go to Marshall and see white trash associating with the negros. I consider them lower than negroes. I am very sorry that any of my kin are radicals. I must write to them and tell them better. You cannot immagin how much it hurts my feelings to hear how Duncan Parsons treated you. I thought that there was something the matter. I wrote to Sam Parsons time after time and never could get an answer. I was glad to hear from James Livingston. Tell him to write to me and let me know where he lives and what his post office box. Give my love to your brother John's wife_[?]_. I thought more of her husband than any of my kinsman I ever had. I never shall forget the day he left my house. I also want you to let me know where your sisters lives and who they married and their post office. I have heard but have forgotten. Give my love to your mother and tell her I would be very glad to see her. I must now come to a close by asking you all to write to me as soon as you can. Nancy says you must write to her. She says she remembers you very well. Give my love to all your children. So nothing more at present. Write soon and fail not your uncle James Livingston."