Samuel McMillen Newton
Letters of Catherine (Watson) Newton and Samuel McMillen Newton
In the possession of Marylee Watson KnightNote: 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(Note: The remainder of this letter, whatever was written by Sam Newton, was not preserved.)
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