I have a copy of a lengthy letter, much too long to post in
its entirety, which was written by Lilla Adaline Spangler, daughter of Henry
Hylton Spangler to her children. I have extracted the sections shown
below to indicate some of the contents. If anyone would like a complete
copy I will be able to provide it to you. Lilla married John Newton
Bowling and was 80 years old when this was written.
Jack Spangler
jspang@erols.com
Sunday,
June 09, 2002 9:00 AM
(To the Floyd Co., VA Newslist)
**************
Riverside , California
October 15, 1944
Dear Children,
As your father, at your request, is writing a story of
his life, I thought perhaps you would be interested in reading a short sketch
of
your mother's ancestry and early life. My early childhood, as you will
discover, was the same as any normal child.
...BIG SNIP...
Your great grandfather, Samuel Spangler, was a highly
respected citizen in the county in which he lived. He was a miller by
occupation ... BIG SNIP ..I remember visiting my grandparents
at the age of ten. I remember grandfather and grandmother very well.
Grandfather {Samuel Spangler} was a very kind old man,
and grandmother {Mary Catherine Helton Spangler} was a sweet little
blue-eyed woman, an ideal homemaker. She had stacks of home woven linens
and beautiful bedspreads of yarn, "coverlets" she called them.
Grandmother owned her own loom but employed a woman to weave for her. She had
all of her rooms covered with rag carpets in red, blue, green
and black stripes. Carpets were very unusual in those days. I
remember the high poster bed stands. I remember on this visit,
grandmother was
entertaining friends. She took them up to the room which my sister and I
occupied, to show them some new coverlets, and while they were
admiring the covers, I drew a chair near the bed, got up on it, made a large
leap, and landed in the middle of grandmother's big feather bed.
My sister reproved me, and grandmother said, "Let her alone, let her
alone, that's all right". Anything I did was all right with
grandmother
....BIG SNIP...
I have been telling you of the Spanglers, my father's
people. I do not know very much about my mother's people.
Grandfather's name was
Bower, and he died when quite young. I remember seeing grandmother while
my sister and I were visiting at grandfather Spanglers. My
grandmothers were sisters. Both grandmothers, my sister and I were going
to visit an aunt who only lived a short distant from grandfathers. I was
in front walking in the road, perhaps stirring up a little dust, when I heard
grandmother Bower say, "Why do you allow that child to do
that?" Grandmother Spangler tried to "pour oil on the troubled
waters". I stopped, turned around, facing them. I took a
survey of grandmother Bower, from her head to her feet. She was
tall, her hair black as a raven. She wore a black silk dress with little
pink rose buds on it. The waist was tight fitting and the skirt full; she
wore a little cape around her shoulders, she had her knitting in her hand, her
eyes were black and piercing. She looked at me as though she would of
liked to have expressed her mind. I felt safe under grandmother Spangler's
wing.
....BIG SNIP...
The Bower's at one time were very wealthy, but like many
others, lost much of their property during the Civil War. They owned
several
slaves. Grandfather Spangler did not believe in slavery, so did not own
any Negroes. The Bower family were few in numbers, but very devoted to
each other, and did not have time to mix with other people, so I have been
told. Your Grandfather Spangler {Henry Hylton Spangler} was the
eldest son of Samuel Spangler. He married Elizabeth Bower Shelor, there
were eight children born to this family, six girls and two boys. When
the stork made his last visit he brought a "duet". I tipped the
scale at 4 ½ pounds; Nancy Jane, my twin sister, weighed 4 3/4 pounds.
My
mother died when I was nine months old, leaving a family on father's
hands. My oldest sister, your Aunt Catherine {Catherine Spangler married
Fleming M. Duncan May 21, 1883}, was engaged to be married. She
sacrificed her happiness to care for a group of motherless children, whom she
mothered until all were married. After I was married, she married a
cousin of the man she was engaged to at the time of mother's
death.
..BIG SNIP...
Before I close this rambling letter, I would like to
tell you, if I could, but I can not find the words to express the appreciation
we feel
toward you children for the love and consideration you have shown your parents
in their declining years.
Your father and I have traveled the road for sixty two
long years. We are now near the end of our trail; waiting for the train to come
round the curve, and to hear the Conductor call "All Aboard".
We may not leave on the same train, but we will arrive at the same
destination. Jesus said; "I go to prepare a place for you, that
where I am, there you may be also". And that will be Heaven! I
could take this
gladly, if I knew each of you children were prepared to take the same trip.
Lots of love,
Mother