The following letters are transcribed from the writings of  Bessie Lee (nee Hill) Phillips Petsch, youngest child of Mary Lee and James Henry Hill. Bessie was born Feb. 23, 1900 in Brown County, Texas and died at Fredericksburg, Texas  in 1992. She is quite candid when talking about her life; sharing both the good and the bad. She gives new insight into the Hill family, as well as the Stones and Welches. In one of the letters, Bessie said "you can tell by my spelling that I never went to school more than a week in my life".  It should be noted that Bessie Hill wrote two novels late in her life; No Mercy for Betty and Strange Fate.  These letters are presented exactly as Aunt Bessie wrote them. For identification and clarity purposes, I have added bold notes to the letters.

July 16, 1976

My Dear little Floy (niece, Floy Stone Hendon)

You are so dependable and sweet. I'm glad that you called the agents and sent the papers and pictures to them.

You be sure to keep an account of what you have spent on the manuscript (Floy was assisting Bessie get one of her books published), because I mean to make it up to you even if the book don't sell.

We are fine, just wet. It's been raining for 15 days. Showers sometimes hard until we've measured nearly 10 inches. The garden has rotted. The fields are standing in water. Maise has big heads but not a seed in them.

But, we have to accept the things that we cannot change and do the best we can.

I suppose you are watching the convention. I am for sure.

(second page is missing)

that Jesus is coming soon.

Cecil (Cecil Welch) and family came by to see me last week and told me that J.W. (James Wylie Hill) , that's Henry's (Henry Marion Hill) boy, lost his oldest son a short while back. Said he drowned. That he must have had water cramps.

I'll write you a seperate page on what I know about the Hills which is not a lot. But maybe you can make some kind of a tree out of it. Ha!

I am planning to fly to your place later on. But we'll have to do a lot of planning, and, since Petsch (husband, Edward Petsch) said he'd let me have the money, that won't be any worry. But I want to bring Leslie Jr.'s baby boy (Bessie's grandson) with me and that might not be so easy done. He has been my baby from birth and I love him so much. Les and June has let the 4 girls hassel his life so badly that I want to do something to make him happy. He's 15 but so small and the prettiest boy I ever saw. And he loves me so much as I do him and he could be a lot of help to me as well as mighty sweet company. But I'll have to talk to his parents and do some hard persusion.

I don't even have a copy of the book (Strange Fate) that my husband's brother in law took. I did have but I've moved so much and  lived in leaky houses, so the copy I had was messed up till I could not read it.

If Petsch (husband, Edward) was not on disability Social Security and under my feet all the time, I might remember it enough to re-write it. But I'm dead headed and get so nervous I can't stand interruptions.

Did you let your friend read Strange Fate (her book)? Or, don't you think it's worth while to fool with.

If I were alone I think I might help with writing another book, but you'd have to be the brains. Up to now, I've never given a thought to trying another one. But, maybe we could get together and work up something.

Take care and let me hear often about the book.

I love you a lot.

Aunt Bess

The following additional pages were attached to the above letter:

My father's name was James Henry Hill. He only had one brother and one sister. The brother John (John Franklin Hill) was killed at a young age (19...in 1880) helping a friend carry a 50 lb. catfish hung on the barrel of a long gun. They were walking one in front of the other, the barrel was toward Uncle John and stock towards the friend. The friend stepped down into a ditch and when he stepped up, the fish slipped on the barrel and the gun went off and killed Uncle John. My Daddy (James H. Hill) kept the front of that shirt till he died. I've seen it many times and heard my daddy talking about it sadly. His sister, Nancy,  died before her kids were grown. I don't know how many kids she had nor what her husband's name was. ( Bessie is referring to James Henry Hill's halfsister, Nancy (nee Rhodes) Green.  James H. Hill's mother was previously married to Jonathon Willis Rhodes) . So that's all the Hills I know of except my brothers and sisters.

Alice (we called her Allie) was the oldest. Henry was the second kid. Then a very badly crippled boy who never spoke a word in his life. He was eleven when he died. ( Bessie is referring to Giddy Hill. He was born seriously retarded in 1890 and died in 1901). Then Aunt Minnie, Aunt Pearl, then your mama Montie Mae, then Bill and his twin, which died. The crippled boy was Giddy -- we called him Gid. Then poor old me and my twin which died along with my mother. As well as I can remember two died before being borned. (note: Evidently, Mary Lee Hill had two miscarriages).

Well you know about my daddy ( James Henry Hill ) or as much as I do. My Aunt Annie Rhodes (Missouri Anna Lee Rhodes) was 90 years when she told me she thought his real name was Pratt. But she wasn't sure. She's my aunt on my mother's (Mary Lee) side. I don't believe that it was because Pratt is not an Indian name, and believe me, he was pure Indian. Cherokee. ( note: According to Stone and Hill family sources,  both James Henry Hill and his brother, John Franklin Hill, were illigitimate. After their mother, Matilda (nee Stone) Rhodes became a widow, she had an affair with an Indian hired hand named Pratt. She later married H.T. Hill, who adopted and raised both boys. This story is likely true, but has never been proven.) Any way, I wrote you my brothers and sister's names.  Now...Allie (Alice "Allie" Hill Stone) had two boys...J.D. and Floyd. Henry (Henry Marion Hill) had one girl , Janie, by his first wife (Freedonia "Donie" Lee). Then from his second wife (Mary A. Townzen) he had B.T. , Finus, J.W., and Winnie Dell. Minnie (Minnie Hill Welch) had Bud, Noble, Irene, Florence (died), then Cecil, Hazel, John David, Russell, and Helen. Pearl (Ila Pearl Hill Skinner) had Jewel, Lola (died), Royce, and Isleor (?) Ila Dee. Montie (Montie Hill Stone) had Pauline, Floy, Ethel Mae, James, Earl, and Ima Gene. Hope that's right. Bill (William "Bill" Hill) had Bernice, Ruth, Helen and Harley, then Boots (Dorothy Hill) ...that's the only thing I ever heard her called. Bessie (herself) had Weldon, Madelyn, Tommye Bell, and Leslie Lyndon Jr. I could not know Henry's grand kids nor any other than my own, but you can write J.W. and find out. Yes I remember a few. Allie had no grand kids. Her two boys were killed in car wrecks soon after they were married. I don't know Minnie's except Bud's. They were Willie, Lois, and Harold.  David's was Peggy. Don't know Bill's grand kids. Bessie's grand kids in order they came -Weldon's Conley and Deborah. Madelyn's Rodney, Milton, Cindy, Suzanne, William and the one by Bush--Prissila. Tommye's-- Vance and Gregg Everette (boys). Leslie Jr.'s -- Duane, Gwyn, the twins- Vickey and Valarie, Dawn, and Dearl (Daryl ?) Wade. Irene can give you the names of the rest of the grand kids. Pearl had three grand kids. Jewell had one-- Janeane. Royce had two-- Jan and Gwyn.

I forgot and I'm ashamed. I was the last of my daddy's (James Henry Hill) kids by my mother (Mary Lee Hill died during Bessie's birth) -- Then he married and had Dovie (a twin - died), Ruby, Alex, and Eddie. Ruby has no kids, but Dovie had one...Jack Norton. Ruby's married name is Burgess.

I'm sorry I gave you the wrong impression. My daddy (James Henry Hill) only tried to kill his father when he was 14 (1877) --His dad (Pratt ?) came to see him and the kid ran him off with a gun. He (James Henry Hill) did go to prison for stealing horses. But his cousin Jim Red Stone (James Redman Stone...son of Martin Stone) was the instigator. I may think of something later. If I do, I'll write it down.

Aunt Minnie (Minnie Hill Welch) had the family bible with the records, but her house burned and every thing went in the fire except two tin types of our father and mother. I had them enlarged. Then I burnt out and away went the nice pictures.

There's a lot about the name Hill you probably wouldn't want in the family tree. Wish I could tell you about it. The two of us could write a great book. Remember my daddy's mother was a Stone. And believe me, the Stones were meaner than any Indian in those days. Yes, they hated Indians so much they tried to kill every one they saw. Even taught my father to kill his own daddy (Pratt?), who was not named Hill by no means. Thats why we could never get our Indian rights. He (James Henry Hill) had to file under his real name and he nor anyone else ever told us kids what our real name was. We tried to get our rights in the name Hill, but lawers (lawyers) could never find that name. So some one else like big oil companys got what we should have. With what I know and some research we could write a book that would rock the country. Guess though that's just wishful thinking unless both of my books sell.

I do want my other manuscript that you have, "Strange Fate" to get a chance if "No Mercy For Betty" gets published. If I had only had some help instead of paying crooks, I might be rich now. But I'm so old and awkward I might not last long enough to finish another book. But I could give it a try, changing names and places like I did in the first book (No Mercy For Betty). But a trip to west Texas gave me the inspiration to write Strange Fate. It too fell from my mind as fast as I could write it. And I think it's better than a lot of paperbacks I've read. At least it shows many emotional scenes that just might bring some one to the Lord. Because my feelings were genuine.

So Floy, you can see by all of this, that a family tree would be hard to manage. We could take it from my father's birth, and we'd have to use the name Hill of course. Then come on down to me and my kids. Yes, and all of my brothers and sisters kids even grand and great grand kids. You see, Hill was my father's step daddy and I don't even know what his given name was ( note: he was H.T. Hill). But, we could call him James or John Hill. Then, as we come on down, we learn that Hills married Stones as close as second cousins. But that is OK because lots of people marry cousins.

But as far as my family is concerned, I can say truthfully, that my daddy's blood was the strongest because we are all like him.  He believed in honesty and truth, but he thought it had to be beaten into us instead of kindness and love. Since I was old enough to remember him and, believe me that was when I was three years old, I never heard him talk of God or love. But always of honesty and he told us to hold our heads high even if we died hard. He had a lot of pride and never wanted any thing to take it away from him. But I know he believed in God in his strange way. He joined the Baptist church when he was a young man and went to church regular until he married our step mother. With their fighting and fussing all the time, he quit going to church. He was firm some times pretty cruel with us, but Lord, we loved him so very much. But we also feared him very much.

If you can read this scribbling, pick around and see what you can put together. And by the way, hardships, tears and nigger work along with old age has caused my mind to jumble at times. But until I was 70 years old, my mind was litterly on fire. Oh there's so much I could tell you. But, maybe it's just as well you don't know all of it. It might not be good for you. But, don't you ever loose faith in our God. I feel His presence and know that I am his child. I know too, that had I not known him I could not have stood the hard ships of life. Because when I was in trouble I called on him for strength. Not for anything this world has to offer.

I'll tell you some day why I married Petsch (husband, Edward) at the age of 69 after I swore I'd never  marry no man on earth again.  But life hasn't been all bad but I'm here to tell you there's been very little good. My kids was my pride and joy and, I think I'll tell you that we had a lot of fun inspite of poverty and confusion. Oh I could go on and on. But this might be all you can take at one time.

* * * * * *

Feb. 10, 1977

Dear Floy, (her niece, Floy Stone Hendon)

I'm a little late, but had to wait for a check to buy a tablet.

Enjoyed your letter, but sorry business is slow and that you are so worn out. I've had many worn out days and when I was quite young, I had a lot of physical pain, too, but had to keep plugging along as you say. So, I know how it feels and wish that you could retire now. I think of you so much. But I know that you have rich blood. The kind that never gives up.

Dear, I'm afraid that there's no way to take you to a place where your precious mom (sister, Montie Hill Stone) and I were raised. Because we never lived at one place more than two years then we moved on. But I could take you to where I got my back beat the most and, at least close to where I was born and where my mother (Mary Lee Hill) was buried. Just out of Zephyr, Texas 15 miles out of Brownwood (Brown County, Texas). Even to the spot where I gave my heart to God. And close to the spot where the sheriff picked us up (note: after they became orphans in 1910, Bessie and her sister, Montie, were sent to live with their older sister, Minnie and her husband, John L. Welch.  Because of abuse and beatings by Welch, the young girls ran away on a train. Bessie was about thirteen years old; Montie about ten ). He didn't take us to jail, but to a hotel leaving someone to see to it that we didn't slip out. I tell you we laughed all night and scratched bed bugs. We had to hide out that night earlier in the weeds till train time. We laughed for six months every time we thought of that ugly experience. Also years after-wards because we didn't know enough to make it work. But we will just have to get together and you can laugh with me.

But, now to something else. Which granddaughter of yours is expecting a baby? And who was the girl that was expecting, the one I made the tatling for?

Well we finally have two days of sunshine and, the weather man says it will last at least a few days. This winter has really been bad for me. Having to stay inside for weeks really got to me. But today, I got out and raked leaves and cleaned the yard well. I feel good tonight because of it.

(Sunday)
Had to stop last night to fix supper for Petsch (husband, Edward Petsch). I eat at 5:30 or 6 and he eats at 8. That's silly, but he grew up that way and I grew up eating soon after leaving the fields.

Floy, if they send the book ( Bessie's novel ) to you, you should ask your friend what part needs changing, then send the chapters to me and I'll change it. Cause I know how it really happened. I'm sure it's where I went into detail about the babies births, so that won't be hard to change and, I believew two or three chapters will be enough change to suit them. I can get it typed by my lawer (Lawyer) friend here, then fit it into the chapters.

Lord! How I wish we lived closer together. That way, we could work together on the book and have fun at the same time. How I would love to take you to the place where my daddy (James Henry Hill) died and was buried. But we could never find the place, let alone the grave. He never had a marker other than a board drove in the ground. I think it was in the 50's that Henry, Minnie, Pearl (Bessie's siblings) and one of Henry's boys went to the community graveyard (Morgan Mills, Texas) where he was buried. But, they could not even find the spot. Henry and Pearl went to his funeral, but it (the cemetery) was strange to them and none of the neighbors was still living. So it was a trip from Lubbock to within a few miles of Mineral Wells wasted.

You see Floy, as long as he (her father, J.H. Hill) lived, we lived mostly in tents and covered wagons. Always on the move from the Stones to our stepmother's (Zula Mitchell) folks. It might seem to people of now days a terrible way to live. But to us, it was wonderful, cause we got to visit folks with lots of kids. So, we enjoyed every hour of it. I can't remember eating off tables too often while my daddy lived. But spreading oilcloth on the ground and sitting on the ground was fun for us kids. God! How I love to go back in my mind to seeing him build the fires, holding his coffee pot over the fire on a long rod, then watch him drink it and then watch him wipe it off of his mustache. Does that sound like a nut talking? Well I'm that kind of a nut. Because that was my early childhood and I hold it dear. That was about (as close) to nature as you can get.

Right now, if I were alone away from TV, I could write a story that would make folks wish they could have lived away back there when people were not the least bit concerned about fine houses, clothes and furniture. Because now days poor people envy what other folks haveand try to live the way the Jonses live knowing they can not. So that makes them uncomfortable and unhappy, so they sceme for more money to show that they can show people that they can have expensive things too. They never stop to think that things of this world will pass away, then in heaven we will have a lovely home not made with hands.

Well I guess I've written enough history for now. So, I'll ring off. Take care and think this. Every word was from my heart.

Hope the sun keeps shining so that I can work outside. Feed my chickens, pick up 7 or 8 eggs and breathe the good fresh air.

Give my love to all of your kids, and tell Charles ( Floy's grandson, Charles David Purcell ) that it's fine and sweet to marry so young. But just be sure it's the kind of love that God's love is back of it. That's the only kind of love that will last a life time and be as sweet then as it was at first. I think he (Charles) is sweet and hope she's as sweet.

Well Floy after you have been able to catch your breath from reading all this, write me again. Ha!

Love you a lot.
Aunt Bess

Floy Honey, I forgot to tell you that nothing could make me happier than for you to come see me. Please do. I know we've never been together much. But, I've rocked you a thousand miles and loved like you were my own. I need so much to see and talk to some of my own kin. It's been so awfully long. God bless you.

Aunt Bess

*  *  *  *  *

August 27, 1987

Dear Finus and Minnie (Nephew, Finus Hill and his wife)

Yes, Finus, I remember you and Minnie. But, thats about all I remember. I was the last kid my dad and mother (James Henry  & Mary Lee Hill) had, and she died when I was born (Feb. 23, 1900) along with my twin sister. And my daddy (James Henry Hill) died when I was 11 years old (Jan. 10, 1910), so I don't know much about the Hills. I know one thing about my dad, no body in the country ever crossed him. He and his only brother (John Franklin Hill) were fighting devils. He was a good daddy, but boy! We knew to move when he spoke. I don't have a brother or sister living, so all I can remember is what older folks said, and I was so little, I can't remember much. But, I remember him as an honest and well behaved neighbor, but there sure wasen't any foolishness in him. He always said he tended to his business and every body else had better damned well do the same. He sure wasen't relighous (miss spelled) you can tell by my spelling that I never went to school more than a week in my life. I had  to live with one of my other sisters (Minnie Minerva Hill) and her half witt husband (John L.Welch). He demand-ed that I pick 150 lbs of cotton every day. I was 11 years old (1911) and had never been forced to pick cotton, and I hated him with every lb. of my body. I told him while he was beating me with his belt, that when I was grown I was going to kill him even if I had to slip up behind him. But he died with pnumonia before I even got to be 15. (note: John Welch died in 1953. Bessie was thinking of her father, who died before she was fifteen years old) His name was Welch. His whole family was half witted. Finus I'm sorry I can't tell you any thing about the Hills, but I know they were good neighbors and they were honest hard working folks.

I think my daddy (James Henry Hill) was raised at Comanche, Tex. But I don't know if any Hills live there now.  I wish we had kept in touch. I'd love to live close to you and be your friend.

Write any time you feel like it, and I'll answer right back. Visit me if you can. I can't go any place. I can't drive and Edward ( second husband, Edward Petsch) can't drive much. His heart is very bad. But write us.

Love,

Edward and Bessie

* * * * *

Nov. 29, 1983

Dear Floy, (niece, Floy Stone Hendon)

I loved your letter and will be happy to see any or all of you girls when you come down to see me.

But, don’t expect to see a fine house and fine furniture. Because we live in an old trailer house and try to be contected. But feel embarassed when folks visit me. But at my age and pain it don’t make much difference. I’ve lived in tents quite a lot in my time, but it didn’t matter, we love always, plenty to eat. Didn’t have many clothes because we never went any place.

I never went to school much more than 6 months. But we were taught to know God, have nice manners and hold our heads high if we died hard. Oh yes, and we were taught to work hard and enjoy life. My daddy (James H. Hill) was a bitter man, and sometimes he was pretty rough on us kids, it made us love him, and the covered wagons we lived in.

I went to Oklahoma Court house years ago and I learned that my daddy never did try to get any Indian money. They said that he never tried to get his claim. So other Indians got his part. And there is no free Indian land in Oklahoma. So, no matter what anyone says, there is no more free Indian land. And that’s that.

Honey, why don’t you come for a few days and get some copies of my mother’s (Mary Lee) picture here at Austin? Might even get it done at Fredericksburg. I cried and said my mother over and over. I’m so proud of it and she was a very pretty woman.

But we will get some copies somehow. Your mother (Montie Hill Stone) and Aunt Minnie (Minnie Hill Welch) never saw this picture. They both were dead when this picture was made. (evidently, Bessie is referring to a photo of their mother that had surfaced after Montie and Minnie died (1963 & 1965). We have never been able to visit much. All of us married poor men.

How is Pauline (Pauline Stone Herring) and the other kids? How I would love to see all of you.

You take care and remember that I love you. Write soon or come sooner.

Aunt Bess