Taylor A. Baxter Letter to:
Col. Thomas J. Jefferson
Col. Thomas J. Jefferson
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Independence County, Arks. July 16th 1867 Dear Col., Your letter of the 3rd June came to Batesville a month ago but I get all my mail matter at Curie - and have not been at Batesville for a long time I did not get it until yesterday. It gives me great pleasure to hear from you after so long a silence. The dangers and troubles both mental and physical with which I had to contend during the war are too numerous and too severe to enumerate now. In August 65, I returned to Batesville with one surviving child and without a dollar, being compelled to dispose of my farm to pay my debts. But by my hard labor and close economy and good luck I have accumulated enough to settle myself comfortably on a small farm where, with reasonable industy and economy and blessings of Providence, I have no fears of being able to provide all the necessary comforts of life for my family. I am truly glad to hear from Minnie and Tom. It is the first news I have had from Min since I came home - And should we out live Pinck we will most assuredly obey your injunction. And we would be glad to have them now. Wesley Turner died on the 16th of May, 63 of small pox near Helena, Arks. espressing a strong hope of future hapiness. The things left at Mrs.Turner's I presume are all lost - her house was robbed of everything of any value by some Rebels in the fall of 63. Soon after she went to Iowa and has since married and will not return. The girls were in Ill. at that time and know nothing about them. Pauline has Wesley's watch and will keep it for the children. John Martin is farming near Little Rock. He has no hand to write as you know. And besides, I think he is displeased with me for my course in the war and tries to avoid me. And I will not press myself upon him although I have as kind a feeling for him as ever I had. Elisha saw him a few weeks ago. He is in very bad health but says that his boys are well. My boy is a fine healthy and intelligent boy now in his tenth year. Politically I can not agree with you but I will not quarrel with you about it. I know you are honest in your opinion but I think your judgement is at fault for once. I belong to the Sumner and Stephens School in good faith. Write to me again soon direct to Curie, Independence County. Truly Yours,
T. A. Baxter
M.B. Pauline joins in love to you and family. |
1. Minnie and Tom - Col. Thomas Jefferson, with his second wife Nancy, had a daughter and son, together - George Watson Jefferson and Sarah Jones Jefferson. Sarah was married to Ed Turner. Sarah and Ed died and left their two children Minnie and Thomas orphaned. Taylor, being an uncle to Sarah's two children, took them to Peabody, KS to live.
2. "Pinck" - was the nickname for Wellington Pinkney Jefferson, son of Col. Thomas and first wife Charlotte.
3. "Sumner and Stephens" -
a. Charles Sumner (1811-1874), a Massachusetts senator, was called the champion of lost causes. He was the first major American politician to advocate ballots for African-Americans.
b. Thaddeus Stevens (1792-1868) was a Vermont native who sought to give blacks the rights of American citizenship and economic support for their freedom. Far in advance of his time, he believed that black liberation could not be real unless it was supported with economic independence.
4. Pauline - Taylor's second wife after the death of his first wife, Charity.
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Submitted by: Robyn Ann [Jefferson] Wilson
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April, 2008 |
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