The following letters were written 1826-1836, by Asa Bishop and his family in Alabama to Asa’s daughter Nancy Bishop Lupton and husband Allen Lupton at Cedar Island. The Bishop family married into the Nelson, Wallace, Lupton, Styron, Robinson, Whitehurst, and Fulford families of Carteret County. Members of all these families were on the wagon train that left Carteret County for Alabama in 1823.
These letters were the only three rescued from a box of letters that were being burned years ago. The information in these letters is very important to genealogist working with these families. One can only imagine what history the burned letters could have unfolded. The original letters are now in possession of Mrs. AlmetaTaylor of Sea level, NC.
I have transcribed the letters as they were written misspellings, etc. There were no periods in the letters, but there are places where I felt I had to insert one to make sense of what was being said.
LETTER # 1
Maringo County
November 9th, 1826
Dear children I now set down to rite you the most lonely news of your mothers death. She was taken sick the 7th of August and died the 5th of September in her seventieth year of her age she has had her health for 4 or 5 years better than you ever known her to have it for that length of time and could have walked round to see all her children in one a day. Her fever was high and she talked some out of her head for 2 two weeks then her sickness took a turn her fever seemed light she lay like one in an easy sleep and never spoke but few words. She never ate more than a mouth full in two weeks she drank a good deal of coddle coffee and w and sider weakened and sweetened. The last word I heard her speak plain was The Lord give me patients. I told her she was the patientest creature I ever see. She never moved hand or foot for some time before she died without a struggle or groan. Her children was all round her all most the __
____ _____. I don’t have any thing more to write but desire you to write as often as you can I will continue to write as long as I am able but your brother John will write when I give out
my head is weak and my eye sight Bad may the Lord guide and direct you in the way that is most pleasing to him From your affectionate father ASA BISHOP
TO ALLEN AND NANCY LUPTON
Letter # 2
Meringo County
December 21 (no year)
Dear Brother and Sister, I take this opportunity to inform you that I and my family is well at present and hope you are enjoying the same blessing and all my sisters and their Family well except brother ____ ____ _____this week but is some better all our neighbors is well at this time but it was very sickly hear last spring and summer and a lot of deaths but only two in our family Easter lost her little daughter Delila and Mister Fulford lost his black boy Peter there has been very good crops made here this year Mister Fulford made about thirty five thousand weight of cotton which he sold at fourteen cents per pound. I would be glad you would come to this country if you could be satisfied for I want to see you all very much I have six children Stephen, James, Joseph, Bishop, William and Abey two of brother Johns children living with dada and one with William Robinson and one with his mother. Lotty has another son by her last husband Easter has three children, Allen, Rebecca and Lidia Betsy has five and Sally nine Dada is so old he can’t hardly write is the reason he don’t write to you no oftener but I want you to write me as often as you can and I will try to write you as well as I can Tell Old Uncle and Aunt Nan that Simon is well and has lived with us this year but is to be hired out the 29th of this month Daniel has made between forty and fifty dollars this year by making ____ ____ and ____ is very high Give my love to all your children and all enquiring friends no more at present but still remain your loving sister MARY FULFORD
TO ALLEN AND NANCY LUPTON
LETTER # 3
MARCH 20, 1836
Dear Sister Miself and famaly are well and your sisters Polly, Elizabeth, Sally and their famalies are all well at this time our father is a little unwell at this time with a cold Wallace Robinson and his family live over in the Chacktaw Purchase they were well when I heard from them our fathers eyes has failed him so that he can’t rite to you which has caused me to try to rite to you I want you to continue writing as long as you can for I don’t expect you ever will move to this country. Provisions is very scarse this part of the country corn is a dollar and a helf a bushel pork is eight dollars a hundred cotton has been sold from fourteen to eighteen sents. Brother Johns four sons are all fine hardy boys Asa lives with his grandaddy and I think will make a smart man if he lives Robert and Clifton live with their mother and William lives with his Aunt Abby Fulford I have four children aliving and have lost one my last child a boy about three months old named Denard. Pollys last child is girl named Alecy she will soon be looking for another. Tell Bertamys mother that he and Stephen is well Lucresha has one daughter, Fame has got six children William four aliving and has lost one Asa and Miriam has not married yet Betsys Miniram is married to James Wallace son of William, Horatio Willis is married and got one son Asa Robinson is clerk of court at Lindon. Our father lives a lonesome life he has no white person with him but little Asa. Tell Allen and all the children that I want to see them very bad and I hope if I never see them in this world I hope that I shall meet them in the world to come whenc parting is no more. I have nothing more but remain your loving sister until death ESTHER STYRON