Below is a transcribed version of a copy of a 1845 letter written by Eliza (Greene) Spencer in Stephensport, Ky to her mother, Elizabeth Greene and brothers and sisters. (Found the copy of the 'orginial' letter' in the GREEN / GREENE family file at the Washington Co., Ohio Historical & Genealogy Library.) This letter was hard to read at times, and took some time studying decipering the old handwriting styles with the use of a magnifying glass when transcribing it. There were no periods or captial letters to indicate the beginning and ending of a sentence. Only the "I"s and names were captialized. This is typed just as it was written with leaving 3 spaces to seperate sentences. (The ____(spaces indicate that it was unreadable) The ?'s indicate that the word was questionable. The words in the ( ) are my notes which are not part of the letter. Transcribed by Debbie Noland Nitsche August 2005 Diamonddeb@comcast.net I descend from Eliza'a sister, Sylvina who married Joel Dodge, my 4th Gr. Grandparents. Front Cover of Letter Mrs. Elizabeth Greene Warren Washington County Ohio Constitution Post Office Feb 11th With love and Speed Stephensport, Ky 1845 Feb. the 7, 1845 Dear Mother Sisters and Brothers I now set down to let you know of our healths we are all complaining Oliver has taken this winter in a strange way he was taken with pain in his Breast he could not sleep nights he kept for(?) beagn to swell his feet and legs swelled as hight as his knees his fore head in a large bunch ____ big as a dollar and turned black it was under the skin he was so sore he could scarcely moves on his legs it was larger it got up half way from the knee to the body ____ ____ ____ the Doct. he called it the Emplion of the skin on pesigo(?) he said it was caused by exposure he said that it would end in the consumption if he is not careful he is quite well now this is tuesday it is verry warm it looks like spring a week ago tody it was the windiest and coldest wether we have had the river was son high (rough) the mail could not cross Wm keeps the ferry Mother, we all want to see you verry much but I can’t tell when we will see you all John was taken quite unwell on Sunday evening he is complaining very much this evening I think it is a cold we had company this afternoon old Mrs Croc(?) Mrs Brasheres Mother and Mrs. Brashere Tell Addison I wish him much joy tell him John Vancony(?) is married to Hannah Vergason last week tell H and Wm to write tell Willard and A to write tell A to write George and A to Frederick to must write tell George Spencer he has relation living in Stephensport tell him there names are Spencers they often talk about you tell old Mrs. Mankins and Wm. Mankins I would like to see them if we never should meet in this world I hope we will all meet in a better world than this I write no more but remain your child and sister write as soon as you can /s/ Eliza Spencer ___(scratched out) recieve this you may look for Dorinda when you see her Next page Dear Grandmother and all relatins I now set down to inform you how we all are we are all well at the present time and i hope to find you the same. Tell Adison that i would like to see him and his wife. I was at a weding and infare last week here in town tel adison John Vancony was married last week on Friday tell him that the widow would like to see him I think I will be up with uncle and out in the springi am going down the river in a week or so when i get Back i think we will be up No more at present yours til death /s/ Wade Spencer =============================================================================================== MY NOTES AND THEROIES ABOUT THE PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THE ABOVE LETTER MOTHER = Elizabeth (Cole) Greene SISTER = Probably Eliza Spencer's sister, Sylvina. WILLARD and A = This is Willard Greene, Jr. and his wife Anna Uhl. They are the parents of Addison. DORINDA = Another sister of Eliza Spencer. She married Levi Swan when she was about 40 yrs. old. WM. (runs the ferry) = this is probably William Armstrong Spencer, Eliza’s husband. In - another letter it states that he went up to Louisville with Mr. Swan and bought a 9' boat to hull grave stone and filling. JOHN, OLIVER and WADE = Children of Eliza (Greene) Spencer. Oliver's full name is Oliver Perry Spencer. old Mrs Croc(?) = this last name was hard to read. MRS. BRASHERE'S MOTHER AND MRS. BRASHERE = ???? I have not idea who this could be, but did find this one biography that may prove to be this family, if not, then possibly a relation. There are several CLUES that shows this. I have CAPTIALIZED the clues. Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 2nd ed., 1885, Hancock Co. "EDWIN BRASHEAR, Hancock County, was born in BRECKENRIDE COUNTY, KY., December 29, 1842, and is a son of R. A. S. and Margaret (Cox) Brashear. The father was born in Breckinridge County about 1812. Subject's grandfather, Joseph Brashear, moved from Washington County to Breckinridge County, in 1806. The great-grandfather, William Brashear, came from Maryland, and settled at the old fort at LOUISVILLE, in 1782, where he remained until killed by the Indians. The father began life for himself as a merchant at Stephensport, and for upward of twenty years was one of the magistrates of the county. He was a member of the BAPTIST CHURCH, and died in 1859. The mother was also a native of Breckinridge County, having been born there in 1814, and her people were natives of VIRGINIA. She was a member of the Baptist Church, and died in 1874. Subject was the third of a family of eight children, seven of whom are now living: James C.; Mehitable, wife of Richard Robinson, of Jacksonport, Ark.; Edwin; Bettie; Nannie, wife of Wilbir [sic] Sills; R. A. and Josie. Subject began farming for himself when fifteen years of age, in Breckinridge County. He moved to Hancock County in 1867, and settled on his present farm, where he owns about 300 acres, with about 250 acres in cultivation. Mr. Brashear was married September 12, 1867, to Miss Jennie, daughter of George Younger, of Hancock County. She was born in Breckinridge County, in 1844, and was the mother of four children, one of whom, Minnie, is now living. This lady died in 1875. Subject was next married, June 7, 1877, to Mrs. Bettie Bowlware, daughter of Joseph Wright, of Daviess County. This marriage has resulted in four children, of whom three are now living: Nannie, Nora and Lummie. Mr. Brashear is a member of the Baptist Church. His wife is a member of the Methodist Church." ADDISON = Addison Greene, nephew of Elizabeth Spencer. He recently married. Addison was involved with his 2 of his brothers and their father with the 1847 capture of fugitive slaves from Wood Co., Virginia, that was at the home of David Putnam in Marietta, Wasington Co., Ohio. David Putnam was well known with his involvement of the Underground Railroad. According to the 1850 census, Addison is living next door to his father, Willard Jr. in Warren Twp. He had the following people living with him: Margaret, age 27 b. PA; Anne E., age 4, b. OH; Adaline age 2, b. OH. This tells me that Anne was born about 1846. Addison must of married Margaret ____ in probably in Wood Co., abt. the yr. of 1845. By 1860 Anne and Adaline are both living with a Latecia Campbell in Williamstown, Va. (now WV). In Feb. 1854 Addison T. Greene marries a Sarah Rattliff in LaSalle Co., Illinois. That is where the family of Willard Jr. relocated to after leaving Washington Co., Ohio. I am assuming that his first wife Margaret died before he went to Illinois, leaving the two daughters with a possible relative in Williamstown. Margaret's maiden name could of been Campbell. JOHN VANCONY = Married Hannah Veragson. John was one of 4 sons of Samuel & Jane(Thurston) Vancony/Vanconey. John's father was born in Virginia in 1790. All 4 sons settled in (or lived at different fimes in Perry Co., Indiana or across the Ohio River in Hancock & Breckinridge Co. KY. Must be a friend or someone that Addison Greene knows, but I have not yet figured out the relationship between the two. WADE SPENCER = Son of Eliza Greene and William Spencer, b. about 1828. Married Elizabeth Newton on July 11, 1848 in Hancock Co., Kentucky. On the marriage record it states that William A. Spencer father of young man & James Newton father of young lady both gave consent in person. By virtue of a license issued by the clerk of the Hancock County Court on the 10th day of July 1948 I joined together in the honorable state of Matrimony Mr. Wade H. Spencer and Miss Elizabeth Newton on this 11th day of July 1848. Signed Thomas Newton, M.G,. (minister of the Gospel. Wade Spencer is last seen living in Pemiscot Co. Missoui at the age of 32 yrs. Has wife and children. One of his children has the first name of Greene. Probably named after Wade's mother, Eliza. WADE's Uncle = ? Could be on the Spencer or Greene side of the family. H and WM. = Probably Harriet Dodge and William Mankins. Harriet was a niece of Elizabeth Spencer. Her mother was Sylvina (Green) and Joel Dodge. OLD MRS. MANKINS AND WM. MANKINS = This is Elizabeth and William Mankins, Sr. Parents of William Mankins above. GEORGE AND A = ? George Spencer or George Green (s/o Willard Jr.????) GEORGE SPENCER = Possibly a relative of William Spencer. FREDERICK = ?? 1850 CENSUS - Dictrict #1 Breckinridge Co., Kentucky, Sept. 20, 1850 Page 149A- William A. SPENCER 52 Farmer KY Eliza 48 Germany Oliver 19 Farmer Germany William H. 18 VA John D. 17 VA George M. 11 KY Elizabeth R. 14 KY Daniel MITTON(?) 23 Laborer KY In 1860 Eliza is living with her son O.P. [Oliver Perry] Spencer in Hardinsburgh, Breckinridge Co., Kentucky. She is 55 yrs. old, born in Ohio.