Monthly Archives: May 2014

An Update

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On November 28, 1883, David Jones Allen married Rosa Ann Caudle, daughter of John Calvin and Judith Parker Caudle.  Perhaps the statement from DN Bennett was regarding purchasing materials to build a house.  I would be very likely to believe that if it weren’t for his mother, Nancy, living with him.  Maybe he made some improvements to their existing home.

With their marriage came children, the first (Albert B, October 1884) being born within the year.  In 1886, their second child Sopherina is born.

By 1887, DJ is a Justice of the Peace for Stanly County, NC.

November 18, 1883 — DN Bennett General Merchandise

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1883 11 18

By 1883, DN Bennett has a ledger and a stamp for his store.  His location is Polkton, which is just across the county line from Center (Norwood).  The trip would be about 30 miles, which is some distance in 1882.

I can’t read the handwriting well enough to figure out what DJ had purchased.  However, $42 for anything back then was an expensive item!

This post is part of a series of transcriptions of letters, papers, receipts, and other ephemera that are held in the Smith Family Collection.  All originals are held in this collection, unless otherwise stated.

December 9, 1882

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1882 09 12Rec’d of D J Allen Five + 30/100 Dollars in full

of acct for 1882 to date

Dec’n 9th 1882

H C Turner

 

On the 1880 census, there is a Henry C Turner who is a merchant in Center, Stanly County.  I wonder exactly what he sold.

 

Think of me

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1882 08 14--allen david jones letter lizzie mcswain page 02

1882 08 14--allen david jones letter lizzie mcswain envelop front

 

 

 

 

 

When this you see think of me

Lizzie McSwain “Lillia” McSwain

 

David J Allen Esq

Norwood Stanly County Ark

 

Augus 19th as I did not send my

letter off I will write a little more.

Sisters little girl has been very ill

is some better to day Ma’s Rheuma

tism is some better also she

is at sisters now ma begins

to look tolerable old her hair is

gray, I canot think of any

thing to write I know this

letter will not interest you so I

will quiet

M. E McSwain

 

sweet is the dream devinely sweet

when absent souls in fancy meet

 

Think of me when far away

your afectionate cousin Lizzie McSwain

 

This is the back side of the yesterday’s post.  I believe M. E. Lizzie McSwain is Martha Elizabeth who was born in Arkansas in 1862.  She would be the first of M and Lucy’s children to be born there, the elder children being born in North Carolina.  I believe Lizzie later married Charles Kendall, also of North Carolina, and lived out her years in Jefferson County, Arkansas.  Whether she ever visited NC, I am not sure.

This post is part of a series of transcriptions of letters, papers, receipts, and other ephemera that are held in the Smith Family Collection.  All originals are held in this collection, unless otherwise stated.

A Bad Set

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1882 08 14--allen david jones letter lizzie mcswain page 01--blogLocust Cottage Ark August 14th 1882

Mr David J Allen

My dear cousin David you will

pleas pardon me for not writing sooner, and

I will promis to do better in the future. I

was glad to hear from you. I thought perhaps

you was married, and did not care to write

to your cousin any more. well this leavs us

all as well  as cousins. ma has not been in

good health for some time she is afflicted

with Rheumatism she is able to set up most

of the time, but cannot do much.

 

well crops are good, better than they have been

for two or three months years there will be

plenty of corn + cotton made this year

wheat and oats were fine.

 

I am going to school now.  Brother Gabe is

Teaching the school, he has 25 pupils a

bad set two, it keeps him busy to keep

us strait.  I wish you could be here some

Friday to hear us speak and spell (and help us play

Play Ball)  I think you could afford to come

+ see us one time.  I would be so glad to see

you I have heard so much about you

Well I am studying Grammar History

Geography + Philosophy.  I am to precent +

Precentage in Arithmetic. I will have to stop

As I want to send this off to the office

Write soon to your cousin

Lizzie McSwain

 

I’ll post the rest of this letter as well as the envelop tomorrow.  As the envelope is postmarked Toledo, Ark, I started looking around that area to help me figure out just what the word was before Cottage.  I’m still not convinced it says Locust, but there is a Locust Cottage just north of Toledo, Ark on an 1883 map.

I haven’t found much on the McSwain family of Arkansas and how they got there.  I believe Lizzie may be Martha Elizabeth McSwain who married a Charles E. Kendall and lived her life in Jefferson County, Arkansas.  If I’ve found the right person, she’s the daughter of M. & Lucy McSwain.  I haven’t researched the McSwain line at all and hope to find some of the McSwain family information in these Allen Papers as I continue moving through them.

This post is part of a series of transcriptions of letters, papers, receipts, and other ephemera that are held in the Smith Family Collection.  All originals are held in this collection, unless otherwise stated.

 

March 15, 1882

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1882 03 15

Registry Treceipt

Post Office at Norwood, NC

Registered Letter No  48 Rec’d Mar 15, 1882

of D.J. Allen

addressed to Southern Methodist Pub House

Nashville TN

P.W. Melton PM

 

This post is part of a series of transcriptions of letters, papers, receipts, and other ephemera that are held in the Smith Family Collection.  All originals are held in this collection, unless otherwise stated.

A Specimen

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Allen David Jones Writing Sample 1882 02 25

Feb 25th 1882

This is a Specimen of my Writing after Writing

Ten days at Swaringens School House Stanly Co

Norwood N.C.                         D.J. Allen

 

So, perhaps after his first class at Zoar church, DJ participated in a second class?  He was still a rather young man, having just turned 23.  Why such interest in good penmanship?  This is the first signature, perhaps only, I have for young Jones, as he is listed on the 1880 census.

I can find nothing on Swaringen’s School House in Norwood.  I don’t have a Stanly County History Book in my possession, so I’ll check that the next time I’m at the library.

This post is part of a series of transcriptions of letters, papers, receipts, and other ephemera that are held in the Smith Family Collection.  All originals are held in this collection, unless otherwise stated.

December 8, 1881

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1881 12 08

Rec’d of D.J. Allen fifty seven 95/100 dollars

amt ?? to date Dec 8th 1881

J. A. Tyson

 

Here we have J. A. Tyson again.  The John Tyson I find living in Center, Stanly County, NC in 1880 is indexed as John H, but I think the H could actually be an A.  John Tyson was a physician in Center.

This post is part of a series of transcriptions of letters, papers, receipts, and other ephemera that are held in the Smith Family Collection.  All originals are held in this collection, unless otherwise stated.

 

Church Records Sunday

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139--Register of Members--Macedonia--wm 140--Register of Members--Macedonia--wm

 

 

 

 

 

Register of Members (Macedonia)

  1. William Russell
  2. Mary Ann W. Russell
  3. Mary Ann Russell
  4. S. E. Morgan
  5. Eliza A. Morgan
  6. Anna Harris
  7. James David Tucker
  8. Roella J. Cornelia Hall
  9. Nancy Elizabeth Harris
  10. Robt. Prethan Graven
  11. Eunice Minerva Tysinger
  12. N. M. Thayer
  13. Geo. C. Harris
  14. Rufus Chandler
  15. Mary E. Russell
  16. John Chandler
  17. B. L. Harris
  18. S. A. Chandler
  19. Mary Serena Harris
  20. Fred Page
  21. Ella Page
  22. A. B. Maneval
  23. Augustus Clingmon Boyles
  24. John. A. Rackeley
  25. Mary B. Maneval
  26. James Kelly
  27. Marshal Albert Davis
  28. Thos. Hawkins Hall
  29. Sarah Corinna Bell
  30. Margaret Carolina Hearne
  31. Dulcy Ludema Tucker

 

Names transcribed to the best of my ability.  Corrections are welcome!

November 24, 1881

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1881 11 24

Registry Receipt

Post Office at Norwood, NC

Registered Letter No 24, Rec’d Nov 24, 1881

of D. J. Allen

addressed to International Committee

New York, NY

PW Melton, PM

 

I am unsure of whether the International Committee is of the Young Christian Men’s Association, the Red Cross, or what.  I haven’t been able to find out anything definitive.