FRANKLIN COUNTY, GEORGIA
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Collection of Sartain Letters
By
Charlotte Collins Bond
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Introduction to Collection of Sartain Letters
My sincere thanks to all the people through the years who preserved and passed along these wonderful letters to our generation. Somewhere out there, are a few more of these letters. Wouldnt it be wonderful if the owners would submit them?
The original letters were written in a beautiful script, but totally without punctuation. Capital letters were used at random. All spelling was phonic, i.e. they spelled by the sound of the word. These letters were most difficult to transcribe, therefore I have taken license to add punctuation, capitol letters and other necessary changes to make reading easier.
The authors of these letters, for the most part, lived in the same community, as well as the characters mentioned. The community is still known as the Bond Community and there was no public school until Bond Academy was built in 1889. I assume that the Poor Schools were all the education that was available prior to the Civil War.
Charlotte Collins Bond
........................................................................... NAMES FROM VANDIVER SARTAINS LETTERS Richmond, VA. June 1862 Mother [ No mention of Father; he could be dead. He was 80 in 1850] Lewis Dawkins Bill -------- Immell [ Emily Eason Sartain; his wife] John Dove J.B. Bray [married Polly Sartain] Berry Uncle Boss Lawrance ........................................................................... July 25, 1862 James [Sartain?] Caroline Lewis Dawkins J.B. [Bray] John dove Berry Jim Daniel [James?] Mother Eason Pop & Carl Gilford [run away] Bray Bens [Mill] ........................................................................... Fredricksburg 2-25-1863 Gilford [is well] John Beard [in hospital] T.M. Scarborough [in hospital] [this is Tom] Sanders Pop Seolin ? Nelson Osborn Hemphill Carline Mr. Dawkins Mr. Bray John Dove ........................................................................... PREFACE Vandiver's Letters Vandiver Sartain was the son of John and Anna Sartain, Sr. He married Emily Eason in Franklin County August 8, 1852. He was the brother of Elisha who was the father of Lewis and Gilford Sartain who were mentioned in the letter. Vandiver was in Co. D 16th Regiment, Danielsville, Guards. Some of the people mentioned in the letter are: 1- H. Williams- He was Nathan Howard Williams, son of Nathan and Mary Polly Ballenger Williams. He married Nancy Teed Strickland, the daughter of William and Martha Porterfield Strickland. [He was my great grandfather. He is buried in an unmarked grave in the Canon City Cemetery] 2- Gilford Sartain was born 1838 in Madison county and died 1869 and Is buried at Mill Shoal Baptist Church. He married Sarah A. Margaret Scarborough November 5, 1858. Sarah was born 1844 and died 1881. She was the daughter of Fredrick Scarborough, Jr. and Elizabeth Brannon. Gilford was the son of Elisha and Frances Bond Sartain. He died of a rupture sustained in a log lifting contest. He was extremely strong and was noted as The strongest man in the world. 3- Tom- Tom is Thomas Scarborough, husband of Martha Patsy Sartain, Gilfords sister. 4- Martha- is the widow of Lewis Sartain and the second wife of Russell Sartain, who was a double first cousin to Lewis. She was the daughter of William Watson Beard and Elmira Elizabeth Fortson and the sister of John R. & William Beard mentioned by Vandiver. [Willaim Beard is my great grandfather. 5- E. E. Sartain is Elisha, father of Gilford , Lewis, Alfred and Larkin Sartain. Alford was the only son that lived passed young adulthood. ........................................................................... Vandiver's Letters ........................................................................... Camp near Fredricksburg, VA. November, 30th 1862 Dear Wife and children an Mother. I once more take the pleasure of riting yo of few lines to let yo now that I am well to day an I do hope when theas lines com to hand tha may find yo na the rest of the Family all well an nabors. I received 2 letter from yo. 1 by H. Williams, one by mail which mad me mity glad to her yo was all well. Yo wanted to now a bout me bein sick. I was very bad off. We left Richmond to march. I kept up with the Brigade a while tel we got to Rapidan Station an thar I was left with our Leutanant. tha was 250 ..broke down. We rested thar a day. The rest of the Brigad went on. We started to march. I kep up 2 or 3 days an give out. I never was so pore an weak in my life. Guilford and Asa Coker stade with me til we got a past Leas Burge, then they left me there. Then tha went on an I went back to lees Burg. Thar I got with them. I started with [them] tha tuck [took] one rode an we tuck th tuther. Gilford and Asa wnt on in to merlin [Maryland] an got in to thea fite. I got with my Leutanant an rested a while an got sum beter and went on in to merlin. I crost Portomc River one evening an cum back next morning. I . .. .. Coming. I sen sum hard times sence I sean you. I have had an rosen years [roasting ears] and green apples. Yo dont know nothing a bout hard times. We have had sum snow har. We come her yesterday was a week ago. We ar camp on one side the Rpperhaanck River an Yankees on the other in site of each other. We wash on one sid of the river an them on the uther. The town is on the river. We went out in town the other nite an stud picket. We stud in town up and down the river. We ar looking for a fite every minit. The folks is all moved out of town. We ar jest watin for them to commence. I got them socks you sent by H. William. I have all of my clos yet. I want yo to send me a cote. Make it like the one I wore her an send me a sheart. Make it colared. I think if I had cote an sheart I cod make out a while. Yo nede not put strip on the pants if you make eny. I dont ned them now. Ive got my blankets I got from dove an I have got one of hisen. I have got the ones from Marhter and one he fetch. Martha Sartain, Lewis was beared as good as cod be exped. I dont now werher he wanted to be broat home or not. I hant sean tom but once sence Lewis dide. He come to Rigment an stad a while an got bad off an thea sent him of to hospitle . He sold all of things. He has got his pocket boke yet an ses he will sent it home. He sold his rasor and nife. Immelee I dont think hurt of [any] one the way you have manedg. Go a head and do the best yo can. Pay up all my [bills?] as I told you. Pay Matt Griffin $15 an A. rosyton $ 2 I think it is an [all] I owe. Send an .$1. I think pay E. E. Sartain the shop work. Pay as fer as yo can but be shore to keep a nuf for yoself. I am not a ferd but what you will do rit. Mak use of the money jest as yo think best. You mus by .. And Pop sumthin with it. Git Mother sum tobaco if she need it. Take good car foot . And dont let . on .. I am stil doin the best I can and triin to pray. I wish to be rember in prars of all the nabors. So no morr at present. I Stil remain yo loving husband til death. V. Sartain to Immelee Sartain an children an Mother. Tel Martha, John an William is well. ........................................................................... LETTER FROM VANDIVER SARTAIN TO LEWIS DAWKINS, BERRY BRAY, JOHN DOVE AND HIS WIFE EMILY, &MOTHER Camp near Fredicksburg Va. February 25 the 1863 Loveing wife and children and Mother It is through the mercy of God that I seat my seff down to answer yo kind leter wich came to hand yesterday wich found me well I was mity glad to her from yo an her yo was well. I am well to day I am sorry to her a bout our stock dien Gilford is well I hop when theas lines come to hand thae find you all well an all my friends and nabors. Tell Martha John Beard was sent to the hospital an I hant herd from him sence. T.M. Scarbor was sent of [off] to the hospitel and I hant herd from him sence. We have had several casses of the smallpox in our Rigment. I have bin vaccinated. I wood be mity glad to sea yo all but I dont now when that will be. You talk a bout jumpin ten rail fence. Hide out little ons yo mother has got a new set of springs. I got the things yo sent me by Sanders. I was mity glad to git them. I made them ginger cakes git harder. I don need enny thing jest now but a cote. Send it to me as sun as yo can. make it so it will buten all the way up. Before I will nede a nother shart after a while if I live But I will let yo now it. I want you to pay that off for Pop Seolin. I think Nelson Osborn for got the note. I dont think I have pad it If you have got the monny to spar Yo sed yo had pade a note of that Hemphill had on me. Send me word what note that was. Be shore to keep sum monny for yo own use. I sent $30 today by Captin. I have had to spend a heap of money for sumthin to get a little to eat. It takes a heap of monny to git a little to eat. We have had 5 or 6 snows her. It was a bout nee deep. Generally we have plenty her now. We have big snow fallin her that got out hole [whole] Brigades in snow balls. Yo jest ought to sed [seed] {have seen} them. You need not think that I have forgot you nor run off the east. Yu sent me word to send the_______ _______ ______ -_____ ______there handt many days pases over my head but what I expect more or less I _____to meeting _____ ________ _____ pray and do the best I can I went to meeting the other Sunday the topic was on the ______ the 13th Chapter and 13th verse. I want yo to do the best yo can with all the things. Tel Mun and Carline to go ahead and work and make all they can and do right and mind Mother and Immelee. I hant cut my ______I_______I______them I want to see you all mity bad and I hope the time well come when we can meet and shake hands once more on earth if not I hope we will meet where parting will be no more. I want us all to live so we can meet each other in that better world there to meet yo and my good old Mother and blessed little children_______ ______you, mother and _____ ____ _____the ___________ ______ _____and send me a little butter. If you can make any trade to make eny thing do it to get another yoke of steers. If not do the best yo can Yo can tell better that I can. Rite soon and rite all the news both good and bad. Rite to me whether I do or not. Yo must excuse me for not writing _____So no more at present but, ________ ________ Yo loving husband until death V. Sartain to Immelee Sartain and Mother and Children. Mr. Dawkins and Mr bray I talk about whipping and ______ my _______ some_______ and will give you a _____ yo jest ought to been herein time of the fite__________ with me _______ the bombshells and bulets was a flying all round thick as hail. I tell you it is a rough time to hear grones of wounded and sean the men fallin all round. I did not get hurt. I would like to see you all mighty well and John dove and all of my friends. Tell John to keep that little __________ . So for yo all well for this time V. Sartain to Dawkins Bray and Dove . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Transcribers Notes: tell Martha that John Beard was sent to the hospital. John R. Beard was the brother of Martha Beard Sartain. John R. Beard married Sarah Stovall. In his will just as he was leaving for the War, he stated that his wife was pregnant and left directions of what to do if he did not return. He did not return, nor was his family notified that he had died. It had always been presumed that he chose not to return home because he had learned that his wife was unfaithful. I have found no military records for him & this is the first time I that I ever learned of his unit. It is very possible that he died from whatever his illness was, as did Vandiver. CCB ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To Miss Marth [a] A. Beard Madison County huteson [Hudson] P.O. Ga. Franklin County Nov the 6, 18---[Paper was torn, but it had to be prior to 1850 when the writer married] I will say to you i have the injoy [ment] of this Sabbath day. I an [am] well. I ho [pe to] find you well the first time [I] see you. I an lonesome at this time. I an all alone by an self. You want to [know] when I an going to starte to texas. I shall starte as soon as my arrangeme [nts] will fit. If you want to go you must be redy for I will whistle when I starte. All who aint redy will be left. You rote to me to send you a ticket when me and Mr. J.G. get married. That will never be for he is like noes [Noahs] dove he sent forth from the ark that never returned. If you will come to se me I will tell you some of my travial through this life. We have the respects of departed friends sent to us from carolina and Alabama to remember them who is ded. When we shall all meet again oft shall gloomy hope my soul expire. Oft shall wearied love retire through [though] in to in distant landes. We sigh parch [ed\ beneath a hostile sky through [though] the deepe between us roll on in fancy wid [wide] domain. Oft shall we all meet again. I went to preaching last Sunday and saw some verry pretty boys. They rode like run horse races to see who shold [should] go before they [the] [other?] One come to our house. He sed three wards from darke till bed time. One of them was telling us Martha Beard is verry pretty girl. [I] must come to close fore my pen is so bad I cant half rite. You must speake a good ward to all the boys if you see. I respect your letter as from a friend. Remain yours untill seppeated [separated] . I hope you will rite evry chance. Miss Elizabeth B. Miss Marth A To Phillips Beard ........................................................................... The original letter was in the possession of Acqudell Sartain Hodge in 1982. She was the granddaughter of Russell Sartain and his first wife, Melvina. She passed it on to Glenn Gohr and he passed it on to me. After Melvinas death and after the Civil War, Russell left Mississippi and came back to Madison County and then married the widow of his cousin, Lewis Sartain, MARTHA BEARD. They moved back to Mississippi and by 1880 they had moved to Jack County, Texas. Martha was the daughter of Samuel F. Beard and Elizabeth McEver. The author of the letter was the young Nancy Elizabeth Phillips, daughter of Dennis Phillips and Mary Polly Sewell. Elizabeth married Russell Portice Bond the son of Eason Bond and Mary Rowsey on January 10, 1850. Russell was born 1827 and died February 14,1856 of wounds he received in the battle at Nashville, TN. He joined the Franklin Rangers in Frankin Co. GA. Elizabeth died April 29, 1909 in Murray County, GA. Russells death and injury date are on his wifes monument. ........................................................................... Richmond, Va. July 25 the 1862 Dear wife and children and Mother. I take this one more opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know that I am well at this time except a bad cold and cough. I do hope when these lines come to hand they will find you all well and doing well. I received your letter the 23rd. Of July. It was dated the 9th and 10th of July. I was glad to hear from you all. I thought the time might be long [wrong?].. You wrote if I hadnt [got] that letter to write back to you. I havent received but one letter from you. It had a blue piece of paper in it. I want you to write all about what was in the other. I dont know whether I will get the other or not. I was sorry to hear of James and the rest of the boys them having to march so far. But we all have a hard time, but I hope we will get through after awhile. I want you to write about how the neighbors is getting along. Tell mum and Carline to go a head and tend to things rite an min what said to them and stay at home an keep out of fusses. keep up the fences. Immelee _____ take the shoe offen foot if yo hant. Til Lewis Dawkins to us [use] enny my things he wants to. I wod lik to help J.B. cut down that Be tree. I cant but eat a good bite and think of me. Tell John Dove to write me a letter and write all news. I want Lewis Dawkins to write and Berry. I want you to write whether you have got them sheep from Dawkins or not. You can do as you think best. When I received your letter I was leaning on 3 poles before the tent door. I tell you I was might glad to hear from you all. But sorry to hear of Mother and_______ a bein bad off . Immelee I want yo to do as yo think best with the things thar, use or trde [trade] them as yo think best so you think best so as to make something to live on for I now [know] that yo will do the best yo can I am not uneasy about it no how. I go to prayers every night that ther is anny. There aint many that goes over my head but what I read 2 or 3 chapter every day Sometime more. It took me some [time] to read your letter. I had to wipe my eyes several times. I intend to do the best I can. I want to see you all mighty bad. If we never meet on this earth no more I intend to try an meet you all where partying will be no more an you do the same. I can write no more now, so no more at this time. I ever remain you loving husband til death. I will send this by Jim Daniel. I will send you $5 dollars if I can get it changed. If not I will send $10. I must keep some. It is hard matter to get change here. Vandiver Sartain to Immelee and children and Mother and rest. ........................................................................... Richmond, Va. June 29 the 1862 Dear wife I take the present opportunity of droping yo a few line to let yo now thet I am well at this time an I hope thet thes lines will find you an the children an Mother well an the rest of the connection. I wood be very glad to sed yo all but I cant now. I hope I will sed you sum time but we ar a long ways a part. I have seed awful sits sence I left home. I never seed nothing til I got her. I have sean dedd folk an wounded. I have sean 30 Yankees yesterday tha ar Fiting now in a mile an haf of us. We have plenty to eat of Bacon an flour salt sum peas lasses. I want you to write how the crop looks an how you ar gitting a long with the crop. I want you to have things attede [attended] to just rite as good as yo can. Make mum take good car of the horse. Be mity carfull of what yo have got for I have sean a thousands acres of wheat an corn ruined . Thar ant much a makin in Va whar I have bin. I have bin to 4 Prare meetings sence I come to camp. This is wired palce but thar is sum good pepeel hear I think. Sum playes cards sum playing the fiddel sum cusing sum Praying. Tha have it all a going on at once. Tel Lewis Dawkins I wood be glad to sea him an rite how him an Bill is coming on. Immelee take good car of the children and rais them up rite. I want yo to rite wether yo got that money or not. I have rote one letter sence I come to camp But I thought I wood rite a nother . Rite how John Dove is coming on an Berry an Uncle Boss an all the Rest of the nabors. Tel J.B. Bray to take car of the ______ u tel Bray I am well as common the Day. Immell Be Shore to rite all a Bout the things at home an wether eny thing has happened or not. If thar has let me now it no matter what it is. Rite Soon for I want to her from yo all. So no more at present. I still Remain yo loveing husban until death. So Far well for this time. Tel Larance to be a Good boy. Rite how the Bala is a coming on. V. Sartain to Immelee Sartain O if I cood sea yo now how glad I wood be. ........................................................................... Undated letter from Vandiver to Immelee Sartain Send me a cote and sheart as son as yo can git a good chance I can git cloes her. We are a loud cloes her that is a going to find us in cloes. ? Gilford run a way an gon home. He had beter come bac if he nowed what is good for him self. Use that money as yo think best. I now [know] yo wil do the best for I am not unesy a bout it. Rite a son as yo git this rite how yo ar gittin a long Rite how Mother Eason is doin an the rest of the family, Pop an Carl. Tel Mother she must git yo sumthin for helping work. Mun [hun?] do rite and take car of the things. My loving, do the best you can and I will do the same So Far well for this time. V. Sartain to Immelee Sartain. Tel Bray that old Bens mill cant grind corn. [Transcribers notes: This seems to be the second page of a letter.]
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