Saturday, March 15, 2008

Letter from Francisa E. Hutt, 1851


Little Rock Arkansas July 9th 1851

My dear brother [Nathaniel T. Gaines, not found on the 1850 Victoria Co., TX census],

It has been so long since you have gotten a letter from me that I expect you begin to think I never in[tend]* to write again, but the fact is we have had sickness in the family for the last four months, the children have had the mumps measles diahrea & chills, & I have had the chills this Spring and Summer. I have a young baby about four months old which is another hindrance to letter writing. She is a very pretty child by the by - I call her Mary [Mollie Mary Hutt was born March 7, 1851 in Little Rock, AR. She married Edward Cornell Newton and was the mother of Andre' Hutt Newton, Sr.] after an aunt [Probably Mary Mollie Hutt b. 1761 VA; married to James Smith Dozier.] of Mr. Hutt's.

I hope you have gotten rid of your troublesome complaint, if not, do come to Little Rock, I almost know a trip home would restore you to health - come any how, well or sick. I think you would feel better by coming, & we all want to see you so much. Judge Hutt [William S. Hutt 1773-1855, Francisa's father-in-law] told us you had grown a great deal taller, you take after Pa [unknown Gaines] in that respect. I heard him say he did not get his growth until he was twenty five years of age.

Little Rock is rather dull now, Mrs. Chase [Rosina Dunn Chase, b. NY, d. 6-14-1851, wife of Luther Chase] died a short time ago, & Mr. Officer [William P. Officer b.10-10-1810 PA, d. 6-21-1851, Married to Mary Eliza Field.] died about a week ago in Fort Smith he had removed with his family there this Spring. Jimmy Finley [probably James W. Finley b. 1837 VA, son of James Finley and Felicity Hutt] has been quite sick with the measles & mumps but is better now, there were some deaths from Cholera, but it was from among strangers - the marriages have been few & far between - Mr Philip Grapnall [unknown] & Miss Sallie Falkner [Sally A. Faulkner b. ca1831 AR, daughter of Sandford C. & Eveline Faulkner] were married this spring. Fitzgerald [unknown] was married to a Miss Stirks [possibly Sophia Stirks b. 1838 NC] - he took the pledge when Father Mathew was here, & looked like a decent man for a while, but I heard the other [-] he had the mania p[-t--]. Mrs Leincoln [probably Mary Lincoln b. 1772 CT, who lived a couple of houses away from the William V. Hutt family] has also had that beautiful disease. Edmund [Edmund P. Gaines, b. 1-14-1817 VA, d. 6-10-1880 AR] holds out very well indeed - I believe it was two years since he joined the Sons of Temperance. He & his family are well at present, their last child they call Nat [Nathaniel H. Gaines b. 2-22-1851, d. 6-6-1924] & is quite a pretty little fellow.


I have not heard from William [unknown, possibly Gaines] for a long time, he was in Havelindvill [Havilandsville] Ky when he wrote last, the first time he ever said anything about his size since he left here. He is very little taller now than he was ten years ago. Poor little fellow. I wish he may do well. I could not help but laugh, when he wrote to me about marrying, he said there were thirteen girls in love with him, but I believe he did did not love any of them enough to marry them.

Uncle William [Uncle William ?Gaines?, b. ca1816] has been in Washington City lately, he has business in the post office department, he mentioned in a letter to uncle Peter, that he had a daughter almost grown, he said he was a great favorite with the ladies there, they would not believe he was over thirty five years of age. & I think his age is forty five, is it not?

Uncle Peter [Uncle Peter ?Gaines?] is rather lonesome now, aunt Elizabeth & Juliet are in Mississippi, she took Juliet down for the purpose of sending her to a better school than we have here. She is now nearly grown, & is a sweet girl, for one that has been humored so much. You would scarcely know Mitty & Lolly [Mitty & Lolly are probably nicknames for Francisa's daughters Sarah and Laura.] they have grown so much. They are going to school or have been until lately. Mitty can read very well & writes quite a good hand, Willie [Willie would be Francisa's son William Spence Hutt b. February 14, 1848 Little Rock, AR; d. May 30, 1901 Little Rock, AR.] is so much like his Pa as he can be. He often speaks of Uncle Nat as if he knew all about you. The children say, Oh, Ma do write to Uncle Nat to come here, we want to see him so bad.

Mr. Hutt [Francisa's brother-in-law William V. Hutt b. ca1807, or Francisa's husband Andre J. Hutt b. 1815] is more fleshy than I ever saw him, he is still merchantdizing & is doing a very good business.

Judge Hutt [William S. Hutt b. 1773 and Constance Villard Hutt b. ca1780] is here he says it is uncertain how long he will remain. The old lady & gentleman look as young as they did ten years ago.

Grand Ma Gaines [unknown] is still living I believe, she is now about nearly ninety years of age & was quite active when I last heard from her.
I d[o not] know of any thing more that would [inter]est y[ou. Y]ou must excuse bad writing [and] mista[kes.] I have put it down a half dozen times [sin]ce I commenced. I hope you will make up your mind to come here as soon as you can. & now farewell.

The children send you a kiss.
Your affectionate sister,
Francisa E. Hutt


[Francisa E. Gaines b. June 1823 Virginia; d. June 17, 1903 Little Rock, AR; m1. Benjamin Linebaugh ca1840; m2. Andre' Joseph Hutt April 27, 1847 Little Rock, AR. She had two daughters, Sarah and Laura, by her first marriage. She had William Spence Hutt and Mollie Mary Hutt by her second marriage.]

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