1867 Letter written by Daniel D. Potter to his daughter Sallie Margaret Potter
[front page]
Great Grandfather Daniel Potter to my Grandmother Sallie Potter Shanahan Lowry
[handwritten note on a sticky attached to letter by Lowry
Shanahan]
126 years ago[handwritten note by Lowry
Shanahan]
Senatobia, DeSoto County, Miss. Febr the 8th 1867.
My affectionate Daughter Sallie. We received your letters dated January the 23 & 26 in good time: we were all so
glad to hear from you and to read your first letter to us at the new home; also to hear that you’re well: what was
on the back of the letter, written by Sister Slack[?], did our hearts good; and I trust, Sallie, that you may long
remember those lines; and that you may so conduct yourself that you will have the good will of all with whom you
associate, and have their smiles and not their frowns. I was much pleased with the spirit of industry manifested in
your preparation for future duties in the schoolroom: I hope that all the girls in School will make good use of
precious time, and you especially; for I think the prospect is pretty good for you to have the chance of teaching
some others, who are now at home at work, who ought to be in school every day. I now think so soon as we can
get the press of work off our hands, we will have a kind of family school until you come home. I have not hired any
one to assist me, and there being so much to do that I and all the boys have our hands full: we have been laboring
pretty closely, but have not made much show yet, but we think it will tell after a while: The boys work well. We
have a good and secure house lot, a cow-pen, the yard fence in good repair and are now building a new garden:
we think we will build another house near the one the children call the Big House, for cooking and eating in; for the
one we now use for that business is some fifty yards off: I anticipate some more conveniences by & by. I think of
making a real room in the back end of this house: if all this is done, tell Miss Jordan that she need not fear to
come to see you, when you both get home from Pontotoc.
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Well Sallie, I have written more now of business matter than I thought I would when I began writing. I suppose that
you have received the letter which I wrote to you dated January 25th, containing an account of the sickness and
death of Little Sister, should it be so however that that letter failed to reach you, and you have not learned the fact
any other way; I now state again that she was taken violently sick on Wednesday night 9 o’clock, and died Friday
night 9 o’clock, she was buried Saturday evening at sundown, the disease was pneumonia, which has been fatal
among small children in this country: when you come home, you can soon go to the grave; it is not more than 300
yards from home—Our nearest neighbor’s wife died Tuesday evening and was buried yesterday 11 o’clock: she
died of Consumption: her Pa, ma, brothers and sisters have all died from the same disease but one brother, he is
now a hearty looking man. The general health is good: the farmers are making considerable preparations for
farming this year. I do not know that any man could be lazy here and stay so long: we are on the [rail?] road[?]
where there is much going done, and nearly every body and everything goes in a hurry, and the Cars pass in
hearing some 6 or 8 times every 24 hours and you know that it is all go[?] up when they go. Your ma is writing
tonight, and Betty has written a few lines on the slate, and asks for me to put it in my letter. Here it is – Sister
Sallie. Pa and the boys have been very busy making a garden. Sallie, I know you would like to be here. Sallie
[paper torn] and receive this short note from your sister. M.E. Potter. Write often and will do the same. Give our
love to Bro and Sister Slake[?] and Mrs. Lockheart and schoolmates. You are kindly remembered and earnestly
prayed for. accept the best wishes of an absent Pa. As ever D. Potter
