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 Malvina Speaks of Home, Deaths & Marriages; Samuel Anticipates College

  • » Date: 1838-02-28
  • » Subject: Malvina Speaks of Home, Deaths & Marriages; Samuel Anticipates College
  • » Written By: Malvina Crockett Gleaves & Samuel Crockett Gleaves
  • » Addressed To: Major James Turk Gleaves Sr
  • » Transcriber: Dennis Glaves
  • » File # 903

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(postmark) 18 3/4

Mr. James T. Gleaves
Richmond
Virginia


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Wythe County February the 28th 1838
Dear James

I received your letter of the 14 and I am glad to hear that you are enjoying good health(.) Our family are all well bu(t) Kissa she has been complaining for several days of a pain in her side and shoulder. I am very uneasy about her(,) there is a great many persons compaining in the same way(.) Mother's Dick is now lying not expected to live.
My Dear I have nothing to write to you that interests you much(,) there has been several Deaths since I rote to you last(.) Mr Ewing is dead also Mr Oglesby and I expect Mrs. Abram Painter inclines have given her out. Your Nephew Stephen Porter has returned with his wife and no beauty at that. John Bell is to be maried to morrow to Martha Porter and John Swetier to Sally Rico and next Thursday Lilburn Ward and Ann Groseclose. I am try to have the work done I can but I thin[k] it goes on slo(w)ly. I have employed James Williams to make 4 thousand shingles for five dollars and I have the timber sawed the boys can saw it for the ground is to hard to plow and if I don't make anything I will try and not spend every thing and as for Criger and Yonce making rails I have got quit(e) tired talking to them about them. Criger wanted bacon I told him ther was no hopes of his making the rails and that I would keep the meet for to pay somebody else and that the last of the old fellow.
The stock all apears to do very well(.) I have not had as good luck with pigs as I could of wishe but it was not neglect and


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it don't fret me we have one calf and about 20 lambs.
I want you to write to me if I must get the clover seed from Sprecen or not and if there is any work you want done before you get home(.) Sweken has not got the plank sawed yet I will hall it when wether can't plow.
The neighbours asks me every time I get a letter from you when when you expect to get home and the next thing if your are a candidate(.) I tell them I don't know. Stephen Porter told me that he saw it anounced in the Abingdon paper that you are a candidate an Charles is certainly one(.) Lock Yost rote to me some time ago that you had written to him that you did not intend offering.
James I wrote to you in my las letter that I got all my things that you sent an thanky too for them and as a womans wants can hardly be supplied(,) I want you to by me a worked collar French work(.) the(y) cost from 4 to 5$ here and if you get me one fine thing you must get another to wear with it(,) don't give more than four dollars if you get it.
I want you to make hast(e) home. I want to see you the nigher (nearer) the time come the worse I want to see you. John Crockett and Mother and chilldren all sends their compliments to you and wishes you a speedy return. Jame(s) and Robert every time any of the family says any person is coming they run to the door see if father is coming.

Your afectionate wife
Malvina Gleaves


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Dear father

The time is nearly expired that I promis to write to you and now I have nothing of importance to communicate(.) I have managed your business and has taken as good care of the stock as I posible could so as enable you to send me to school shortly after you return I want you if you please to enquire what colleges are in best repute for I think you purchasing so many fine books that I am inclined to think that you don't intend your sons to be any thing but college bred gentlemen.
I must conclude my letter by teling you that I am verry much pestered about my finery to were to Mr Bell weding tomorrow(.) Please to write to me.
Your dutiful son
Samuel C Gleaves

Transcriber Notes

Most of the letters we have between Malvina and James were written while James was in Richmond, serving in the Virginia Legislature. At the age of 30, James was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. He served from 1818 until 1825 and again in 1838.

It would appear most of the people Malvina mentions are neighbors or acquaintances of which, we have very little information.

Kissa (Kissey), mentioned in the beginning of the letter was a female slave that James' father, William Gleaves, bequeathed to his daughter, Margaret Gleaves Turk in 1820. James would purchase her from Thomas Turk the following year for $450.

James' nephew, Stephen Porter was the son of his oldest sister Mary. There are several letters on this website written by him.

The letter ends with Malvina mentioning two of their children, James (Jr.) and Robert. At the time of this letter the former would have been four years old and the latter two.

John Crockett is Malvina's brother.

The second letter is from oldest son Samuel Crockett Gleaves who was fourteen at the time. He would enroll in Emory and Henry College in Washington County, Virginia and subsequently obtain a medical degree from the Pennsylvania Medical University. There are numerous letters on this site authored by or dealing with him.

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