November 17, 1846
Dear brother I will take this opportunity to let you know that I am well at this time and my chrildren are well as fare as I know and I hope these few lines may find you and family enjoying the same blessing. I heard from Sarah Allen a few days since they ware in tolerable health. I have the opportunity of sending to you for my money by Atty. E. B. Gather as I have confidence in him. I wis you to let him have it you will oblige me.
Margret Turk
Her P x Gleaves
Margaret Turks
Order
Notations on this letter in pencil were made by Dr. Chitwood. They are:
[Nov. 17, 1840]
[Margaret Turk – “Peggy”]
Mrs Thomas
Margret Turk is Margaret “Peggy” Gleaves (1784 – 1855), a daughter of William Benjamin and Elizabeth Turk Gleaves. Peggy married Thomas Turk III (1782 – 1826), the son of Thomas Turk, Jr. and Anne Rhea. Thomas Turk, Jr. was the younger brother of Elizabeth Turk Gleaves. Thus Thomas and Peggy were first cousins as well as husband and wife. Peggy was living in Adair County, Kentucky at the time of this letter and at her death.
This letter has been difficult to work with due to the faintness of the writing. Only after enhancing and enlarging the letter was it able to be transcribed. Dr. Chitwood identified this letter as being written in 1840 but after working on the image, it appears that it was written in 1846. Also the signature is confusing. “Margaret Turk” is easily read, but the next line also required enhancing and is still quite faint. It appears that there is “Her x” within the P Gleaves signature, meaning “her mark”. After comparing this letter with other letters from Margaret “Peggy” Turk, it is inconclusive if all were written in the same handwriting and were actually written by Peggy herself. Or did someone else write the letter and Peggy signed with her mark.