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 Wants to Come Home, Reports on Her Family

  • » Date: 1879-05-30
  • » Subject: Wants to Come Home, Reports on Her Family
  • » Written By: Julia Benbow Gleaves
  • » Addressed To: Capt. Robert Harvey Gleaves
  • » Transcriber: Dennis Glaves
  • » File # 191

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Oak Ridge
May 30th, 1879

My dear Husband

The exhibition is over and boarders and company are all gone.
Every thing passed off nicely I went down with Jamie every body says “he looks so much like his Papa” – There was a large crowd out and all seemed to enjoy the occasion.
Just received your letter dated the 24th.  It will be impossible for anyone here to take me now they are busy with the horses and the cows – Rufus has his and Will’s harvesting to

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attend to.  I received your letter and the check Tuesday very much oblige for it.  The main reason I want to go home across the country is- there is a little negro girl here I want to take home with me, she wants to go and I would be glad to have her – If Jesse is coming down to see his Ma how would it suit you to send Uncle Dick and Edd with Wythe’s carriage, could you get Hanna’s harness.
Sis seems to be a little better – She is in better spirits.  She and Johnnie think Dr. Lindsey knows it all so it would not be worthwhile for me to say anything about Dr. Gleaves

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I sent you Jamie’s picture last week – hope you have received it.  I cannot get a good one he just won’t be still.
The artist came up once took the picture of the house with all the family on the porch and then he took the picture of the family in a group.  I want one of each I think they are a dollar apiece.
We have had several very warm days
If Prissie goes back to Tenn she will go to Va about the 12th or 15th of July.  They are not sure they will get a school in Tenn and if they do not she is not going back

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If Sis seems to improve and I go home across the country I think Jo or Sallie one will go home with me.  Want to go to Greensboro next week.  Uncle Lonnie was very sick yesterday.  The Dr. thinks it was a bilious attack.
Aunt Kittie does not improve much.  Patsie is been east for the summer I expect.
Kernersville is going to be a big place.  The Mt. Airy train starts from there.
They are at work at it and Johnnie is going to buy a steam saw mill that is there.  Charlie’s factory is nearly up.  They moved it to Kernersville.  Jamie is well sends kisses
Much Love
Your affet (affectionate) wife,
Julia

Transcriber Notes

Julia Kyle Benbow grew up in the town of Oak Ridge, Guilford County, North Carolina, which is north of Greensboro.  Robert Harvey Gleaves was born and raised in the Cripple Creek Valley of Wythe County, Virginia.  It is not known how the two met as their homes were 100 miles apart.

Robert and Julia were married in Guilford County on January 27, 1876, he was 40 and she was 24.

Jamie in the letter is James Taylor Gleaves, the first child of Robert and Julia Gleaves.  He was born 5 May 1878 and would have recently celebrated his first birthday when this letter was written.

Wythe’s carriage belongs to George Wythe Gleaves, the older brother of Robert Harvey Gleaves.
Dr. Gleaves is Samuel Crockett Gleaves, the oldest brother of Robert Harvey Gleaves.  He served as a surgeon in the Civil War.
Prissie is Julia’s oldest sister, Priscilla Benbow.  She is about 13 years older than Julia and is a school teacher.
Jo and Sallie are younger sisters of Julia’s.  Jo is Josephine and about 5 years younger than Julia and Sallie is about 3 years younger than Julia.
Charlie is Julia’s oldest brother and is about 7 years older than Julia.

From Wikipedia.com
Kernersville is a town in Forsyth and Guilford counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 17,126 at the 2000 census. Kernersville is located at the heart of the Piedmont Triad metropolitan area, which consists of the cities of Greensboro, High Point, and Winston-Salem.  Joseph Kerner bought the property in 1871 and the town became known as Kerners Crossroads. Eventually the town became Kernersville.

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