HEARD FAMILY LETTERS Communications between Dry Creek Louisiana and Georgia

HEARD FAMILY LETTERS  

These Letters have been passed down through the Family of Zachary Taylor Heard, youngest son of John Thomas Heard, son of Jesse Holloway Heard.

Families In the Correspondence -- Berry; Heard; Hewell; Lindsey; Williams.  Please note, the letter images can be enlarged and enhanced by the reader.

LETTER --  1828 

This Letter is a Bill of Sale for Slaves, named in the letter.  It appears to be postmarked from Newton County, Georgia.  The purchaser is McCormick Neal.  The signature of the seller has been torn away.  The purchase price is $300.  It is possible that Jesse Holloway Heard was selling slaves in Georgia before leaving for Louisiana.  

LETTER --  1829

In this letter Susannah Taylor Berry (b. 1770 d. after Sept. 1829) the widow of William Wood Berry, living in Newton County, Georgia, wills a slave girl to her grandchildren, the children of her son Edmund Berry and his wife, Elizabeth.  This bequest is a bit puzzling since Susannah had 10 children, and a multitude of grandchildren.  She may have been living with Edmund and was very close to these children or she may have left similar bequests to other grandchildren.

LETTER --  April 2nd, 1847 --From Joe to J. W. Hewell, Written in Covington, GA.

I believe this letter is written to Jesse Wyatt Hewell (b. Oct. 12, 1793 and d. Sept. 24, 1852, 5 years after this letter was written), who was the father of Mary Susan Hewell wife of Jesse Holloway Heard.  However, the letter could be written to Susan's brother,  John Wesley Hewell.  Joe is an African slave who writes to deny a debt owed to J. W. Hewell.  The letter is written for Joe by a friend, whose signature I cannot read.

LETTER --  April 12, 1848 -- From Jesse Holloway Heard in Louisiana to his Father, James A. Heard (b.1776, d. 1857) and his Mother, Elizabeth Holloway Heard (b. 1779 d. 1855) inGeorgia.  In the letter he describes their grandsons John Thomas Heard, who is 2 and approaching 3, and James Hewell Heard, who is only two months old.  He tells them that John Thomas has blue eyes while James Hewell has dark eyes.  The grandparents will die in 6 and 8 years, never having seen these grandsons.

LETTER --  Dec. 14, 1850 This two page letter from Plaquemine Parish is a puzzle to me.  I think it is sent to Jesse Holloway Heard because the writing is not his.

LETTER --  April 19, 1857 : From Mary Susan Hewell, wife of Jesse Holloway Heard to her Mother, Martha Patsy Berry Hewell. 

I could really use some help in transcribing this very personal and touching letter.

LETTER --  JULY 18, 1866

Postmarked -- Lake Charles, Louisiana 

From: Jesse Holloway HeardTo: Martha "Patsy" Berry Hewell (his Mother-in-Law)

THE LETTER

THE TRANSCRIPTION:

"Lake Charles, La.

July the 18th, 1866

Dear Mother, I take this opportunity of writing to you to let you hear from us. We are all well except my daughter-in-law. She is in bad health. John T. was married on the 27th of March, last to wife, S. A. Lindsey. She is pretty enough for anybody and smart as ladies gets to be.

I was injured during the war, about one thousand dollars [I do not understand this sentence]. John was in Service 2 years I was in 2 weeks.  

I have a first rate crop, of corn, cotton, and sugar cane and potatoes up to this time my crops is _____. I have some of my fodder pulled. I have never heard any thing of Brother. Hope [I don't know what was omitted here]

I received your letter the last of May and this is the first time that I have had the chance to get the power of attorney fixed up and my advice is not to send it until I get a letter from you to know if it is too late to send it. It will cost me about 6 dollars to send it and if it is too late to get the money I won’t send it. I want you to write to me and let me know and direct your letter to Lake Charles, La. I will write to you again soon.  

Give my best respects to inquiring friends. No more, but I remain Your most affectionate son until death.

J. H. Heard (Jesse Holloway Heard)

(I would offer three explanatory comments:  

First, John Thomas was in the siege of Vicksberg and was paroled, but fought again in the Battles of Mansfield and Pleasant Hill. Jesse Holloway fought only at the Batles of Mansfield and Pleasant, i.e. "John was in Service 2 years, I was in 2 weeks."

Second, the daughter-in-law, Sarah Adeline Lindsey is said to have lost a baby about the time of this letter, and this may be a delicate reference to her pregnancy or to her loss. She would give birth to William Crowder Heard the following July.

Third, I do not know who "Brother" is. This is not the only letter in which he asks about this "Brother.")