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| Misc. Notes | ||||||||||
| Letter from Margaret Hughes to Ebenezer Miller, 13 Apr 1826: "Robert lives on the other side of the Mississippi, makes fine cotton crops, and drinks very hard, in short, he is drunk best part of his time. He brought his sister Peggy here when John's wife died and told me he wish'd us to take charge of her and try and learn her something, but I found it impossible, for instead of mending, she got worse. The older she gets, the worse she gets, and I am afraid it will remain so with her 'til the day of her death Jenny, his other sister, lives with Joe Miller in the State of Louisiana and Sarah, Joe's wife, says she can work tolerable well, can sew right smart, and do a good many little things but Peggy can't do anything so well as pick seed cotton." Based on this letter and the presumed age of Peggy (26) and the later letters in which she still under Margaret Hughes care, I believe Peggy mayhave been mentally retarded. See Letter from Hibernia Hughes to Sarah Miller, 1/23/1833: Cousin Robert's death was a shocking affair, he was shot by a trifling gambling scoundrel, and died in eight hours after; and his Brother John Sample has moved over and taken possession of every thing, he says he intends being appointed guardian for his sister that is living with Mother, but he is in as much need of a guardian as she is, for he is a wild Harum Scarum fellow, Mother and Brother Phil went over the river last week to see some thing about Roberts affairs but John was not there and they could not do any thing. Mother says she wishes you to till Cousin Andrew, please to ask Uncle if ever he gave little Robert any money or any thing for Peggy . She says she wishes to know and will be much oblige Cousin Andrew or Uncle if they will write immediately and give her a statement of the whole affair.-- Hibernia Hughes to Andrew Miller 26 Feb 1833: "John Sample was here yesterday; he came to take Peggy to his house, but Mother would not let him take her, and he went away very mad." Hibernia Hughes to Sarah Miller 14 Feb 1835: "Sister Zilpah is here at this time, but expect to leave shortly. She has a daughter two months old that she calls Margaret Elmira, & when when she leaves we will be quite alone, no one but Mother, Peggy & myself. " I believe the Peggy referred to is the same Margaret Miller as in the 1833 letter. Hibernia Hughes to Ebenezer Miller 16 Jun 1835:"Our family is quite small now to what it was when you were here. The boys have both left-Philip and Edwin. Philip is living with his Uncle Phil and is riding as deputy for him. Edwin is in Rodney keeping store for a Mr. Campbel, and Mary Ann has left, and is living with her son-in-law Thomas Grafton on Second Creek, about twenty miles from here, and there were no persons but Mother, Peggy, and myself at home until Mr. Clifton came up about two months since and brought his two oldest children and left them to go to school. ...And our Louisiana relations never come to see us at all. It was to give you the particulars of the situation of Cousin John's estate, that I commenced this letter to you. All I can tell you is that Cousin James Miller has the property all in his possession, has rented out the land, and has paid Mother part of what was owing to her for the support of Peggy, but did not pay it until Mother employed a man to go and get it. She gave old Mr. Tullers a power of Attorney to act for her, and he got the money immediately. Brother Phil went over two or three times to see Cousin James and he would always tell him he was coming over next week to see Mother and pay her, but sure enough, he never got here and I don't believe ever will. He has Cousin John's little son Robert. He sent him to school in Washington and Rob run away and went home. He then sent him to Oakland College near Rodney. He ran away from there, and I believe is now at home or at least I have not heard of his being sent any place else. There was a great Methodist campmeeting over there last week, at Miller's campground, as it is call' d. Jessie Thomas letter indicates she may have married a Reid. | ||||||||||
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| Last Modified 30 Mar 2003 | Created 10 Apr 2004 by Reunion for Macintosh |