Frances Callaway Steptoe Langhorne to Sarah "Sally" Tate Steptoe Massie, January 20, 1817

[Frances Callaway Steptoe Langhorne at Spring-field [near New Canton and Cartersville], Virginia, to Sarah "Sally" Tate Steptoe Massie at [Pharsalia,] Rose Mills, Nelson County, Virginia, January 20, 1817 [postmarked 22 Jan'y]. Massie Family Papers, Virginia Historical Society. This is my rough, annotated transcription from a copy graciously provided by William Myers. Extra paragraph breaks inserted for easier reading.]

                                                         Spring-field  January 20, 1817

Dear Sally

It has been a long time since I had the pleasure of receiving a letter from you. I think . . . a letter but I will not . . . has gone to William's . . . me quite alone, but I expect  . . . long, the girls have been . . . , but I don't know how they . . . perform. 

I suppose you have heard of is purchase in flour, he expects to sell a part of it this trip, and if he makes 500 dollars on the whole he is going to give Mary Deane a party there is no doubt but that he will make more at the present prices but it has given him a little uneasiness, I am very sorry hr has promised Mary the party, for I shall not like the trouble or expense so well.

Mr. Jack Page and his wife intend going up to Charles Irvine's in a few weeks. Mr. Langhorne has partly promised to go also but I think I will prevail on him not to go unless he will carry me to see you, but out horses are not in good order and he does not think he can go as far as your house, which is one day's ride.

I have received one or two letters . . . Mary Ann has a fine daughter she sent me word . . . it could not take after her Mom or Dad for neither of them are very handsome in my opinion.

I received a letter from Papa and Lucy a few days since Lucy informs me sister Nancy is almost at her latter end. 

We shall certainly expect you and Mr. Massie next spring you must come to stay some with us. I have written several letters to day and as I am in the humour I thought I would write to you, as shabby as it is I hope you will think better than none.

Dick was very anxious to go to Richmond when he was down to see cousin Betsey Alexander, he said he would give any thing to stumble on Lucy and call her a stack of Bones I expect she will carry up a regiment of Beaux's. 

Write to me soon write a longer letter than you generaly [generally] do.

Mr. Langhorne says he likes to read your letters but should like it much better if they were longer. 

Give my love to Mr. Massie and accept the same yourself.

                                              I ma your affectionate Sister

                                                                               Frances

                                   

[Frances Callaway Steptoe Langhorne (1798-1832) married Henry Scarsbrook Langhorne (1790-1854) on March 13, 1816. Their son William Maurice “Wee” Langhorne (1818-1900) would be born on June 30, 1818.

Sarah "Sally" Tate Steptoe Massie (1796-1828) was married to William Massie (1795-1862) and was the daughter of James Steptoe (1750-1826). There is a massive Massie collection at the University of Texas.

William = Dr. William Steptoe (1791-1860), married to Anne Nancy Brown Steptoe (March 4, 1792-April 5, 1817) since February 7, 1815. Their son, Edward Jenner Steptoe (1815-1865), was born on November 7, 1815.

Mary Deane and Major Deane = the Deane family, of Irish descent, was situated in Cartersville, Virginia. One of their abodes was "the Deanery." Major Thomas B. Deane died in 1824. Francis B. Deane (1770-1860), Francis B. Deane, Jr. (1796-1868), Elizabeth H. Deane (circa 1805-1836) and presumably Mary Deane were all part of the same clan. Dr. Francis Henry Deane (circa 1810-1870) was probably also part of the same crew; he attended over Charles Irving Thornton (1841-1842), who was buried in what is now the Cumberland State Forest, afterwards successfully soliciting for an epitaph from Charles Dickens (1812-1870) to inscribe on the child's tombstone.

Jack Page = related in some way to Jane and Mr. Page = Jane B. Deane Page, who married Henry Page (1785-1845) of Ca Ira, Virginia, in 1813. "One child" = Mary Cary "Polly" Page (1814-1880), who later married George Wilson McPhail (1815-1871). 

Charles Irvine = not sure who this is at this juncture.

Mary Ann = not sure who this is at this juncture.

Papa = James Steptoe (1750-1826), residing at Federal Hill. 

Lucy = Lucinda “Lucy” Steptoe Penn had married Robert Cowan Penn (1789-1856) in 1814; their daughter Frances “Fannie” Louisa Penn (1818-1879) would be born on June 21, 1818.

Sister Nancy = see wife of Dr. William Steptoe above.

Dick = probably Richard Henry Lee Steptoe (1786-1818/1819).

Betsey Alexander = possibly Elizabeth Alexander (1791-1872), who had married John Thomas Wyatt Read (1777-1852) in late 1808.]

[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]