[Lucinda “Lucy” Steptoe Penn [at or near Lynchburg, Virginia], to Sarah “Sally” Tate Steptoe Massie at Pharsalia, Nelson County, Virginia, February 15, 1816. 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.]
It has been so long since I wrote a letter that I have almost forgotten how, I fear my letter will be very uninteresting, I hear of nothing all around me but sickness & deaths, except that Frances and Harry Langhorne are to be married the 15 day of March, that I suppose will somewhat astonish you, Harry went to Papa's the other day and told him that Frances and himself had determined with or without consent to get married. Papa finding they had made up their minds was compelled to give up though I believe with a great deal of reluctance he says he thinks Frances the most ungrateful child in the world.
I shall most certainly expect you up. I now end with Frances & H.
Baldy is staying with us and has hired two negroes of Shorts and expects to make a wonderful crop he is if possible lazier than he use[d] to be, I have never seen Miss Peggy since you were here. Polly & Betsey are now in Lynchburg and expect to bring Gracy and Nancy Byrd up with them, report says Betsy Irvine is to be married to John Scott brother of Doct. Scott's I expect Chas. Scott[?] has some hand in it. Sister Nancy has a son. I suppose you have heard it before as old Uncle George is frequently passing.
I believe I have written about every thing I can think about if you are in traveling . . . you must certainly convey my best respects to Mr. Massie and tell him I shall be glad to see him up here if he is not too industrious I am told he scarcely takes time to eat.
Your affectionate
Sister
Lucinda
[Lucinda “Lucy” Steptoe Penn (1795-1878), who married Robert Cowan Penn (1789-1854) in 1814.
It has been so long since I wrote a letter that I have almost forgotten how, I fear my letter will be very uninteresting, I hear of nothing all around me but sickness & deaths, except that Frances and Harry Langhorne are to be married the 15 day of March, that I suppose will somewhat astonish you, Harry went to Papa's the other day and told him that Frances and himself had determined with or without consent to get married. Papa finding they had made up their minds was compelled to give up though I believe with a great deal of reluctance he says he thinks Frances the most ungrateful child in the world.
I shall most certainly expect you up. I now end with Frances & H.
Baldy is staying with us and has hired two negroes of Shorts and expects to make a wonderful crop he is if possible lazier than he use[d] to be, I have never seen Miss Peggy since you were here. Polly & Betsey are now in Lynchburg and expect to bring Gracy and Nancy Byrd up with them, report says Betsy Irvine is to be married to John Scott brother of Doct. Scott's I expect Chas. Scott[?] has some hand in it. Sister Nancy has a son. I suppose you have heard it before as old Uncle George is frequently passing.
I believe I have written about every thing I can think about if you are in traveling . . . you must certainly convey my best respects to Mr. Massie and tell him I shall be glad to see him up here if he is not too industrious I am told he scarcely takes time to eat.
Your affectionate
Sister
Lucinda
[Lucinda “Lucy” Steptoe Penn (1795-1878), who married Robert Cowan Penn (1789-1854) in 1814.
Sally = Sarah “Sally” Tate Steptoe Massie (1796-1828), who married William Massie (1795-1862) in 1814.
Frances and Harry Langhorne = Frances "Fanny" Callaway Steptoe (1798-1832) married Henry "Harry" Scarsbrook Langhorne (1790-1854) on March 13, 1816. Harry's second wife would be Anne Eliza Scott (1800-1870).
Papa = James Steptoe (1750-1826), residing at Federal Hill.
Frances and Harry Langhorne = Frances "Fanny" Callaway Steptoe (1798-1832) married Henry "Harry" Scarsbrook Langhorne (1790-1854) on March 13, 1816. Harry's second wife would be Anne Eliza Scott (1800-1870).
Papa = James Steptoe (1750-1826), residing at Federal Hill.
Miss Peggy = Margaret "Peggy" Bradfute (circa 1788-1833), a daughter of Robert Bradfute (1749-1816). Grace Bradfute (circa 1792-1855) was one of her sisters. Davidson Bradfute (1781-1831), one of Peggy's brothers, married Maria (possibly "Polly" in this letter) Byrd (1786-1854) in 1809, and served as Cashier for Farmer's Bank of Lynchburg. Alexander Tompkins (1784-1864) acquired Davidson Bradfute's house, in the vicinity of New London, Virginia, after the latter's death, and was Head Cashier at the same bank. Among these folks would have been possible candidates for portraits by Harvey Mitchell (1799-1866).
Polly = possibly Maria Byrd Bradfute (above).
Betsey = possibly Elizabeth "Betsey" Prentiss Johnston (1783-1820).
Gracy = See Grace Bradfute (above).
Nancy Byrd = Nancy Anne Byrd (1784-); married James T. Wright on January 27, 1821.
Betsey Irvine and John Scott = Elizabeth "Betsey" Cowan Irvine (1790-1862) married John Watts Scott (1790-1850) on June 6, 1816.
Dr. Scott, Charles Scott = brothers of John Watts Scott.
Sister Nancy = not sure who this is.
Polly = possibly Maria Byrd Bradfute (above).
Betsey = possibly Elizabeth "Betsey" Prentiss Johnston (1783-1820).
Gracy = See Grace Bradfute (above).
Nancy Byrd = Nancy Anne Byrd (1784-); married James T. Wright on January 27, 1821.
Betsey Irvine and John Scott = Elizabeth "Betsey" Cowan Irvine (1790-1862) married John Watts Scott (1790-1850) on June 6, 1816.
Dr. Scott, Charles Scott = brothers of John Watts Scott.
Sister Nancy = not sure who this is.
Shorts = unsure who this is.
Baldy = unsure who this is.
Baldy = unsure who this is.
Uncle George = possibly George Steptoe (1785-1862), who was married to Maria Anne Thomas Steptoe (1792-1872), but he was Lucy’s older brother; their Uncle George Steptoe (1748-1802) had presumably died in 1802, though these vital details are not fully verified.]
[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]
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