[Frances "Fanny" Callaway Steptoe Langhorne at [Virginia] to Sarah "Sally" Tate Steptoe Massie at [Pharsalia,] Nelson County, Virginia, December 28th 1818. 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.]
December 28th 1818
Dear Sally
You see how hard run I am for paper by the piece which I write on. I intended last night writing you all the news but John was so unwell I could not he has the Chicken pox and a very bad cough which I fear is the [w]hooping cough.
Uncle George is too old to be trusted with anything to sell he has sold five turkeys at a dollar a piece that is the highest price that can be gotten two died on the road they sold last week at three and nine.
I am very sorry I cannot write you a good long letter as soon as John gets a little better I while write you. I have felt mortified at not writing before.
Make my respect to the old Lady and the Doctor's wife, and believe me to be your sincere Sister F. Langhorne
[Frances "Fanny" Callaway Steptoe Langhorne (1798-1832) married Henry Scarsbrook Langhorne (1790-1854) on March 13, 1816. Their son John Scarsbrook Langhorne (1817-1896) was born on June 1, 1817 (in later years, sometimes changed to 1818 or 1819). Their son William Maurice “Wee” Langhorne (1818-1900) was 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). Their son Thomas James Massie (1817-1877) was born on March 23, 1817.There is a massive Massie collection at the University of Texas here.
Uncle George = also mentioned in other letters, possibly George Callaway (1785-1822), a son of James Callaway (1736-1809) by his second wife, Elizabeth Early Callaway (1759-1796). However, "Papa" James Steptoe (1750-1826), Fanny and Sally's father, also had a brother George Steptoe, born in 1748 but, according to vague family trees on Ancestry.com, he died in 1802. In any case, correspondents usually make a point of referring to him as "old."
The old Lady and the Doctor's wife = probably Sarah Cocke Massie (1760-1838), Sally's mother-in-law; and Lucy Waller Massie (1791-1822), wife of Dr. Thomas Massie II (1782-1864). See also: Papers of the Dr. Thomas Massie family of "Three Springs," Nelson County, Virginia, Virginia Historical Society.]
[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]
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