Robert Callaway Steptoe to Sarah “Sally” Tate Steptoe Massie, June 1, 1827

Pharsalia, Nelson County, Virginia. VA Department of Historic Resources**

[Robert Callaway Steptoe at St. James Church, Virginia, to Sarah Tate Steptoe Massie at Pharsalia by Roses Mills, Nelson County, Virginia, June 1, 1827. 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.]

Dear Sister,

What words can I use what language will be sufficiently expressive of an apology for my seeming neglect, neglect do I say, that word has no meaning when so applyed [applied] and I trust will ever be so as respects you and myself, for I know of nothing that you could do that would produce neglect in me. Then dose [does] the [E]nglish language afford a word that will better apply, let us see how would laziness do, ah, me thinks I hear you say that will better do, laziness I will acknowledge has been the cause but neglect I never will.

My dear Sister the fact is this, last fall all my family went to Liberty upon a visit & during there [their] absence I was much of my time alone. & as usual my thoughts flew to Pharsalia and to you. I then wrote you a long letter perhaps longer than I ever did, but before mail day came around Betsy returned, and it sometimes happens before sealing she sees my letter & after reading it she said to me in a soft & endearing manner perhaps my dear you had better not send it for you know you all don’t think alike at which expression I immediately lost it in the fire and so passed the shadow for the substance, & felt for a long time as if I had done my duty, that is as if I had answered your letter.

Since the receipt of your last I have been a good deal from home, & have had but momentary intervals of leisure. Last Sunday was the day in course for the sacrament at the Academy we went & as usual at those times fell a torrent of rain which caused but few to attend, its administration is put off untill [until] the third Sunday in June.

After staying two days at the Doctr’s we went to see our poor old aunt Lucy, who has been very unwell & really looks much worse.

I am truly sorry to hear you will not come up this summer as our going down will be unpracticable, it took all the saddles, & bridles, & horses, & negroes upon the plantation, to carry us only a few miles the other day. But as soon as we can get a better conveyance I flatter myself Pharsalia will be visiable [visible] as she was a few nights ago from News Hill, from whom I thought I heard the following complaint.

Your Pharsalia in borrowed feathers

Looks gay in all sorts of weather,

Whilst me, poor, neglected fellow

With ground ten times as mellow

Can only show a log pile hoven

With here & there a rugged coven.

I watch you close I eye you keen,

Your foreign growths and ever green,

Admired much and fare are seen.

Your pillars white with shades of green.

Mounds, founts, & sectigan[?] bowers

And all your host of gilded flowers

Sugar tree vale nor askplane[?] bottom

Ha Ha like me can race the wedy blossom.*

His loud laugh waked me & I found myself snug in bed

But not a little shagrined [chagrined] at my disappointment.

*Tobacco

Our oldest son is going to school & walks six miles each day to & from home. Our youngest is also a son & I think the most interesting one we have. I have called him Richard See as a family name.

My way for making vinegar is simply this, to every ten gallons of rain water, add one of spirits & one of molasses out it in a cask & store it away in some dry warm place, if you have old vinegar after it sours a little add them together that it may be fit for use the sooner.

The clocks [clock’s] ossilations [oscillations] vibrates to my ear, & pointing plain to the hour of night whispering says, overseers beds should be ‘tumbled,’ tomorrow’s morn will hail thee with business of its own trespass no longer upon this night’s repose.    

                                         Ever believe me your Affectionate brother

                                                          Rob. C. Steptoe

P.S. Brother George is flattering himself with the belief that his friends will raise by subscription $3.000 which he says will rebuild . . . Factory. I fear he is too sanguine, his Trustees have . . . to his wife & children the old walls.

[Robert Callaway Steptoe (1791-1870); his wife was Elizabeth "Betsy" Leftwich Steptoe (1800-1840).

Sarah 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 here.

The Academy = in New London, Virginia.

Poor old Aunt Lucy = Lucy Callaway (1761-1839). 

**Pharsalia image. Link here.

The oldest son, &c. = may have died young. 

Brother George = George Steptoe (1785-1862), married to Maria Anne Thomas Steptoe (1792-1872).]

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