Thomas Eskridge Steptoe to Sarah "Sally" Tate Steptoe Massie, December 3, 1821

[Thomas Eskridge Steptoe at Philadelphia to Sarah "Sally" Tate Steptoe Massie, at [Pharsalia], Rose Mills, Virginia, December 3, 1821. 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 Sally

I will now devote a few leisure moments to write the first letter of our intended correspondence, from which I anticipate a good deal of pleasure.

I have been here now a month and have not heard a syllable from home. You can easily conceive without my expressing, the anxiety I must feel to hear from you all, situated as I am at this distance from you. I hope you will give me no reason to complain, and as I have now broken the ice, you will use no ceremony in writing as often as your inclination may prompt: and if you do not I know it will be for the want of this, for it can’t be for the want of time or anything else.

Lucy and Frances promised to be very attentive correspondents, but as yet I have not the scratch of a pen from either of them. I mean to write them both to day a letter full of complaint & abuse.

I often think about Papa and his lonely situation; but I hope Mr. Johnston has sent James down to stay with him before now. The recollection of his inform state of health is often a source of unhappiness to me.

I am very much pleased with this place as yet the weather has been unusually pleasant, but it is now snowing, and I suppose the winter has set in for good earnest.

The house I am boarding at is a very genteel one, and all the boarders, of whom there are eleven, are Virginians, and very respectable young men; several of them are from your co[un]ty.

One advantage which this circumstance affords is that our old land-lady knowing our fondness for ham and cornbread spares no pains to have them for us. These are articles very rarely to be seen on the table here.

I hope you did not injure your health when you were in Bedford, by attending old Mrs. Walker’s dinners or any body’s else.  You remember I left you enjoying the round of . . . entertainments when I left home, and knowing your failing on such occasions I could not help expressing my friendly wish about your health.

Remember me to Mr. Massie and little Tom, and believe me to be your aff[ec]t[ionat]e Brother

                              Th. Steptoe

                                                       

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

Th. Steptoe = Thomas Eskridge Steptoe (1799-1880)

Lucy = Lucinda “Lucy” Steptoe Penn (1795-1878), who married Robert Cowan Penn (1789-1854) in 1814.

Frances =  Frances Callaway Steptoe Langhorne (1798-1832) married Henry Scarsbrook Langhorne (1790-1854) on March 13, 1816.

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

Mr. Johnston = Charles Johnston (1769-1833).

James = James Callaway Steptoe (December 10, 1781-October 24, 1827), married to Catherine Mitchell Steptoe (1780-1858); they had at least two children: Frances Callaway Steptoe (1810-1880) and Edward Dillon Steptoe (1811-1854). James served for a time as Clerk of Bedford County, in which capacity he mentored his nephew Robert Crump Mitchell (1807-1872). Or, possibly, James Steptoe Johnston (1808-1895).

Mrs. Walker = in Bedford County, Virginia.

Little Tom = Thomas James Massie (1817-1877).]

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