Frances Steptoe Johnston to Sarah "Sally" Tate Steptoe Massie, November 20, 1821

[Frances Steptoe Johnston at Belle-grove, Virginia, to Sarah Tate Steptoe Massie [at Pharsalia] near Roses Mills, Nelson County, Virginia, November 20, 1821. Postmarked Lynchburg, "NOV 30." Massie Family Papers, Virginia Historical Society. This is my rough, annotated transcription from a copy graciously provided by William Myers.]

                                                             Belle-grove November 20^th 1821

My Dear Aunt

I thought I would write to you now and let Papa carry the letter as far as Lynchburg as he is going to set off down there tomorrow for the mails are so uncertain that I am almost afraid to write lest my letter should be miscarried.

Papa recieved [received] Mr. Massie's letter the other day and we were very much disappointed at finding that you were not coming up this fall. I am very much afraid that it will not be in our power to go to Nelson when we go down at Christmas for Papa says he has so much business to attend to that he cannot stay long and we are going to move to the Springs in a week or two and every thing will be in such confusion that I am very much afraid we shall not see all of our friends in Bedford.

Papa has sent James down to live with Grandpapa this winter and he is going to school at the . . .

[page missing?]

[left margin cut off:]

. . . wrote me a few days ago that he had ten dollars . . . Martha and myself Papa says he will ruin all his children . . . Leghorn bonnet but he will not consent to it he says have . . . but that is far the reverse so I suppose we shall be obliged . . . long eared bonnets at the Springs next summer where we . . . company.

I suspect there will be a ball at the Springs the . . . I expect it will be quite another sort of one from the other . . . enjoy myself if I go more than I did and what made it . . . very ill and as soon as we heard it our pleasure was . . . for I was miserable for fear he should die and that . . . tale to tell that Mr. Johnston's daughters were at a ball . . . soon got over it.

I have told you all the news that . . . indeed I am ashamed to let you see this scrawl but I can get no knife to mend my pen.

All the family join me in love to you and Mr. Massie and believe me your affectionate niece forever.
                                                      Frances S. Johnston 

[My Dear Aunt = Sarah Tate Steptoe Massie (1796-1828), who was married to William Massie (1795-1862) and was the daughter of James Steptoe (1750-1826). For more on Pharsalia, see this link. There is a massive Massie collection at the University of Texas here.

Belle-grove = unclear where this is located, but presumably near Botetourt Springs and not to be confused with other estates in Virginia named Belle Grove.

Frances Steptoe Johnston (1807-after 1850), making her about fourteen when she wrote this letter.

Papa = because of the Panic of 1819, Charles Johnston (1769-1833) had to sell Sandusky in Lynchburg; the Johnstons relocated from Lynchburg to Botetourt Springs in late 1819, early 1820. Elizabeth Prentiss Steptoe Johnston (1783-March 28, 1820): the Panic of 1819 and abrupt relocation away from Sandusky seem to have broken her spirit and led to an early death. Botetourt Springs = the main tract was originally named Sulphur Spring.

Grandpapa = James Steptoe (1750-1826).

James = James Steptoe Johnston (1808-1895).

Martha = Martha Butler Johnston (1814-1836).]

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