[John Warfield Johnston at Richmond, Virginia, to Nicketti Buchanan Floyd Johnston [at Southwest Virginia], December 29, 1847, folder 160, Trigg-Floyd Collection, Special Collections, John Cook Wyllie Library, The University of Virginia's College at Wise (formerly Clinch Valley College), Wise, Virginia. This is my rough transcription. Gaps from missing bits of text].
Richmond
Dec 29th 1847
My
dearest wife:
I was
very much relieved yesterday on getting your letter from home as it was the
first intelligence I had had at all of home affairs. Your letter from Wythe was
a long time on the road as it only reached me a day or two before your last. I
am rejoiced to hear how well you get on, tho’ I shudder to think of the cold
you must be suffering from now, if it as much severer than it is here as the
difference of climate would indicate. The ground has been covered with snow for
ten days or more & hard frozen all the time.
I was
actually afraid yesterday to put my nose out of the door & stayed cooped up
all day. It has been an unparalleled season here so far. I shall go down to see
Holmes tomorrow or next day if the weather moderates, tho’ he went off in
rather a bad humour. John Floyd argued with him about some new History of the
Middle Ages . . . Holmes . . . as a very profound work was in fact a novel, no
history, & . . .ed his side of the question with great gran. . . I, of
course, sided with the Captain & more to every thing he advanced. You may
judge what a fret this put Holmes into & as it was the night before he
started, I am a little afraid that he has not recovered his good humour.
Cousin
Sally talks a little like going down with me & I am to go up to Gen.
Carrington’s before I start to see her. I have not been up for a couple of
weeks. Some how, I can’t get over the notion that I am not entirely agreeable
as a visitor there, tho’ they are kind in their intentions. I dined with Mr.
O’Brien once since I got down. He has enlarged & improved his church very
much & I see that his congregation has increased in the same ratio: Mr.
Downing was with him when I came down who, tho’ extremely agreeable as a
companion, is not eloquent or profound by any means as a preacher. The Bishop
is not here, nor did I learn when he was expected.
I am
still boarding at the Exchange, where they charge me $12 a week. This is very
high & tho’ the accommodations are very superior to any in the city, I am
hesitating whether to leave here or not. Gillespie & Tate . . . me to go
the the …ulian, but . . . not like the . . . bustle & crowd that is always
there. Besides, I rather believe that it would be better to stay here. Unless a
man can have great reputation for talent, he had better at least keep the best
company the place affords.
I had
written thus far when I was interrupted & did not have an opportunity of
finishing until after my return from a party at Joseph Mayo’s. It is now one
o’clock, but that is not much before my usual bedtime. I can’t sleep in the
early part of the night at all & prefer sitting up to lying in bed awake.
I can’t
tell you now what will be the probable length of the session. If we take up the
criminal code, it will be spun out to the 1st [of] April. I hope,
however, that it will be agreed on all hands, to
postpone that until the completion of the civil code & then make them both
the business of an extra session, which is the only way in which, it can be
done well.
Spotts
tells me that Robert Davidson will be down here with his wagon in a few days
& that he will probably be able to take p the groceries &c. I will
procure the Mother’s Relief, if it can [readily] be obtained in the meantime.
It has
been determined [to] offer a reso[lution awarding] a sword by the state to uncle
Jo, who, I am sure, deserves it as much as any officer in the army. I have
written to uncle Edward to send me a sketch of his services for the use of the
gentleman who will offer the resolution.
John
Floyd has been in my room once, & then I invited him to dine with me. I
suppose, won’t cut my acquaintance entirely, however. He does not mingle much
with the members & seems to keep himself close at his quarters.
I have
paid out $45 for cousin Joe & any money that you may want apply to him for.
I don’t think that I shall go to Washington, as I can’t afford the money now.
If I go to see Holmes, I will go as far as Norfolk in order to get a sight of
the ocean while I have the opportunity. Give my love to mother: kiss my babies
& remember me to my friends.
Believe
me dearest wife
Yours
ever
John W.
Joh[nston]
[$12 in
1847 = about $325 in 2016
John
Warfield Johnston (1818-1889), Senator in the Virginia General Assembly,
1846-1847 and 1847-1848, representing several SW Virginia counties. Married to
Nicketti Buchanan Floyd, sister of Elizabeth Lavalette Floyd, who was married
to George Frederick Holmes (1820-1897), and John Buchanan Floyd (1806-1863),
member of the Virginia House of Delegates, 1847 to 1849 and Governor of
Virginia from 1849 to 1852, who was married to their cousin Sarah “Sally”
Buchanan Preston (1802-1879), who was a sister of Elizabeth Henry Preston
(1796-1876), who was married to General Edward Codrington Carrington
(1790-1855)
Uncle
Jo = Joseph Eggleston Johnston (1807-1891), well-known at the time for his heroics during the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848
Uncle
Edward = Edward William Johnston (1799-1867)
Cousin Joe = ?]
Many thanks to William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.
