Letters from Joseph Madison Davis of Henderson Co, TN, 1870
Letters from Joseph Madison Davis of Henderson Co, TN, 1870
To Lowthorp & Horn Relatives in Anson County, NC
.
click on photo for larger view
.
.

 
.


Letter #1 )
Henderson Co Tennessee this
July the 30th 1870
Dear father and mother
It is by the helpe of god that I seat my self to write you a few lines in answer [to you] kind letter w--- came to hand a few ---- ago stating ----t you was both we-- -ommon which –was glad to hear you--- ---tte had bin wrote a good while ---- would rather you would send them when you first write them it ant much satisfaction to get a letter that has bin wrote 2 or 3 months these few lines leaves me an Buril Andrew both well all so Isaacs folks is all well and I hope these few ------ will reach an find you both well and doing well thes few lines will in form you that a kukluck shot & killed pap on the 26th of this July so no more only I remain yours as ever un tel death so write soon direct your letters as follows to J. M. Davis Lexington Tennessee Henderson County in cear of D. W. Ross from J. M. Davis to B. & Francis Lowthorp.
.
Letter #2)
Henderson Co Tenn this July the 30th 1870
Dear brother & sister I seat myself to try to write you a few lines to in form you that me & Andy is both well and I hope these few lines wil cum safe to --- of of yours in dew time an find ---- all well and doing well I didn’t get any letters from you this time nor haven’t had narry one since I wrote to you before but I hope you will write the more when you doo write these few lines will in form you that corn crops is good tho the dry wether has hurt corn sum cotton is sorry tho I have got cotton wast hy & brest hy but it ant all that way wheat was tolerable good oats was good it is raining now as nice as you ever saw these few lines will inform you that Isaacs folks is all well write soon & fail not Direct your letters to J. M. Davis Lexington Tenn Henderson County in cear of D. W. Ross you can all read one another’s letters and then you will read all I write so fare well from J. M. Davis to Edmon & Elen Horn
.

From what I have been able to determine, I believe these letters were written by Joseph Madison Davis to (#1) his IN-LAWS in Anson County, North Carolina, Burrell S. Lowthorp and wife Francis, and the 2nd one was to his sister-in-law Ellen Lowthorp who married Edmund Horn.

Burrell Lowthorp's 1st wife died in the 1850's and then he married Francis "Fanny" ____ before 1860. His children from his 1st wife were: Rosean Lowthorp (md. Isaac Davis), Eliza Ellen Lowthorp (md. Edmund Horn), Sarah Minerva Lowthorp (md. Joseph M. Davis), Stacy Jane Lowthorp (md. Martin M. Bowers).

The 1870 census of Henderson Co, TN shows Joseph M. Davis-28 b.NC with son Burrill-3, b.TN. Apparently his wife Sarah Minerva Lowthorp Davis had died between 1867-1870. It would appear that his son was named Burrell Andrew Davis in honor of both of his grandfathers, Burrell Lowthorp and Andrew Jackson Davis.

The Isaac mentioned in the letters is more than likely Joseph's brother Isaac Davis who also lived in Henderson Co, TN in 1870. He married Rosean/Rosanna Lowthorp. Joseph and Isaac were just two of the 14 children of Andrew Jackson Davis and his 2 wives: 1) Pruella Newsome, 2) Eliza Ellen GriffinAndrew Jackson Davis and Pruella were in Union Co, NC in 1850. He and 2nd wife were in Alexander Co, NC in 1860 and then in Henderson Co, TN in 1870. It has been suggested that Andrew Jackson Davis was the "Pap" mentioned in the letter that was killed by the Ku Klux Klan. One of his descendants says that he was killed by a stray bullet during a duel, so it's possible that the Ku Klux was after someone else and accidentally shot him.

Any additional information on these families would be appreciated - Send me an email!

Submitted by:
Reece Haskel Howard
1859 Royal Fern Lane
Orange Park, FL 32003
United States
904 215 6324
[email protected]
Family Home Page
Howard Genealogy

.
Submission of old photos and documents appreciated!
.
More old photos of PEOPLE from around Anson County and Union County, N.C.
.
HISTORIC PHOTOS OF UNION COUNTY, N.C.
.
MORE UNION COUNTY HISTORY & GENEALOGY
.
HISTORIC PHOTOS OF ANSON COUNTY, N.C.
.
MORE ANSON COUNTY HISTORY & GENEALOGY
.
.
This page created April 16, 2006 by Julie Hampton Ganis