                               AUSTIN, TEXAS, AUGUST 13TH, 1887

A. H. Smith , ESQ..
Lyons, Nebraska

My Dear Sir: - Your kind letter, of the 25th last month, reached me in due time. I am sorry that I shall not be present at the family reunion of the descendents of my Aunt Abigail Woodward , my fathers sister, at your house on the 20th present month, to which you have so kindly and cordially invited me, but my engagements are such, as will preclude the possibility of my attendance.

I had received a letter from Mr. J.F. Warner , of the same tenor as yours, previous to the receipt of yours; in which he was so kind as to say to me, if I could not be present, to write a letter to be read on the occasion referred to. To meet that request in the same spirit with which it was made, I have delayed answering both yours and his letter until this time, that I might become possessed of such facts connected with the history of my father's family as would enable me, by my letter, to contribute to the permanent as well as the present pleasure of my kinfolks called together on that occasion. My fears are that the facts which are not known to all of you present, that I shall communicate, will be so meagre as will tend to confuse rather than enlighten you.

I wish that I could meet each one of you, who shall be present, face to face, to know you, and knowing you, to manifest by words and deeds that affection which I cherish for each one of you; to exchange with each one those thoughts which, springing spontaneously from the kindness of feeling between those who are connected as we are, constitute the sweetest pleasure of kindly and affectionate intercourse - the brightest coins of affections currency - but when communicated by written language lose half their charm, and appear formal. I hope that each one present will carry away from the meeting an affectionate remembrance of me, and will to some extent appreciate the pleasure that I feel I am denied, at not meeting with each one assembled on that occasion.

My eldest brother, Genl. N. G. Shelley , living here in Austin, is anxious to attend the reunion, to represent our family, but does not know at this date whether it will be possible for him to do so or not. I sincerely trust my brother Genl. C. M. Shelley, now in Washington City, will be able to attend.

HISTORICAL

My father, WILLIAM P. SHELLEY (brother of Mrs. Abigail Woodward), was born October 23d, 1801. He was married to Margaret F. Etter, May 25, 1824. To them were born eleven children, as follows:

1st. NATHAN GEORGE , born February 20th, 1825. He was married to his cousin, Sarah F. Shelley, (daughter of Jacob D. Shelley), Nov. 24th, 1854. He is now practicing law in Austin, Texas; - was a member of the Alabama Legislature in 1853; since his removal to Texas, in 1854, he has served as a member of the State Senate, and as Attorney General of Texas. He has now living six children, to-wit: Mollie, William, Percey, Lula, James and Milton.

2d. ELIZABETH M., was born February 13th, 1827, and died June 18, 1827.

3d. SARAH JANE, was born June 8, 1829; was married to Bolivar Eason , March 2d, 1847. She is now living in Dallas, Texas, and has living five children, to-wit: Etter, Park, Charles, Henry and Hattie.

4th. JAMES ETTER, was born September 2d, 1831; was never married; was colonel of the 10th Alabama (Confederate) Regiment; was killed in battle while commanding his regiment in front of Petersburg, Virginia, on the 22d of June, 1864. His remains rest in our family lot in the cemetery at Talladega, Ala.

5th. CHARLES MILLER, was born December 25, 1833; was married to Kathleen McConnell, June 15th, 1865. To them were born five children, to-wit: Kathleen, McConnell, James, Elizabeth, and Kathleen (2d). The first and last died in infancy, the others are living. His wife (Kathleen) died at the birth of her daughter, Kathleen (2d), and he (Charles M.) afterwards married his sister-in-law, Olivia McConnell. He was a Brigadier General in the Confederate Army. Since the war, he was in Congress several terms from Alabama. He is now living in Washington, D.C., and is Fourth Auditor of the United States Treasury.

6th. MARY CUNNYNGHAM, was born February 18, 1836; was married to George G. Haden, January 13, 1859. There were born to them four children, to-wit: Henry, Etter Green, James, and William Shelley. James died in infancy, the other children are living. Their mother (Mrs. Haden) died April 6th, 1874; her husband had previously died.

7th. WILLIAM E., was born July 20, 1838, and died December 19, 1853.

8th. Henry E. Shelley ,(the writer) was born March 15th, 1841 : was married to Cornelia W. Rice, March 30th , 1870. He is now practicing law in Austin, Texas. Have two children, to-wit : Frederick William and Louise Chilton.

9th. HARRIET M., was born July 23, 1843; was married to Jesse G. Wait, April 10, 1873. She is now living at Cropwell, in St. Clair County, Alabama. She has six children, to-wit : Robert Shelley, Jesse C., Margaret M., William F., James P., and Sarah M.

10th and 11th. Margaret F. and Martha H. (twins) were born August 17, 1846. Margaret died in February and Martha died in March, 1855 - they were about 8 years old.

My father and mother died in 1874 : Mother, May 20th, and father, October 10th. If mother had lived five days longer, she and father would have celebrated their golden wedding.

I do not know the order of the births of Aunt Abigail's brothers and sisters, but their names are as follows: Nathan, Mary (or Polly), Samuel, Jacob, Jere, Jonathan, John, William, Charles, Jane, and Margaret. These are all, unless some died in infancy or childhood, of whom I never heard. Nathan and Jere died in Tennessee, Samuel in South Carolina, Jacob in Louisiana, Charles in Florida, Mary in Texas, Jane, Margaret, William and Jonathan in Alabama. I don't know where Uncle John died.

Mary Jane, one of uncle Charles' daughters, was raised by my father, as a daughter. She was never married, and died in Alabama in 1886, aged about fifty-six years. Aunt Mary's (or Polly's) name was Petty when she died; I believe she was married three or four times. Aunt Jane Rubel has a son living in Boston, who, I've no doubt, would be glad to correspond with his relatives in the West, as he has, I understand, for some time contemplated moving West. His address is A.M. Rubel, Transcript office, Boston, Mass.

Uncle Jacob has three children living in this place, to-wit: Sarah (my brother's wife), and William and Robert. Another son, Oscar, is living in Texas, but I am not advised of his address. Another daughter, Mrs. Margaret Scott, is living in Talledega, Alabama. Another son, James, is living in Tennessee.

I trust, my dear sir, that you and the other reunionists will be afforded some pleasure by the perusal of what I have written, and that I shall have the pleasure, ere long, of receiving in reply from you; or cousin Mary, an historical sketch of Aunt Abigail's family.

Sincerely regretting my inability to be with you on the 19th and 20th, and with an affectionate greeting to all who may be with you on that occasion, I am;

Yours very truly, HENRY E. SHELLEY

The text was transcribed from typed four-legal-size-pages-on-flimsy-yellow-paper in the Austin History Center (the Shelley folder). The letter is unsigned. The spelling and punctuation are transcribed above as they appear on those pages.

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