JOHNS, Florence to Minna W. Gauss - 1961-01-22
From Gauss and his Children
|
Letter
Address
Envelope:
Return address: Florence Johns
524 W. Elsmere Pl
San Antonio 12, Texas
Addressed to: Mrs. Fred L. Reeves
212 W. Walnut
Brinkley Arkansas
Body
524 W. Elsmere Place
San Antonio 12, Texas
22 January 1961
Dear Minna:
At last I am returning the material and pictures which you so kindly sent to me. The pictures are very interesting. I have been wondering if they still have been untouched by the progress of civilization. That is what has happened at places in Virginia. I asked Mrs. Leathers about grave stones at New Store but she said the weather was so bad that she was advised not to make the trip to the cemetery as it was through a field. I do not understand why those Virginia people have not preserved them better. I did not see any notation on the picture of Elisabeth Pabodie and will now write what I had cut from the San Antonio Express dated 5 March 1958: "Little Compton, Rhode, Island (UP) The grave of Elisabeth Pabodie, daughter of Pilgrims John Alden and Pricilla Mullens is here. She was the first white girl born in New England."
I am returning your negative, the pictures came out fine and I ordered three printed so if you know of anyone who wants one, let me know. I took it to a place that really does good work. Do you know about when that house was built? When was the picture taken and is the house still there.
Mrs. Leathers told me she had found out that her "William Johns" had died in Calloway County in a place that I am not familiar with so do not quote it, Between 1840 & 1850. I think he must have died in 1846 or 1847.
I finally received a reply to my letter from Bonnie Cooper. For your information she quotes the names of her aunts and uncles. She wrote a rather rambling letter and I hesitate about giving dates but since she has the old Bible, she may be able to dig them out somehow.
- Her grandfather:
- Alfred Johns D. 1871. Wife, Mary Morris Wharton, daughter of Dr. Dabney Wharton who moved from plantation home in Powatan Co, Va.
- Sons:
- Percy Walker Johns - - -
- Calvert Johns, who died in Palestine, Texas.
- Claude Johns, who resided in Austin, Texas - - -
- Will Johns, moved to California for health but died at Asheville, N.C.
- Alfred Johns who moved to Texas - - - Glover Johns, died At Chevy Chase, 1868.
- Wharton Johns, who was born at Chevy Chase in 1851 but died the same year. I guess that is why Dr. Percy Johns does not name him among the number of his brothers, six. He said there were six brothers.
- Daughters:
- Ella Johns, who married a professor of Brown University and moved to Providence, R. I. in 1867. A son J.D.E. Jones, died last year at age of eighty eight so guess Ella Johns married a man named Jones.
- Nancy Johns, married Capt Lee and lived in Clarkesville, Texas.
- Florence Johns (this is a surprise) the name has always been a mystery to me. She died in 1869.
- Bonnie Johns, Bonnie L's mother. B. 1859.
Bonnie says she does not have copy of the story of Chevy Chase so guess I will have to copy one for her when I have a chance. Have been busy with all this year-end auditing going on. I am going to list the names for Bonnie and see if I can get a more concise story of the dates, though I do believe those old Bibles were very carelessly kept. We have the Bible that my grandfather Tutt gave to grandmother Tutt in 1857, at least that is the inscription. He wrote in it the date of his first wife's death, the names and dates of his first two children. That is all. We have spent 30 years trying to find out where he was born and who his father and mother were and if he had any brothers or Sisters. I am still trying. We know he died in Montgomery, Ala, while serving in the War Between the States in 1863. He was not young then as his son and son-in-law were both in the conflict. However, they went in pretty young and these young men were hitched up with the aristocracy in New Orleans who went into the Washington Artillery. I believe that G-father belonged to the La. Militia prior to the War. He was also a member of the La. Militia prior to the War. He was also a member of the La. Legislature. I have managed to get his Confederate record. G-mother Tutt was a Yankee sympathizer and flew the union Jack from her home. Such a mess. They all paid for it too. She did not believe in slavery or the War Between the States. Lost everything, the Yankee general moved in and my g-mother, mother and brother John moved into the barn. So much for the past. We hope you both are well. Am enclosing a copy of letter from a very nice lady in Va. Her family lives in Boerne, named Johns. There is a woman in Nashville, Tennessee with whom I have had some correspondence but she is listed as a professional genealogist, was a Johns, but I have been told her reporting is not accurate. She and I had a misunderstanding and she and I parted! Again, thanks and will let you know what goes.
Love Florence
P.S. I am undecided but may send Postage for the picture of the stones later to have them copied to go with perm. record
Source
Typewritten original in the private collection of the Chambless family. Transcribed to softcopy by Susan D. Chambless, 1999.
