On 23 April 1887, Charley
Walker
was at his brother's house at Walker's
Ford. While cleaning his gun, he accidently killed
himself. A week later, his uncle on his mother's side,
Henry Hatfield, wrote a letter to John D. Hatfield and
Daniel Click about Charley's death. Charley Walker was
the only son of the marriage of Henry Walker and Martha
Jane Hatfield, Henry's second marriage and Martha's
first. The letter writer, Henry Hatfield, was Martha's
uncle, and Martha herself is the person called Martha
J. Click in the letter; William Newton Click was her
second husband. The Daniel Walker mentioned was Daniel
Mackmahan Walker, a son of Henry's by his first wife,
Lucinda Doherty. He ran the ferry at Walker's Ford
at this time, hence the reference to his being out on
his raft.
Dolores (Ramsey) Ham provided this copy of the letter.
Original spelling and words per line maintained. A few
words were partially cut off in the copy, but Dolores
was kind enough to provide her own transcription of
the letter. This particular transcription is a new transcription
using her notes for clarity as necessary. Transcribed
2 July 2003. Click either page for a larger version.
April the 30th 1887
Dear Nephews and Neices it is again through
the mercies and provedence of God that he has
blessed me with the favourable privledge
of availing my self of the present opportunity
of
dropping or addressing you in a few lines on this
side of Eternity hopeing that they may reach
you in safety and find you all well and doing
well for time and Eternity for we are all
swiftly passing to our Eteral home prepared or
unprepared for death is the denunciation against
all the living. And Therefore death is abroad
in our land and has come into our window
and has no respects to persons but is taking both
old and young. And Wm. N. Click and Martha
J. Click are gone down to the Walkers and
I want to see them before I write further so that
I can
give you a more accurate account of the circumstances
than I at the present can. Well Newton & Martha
has returned from the walkers and they state the
case of Charley Walker having accidently shot
himself right in his mouth. He had been out
feeding at Daniel Walkers for daniel was
gone off with his raft[.] Charley came into the
house purposing to go out to amuse himself
by squirell huntint and putting his wet boot
against the
lock and his foot slipped discharging
the whole load in his mouth killing him instantly
and the ball passing through one side of his neck
&
head comeing out above his ear[.] Charley was
a promising young man and seemed to be
preparing for usefulness, But as the poet said
God has many ways to bring us to our graves; Charleys
death took place April the 23rd 1887, This so far
as I know leaves us in common health out here
in Tenn. And now John Daniel and all our
Relatives out there in ky we will expect a letter
shortly from you or some of you at least; Money
matters seems to be hard and provision scarce
or at least hard for us the poor to come at on
account of the scarcity of money[.] Speculators
has
corn up to 75 cts per bushel and wheat $1.00 per
bushel and oats 30 cts per bushel and waghens
cannot scarely be had but if the people can
make out a little longer the prospect looks more
promising for it is a tolerabl gorwing time for
now and vegettation is growing for it is
quite showery and windy at this time and not
much cool. So I must soon close yours Henry
Hatfield to John D. Hatfield & Daniel M. Click
an all our Dear Relatives out there
So Farewell
