Miss Lizzie Regan
Brownwood, GA
Dear Cousin Lizzie
I certainly was surprised to receive a letter from you Couldn't imagine at first who in the === it was from. I never will forget the time that cousin Joe came out here to see us I was a girl then we sure did enjoy his visit cousin Joe certainly was a jolly good boy I didn't know that he was dead but we all have to go some time dear Mama died December the 18, 1914 all of the old ones are dead but Uncle Terrell and Aunt Alice, Uncle Jimmie's wife Uncle John has one son and two daughters living cousin Bryan Regan and cousin Dollie Rogers and cousin Alice I can't remember who Alice married the last time Cousin Bryan's address is Ringgold and cousin Dollies is Arcadia
Cousin Kate Stewart is still living I have four children living and two dead have one daughter married She has three children so you see I am Grandma I am 49 have one daughter grown with us and one son seventeen and little girl seven Our children are the married one is Irene and Ada Jim Smylie and Eleanor Mae Irene lives in Arizona She is talking of coming to see us and spend the summer with us
Uncle Joe has four children living cousin Laura cousin Redic Cousin Josie and cousin Alice
Uncle Terrell has cousin Bunch, Dollie, Allie, and Redic Aunt Dollie has Jeff, Wesley, Jessie, and Johnnie. Aunt Manda has cousin Alice cousin Kate, and Mattie
I have three brothers and three sisters Tilmon, Wesley, and Willie, Ida, Tomie, and Jewell Jewell was a baby when cousin Joe was out here How I do wish I could see you and talk with you and tell you more than I can write Why can't you come to see us if you can't come send us your picture We are having some cold dreary weather for spring don't look like spring at all only the peach trees are in bloom but cold cold we have to have fires all day and ice several mornings. I am afraid the fruit is all killed
Times are awful hard. Every body has to live -------but may get worse if the war still continues but we ought to be thankful that we are not like those poor people in the wars Oh it is awful to think of
well cousin Lizzie I have about run out of something to write so will bring this to a close for this time with lots of love to each of you remember me and mine when you pray your most loving cousin
Sallie Hammett
write again soon
People mentioned in this letter are as follows:
Lizzie Regan {Ragan} - Elizabeth Leurany Ragan, also Miss Lizzie, was the daughter of Julius Leurany Speight and Dr. Spann Ragan. She wrote numerous letters to learn more about her family’s family history.
Sallie Manning Bryan Hammett - was the daughter of Tilman C. Bryan and Mildred Manning Prothro. She married Wesley Tilman Hammett, her first cousin and son of Robert E. Hammett and Dorothea "Dorothy" Bryan Hammett.
Aunt Alice and Uncle Jimmie - Jimmie was James Bryan, first son of Reddick Bryan and his first wife. James Bryan married Alice Mary Wimberly.
Uncle John - John Regan was the son of Elizabeth Regan and her first husband, Joseph Regan.
Bryan Regan - Reddick Bryan Regan was the son of John Regan and Martha Davis. He was married to Sarah Elizabeth “Sallie” Gardner.
Dollie Rogers - Dorthy Emily Regan was the daughter of John Regan and Martha Davis. She was first married to George Prior and second married D. A. Rogers.
Cousin Alice - In this letter, she is referred to as one of John Regan's children, however, the Bible records do not list an Alice.
Uncle Joe - Joseph B. Bryan, son of Reddick E. Bryan and Elizabeth S. Regan. He was married to Sarah Margaret Wimberly.
Cousin Laura - Laura Bryan was the daughter of Joseph B. Bryan and Sarah Margaret Wimberly.
Cousin Redic - Augustus Reddick Bryan was the son of Joseph B. Bryan and Sarah Margaret Wimberly.
Cousin Josie - Joseph Sarah Catherine Bryan was the daughter of Joseph B. Bryan and Sarah Margaret Wimberly. Josie was adopted by her Aunt Alice Mary Wimberly Bryan and Uncle James Bryan, a childless couple.
Cousin Alice - Alice Martha Bryan was the daughter of Joseph B. Bryan and Sarah Margaret Wimberly.
Mama - Mildred Manning Prothro Bryan died on December 8, 1912
Uncle Terrell - Terrell Bryan, my great-grandfather, left Louisiana to settle in Texas in 1878. Terrell was a son of Reddick Bryan and Elizabeth S. Bryan, half brother to Lizzie's father Spann.
Bunch - Terrell Little "Bunch" Bryan was the daughter of Terrell Bryan and his wife, Harriet Albritton. She married James D. Biggs in Erath County, Texas.
Dollie - Dorothy Elizabeth Harriet Bryan was the daughter of Terrell Bryan and his wife, Harriet Albritton. She married Thomas Wylie in Erath County, Texas.
Allie - Alice Amanda Bryan was the daughter and Terrell Bryan and his wife, Harriet Albritton. Allie married her first cousin John Regan Hammett in Natodotishes. John was the brother of Sallie's husband, Wesley Tilman Hammett, and the son of Robert E. Hammett and Dorothea Elizabeth Bryan, sister to Terrell Bryan.
Redic - Redic Eli Bryan, was my grandfather and the son of Terrell Bryan and his wife, Harriet Albritton. Redic married Myrtie Hairston in Erath County, Texas.
Aunt Dollie - Dorothea Elizabeth Bryan was the daughter of Reddick Bryan and Elizabeth Regan. She was married to Robert E. Hammett.
Jeff - son of Dorothea Elizabeth Bryan and Robert E. Hammett.
Wesley - son of Dorothea Elizabeth Bryan and Robert E. Hammett. This was Sallie Hammett's husband and first cousin.
Jessie - Jessie was the daughter of Dorothea Elizabeth Bryan and Robert E. Hammett.
Johnnie- John Regan Hammett, son of Dorothea Elizabeth Bryan and Robert E. Hammett. He was married to Alice Amanda Bryan.
Aunt Manda - Catherine Amanda Bryan was the daughter of Reddick Bryan and Elizabeth Regan. She married James C. Watts in Bienville Parish in 1849.
Cousin Alice - Alice Elizabeth Watts was the daughter of Catherine Amanda Bryan and James C. Watts.
Cousin Kate (also mentioned as Kate Stewart) - Sarah Catherine "Kate" Watts was the daughter of Catherine Amanda Bryan and James C. Watts. She married Elastus Stewart.
Mattie - Martha Watts was the daughter of Catherine Amanda Bryan and James C. Watts. She is sometimes referred to as Mattie. In 1881 she was married to a Jeff D. Tolbert and lived in Natchitoches Parish.
Irene - Irene Hammett was the daughter of Sallie Manning Bryan and Wesley Tilman Hammett
Ada - Ada Hammett was the daughter of Sallie Manning Bryan and Wesley Tilman Hammett
Jim Smylie - Jim Smylie Hammett was the son of Sallie Manning Bryan and Wesley Tilman Hammett
Eleanor Mae - Eleanor Mae Hammett was the daughter of Sallie Manning Bryan and Wesley Tilman Hammett
Sallie mentions the following brothers and sisters all children of Tilman C. Bryan and Mildred Manning Prothro Bryan:
Tilmon - Tillmon Capers Bryan married Mary Elizabeth McDowell
Wesley - John Wesley Bryan married F. Elizabeth Sheffield
Willie - William R. Bryan married Margie Pate
Ida - Ida A. Bryan married John Henry Sheffield
Tomie - Tommie Ella Bryan married Robert Robertson Nix
Jewell - Jewell Antoinette Bryan married James Harding Hudnall
Louisiana State Flower, the Magnolia, from Juelie's State Flower Garden of Gifs
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