Rachel
M. (Walker) Wolfwas
one of the three children of Isaac
Walker, the others being Daniel Walker and Joseph
King Walker, who "went West" according to
Old Time Tazewell, with "west" meaning
Newton and McDonald Counties in Missouri in this instance.
The exact timing of the move is unknown, although this
and other letters of the period seem to suggest that
they had not been in Missouri for a long period of time.
This letter was written both by Rachel and her husband
Sterling (nephew to the husband of Sarah
(Walker) Wolfe)
to her father, who still lived on Straight
Creek in Claiborne County. Letter courtesy Bill
Walker and transcribed by Phillip A. Walker. Click any
page or photo for a larger version.
Rachel's education likely was ended early by the Civil
War. As a result, her vocabulary was broad but her spelling
atrocious. Although a literal transcription is provided
here, it is only marginally easier to read than the
original. So a paraphrased version is also provided:
January 31, 1886
Dear Brother and Sister,
I take the pleasure of writing you a few
lines to let you know we are all well at this time and
hope, when this comes to hand, it will find you all
the same. I haven't much to write this time. My heifer
has got fine calf. Lucy, I look for you and so this
Spring, Sam saw you and says he isn't coming back there
to eat cornbread; he is satisfied yet. [Lucy is probably
Lucy (Kesterson) Walker, wife of Joseph King Walker,
Rachel's brother. Sam is unknown unless he is her brother
Samuel Brown Walker.]
Sterling has strained his foot and is
hopping on three legs.
So what is ass doing? [Thought to be a
reference to Jennie Walker, a granddaughter of Isaac
who was living with him in the 1880 Census; she was
the daughter of Rachel's sister Sarah..]
So Sterling says for you to come in time
to help him put in a melon batch.
Mother: I want to know how you are getting
along with your work this winter; mother, I am piecing
me the prettiest quilt you ever saw. I don't work much;
I'm not much account. Mother, if I could see you I can
tell you more in one hour than I could write in a week.
The children are going to school yet.
Father: if you can get dollars for my
cupboard, let it go in cash. Did cold do in any peaches
there that are worth nine cents per pound here?
Tom Jessee [unknown] is dead; he died
January 28, 1886.
We have gotten the deepest snow we ever
saw; it is about 18 inches deep. So Sterling says the
snow is so deep that he can't piss a hole through it;
he tried to this morning. So Sterling says you ought
to see him do that. He thinks he will make a preacher
if he can keep a smile off of the back of his head.
So Sam says when you go to whistle, it
is so cold that it takes the skin off his hind end to
make a mouth. Sam put up to a gal, and she kicked him;
after she got on ahead, he hollered and told her to
wait there, that he had something in his britches for
her.
Lucy: we had a big protracted meeting
here this winter, and Rachel's pipe and nose met and
she shouted, so she dropped her pipe and that ended
the meeting and got no givers. Tight as popcorn for
moderator wages, so the preacher motioned on the long
side for the deacon. And you know we would have had
a fine time if they hadn't worn the smile on the back
of their heads until we couldn't see what they were
doing in the front.
I will tell you the prices of produce:
Wheat 75 cents per bushel; corn from 30 to 40 cents
a bushel; Irish potatoes 50 cents and sweet potatoes
50 cents per bushell; pork 3 and a half and beef 2 and
a half; grose beef 6 and pork 4 and a half; sweet butter
6 and two thirds per pound; eggs 6 and two thirds per
dozen.
And so no more at present. Write soon
and often and don't fail.
Sterling Wolf to Joseph Walker and
Isaac Walker
January the 31 1886
Der brother an sister
itake the plesur of ring you few lines to let
you no we are all wel at this time an hope when
this cum to hand it wil find you all the same[.]
i hant mutch to right this time[.] mihefer has
got afine caf[.] luce ilooke fur yew an so this
sprang sam se ou he hent cumin back that to eat
corn bed[.] he is satsfdyit[.] Starling has strand
his foot[;] he is ahoping on three lags[.] so
wat is ass adoing so Strling ses fur yew to cum
intime to help him put in amilen[?] batch[.] mother
iwant to no how yew ae agit ting along with your
worke this wenter[.] mother iam apeas ing me the
purtes quilt yew ever saw[.] idont worke muthch[;]
ihant mutch acount[.] moth er if icud sea yew
icantel ye mour in one hour than icud right in
aweak[.] the childer is going to school yet[.]
pape if yewe can git dolers fur my cuberd let
hit go incash[?] up[.] did cole do[?] ene peach
thar tha are worth nine cen per poude her[.] tom
jesey is ded[.] hed did january 28 1886[.] we
hav got the depes snow we ever saw[;] it is about
18 inches deep[.] imus right soon ire mane your
to ne sis ter un tel dth this frm rachel and Sterline
to jo an lucy Walker
so Strling
ses the snow is snow it is so deep he cant pis ahole
thru hit[;] he trd to this mrnig[.] so Starling
ses yew orto sea him delat[?] he thanks he will
make apreacher if he can ceape asmile of ov the
backe ov the his hed[.] so Sam ses when gose to
whisel it so cold when he gose to whisel it take
the skin ov his hind end to make a mouth[.] sam
put up to a gal an she kick him and after she got
on a head he harlerd and told her to wate ther he
had something in his briches for her[.] lucy we
hav had a big patrchan meten her this winter and
Rachel pipe an nose met an se shouted so she drop
her pipe and that ended the meten and got no givers[?]
tite as pop corn for moder ator wager[?] sode pre
churh mochened[?] on long side for decken an you
no we had fine time if thay haden to war the smile
on the back of thayer heads tul we coden see what
thay a doing in front [.] i will tell you the prises
ov on produse wheat .75 cts bushel corn from 30
to 40 cts a bushel irsh potao 50 and sweet potao
50 cts a bushel pork 3 ½ and beef 2 ½
grose beef 6 and pork 4 ½ sweet butter 6
2/3 per pouns and eggs 6 2/3 pur dosen[.] and so
no more at present[;] write sum and often and dont
fale from
