This is a copy of a letter written by Peter Lee Fine (son of John Fine and
his wife, Nancy (Lee) Fine, of Sweetwater, TN) to Peter’s sister, Elizabeth
Hill and her husband, Isaac Hill (son of Rev. Joab Hill and wife, Elizabeth
Lane, daughter of Lt. Isaac Lane, Rev.War).
Ashley H. Russell of 1708 SE Maple Ave., Portland, Oregon 97214, had the
original letter (16 Oct. 1977). Mrs. Mary Stevens, granddaughter of Marly
Hill Dunn (Mrs. Patrick Dunn), daughter of Isaac Hill and wife, Elizabeth
Fine, gave this letter ot Mr. Russell a few years before her death. She
lived in Eugene, OR.
Ashley sent a copy of the letter to Nell Hill Dial, who sent it to the
library in Newport,
TN, with the following transmittal note.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Please place in Fine family files
Nell Hill Dial
(Mrs. Charles Dial)
R # 6 Box 251
Lenoir City, TN 37771
This letter was given to me by Ashley Russell of Portland Oregon. A
grandson of Isaac & Elizabeth Fine Hill. Letter written by Peter Lee Fine,
son of John Fine and wife Nancy Lee Fine, of Sweetwater Tenn.
------------------------------------------------------------------
(Addressed to Oregon Territory. Oregon became a state in 1854.)
_____________________________
Rock Prairie, Missouri
26th Jan. 1858
Isaac & Elizabeth Hill, Dear friends, I write a few lines not knowing
whether they will ever reach you or not_
This leaves us in good health hoping it will find you all enjoying the same
blessing. I should have wrote to you or some of your children ere this if I had known
where to have directed letters. While in Tenn. last fall, I saw a letter
from Mary to some of sister Sarah’s family & got her address with the
intention of writing to her but I have furgoten her husbands name. I supose
there has not been much correspondence between you & Father’s family. They
say they never hear from you, only, when you write to other people & not
often then. I was in Tenn. last fall & the appearance at the old home is
truly a sad one. Mother Nancy & Martha are the ocupants with the 5 graves in
the orchard together with Mother’s bad health she has been confined to her
bed nearly 2 years it all conspires together to make things have a rather
gloomy prospect to me, especially when I think how remote some of us that are
living far from each other.
It has been over 3 years since I have heard from Abram he was then on the
frunters of Texas & Mexico. Walker & his family are in Tenn. this winter.
The girls have been there ever since their Mothers death going to school. I
expect that sister Sarah will moove to this state probably not while Mother
lives. I supose you have heard that Father made a will & what disposition he
made of his property. if you have not, & you wish any infirmation on the
subject that I can give I will do it at any time that you will write to me on
the subject. Sister Polly had some propperty that was administered on & sold
which amounted to over $100 funeral expeces & c will have to come out of that
& so far as I am concerned & have any influence over the matter I wish to
have her grave inclosed with suitable Tumb stones placed at the grave. It is
my wish & intention so it is with all of our friends to have all the graves
managd in the same way. I think it right for it is likeley that it will not
be many year till the place will fall into other hands & not one of the
family remain in that Country to point out the last resting place of a
relative, perhaps, to some of our Children, it will not be many years untill
another gineration or new set of people will inhabit that Country.
We have 5 children The youngest none of you never saw. Marshall Walker 9
years old, George Washington 5 & Mahala Caroline 2 years old. We are living
here in Southwest Missouri pretty much after the old sort, on hog & hominy -
batling along the best we can. some times we have some of the necessarys of
Life. & some times even rise to the lixurys. Our country is still improveing
we think. I made the trip from home to Tenn. in 9 days & returned in 8. so
much for internal improvement. We have had the most delightfull & warm
winter I have ever experienced in this climate.
I must conclud as my eyes are failing. Write to me to Rock Prairie Missouri.
Tell your Children to write. Remember me to all.
Yours & C _
(signed)
Peter L. Fine
Isaac & Elizabeth Hill
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Typed from a photocopy of a typed copy and photocopy of the original hand
written
letter of Peter Lee Fine, found at Stokely Memorial Library, Newport, TN,
August, 1993. An effort was made to maintain spelling and punctuation as in
the original.
“Sister Sarah” is Sarah Fine, who married: (1) Dr. Ira H. Hill; &, in 1859
married (2) Dr. Welcome Beard.
Breck Combs
August 6, 1995
You are our
visitor in 2002-- thanks for stopping by!
Last updated by WilliamP. Russell onSaturday, 08-Sep-2018 09:40:26 MDT