1836 Smithville NC letter stampless EUSTIS, FLORIDA, (11/01/2011)...

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1836 Smithville NC letter stampless EUSTIS, FLORIDA, INDIANS, RICE PLANTATION

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1836 Smithville NC letter stampless EUSTIS, FLORIDA, INDIANS, RICE PLANTATION

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Sold Date: 11/01/2011
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Stamps

This folded lettersheet / stampless letter has a faint circular date stamp for SMITHVILLE N.C. APR 26, a 25 cents rate, and is addressed to Mrs. Mary B. Smallwood, Zanesville, Ohio and is a long three page letter written by sister Eleanor. The dateline is Fort Johnston, Smithville, N.C., April 20th 1836.

After some research, I believe that the writer of this letter was Eleanor Jones, who married William Lewis Wharton, an Army Surgeon.

Some abstracts:

"I expect little mary Eliza can excel her cousin Brearley in talking, he is very backward he can only say a few words but he understands every thing said to him ..."

"It is now two months & a half since the Troops from here went to Florida, at that time it was thought by the last of this month they would certainly be at home .... ever since his arrival there until the last of March my dear L. was stationed at St. Augustine very comfortably, but he has now accompanied Genl. Eustis' command into the interior, where if they meet no Indians to fight with, the marching through the swamps & sleeping in them will be enough to make them all sick. L. says he has many sick & his duties are very arduous, he is in rank the senior surgeon of the command & consequently ...."

"Lewis has been particularly fortunate in his constant associates since he arrived in Florida, he says the two surgeons who where with him in his Hospital were very pious and he had also the society of Capt Dimmick,the officer who was here when he was christened ...."

"Coln. P. Butler who commands the 700 mounted men from Georgia & S.C. is with Lewis, he says cousin Ellen Duvall arrived at his house two days before he left home."

"I have just returned from a visit of a fortnight to the Plantation of a Dr Hill, on the Cape fear river, between this & Wilmington, it is the first time I was ever on a Rice Plantation, the House appeared to be on an Island from the fact of the fields being flood [?] with water, to make the rice grow. Dr Hills family are strict Church people, evry Sunday his family & servants congregate in a large hall ..."

Lots more writing, some more names mentioned.

Condition of the letter rates average. As usual with stampless letters, after writing on one or more sides of a sheet of paper, the letter was folded several times and mailed. Please note that most stampless letters have faults such file folds, tears at and opposite the sealing wax area, and some stains / wear / tear here and there. I hope the scan gives you a general idea of the condition.

An interesting letter good for genealogy and history research. See my other auctions for similar items.

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