Family History by Robert Monroe Fleming (Sr.)
Another Grandma Causey Letter on Her “Story” & Relations
Transcribed by Robert M. Fleming Jr.
Dear Iva: I wouldnt write this as I just sent one two days. but I wanted to tell you the next time you go to Spokane where your trunk is to send those Historys. I have forgotten what I wrote to you about Mo. was it about Joe Carpenter & Betty Randdolph being stolen by the bandits. I have forgotten. & I have forgotten Bettys last name Randal or Randolph. how they lived in Ky ina marble colonial house built out of Tenn marble. & had a plantation of 3000 acres & about 150 slaves. & that was the way my father & his Brothers were raised. Pa was 23 years when they moved to Il. he had two brothers older than he & 6 younger & 1 sister. & they had race horses fine blue grass hunters. & had a lot of hounds to hunt. & dressed something like they do now. short pant & high boots. I have seen them go hunting after I was big enough to remember. they would come there and start from granpas place. & we lived there. they all rode those fine race horses. & had a lot of dogs. they all raised them and run them in races. silver cups. we had one we called Polly. she was a gentle one. as gentle as a dog. & I would go out in the pasture & lead her up to the fence & get on. & hold on to her main & ride all over the pasture. the nrighbors said they expected to see me killed. but I guess I was born to be hung. or I would have been killed. but Pa wouldnt let me ride at a fair. said there was too many riding. I can remember Polly coming home more than once with a blue ribbon in her bridle. she was dark bay as slick as glass. the prettiest thing. it makes me feel sad to think of those times. Cora wanted to know why I didnt write all that down. go to work on it. as I couldnt do much else. Hazel thinks the part where the wolves surrounded the people going to the cemetary will make a fine scene. and I think so to. but I dont think I would send that letter I wrote to you because I wasnt writing it for a play. tell me if it was about Betty & Joe. if it was I dont know how far back I wrote. the first settling up of that country. with the bandits & Indians come over the mountain they all came to the store & hid in the back room. All but two who stayed out with Ma. she had to sell them things. they had things to trade. they had guns hid behind the counter. & all of the women in the back room had loaded every one in there. & they could shoot too. but two dozen women wouldnt have done much with 300 hundred Indians. but they were friends & stayed around about an hour & went on. Ma had got so she could understand them enough in their talk to trade with them. well they didnt do anything. but frightenedthem. but they did not let them know they were frightened. but that was only one time.
they were always scared half to death. for fear they would come and kill them all. Pa & Ma only stayed there 5 years. they moved back to Ill. the worst trouble at that time was wolves. in Ill. hundreds of them. you had better send that letter I sent you to me. & I will look it over. & if it is worth sending I will send it back to you. & you can send it. I may write some more in it. & if you had those Histories in your little trunk you can send them here by register mail parcel post. & if you have them in theother one . when you get them I expect I will be gone & you can send them down there in c/o Howard. this is Mon morning and still cold & cloudy. & my back says it is going to rain. Cora wont be here now untilnext Sun. I guess she will help V get settled. (V is for Virginia). you can see what she says about Alice. Alice hasnt grown a bit for a year. she was 5-7in. but that was with her shoes on. & F measured not long ago. without her shoes & she was 5-6 I think. that is Florences highth. of course she may grow some more yet. I am still taking pump-seed tea. we used up all those you sent. & bot 25¢more. I have been trying to do with out it. but every time I stop those pains come back. but I dont drink as much as I did at first. I sleep well & have a fine apetite. cant get enough to eat. am hungry all the time. Cora says they have plenty to eat now. at the ranch. I can get filled up there. when she and I go there. I didnt stay long at a time. I guess she will write to you about it. she tells Hazel more than she does me. H was cleaning one of Guys vests this morning & went out for something. & when she came back Betty was sitting up on the table brushing the vest.
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©2010 Robert M. Fleming Jr.
This page was last revised on 3 January 2010.