The PAULINE YATES Correspondence III
archive items #23 & 24
Pauline Anderson Yates
aunt
to
William Earl Anderson
nephew and Anderson family historian
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The PAULINE ANDERSON YATES Correspondence - Letter III [see enclosure below]
Legal sized envelope
Contains two letters
Archive item #23
Thursday P.M.
Sept 10th - 1969
Dear Earl,--
Thank you for your sweet letter. It did my heart good to have you say how you'd treasure the old letters. They are truly your heritage - I'm so happy that at last we have an Anderson man to carry on the name and take pride in his family's name and heritage!!!
I'm not going to write you a long letter this time, as I have some enclosures to send that will take up all the space. but I must tell you this!
Recently Myra - Watson's widow, who has married again - and her husband, took us down to John R. Anderson's old home place. Also to mine - which made me sick --! to see it as it is now - But to go back to what I want to tell you - There's a friend of my mother's and father who runs a country store - a Mrs. Williams who knows a lot about our family - She remembers me and also Watson as babies - She is 87 years old and still very alert and bright. We always stop with her? and buy a coke and visit. This last trip, there was a lady customer who waited and said she wanted to speak to me and told me that she lived at the old big white two story Stinson home! across the river --!
She said "And they came and dug Grandpa Stinson's body up" and took it to LaGrange and reburied it. I inferred that "they" were the U.S. Grave Removal detail that removed our loved ones graves. She said they interred the remains in Hillsborough cemetery. You might ask your Uncle Ray to see if he could learn who gave permission to move it - They have to have [?] that I know! Now I think he was your great great grandmother Mollies father - and according to the custom of that day he was buried close to his old home - I'm just guessing that - but I expect that will all go under water with the rest of the level land along-side the river.
I don't know about the West Point home of Capt Stinson ~ your grandfather Bill thinks as I do that the old Stinson home was up on the river near Glass's bridge - If you come down Christmas, why not ask one of your family to drive up there and see the old house? I remember it as a very distinguished looking place - Once my father took me by and showed it to me - And I think he loved Mollie best of all his wives! Just guessing!
Now to answer your questions the best I can.
(1) I don't know, but from all accounts I infer that Phelix was a slave of Fannie's - Probably inherited - or given when she married!
(2) I, too, have puzzled over "little Pitman" - I think papa was hoping Fannie was expecting a baby--! I have some more letters here - In one she says -There's no sign of a baby - (I'll send that on to you later.
(3) No I don't know too much about Mary Stinson's parentage. I had hoped Bill and Sara would look that up -
Theres one of your cousins - your great Uncle Bob's daughter Rebecca who is studying genealogy - She is also the great grandaughter of the same Stinson's as you are - she has a fairly complete history of the families on both sides - I asked her to write you, but I expect she is to busy -
Her name and address are,
Mrs. J. G. Ramey -
949 Northrope Drive N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30324
and there's another distant cousin who is studying genealogy - she is (Miss Mary Lee Anderson 125-98 LaVista Road Decatur Ga 30031.) but she is not in my fathers will - she is Uncle Majors grand daughter and wouldn't have an active interest in your great great grand Mother.
(4) Yes I heard my mother say that in her young lady-hood that the women did wear the mourning clothes that you mention - I never saw anyone in deep mourning - That was a little before my time!! (I want you to be sure to get Margaret Bannisters book "Tears are for the Leaving [?]" and read it - you'll love it almost as much you do "Gone with the Wind." Margaret Bannister is from Lynchburg Virginia and I believe she knows whereof she speaks!! She describes the mourning clothes and customs very well in her book -
Now there's still another one of your cousins - who is nearer your age - who is interested in family history - She is Mrs. F. A. Bloukenship [?] -(Eva) 412 Hiller Rd. Towson Md 21204.
Her husband has his PHD in chemical research and is a teacher at Towson college. Eva is real smart but she is my Mothers grand daughter. the clipping enclosed came from folder that she sent me from Williamsburg - Odd that she refers to the Jones Anderson home too, as you did --! yes I'm almost sure that they are of our family!
Then the long letter - I hope you won't be bored stiff - has some items of interest that you may like - I can't write you all of every thing - I give out!! but I'm better than I was -
This started off to be a short letter and just look. 13 pages --!!
it was the extreme heat and humidity - that made me so sick - I'm sure of it now -!
But I hate to tell you that O.B. is failing so fast both mentally and physically --! Its his age I know and there's no cure for it!
Love Aunt Pauline
A second letter was enclosed in this one, from Jeanette Anderson Whittaker, cousin and contemporary of Aunt Pauline and friend. That letter follows:
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The PAULINE ANDERSON YATES Correspondence - Letter #3 [ENCLOSURE]
Letter to Aunt Pauline from Jeanette Anderson Whittaker
Enclosed with archive item 23, addressed to Billy [WEA]
Archive item #24
305 Fourteenth Ave. E
Cordele, Georgia 31015
August 25, 1969
Pauline darling -
Such a treat talking to you and Florence, yesterday afternoon. About the nicest thing that has happened to me all summer, and next best to seeing you two in person! Blessings on that dial phone! Though I truthfully confess I get confused over the area codes, and do not take advantage of modern day inventions as I should!
I know it must have been a happy day for all of you to get together Had a letter from Florence later, telling me about it and the beautiful drive over to Lineville. I remember it well, for Sarah and I went tilting off over there one time. The roads were not as good then, and I was not an expert driver, so I've wondered since how I made it!
I'm trying to finish this letter much later - 9-28-69 - after starting it Monday. The days fly by so fast, and I have a rather hectic family, with so many interruptions!
I expect it took you and Florence a few days to rest up after so much talk-talk. Anyway, she didn't mention coming down here, which she has been promising and putting off all summer! It is just so far to undertake the trip by bus. Which somebody like Mrs Yates would happen along, only headed toward Cordele!
Pauline, dear, you said in your last letter, that you thought maybe your father was a "snob", and had you and Watson confused - remember? I don't agree. I think he was a born aristocrat! he and all his handsome children looked the part! There was no denying it - he was just trying to help you two adjust to a changing world, because after the War people of "family" were in a bad way. But there's no way to deny good blood! it may even seem to disappear for a generation or two, under poverty and hard times, but it is there in pride and independence, and shows up again in the first generation that has a fair chance at education and prosperity. Funny, huh?
Our brothers didn't have "much chance". Jim would have made a great doctor, and John a wonderful lawyer! But the "times" were against them.
So I rejoice when I hear of the youngest generation of all doing things, well or unusual. I am so glad "Earl" found old family History interesting. I know you enjoyed seeing him, and telling him things. I hope he does write a book some day. I always wanted to but never had the time, or much more important, the know-how! That old Family Bible is a treasure to be valued. I don't suppose it has the names and dates of our grandfather's children in it?
I think three or four of the older children were born in Virginia. I think Mary Jim's grandmother was the oldest child, then James, John, and "Uncle Billy".
I knew the titles Colonel, Captain, etc. were complimentary. As I heard it, Grandpa said if that man at the fort could make papa a major [for the whole story on Uncle Major, CLICK HERE], he could give titles to Ben and Billy. I thought Major was my father's name until I was a big girl in High School!
The fourth son was named "nick" (Nicholas) He ran away and joined the Army when he was fifteen. Grandmother cried and "took on" so, Grandpa got him released. Then as soon as he was sixteen he ran away again. Not matter how had she begged, this time Grandpa refused to get him back-"He has made his bed, let him lie on it!" he said. Nick was wounded - I remember a picture of him in a wheel chair. I think he went on to Texas with the vast number of Virginia kin, who had "refugeed"[sic] during the War, and stayed Out Home I think I have told you the story about John getting on the train in Mississipi [sic] and sitting down opposite a man hidden behind a newspaper. When the man put down his newspaper, they stared at each other speechlessly - for it was like looking in the mirror at himself! The man said, " Pardon me, my name is John Anderson." And brother John said, "Well, believe it or not my name is John Anderson!" Turned out they did belong to the same family. I never had heard of your trip out to stay with Ellis. I'm glad John Happened along. He was always so much fun. I think I've missed him more than any of my brothers, though I have really loved had, mischievous jack most of all.
I didn't know about the litter sister, Fannie Lily. You will have to add her to your chart. I knew there was a baby born to them, but I thought it was the five year old "Charles Lumpkin" and that he was listed as son of Uncle Billy and Aunt Molly by mistake - in the cemetery. Your father must have had kindly feelings for the Lumpkins to have used their name for the son of another wife, and she lost two of her four sons, poor lady!
It is so interesting to hear from you - so much I don't know. Do write when you feel like it. You are very dear to me, and I love to hear how you fare. Wish I had a strong right arm to offer but that is a very rare article these days!
Blessings on you and O.B. and
Much love, always
JET
P.S. I do hope you can read this awful scratching and, pardon errors. It's this awful pen! I need a new one, but all my grand-errand running children are back in school again! I haven't anything but a small fluffy black kitten to pet! Sandra brings my doll of a great-grandchild every few days, she will be three months ole Sept. 1st. Much pleasure to all of us.
More love to you two
dear people,
JET
P.S. Do you ever hear from Mary Jim?
Hope Mobile was not in the path of that terrible hurricane.
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