W. B. Murphy wrote to his “Aunt and Cousins” from Fort Hawkins, Georgia, on October 1, 1821. The cover is addressed to Mrs. Polly Roach at Swift Creek, Craven County.
Murphy writes that he saw a slave named Jack in Fayetteville. Jack’s owner, Duncan (“Dunking”) McCall, told him he had paid Nelson $320 for Jack: $220 in money and a horse valued at $150, with Shackelford as a witness to the bill of sale. Murphy also says that “Davy” was at Huntsville and that he had sent him word to come home. Polly’s son David K. Roach was in Georgia around this time, so “Davy” may be David, but the letter does not say so.
Letter from W. B. Murphy to his aunt, Polly Roach – Fort Hawkins, Georgia, 1821
Transcription notes: spelling, capitalization and punctuation follow the original. Words in [square brackets] are editorial notes; [?] marks an uncertain reading and [illegible] marks words that could not be read.
Georgia fort hawkins Oct. 1st 1821
Dear Aunt and Cousins
I take my pen in hand to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well and I hope that thes may find you all the same I saw old Jack in fayettville and I saw his master likewise I took the liberty to ask him what he gave for him for your own satisfaction he told me he gave Nelson three hundred and twenty Dollars for Jack this can be aproved of if it is disputed Shackelford is a witness to the Bill of Sale two hundred twenty Dollars in money and the horse at one fifty
Davy is at huntsville I expect from the discription from a young Gentleman of that place I sent him word to Come home write to me at hartford how you all are I am in grate haste Excuse Bad ink and pen Give my Love to all my friends I am yrs &c [struck through: D] W B Murphy
Polly [?] Roach
N B I would have rote before now but I was afraid it would not get to you
Show this to Nare [?] person Dunking McCall is Jacks master name in Fayettville
About the original
Address panel: “Mrs Polly Roach / Craven County / Swift Creek / N C”. Also on the panel: “Fav’d by Mr [illegible]” with a flourish. Remains of a red wax seal.
Note: “Polly Roach” below the signature is written in the letter’s hand and probably names the person addressed; the first letter could also be read as “P[a]tty”.
Source: W. B. Murphy to Polly Roach, Fort Hawkins GA, 1821. Roach Family Papers (#346), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, Box 1, Folder a (Correspondence, 1820–1897). Collection guide. Digitized folder: ECU Digital Collections, 0346-b1-fa.
Part of the Roach Family Papers collection on East Carolina Roots.
