This undated letter is addressed to “Mr Nelson Sr.” The writer says that loading a vessel in bad weather has given him a cold and kept him from visiting. He hopes Nelson is “driving on with the Mills as fast as possible,” asks him to finish the wings, the sides, and the platform, and says “old Mr Adams” will want lumber. The bottom of the sheet is torn away, so the end of the letter, the date, and the signature are lost.
The other side of the sheet has an account of beef sold at John Williams’ and Jesse Lankester’s, with sums against the names John Williams, Tim Lee, Garrot Jackson [?], Jackson, Lankester, Hill, and Ned Nelson. The writer’s own words are kept as written below.
Unsigned letter to Mr. Nelson Sr. about the mill, with an account of beef sold
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.
Mr Nelson Sr. Sir,
In Loading the
Vessel, & the Bad weather Since
I took much cold which has
Laid me up, or I Should
have been to See you before
this, I hope you are driving
on with the Mills as fast
as possible, I want you
to get her winged up, also
the Sides, the Platform for
the Breasts [?], old Mr Adams
will want Lumber try to
[the rest of the page is torn away]
[Other side of the sheet:]
| 75 | 25 | |
| 78 | 26 | |
| 79 | 33 | |
| 63 | 26 | 3 |
| 11 Dollars |
| kilting [?] | 4 [crossed out] |
| John Williams | 6 |
| tim Lee | 6 |
| Garrot Jackson [?] | 14 |
| Jackson | 1: 5 |
| Lankester | 1: 6 |
| Hill paid | 19 [?] |
| Ned Nelson | 13: 9 |
| 11 dolls | 0: 2 |
[Written upside down on the same side:]
an account of beef
an account of Beef Sold at John Williams & Jesse lankester
About the original
The sheet is torn across the bottom, so the end of the letter, the date, and the signature are lost.
The account of beef on the other side was probably written at a different time from the letter.
Source: Unsigned letter to Mr. Nelson Sr., undated. 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.
Images courtesy of East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University. View this item in ECU Digital Collections.
Part of the Roach Family Papers collection on East Carolina Roots.
