James Roach wrote this letter in Craven County on April 24, 1828, to his “Dear Brother,” who was away from home. A separate leaf filed with it is addressed to David K. Roach.
James writes that Edward Nelson is holding David’s share of the family property, and that he wants a power of attorney so he can take charge of David’s property, including slaves who are not named in the letter. The second half is full of family news: James’s second wife and their daughters Polly and Betsey (Betsey born that day), Nelson and Sally’s daughters Polly and Winney, Nancy living with Ned and Sally, Samuel making wheels at John M. Bryan’s over the Neuse River, Madison going to sea as a common sailor, Pearce, Hannah’s three children, and Charles remarrying after losing his wife Anna.
Letter from James Roach to his brother David K. Roach – Craven County, 1828
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.
State of North Carolina Craven County
Dear Brother Edward Nelson has at this tim the property in hand belonging to you and the rest of the Childre and he was Strongley in the notion of giveing your part of the property up to the Court on the 2nd monday in May there to be delt with as I no not how but I have got him to agree to keep it untell I can rite you word
you wrote to Samuel for me to take Charge of your Negroes but they remain in the stock yet and it is out of my power to doo any thing with them without some power from you if you will send me a power of eturney that will justefy me in drawing your Negroes and the rest of your property i will get an order of Court and [struck through: the] draw the same for you and doo with it as you will rite me word that is if you will Charge me no interest on the money, if you will Charge me no interest rite me word and also what to do with your property and if you cannot allow [struck through: me] me the interest you will have to attend to it your self between now and August Court or [interlined: Edward] [struck through: I ?] will then give it up to the Court if you will doo this rite me word and if not rite me word as sooon as posible —
if you impower me with your property you Can get it at a weaks warning at any time when you com for it
I will inform you that we are all well at present hoping this few lines ma find you in the same state of health I have at this time my Seckond Wife and two children baath Girls the older name Polly [interlined: born the 6th of May 182[?]] the younger name Betsey born to day the 24 April 1828 Nelson & Sally has two Children baath girls Name Polly & Winney they arall well and [interlined: live] very agreable to geather Nancy is well and is a liveing with Ned & Sally al in peace an plenty like pigs on the side of a road
Samuel is at work at John M Bryans over Nuce river at his trade wheel Makeing I om sorry to tel you that Madison last weak Started to the Sea as a Common Sailor much against my will and against all his People which i fear will be [?] his everlasting reuing Pearce has Run cr[azy ?] and cut of one of his armes Hannah has three Children two girls and one boy al well Charles has lost his old wife Anna and is likiley to reform and do better he has got another which is i think a more prudent woman than the first People are janerally Well in this Naighberhood no more at present but remain your brother Aprill the 24th 1828
James Roach
About the original
Separate address leaf filed with this letter (image c06): “David K Roach”. Small marks above the name, possibly a rate or docket mark [illegible]. This leaf carries no date, so its link to this particular letter is not certain.
Note: the last digit of Polly’s birth year runs off the edge of the page.
Source: James Roach to David K. Roach, Craven County NC, 1828. 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.
