Isabella Ferguson Letter to George Renick 9 September 1878
Background
I believe that George Renick is the business partner of James C. Frazier. These men ran Renick and Frazier and seem to do land transactions. I don’t know if they were real estate agents or surveyors or lawyers who specialized in land transactions. I am sure if we lay all of their documents out, we could maybe tell. James C. Frazier is the brother to Monroe Frazier, husband of Jane Wood Frazier (by this time, Patterson), the sister of Isabella Ferguson.
In this letter we see that R.A. is “out west” and won’t be home for three months. The boys, Robert and Jimmie, are most likely Isabella and R.A.’s sons Robert Marmaduke and James Warren. I wonder if they came home for school or to help with fall harvest (she mentions picking cotton at the time the letter was being written) and preparation for winter. The letter certainly lets us know that R.A. was away from home for very long periods of time.
Isabella also mentions that Mr. Davis is suffering from carbuncles. Those are blisters on the skin. I am assuming that Mr. Davis is James Ransom Davis, who was married to Isabella’s sister, Margaret.
The Letter
Brandon
9th September 1878
Mr. George Renick,
Sir,
Your letter to Mr. Ferguson some time ago came to hand. He had gone west and has not returned. Robert and Jimmie went with him. They got back a few days ago with some of the hands. Mr. Ferguson will stay till towards Christmas.
Do you think of coming back to Texas anymore or do you think your father will ever leave Illinois? We have got corn pulled and is picking cotton. We did not have much planted only what was on the sod land. Mr. Davis has been very low for several weeks with carbuncles. They are the worst I ever saw or heard of. They seem to think that he is mending a little.
Well, I have nothing of interest to write. There have been no weddings but might be this if nothing happens to present. Excuse this badly wrote letter and believe your friend,
Mrs. Ferguson