LETTER BY NATHAN TIMS 1852 Nathan used the long s form that looks a bit like an f when there were double ss's in a word. The letter is as follows: I have tried to stick to Nathan's spelling and writing format. (Jane Zimmermann Slaton) Attula County Mi April 14/52 Dear Old much esteemed & always remembered Friend, Having recently received a letter from my friend Dr. J. Mobley, in which he mentions that you still remembered me. And as I am confined to the house today with slight indisposition I concluded I would write to you. It is thirty one years four months lacking four days since I last saw you. Since I bid farewell to one of my best friends- Since then what has not occurred –What scenes have I not passed through- being young then and thrown –with the nature I have – into the company of wild disipated young men ( and having little or nothing to restrain me. not agreeing with my step-mother and consequently leaving Fathers house ) I fell into disipated habits of all kinds – turning myself loose – and for nearly four years I lived in one continuous scene of excess and disipation. In the fall of 1834 (Sept 16th) I married A Miss Bowdon Daughter of Col. Simon Bowdon – who lived (formerly) in Lancaster Dist near Rocky Mount happily for me she was of the right turn of mind – to tame my wild nature – She did so – She made our humble home a happy one made me happier in her company – than I could be with my former boon companions The consequence was I became sober and steady –went to work – and have done a great deal of hard labor since – am yet engaged in hard work – having cultivated last year with my own hands nearly thirty acres of land income and expect to do so this year and now at the age of fifty (I was born 24th March 1802) I am from one cause and another poor – It is not necessary to enter into the causes of my poverty twould not interest you – I will say that I have a clean conscience – and am fully satisfied – well grounded - saved (?jzs) in the belief that I am working out my destiny – My reason for thinking this perhaps I may give you at some other time – On the 23rd of March 1833. I went to the Baptist meeting (in Ala) near my house expecting to meet some men there with whom I had business Preaching over – conference convened – opened a door to receive members – one man went up to tell his experience – I took a seat as near as possible with out intruding – lead by curiosity to hear – entirely unconcerned – but before he got through I was sorry I was in so conspicuous a place – Such a feeling came over me I shed tears freely – was noticed by the whole congregation – That feeling I have never got clear of – altho it is 19 years it is now bright in my memory – The next day after the above occurrence was my birth day making me 31 years old- That day (and many succeeding ones) I spent in prayer, at least I was relieved of the burden of mind and was rec. and Baptised the 3rd Lords day in June, 33 I have been a stumbling member since – have had some scenes of pleasure – Some of doubt and fear a part of the time (and for a long time past) in at most Egyptian darkness It seems as though I am left to live by my own power and every effort I make seems to darken the scene August 30th 1852 You will perceive a difference of several months in the date of the first page and this – The cause is that the indisposition spoken of turned out to be a very serious attack of ague & fever of which I did not recover until some time in June – one of my sons ( John) was taken sick about the last day of May and died 21st June of which I presume you are informed by a paper mailed to your address by me – Since the death of my son I have felt little like writing but concluded I would finish what I began on the other page and send it- You may remember Old Ned Price a tanner who worked with Alex Cabean & others many years ago – Two years after I was married The old man came to my house and persuaded me to start a tannery which I did – worked at it a few years in Ala Sold – moved to Mi Speculated (over the left) in land – and farmed till my sons grew up of size to assist me Sunk (?jzs) a yard where we now live- was getting to think we were doing well – Till John died who had the control of the Tannery – He had an extraordinary talent for business – he was industrious –very stout – his loss can not be replaced (my word the letter looks like repaince or sefaince –jzs) but we must submit to the decrees of an all wise God – whose inscrutable purpose will be carried out in spite of mans rebellion – My wife has given birth to sixteen children seven of whom are dead – Six sons (all at home) and three daughters now living – one married and the mother of three children – Three sons work in the shoe shop – Two in the Tannery – the youngest Jo goes to school Two of my sons are extraordinary workers in the shoe and boot trade – They carry on business in the town a mile & a half from the tannery under the direction of a foreman – There are six hand employees in the two shops ( we have a shop at the yard) who manufacture a considerable number of shoes and boots – but it is all credit – hard times are many in circulation here – we have in process of tanning About two thousand pieces or sides (besides small skins) about half or more will come out this fall we have never yet been able to supply the demand for leather – give eight cents for dry hides four for green – get more than we can tan – sell them for six cents per pound – we are in great want of a currier now as my son (Simon) who works in the yard is disabled with a pain in the hip which I fear will make a cripple of him and my eye sight (I write through gaps) has failed so that I can do but little at it I am not quite strong enough for such work. If we were not compelled to pay so much for hirelings – we could begin to realize something Old Cagr(? jzs). H. Donald –Widow now Mrs. Adams and several of her daughters live in Leake County about 17 miles from me – She has but one son John living in N. Orleans Commission merchant said to be rich It is not probable we shall ever meet in this world but hope to meet and know my good old friend in heaven. I heard from Father a few days ago he was well he is getting verry fat. Give my best respects to Mrs. Kennedy - and all my old acquaintances Tell Major Eaves I would like to hear from him on the subject about which I wrote to him some time ago. Write direct your letter to Kosciusko Your till death Nathan Tims History of the letter – and my speculation I received the letter on March 5, 2010 in a packet of over 200 letters and bits and pieces of written documents from my aunt who had them stashed in a closet. I have become the unofficial family historian and am in the process of reading sorting and in some cases throwing out these old letters. (The University of South Carolina has a wonderful library of history info for the state. Anything that might have historical interest is sent there.) I believe the letter was written to Maj. John Kennedy of Chester, South Carolina. Maj. John was supposed to have been a very friendly and open man. He was born in 1770 in Ireland and died in 1867. I would guess that he was another father figure to young Nathan. There were three Kennedy sons, but George b. 1807 died young, Richard b. 1811 stayed in Chester but would have been 9 years younger than Nathan, and John, Jr. b. 1817 moved to MS. Because he specifically refers to Mrs. Kennedy at the end of the letter and the sons ages don't appear to be a good match I am guessing the father. There would be an outside chance that the letter was written to a Kennedy cousin, but I think the chances of it migrating over to this branch of the family would have been slim. The fact that the letter survived and that I may find some family members connected to Nathan intrigues me. The letter would have followed this path : Sent to Major John Kennedy - Went to his daughter Mary Ann Kennedy Coleman (married George Coleman – lived in Chester, SC) – Went to her son John Kennedy Coleman (lived in Chester and Asheville, NC) – stayed in the family home in Asheville until the home was torn down in 1977 – They were unbelievable pack rats and it hurts me to hear of all the letters, deeds, books, and magazines that were thrown out when the house had to be demolished. (It was built in 1879 and NOTHING was thrown out, there were rooms full of old magazines, papers and letters – A news article of the time told of an antique dealer who picked up $850 dollars worth of stuff from the trash on one day.) The fact that this letter did not end up in the trash heap with many others is amazing. - Next went to James (Nemo) Coleman, John K. Coleman's son – On to Kitty Neff a daughter of James Coleman - Finally to me Jane Z. Slaton, a lover of history and family stories, a great-great-great-granddaughter of Major John Kennedy I hope there are some members of Nathan's family who enjoy his letter. [Submitted by Jane Slaton ]