his letter was written by Commissioner Warren F. "Fay" Carothers, a Murphree descendant. A note across the top of the letter read "Last letter to you & about family tree - mail it back to me some time - it may help you figure out line of Grandpa and Grandma Stockton." |
United States Commissioner Southern District of Texas Houston Division 406 Sterling Building Houston 2, Texas |
Warren F. Carothers |
(written in; 2728 Beatty St.) |
Dear Friends, All February 18, 1951 - 3 PM The Chain Letter came yesterday after noon. I am glad cousins Mary Penn & Annie Stockton came into the chain and have been so well received. Also glad sister Leila has returned to civilization near enough to join the "Big Letter. The Lord sent her by our home some recent year and to have her spend the night & relieve Emily staying up to get a good rest from waiting on me. The medicines prescribed for me by the doctor went into reverse, making me delirious until about midnight when I came to. Sister Leila was sitting up near by. I said "who are you" & she replied "I am Leila" I said "who am I," - she said "You are cousin Fay." I said "I used to be called Cousin Fay where am I" she said "You are in your own home" and then I recognized the room & quited down. Have often wished for an oppurtunity to tell her how much she helped us all that night. And now all our folks in Houston are telling us what fine daughters she has raised and they are in Austin, which bids fair to become the capital of the Stockton family. Cousin Annie is carrying out the family traditions in Giddings and taken over the Big Letter there. As Cousins Annie Faris and Cousin Mootie Cherry grow more and more infirm. Grandpa Stockton used to say "there is no place like Giddings for real oldfashion hospitality" When Emily and I came to Houston 56 years ago we found no Kinfolks living here Except Great uncle Tom Murphree, brother to the wonderful Murphree women mothers of both of our familys. Their mother was Rebecca Brooks, born in Tennessee Jan. 28, 1790. She first married Drury Ledbetter and Uncle Hamilton Led better of LaGrange Tex was their son. After the death of Drury Ledbetter she married Stephen Murphree and they moved to Victoria Tex. (from Ten.) |
Their children were William Thomas M. (above mentioned) John B. Murphree who died 1/20/1855 Major David M. who led a company in the Battle of San Jacinto & was a County Judge at La Grange where the rest of the Murphrees landed later. Sara Murphree, 5/26/1813. Married Dr. David West, and both are buried in Old Evergreen Cem. Lee Comits? and I have seen their grave along with their mother Rebecca Brooks. Old Evergreen was the home of many of our forbears who moved there From Victoria in the 50's. Elizabeth Murphree 2/9/1815. "Aunt Betsy Bownett" wife of Steve B. This where I got in > Louisa Murphree. 1/18/1819. Married Grandpa Martin Alexander This is the Hub of the > Sophia Woodward Murphree 4/5/'21 Married Present Letter Circle Andrew W. White (The Whites were the grandparents of all Emilys family Is buried at Evergreen Tx She was not a daughter> Virginia Featherstone. 10/2/'46. Never married. of Rebecca Brooks but Lived with the Toms at Tivola Tx of A.W. White Ann Mary M. 7/15/23. Married John C. Crenshaw father of dear Uncle Tom C. Frances M. Married Edward Pettus Jan 23 1844 "in Fayette Co Tx Town of Pettus named for Edward & his brother both of whom were in the Battle of San Jacinto. (I noticed one of the envelopes in the Chain letter was mailed at Pettus ______ I do not believe a finer family ever lived than Murphrees. ______ I do not just now recall how the Stribblings came in but Emily often spoke of "Cousin John S" |
But now Emil & I have scores of kin in Houston & I assure you it is a mighty pleasant feeling to know they are here. Joe Trussel is called to sing the gospel as much as preachers are called. And his wife is strikingly beautiful and consecrated I may enclose some pictures & if so please get them back to me especially that of Emil & I no chance to replace it if lost. When Irene & Orville came to live with me they brought 25 of about the prettiest R.I. chicks I ever saw and they grew up fine. One night something got in the chicken house (supposedly 'Possum" proof, & kiled two of their fine pullets That fired Orvilles hunting spirit and next day he brought from their home his fine automatic 20 gauge shotgun & declared war on the all enemies of the barn yard. In a night not long after I spied some visitors up in our persimmon tree and came back & told Orville. He went out with his gun , shot five times and brought down two coons and three 'Possums. Irene gave a colored neighbor the carcuses of all for the hides of the two coons which she carried to a Taxidermist to be made into a rug. Orville declared he will enjoy stepping on the rugs. Says he had many times gone hunting long distances with no such a harvest. We live on the bank of quite a creek and I have killed about a hundred 'Possums and nearly 50 hawks since we moved here. Jim the new Freeway has been complete and opened to traffic past our Addition and that has reduced the Telephone road traffic 2/3. So you can sleep better here. We have had a Stone made by a LaGrange firm for Emily & my grave and they wanted to put in place and we wanted to be there but the late cold snap has delayed. Irene could hardly make the trip yet. She suffers nearly all the time with her hip & she is pretty blue. I am surely enjoying having Orville here. Hope you all enjoy this long Epistle. Best of love, Fay |
Updated 2 November, 2002
