World War I letters to Edward Early from Jessica Agnes O'Keefe Early

1847 letter to Allen C. Tucker from B. N. Bugg & wife Annis Tucker Bugg, Arkansas

August 27th, 1847
State of Arkansas, Johnson City

Dear Brother and Sister,

I take the present opportunity of informing you that we received your letter the 19th of this inst. which gave us great satisfaction to hear from you for it has been over 18 months since we heard from you sir. You must excuse me for my weakness at this time for I am not able to sit up long at a time for I am sick with my head – the old desease that has afflicted me all of my life. I have not had but one spell before this in this country. My family is well and in good health. Sarah E. Bugg was born April the 4th, 1836 and weighs 70 lbs. John E. Bugg was born Feb. the 26th, 1838 and weighs 48 lbs. Martha C. Bugg (she weighs 46 lbs.) was born April the 8th, 1840. Nancy A. Bugg was born Feb. the 27th, 1842. She departed this life July the 8th, 1843, aged 16 mo. and 13 days. Thomas W. Bugg was born December the 4th, 1844 and he weighs 37 lbs. The children born in this state is a great deal healthy and stouter than them that is brought here from other states. E.M. Bugg was born April the 19th, 1791. He died January the 18th, 1835, aged 33 years, 8 mo and 30 days. Patsey W. Bugg, wife of Ephraim, was born Sept. the 26th, 1793. B. N. Bugg was born April the 29th, 1915. Sophronia Bugg was born November the 7th, 1817. Elizabeth Jane Bugg was born November 19, 1819. W. L. Bugg was born April 9th, 1822. E. M. W. Bugg was born December 10th, 1824. Annis Bugg was born July 1813, and she weighs 150 lbs.

My leg has not hurt me any since about the first of March last. You wrote me concerning James A. McOhany and John R. Moore. If Mc and me had had a settlement he would have been in my debt and for old Moore I don’t owe him one cent. Tell him that I think that he had better come back here and clear up his name that the people has given him about Ozark or at least a little merchant that lived in Ozark told me after John’s death that they bore the names of hog thieves. Tell him he had better clear that up before he trys to raise up an account on me and tell him I want him to recollect that I gave John H. Moore a clear receipt of $27 on the account of his mother when I was dead on my feet and he was as harty as a buck and if that won’t do tell him to come back here and I will help him to what he wants. I have as the saying is been hell tracked all my life and been a slave for others till I am slaved out. And if that will not do, tell them that peltry sells well in this county and come and take my hide and make peltry of it and sell it.

Dear Sir. I did not think that I owed more than 75 or one hundred dollars in Tennessee, but when a person gets there business tangled up as I did, they can’t tell what they do owe. I did think that I would come and see you all this fall and settle my own affairs but as things turn up as they have at home I can not come. If Annis lives till next Feb. and has no bad luck she will have another heir and so much the worse for us. Corn, cotton, wheat, oats and everything else is better here this season than I ever saw in my life. This season has been so wet that farmers like not plowed there crops over the last time.

Dear Sir. I can’t express to you by letter what I could if I could see you face to face which I never expect to in this life. But if we never do, I hope that we will meet in heaven where we shall part no more. This letter is for you and mother and Old Pap and Brother W. L. Bugg and all of my enquiring friends. Dear Mother. I can’t answer all of your questions on this paper. I have one splendid Grey mare, two milk cows and no hogs. Since I came on Little Piney, we have more chicks than I approve of and only four ducks. I will tell you with a heavy heart that I will have to leave Little Piney because the land is rich and very healthy and the land is in the market and a poor man can not enter a home without money and therefore poor people will have to back out and get further in the mountains. I add no more, but remain yours until death. So - Farewell

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Notes: This letter was addressed as follows: Wednesday after the 3rd Monday in April to Mr. Allen Tucker, Esq. Marshal Coty LewisBurg Tennessee Piney Ark. July 30.

In 1847, while living in Marshall County, Allen C. Tucker received this letter from B. N. Bugg, his brother-in-law, and his wife Annis Tucker Bugg. It is a most interesting document and was invaluable for its content referring to family and family affairs. The original was found by Samuel Low Tucker about 1940 in an old wallet belonging to his father, Ferdinand Blackburn Tucker, son of William Tucker.

B.N. Bugg and his wife Annis Bugg write to me when this comes to hand. Allen and Elizabeth Jane Tucker lived on Flat Creek until death took Elizabeth Jane about 1854. She was laid to rest in the old family graveyard. She was probably buried during the cold, snowey winter as the cause of death was “cold plaque,” our present influenza. She was only thirty-seven years of age and left six children to be cared for by thrie father. From the records, Allen Tucker appears to have married Zilpha Boyett in Marshall County in 1854. They were married only a short time when Allen died in 1856, predeceasing his father. Again there was a sad, silent procession to the cemetery and the children went home to live with their grandparents. The Tucker home was full again with Allen’s children and William’s sons, Ferdinand, John Hardeman and George Robert. Looming in the distance was war and the Tuckers were modest slave owners. They had many concerns.

Young Newton Guilford Tucker, son of Allen C. Tucker and Elizabeth Jane Bugg, stretched on the floor in front of the fire. He was sixteen and thirsty for an education. Grandpa William believed in work; and while he worked on the farm, Newton collected pine knots to throw on the fire for light. Grandpa felt he had enough education and did not permit “wasting” a lamp for the sake of education! Newton had much studying and reading ahead. in spite of his youthfulness, he was considered educated at age sixteen and was teaching in the public schools of the county.

Subsequently he studied medicine as was the custom, under the direction of Drs. Johnson and McClure in Lewisburg, Tennessee in 1859. He graduated from the University of Nashville Medical School on March 1, 1861. He was married to Mary Ellen Cochran on July 18, 1861 in Marshall County. He was recommended as a surgeon in the Confederate Army. [Clayton’s history of Davidson County, page 264.]

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