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Stroud Letters



"Some valuable evidence about Peter and Margaret's family is found in two ancient letters that have survived (mostly) intact. One was dated 1837 and addressed to Delilah (wife of John Stroud), and the other was from 1838 and from John & Delilah Stroud and James and Rebecca (Stroud) Mashburn addressed to "Brother and Sister" (names not given). . .

The first letter was dated 3 Sep 1837 Muddy Creek. . . The addressee's name was not given, but from the text of the letter it was clearly addressed to "Delilah". There were two Delilah's in the family, one was the wife of William Stroud Sr (brother to Peter Stroud), the other was Delilah Bright, wife of John Stroud (son of Peter Stroud). I believe it was the latter that was being addressed, for her family had just moved to Georgia before 1837. I do not know who wrote the letter, for the last part of the letter is missing where you would expect to find a signature.

Mudy Creek 3 Sep 1837

Dear Madam

I received your letter which gave me much satisfaction in perusing of the same which stated that you were all well and a doing well also and I now take my pen in hand to answer the your Epistle which will in form you that we are all enjoying a tolerable degree of health hopping that this may find you and all yours enjoying the same in blessing, you wrote that you had heard that Robert Stroud was maried to Miss An Elder which is the fact also little Peter and Matilda Humpres are married also. Mr. Goforth from Rutherford has stole Eliza Moris & married her very much a (two or three missing words here) to will & to cap (more missing)

(Page 2)

Robert Stroud has bought out all the Stroud s where he lives him and George Mashburn ogether. Little Jim & Amy live in your old house now but it is expected that he will sell out in a few days to Robert Stroud & George Mashburn if they can agree.

O Dililah you wrote that you was a comming in hear about the 25th of December if you do you must be sure to call & see me with out fail for you do not know houw I have missed you as a neighbor this summer. Big Jim & Little Peter would all live with us now but they are a fixing their house to move as soon as they can get it ready. All your friends are well at present. Joshua Curtis has buried his little boy this summer. I have no news to write in particular our crops (missing words, about 3) here this season. Big Peter ... (the rest is missing, torn off apparently).

The next letter was dated December 1838 and seems to be a reply to the above letter. This one was addressed to "Dear Brother and Sister" but no names were given. It was signed by "your brother and sister" and four names were attached John Stroud and Delilah Stroud, and James Mashburn and Rebecca Mashburn. Since the bulk of the letter was talking about Strouds, it seems likely that John Stroud and Rebecca Mashburn were the "brother and sister" writing the joint letter. However, what is confusing to me is that it was addressed from "State of North Carolina, Burke County", when John and Delilah were supposedly in Murray County, Georgia at that time, and while James and Rebecca Mashburn were still in Burke County at that time. I believe it is certainly possible that they had all come back to North Carolina briefly, for the information they mentioned in the letter was all pertaining to the Strouds in Burke County and written as though they were witnesses to those events. I think another explanation is that the letter was addressed to John and Delilah Stroud and from James and Rebecca Mashburn. That would explain much and make it all perfectly logical, except that all four names seemed to be included in the signature line, but all written in the same hand writing, the Strouds on the left, and the Mashburns on the right (where signatures usually are found).

December the 11 1838

State of North Carolina Burk County

Dear Brother and Sister. I now take up my pen to in form you that we are all well at present hoping that thees few lines may find you all in joying the same like blesing. We have nothing very strange to rite to you. I can in form you that we have very good crops and I received your letter November the 25th, that gave us grate satisfaction to here from you all and we wont to see you all but the distance is so fare that we cant see each other as often as we would wish.

Your letter stated something about James Stroud sale of land. I can in form you that his land was executed and sold at Morgantown all his claims for two hundred and seventy eight dollars and it was said that he was broke. But he married Omy Stroud and left our parts. Some sade he run away, he carried too horses and prity smart of money, and left me one hundred and sevety or eighty dollars to pay, by going his security. I can in form you that Ecles Stroud and family went with him. I can in form you that Robert Stroud and all the Elders hiered Thomas Green to move them to the Indianna the started the 5 of December on Wednesday morning.

I can in form you that Robert was in tierly brok up and I lost nearly one half of that note I had on him, that Starnes was security and witness to. I sued them and the both denied the note and I could not get a judgment against them. While I had to let Starnes out of it and then bring him in as a witness. I can in form you that mother in law has moved back to Joshua Curtis is and William Stroud has moved to where Starnes lived, and Starnes has moved to the old place and all the land belong to him Green and Robert and mother traded too or three times till the brok mother up.

I can in form you that Miss Elder and Mycager Vaughan took up together. She said the war married, but no won knowd whether it was so or not. Know person saw them married and he denied it, and shee moved of in that way and he stayed. The sale of James Stroud was farliy? by my self and others. So nothing more at present, but remains your affectionate Brother and Sister until death.

James Mashbourn and
Rebeckah Mashbourn
John Stroud and
Delilah Stroud"

Owner/SourceGrant, Marty. "Peter Stroud (1765/70-1834) and Margaret Curtis of Orange, Burke and McDowell Co, NC." Marty and Karla Grant. 16 Jan. 2006. 16 Nov. 2008 http://www.martygrant.com.
Date16 Nov 2008
Linked toDelilah BRIGHT; Joshua CURTIS, Sr.; James MASHBURN; Ecclesiastes STROUD; John STROUD; Rebecca STROUD; Robert STROUD

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