(Transcribed by Douglas J. Spurlock, originals in possession of S.L. Liedstrand of Mt. View, California)
Wayne County, West Va
July 21st, 1866
My Dear Brother and Sister.
I avail myself with the present opportunity of dropping you a few lines in answer to a letter my father has just received from you. For which we all were very glad to hear and read. We have wrote several letters to you since the commencement of the war but not knowing the place of your address you know doubt was unable to receive them. We have never received any letter from you, since the commencement of the war until father received this one and now I will try to answer it in the best way I can as father is not able to answer it him self for at this time he is unable to sit up out of bed. Neither has he been for about 3 weeks he has had a severe spell of some kind of fever. The doctor did call it an attack of bilious fever occasioned by sudden and severe cold. He still remains quite feeble although the fever seems pretty well broke yet he thinks not entirely but we hope for his recovery but cannot tell for it could not be expected for a man of his age to stand what young people could. I will now give you his age. He was born March 18th 1786. And Mother was born in the year 1784 in February the 8th day. So you will see that mother is the oldest but I think that she holds her own surprisingly for a woman of her age. She could get about much brisker on foot than father could before he took sick. Her health at this time is tolerable good and so is the health of all our relations as far as I know. My own health has been delicate for several years. Now, Benjamin, father says tell you that it rejoices him on his bed of afflictions to hear that you are still preaching the gospel of Christ. He says hold on faithful to the end and reap the reward laid up in store for the righteous. He seems to rejoice to think you have imbibed such a dignified principal of honor in our late day of trouble. You did not seem to know which side your friends in W Va took. I can tell you in full. The most of them too the same side you have taken all though none of our near friends were in the war only Uncle Burwell's boys but they all got home; but one was wounded on his leg but the bone not broken. Poor old Uncle Burwell left home 3 years during the war on account of the danger and difficulties here on the border. The rest of the relations stayed at home more or less some a great deal more than others but through the kind providence of a merciful God we were permitted to all come through alive. You wanted to know what had become of the blacks. Jacob is still with father as a renter. Father gives him the third of all that is raised on the farm. The old people are doing very (they still live on the same old place on Beech Fork) well as well as could be expected. Arty has left them and gone to do for her self but father and mother has one of their nieces living with them and she fills the place of Arty very well. So I think they will still be able to get along. We all feel sorry to think that Wesly has taken the stand which he has. I do not think that he has taken pains to enlighten his mind on this matter as he should have done. I think if he had he surely would be of a different sentiment all together for I know he is in deep error in speaking or writing in the manner in which he does. I do hope he will yet be made to see and understand that he is wrong; for he has mortified all our feelings in his last letters; now Benjamin we would be glad to see you all and converse with you but we are not permitted to. It is a great pleasure to receive a letter. I hope you will still continue to write and that often, Father and mother says tell you to be sure and write to them as long as they are living. When you do write direct our letters to Wayne County West Virginia Adkinsville Post Office. I will close for this time hoping to hear from you again soon. From your unworthy sister, Hester A. Keyser
N.B. give my love to all the children
February 19th, 1876
Adkinsonville, Wayne County, West Virginia
Dear Brother and Sister
I embrace this opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know that we are all a live and well and doing tolerable well. I do hope when these few lines comes to hand may find you all well.
We have 6 children, 4 boys and 2 girls. Our oldest girl, Nannie, is married and has 2 children 1 girl and 1 boy and they are doing well and the best of all they are both religious and trying to make heaven there home.
All of my children belongs to the Methodist Church South. Hester has enjoyed religion upward of thirty years and she is one of the most devoted Christians I ever saw.
I do thank God for a pious wife. It has been through her prayers and influence that caused me to see the error of my ways and seek a home in heaven. 4 years last December God, for Christ sake pardoned my sins. And we have been a happy family ever since.
We have a church in 300 yards of where we live and we all go to church every Sabath (sic).
I used to think of nothing but how to make money. We are still making a good living and I do believe making as much as when my whole mind was taken up with the things of this world. I am still farming and raise plenty of grain and some to sell every year. And I am also keeping store. I have sold goods for 12 years and make some money at merchandising.
I will now tell you about some of the friends. Hester gets letters from Wesley Spurlock every 2 months. They live in Nebraska City and all of their children is married. Uncle John Spurlock is dead. He lived in Illinois. Uncle William Morris is still a live and living with his daughter Mary Davis.
Uncle Burwell Spurlock is well and harty (sic) and still preaching the gospel of Christ.
Jesse Spurlock and family are all well. Morris Booten is still living on the old farm and has never married yet. Cassander Spurlock is alive and well and he has never married since Bethie's death.
Asa Booten has lost his wife and has married some 3 weeks a go.
Reuben Booten has been dead nearly three years. He preach the gospel nearly 15 years. Nearly all the old settlers of this country are dead. There has been a great change in this country since you left. I must close. I still remain your brother until death.
James P. Keyser
Beech Fork, Wayne County, Virginia, January the 5th day 1854
These lines will inform you that we are all yet a live enjoying common health, for which we are ever born to be thankful. We received a letter from you after you landed first in California. But you stated that you did not expect to continue but a short time in that place and we did not know where to look for you, whether you had gone upstream or down, or whether you was on this side, or had crossed over to the other. We were at a loss to know where to direct a letter but after a long time Milton J. Received a letter from you informing him that you was all yet a live and well and in California at a place called Sonoma near that big Bay. I found M.J. had not answered you and I now thought perhaps my letter might find its way over out there around them Big Waters to you; so I would write you a letter; as it regards our selves we are as well as could be expected for people of our age. We are still living at the same place on Beech Fork and expect to die here; we are making out to live free from want; thank God we may say. We have a plenty and some to spare we are glad to hear that you are yet a live and enjoying good health, we never expect to see you again in this world, you have thrown yourselves beyond our reach, our thoughts can reach you, we often think of you and try to pray for you; But you appear to be at a great distance from us, we never wanted you to go to California. But you would go, I am persuaded you could have done full as well in Missouri or Virginia. Much better as a preacher, there is not half the division among us as there is in that country. But the will of the Lord be done and not ours; there has been a good many changes among us since we last saw you, many deaths among the people and among our connection. Burwell Spurlock is dead. John Dean is dead, old Rueben Booten is dead, Robert Halderby is dead. William McComas's wife is dead and a great many more. Leeander was a very promising young man under our new Constitution had been elected state attorney in two counties (to west) Logan and Y??aning he died suddenly and his way to Logan court. I am inclined to believe he died a Christian there was a mighty change in him a few months before his death. Milton Ferguson died a few weeks since. I think he died happy and is in heaven, they keep old Bro. Burwell almost steady for preaching funerals Jesse, Francis, Milton, James, Keirzer and their families are well; Reuben Booten and his family are well, William Morris and his as well as Camman(?) William is never well, the measles are in Bro. Burwell's family, but I hope not dangerously bad, William Haney and Joseph Dean and all the rest of your connections are well as far as I know or have heard. As it respects religion in our county it is tolerably fair, we had a very zealous little preacher last year upon the circuit by the name of Jeremiah Formen; he did much good, our present preacher has been sick almost all the year, But is now getting well and begins to preach like an Apostle and we are looking up for better times (Two lines are unreadable)
Nancy was looking for Abigail and so was I according to our promise Benjamin: and the next thing we heard you was on your way to California and that strong temptation money, that $1000 dollars outfit two strong to resist. I always viewed it as a thing of nothing. Such a journey and such a country as California and such a family ???? could soon consume 2000 dollars. I expect it was expensive traveling in getting there must have cost you a good deal; and I know it costs a great deal to live there, you did not let us know what it costs to get there and how much it takes to board you. Let us know in your next and whether you intend ever coming again to the old dominion. There is now a great call for preachers in the Western Virginia Conference. And think there will be a greater call for since the decision of the money suit in favor of the south I ??? at least that they begin to look kind of brindle like Salomon's cattle. I want you to write to us immediately If you can't do well in California take a transfer and come to Virginia. Let us hear from you ?? all wants. Direct your letter, Wayne County, Virginia, Adkinsville Beech Fork
Yours very affectionately till death
Stephen Spurlock &
Nancy Spurlock
After my close I thought to myself and will say something more to you; I will inform you that we now have in operation a railroad called the Central Rail Road from ??? in Virginia coming down through Cabell County close to the mouth of wyandotte where they bridge the River at the ?? at the back side of William Buffington's farm and from there running down through the Ohio bottom and through Wayne County to the mouth of Big Sandy. I suppose there is not less than 3000 hands now working on the line; I suppose that it will cost from 7,000,000 to 9,000,000 dollars to make it. Now I will drop that subject and say a few things to Abigail you may say to her that several of her connections have lately married (??) Jesse's Preston to Nancy D??ele, Jesse S. married to Achilles McGinnis, Stephen Booten, son of Reuben & Cassia to America Bruebaker, a lady of Ohio, Franklin Booten to Polly Cannons, the oldest daughter by Ruebens last wife; Cassanders Spurlock's oldest daughter Emily to David Dick, Little Asa Booten's oldest daughter Amanda to Theodore Adkins, son of Hazekiah Adkins, As old Jimmy Holderly used to say they took such timber as growed in the woods---and now Benjamin in conclusion permit me to say to you if you believe God call to you to go to California to preach to them people do you preach and be faithful and clear your skirts of their blood and God will reward you in Heaven, don't let the gold of the land destroy you.
S.Spurlock