Civil War Letter

Letter Written From Miller Co. During the Civil War Years...
(Printed in THE MILLER COUNTY AUTOGRAM-SENTINEL in the column, 'WINDOW TO THE PAST', Dec. 6, 2012)

State of MO, Miller Co. April 4, 1865

My dear cousin, it is once more I enjoy the pleasure of riting (writing) you a few lines to let you now (know) that we are all well at this time and I hope when those few lines comes to hand, they may find you all well. We received your letter abut (about) too (two) weeks ago and mother sat down and rote (wrote) uncle Jackson. We was so glad to here (hear) from you all and was sorry too when he herd (heard) how my grandfather was treated. She said if grandfather will come home with her she would come after him this fall if she could. Times is very peacble (peaceable) here now but the robers (robbers) has been about here a little while back but they are all gone now. Sarah we have not fed no soldiers sence (since) we left home and I have saw but very few. I wish that I could see you all and be with you all. James I wish you would mov (move) out here. I think you could do very well out here. I like the country very well and I like the people here but I had rather be at home with my kinfolks. I feel very lonesome here by myself. Sarah I don’t expect you would now (know) me fore (for) I groed (growed) so I weight 1 hunderd (hundred) and 40 pounds and all of the rest of the children has groed a heap. And everything is very cheap here now. Corn is 50 cents per bushel and weat (wheat) is 75 cents per bushel and bacon is a dollar per hundred. Goods is cheap here now. I want you to tell ant (aunt) Nancy that we all want to see her and the children very bad. Tell that I hant (haven’t) herd (heard) from Caget (I think she meant Macajah) since I rote (wrote) to you I want you to rite (write) to me wether (whether) he has come hom (home) yet or not. I would like to now (know). We hated to leave him when we did but he wouldent (wouldn't) come with us. He said he was going home. I want you to give my love to all my friends. Sarah we saw good coten (cotton) here as we did at home. We mad (made) 1 hunderd and sixty pounds of seed coten (cotton) and we have made a heap of cloth. We have made us some new coten (cotten) dresses and they are very pretty. I was surprised when I herd that uncle bolin clark was moved. Father is at work in the shop and is doing very well. James I saw William Nicholas when we moved out and he was as sacy (sassy?) as ever. Sarha I want you to tell ant (aunt) Mary for her to send me a song ballad. it is the drunkard song... Mother and all of the families send there (their) best respects to you all so I must come to a close but remain your cousin until death……rite (write) as soon as you get this. So good by.

Elvira J. Gilbert to James and Sarah Nicholasd

The above letter was written by Elvira J. Gilbert of Miller Co., MO to her cousins, James and Sarah Nicholas/Nicholds in Benton County, Arkansas…… it was written just a few days before President Abraham Lincoln was killed at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. During this time era, Benton County was devastated and probably many families fled from their homes during the 1860s.

Evidently Elvira Gilbert and her parents (names unknown) came to Miller County during the war years and I believe they settled a few miles southwest of Iberia in the area of the old Rankin Wright/Spearman cemetery in Richwoods township. She mentions seeing William Nicholds after arriving in the county. William and his wife, Mary J. (Phillips) Nicholds, lived in the same area as the old Rankin Wright/Spearman cemetery. Mary Phillips Nicholds was a daughter of Thomas and Sarah Phillips who lived in Miller County also. Elvira must have known William Nicholds before coming to Miller County. He was probably a brother to James Nicholds back in Benton County and would have been a cousin to Elvira also.

I could find no record of the Gilbert family in Miller County. They probably moved north to outrun the horrors of the Civil War and after it was over, may have returned back home to Benton County. Elvira seemed to be very homesick for her kinfolks and since they did not move to Missouri, the Gilbert family probably went back to Arkansas.

William and Mary J. (Phillips) Nicholds remained in Miller County and reared a family. Their children included: KILLES M. NICHOLDS b. c/1871 m. Artie Allee 1892; LEROY N. NICHOLDS b. c/1873 m. Celia Jones 1895; MARGARET NICHOLDS 1875-1878; SARAH A. NICHOLDS 1878-1879; and WESLEY A. NICHOLDS b. c/1880.

William Nicholds (1844-1883) died at a young age and was buried in Rankin Wright cemetery beside his two baby daughters, Maggie and Sarah. On his tombstone is inscribed “A Mason” so he was a member of the AF & AM Masonic Order. Mary was left alone to rear 3 young children. I do not know what happened to Mary in later years as no record was found of her other than she gave the consent for her oldest son, Killes, to marry Artie Allee in Miller County in 1892.