TNGenWeb Project/TNGenNet, Inc., (a Tennessee nonprofit public benefit corporation). "The Howard-Smith Collection" Transcription copyright: 1998, by Mrs. F. A. Augsbury; all rights reserved. The originals are at the McClung Library in Knoxville. This file is in text format. Please use your browser's "back" button to return to the previous page. ********************************************************************************* To: Mrs. Mary E. McKinney, Rogersville, East Tennessee From: J. A. McKinney, Newburyport, Massachusettts -------------------------------------------------------------------- Newburyport Dec. 2nd 1844 Monday night My dear Sister It was not my intention this morning to have written this letter to you, nevertheless as you are to have it, I hope it will be acceptible. But I must explain, I have for a long time been promising to write a long letter to Sister Mag. I think that in my letter of the 4th Nov to Sister Sarah I promised to write the aforesaid long letter from Newburyport. (& I mean to) Well this being my day to write home, (the 1st being Sabbath) I was going to write the long letter. I had out my portfolio, & was commencing to write (11 o'clock A M) when some ladies called in to see aunt. I need not have specified who they come to see, certainly it was not me, for they were "old uns," their presence of course stopped my writing at the time, & one or two others calling did for the forenoon, well "there is time enough yet says I". But alas afternoon brought some friends from Boston they came at two & stayed until a quarter of five being prevented from taking tea with us by another engagement, & to these recurrences dear Sis, you will owe this short letter of to night, as wishing to write to day & not being able under the circumstances, to write as long a letter as I wished to Sister Margaret, I did not know anyone to whom I owed a letter more than to you. Having plenty of time now, I shall if alive & well write to Sister Margaret between the 10th & 20th of this month. I arrived in Newburyport on the 27th Nov very well but very much fatigued, having traveled 135 miles, setting out at 2 in the morning, not having laid down at all the night before. I might have had two or three hours sleep before starting, but did not feel the need of it then but did next day, but a kind welcome & good cup of tea & ten hours sleep quite recruited me. Next day was Thanksgiving which I spent in company with Aunt & Uncle at a Sister's of Aunt, a widow lady, she having but one son & he a boy of thirteen & Uncle being an invalid it devolved upon me to carve the turkey etc. etc., although I had not done the like since I left home yet I was so well acquainted as to feel perfectly at home so I cut away upon the turkey, made out very well helped all the folks, helped myself eat a good dinner had a pleasant time, etc. so much for my second Thanksgiving in New England. I notice that it has been appointed in Kentucky this year & suppose it will be in Tenn. next. It has been very cold here for the last two weeks it snowed a little on the 26th Nov more on the 28th & since then it has been hailing snowing freezing & I do not know what else, it makes ones nose cold almost just to look out through the window. I feel the cold much more sensibly this winter than I did last. I wonder if it is half as cold in Tenn to night as 'tis here. I think I can in imagination see you sitting before a roaring big fire in your little cottage & what is brother doing I guess that he is sitting on the other side trotting little Fanny on his knee trying to quiet her------to get her to sleep I mean, or perhaps he is smoking or has he given it up. Oh how I wish I might hear such were the case. Since I have been in College I have joined a society called the Antivenenian, that is antipoison, the members pledging themselves not only to abstain from the use of intoxicating drinks but from tobacco & opium, etc. I have a certificate of membership signed by Dr Humphrey president of the Society. I was sorry to see ____ try some ____ my letters from home that the Pennsylvania Reform_______ going down hill. Does brother own Lightf____ yet? Is _____ there yet & Tip the dog? has the grass covered the yard yet? Is the road to town any better than it used to be? are all the Lawsons, tenants, still? & Elisha Smith too? Do Mrs Elic Smith & Mrs Preston Lauren call on you often? & do you see the Misses Russell often? How does the new house look? Sis Mary told me in her last that they kept quite close at home "spinning etc.", are they any prettier than they used to be? Is little Fanny pretty?--kiss her & Lizza for me, write soon. Please answer all these questions minutely in your reply to this letter. But I must stop here for the letter must be in the office to night. I hope you will write me a long letter & that soon. Why don't Sister Susan write to me. Aunt & Uncle desire their love to all. Aunt will write to brother soon. Please present my regards to the Dr Aunt Fanny Counsins Charles & Eliza & ________. Love to all the family. J. A. McK