Ruby Thompson wrote a letter

In 1969, Ruby Thompson Woodruff wrote  a letter to her niece Anna Belle Gray Wilson that included dates of birth and death of the Thompson siblings. Click to see each page larger.

 

Page one of Ruby’s letter to her niece Anna Belle Gray Wilson

Page two of Ruby’s letter

Page 3 of Ruby’s letter

Page 4 of Ruby’s letter

 

Page 4 of Ruby's letter

Ruby Thompson

[Ruby Thompson Woodruff was the great-aunt of Anna Belle Gray Wilson. When Anna came to live in her grandparents' household as an infant due to the illness and eventual death of her mother, Alice Madora Thompson Gray, Ruby would have been about 10 years old.]

I am Ruby Thompson’s oldest grandaughter. She married James (Richard) Wayne Woodruff and they migrated to the Central Valley in California in the early 1930’s. Eventually, not being able to conceive, they adopted an eleven month-old baby girl, whom they named Patricia Lorraine. “Patty” was to be their only child, as they were in their mid-thirties when she was adopted, and they were deemed too old to be able to adopt any more children. Patty grew-up and married and had 3 daughters. Grandmother and Grandfather could not have possibly spoiled us more!

Wayne and Ruby eventually built a “Sears house” (ordered from the Sears Catalogue!) in Corcoran, California. Their home was small, but always emaculate and their yard was the envy of (and source of “starts” for) the entire town. At some point of which I was too little to remember, they donated a huge, blue spruce out of their yard to become the city Christmas tree.

Grandmother worked as a telephone operater for the phone company and Grandfather worked as a lineman for the power company. Ruby and Wayne were also very active in the Methodist Church for many years. I remember Grandmother having so many knacks: for sewing, knitting, crochetting, cooking, canning, baking, playing Bridge, Canasta, and playing DoubleSolitare and Chinese Checkers with me for hours on end. Her rose garden began the Corcoran Hospital’s rose garden when the hospital expanded. Her camillia bushes grew taller than their one-story roof top.

Both of Grandfather’s thumbs were green as well. He grew vegetables and fruits all over their back and side yards. This included the big, tall, beautiful, watermelon-red poppies. They were actually community favorites, decorating weddings, funerals and whatever else the Ladie’s Auxillary at the Methodist Church had in mind. Everyone was so sad when the County Shariff had to ask Grandfather to stop growing them.

Grandfather died in Corcoran and my mother sold their house and moved Grandmother to a very nice retirement home in Fresno, where she was then living. All of them are now buried in the Corcoran Cemetery. I hope that we will be able to keep in touch! cdq…

A Lady has Tuberculosis

[Source: Our Wilson Ancestors and Relatives, a typed document given to me by Roy L. Wilson, Jr. Author unknown although he wrote "From M.F. Gordon" on the corner.]

…When [the] Civil War came, Joel Fowler Wilson was 31 years old and the father of 7 children. Three more were born during the war. Ministers were exempt from military duty but many volunteered as soldiers, Chaplains, and hospital commissioners. Those who did not go to war had to support themselves by farming or teaching. Many were destitute but did what they could to minister to the sorrowful and suffering. Our ancestor was numbered with those who stayed at home and served in that capacity.

During the reconstruction years the Wilson family lived through a time of deprivation, hardship and struggle common to all of Mississippi and the south. By the year 1870 the population of the county of 14,776 persons. The farm census for then and for ten years later revealed that most farmers relied on oxen and mules as beasts of burden and the idea of a tractor has not as much as entered the mind. Little was known of erosion control, rotation of crops, or even fertilization so gradually the top soil washed away and the land became less and less profitable. Thus many people moved on to Texas looking for better opportunities, including some of the older children of Joel Fowler Wilson.

In about 1895, because of Ellender’s health [his wife, Ellender Caroline Coker Wilson], our ancestors also moved to Texas . the move proved to be an unfortunate one for Ellender had tuberculous (sic) and she did not improve. The following is the last letter she wrote to her daugher (sic) (this writer’s paternal grandmother), Victoria Wilson Patterson. [Transcribed as typed, except I added paragraph breaks for easier reading]

My dear child; I will try to answer your dear letter received yesterday. Oh Victory you dont know how glad I was to here from you but ______ you was not well. i never do feel a well hour. My health has ben so bad I could not write atall. i am so nervous at times i cant hold anything long at a time. I am alone. Your Pa [Joel Fowler Wilson] has ben preaching over three weeks. I am not able to go with him. He comes home twice a week to see how I am.

i was very sorry Walter [Victoria's oldest son] was suffering so bad with risings [boils]. Jimmie [James Bennett Wilson, who later married and was divorced from his brother William's widow Leona] and family has ben here and staid two weeks. Lelia’s [Jimmie's wife] is some better than it was. Willie [William Ransom Wilson] and Leona and Alvy Griffin [possibly Albert, son of Isabella Wilson Griffin] is gone to Fannin County. Ben gone too weeks. Went through the country about one hundred and twenty miles. They went to Sister Nancy. Alvy has not stade with me any. He has been working with the boy on the farm.  We didn’t have anything for him to do.

i can get someone every night to stay with me. Sometimes the children comes but they have a bad chance. Bobby [Robert Best] was here yesterday, said Sue [Susan Ann] was coming one day this week. i don’t think they will ever go back to Mississippi. Bob did get dissatisfied a while. It rained so much they lost all their oats and part of their cotton. It ruined them. It made them all feel bad. They say there never was more corn maid and cotton is a great deal better than they expected and they are all getting along very well.

I got a letter from Lizzy [Elizabeth Vashti Wilson] last week. They was all well except Pearl. Her health is not good and has not been all the year. i hope to get better now. i have a new medicine that has helpt me more than anything i have taken but Victory nothing will ever cure me. i have the worse cough you ever saw anyone in your life have.

Well you asked me if Pa was coming back to Mississippi. He cat leave me and my health is so bad i cant go. i will let you know if i get worse off. Some of the children will write to you. Tell Walter to write to me. You write often. Fairwell dear child.

Your Ma,

E.C. Wilson”

Ellender Coker Wilson died in Joshua, Texas on April 11, 1896 and was buried in the Caddo Cemetary (sic). Following is a copy of her obituary written by her son, Rev. Dixon Lewis Wilson — Kosciusko Star Herald, April 20, 1896. [See photo below]

…After his wife’s death Joel Fowler Wilson returned to Attala County, Mississippi where he remained active in church live until a short while before his death. He died on May 24, 1898 at the age of 68.

Ellender's husband, Joel Fowler Wilson

Ellender and Joel's eldest son, Rev. Dixon Lewis Wilson

MANY thanks to my now-deceased second cousin Roy L. Wilson Jr. for sharing his work on the Wilson family history with me.

Joel Fowler Wilson, 1830-1898

Joel Fowler Wilson and his wife Ellender Coker Wilson begat many children, one of his younger children being my great-grandfather William Ransom Wilson. Joel lived in Attala County,  Mississippi (Kosciusko) but ventured west to Joshua, Texas (south of DFW) to visit his son Isom. His beloved wife died and is buried there. Click on photos to see them larger.

This is the text of his obituary in the May 27, 1898 issue of the Mississippi Farmer (page and article image at bottom):

All that was mortal of this grand man was laid to rest in the city cemetery here Wednesday after the funeral service at the Baptist Church by Rev. W.H.H. Fancher of French Camp. Joel Wilson was born in Georgia 18??, married in Yellowbusha (Yalobusha) co 18??, ordained as a Baptist minister 1856. He had long resided in this county, and few men were better known and he was universally like by all denomination and people who knew him. Not only (to?) the Baptists was he a faithful minister, but the county a useful citizen. He moved to Texas a few years ago and his beloved wife was called to her heavenly home. He returned to Attala county last year and resided with his son Rev. Dixon L. Wilson near Sardis where he died Monday, May 23, 18??.

Appeared in May 27, 1898 issue of the Mississippi Farmer

[Photo and obituary courtesy of Roy L. Wilson, Jr., 1921-2008]