Saturday, July 5, 2014

Sibling Saturday - 1815 Letter from Francis and Susan Warder

Years ago my aunt allowed me to copy a letter that had been handed down in the family. (A lot of my research starts with my aunt having something handed down in the family.)

Anyway, the 1815 letter is from a Francis and Susan Warder to my great-great-great grandfather, George Munday. It is addressed to George while he was living in Haymarket, Prince William County, Virginia. It is a xeroxed copy and in pretty decent shape. Here is how it looks:

Francis and Susan Warder 1815 letter page 1
And the second page looks like this:

Here is the important part, the body of the letter:
Dear Brother & Sister I take this pleasant opportunity to inform you we are all well at present thanks be to god for that blessing hoping these few lines will find you all enjoying the same blessing. It gave us great pleasure to here of your being well; a couple of Susan’s brothers was in that contry this fall Mr Cockerill told them you was all well I thought Anne was taken with the plague the morning I was at your house and never exspected to hear of her being well again to this life. Dear Sire Mr Cockerill sent me word that you had the money ready for me and was afraid to send it by the post. I don’t think there can be any danger in sending it I wish you to send it so as I may get it by Christmas the money I owe here I have got the man to wait until Christmas by giving him great interest you can get Walter and Philip to go to Haymarket with you and go in a room count the money inclosest(?) All of you go to the post office and let them see you give it to the post master he? Them will be liable if the money should not come safe and Philip can gave you a receipt in my name for the same pray don’t fail in starting it immediately no more at present but remain your affectionately friends until death.
November 21st 1815 Francis and Susan Warder

And from the back page:
Dear sir the post master here tels me the safest way is to cut the notes in two and start the one half first I will write you a receipt and send and then you can start the other half so there can be no danger in misscarrage? I am yours Francis Warder
So you see why I chose this letter for the Sibling Saturday post. It mentions right in the letter that George & his wife (who I have yet to positively prove her name) are Francis and Susan's brother and sister. Clear as mud.

Are they really siblings?
If so how?
Why does he close the letter with "remain your affectionately friends until death"? How confusing!
Did Francis marry George's sister? I don't think so since she was not listed in George's father's will. But haven't absolutely ruled this out.
Did George marry Francis' sister? This would make George's wife a Warder. THIS theory I do support very strongly.
Or did sisters (Susan and unnamed George's wife) marry Francis Warder and George Munday? Although from the body of the letter I don't think this is the case. Oh, please don't let this be the case.....PLEASE!!
Or lastly, were they members of the same church (prior to Francis and Susan moving) and are calling each other brother and sister of the church?

Of course there are more questions than the relationship of the writer and receiver that this letter stirs up. Where were Francis and Susan Warder living at the time that they sent this letter?
Are Philip and Walter related to Francis? Since he is trusting them to his money I would bet so. Side-note: I have also found a Walter Warder selling a slave girl to William Munday (this George's father) on 26 Aug 1800 in Prince William County, Virginia and a Philip and Francis Warder witness the transaction. Are these the same men mentioned in this letter? I'm betting on it.
Who is the Anne that Francis last saw "taken with the plague"? Is this the name of George's wife? Or did he have a daughter by that name that did not survive childhood?

So while this letter is an awesome find and I'm glad that we still have it. It does create a lot of questions.

Anyone that knows the answers to ANY of these questions.....please feel free to contact me.

Hope you enjoyed, glad you stopped by and please come back again ;)
   

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