WVMARSHA-L Archives

From:
Subject: New on Marshall County page.
Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2001 23:51:05 EDT

http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvmarsha/marsh.htm

<A HREF="http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvmarsha/marsh.htm">Marshall County Page</A>
===================================

Hi, Everyone:

Over the past 2 days, Phyllis Dye Slater has typed 28 letters she recently
received from NANCY SMITH of Texas. The letters, written by LEWIS H. SMITH
during the Civil War, mention many people from his home town of
Moundsville, but particularly the TOMLINSONs, a number of whom served with
him in the 3rd WVa Infantry that subsequently became the 6th Cavalry.
(Alfred, Hagar, John Grandville, Simeon & William Tomlinson)

As you may know, Phyllis is a descendant of the Tomlinson family (Alfred
named above) and she is extremely pleased to have received these letters. She
obtained permission to put them on the Marshall County page and I have just
done so. They are in the military section, Civil War - - obviously.


<A HREF="http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvmarsha/cwletters.htm">Lewis H. Smith, 6th West Virginia Cavalry, Marshall County, WV</A>

http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvmarsha/cwletters.htm

The letters are real treasures that give a glimpse into the personalities and
character of those named. And I was thoroughly enjoying them until I got to
#20....That was when Phyllis told me that she thought Lewis H. Smith had
died. - -

I looked in my book and YES, he did die. Then, I really loved the letters -
- They are so valuable for so many reasons - - and I'm sure the family found
great comfort in them.
And Phyllis has a firsthand account of the activities of her family, both in
and out of the war.

Perhaps I shouldn't have told you the ending but that will compel many to
read them who might not otherwise have bothered.

SOME, but probably not all, of the names mentioned in the letters:

Joseph Wirish, Capt. Purdy, Mr. Alexander, B. T. Lydick, George Thomas, Bob
Curtis, Mr. Dunn, Perry Riggs, Al (Alfred) Tomlinson, George Patterson,
Martha Smith, Peter B. Catlett, John Moore, Mary Guttery, A. M. Carr, Will
Koontz, Hagar Tomlinson, William Tomlinson, Gran (Grandville) Tomlinson,
Simeon Tomlinson, Doctor Ruggels, Mandy Price, Simeon Purdy, Isaac Grim,
William Hammond, Isaac Hartly, Mag Tomlinson, Nick Zediker, Jo Wiricks, Del
Thurber , P G. Tomlinson

There were 2 Capt Purdys in this Company and the first mentioned in the
letters must be William. Wm J. Purdy was commissioned 5 Oct 1861; resigned
6 Feb 1862. - - Capt Louis B Purdy wasn't commissioned until Mar 1864.

I hope you will enjoy the letters as much as I have - - They are
heartwarming but profoundly sad.

Linda Fluharty

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