Recently, a descendant of Dr. Thomas WATKINS of Greene County sought me out and shared a copy of the following letter the doctor received from my ancestor, Dr. Lovick Pierce in 1876. (Lovick had once practiced medicine, but was more well-known as a Methodist preacher. He and his older brother Reddick Pierce were both prominent in the Methodist Episcopal Church, having joined the clergy in January 1805.) Dr. Watkins had written to Lovick, sending him a newspaper clipping about his son's (the Methodist bishop, George Foster Pierce) visit to Austin, Texas. Dr. Watkins was born in Augusta, grew up in Greene County and later practiced medicine in Alabama before removing to Texas. Watkins and Pierce evidently knew one another from Greensboro, Georgia many years earlier. They also both attended the same Medical School in Philadelphia, though not at the same time, as Pierce was several years older. Sparta, Georgia August 28, 1876 My Dear Doctor, Your long, interesting letter of August 17th is before me. In it, you express a great desire to receive a line from me or from someone for me. Well, I can do my own writing -- such as it is. And the respectful tone of your letter together with its historic sweep, through families and names so well known to me -- as the Watkins, Early and Matthews families were -- was a sort of resurrection of the dead. With most of them I was well acquainted, and with all of them I enjoyed an uninterrupted friendship. With your father and mother, especially so. But I had lost sight of the children, until you waked me up, by sending me your notice of the Bishop's flying passage through Austin. And more by your most welcome letter. Peter Early was my Beau Ideal of a man. On the Bench of justice, in my opinion, he was peerless in Georgia then, and has so remained. He had his failing. With his widow and those with her I became very intimate during her struggle after religion. But after her connection with the Baptist Church, our intimacy ceased, simply because we worshiped at different altars. With the Matthews I was well acquainted until 1844 in Alabama. Among the strange occurrences of bygone days, was the fact of Mrs. Matthews, who I think was an Early, while they lived in Wilkes County, sent for me to baptize her two sons, which I did. They were old enough to keep it in perpetual memory, and often in mature life, referred to it. Sometimes rather jocularly. But it became a bond of union between the family, especially between the boys and myself, that grew stronger with years. But the war has put an end to all my early ties of friends once familiar and present, but now scattered and lost to me. Of our Old Greene County Stocks - Judge Stocks, two weeks younger than myself, and myself are all that remain. Dr. Foster's children are all there, except Julia Willy. They are in Nashville. The Dr. left them well off. The war left them very poor because their wealth was in slaves. Celestia (spelling unclear) and Antoinette, the oldest and youngest daughters, remain single and occupy the old homestead. Thomas F. Foster, the only son, has returned from Louisiana and is running the old farm. I raised eight children, 4 sons and 4 daughters. Educated them all well, my sons all regular graduates. The youngest studied and practiced medicine - was considered imminent. He died in his 32nd year, left one son who graduated from Emory College five years ago and is a lawyer in Augusta. My other three sons, George F., James L., and Thomas F. are all ministers, able and efficient. My daughters are all dead. Only one, my oldest, reached fifty years. She left no children. The second, only one. The third, 4, and the fourth only two. Their names were Julia, Annamaria (or possibly Ann America? unclear), Mary and Clara. My most dear and excellent wife died May 14, 1850 while I was absent at General Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. She uttered but a single word -- what a pain in my head -- and was dead at its close. Died, in as far as anyone knew, in perfect health. Thus you see I am in the 26th year of my uncompanioned life, a lonely, but not a weary pilgrimage. All the days of my appointed time I wait. I know not why I am spared. It is not my business to know, but to wait, and watch, and work. I am in the 92nd year of my life, and the 72nd of my ministry. Sixty seven of these years have been given to Georgia, two to South Carolina, and two to Alabama. For 67 years my voice did not falter. But for the past four years, it has been nearly destroyed. The doctors say entirely by chronic catarrh. That my lungs are sound to a fraction. I preach a little, my friends say never better. As to mind, I am not sensible of the least mental decrepitude. Vision weak, hearing a little dull. But you would ! be astonished to see how well my manhood is preserved. I preached yesterday from St. John 4:13-14 on living, inward religion. Look and see. I am heavenward bound. But I am unable to assure myself, from your letter of anything concerning your religious status. If you now write again, and I hope you will, tell me all about your future prospects. Your soul is your chief trusteeship. Be sure to insure it well. Please accept the assurance of my High Regards, Lovick Pierce Thanks to Gena Richards, great-great-granddaughter of Dr. Thomas Watkins, for sharing the letter from among her family papers. It has provided many clues into my genealogy, and I am sure it will help some of you, as well. Walker Pierce, Austin, Texas __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com