To my Whaley/DeKalb Co cousins: In going through some family papers I found a a very interesting published copy of a 1850 letter of Thomas R. Whaley, then a merchant in Mt. Vernon, Lawrence Co MO to his siblings in McMinneville (Liberty??) DeKalb Co. It was published on page 8, The Lawrence County Historical Society Bulletin - Jan/1978. Thomas R. Whaley was the son of Elijah Whaley, and nephew of my 3 g grandfather Seth Whaley, b. 1804, (wife Eliz. Richards Bowen), who with Elijah were sons of Thomas Whaley and Margaret Bratton, early settlers from Worcestor Co MD to Liberty area now in DeKalb Co TN. At the time the letter was written, Thomas R. is the only Whaley in Lawrence Co 1850 Census. Within the next 2/3 years his efforts to "sell" SW Missouri to his family met with success and he was joined at least by his uncle Seth Whaley and all of his children and their families, including daughter Mary Bowen Whaley and husband William Washington GAY, merchant/schoolteacher of Liberty TN (and my 2 g grandparents). Incidentally, William Gay about 1859 went into business (general store type operation) with a John ALLEN, who was possibly Gay's deputy court clerk in the preceding few years. Later business directories of Lawrence Co, indicate at least some of the Allens there were from DeKalb Co. (See pages 12, 13, patrons of the 1879 county Atlas/Plat book -- you can also locate on a map our Whaleys there, but using the index: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~judysstuff/lawatlas.htm) At the end of the letter he urges his brothers in DeKalb to join him in Missouri. By my reckoning from the info I have from Lynne Graham on Thomas R.'s descendants, at least his brothers Lemuel Bratton, Isaac, and Seth Madison did move there, possibly with uncle Seth and the Gays. Brothers William, John and sister Matilda Beckwith appear to have remained in DeKalb. Does anyone know with whom from DeKalb Co Thomas R. Whaley travelled to Lawrence Co Missouri in the first place before being joined by brothers and uncle and the Gays? Bible records for Elijah Whaley, father of Thomas R, and can be found at the DeKalb Co website: http://www.tngenweb.org/dekalb/biblwhaley.htm FYI, there is also a Bible record there for Thomas R. Whaley himself: http://www.tngenweb.org/dekalb/biblklwhaley.htm And, for James Beckwith's family: http://www.tngenweb.org/dekalb/biblbeckwith.htm Here is what is in the Lawrence Co Chieftain. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I am assuming that a yoak is composed of two oxen?? Anyone out there have possession of the gold he sent to Elijah? "Eighteen-Fifty Letter From Thomas R. Whaley of Mount Vernon Mount Vernon, Missouri, April 25, 1850 Dear Brothers and Sisters: I Read your lines last mail Stating that you were all well which is allways good news to me - these lines leaves us all well - I have Witnessed this morning as well as other days the Starting of the Calafornians and will Continue to Witness the start for Severell Days Hence it is Supposed that there will be Seven or Eight Thousand Emagrants this Spring from the State of Missouri I am a fraid that times will be more Reckoless than Ever - people ar neglecting the most important things and that is Agracutlure - it may be possible that thare will be a grate Emagration back next fall all of our boys will Return there Stells Sell for $45 $55 Dollas with us now a yoak & we Sold at independence 15 yoak for near Eight Hundred Dollas Some even $60 - pr yoak Horses Sell Vary well Bacon is worth from 4¢ per lb Corn $1 - $125 Barrell Flour $250 - $300 pr hundred Coffee 25¢ pr lb Sugar 10¢ lb. Iron 6 ¼ Castings the same Indigo 9d oz I am now dowing Bisness by my Self Calafornia has taken Mr. Worsham off I am under the Impression that goods will be Slow Sale un till fall I am selling for cash in reciept (?) You wash to no my Birth and marriage I was Borne 27th Sept 1817 married May 31st 1838 I will lay my letter by until I can think of Something else We have 4 Likely Children 2 Boys & two girls vary pretty - our Smallest one is not 6 months old yet She cn Set alone and Jump out of the Cradle When in it ways 21 ¼ lbs Without her Clothes on Mary is very large to his (9?) age James is going to school and Reading I would be Vary much pleased to pay you a vissett this fall with famley if I Could - I think it Would by Conciderable to your advantage to pay us a visett You would git to see a Fine Country Kill prairie Chicking and partridges Deer Turky Squirels tho I am so Bisy that I do not Kill but few. I will bring my letter to a Close by Subscribing my Self your Brother. N. B. I mailed Father a letter Last mail with some Calafornia gold in it Tell James Beckworth that I am vary much obligid to him for writing to me I think that he ought to Do So as he has got all the Sister I have got in this world. T. R. Whaley [Ed. Note: Mrs. Bowman (Alta Faye Johnson Bowman) states the above reference is to James Beckwith and Matilda Goggin Whaley, her great- grandparents [sic]. This letter was mailed to Whaley's brothers, Isac and John in Smithville, Tnnessee. Transcription by the Editor from xerox copy]" For all I know this letter may be old news for many of you with stronger ties in DeKalb, but if not I thought I'd share it. My best regards, Janet Hunter,Northern VA P.S... I'm still waiting for which ever one of you knows how my Seth Whaley's 1880 probate packet escaped from the Lawrence Co Courthouse to fess up. <big smile> The papers for the leather/saddle/bridle business he had with son Henry Seth were there, but the packet with his personal probatedirectly preceding them was missing (and I perched precariously 7 feet up and went through the drawers around it.)