Purdy Augustus Phillips

  General Notes:

This letter was written to his cousin David John Phillips living in Kentucky. Alexander, Arkansas. June the 27th, 1884. Mr. D. J. Phillips

Dear uncle or cousin: It is with pleasure that I set myself to attempt to write you a few lines (can't read) on the land of the living in the state of Arkansas. I am the son of Ralph P. Phillips and he is the son of Isaac C. Phillips. I and my Father lives in Dallas Co. Ark. Tulip is his post office. Uncle M. C. Phillips (can't read) the same. I believe he has bin corresponding with some of the relations back there, but I forgot which ones. It was well.

All the relatives here is getting along very well though their ain't any of them wealthy; about all farms and have to labor hard for their living. The land is poor where our kin lives so there ain't much clear money made above their support. We all was in very good circumstances until the war and it brok us all up and it looks imposible to gain it back. I am not with my Father now but in 50 miles of him. My age is 22. I am working for a lumberman for $1.40 per day; have been there for 3 months and expect to remain until Christmas unless I strike something that will pay me better.

I heard from you all a short while ago through Mr. Stephens D. Wright. He was travailing through here and heard of me being near the road he was on and stoped and spent one night and 1/2 d ay with me. I tell you I was glad to see him as if he was a near relative. We had a pleasant chat together. I was glad indeed to hear from my distant kin and hear that all was getting along so well. He gave me your address and several others and he insisted on me to write to you and you would tell me all about the rest of the relatives that is there.

Our Uncle Madison Phillips died in Burnett Co. Texas last December a year. I was there with him at the time of his death and your uncle and my grandfather died last August in Dallas Co . A rk. My uncles back there in Ky. is the las of the old set. Uncle John Phillips died in 1875 . So that ends the old ones here.

Well I must bring my letter to close at present by asking you to excuse my bad writing. So goodby. Write soon and fail not.

Your cousin, Purdy Augustus Phillips.

P. S. I would be glad to have some of you to visit us soon. Address your letter to Alexander, Ark. My love to all. I never saw you but still I think as well of you as if I had known you all my life. (The original letter was one solid paragraph. I corrected some spelling and added punctuation).

At the time of his death, he had a grocery store and was postmaster at Willow AR. As a young man he worked at a cowboy on a ranch on the Brazos River in TX. He had been in the Sawmilll & cotton Ginning business in Dallas County.

Information by Richard Martin and his mother Frances Bowles.

Purdy married Mary Sue Heard, daughter of William Hiram Heard Jr. and Tennessee Strode "Tennie" Young, on 31 Dec 1885 in Dallas County, Arkansas, USA. (Mary Sue Heard was born on 1 Nov 1869 in Lono, Hot Spring, Arkansas, USA,⁵⁸⁷ died on 5 Jan 1922 in Willow, Dallas, Arkansas, USA ⁵⁸⁷ and was buried in Cypress Cemetery (Willow, Dallas, Arkansas, USA) ⁵⁸⁷.)