This is a letter from my great-great-grandfather’s sister, Martha, writing to her parents (my great-great-great-grandparents) dated December 1, 1900. In the letter, she is hoping that one of her family members can come stay with her while her husband is out of town, setting up a new mail service in Vicksburg, Mississippi. In the letter, she mentions that her father-in-law is currently helping her at the post office her family owns in Portersville, Alabama, but he may not be up to the task, so she would like for someone else to come help her. This letter, along with a family bible, was passed down to my grandmother from her mother’s family. These are some of the only objects that have been passed down in my family. Much of my family’s history is a story of unknowns or general outlines of where people came from and what they did. But I love that this one moment has been preserved for over 100 years, right down to the 2-cent stamp that was used to mail it. Seeing the hand-written letter and Martha’s use of colloquialisms creates this small connection and reminds me that even though our lives today are very different, our concerns are very similar—the health and welfare of our families, the challenges of living away from family, and the desire to succeed in our lives. 

– Cara

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more