Individual Details

Letter from Mobile, AL, dated 20 Jan 1848.

Written to her niece, Morgiana Anthony, daughter of Martha Davis Haden & Charles Anthony, who lived in Arnoldton, Campbell County, VA.

My dear Niece,

I received your letter some time since which gave me much pleasure to think I still held a place in your memory and to hear from from you all. I often think of you and imagine how you look but I must be at fault as I cannot think of you only as the little girl you were when I saw you, but a few years make a great change in a young persons. I am pleased to see the improvement you are making, judging from your letter and the desire you express to improve. I hope you will persevere as it will be a source of much satisfaction in more mature years.

I regret to hear of the death of Mr. Early. I formed a great partiality for him from a short acquaintance he is a great loss to his family I sympathize with them deeply. You complain of our not writing your uncle has certainly writen often I acknowledge to be a poor correspondent and often make resolutions to do better but moveing about part of the year and other engagements interfere in executing. We went to the country the better part of summer during the yellow fever which you feared we had and remained until Dec. I think we would have run no risk to have remained at home. We reside two miles from the city. We have a very plesant and handsome place very highly improved. Your uncle purchased last year hopeing to make a permanent residence summer and winter.

I shall expect you so soon as you complete your education to come and spend the winter with me it will be the only way I shall have of seeing you. I can't entertain a hope of ever visiting Virginia again my family is so large. I have four children all boys the two oldest are spelling very will. I am teaching them at home the youngest is a year old a large fine boy we call him John Benjamin for his Grand farther and great grandfarther. They are all very healthy.

Your Uncle's health has not bin good the last fall and winter. I am afraid he will have to leave home next summer if he does not improve it will be very painful to me as I can't go with him. I think he will go to the mountains of Virginia if so I hope you will see him.

Our City is very dull this winter owing to the presure in the money market but I do not feel it as I do not participate in its _____.

I should like to heare from you often you must not wait for an answer to every letter. I will write as often as I can give my love to your Mother and say to her I wrote to her sometime ago and have not receive and answer remember me to your brothers & sisters, your little cousins Join me in love to all.

Yours affectionately
Frances S. Haden

Personal Papers Collection of The Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA. Accession 38535.

I believe Frances died before the 1850 census - she was not present with Anselm and the sons.

Marriage	24 Dec 1839	Tuscaloosa County, Alabama - Anselm Lynch Haden
Death	Bef 1850

Spouse	Anselm Lynch Haden (1804 - 1877)
Child	James Gray Haden (1840 - 1864)
Child	W. B. Haden (1843 - )
Child	H. A. Haden (1845 - )