Letter from Frances Blocker and Charity Clements to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; January 13, 1863

Documents
Letter from Frances Blocker and Charity Clements to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; January 13, 1863

Document Network
Document Metadata

Each transcribed document contains links that connect it to other documents on the same topic in the collection.

People

Blocker, Frances Clements, Charity Eason, Unknown Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867 Watkins, A. S.

Events

Emancipation and self emancipation Executive Orders. United States. Emancipation Proclamation (1863)Military Events--Military leaves and furloughs

Military Units

United States. Army

Occupations

Plantation Overseers

Places

Mississippi--DeSoto County. Olive Branch

Social Identifiers

African Americans African Americans--Enslaved People Marital Status--Widows Military Families

Page 1

[seal]

Olive Branch, Miss. Jan 13^th,, 1863

Gov Pettus,,

Dear Sir;

Were it not for the peculiar situation in which we are placed we would not again annoy you by appealing to you for ^your^ influence in our behalf, though we may seem to be troublesome, we hope that your known kind sympathy for the distressed will cause you ^to^ grant to us a favorable hearing. We are in the same situation that we were in as regards a manager, and some person to take care of us that we were in at the time that M^r,, Eason called on you; and though the time has expired for M^r,, Eason to report according to his Furlough; we have prevailed on him to stay untill we could again ask your kindness. We have endeavored to get some person else, but cannot get any one that would be the least reliable in ordinary times, and consequently would do us no good at all in these troubles, While three large Federal Armie's have passed right by our door's, offering every inducement for our Negroes to leave; and hundreds of our Neighbors and Friends Negroes, have gone with them M^r,, Eason has succeeded by good management in keeping ours at home. We have not lost one yet; and we feel confident notwithstanding the Emancepation Proclamation, and our situation here among the Federals if M^r,, Eason can stay with us that our Negroes will stay too, and we now ask you kind sir in the name of humanity

Page 2

being Widows whose son's are fighting the Battles of our country to assist us in keeping our manager and protector. M^r,, A, S, Watkins a gentleman of integrity will present you this and give you correct information concerning matters in this portion of your State.

Very Respectfully yours,

Frances Blocker
Charity Clements