LETTERS
Ark, Prairie County, March 11th 1860
Dear Brothers & Sisters
Again I drop you a few lines which leaves us all well. I have no strange news to write you yet. I have been looking for a letter from you but have not received one yet, neither have I received a paper yet from Guntersville, but I still look with great anxiety. The health of this country is very good at this time. There has been but little sickness since we have been here, but I have done a little practice. I do not know of but twelve cases that has been any where near me and I have 11 of them. There are 8 doctors at Desarc in 6 miles of me but I think I will share with them. The people I think are all able to pay there bills. Nearly all own negroes, but it is not near so thick settled here as there. I think I shall be tolerable well satisfied here, but that is yet to try. I send you A Bill the Medicine that I bought in Memphis. I have got some in Desarc but I have some higher hear also I bought a few books. The American Dispensatory By John King $6 Beeches Practice $3, Beeches Midwifery $6 very good books I intend to get more as soon as I can Perhaps you would like to know something of the prices of things here. Lands are from 6 to $10 per Acre and Rising Corn $1 per bushel Flour $8 per bag. bacon 68 cts per lb VC we get 1 lb of coffee to the dollar sugar 10 salt $1.00 per sack all other things in grocery line about the same in proportion almost impossible to hire work done, but few lofers here We have got only three days work done and been trying to hire all the time. I hope you will write soon for I have not got a letter from no one yet. I have got my shop up and a stable, and will soon have my house done O yes I forgot to tell you, just come over and eat venison with me for I killed a nice one last evening and I expect to kill more before the Buffalo gnats leave for the gnats re getting very bad here and we have to keep our horses greased and a smoke for the cattle. the people build smokes in the woods and hide themselves and the deer comes to it so that is the way I come to kill one and shall try it again. Miss Waddill sends her respects to you all. Please give my respects to my friends there if I have got any. Write immediately and I will write again.
A.D. Lowry
Direct to Desarc Prairie County
Des Ark, Ark March 12, 1861
Dear Brothers and Sisters
I have been waiting a long time to get an answer from you, but have got none yet. I would be very glad to hear from you. I have nothing strange to write. I have not been well for 6 weeks but keep going the most of the time. I cannot get to rest long enough to get stout. The rest are all well. Times are hard here. Money is scarce. Provisions are plenty. Corn is from 75 cts to $1 per bushel Bulk pork 9 cts Flour from 5 to $7 per bag Groceries moderate. It is a hard time to collect, but I can collect more money here than we did there. I am gaining practice all the time. There has not been very much sickness this Winter but I have some practice all the time. Not braging nor nothing so but the People generly say that I am the best doctor in Arkansas. That is those I have done practice for. It is not me but the practice, for I cannot feel like any body but Andy. I can't get clear of it. I am still satisfied here it would take a large Boot to get me to move back to Ala, I think this a good country. I think you had better come out this Spring and see us and look at our country. It will not cost you much, and you can come in three days from Decatur provided you make the connection at Memphis. If you will com let me know and I will give you the time off so you will not have to lay over. I have not received a copy yet from you yet. I would be glad you would send it to me. Write on the reception of this. Come and see us and we will go fishing. We have lots of fish & big ones. Still the same.
A.D. Lowry
I do not know yet whether our state have Seceded or not. The convention have been in Session ten days, and yesterday was the day for a decision.
A.D.L.
These are not all the doctors in Des Arc. There are 5 or 6 more
Des Arc Ark June 18, 1863
Dear Brothers and Sisters
After so long a time I drop you a few lines to let you know that we are still living. If I knew that you would get this letter I would write you a long letter. I have not heard from you since Mrs. Waddill was there. If you would write to me perhaps it would get here. I have not heard from some of my people in a long time. I have so much to write I hardly know how to write. I have not been in the army yet. I am exempt. There have been a large [?] near here for a long time. Our Texas, Arkansas & Missouri troops have been round through hear for for fourteen months. That is some thirty thousand of them. They have had several fights in the state. The nearest fight was 18 miles but I have heard the Cannons a great many times while they were fighting. The Feds have been in 6 miles of us but did not tarry. They hold a small pat of the east of our state. They destroy everything where they go. We still hold hard claim the state. They have never got to the Capitol yet. The army has caused everything to be very scarce and high. Corn is $2 per bushel Flour as high as $1 per lb Bacon 25 cts per lb Sugar $1 per lb Salt 30$ per bushel VC Wheat crops are very good and will sell I think at $2 per bushel Fine prospects for corn. Alford Lowry & Henry & William Teague are in the army and have been to see me last year but they are moved out of reach now. Alford was taken prisoner last winter in a fight, was taken North and died. I have not heard from the other boys for some time. Washington and Melville Plemons was here last year but they are sent back to Missouri. William Plemons & Betsy & James are all dead. They all died near the same time about 15 months ago. James Lowry and Alfords wife are both dead. I would like very much to hear from you all, and much better to see you, but we are all scattered so badly and everything is such a fix the possibility is we never will see each other any more, but let us do the best we can. I have just got over a spell of sickness that I thought I would die. I came very near going. I had the Small Pox and did not know what it was until I was getting well. It was the fifth day before the eruptions appeared. I was very sick. Mary has had it and is now well, none of the children have taken it yet, but it is near the time for them to take it. I think we will get along with it very well. I now have 16 cases of it, have had seven cases that are well, the balance are mostly doing well. I think I can manage it all right, and but few will be marked. I and Mary have no marks left. I had no Doctor with me, or Mary. I have not lost a case yet, except one man before I was sick. I and 2 other Doctors waited on him. He died without breaking out. We did not know what was the matter with him until the rest of us taken it. I have got every case of it yet. No other Doctor has been called yet for it with the exception of this. There has been but little sickness this year. I never expect to die with the Small Pox. I would write you lots more if I knew that you would get it. I have seen several of my old acquaintances here. Tom Morse Mr. Moore Lazarus Neuman Hamilton Bradford. When I see them I think of old times but I think a great many things and pass through heavy storms, but I still live and try and be all the benefit that I can to my fellow Man. I am not making any Money, only to live on. We have plenty to eat. I have waited on a good many Soldiers without any pay. I do practice for a great many women and children that are left and got no pay, but it goes free. I cannot bare to see any one suffer when I can do them any good. When I am not practicing I am making shoes for them. My losses in the last twelve months is not less than one thousand dollars but I am bound to do all I can. I think this is the duty of all that is left at home. There is but few man left at home here. I must close at this time. I have a chance to send this east of the Miss River by hand. Tell Mary Ann and McCloskey this letter is to them also. Receive all our best love and respects and write to us. Our main work should be to prepare for heaven. I hope to meet you all in a short time since I thought I would soon be gone but I felt I was ready to go.
Farewell for this time.
A.D. Lowry
Atlanta Ga May 12th1866
Dear Brother
I suppose you will think a little strange of my writing from this place; my family is still in Marietta & am engaged here as a clerk in a store. I was at home 2 days ago and read your very welcome letter. It was gratifying to hear of your good health; I congratulate you on your safety through the dangers & calamity of the war;
But I have some sad news to give you in regard to my own family. Our dear Fletcher fell in battle three days before Lees surrender. He had one leg torn off by a shell about five minutes before his whole command was captured. he was Capt. in Woffords Brigade Longstreets Corp; has left a wife & one little daughter; you cant immagen the amount of trouble it brought to us; his mother came very near dying from it; it threw her into convulsions & spasms & she had occasionally for 2 months after we got the news. we first heard that he was a prisoner, unhurt until the soldiers began to return from northern prisons & we began to look for our dear Fletcher. when the sad news came to us like a peal of thunder in a clear sky that poor Fletcher was gone; he fell into the hands of the yankies. They carried him to these hospital and let him lay until the fourth day before they attempted to amputate the lim or do anything with it an in that time he had lost so much blood that he was not able to bear it and he died upon the table; But we had the joyful news that he expressed as being prepared for his change. I saw a Capt. who told me he talked with him on the subject the day after he was wounded.
May the 15th I commenced my letter as you see on last Saturday but was so prest with customers that I failed to get to finish and on Sunday I had to leave & go to Acworth to preach. I passed through Marietta morning and evening, but couldnt stop at home. But my wife come out to see me at the train. They were all tolerable well . my employer lives in Marietta & he was then at home and still is there on the account of his sick child therefore I was compeled to come back to the store as we never leave it at night our general rule is to take it by turn going home Saturday night; we are keeping batchelors hall;
Brother Lawson & Sister Sarah is out from Texas They were at my house last week, and there children, all but Anna Catherine. She is married & has a daughter nearly or quite a year old (I believe). So you see the report you had got was an error which you will be glad to hear; But our dear mother departed from this world full of faith, on the 7th of last March; The report in regard to Brother Andrew is true; The jayhawkers last april was two years ago took him out of his house in the night. pretending they were taking him to the yankies headquarters, and carried him off & kept him a day & night (I believe) & then shot him after giving him notis what they were going to do; They said they notified him so that he might have time to prepare, he told them he was prepared to die and asked them to tell his wife and children to meet him in heaven; after killing him they dragged him off & threw him into a lake of water & a citizen went & got him out carried him to his house & sent for his wife; she came & had his likeness taken & had him buried; his family moved to texas last fall. Our son Joseph got home safe since the war closed, and married the 12 of last month him & his wife are living in the house with us. I think he married a very fine girl. She was raised in Marietta. She was Meadie Northrup her parents are from the North have both been dead several years She is a good Methodist.
The family was all well when I was at home; But Brother Gant for whom I am clerking writes me this morning that my daughter Mary and Joe's wife are sick but not seriously ill. Now this is the 16th that I am finishing my letter so you see how hard it is for me to get to write a letter.
Our son John's health has failed him so that he has had to come home from his circuit to rest a while at least; he came very near dying several times he has nearly lost the use of his left side. But is improving some since he came home. He has been at home over two weeks his work has some fifty miles below Macon this is his fourth year down in that section he has been left two years on a circuit the last 4 years you can judge by that something about what for a preacher he is; when he was at home last winter he preach several times in Marietta & his family was spoken well of, yes even admired by many; now John I talk this plain because I suppose you would like to know something about his preaching talents; he is not married yet.
Now the reason that I am away from home at work for another man is this Its all I can do.
I was engaged in business of my own a family grocery but when the army fell back from Marietta & sent it back, it was carried down the Augusta Road but the dispicable yankees took it and burned it on a depot and it & confederate money was all I had to go upon so you see I lost all but my house & lot. I have a good house but when the confederacy went by the board I had about 20 cts in the world of good money & no health , but my health has been very good the last winter but through the summer last I was hardly able to get about. But thank God my health since last Sept. has been better than it has been since the hard spell I had in 43 in Cherokee now I have written by peace meals so that I hardly know what have written or how many mistakes I have made in spelling. I hope you will continue to write & let us keep up a regular correspondence and lets make some work for the heavenly lord. your affectionate brother B. Lowrey
Atlanta Ga Aug. 12 1877 Rev. J.W. Lowry
My Dear Brother
I was very glad to indeed on the reception of your very welcome letter as I have so many letters to write, I will adopt your plan and write 2 letters in one. As I think possibly you read each others family letter occasionally you spoke of writing me a long letter I shall look for it hope it wont be long coming but will be long when it gets here. I dont know how many letters I rote you to Miss. that came back to me. I never knew you was preaching until last year . Didnt know that I had a brother that was a preacher until last year I learn that they was all preachers. Would of been glad to of met you all at the camp meeting but was entirely out of my power hope you had a good time & a pleasant time of meeting of brothers & sisters; I thot the good Lord in blessings met with you all. Tell my sisters I would love to get a letter occasionally from either or all of them. Jane yous to write me, but since she got to Texas she has never wrote me a word. Her letters yous to do me a great deal of good. Tell her I would like to have some more of them. Tell Minerva & Arminda to write & give me a token that they havent forgotten they have a brother in old Georgia.
Love to all. Let us live & work for the Lord; the time is short that that is done must be done soon. Christ said this gospel must be preached to all nations for a witness unto them. Then cometh the end. I think he meant, the end of the gospel Dispensation; & it is now being preached to all nations according to the best information I can get. How long it will take to spread over those nations we cant tell, but as time progress, the spread of the gospel increases; speed on the day. All I can say hear.
B. Lowry
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