Real Estate and Conveyancing.
No. 6 West Seventh Street.
_____
AGENT FOR WHITE STAR AND CUNARD LINE
STEAMSHIPS
Wilmington, Del, May 4th 1900
Mrs Eunice Walters,
Blockton, Iowa
Dear Friend: I saw Miss Annie Hess today, who has just arrived from S. Carolina. She represents her father in Sallie's Estate. She says that she means that her father's share shall be paid to you folks, and says that she is greatly surprised at Mrs. Annie Miller and some of the others for their actions toward your family, and that she will never again enter their door. I am trying to persuade the two Galbraith boys to let you have their father's share, but do not know yet how I shall succeed, but I am going to get you all that I can. I am sorry to have to say that I can never feel and respect the ones that have treated you as they have, as I used to do, and don't think it will ever do them any good. I would like very much to see you all and the children, we have you & Ida's photo and would like to have your childrens' photo. I herewith enclose you son George's little girl Mary C. Peirce, she is 2 years old. I would like to hear from you often; also Ida. With kind regards to all, believe me, Yours truly,
J.J. Peirce
Joseph Jackson Peirce
When I first read this letter, nearly twenty years ago, none of these names meant anything to the family, except maybe Aunt Sallie's name, but only to my grandmother. Her Grandma Walter used to talk about Aunt Sallie, but even her last name has been unknown to us for nearly 50 years or more. My grandmother was sure that those mentioned in the letter were family, but perhaps distantly related.
For the past two months I've been determinedly researching the Jackson's of Brandywine Village, New Castle County, Delaware from 1699 to about 1900. I can tell you who most of the above mentioned persons are, but I may never be able to explain the entire content of what J.J. Peirce was talking about in his letter to Grandma Walter. I can tell you that Grandma Walter's father was named in Aunt Sallie's Will. James McIntyre died one month prior to to Aunt Sallie having her will written. Today, we know sometimes within 10 minutes after someone has died, by text message. Aunt Sallie obviously hadn't heard of Jim's death as she put her affairs in order just under a year, after her mother Maria's death.
J.J. Peirce was actually Joseph Jackson Peirce, who went by Jackson. He was the son of Philip Jackson, Granny McIntire's cousin, which I've nearly proven. Birth, marriage, & death records are sketchy at best for this time period, because State Laws didn't require birth and death records until the late 1800's. Granny Eunice Jackson was born in 1806. Philip Jackson was born in 1814. I've been unable to prove for 100% that Philip's mother & Eunice's father were brother & sister, but I'm about 99% sure, thanks to Philip's mom for naming her children Philip & Isabella. I believe Philip & Eunice's shared grandparents' were Isabella Allmond & Philip Jackson.
For the past two months I've been determinedly researching the Jackson's of Brandywine Village, New Castle County, Delaware from 1699 to about 1900. I can tell you who most of the above mentioned persons are, but I may never be able to explain the entire content of what J.J. Peirce was talking about in his letter to Grandma Walter. I can tell you that Grandma Walter's father was named in Aunt Sallie's Will. James McIntyre died one month prior to to Aunt Sallie having her will written. Today, we know sometimes within 10 minutes after someone has died, by text message. Aunt Sallie obviously hadn't heard of Jim's death as she put her affairs in order just under a year, after her mother Maria's death.
J.J. Peirce was actually Joseph Jackson Peirce, who went by Jackson. He was the son of Philip Jackson, Granny McIntire's cousin, which I've nearly proven. Birth, marriage, & death records are sketchy at best for this time period, because State Laws didn't require birth and death records until the late 1800's. Granny Eunice Jackson was born in 1806. Philip Jackson was born in 1814. I've been unable to prove for 100% that Philip's mother & Eunice's father were brother & sister, but I'm about 99% sure, thanks to Philip's mom for naming her children Philip & Isabella. I believe Philip & Eunice's shared grandparents' were Isabella Allmond & Philip Jackson.
Annie Hess was the unmarried daughter of cousin Joseph J. Hess, born in Maryland. Annie was probably named after her grandmother, whom Aunt Sallie probably was also named for... Sarah Ann Jackson Hess. I believe that Sarah & Maria were the daughters of Joseph Jackson III, the grandson of Joseph Jackson I, which is the common ancestor that we are all related to!
Annie Hess lived with J. Jackson Peirce's son George Peirce, that was also mentioned in the above letter. Annie's niece Eva, was married to George Peirce. Have you caught that yet? Eva married her distant cousin, so their daughter Mary Catherine was related to Joseph Jackson I, through both her mother & her father.
Annie Hess lived with J. Jackson Peirce's son George Peirce, that was also mentioned in the above letter. Annie's niece Eva, was married to George Peirce. Have you caught that yet? Eva married her distant cousin, so their daughter Mary Catherine was related to Joseph Jackson I, through both her mother & her father.
Aunt Sallie was the wealthy, unmarried cousin who somehow ended up with quite a lot of property. She was born Sarah Ann Gibson, to Jacob & Maria Gibson, in about 1825. Sallie had a sister Rebecca, who also never married. Her father Jacob died when they were young. Their mother remarried before the Civil War to the Irishman, William McSorely. Aunt Sallie would have been his only child at his death, through marriage, as Rebecca had already passed away. Aunt Sallie also seems to have come into some inheritence, when her grandfather the widower Joseph Jackson III passed away. in about 1855.
Mrs. Annie Miller was Anna Mary Miller, and both her and her daughter Eleanor were remembered in Sallie's will. Annie was the daughter of Rachel Jackson & Abraham Husbands. (There is a possibility that Rachel could have been Granny's sister). Eleanor married Harry Archie, but I cannot substantiate which of Annie's many children, Eleanor was.
The two Galbraith boys were also Sallie's cousin's boys. Her cousin was Wallace Wardell Galbreath and his sons were Willard & Thomas Galbreath. Just this week, I found that Wallace's mother was Rebecca Jackson. Rebecca was Maria's sister, who Aunt Sallie's sister was named for. Rebecca Galbreath died in 1838 from mercury poisoning. She lived in a time when the medicinal treatments often killed you, rather than cured you. Most of the Galbreath Family is buried in different plots, in Chester Bethel Methodist Cemetery in Wilmington.
Ida was Grandma Walter's sister: Idaleen Marie McIntyre Roudebush who spent her entire life in Blockton, Iowa, on her share of her father's farm. Grandma Eunice & Aunt Kit, as she went by, traveled with their Granny McIntire by train to Wilmington, Delaware to meet Granny's family. It was supposed to have been an exciting experience for the girls growing up in the Wild West, to go back East to meet their family in Wilmington.
George McKay Peirce married his distant cousin Evalina. Eva grew up next door to her grandfather Joseph J. Hess. Joseph was the son of Susan Jackson & John Hess. (Joseph's middle name could have been Jackson after his mother's family or John after his father.)
Joseph Jackson I was born in Brandywine, the village that once was across the creek from Wilmington. He married an American-Swedish girl named Malin Vandiver, who most likely spoke mainly Swedish. Of their nine children, it appears that only five survived to marry and have their own children. Joseph Jackson was born in 1714, according to the oldest surviving church in America, Old Swedes Church also known as Holy Trinity Church. He lived a long life in those days, and died at age 76. Malin died prior to Joseph, was also known as both Maria and Mary.
Joseph Jackson I left a will, which gave me the first clue to Granny Eunice Jackson McIntire's grandparents. It took me ten years to realize what I was reading in his will despite the fact that I had Joseph Jackson's lineage in stacks of my notes that I had filed away as the possible ancestry of Granny McIntire. I just wasn't sure that Joseph Jackson, son of Philip, was our ancestor. A couple of months ago, I pulled out all my Jackson, Peirce, & McIntire notes to evaluate the different things I'd found over the years, and realized that Mary Jackson Peirce had named her two oldest children after her grandparents that are mentioned in the will of Joseph Jackson I: Philip & Isabella.
Aunt Sallie's seems to be the Matriarch of the Jackson family. She seems to be the one that kept in touch with the extended family. She appeared to be not only the one that kept in touch, but also cared for her mother and aunt Keziah Jackson in their old age, as her mother had taken care of her father, Joseph Jackson III in his golden years. Her tombstone reads: She Hath Done What She Could; Gone but not forgotten.
The most astonishing thing to me, was that after all of Aunt Sallie's property was sold, her estate was worth $8851.41, in 1899. The relative value of that amount in 2012 is $237,000! I find that amazing for a woman, prior to the time of having the Right To Vote, could have her independence, which has always been a valued trait, by the women in our family.
Sadly, here's the only photo we have of Aunt Sallie:
She was buried in Newark Union Cemetery, in Wilmington near her family. The Cemetery was once a Quaker Cemetery, but has been used by the Methodist since the 1840's. Her mother Maria and second husband William McSorely are buried here, along with her grandparents, Joseph Jackson III & his wife Catharine. Joseph Hess' sister is also buried here. Maria's brother's Philip & William, and most likely their wives.
What has made this research baffling is the sheer number of the same names in what appeared the same generation. It was difficult to determine whether it was the same person who had married again, or if there were multiple Joseph Jackson's. In addition there were more than one Susan Jackson, Susannah Jackson, Catherine Jackson, Mary Jackson, & Eunice Jackson. With the lack of vital records, a time period before detailed census taking, and finally church records that don't seem to exist, I found it almost impossible to figure out. I dearly love a genealogy challenge!
Thanks again, Cousin J. Jackson Peirce, for writing the letter to Grandma Walter. It has been enjoyable challenge finding these distant relatives. Had you not written the letter, they would have been lost to us, forever.
Joseph Jackson I left a will, which gave me the first clue to Granny Eunice Jackson McIntire's grandparents. It took me ten years to realize what I was reading in his will despite the fact that I had Joseph Jackson's lineage in stacks of my notes that I had filed away as the possible ancestry of Granny McIntire. I just wasn't sure that Joseph Jackson, son of Philip, was our ancestor. A couple of months ago, I pulled out all my Jackson, Peirce, & McIntire notes to evaluate the different things I'd found over the years, and realized that Mary Jackson Peirce had named her two oldest children after her grandparents that are mentioned in the will of Joseph Jackson I: Philip & Isabella.
Aunt Sallie's seems to be the Matriarch of the Jackson family. She seems to be the one that kept in touch with the extended family. She appeared to be not only the one that kept in touch, but also cared for her mother and aunt Keziah Jackson in their old age, as her mother had taken care of her father, Joseph Jackson III in his golden years. Her tombstone reads: She Hath Done What She Could; Gone but not forgotten.
The most astonishing thing to me, was that after all of Aunt Sallie's property was sold, her estate was worth $8851.41, in 1899. The relative value of that amount in 2012 is $237,000! I find that amazing for a woman, prior to the time of having the Right To Vote, could have her independence, which has always been a valued trait, by the women in our family.
Sadly, here's the only photo we have of Aunt Sallie:
What has made this research baffling is the sheer number of the same names in what appeared the same generation. It was difficult to determine whether it was the same person who had married again, or if there were multiple Joseph Jackson's. In addition there were more than one Susan Jackson, Susannah Jackson, Catherine Jackson, Mary Jackson, & Eunice Jackson. With the lack of vital records, a time period before detailed census taking, and finally church records that don't seem to exist, I found it almost impossible to figure out. I dearly love a genealogy challenge!
Thanks again, Cousin J. Jackson Peirce, for writing the letter to Grandma Walter. It has been enjoyable challenge finding these distant relatives. Had you not written the letter, they would have been lost to us, forever.
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