Letter from Gaillard Stoney FitzSimons to Amy FitzSimons Walker, Hendersonville, NC, Aug 8, 1944 (continued); three photographs (the Mills River home, Grannie F.S., Ellen 'Ellie' Mrs. F.M. FitzSimons)

Handwritten notes — left column

After my grand father’s death in May 1866, my grand mother and her children lived with her mother — Ellen Milliken Barker, in Charleston, at that time, “Uncle Theodore G. Barker,” was the male head of his mother’s house. Uncle Theodore had rented the house on Meeting St. next to the South Carolina Hall. My grand mother and her children continued to live with her mother until she (my grand mother) and her children went to Flat Rock and rented the Elliott House. She took the children to Flat Rock S.C. because she was afraid of “yellow fever” in Chas. — This was in 1867 or 1870. She remained there for only part of a year, then she and the children moved to Spartanburg S.C. and lived there (in [a?] rented house) until 1875 when she and family moved to Charlotte, N.C.

I have heard Aunt Louisa Barker tell that the FitzSimons children moved home over to Argyle — the King home — to play — Uncle Kit, being the eldest — was responsible for them — and when time came to go home he moved all the children at the foot of the front steps — then he would count the steps and count to see if they were all there. —

In Charlotte Grannie lived in a rented house on the grounds of the Carolina Military Institute, — Uncle Kit and my father — Sea- man — [were?] “boarding cadets” in the C. M. I. and Uncle Hugh was a “day cadet”. — Grannie and her family stayed in Charlotte about one year, and in 1876 moved to Mills River where she had bought a farm. —

My father and Uncle Seaman operated the farm, doing all the work. I don’t remember the year [your?] father left the Mills River farm and went to Mulberry to help his Uncle Theodore with rice planting. Your Uncle Seaman left the Mills River farm a year or two after your father died. Your Uncle Seaman was employed by his Uncle Theodore to look after a plantation (not rice) on John’s Island

Handwritten notes — middle/center column

S.C. near Charleston. — I went to Chas., I think, in 1878 to stay with my Uncle Theodore and go to school. Your Uncle Hugh had gone to Chas. the previous year, where he prepared to enter the Charleston College — your Aunt Ellen joined your Uncle Hugh and me in Uncle Theodore’s home — a year (I think) after I went there. My mother came [later?] [too?]. Your Aunt Ellen attended a private school conducted by a “Miss Smith”. —

“I do not recall what year it was that your Uncle Kit bought the Green Hill St. house, but feel reasonably sure various members of our family — including my self — were living in it where I went to K. M. I. in 1883.” — (I was born in this house Feb. 4th 1888 — [A.S.W. — possibly A.F.W.]).

"The chief reason for my mother and children leaving Charleston two or three years after the end of the Civil War was her great desire to rear her children in a healthier and more stimulating climate than that of S.C. ‘Low Country’ — The effects of the Civil War and the death of my father left her in a pitiful financial condition. She was truly a very very fine person, and as a mother — a [superior?] character. —

“Please excuse me for writing with a pencil — A pen is troublesome to me now, and my fingers have become so disobedient that operating a type writer is no longer practicable. It is hard for me to realize that you are a grand mother, and that I am in the ‘great grand’ class. — I often think how perfectly fitted were your father and Mother to be in this [our?] last class, and how they would have enjoyed the advent of the youngest generation. —”

“You have some big ‘stakes’ in the war; I hope that they will come through safely and will continue to be a source of pride and pleasure to you thereafter”. — Affectionately — G. S. F. —

From a letter written by Gaillard Stoney Fitz Simons to Aunt Fitz Simons Walker in answer to one asking for information about the family. — It was dated — Hendersonville — N.C. — Aug. 8th — 1944

Editorial note — upper right (Amy’s hand)

…about her mother — a wonderful tribute I think. — “She wrought a wholesome and happy childhood for us out of impossible conditions.” A.S.W.

Photograph captions — right column (top to bottom)

The old home at Mills River

Grannie F.S.

Ellen Mrs. F.M. Simons “Ellie”