Typed letter from William Huger FitzSimons to his sister Ellen M. FitzSimons, Hendersonville, N.C., March 26, 1935
Book 1, Page 524 ·1935
Transcription
Hendersonville, N.C. March 26th, 1935.
Dear Sister:-
Thank you for your letters and books both of which give me much pleasure. I know your fondness for flowers and how much you enjoy this beautiful Springtime now in its glory with you. I am glad the Azalea Festival has had much good weather and hope it will continue. John will have given you the news from this end of the line. You are too good to have Marguerite and the dear little children often with you. You are much like Brother in the strength of your family affection and in your determination to do all in your power to hold us together and keep us up where we belong. There is indeed much strength in family unity. I know you regret Julia Hammond’s death. she was your friend and fond of you and inherited so much of her father’s ability and attractiveness. George Moffett’s tragedy is pitiful, I do not care to write about it. But each of us has our sorrows and load to carry and you should not let your sympathetic nature undertake too much of the burden of others. Tote seems to be all right and I enjoy his visits. Frank and family are well and he is glad to be out of school. Duxie was here Sunday and is good about coming on week ends. Our Spring will soon be coming and I would like to have you on the piazza with me. Reg met Francis Hanckel on Sunday and he reported Miss Sarabel as getting along all right. I enclose $5.00 Library dues and with my love to you,
Aff’ly,
[Handwritten monogram in blue ink: “WHF”]
AI Notes
A typewritten letter on plain paper, single sheet, much faded with carbon-purple ribbon ink. Dated ‘Hendersonville, N.C. / March 26th, 1935’ at upper right. Addressed ‘Dear Sister:-’ — i.e., to Ellen M. FitzSimons, the Charleston Library Society librarian. Signed at lower right with a handwritten ‘WHF’ monogram in blue ink — William Huger FitzSimons, one of the seven children of Dr. Christopher FitzSimons (3rd) + Susan Milliken Barker, writing to his sister Ellen. The letter thanks Ellen for letters and books, comments on the Azalea Festival weather, refers to news from John (John McCrady FitzSimons, son of brother Tote), thanks Ellen for hosting Marguerite (William’s daughter, m. Dr. Robert Pringle) and the children. Mentions recent deaths (Julia Hammond — Henry C. Hammond’s daughter; the George Moffett ‘tragedy’). Reports on visits from Tote (brother Theodore Stoney FitzSimons), Frank (probably Frank L. FitzSimons Sr., nephew, schoolteacher), Duxie, and a Sunday visit by Reg (son Reginald) bringing Francis Hanckel — who reported on Miss Sarabel. Encloses $5.00 for Library dues. [corrected several misreads — ‘Dote’ to ‘Tote’ (brother Theodore Stoney FitzSimons), ‘Doxie’ to ‘Duxie’, ‘Francis Marchel’ to ‘Francis Hanckel’ (a well-known Charleston surname), ‘[Beg]’ to ‘Reg’ (son Reginald), ‘after with you’ to ‘often with you’, clarified signature as definitively WHF. Confirmed John as John McCrady (Tote’s son, frequently mentioned in family correspondence).]
The carbon-purple ribbon ink on this sheet is heavily faded; several words are recovered from context. The reference to “Brother” (capitalized) likely points to Kit — Christopher FitzSimons Jr., the eldest of the seven and a notable family figure (d. 1925). The signature is a small handwritten “WHF” monogram. Per the index on page 504, this section of the album includes a letter from “William Huger S. S.” (William Huger FitzSimons), confirming the writer.