Letter to Amy, page 3 — Uncle Huger's 'Memorandum of the FitzSimons family'
Book 1, Page 546 ·1935–1945
Transcription
3
is faulty and poor. In case you have not seen it, I am sending you a “memorandum of the Fitz Simons family” which was made by your Uncle Huger. You might not have seen this. It answers some of your questions. When you are through with it, please return it to me, as I am keeping it for my grandchildren. I think that your Aunt Ellen could answer many of your questions concerning the family. If I can ever get the old lady in the mood I want her to make notes of all she knows about our ancestors. She
AI Notes
Third sheet (numbered “3” at top centre) of the multi-page letter from Gaillard Stoney FitzSimons (“G.S.F.”, Amy’s paternal uncle) to Amy FitzSimons (Mrs. James Pickens Walker). Page 2 is p545; page 4 (the closing) is p547. Here the writer apologises that his own memory of the family history “is faulty and poor” and tells Amy he is sending her a “memorandum of the FitzSimons family” made by her “Uncle Huger” — i.e. William Huger FitzSimons, G.S.F.'s own brother and another of the seven children of Dr. Christopher FitzSimons 3rd and Susan Milliken Barker; the memorandum is almost certainly the family-history document that is the cornerstone of this album. He asks her to return it because he is keeping it for his grandchildren, and defers to “Aunt Ellen” (his sister Ellen Milliken FitzSimons) as the better keeper of family memory, hoping to get her in the mood to write down what she knows about their ancestors.
Continuation from page 545 (“2”); continues on page 547 (“4”). “Uncle Huger” — previously read as “Hugen” — is William Huger FitzSimons, the writer’s brother, whose family memorandum G.S.F. is forwarding. From Amy’s perspective he is her paternal uncle; from G.S.F.'s perspective he is a brother — both were sons of Dr. Christopher FitzSimons 3rd. The middle name “Huger” carries the family connection to the prominent Charleston Hugers. “Aunt Ellen” is Ellen Milliken FitzSimons, G.S.F.'s sister.