The Tuder Letters - Part Five

This is a conclusion to a series called "Tuder Letters", which features five letters the Tuder family sent to family in Kentucky from their homes in eastern Eastland County, Texas.

To set the stage, the Tuder family migrated to Texas from Muhlenberg County, Kentucky in the mid  1850s. The patriarch of the family was William Tuder, the father of Permelia Jane, Nicholas Francis Marion (NFM), William Henry (WH) , James Edward Daniel (JED), and Rosannah. Along with them was William's second wife Sarah (who was the mother to Rosannah), Sarah's son Etson Campbell from her late husband, and Permelia's new husband Asa Lomax Gailey (whom she met along the way). William's first wife was Jemima Brown, who died around the time the family left Kentucky.  

When the family left Kentucky, William's parents (William and Permelia) were still very much alive along with roughly 8 siblings. William was the oldest, and his closest in age brother was Hezekiah, who was four years younger. Hezekiah who stayed in Muhlenberg County was the recipient of these "Tuder Letters".  

A lady by the name of Willa Dean Noffsinger, a descendant of Hezekiah, discovered the letters from Texas when going through an old cabinet years ago. Sometime in the 1970s or 1980s one of the early Gailey historians (either Edna Smith Fry or Zina Gailey Betsill) made contact with Mrs. Noffsinger and she was gracious enough to share copies of the letters.  

On to the fifth installment of "The Tuder Letters"...

To put this fifth and final letter into context, like the previous letter, it was written by William Tuder's son J.E.D. It is the last letter we have coming out of the Eastland County area from the Tuder family. It was dated February 28, 1900. J.E.D Tuder would pass away six years after this letter was written, which leaves us assuming other correspondence occurred, we just dont have a record of it. 

This letter involves a mention of J.E.D.'s remaining sibling W.H. and an effort to have tomb stones places at the family (Tudor) Cemetery. He asks his uncle for information about birthdates for the headstone. He also talks about the family's local religious standing and how church was conducted in the area. While there was a Tuder Schoolhouse, church didnt often meet there. 

Strawn Tex

Feb the 28 1900

H. Tuder

Dear Uncle,

I take the opportunity of writing you a few lines.

We are all well except cold. I received a letter from W.H. Tuder a few days ago he was well. His PO is Jimesmal, New Mexico.

We are getting along very well. Got our land broke and oats sawed Mar the 1st.

Well I want to put toom stones to Pap’s grave and we got the record burned. If you can get them and send them to me I would be glad. He married Sally Campbell (or Sack) they called her. If you can send work when she was borned too.

Tonight is our prair meeting night but it is so far away tonight and the weather is cool I did not go.

We have prair meeting once a week at the neighbors houses. My son W.H. Tuder professed last summer and also married last summer. His wife professed at the same meeting.

There is lots of sickness. Pneumonia in the country. I hope this letter will find you in joying religion and good health. I hope you will write soon and you can and give the wanted information.

Good by uncle,

J.E.D. Tuder to H. Tuder

(PS) Willie and his wife is gone to sit up with a sick child tonight. We had to exclude 3 members from the church this winter for dancing. We had a good meeting last summer 45 or 50 conversions. I dont remember the exact amount. Some nights the preacher could not get to preach. They would get happy at the grove meeting and shout until 10 o’clock. Well it is 9 o’clock I want to go to bed so goodnight.

J.E.D. Tuder

Tuder Letter Posts:

Part One - Part Two - Part Three - Part Four - Part Five

The Tuder Letters - Part Four

In previous articles I shared three of the five "Tuder Letters" and after a span of a few years I am concluding the series with the fourth and fifth letters. 

To set the stage, the Tuder family migrated to Texas from Muhlenberg County, Kentucky in the mid  1850s. The patriarch of the family was William Tuder, the father of Permelia Jane, Nicholas Francis Marion (NFM), William Henry (WH) , James Edward Daniel (JED), and Rosannah. Along with them was William's second wife Sarah (who was the mother to Rosannah), Sarah's son Etson Campbell from her late husband, and Permelia's new husband Asa Lomax Gailey (whom she met along the way). William's first wife was Jemima Brown, who died around the time the family left Kentucky.  

When the family left Kentucky, William's parents (William and Permelia) were still very much alive along with roughly 8 siblings. William was the oldest, and his closest in age brother was Hezekiah, who was four years younger. Hezekiah who stayed in Muhlenberg County was the recipient of these "Tuder Letters".  

A lady by the name of Willa Dean Noffsinger, a descendant of Hezekiah, discovered the letters from Texas when going through an old cabinet years ago. Sometime in the 1970s or 1980s one of the early Gailey historians (either Edna Smith Fry or Zina Gailey Betsill) made contact with Mrs. Noffsinger and she was gracious enough to share copies of the letters.  

The letters are all from a time after the Tuder family had settled on their land in eastern Eastland County, Texas.

On to the fourth installment of "The Tuder Letters"...

This letter follows a similar format to previous letters. The writer, in this case J.E.D. Tuder describes the family's current hardships, details recent deaths and family events. In the family information it is one of the only family records that indicate they knew that Asa Gailey was alive, mentioning he had gone to war (the Civil War) and didnt get back. In other articles Asa Gailey's journey is detailed. It then goes in to some discussion concerning his father William Tuder's Kentucky inheritance from his father Daniel Tuder. The letter also mentioned J.W. Gailey being the administrator of the Nick Tuder (JED's brother) estate. In later posts I will go into some interesting detail on that subject.  

The following is my transcription of the letter with efforts made to preserve all misspellings and punctuation.

Strawn Palo Pinto Co Tex

June the 15 1898

Mr. Hezekiar Tuder,

Dear uncle I seat myself to answer your letter was glad to hear from you and to hear you was well. This leaves us all well except the Whoopingcough. N.F.M. Tuder died August the 3 1895, W.H. Tuder is lives at at Pine Springs, New Mexico he is not married. Please write to him.

Sister Rosey has been dead about 14 years. My wife died 10 days later. I have one child dead, a gurl and one boy living William Henry Tuder 17 years old. 

Rosey married W.H. Wylie they have 6 children: Laura, Ben, Lizzy, Willie, Nevada and Jim.

Sister Jane married Asa Gailey. They raised 3 children. He went to the war and never got back. John William, Asey Nelson and Janey is there names. Then she married Starret Smith and had one child, a gurl. They are all married.

You said you did not want to go to law. If it could be fixt with thought it, it would be the best and I am sure the heirs here will do what is right to settle everything. Write to me and let me no how many equal heirs with Pa. How many children did Grand Pa Tuder have. Write and let me no how many acres is in cultivation and how far is it from town and what it is worth per acre. Is it bottom land or table land. 

J.W. Gailey is the administrator of the estate of brother Nick Tuder. He is one of sister Jane’s boys. I think it would be the best to sell as soon as we could as he wants to make his final report this fall. 

I have seen part of the heirs and they wanted me to answer your letter and find out wall about the land. Find out if you can by the next letter how much the land can be sold for. Write and tell me all about the connection. Tell them to write to me. I will close. Direct your letter to the above address. 

Your affectionate nephew.

J.E.D. Tuder

Tuder Letter Posts:

Part One - Part Two - Part Three - Part Four - Part Five