1885 Letter from Vicy Sikes

Tanglewood, Lee Co. Texas

Oct the 18, 1885

Dear Aunt

I will endeavor to write to you more. The last time I wrote to you I thought I would not wait so long before I wrote again, but on account of sickness I could not write. I was in bed when I received your letter. That was about the middle of April.

I stayed in bed then about three weeks with slow fever. About the time I got up Bill and two of the children was taken with the same fever and all three of them was down three or four weeks.

Soon after they got up Eddie was taken with typhoid fever. We looked for to die for two or three weeks. He was sick near two months but recovered and looks better now than he ever did.

Aunt Manda, Papa is gone. I hope to a better world than this. He died the 9th Oct. 1885. He had black jaundice. He looked bad all the year.

One of Uncle Thomas's daughters aged about twelve years died of black jaundice about the last of September.

I have another son will be three months old the 24th of this month (oct). I have not named him yet.

Sallie has a twins, a boy and a girl just a week younger than my baby. They are very cross and Sallie is not well. She has rheumatism. Sometimes she cannot walk nor use her hands.

Susan has a daughter about six month old.

I am quilting the quilt I started to quilt the day I was taken sick in April. I had to take it down and have never had a chance to quilt it until now and really I haven't time now but I was afraid the cotton would get misplaced in it. It is beautiful quilt. The name of it is wonder of the world.

Well, I can't think of anything worth writing and I am in a hurry anyhow. The children are nearly done picking cotton and I want to start them to school next week and I ought to be making their clothes. It is time to get dinner.

The connection are all well as far as I know. Write soon and all the news. Anything will be news to me.

I wish you would have your picture taken and send it to me. I have Aunt Nancy's picture. I think I would know you if I could see you.

I close with love to all. Write soon to your affectionate niece.

Vicy Sikes

How is Aunt Martha and how many children does she have and their names

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22nd January 2002 Comments from Jack Landers

1)"Tanglewood, Texas" - Northern Lee County, about 8-10 miles north of Lexington, Texas on US 77, about 4-5 miles south of the Milam County line.

2)"Oct the 18, 1885" - Since I don't have a copy of the original, this date is from the copy in 'Amanda Boyd Letters & Vick Family History', by Homer G. Richey [Compiled by G. Wayne Vick, Laverne Adams Dixon and Bob Turner], Mariana, Arkansas, May 1, 1999.

3)"Dear Aunt" - Amanda Sarah Boyd, b. 9 April 1833 in South Carolina, or Nancy Younge [Boyd] Richey, b. 11 September 1839 in Mississippi, both to Mary [McDowell] and Andrew Boyd, Jr.

4)"... I was in bed when I received your letter ... about the middle of April ... I stayed in bed then about three weeks with slow fever." - 'I' is Lou Vicy Jane [Vick] Sikes / Sykes, b. 03 September 1854, Starkville, Oktibbeha County, Mississippi to Louisa Catherine [Boyd] and Hartwell D. Vick. Don't have any idea what 'slow fever' is, unless it is a long-lasting low grade fever! Any ideas here???

5)"... Bill and two of the children ... taken with the same fever ... all three down three or four weeks." - William Holiver Sikes / Sykes, Jr., b. 4 January 1849, Sumter County, Alabama to Julia A. [Hopper / Harper] and William Holiver Sikes / Sykes, Sr., and two of his children with Lou Vicy Jane [Vick] Sikes / Sykes.

6)"... Eddie was taken with typhoid fever." - Charles Edward Sikes / Sykes, b. 07 April 1873, Lexington, Lee County, Texas to Lou Vicy Jane [Vick] and William Holiver Sikes/Sykes, Jr.

7)"Aunt Manda ..." - Amanda Sarah Boyd [See 3) above].

8)"... Papa is gone ... died 9th Oct. 1885 ... had black jaundice." - Hartwell D. Vick, b. 1830-1832, Nash County, North Carolina to Martha Caroline [Walker] and William 'Captain Billy' Vick; d. 9 October 1885, Lee County, Texas, buried Prospect Church Cemetery, Lexington, Lee County, Texas.

9)"One of Uncle Thomas's daughters aged about twelve ... died of black jaundice about the last of September." - Joshua Thomas Vick, b. 05 June 1828, Nash County, North Carolina lost his daughter Minnie Ann Vick, b. 28 January 1873, Lexington, Burleson (now Lee) County, Texas to 'Uncle Thomas' and Judith Ann [Ball / Bull / Bell] Vick, and Minnie died 24 September 1885.

10)"I have another son ... three months old the 24th of ... (oct) ... not named ... yet." - Wilbur Travis Sikes, b. 24 July 1885, Tanglewood, Lee County, Texas to Lou Vicy Jane [Vick] and William Holiver Sikes / Sykes, Jr.

11)"Sallie has twins, a boy and a girl just a week younger than my baby." - This must be Arthur and Letha Vick, b. (28-29) July 1885, Lexington, Lee County, Texas to Sallie Dial [Sikes / Sykes] and John Hartwell Vick.

12)"Sallie is not well ... has rheumatism." - Sallie Dial [Sikes / Sykes] Vick, b. 28 October 1853, Sumter County, Alabama to Julia A. [Hopper / Harper] and William Holiver Sikes / Sykes, Sr.

13)"Susan has a daughter about six month old." - Susan Elizabeth [Sikes / Sykes] Vick, b. [30-31] October, 1850, Sumter County, Alabama to Julia A. [Hopper / Harper] and William Holiver Sikes / Sykes, Sr., and her daughter Julia Caroline Vick, b. 15 April 1885, Lexington, Lee County, Texas to Susan and Joseph Henry Vick.

14)"... quilt ... name of it is 'wonder of the world." - Would sure like to see this quilt or a picture of it!

15)"... children are nearly done picking cotton ... want to start them to school next week ..." - Apparently school attendance was much more flexible in 1885 than it is now, as she it talking about starting the children about the last week of October! My grandchildren start the middle of August here in northern Indiana!!!

16)"I have Aunt Nancy's picture." - Nancy Younge [Boyd] Richey [See 3) above] - would sure like a copy of this old picture!

17)"Vicy Sikes" - Lou Vicy Jane [Vick] Sykes / Sikes - [See 4) & 5) above].

18)"... Aunt Martha ..." - Martha A. [Vick] Seale, b. 08 August 1841, Oktibbeha County, Mississippi to Martha Caroline [Walker] and William 'Captain Billy' Vick, second sister to marry Ben M. Seale on 12 October 1862, after her sister Mary F. [Vick] Seale died 28 January 1862.