This is a letter General Spruill wrote to Alfred f.
Garrett, his brother in law. Mr.
Davis, referred to here, is his son-in-law, William Hith
Davis, II. General Lee
surrendered April 9, 1865.
Chapel Hill, Feby, 25, 1865
My dear Garret:
We have just
received Mary E. & Joe's letters. The runaway negroes
are truly
preplexing. I cannot imagine what four they are. I
presume you will get them again. I
wrote Williams last week that I expected to go down to
see you soon, and wished him to
get off the women and children the best he could and send
me the account. I have just
received from him a package containing his acct, money
& notes, as the package is too
large to send by mail I will keep it until I have a
chance of seeing you. I send you an
account sent by Williams, shewing a balance due you of $
2400, and one note for hire of
two men for $ 1600, not collected. He charges for his
services but his charge is much
less than my expenses and have been had I gone. The cost
of keeping the women and
children and attending to them while laying in, is heavy,
but I have no dooubt it cost the
amt. as I had to pay $ 50 cord for wood, $ * for Bacon, $
25 for bushel meal, $ 150 brl,
for flour and room rent. He writes me that he has
disposed of them, so as to cost you
nothing for the year, when I can, I will hand you the
money, notes, adt ect and you will
see it is all right. I will give a statement of William's
account so you may see how it
stands. Mr. Davis has got home at last, and all well. I
cannot set a time when I can go
down, but intend to go as soon as I can but I dont know
how to go. I fear to attempt to go
by Goldsboro as the train may be wrecked. I have wrotten
to Judge Biggs to know if he
or Mr. Staten could send for me to Littleton, but
have not heard from him. I fear to go
unless I could have some prospects of getting to the
Judge's or Mr. Statens. I desire to
visit them both and see them and families. How can I get
along from Littleton? I cannot
set a time to go, as I cannot tell how I may get along
with Eva. Shall be glad to hear from
you very soon and advise me if you can, what to do. I
want to see you bery badly and
will go as soon as I see the way clear. The war prospects
look very unfavorable - a short
time may determine one way or other.
God bless you all
H. G. Spruill
|
Also in the
lot of H.G. Spruill:
To the memory of Ann Louisa Spruill,
wife of H.G. Spruill born November 18, 1811 died January
24, 1855 age 43 years 2 months and 6 days also of Samuel,
their son born December 28, 1840 died October 13, 1844
age 3 years 9 months and 15 days
Eveline Spruill Cartwright born June
1838 entered into rest February 7, 1899
No stone, information from parish register:
Mrs. Mary Eliza Spruill Garrett (widow
of Alfred F. Garrett) born Bertie County, residence
Washington County, died Jan. 5, 1915 of old age
|
At the age of 24, General
Spruill was left whole and sole exector of his
father's (Samuel B.) will and guardian
of his sister and brother Flavius and Cary Ann.
When he was 26 years old he was the sheriff of
Tyrrell County and at the age of 27 (1835) he was a
member of the most delegated Convention in NC and was
probably one of the youngest members. Wheeler (Wheeler's
History, pp 134 and 412) states that the people
recognized the importance of this Convention and sent
their ablest members to represent them. From 1836-1842
he represented both Tyrrell and Washington Counties in
the State Legislature and is mentioned by Wheeler in his
history as being one of Tyrrell's most distinguished men
in 1850, at which time he was a member of the Board of
Internal Improvements of NC and one of three members of
the Literary Board. He is buried in Grace
Churchyard, Plymouth, NC. The tombstone reads:
In Memory of H. G.
Spruill born Sept. 8, 1808, Died June 20, 1874.
(He was 66 years old) Blessed are the pure of
heart for they shall see God.
|
The
above picture and information is taken from Memories
and Records of Eastern North Carolina by Mary
Weeks Lambeth, 1957, Curley Printing Company, Nashville,
pp 194, 215
Gen. Spruill's Chart
2. Samuel B. Spruill, b circa 1788
+ Fanny A. Spruill
3. General H. G. Spruill, b
9-8-1808, d 6-20-1874
+ Ann Louisa Spruill, b 11-18-1811, d 1-24-1855
4. Mary Francis Spruill, b 1826
+ William H. Davis, m 2-14-1855
4. Eveline Spruill, b 6-1838, d 2-7-1899?
4. Samuel Spruill, b 12-28-1840, d 10-13-1844
4. Jos. G. Spruill, b 1845
3. Cary Ann Spruill
+ Algred F. Garrett
3. Flavius Spruill
3. Caroline B. Spruill
2. Anna Margareita Spruill, b 1715
2. Godfrey Spruill,
Jr., b 1736
2. Joseph Spruill, b 1760
2. Mary Spruill
2. Hennrietta Spruill
|
