Jerry and Linda Butler

Excerpts of Letter from Virginia Deen to Bill Harris, 5 April 1996, after she had
phoned all the Harrises in Cheyenne the Christmas before, trying to locate us.
Virginia and my mother were the cousins, the same age, and grew up together
in Tennessee. I have known Virginia since 1950 when she visited us in New
Mexico. I visited her in 1957 in Whiteville, Tennessee with my grandparents,
and 2 or 3 times since Barb and I married. We lost contact several years ago
when she moved to Arkansas and my mother became unable to communicate:

"...Your letter made me so happy--to be in touch with a member of my family. Christmas I felt I had to try to know something about Leila Mai...."

"....I have some arthritis and my back bothers me some (since the mugging), so I don't travel much any more. I miss it too, but I have many pictures of places I've been. I went to Europe four times. Webb went with me in 1971 for three weeks--that was wonderful. He died in 1973. We took some nice trips I'm glad to say. I'm glad you are traveling some. I was looking forward to that when Webb retired but he died at 65. I've been places since, but feel its time to quit....I drive my car anywhere I wish, but don't take trips to Memphis any more by myself. I play the piano at the morning service [Methodist] in Tuckerman, 10 miles, where my family lives."

"Mary Forrest, my granddaughter, married David Winston. They have three children, Melinda age 13 who is a lively cheerleader, Webb who is always with the gifted and talented in school, and Marilyn almost 3, who is the delight of the whole family. A brunette, cute, smart--we all feel she was sent to us to fill a void left by Marilyn I's death in 1985."

"....Mississippi is a special place to me. My grandfather Culp, Thomas Jefferson Culp I, was born there I think. Also Ma Inman, who was Eliza Emmaline Hoover. At this time I am in contact with some researchers who are trying to trace some of the Culps. My grandfather died 3 months before my daddy, Thomas Jefferson Culp II, was born in 1873. Tom, my brother, is Thomas Jefferson Culp III..."

"Tom still lives in Whiteville. His wife, Rachel, has been ill for 8 or 10 years with a movement disorder, distonia and essential tremors--they are homebound except trips to doctors. Not much help available. They have tried to find treatments at different places. I go over there as often as I can. Its about 50 miles from Memphis--my REAL home."

"I moved to Memphis in 1978 because I was so lonely in Whiteville. A friend there and I took dancing lessons and went to lots of enjoyable affairs. Also I got to attend Opera, Symphony, Broadway Plays, lots of interesting things. But after mother died I dicided I had better get to Arkansas, so here I am...."

"In rereading this letter I didn't mention my beloved grandson Rob. He is an interior decorator....His wife Kristine is in Admissions Department at Lyon College in Batesville--35 miles.. They have a darling six year old son, Anderson..."

And from a June 1996 letter after our visit to her in Newport, AR, in May 1996,
and were privileged to hear her play the piano and make a video tape of it:

"I loved the tape--even though I don't like to see myself play--I enjoy hearing the music because I have a better idea of how it sounds, and I can hear the mistakes and try to do better...Mary and Rob were thrilled to get the tapes."

"I enjoyed all of the [family history] information you ssent. I am working on more. I wrote the Mississippi Department of Archives and History requesting more Culp, Hoover and Cox documents--I heard from them them this week. They have federal census record of Culp 1840,1850,1860; Hoover 1850,1860; and Cox 1860. Also marriage reacord of Robert W. Cox and Eliza Hoover [Eliza was Bill's great grandmother, Virginia's grandmother; Cox was her first husband, Culp was her second husband and Virginia's grandfather; Inman was her third husband and my grandmother's father]. Eliza Hoover's father was named Ephriam. They told me these families all llived close together--said on 1850 cencus Eliza was 6 years old. Also that on marriage licence the parents had to sign because Eliza and Robert were too young...."

"I just love this genealogy hunt. Mary wanted me to write things about my life and I've been trying to fill 150 pages of the book she gave me. The old time general store we had gave me lots of things to share as well as trips, family etcetera."

"...The Tonnemachers [Virginia's mother's family] originally came from Germany. Mother's Mother's name was Catherine Maria Elizabeth Schnuck. Father was Albert Frederick Tonnemacher, he was a carpenter and cabinet maker. Her mother died when Mother was one year old. I knew my grandfather--we visited him in Indiana. He played the accordion and Marilyn would dance while he played....My father had a men's wear store in Obion [Tennessee]--we moved to Martin, Tennessee, in 1927 so I could attend University of Tennessee Junior College there..."

"I think I told you about our Senior performing group in Memphis--The Peabody Choral and Drama. We had talented people, all senior citizens, who could sing, dance, play instruments--we played for church and school groups, nursing homes, conventions, etc. The best thing was being invited to the White House to put on a 15 minute show in 1981 for Foster Grandparents Group.. That was my 15 minutes of fame--I played the piano...Our show was The Roaring 20's. We had a new show every year. That was such a fun time...."

"Webb and I had a good life together. I revolved around the store, church, family and school. We took great vacations. Went to the World's Fair in 1939 and 1963 in New York, went to Europe for 3 weeks in 1971. He died of an undiagnosed illness--something like Lupus. Marilyn had colon-rectal cancer--sad time and still is..."

"....Somehow I feel close to you two. I'm so happy you came to see me! even invited me to go to Mississippi with you. I really appreciated that invitation and would have liked to go, but arthritis bothers me--get tired walking. But I'm thankful to do as well as I do..."