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[In the 1880 Census of Obion County, TN, he is living with his grandfather, Timothy Culp (shown as Thomas Culp on census) at age 11. The following letter to Nora when she was 16 years old, was from her step brother, James Monroe Culp, in his own handwriting, in 1920. He was perhaps 15 or 20 years older than she and not a blood relative (the son of the first wife of her mother's second husband--Nora was the daughter of her mother's third husband, the first two having been killed in the Civil War): "Hohenwald, Tenn
11/20/1900
Miss Nora Inman,
Obion, Tenn, Dear little friend:--
I recd yours and Carries letter, a few days age, of course am always glad to get a letter from any of you. They bring with them sweet memories of days that are gone. I got a letter or two from Dora Inman some time last year, but I have not heard from her lately, guess she broke her pencil, and Sallie and Belle and Liza, well, they have so much territory to think over they seldom come to my post. I read a letter from Jake last mail, he said Uncle Tom was in very bad health. You must tell all howdy for me, and that I am on the farm again. I have bought 40 acres of land in 2 1/2 miles of town--Hohenwald--The country is nearly level and layed off in sections. This makes the roads straight, and running north and south or east and west. Nearly all of the country near Hohenwald has been opened up the last 4 years. I bought my place from a Swiss man.
Our neighbors are all Swiss, 4 families living in hollering distance of us. They can't speak our language very well, tho the young folks are pretty well educated in English. There are three girls in the family living nearest. Some one of them is here nearly all the time, the two smallest remind me very much of you and Carry. They are about the size you were when I left there. There is one of them here now--Lena-- She comes to play with our little girl. Everybody says we have the prettiest little girl they ever saw, of course we appreciate that.
I put out a nice strawberry patch last week so if you and Carrie will come to see us next summer we will promise to give you plenty to eat, even if the strawberries make a failure. Tell Tom he had better renew his visit, or rather come and stay and work with me. I have plenty of work for both of us and he might buy some land near mine and live with us. Tell him to write to me and tell me all about what he is doing and if he is making any money. Tell Ma we have not got any pictures at present but when we have some made we will send her one. Lilly says for you to send your picture Have Uncle Tom to get a group made and send that. I wish I could see you all, but I guess I won't right soon. Write often,
Your friend
J. Monroe Culp |