Letters To, From and About the Callaways
The following excerpts are taken from letters written by Christopher Columbus Callaway (Gadah, Francis, Jr., Francis, Joseph Callaway), to his sister Sarah Callaway Tubb, wife of Jesse Tubb. These were provided by Mrs. Gibson C. Ross of Jackson, Mississippi whose family was connected with the Tubbs. C. C. Callaway was a Methodist minister, and his mother and a number of his children are buried in the Mohegan cemetery in Noxubee County, Mississippi. Certain notes have been included in parentheses to clarify the letters to present readers.
Letter of C. C. Callaway, dated July 8, 1848, and written from Gainesville, Alabama to his sister Sarah Callaway Tubb and addressed to her at Hillsborough, Arkansas.
"Your journey was 24 days, and you like your new home and are well satisfied."
He then speaks of the journey to Heaven, and says, "Only think, Sarah, that father and mother have gone on before us and also our oldest brother and sister are already there."
He had held a protracted meeting at Gainesville, and "there were 117 whites and about 20 negroes converted and joined the Methodist Church. The balance joined the Baptist Church."
"We have two of the finest children you have ever seen, one fourteen months and eleven days older than the other. The oldest, Melancthon, is certainly one of the smartest children Sumter County holds". In reference to her children he said, "I wish you a great deal of happiness in rearing them, and especially may you have great blessing to you in your son".
Their sister, Asenath Callaway, married a Flannagan and lived at Summerfield, Alabama. "I haven't seen Susan (another sister) since I saw her in your home in Kemper. I shall go to see her next Monday and take my family, and on Sunday I shall preach the funeral sermon for Bro. William's little daughter - your namesake - little Sarah. I shall preach it in Pintree, Ky., and I suppose I shall see all of our kin from Running Water there."
"I have a letter from Cousin F. W. Callaway (once Probate Clerk in Noxubee County) informing me of the death of D. C. Callaway, and one of the twins Cousin Amanda had.
Another letter he wrote from Summerfield, Alabama in 1852.
"I have not received that letter that Cousin A. M. Callaway promised to write me. I hope he will not forget it.
"Had a letter from Bro. Magers some weeks since. Magers Callaway lived at the old Elijah Thomas place. Has six boys and one girl. He is the same good man he always has been."
"Brother Frank is living in Texas. He has moved to Clinton, Texas.
"Susan is still living near Uncle Davy and will never live anywhere else as long as Uncle Davy and Bill Lagrone both live". (Bill Lagrone her husband)
In another letter of 1852:
"Do steamboats run up to Farmersville? If not, how near can you get home in a steamboat? How far are you from navigation in the summertime?"
In another letter of 1852:
"Asenath (another sister) is living in about four miles of this place (Summerfield), and has five children living, one dead".
"I am living in this little village about eight miles from Selma. Fine people, intelligent, industrious, and best of all, mind their own business. I have some appointments along the Oakmulgee Creek and in the Old Neighborhood. Have been around these in the past week, saw all of our friends. The Nally relations glad to see me, and so were all the neighbors. Old Bro. Pearson is dead. All the girls are married except Mary. I was at old Tom Barnetts and took dinner with him; and all of his girls are married except Agnes. She was the baby when we left Alabama. 'Old Phoebe' looks precisely as she did 20 years ago. Of her it may be said, 'There is no variableness nor shadow of changing'.
"I have been to see Dent Lovelady and Dolly. Their youngest daughter, Betsey Ann, married last week West Reed, old Andy's youngest son.
"Tell Cousin Amanda I was at her father's three days since and all were well, and the old man looked just as he did the first time I ever saw him. I was in his graveyard and saw his mother's grave, and what a train of memories it wakes up in mind. I ran over my own history, also a history of the whole family."
A letter from Bro. Jesse was mailed at Cherry Ridge, P.O.
"When you write tell me of Allen Callaway and if he has ever gotten home from California. Direct your letter to Summerfield, Dallas County, Alabama".
In his letter he named Sarah's (sister Sallie) children: Amanda, Frank, James, Sallie, and Matilda.
Jesse Tubb's first wife was Grace Callaway, his second was her first cousin, Sarah Callaway.
The obituary of Jesse Tubb states that he joined the Baptist Church of which his father-in-law, the Rev. Billy Callaway, was pastor.
Eugene Callaway said that the father of his and Sarah's father was Gad or Gaddah Callaway.
The following letter was written by Dr. Eugene Callaway, Sr.:
Dear Cousin Stella:
It is very interesting to hear from you especially as I did not know that the Rev. C. C. Callaway had a sister.
I also am past the three score and ten, in fact I am seventy-three years of age. I am the only son of Darby Melancthon Callaway, the oldest son and child of C. C. Callaway. I have four sons and a daughter, and thirteen grandchildren.
I have a memorandum book and in it is found some facts about the family. The handwriting is the penmanship of C. C. Callaway. I quote:
"C. C. Callaway, and Z. E. Denton (Zerilda, I think the name was) were married by the Reverend Leroy Massengale, March 8th, 11 o'clock A. M. Anno Domini 1846. (Doesn't say where) (Note- Noxubee County).
"C. C. Callaway, a son of Gad and Nancy Callaway, was born in East Tennessee, April 28, A. D. 1822.
"Z. E. Callaway, daughter of John and Elizabeth Denton, was born in Bibb County, Ala., Jan. 28, A. D. 1826."
The C. C. Callaways had several children, of whom my father was the eldest. All are dead now.
I also note here that your great grandparents, Gad and Nancy Callaway are listed in the memorandum: "Gad Callaway was born A. D. 1780. Nancy Callaway born Jan 7, A. D. 1790."
Gad Callaway died 1828. Nancy Callaway died 1842.
There is also a record, "Susan Callaway was born May 19, 1820, A. D."
I think the father of your Gad was Francis Callaway.
My father fought in the Confederate War.
C. C. Callaway and his wife, Zerilda Emerine, are buried in Greensboro, Alabama, where he lived. He was a Circuit rider and very powerful Methodist preacher, and was the first financial agent who raised the money before the Civil War to build old Southern University, now Birmingham-Southern University.
The above was originally published in the Noxubee County Historical Society Quarterly Bulletin, Number 13, March 1980. It is reprinted here with permission.
Letter of C. C. Callaway, dated July 8, 1848, and written from Gainesville, Alabama to his sister Sarah Callaway Tubb and addressed to her at Hillsborough, Arkansas.
"Your journey was 24 days, and you like your new home and are well satisfied."
He then speaks of the journey to Heaven, and says, "Only think, Sarah, that father and mother have gone on before us and also our oldest brother and sister are already there."
He had held a protracted meeting at Gainesville, and "there were 117 whites and about 20 negroes converted and joined the Methodist Church. The balance joined the Baptist Church."
"We have two of the finest children you have ever seen, one fourteen months and eleven days older than the other. The oldest, Melancthon, is certainly one of the smartest children Sumter County holds". In reference to her children he said, "I wish you a great deal of happiness in rearing them, and especially may you have great blessing to you in your son".
Their sister, Asenath Callaway, married a Flannagan and lived at Summerfield, Alabama. "I haven't seen Susan (another sister) since I saw her in your home in Kemper. I shall go to see her next Monday and take my family, and on Sunday I shall preach the funeral sermon for Bro. William's little daughter - your namesake - little Sarah. I shall preach it in Pintree, Ky., and I suppose I shall see all of our kin from Running Water there."
"I have a letter from Cousin F. W. Callaway (once Probate Clerk in Noxubee County) informing me of the death of D. C. Callaway, and one of the twins Cousin Amanda had.
Another letter he wrote from Summerfield, Alabama in 1852.
"I have not received that letter that Cousin A. M. Callaway promised to write me. I hope he will not forget it.
"Had a letter from Bro. Magers some weeks since. Magers Callaway lived at the old Elijah Thomas place. Has six boys and one girl. He is the same good man he always has been."
"Brother Frank is living in Texas. He has moved to Clinton, Texas.
"Susan is still living near Uncle Davy and will never live anywhere else as long as Uncle Davy and Bill Lagrone both live". (Bill Lagrone her husband)
In another letter of 1852:
"Do steamboats run up to Farmersville? If not, how near can you get home in a steamboat? How far are you from navigation in the summertime?"
In another letter of 1852:
"Asenath (another sister) is living in about four miles of this place (Summerfield), and has five children living, one dead".
"I am living in this little village about eight miles from Selma. Fine people, intelligent, industrious, and best of all, mind their own business. I have some appointments along the Oakmulgee Creek and in the Old Neighborhood. Have been around these in the past week, saw all of our friends. The Nally relations glad to see me, and so were all the neighbors. Old Bro. Pearson is dead. All the girls are married except Mary. I was at old Tom Barnetts and took dinner with him; and all of his girls are married except Agnes. She was the baby when we left Alabama. 'Old Phoebe' looks precisely as she did 20 years ago. Of her it may be said, 'There is no variableness nor shadow of changing'.
"I have been to see Dent Lovelady and Dolly. Their youngest daughter, Betsey Ann, married last week West Reed, old Andy's youngest son.
"Tell Cousin Amanda I was at her father's three days since and all were well, and the old man looked just as he did the first time I ever saw him. I was in his graveyard and saw his mother's grave, and what a train of memories it wakes up in mind. I ran over my own history, also a history of the whole family."
A letter from Bro. Jesse was mailed at Cherry Ridge, P.O.
"When you write tell me of Allen Callaway and if he has ever gotten home from California. Direct your letter to Summerfield, Dallas County, Alabama".
In his letter he named Sarah's (sister Sallie) children: Amanda, Frank, James, Sallie, and Matilda.
Jesse Tubb's first wife was Grace Callaway, his second was her first cousin, Sarah Callaway.
The obituary of Jesse Tubb states that he joined the Baptist Church of which his father-in-law, the Rev. Billy Callaway, was pastor.
Eugene Callaway said that the father of his and Sarah's father was Gad or Gaddah Callaway.
The following letter was written by Dr. Eugene Callaway, Sr.:
Dear Cousin Stella:
It is very interesting to hear from you especially as I did not know that the Rev. C. C. Callaway had a sister.
I also am past the three score and ten, in fact I am seventy-three years of age. I am the only son of Darby Melancthon Callaway, the oldest son and child of C. C. Callaway. I have four sons and a daughter, and thirteen grandchildren.
I have a memorandum book and in it is found some facts about the family. The handwriting is the penmanship of C. C. Callaway. I quote:
"C. C. Callaway, and Z. E. Denton (Zerilda, I think the name was) were married by the Reverend Leroy Massengale, March 8th, 11 o'clock A. M. Anno Domini 1846. (Doesn't say where) (Note- Noxubee County).
"C. C. Callaway, a son of Gad and Nancy Callaway, was born in East Tennessee, April 28, A. D. 1822.
"Z. E. Callaway, daughter of John and Elizabeth Denton, was born in Bibb County, Ala., Jan. 28, A. D. 1826."
The C. C. Callaways had several children, of whom my father was the eldest. All are dead now.
I also note here that your great grandparents, Gad and Nancy Callaway are listed in the memorandum: "Gad Callaway was born A. D. 1780. Nancy Callaway born Jan 7, A. D. 1790."
Gad Callaway died 1828. Nancy Callaway died 1842.
There is also a record, "Susan Callaway was born May 19, 1820, A. D."
I think the father of your Gad was Francis Callaway.
My father fought in the Confederate War.
C. C. Callaway and his wife, Zerilda Emerine, are buried in Greensboro, Alabama, where he lived. He was a Circuit rider and very powerful Methodist preacher, and was the first financial agent who raised the money before the Civil War to build old Southern University, now Birmingham-Southern University.
The above was originally published in the Noxubee County Historical Society Quarterly Bulletin, Number 13, March 1980. It is reprinted here with permission.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - Copyright © 2004 Callaway Family Association
posted by DFM | 10/31/2004
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