A Unique Teacher - Miss Frances Bennett Callaway

Miss Frances B. Callaway Instructs In the Art of Letter Writing

aaaaAmong the many courses offered at Chautauqua Institution there has been one for the past four years on "The Art of Letter Writing." The instructor, Frances Bennett Callaway, is the only person known who makes that a life work.
aaaaThe art of letter writing to this gifted and original teacher means primarily the expression of personality in correspondence. The minor details of correct forms, spelling, etc., can be found in any manual of letter writing.

aaaaMiss Callaway's work began ten years ago. At that time, having to prepare an article on letter writing, she visited the Boston libraries to get material on the subject. All the books shown her were unsatisfactory, dealing with the forms of letters and saying nothing more. She resolved then and there to write a book herself such as she conceived would be useful. The necessary study and research led her by a strange route into teaching, for when the book was completed no publisher would take it unless there were specimen letters in it. To get a variety of them she began to teach by correspondence.
aaaaMiss Callaway has studied in Edinburgh and London, finding at the great English libraries, the Oxford and Bodleiam, many valuable manuscript letters which have been of use in the work.
aaaa"The inside of a letter is the cream of the correspondence." says this unusual instructor. "I teach my pupils that the motive of the letter is more important than the outside form. I always tell them that I do not make finished letter writers of them, but simply suggest lines of thought that they can carry out."
aaaaHer pupils are of every age and from many walks in life, from farmers to lawyers, from society ladies to cowboys.
aaaaMiss Callaway is the author of several little books - "Hints to a Silent Friend Upon Writing Letters," "The Phantom Letter," The Wit on the Staricase" and "Musical Postals." This last formulates a unique way of writing short messages by musical signs, saving time and preserving secrecy.
aaaaMiss Callaway's thoughts and theories on her art are soon to be published in book form. She possesses a beautiful copy of her manuscript, printed entirely by pen and ink, the work of one of her pupils. It is bound in fine leather and is a veritable ____. From its index one can get an idea of the timely topics treated by the author. Among them are "Observation Studies," "Courtesy Letter," "Apologies," "The Sympathetic Letter," "Picture Letters," "The Mischief Making Letter," and "Silent Conversations."
aaaaMiss Callaway is a small woman, with a bright, earnest face and a winning manner. The personality that, if true to her theories, she must convey in her letters to pupils is so very magnetic and forceful that her success is not to be wondered at.

by Annie Isabel Willis

~ above article published in The Daily Review, Decatur, Illinois, August 1, 1895.

She was born Frances Bennett Dilts. In 1863 Lewis Howell Callaway adopted both Frances and her sister Lillian. He had married their mother about 1858. Lewis Howell Callaway's line of descent is as follows:
Joseph Callaway
James Callaway
Flanders Callaway
Larkin S. Callaway
Lewis Howell Callaway

Booker T. Washington quoted Frances Bennett Callaway in his book, Up From Slavery, written in 1901, in chapter XI, p. 153: "I would permit no man, no matter what his color might be, to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him."

Frances Bennett Callaway went on to write other books including, Bee's Flower Children. She died in 1905.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - Copyright © 2008 Callaway Family Association

Noted Scottish Clans in San Antonians' Ancestry

Irvines and Callaways Connected With Early History of United States
by Mrs. James H. French

aaaaErrors and inaccuracies are apt to creep into everything of human origin, but to the field of genealogical research, family history, etc., where faithful effort has been maintained to keep a reliable record, trustworthy statements and ____ of detail are more easily available.
The Irvines of Drum and Bonshaw (the latter, the Bonshaw, were first of the sub-clans in Scotland) were noted Scottish Clans.
aaaaThe Laird of Bonshaw was recognized as Chieftain of the Dumfriesshire Clan. Sir William de Irvine of this family was the armor-bearer and secretary of King Robert Bruce. He married a granddaughter of Bruce, who was a daughter of Robert Douglas, Earl of Buchan. The King gave to him the forests of Drum, and from this union were derived the two great Irvine families of Drum and Bonshaw. The descendants of Sir William de Irvine in North Scotland still retain the possession given to them by Bruce.
aaaaEdward Irvine of Bonshaw, survived the government outlawry, and strengthened himself by alliance with the Johnstones, the most powerful of the Dumfriesshire clans; his son, Christopher, marrying Margaret Johnstone, daughter of the chieftain. They defeated the lord warden, who was at the head of the government troops.
aaaaThe next brother of Edward Irvine, Christopher, a turbulent chief, was engaged in the cause of Queen Mary, 1607, and married the daughter (Mary) of Johnstone Newlie. One of their sons was Gerard Irvine, baronet in the Irish rebellion in 1641 and an officer in King William's royal army in the wars of 1659.
aaaaCol. William Irvine, born 1734, was one of his descendants; Robert Irvine, another son of Christopher and Mary Newlie Irvine, head of the American branch, fled to ____, Ireland and married Elizabeth Wylie. They had one son, David, who married Sophy Gault. To them was born a son, James, who married Margaret Wylie. They had ten children. Of these, seven sons came to America in 1725-31. These brothers were the progenitors of the Irvines in America.
aaaaChristopher and David came with their parents in 17__, and settled in Pennsylvania. From there, they moved to Bedford County, Virginia. David married Jane Kyle, and moved to Kentucky, where they settled in Madison County. Among their numerous children was Captain Christopher, born in 1760; built ____ Lick; was wounded at Little Mountain. In 1787, Christopher Irvine (gent.) was appointed by the Governor of Virginia one of the judges of the court. He was a statesman, a man of high character and intrepid ____. He married Lydia Calloway, the daughter of Col. Richard Calloway, who married in 1745 his first wife, Frances Walton.
aaaaCol. Christopher Irvine was killed fighting under General Logan against the Indians in Ohio.
Christopher and Lydia Calloway Irvine were the parents of David, Mary and Frances. The latter, Frances, married Robert Caldwell, and had Mary (among others), who married Judge James Simpson, and their son, Judge Isaac P. Simpson, who married Frances Weir, were the parents of Elizabeth (Mrs. H. D. Kampmann, Frances, James, Caro (Mrs. George C. Eichlitz), living in San Antonio.

IRVINE ARMS

Following here is a paragraph with the heraldic description of the arms, but it is illegible. The Coat of Arms of the various branches of the Irvine Clan differ slightly, but in general, avoiding heraldic terms, consists of green holly leaves upon a white (silver) field, spaced two and one.

CALLOWAY

aaaaSir William Callaway was county Lieutenant of Bedford County, Virginia, and was one of the gentleman justices of the county court, held November 27, 1758. For attendance upon the assembly, two sessions, in 1765, Sir William Callaway received 12,000 pounds of tobacco, which in those days was the current measure of payment. This statement of the county levy was copied by the clerk of Bedford County and certified to under the Virginia State seal.
aaaaSir William (or Colonel) Callaway married Elizabeth Tilly, and their son, Colonel Richard of Kentucky fame, who married first, Frances Walton, was the father of Lydia Callaway, who married Col. Christopher Irvine. (There is an error here in the Calloway ancestry. Richard Calloway was not the son of William Calloway. They were in fact brothers, sons of Joseph Calloway, the US immigrant from England to Virginia in the 1600s.)
aaaaAn erroneous statement has been made that Lydia's mother was the daughter of Daniel Boone. This error is probably due to the fact that Col. Richard Callaway was married several times. (Actually, Richard was only married twice; first to Frances Walton, and second to Elizabeth Jones. There is a Daniel Boone Connection in this family. Flanders Callaway married Daniel Boone's daughter, Jemima. Flanders was the son of James Callaway, who was a brother of Richard and William Callaway.)
aaaaAt another time the Caldwell family tracing down to connection with the Irvines will be given.

~ the above article was published in the San Antonio Express, San Antonio, Texas, August 6, 1911.
~ the picture showing the Irvine Coat of Arms is from the Irvine History web site.
~ James H. French, spouse of Sarah L. French, author of this article, was the Mayor of San Antonio, TX in 1880. He was born about 1835 in Virginia. It is interesting to note that another daughter of Richard Callaway, Keziah, married James French, born in 1756, and could likely be an ancestor of James H. French mentioned above.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - Copyright © 2008 Callaway Family Association