On 24 March 1871, Henry Lewis, of Jackson County, Alabama, wrote a letter to his niece, Jane Catherine (Babb) Bryant, with the details concerning the contents of his father John D. Lewis's will and the circumstances surround the purchase of land for Elizabeth (Lewis) Babb. Green B Babb, her husband, acted as her agent, purchasing the land with his her share of the John D. Lewis estate. John D. Lewis died in McNairy County, Tennessee in about 1842, and his property was auctioned there.
This letter is part of the evidence in the lawsuit that Elizabeth (Lewis) Babb's children brought against their step-mother, Mary Jane (Broom) Lewis Fitzpatrick.
Woodville
Jackson Co Ala March the 24/1871
Dear
Neice I will now
try
to answer your kind letter of Feb 24th
which
was some time on the way but came
at
last thinking that you are more anxious
to
know all that I can tell you of the contents
of
my Fathers will I will tell you that first
I
know that he made a will and that he did
It
in my presence and appointed Joel. D. Lewis
and
my-self executors to the will and we filed
the
will in Purdy McNairy Co Tenn and also
filed
a copy of it in Bellefonte Ala and it
was
destroyed in time of war we also filed
a
certificate from the county clerk of court McNairy
Co
in Jacinto the will stated that there was
to
be sufficient amount set apart for
the
education of my half Sister Emily
after
the debts were paid my father willed
my
oldest brother Wiley five dollars, then the
widow
my Step mother was to have a choice
of
a childs part or a dowry She took a
childs
part the ballance of his property he
willed
to his children and their heirs and at the
sale
of my fathers land Green Babb your Father
said
that he had no interest in but his wife your
own
mother authorized him to bid for the land
she
was standing close by and said yes I authorize
him
to bid for me and your Father bought some
of
the land and we charged it to her
and
she took the land out of her part of the
estate
and we managed the property just as
my
father willed it, and if you see
proper
to have my deposition taken
Henry
Dillard or Frank Cotton either one
or
both would be very suitable men
they
both live in Woodville which is near
me
and if you do have that done you and
your
husband come to see us we live in
two
miles of Woodville you could come that
near
on the railroad we would be glad
to
see you hope you will excuse this imperfect
letter
and let me hear
from
you again Your Unkle Henry Lewis
(Exhibit B)
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