Have you ever wondered what your ancestors’ would be like if you were able to meet them? Their personality? Were they loving, caring and hardworking individuals?
Fortunately I have recently had a peak into the life of one of my great-grandfather. My great-aunt, who passed away soon after I was born, saved newspaper clippings and letters, and here it is many years later shared with me.
The basic history of James “Jim” Alexander Parker: a descendant of a Clarke County pioneer family; born 29 Sept 1871 in Clarke County, the son of James Jordon Parker and Sarah Elizabeth Thompson. He married Nellie Jane Meadows on 19 Feb. 1896 in Clarke County and passed away on 21 Mar. 1940. He and his wife are buried at Mont Rose Baptist Church Cemetery.
Upon my great-grandfather’s death, my great-grandmother received a letter from her uncle, George W Meadows, stating “…I can say this, without any fear of contradiction, that there never was a man in the Mt Rose settlement, that took interest in the cemetery and the church that he did, and he helped to put away more bodies than any other two men put together that lived in that settlement, and there is not a man in that whole country that will be missed as bad as he will…”
The letter goes on to say “… there was never a man in that whole settlement that everybody thought more of than they did Jim, so now just remember that he paid a debt that we all have got to pay…”
In this letter, George W. Meadows says, “… I have heard him say many a times, he just lived for Nellie and the children, and there was never a man that stayed closer to home, or worked any harder to provide the comforts of life for his family than he, and I loved him as brother, and he knew it…”
Arthur G Busby, Circuit Judge, 10th Judicial District, Waynesboro MS wrote in a letter of sympathy, dated 30 Mar. 1940 “…Mr. Parker was one of the best friends that I ever had. He was loyal and never failed to speak for that which he thought was right. He was a good citizen. I never knew any man that I had more respect for than I did your good husband.”
There are several others letter that testify to these words by George W. Meadows and Judge Busby.
These old letters, postcards, and newspaper clippings prove to be valuable with insight the character of our ancestors allowing us to get to know our ancestors on a personal note.
DON’T THROW THOSE LETTERS AWAY! If you have or come across any old letters, give them to your family historian or donate them to a historical society.
