HATTIE GRISHAM'S LETTER

We found Hattie's letter in a drawer of Mother's old treadle sewing machine in 1985--about 3 years following our identification of Andrew Jackson and Gillie Grisham as the parents of my great-grandfather, James Lemuel "Jim" Grisham, Sr. --based on the 1850 and 1860 US Census for Tishomingo County, MS.  Hattie was Hattie Belle Grisham, daughter of Andrew Jackson "Jack" Grisham and Cordelia English.  The sewing machine was originally owned by Margaret Amanda (Jones) Grisham.

Shortly after we found this letter, we met Noel Grisham who said that our ancestors were Isaac or Isaac Ephraim Grisham and  Sarah Gillie Olive.  (William Q. Hill's Letter to Ronnie Crawford.)

Jane Perry and her parents Alven C. and Willie Jewel (Grisham) Perry had visited our Mississippi Grisham relatives.  Jane and Jewel concurred that we were descended from Andrew Jackson--not Isaac and nor Isaac Ephraim.

Nevertheless, we felt as if the "rug had been pulled out from under us."  After all, Hattie was a granddaughter  and Noel had spent more than 40  years researching our family.  

We regrouped determined to trace down all possible leads to Isaac, Isaac Ephraim, and Andrew Jackson Grisham.  We have not found any evidence of an ancestor named either Isaac or Isaac  Ephraim.  We have found that  Ephraim Grisham,  who married Sarah Choate, was a Lawrence County, TN, contemporary of Andrew Jackson Grisham, Sr.  Ephraim was only about 5 years older than Andrew Jackson--so he could not possibly have been the father of Andrew Jackson. Ephraim was a son of George Gresham, who died in Lawrence County, TN, in 1852.  There is a strong resemblance between the family of Ephraim Grisham and Sarah Choate Grisham, and the family whom Noel believed to have been the father of our Andrew Jackson Grisham.  

My explanations of identities are in green.

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1834 N. 7th
Abilene, TX 79603
Sept, 24, 1964

Dear Elsie,
[Clara Elsie Fergusson Crain, daughter of Ida Rose Anna (Grisham) Fergusson, daughter of James Lemuel "Jim" Grisham, Sr., son of Andrew Jackson  and Gillie Grisham.]

Hi! How are you and also the rest? What a grand surprise. Thanks to Noel [Noel was a son of James Albert "Ab"Grisham, who was a son of Richard Robert "Dick" Grisham, who was the youngest child of Andrew Jackson and Gillie Grisham.] for writing to Herbert. [Herbert Andrew Grisham was a son of William Richard Grisham, oldest child of James Lemuel "Lem" Grisham, Sr.,  son of Andrew Jackson and Gillie Grisham.] He is Uncle Dick’s grandson (Albert’s son.) Noel was by to see me after his visit to Mississippi. He is superintendent of schools at Round Rock, Texas--also a Church of Christ preacher--a great hand to keep in touch with the Grisham Clan. He has a nice family--three girls, nice-looking. I am always glad to see them. He went to see Mema (Aunt Lee) [Phoebe Leander "Lee" "Leah" Welch who married Richard Robert "Dick" Grisham, youngest child of Andrew Jackson and Gillie Grisham, Sr..] after he visited me.

Papa’s mother was Gillie Olive. She married a Mr. Mason before she married Granddad Grisham, who was Isaac Grisham. They had 5 sons: Ephraim, George, Jim, Jack, and Dick. Three girls:

maybe more children--all I can think of right now. If I were there and could talk to you, I might think of a lot of things.

It would be nice to visit with you people, but you sure can’t count on these buses anymore. Uncle George Grisham was Jim Grisham’s father. [James Arthur "Jim" Grisham was a son of George Washington Grisham, who was a son of Andrew Jackson and Gillie Grisham.]

I am so sorry to hear about so much sickness among you people. It is too bad for Sam to be so bad. [Samuel Floyd "Sam" Williams, who married Harriett Lou Emma Grisham, daughter of James Lemuel "Jim" Grisham , Sr., son of Andrew Jackson and Gillie Grisham.] The children had so much to bear with their mother.

I hope Corene and Alven are both improving--also Ethel. [Margaret Corene (Grisham) Walker was the oldest child of Charles Ephraim Grisham, son of James Lemuel "Jim" Grisham , Sr., son of Andrew Jackson and Gillie Grisham. Alven is the widower of Corene’s sister--Willie Jewel (Grisham) Perry] [Ethel Inez Hamrick is the widow of Herbert Andrew Grisham, son of William Richard Grisham, oldest child of James Lemuel "Jim" Grisham , Sr., son of Andrew Jackson and Gillie Grisham.]

I remember the Richeys when I visited there. [The Joe Richey family lived on a farm adjoining that of James Lemuel "Jim" Grisham , Sr. and Robert Jeff and Ida Rose Anna (Grisham) Fergusson.]

Do you hear from any of Addie May’s children? [Addie May (Grisham) Lassetter was a daughter of James Lemuel "Jim" Grisham , Sr., who was a son of Andrew Jackson and Gillie Grisham.] I hear once in a while as long as May was living. [May Iantha (Chumney) Grisham was the widow of James Lemuel "Lem" Grisham, Jr., son of James Lemuel "Jim" Grisham , Sr., who was a son of Andrew Jackson and Gillie Grisham.] I never hear from her children now.

I am sure you met Noel at Cousin Lem’s funeral for he was there at that time. [Lem was James Lemuel "Lem" Grisham, Jr., son of James Lemuel "Jim" Grisham , Sr., who was a son of Andrew Jackson and Gillie Grisham.] He [Noel] was superintendent of schools close to Vernon and being a Church of Christ pastor, he and Floyd got to be chummy. [Floyd was a son of James Lemuel "Lem" Grisham, Jr.] He sure is a nice-looking guy and so nice.

No, I am not taking care of children--haven’t the last 2 ½ years. It is nice to get up knowing you can do what you want to do. Even if I do have an empty pocketbook.

I thought I was going to see Aunt Lee in Sept., but Reba Rae [Reba Rae (Grisham) Cannon was Hattie’s niece. Reba Rae was a daughter of Henry Walton Grisham, son of Andrew Jackson "Jack" Grisham, Jr., son of Andrew Jackson and Gillie Grisham.] said that they planned to make a trip back there in Oct., so I thought I would go with them. I had a letter from her Tuesday and she didn’t say a word about going--so I may not go.

Received your letter. I don’t know who Aunt Margaret’s mother was. [Margaret was Margaret Amanda (Jones) Grisham, wife of James Lemuel "Jim" Grisham, Sr. who was a son of Andrew Jackson and Gillie Grisham.] I don’t know those people. Aunt Marthi just visited Uncle Jim. Didn’t make her home with them. [Marthi was Martha Ann (Jones) Snider, baby sister of Margaret Amanda (Jones) Grisham.] They was a cousin Bettie Grisham made her home with them for awhile and she got a job in a store in Hamilton and stoled a lot of things and they caught her. I don’t remember how she got out of it. Then she came to Mother’s [Cordelia Ann "Cora" (English) (Grisham) Felty] and stayed for a while. She left and went to Oklahoma and claimed she married a Mr. Echols. I don’t know whatever became of her. She had 3 brothers. They are all dead. She may be also.

I hope I have answered your questions. Brother Henry [Henry Walton Grisham, son of Andrew Jackson "Jack" Grisham, Jr., son of Andrew Jackson and Gillie Grisham.] is in a rest home doing fine. Likes it there. We girls go after him most every Sunday. He got in a notion to go home ever so often. We can’t blame him, but we want him to stay through the winter anyway. I had better get busy.

Love,

Hattie

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ANDREW JACKSON GRISHAM & GILLIE OLIVE (MAS0N)