Letter from Alice Morgan to her sisters

Ione Morgan Shapard (later Covington) had three sisters, Lizzie, Emma, and Alice.  Lizzie, the eldest, moved from Louisiana to Virginia in the 1870's and was married there.  Later she and her family moved to Arkansas.

The other three moved to west Texas in the early 1880's, after their father died.  (They had been long preceded to Texas by their mother's family, the Johnsons, who migrated there from Alabama about ten years before the Civil War.)  The youngest in the Morgan family, a brother named Haynes -- after his father and their Revolutionary War ancestor -- also moved to Texas.  At this time Haynes Morgan and Onie Shapard lived in Callahan County, whereas I believe that the Mixons resided in neighboring Taylor County.

At any rate, the youngest of the sisters, Alice, had married a man named Powell and moved to Fort Davis, which is roughly 300 miles southwest of Abilene & about 5000 feet in elevation.  Emma (Mixon) had been married the longest and had several children.  Onie had recently become a widow for the second time and had a ten year-old son & a month-old daughter at the time this letter was written.  Alice herself was eight months pregnant with her first child:

Ft Davis, Tex.
Apr. 11th, 1888

Dear Emma and Onie

As Bud is fixing to [go] out there, I will just send my letter by him, as I reckon he will want to take you a little by surprise.  It makes me feel so lonely to think he is going away but know he will want to see you all and do what he thinks best.  I wanted to send the babies something, but couldn't go down in town 'tis so cold and wet, and I feel so awfull bad today I can hardly navigate.  I got Emma's ans. to my card, do hope you will all get on alright with the measles, 'tis a good time to have them.

Hope Onie is alright by now.  Think Cassie's hair looks so sweet, nearly as long as Lawrence's was, would like so much to see the sweet little thing.  Will send you all a pattern to make little shirts, under shirt waists, or you can cut it on down, and make little chemise for Vera and Mattie.  Trim round the top, and button on top of sleeve.  I made the waists of all my little shirts by it.  Have got all of my little things made at last, made one like Emma's pattern, one like Onie's, and one Mother Hubbard with embroidered yoke and sleeves, bottom ruffled with embroidery.  All think them real pretty.

Jim bought me a new machine, called the Premium, like it so well.  Runs nearly like the Singer but has all the late improvements.  Gave a Mrs. Dr. Isaacs of _____ City $25.00 for it, she got it last summer.  And I needed it right then.  Thought I would rather take it than send off and get one like Aunt Fanny, as it is nearly the very same machine.  Have got me a rocking chair also.

Drura, Wagner, Wert, and _____ are fixing to go to a dance to night.  Guess they will have a cold trip.

I want you all to be sure and write to me how you get on.  And Bud will tell you all the news, and I am bound to stop and fix up his things.  I will close for I feel so bad I can't write worth reading.  Kiss all the little children for me and be sure to write soon.

Your loving sister
Alice Powell