Mill Creek 3rd December 1844
My Dear Aunt
Some time ago I received a letter
from William John, I would have replyed [replied?]
immediately on receipt of it, but Mary had an attack of
worm fever and Charles of Bilious the [they?] are now
recovered. Dear Aunt I have again and again looked
for a letter from you I often have thought of the
remark you made one evening previous to my leaving
home, perhaps it has escaped your memory, you said
I need never write home for any assistance
if ever I should require it as there
was none of my relations thought much of me, I
began to think it was the case until [until?] I received
William Johns [John's?] letter of the 29th
September I had wrote again and again to those
that I called near and dear to me and never
received a line from one only William Campbell,
before I left Georgia I wrote you a long letter
acquainting you of the death of my little infant
also James Blairs and the burning of our house
and all our furniture, this all occurred in 1841
and 1840 a short time after poor Williams [William's?]
death I again wrote you describing the situation
I was left in there I was without a friend to speak
one word of consolation to me my children all taken
down sick with the exception of Charles as soon
as the [they?] got well him and I was taking
[taken?] with Chills and fever and had no servant
to assist me and my little infant only three
months old, you may expect my time was pretty hard,
a short time before poor Williams [William's?]
death I remarked to him what would become of me
with all my little ones if it should please God
to call him away, he said the Almighty was all
sufficient and John would do all he could for me
and the children, I cannot help giving you a little
detail of Johns [John's?] conversation to me
after his Fathers [Father's?] death the day he
was inteaned I remarked to him
what would become of me with all my little
children and so much in debt, you must write
to your Uncle James for his own past he never
intended to make his money by planting, I asked
him how did he intend making it he said that
was his own business, shortly after
he was taken down sick you have some Idea of what
kind of a boy he was to wait upon although Charles
and myself was [were?] the only persons to attend to
him when Charles was taken sick he would
scarcely hand him a drink of water, I am sorry
to say John has neither affection nor gratitude
God knows how my own children may act towards
me I trust however the [they?] will not show
the same disposition that John and James done.
(I know I always treated them as if the [they?]
had been my own children) I often look back to
the days of my girlhood when I lived with you
and experience [experienced?] so many changes
of life I cannot help drawing many sigh [sighs?]
however I must do all I can to raise my children
respectably if my health was as good as when
I arrived in America I could get along better
I assure you Aunt it was a gratification
to me that I cannot express when I received William
J. C. [Campbell?] Letter I thank him for his
present to Willy. I will apply to his Education
as he requested it although I required for other
purposes, I have to pay Mr S. McGuire [Maguire?] fifty
Dollars a Month for my boarding I wish
Uncle would write me and let me know what to do
I want to be settled and have a little place of
my own, Aunt I am going to make one request if
you would allow me as much as would buy one a
negro I ent [ain't?] able to Cook and work as I
have been in the habit of doing, I will write to
Mr. J. C. next month and let him know how the
children and me gets a long, Charles has got
a swelling in his neck I am obliged to sit up a
good part of the night with him the Dotor [Doctor?]
says it arises from a humour out of
his head, make my repects to your Daughter you
can say to her that shortly before Mr Blair Died
he named the Baby Isabella Allen she ent [ain't?]
Christened yet I intend as soon as I can find
an opportunity to take her and Ann Jane Campbell
up to town and have Dotor [Doctor?] Goulding to
Christen them they are mighty particular here we
must be all Christians before we join the Church,
do let me know if you still go to hear Mr Belles
what is the great Doctor Cook doing and what has
become of Mr Sims, make my repects to all may
inquire after me, my children living with me,
sending there [their?] love to you and there
[their?] Blessing I remain your affectionate niece
May Ann Blair.
My Dear Aunt you must excuse the Cloth and blunder.
I write to Moother [Mother?] by the
same mail.
