NOTE: My great-grandmother...My mother, Sallie Ann (Reynolds) Hare's grandmother, "Granny".

Louisa was the only one of her birth family that remained in Glasgow, Barren County, Kentucky. Her parents, Benjamin and Ursula Britt, with Louisa's siblings left Glasgow in the later 1870s. Went to Missouri where John Nuckles Britt was born in 1880. His parents returned to Kentucky and had Mary Ellen Britt in 1882. They left Kentucky again and settled in Harrisburg, Poinsett County, Arkansas. (Per Dorothy Hare Wigginton)
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Mom spoke of and loved her "Granny" dearly. She told me how good she was to her. Mom was born 30 Oct 1909. On the 1910 Census Granny and Mom at 6 months, along with Mom's mother, Louisa's daughter, Ida P (Carver) Reynolds and Mom's father, Will Reynolds lived in the same household. Granny owned the house and property. Granny and Mom's grandfather Joel Yancy Carver were divorced. They remarried in 1911.

Today's date: 22 Apr 2018...
A copy of the first page of a letter is posted in the PHOTOS section. This letter was in my mother's belongings. Louisa was grandmother of Mom, Sallie Ann (Reynolds) Hare. Mom died 22 Jul 1977. The letter was written by Louisa's sister in law Molly (Mason) Britt for Louisa's brother, John Britt. The letter came from Harrisburg, (Poinsett County), Arkansas sent to Glasgow (Barren County), Kentucky.

The letter is bound together at the top with double black thread stitched through all five pages. The first page has thread stitched through two small braids that are wound into a bow shape (figure 8) without a knot. It is identified at top left of sheet, Mattie's (written has Matties) hair. The second page has another every so finely braided hair, looped twice. The stitch that holds that braid runs through the following page. Beside the braid is marked, Hattie's (written as Hattys) hair. The fourth page has another two braids attached by way of the stitch that secured all the pages and the first set of braids on the front page. This one is marked, Nan's (written as Nans) hair.

After reading this letter and coming to the conclusion Melvina was pregnant. I just had to find the name of that baby. She was Nellie Ludell Benson born 23 Aug 1909. My search got me to Nellie's granddaughter Phyllis in California. Phyllis and I now correspond as I have contact with Nellie's daughter Nellie Marlene and another granddaughter Rebecca. Nellie Ludell Benson died 18 Oct 2001 in California. (Per Dorothy (Hare) Wigginton-granddaughter of Louisa Francis (Britt) Carver)

The Letter:
June 27, 1909
Harrisburg Ark

Mrs. Louisa Carver
My Dear old sister

I will try to write you a few lines in answer to your letter I received a few days ago. I was glad to hear from you all and to know that you all are well as common. This leaves us all up but not real well for I have not been at all well in some time. John and Hatty is as well as common and I hope you are all well now.

Page 2.

Well Louisa I have been looking for you to come back out here. Well Louisa Melvina said if you wanted to come back and did not have the money she said Mr. Benson would send you the money to come on (this word looks like "on") and pay you to stay with her till she got able to do her own work that will be August or September. I guess Mels folks is as well as common.
They all came down and stayed all day two weeks ago today.

Page 3.

Tell Will, John said for him to write to him for he wants to hear from him. John said he wish Will and Ider would live out here this fall and stay a while with us. John went to see Mame and Pap and Bab's folks today. I never have got to go to Babs the whole year but I want to go awful bad to see them for I have not seen any of them in 3 or 4 weeks. Well Louisa I do wish you was out here. Hatty and me

Page 4.

We'll soon be down hoeing cotton. We have in about 12 twelve acres of cotton and as much corn and piece of corn is (lacd, laid or lac'd) lay and another piece is ready to lay____ and we have five or six acres that is just about large enough to plow and I have lots of beans and peas. Louisa I have five stick beans. They are as full as they can be. I have been eating white headed cabbage for 2 weeks. But my late cabbage is small yet.

Page 5.

Louisa I have 6 six fine young Ducks as fine as they can be and just as pitish as anything you ever saw. Louisa mad dogs is raging here. And man we all no Will got bit by his own dog and he went raving mad 8 days and they took him off to New Orleans to the Pasture Institution for treatment and another man by name of Tipping at Jonesboro got bit his own dog bit him. There is lots of dogs and Ettle got

Back of page 5

bit out here right around us. Well Louisa am sitting around in my new blue dress but barefooted. Write (maybe the words are: back to you) all. Well Louisa will have to close for this time. I want you to write to me right away. Tell Will you want to come back. Well good by.

From you loving
affectionate brother (not sure if
writing after this)
John and Mollie Britt

______________

FATHER: Benjamin Franklin Britt
MOTHER: Ursula Ann Britt
HUSBAND: Joel Yancy Carver
CHILDREN:
Ivy-Iva B (Carver) Elmore, 2nd married name Carver
Ida P (Carver) Reynolds, 2nd married name Fish

SIBLINGS:
Lucy E Britt
Robert Morgan Britt
Lucinda E "Dollie" (Britt) Carter then Banks
Joseph Nuckles, Britt
Melvina or Mell Vine (Britt) Benson
Cintha Ann Britt
Nancy Ann "Annie" (Birtt) Lamkins or Lampkin then Mason
John Nuckles Britt
Mary Ellen (Britt) Clark

Louisa Francis (Britt) and Joel Yancy Carver were grandparents to my mother, Sallie Ann (Reynolds) Hare. Mom spoke of her love of her grandmother. She would tell me her grandmother was so good to her and she knew her grandmother dearly loved her. Mom had polio before she was 2 years old. She was sent to Louisville Baptist Hospital from Glasgow and stayed there off and on until she was 19 years old. I've thought Mom must have seen her grandmother in between the times she would get to go home. Mom was about 22 years old when her grandmother died in 1932.

Louisa and Joel married each other twice. Their first marriage was 16 Aug 1878, remarried 18 Oct 1911, both in Barren County, Kentucky. The 1910 census list Louisa Carver, divorced. Living with her were my mother, 6 months and Mom's parent's Ida P and Will Reynolds. Ida was Louisa and Joel's daughter. As of yet, I could not find Joel on the 1910 census. He and Louisa are listed married on the 1920 census, Glasgow, Barren County, KY. He died a few months later.

Louisa was the only one of her family that remained in Glasgow. Her parents, Benjamin and Ursula Britt and siblings moved first to Missouri and my findings they returned to Kentucky and eventually settled in Arkansas, around Harriburg, Poinsett County where several members of the family are buried in or near that location, with some in nearby counties. I can not find legal documentation where her parents are buried. There is burial information on a Family Group Sheet. Some list on ancestry they died abt 1911 in Poinsett County, Arkansas but have no documentation.

The two unmarked slab gravestones in the Kilgore family plot in Glasgow Municipal Cemetery are quite possibly Louisa and husband, Joel Y Carver's graves, Plot, WCIR B section...More information given on how these graves were acquired; go on husband, Joel Yancy Carver's memorial and read his bio.

NOTE: I have attached a Family Group Sheet made by Nellie Stanley for Louisa's parents, Benjamin and Ursula Britt and family.

In 1990 Nellie Mae (Biddle) Stanley made a collection of Family Group Sheets. Some have been sent to me. Nellie Mae was granddaughter of Melvina (Mell Vine Britt) Benson. Mell Vine was Louisa's sister and the daughter of Benjamin and Ursula Britt. Nellie Mae was daughter of Lucy Irene (Benson) and Chester Elmore Biddle. I received information Nellie Mae began her family tree in the 1940s. Nellie Mae of Arkansas was born 18 Jan 1930 and died 20 Oct 1997..She is buried in Jonesboro Memorial Park Cemetery, Craighead County, Arkansas.

I'm assuming Nellie had the benefit to speak with several family members before their passing or other family members that received information past down from them. Nellie may have had access to information that was provided so many many years ago.