Myrtle Dewees Forster letter

[This is transcribed from a photocopy of a handwritten letter. In the same file, there is a photocopy of a carbon copy of a typewritten version of the same letter. I have cross-verified my transcription, letting the handwritten version rule in the rare case of discrepancies.]

Hempstead, Texas

November 1, 1946

Dear Dewitt and Family,

Your letter was a pleasant surprise for all of us. We always enjoy hearing from our Mississippi kinsfolk.

Yes, I am married. My name is now Mrs. Robert C. Forster, and we are living near Hempstead. Last year we lived in Dallas, but in August we sold our home and moved on an 80 acre tract which Mama and Papa gave us. I am the only child, and Mama and Papa are getting along in years, so Bob and I decided it would be best for us to come back to Hempstead. At present, we have only a shack which Bob is making livable until we can build our home. We have our plans made, and in a couple of years, we hope to have a rather nice home. Bob does construction work and will do practically everything himself. The location is good too; our place is three miles from town, one mile from the Houston highway, and on the Brookshire Road, a black topped road.

Regarding the Family history, I really have little more than Great-great-great-grandfather Ralph Gorrell's will--or rather, a copy of it. When I was in Mississippi in 1940, I went on to Greensboro, North Carolina. Grandpa Dewees had always said that his Great-grandfather Ralph Gorrell had founded Greensboro so I decided that some of the Gorrells must still live there. I found a few Gorrells in the telephone directory and began looking them up. At the first house, only the wife was at home, but I knew Grandfather Gorrell's given name so she decided I was a member of the family and directed me to Mrs. J. Henry Fariss, 214 W. Washington Street. Mrs. Fariss is the great-granddaughter of Robert Gorrell and her husband the great-grandson of David Gorrell. Also Mrs. Fariss was a D.A.R., the registrar of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, North Carolina Division, and also belonged to other historical societies, I think. She had a great deal of information about the Gorrell family and was kind enough to let me look at as much as time allowed. I intended to return the latter part of the summer and copy some of the history, but Grandpa Dewees passed away while I was in Baltimore so I decided not to stop at Greensboro on my way home. However I wrote Mrs. Fariss about Grandpa, and she sent me a copy of Grandfather Gorrell's will and also some other information about Grandfather Ralph. I made three type-written copies of all she sent me; I gave one to Aunt Mattie Sorsby, I sent one to Cousin Fenton Bell Dewees, and kept the third one. After Grandpa died, I was given his old Bible. It is one that Cousin Eugene Lindley (His mother was Nancy C. Dewees) had given Grandpa a number of years before. I think it had been Grandpa's mother's. I also made type-written copies of the information in this old Bible.

Dewitt, I would make a copy of Grandfather Gorrell's will and also the information in the Bible, but since we have recently moved, I do not have the time. However, I am sending you my type written copy of all of this which I am glad for you to copy. Just please return it when you have copied it.

In 1942, Dora Ross whom you probably know quite well, wrote me for a copy of the Family history which I had. I sent her the same as I am sending you and requested that she return it, which she did. Also she sent me some history she found in her mother's handwriting after her mother passed away and also some she found in Dr. W. H. Mars' Bible. As you probably know, Dora's mother was Dora Elizabeth Mars, daughter of Martha Jane Dewees, daughter of Jane (Virginia) Gorrell. The information in Dora's mother's handwriting was as follows: "Mother was born near (11 miles) Greensboro N.C.--Guilford near Rockingham. Her mother's name--Jane Gorrell--Her father's name--Caleb Dewees. Her grandfather, William Gorrell, N.C., married Jennie Black, Ga. Her grandfather Dewees, Ezekiel, married Sarah Harrington. Ezekiel Dewees fought in Revolutionary War. He lived in Delaware." The information copied from Dr. Mars' Bible was, "Caleb Deweese Born 1799 in N.C. Died in 1849 in Cushtusa, Miss. Jane Gorrell Deweese, Born 1802 in N.C. Died Dec. 15, 1864 in Decatur, Miss." Dora was interested in becoming a D.A.R. so she may have found other history since 1942.

There are a few other things I learned either from Grandpa or Mrs. Fariss--or otherwise--which I will try to recall. First, I don't believe Grandfather Gorrell really founded Greensboro. Mrs. Fariss was vague on that. Also, in some magazine or book since 1940, I read something about the founding of Greensboro and Grandfather Gorrell's name wasn't mentioned. Someday I would like to go to Greensboro and check as to who actually did found it. However there is a street in Greensboro named Gorrell I saw it, and it is just a street. However, as you can see from the Will, Grandfather Gorrell did own a great deal of land so it is possible he donated all or part of the site for Greensboro. Second, the Gorrells were Presbyterians; however Mrs. Fariss admitted that most of the Gorrells were heavy drinkers, and as she said, "married beneath themselves" so the family has deteriorated. She mentioned a few who were well off financially--one, I believe at Winston-Salem in the tobacco business. Mr. and Mrs. Fariss lived in a well built two-story home, apparently filled with a good bit of antique furniture. She said the depression had hit them rather hard, that they were financially independent, but that was all. Third, both she and her husband were complexioned like you are. She was rather tall and large boned; he was smaller and very slender. One might say she was a little abrupt in her manner and more talkative than he was. Fourth, Grandpa Dewees said his Grandfather Ezekiel Dewees was very religious. He was a class leader in the Methodist Church; he had charge of services in the absence of the preacher. Grandpa said that all of the Deweeses, except his father Caleb, lived around New Albany, Indiana, during the Civil War. Well Grandfather Caleb was dead, but his family lived in the south. During the war, Grandpa was taken prisoner by the Northern troops and was released on the northern side near New Albany. He located some of his relatives and told them enough family history for them to know he was their kin. They let him stay with them a few days until he found work. He had learned the bootmaking trade during the war so he made shoes and cut wood until he had enough money to return home. There are still some Deweeses near New Albany for several years ago at Boulder, Colorado, I met a girl who knew several De Weese families in that vicinity. They spell their name De Weese, according to the girl. Of course that is the correct way, but I have always spelled it Dewees as Grandpa did. (It was also spelled Dewese in Grandpa's old Bible, also Gorrell was once spelled Gorl.) Fifth, Grandpa said his Grandfather Ezekiel always had a good living but was not well-to-do. When he died, the rest of the children gave their share of the property (farm, I think.) left to Caleb to take care of their mother. I believe he was the youngest. Grandpa said he was too good hearted for his own good. Also he drank. I remember telling you the following, but I will repeat. While Grandfather Caleb and Grandmother Virginia (June) were living in North Carolina, he went on notes for his no-good friends and lost everything he had. He would have had to go to prison if he had not slipped off at night. You see, the law was that a person could be imprisoned for debts whether they were his or people whose notes he had "gone on." I think your Grandfather Fenton went with him because he (F.) was of age--or almost. After they left the "law" came and took practically all household furnishings and even the cloth in the loom. Then Grandfather Caleb returned at night and got the rest of the family in a wagon drawn by one mule--as I remember Grandpa saying. He would have taken them with him at first but he didn't have time. They left North Carolina as quickly as possible. Sixth, Grandfather Caleb was accidentally killed. He was returning home from town when his horse evidently ran away and threw him out of his wagon (or whatever he was riding in) into a stream of water. He was found with his face in the water. Seventh, Grandpa thought his mother was about the best person he ever knew. He really loved her. Eighth, the reason Great-great grandfather William Gorrell received only $100 to discount the debt he owed his father's estate, was that when he married, his father gave him his share. Grandpa said he received land, a house, tools and a store; but he was a poor manager and lost what he had. He was the eldest and by rights should have received the legacy left Ralph; but according to Grandpa, Grandfather Ralph did not consider William capable of possessing it so he gave it to his son Ralph. However, Grandpa said Ralph did no better than William would have done. Ralph married an Irish girl, and in a short time, they lost all of it and had to return to America. Mrs. Fariss said she had tried to get in touch with the Ireland Gorrells, but had failed. Eighth, I think Grandfather Ezekiel De Weese came from France seeking religious freedom, but Grandpa knew nothing of the France De Weeses. These items are rather scattered, but I hope they mean something to you.

If you should learn any more of our family history, I will appreciate your passing it on to me.

Give my regards to all of the kin.

Sincerely,

Myrtle Dewees Forster