I consulted the 1870 and 1880 U.S. Census, and was able deduce that more than a dozen extended family members left Kentucky around 1868. Only two of the Bailey children stayed in Kentucky - older daughters, first born Julia Jacobs (my great grandmother) and Elizabeth (3rd born), but six others accompanied George and Jane Bailey - four of those were adults. Their daughter, Mazy Anna (2nd born), was accompanied by her husband, John C. Blythe and their two small children. Two male children, Ben (A Civil War Veteran) and (Bud) went with the family. One of their younger daughters, Margaret, made the trip, but married a fellow named Obediah Moon in about 1871, moved to Minnesota, but returned by the late seventies. The father of Jane (Harrison) Bailey might have gone with them or he had migrated earlier and they joined him later.
The following are a few excerpts from the letters (The links are to each letter referenced):
Jane‘s 1874 letter:
The following are a few excerpts from the letters (The links are to each letter referenced):
Jane‘s 1874 letter:
"Beloved Children, one and all, Throu thee Mercy of God I am Permitted to Answer your kind And welcom letter that we Recevd thee 30eth of May (1874). My reason for not answering sunner was I had no paper.“
“As Comon pap is A getting so he can work Again we hope this will fiend you all well and doing well. Times is hard hear, money scarse and wages lo. ”
Obediah Moon's 1874 letter about his recent visit to Missouri was written at about the same time as the one above from Jane Bailey:
“father Baley often talked about Old KY though it seamed as though they would not leave old MO. father would say some times he had allmost A notion to go back to old KY. I would tell him if he would that I would go with them. I could not keep them in A notion long Enough to start though. Father says KY is A far better Place than MO. he would talk about the good times he had in KY. And then to see the hard times he has in MO. it would bring the tears in a childs Eye.”
In 1879 letter by Jane:
“Bens helth is gon and his Mind Almost gon. he hant bin able to keep house by them selvs for over two year. It is over two year sense he had thee first fitt. He takes foolish spells that he Dont no what he is About. He has to be watch al the time. He has no warning of thee fitt A toll.”
“We have had a very worm winter with the exception of About 2 weeks. But A cold backword spring. Thare has bin two hevy frosts. This week ice froze in the Kitchen. Wheet crop ante very good. What corn was up the frost has kilt. We got a letter from bud. He is well. He is in Pettis Co. MO. Tamonta P.O. He talks of comin home this sumer on a viset. John (Blythe) got a letter from Ben. Tha was well. Tha live in Hickory Co., Whitley PO. Ben is a Triing to get A pension.”
“We got a letter from them a few days ago. Ann (Blythe) rote tha was all sick with the chills. We dont expect tha ar A doing vary well. John (Blythe) depens on working by thee day .... Mutch.”
In 1880 Jane wrote:
“As Comon pap is A getting so he can work Again we hope this will fiend you all well and doing well. Times is hard hear, money scarse and wages lo. ”
Obediah Moon's 1874 letter about his recent visit to Missouri was written at about the same time as the one above from Jane Bailey:
“father Baley often talked about Old KY though it seamed as though they would not leave old MO. father would say some times he had allmost A notion to go back to old KY. I would tell him if he would that I would go with them. I could not keep them in A notion long Enough to start though. Father says KY is A far better Place than MO. he would talk about the good times he had in KY. And then to see the hard times he has in MO. it would bring the tears in a childs Eye.”
In 1879 letter by Jane:
“Bens helth is gon and his Mind Almost gon. he hant bin able to keep house by them selvs for over two year. It is over two year sense he had thee first fitt. He takes foolish spells that he Dont no what he is About. He has to be watch al the time. He has no warning of thee fitt A toll.”
“We have had a very worm winter with the exception of About 2 weeks. But A cold backword spring. Thare has bin two hevy frosts. This week ice froze in the Kitchen. Wheet crop ante very good. What corn was up the frost has kilt. We got a letter from bud. He is well. He is in Pettis Co. MO. Tamonta P.O. He talks of comin home this sumer on a viset. John (Blythe) got a letter from Ben. Tha was well. Tha live in Hickory Co., Whitley PO. Ben is a Triing to get A pension.”
“We got a letter from them a few days ago. Ann (Blythe) rote tha was all sick with the chills. We dont expect tha ar A doing vary well. John (Blythe) depens on working by thee day .... Mutch.”
In 1880 Jane wrote:
“Well I must tel you of the death of your Dear sister Magga (Moon). She died before you got my last letter. She died the 23 of January and her second child Rebecka did three weeks from the day Magga died the 13 of Febrary. Magga was willing to di. She cald us all to the bed and told us the hour had come. The lord had told hur she was A goin to hur little Boy. She welcomd deth. She had suffer ever sence the April Before. You never daw A poorer corps. She was beried the 25. I will send you some of hur Beriing Close. Tha cost twenty Dollars Coffin and the rest of hur close. She is beried by her Grand Father (Harrison) in Harrison Co.”
I found a young couple named Harrison listed (on the same page) in the 1870 US Census with John Blythe and Ben Bailey families. The grandfather must have been Harrison, the father of Jane (Harrison) Bailey.
In June of 1886 Jane wrote:
"Dear Children one and all. This day I meat with the pleasure of answering your verry unexpected letter. We was alful glad to hear from you all but sorro to hear of the deth of your sister and brother. But we was glad to hear you all was yet alive and well. We are all well as can be expected . Pap and I are very frail."
That was the last letter Charles and Julia Jacobs received from Julia‘s parents. I suspect that George Washington Bailey died within a year or two, though I was not able to find any info on his death. His wife, Jane Harrison Bailey, may have died in Indiana in 1896 after moving back east with one of her sons.
I found a young couple named Harrison listed (on the same page) in the 1870 US Census with John Blythe and Ben Bailey families. The grandfather must have been Harrison, the father of Jane (Harrison) Bailey.
In June of 1886 Jane wrote:
"Dear Children one and all. This day I meat with the pleasure of answering your verry unexpected letter. We was alful glad to hear from you all but sorro to hear of the deth of your sister and brother. But we was glad to hear you all was yet alive and well. We are all well as can be expected . Pap and I are very frail."
That was the last letter Charles and Julia Jacobs received from Julia‘s parents. I suspect that George Washington Bailey died within a year or two, though I was not able to find any info on his death. His wife, Jane Harrison Bailey, may have died in Indiana in 1896 after moving back east with one of her sons.
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