The following letter was written to James Tate Roan

1892 letter about the Thomas Roan family of Caswell Co, NC and the "older" Thomas Phelps of Caswell Co, NC

See dphelps61 AT alumni.wfu.edu for further information

The following 1892 letter was written to James Tate Roan. I have not changed or added anything. Not even a comma or period because I’m afraid I might change the meaning in some way.

Bristol, Fla, Oct. 18, 1892

Dear Cousin

I recd a letter and blanks to fill out which I will do as well as I can when I first looked over the letter I was filled with astonishment to find out who you were I have not heard of any of you since the 1850 I then saw Aunt Martha T Moore who came to this country and settled in Apalachicola and both husband died there & all of her children except three who lives in Apalachicola and one in texas her husbands name is Stockton my own father and mother died in North Carolina and my uncle and aunt brought my mothers children to this country I am the second daughter of Annis Griffin and Alexander Griffin my mother was the daughter of Thomas Roan your grand father my oldest sister name was Anne Anna she married a Mr Willis and lived two years and both died my youngest sister married Henrry Winnham they both died at Apalachicola and left two children the youngest one was a girl when I make my home now her name was Louisa Virginia Dunham she married Em LCentz who is now clerk of this county her Brothers name is Wum Calvin Durham he is living near us has a wife and five children my oldest daughter died at eleven years old my youngest Brother was fifty years old his name James Jlizan Griffin B M Kelly he died in Jacksonville he died six years ago he married a Mrs Lockhart her fathers name was Rankin they all lived in Columbus now I my self had one living child he was born March 28 1844 I raised my sisters two children with him he was eighteen years old when he left me and the two boys went to Richmond Virginia as volunteers in the confederate army he was taken sick and carried to the soldiers home hospital and died there my sisters son came home after the surrender my uncle and aunt that raised my Mothers children was cousins before they married he my uncle was a son of George Roan who married a Miss Phelps Delphia by name sister to Nancy Phelps my grand mother. George Roan married Delphia Phelps and Thomas Roan married Nancy Phelps the two men were Cousins and they married sisters and this is as far back as I know anything of the generation my great grandfathers name was Thomas Phelps this M L Roan that gave you my address is a grand son of George Roan and Delphia Phelps

You must take your time to read this you cannot expect a woman of 77 to write an recollect like you can I forgot my aunts daughter that went to texas her husbands name was Livingston Aunt Martha Moores daughter my sisters son that I raised Wm C Dunham says he will correct hand write you I will correct anything you find a mistake.

I Bellonie Mae Griffin left North Carolina in the year 1829 my uncle and aunt brought all my mothers children with them our father and mother both being dead we had no one to take care of us. We found him to be one of the best of fathers to us James T generation is dead of age Roan was his name and you have a right to be proud of your name my sons name was James T Roan so I felt glad to see the name since that is all I expect to see. my generation is dead of age that I know any thing about. your cousin

Bellonie M. Kelly

Thomas Roan born in Virginia 1776 he was a soldier in the old Revolution war with Great Britian and boasted that he fought the British with all the poueen he had.

The following questions were asked by James Tate Roan. Bellonie’s answers are in bold.

1^st. When were you born? July 1, 1815

2^nd When were you married? January 22, 1835

3^rd Concerning your children. 1 child born March 28, 1844 married whom died and never married.

P.O. address Liberty County Florida

4^th What is your husband’s name? James Kelly

5^th When was he born? In North Carolina Bladen County

6^th When was your mother born? About 1810 North C Caswell County

7^th Where was she married? At the same place

8^th When did she die? In March 1827

9^th When was your father born? North Carolina Orange County

10^th When did he die? April 29 North Carolina Caswell County

11^th Your brothers and sisters. North Carolina Caswell County born------------- married whom Anna Annis married Mr. Willis P.O. Box----------------Jane Finon married Henry Dunham Hugh Mitchell died James Ibsen married Mrs. Lockhart formerly a Miss Rankin

12^th When was Thomas Roan Born? When did he die? 1834

13^th When was his wife born? Virginia

14^th When was she married? N C

15^th When did she die? 1835

I know you will be troubled to read this but write again may be I can do better.

Your cousin

Bellonne May Kelly

The following notes are mine: Connie

Bellonie has the date of Thomas Roans birth wrong. According to his Revolutionary War pension record he was born January 10, 1761. Not 1776. and died November 23, 1845 not 1834.

The following info is written on the outside of the envelope.

Address is: T. J. Roan, Liberty Missouri (Should actually be J. T. Roan)

Written 10/3/92

Rec’d 10/18/92

Answered 10/21/92