Pontotoc County, Mississippi
Genealogy and History

Beauchamp Monroe Letter

     This letter was contributed by Gary Hawley.   It was written in 1866 by Mrs. Nathan Beauchamp (Mary) of Ellistown, then Pontotoc County, Mississippi, to Mrs. Mary A Monroe of Virginia.  The letter is to thank Mrs. Monroe for a letter she had written detailing the death and burial of William Lafayette Beauchamp, who was Mary Beauchamp's son.

Mrs Nathan Beauchamp

Ellistown Pontotoc County Miss

Sunday April the 29th 1866

Mrs Mary A Monroe

My Dear Stranger friend, for Such I shall call you, as none but a friend would condescend or take it upon them to write to stranger at such a distance concerning one of so limited acquaintance as our dear lamented William Lafayette Beauchamp was to you and to write of the particulars of his death and burial, permit me madam to say to you in answer to your very kind and expressively friendly letter that we are wanting in words and with the pen to express the gratitude and debt of love we owe to you for the friendship manifested to our dear deceased son for well do I know that no parent raised a moore dutifull and moore amiable son than William L, he was universally liked and esteemed by all that knew him, but his goodness and amiable qualities could not save him from a seemingly untimely lamentable death but he has only died to live again for such was his Christian walk for several years that I am assured that his Soul now rests with the Savior and by the grace of God I hope and expect before long to meet him in heaven where the way of wicked men cannot reach and parted parents and children can meet to part no moore and if there is any such thing as an introduction I think that W L. B. will gave me an introduction to you if so I then can express moore fully the debt of gratitude I owe to you for I feel that few strangers would have wrote as you have. We are here in Mississippi and you in Virginia, and in all probability I may never see you and hear your sweet conversation of my son but your

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Mrs Nathan Beauchamp

Ellistown

Pontotoc County

Mississippi

letter leads me to believe that you have made your calling and Election sure, and I hope by the grace of God to live such a life as when I close this mortal life, I may wear a crown of life and glory now my dear madam in the conclusion of this letter I will say that I have no chance at present to give you any information about Lieut Sweeney as Holly Springs is fifty miles from where we live and but little passing here to there but I will in due time make the necessary inquiry and I learn any thing concerning will gladly communicate to you all I can learn I could say many things that would assure you of the obligation I am unto to you for the inteligence and particulars of Lieut William Beauchamp, for his superior officers has told his friends that a braver nor better soldier never faced a foe, and now in conclusion me to say that I will hold the name of Mrs Monroe as ever sacred to the memory of the mother of William L Beauchamp but before I close will to you that his youngest brother was not killed as he heard, out of eight, seven was restored to their friends alive MNB it has been several days since I commenced writing this letter and have met up with Leut Joel Lewellen of the same company of WLB and he informed me that Lieut Phillip Sweeny was wounded at the Fishers Hill fight and died of his wounds, that is all I can learn of him, now in conclusion I will say may the choicest of God�s blessings attend you through life and finally you may find a home in heaven. Adue.

 Mary B Beauchamp to Miss Mary A Monroe

Submitted by:  Gary Hawley