One amazing artifact in my possession is a letter dated 28 December 1862 written by Letha Anne “Annie” Ballard Hopkins to her husband Mandaville “Mandy” Jackson Hopkins. Annie and Mandy are my 3rd great-grandparents.
This letter from 1884 was written by Thomas Willis Farley (1841-1903) to his sons “Jimmie” (James Henry Farley, 1877-1960) and “Freddie” (Frederick Lee Farley, 1879-1945). Also mentioned are his children “Annie” (Anne Blanch Farley, 1875-1960), “Sutton” (William Sutton, 1872-1938) and “Pattie” (Pattie Pugh, 1870-1921), as well as his wife, Nancy Rigg Farley (1847-1923). Thomas Willis Farley was working in Coal Valley at that time.
I have this original letter; my recollection is that was in the possession of my grandfather, Willis Hite Farley, who was grandson of the writer. At some unknown time, someone (probably my aunt Alice) preserved the letter through lamination. It made its way to my house sometime in the last ten years or so from my father.
James Orville Hale was the oldest child of my great-grandparents, Effie Allen Rice Hale (1887-1978) and Henry Orville Hale (1882-1966). He was known by his middle name of “Orville” and his younger sister Audrey Vellence Hale Farley (1908-2001) was my grandmother.
Three related couples from Carter County, Kentucky were married on 24 Dec 1903 in Grayson County, KY. Effie Rice married Henry Hale; Effie’s brother Willis Rice married Lucy Stephens; Henry’s sister Bertha Hale married George Rice, 1st cousin of Effie (through their fathers James and Granville, respectively).
This dish was frequently made by my grandmother, Audrey Vellence Hale Farley (1908-2001, affectionately known as “Grandmam”) and the recipe handed down to many friends and family. I was interested in the provenance (with its quaint instructions of removing from the “fire” and using an “electric” mixer), and