James D. Dickerson March 12, 1886 letter to James Low III

March 12, 1886 letter from

James D. Dickerson of Santa Ana, California

to James⁸ Low III

of Newburg Township, Pike County, Illinois.

The letter was found in the trunk of James⁸ Low III and transcribed Dec 1997 by his great-great grandson, Bingham James Forrest¹² Lowe of Phoenix, Arizona.

James⁸ was continually saving family and friends from various forms of financial distress. The following letter from James D. Dickerson, of Santa Anna, California, who had known James⁸ for many years and had worked for him, briefly, in 1867. Mr. Dickerson’s letter is typical of the many people who wrote to James⁸ for help:

William Thomas⁹ Low April 24, 1846, Newburg Township, Pike County, Illinois - August 12, 1863, Vicksburg, Mississippi

James⁸ Low III Apr 27-1816 - Sep 2, 1889 (wife: Margaret Huston Montgomery) of Clinton & Brighton, ME / Pittsfield, IL

James⁷ Low Jr 1796 - Mar 20, 1824 (wife: Mary Wyman) of Clinton, ME (fought in War of 1812)

James⁶ Low Sr Jul 17, 1770 - bef 1830 (wife: Elizabeth "Betsy" Chase) of Boxford, MA / Clinton, Maine

Nathan⁵ Low Oct 1, 1742 - Jul 24, 1804 (wife: Lucy Lord) of Ipswich & Boxford, Massachusetts

Caleb⁴ Low 1707 - Jul 17, 1777 (wife: Abigail Varney) of Ipswich, Massachusetts

David³ Low Aug 14, 1667 - Jun 2, 1746 (wife: Mary Lamb) of Ipswich, Massachusetts

Thomas² Low May 8, 1631 - Apr 12, 1712 (wife: Martha Boreman) of Groton & Boxford, Suffolk, England / Ipswich, MA

Thomas¹ Low 1605 - Sep 8, 1677 (wife: Margaret Todd) of Groton & Boxford, Suffolk, England / Ipswich, MA

Giles⁰ Low unknown (Wife: Syseley Wall, marr 3/5/1601/02) of Brancepeth, Durham, England; Groton & Boxford, Suffolk, England

Santa Anna Cal

Mr. James Low March 12, 1886

Dear Brother I take up my pen to write you a line Hope you have not forgotten me. I am sertin I have never forgotten your vary dear famley My first visit to your cabbin erly as the year 1858 there has been many changes since that time.

Your children were then singel onmaried. With my complements I were but 22 yeares of age and onmarried. Now Brother it is my family I am about Who is it Dear Brother Low has not a care I wish you would speak for me too Cal Matthews and major Josef Ledley: See if they can prevail with Lucy my wife and mother of my children to farme My famley must stay at home and they will shal have a home to live where they can rais evry thing they eat & were. Now Brother, I do not ask my own true & tried friend to be out one dollar, but I do ask them to make the change not onley as [??] But that it is a matter that is dear to me and must be seen too the valuacian of property in griggsville where she lives. Werth one thousand or two thousand or even three thousand dollars. By making the change you will oblige one that is not lightley esteemed.