This letter was written by David Hadley Pickett (Piggot), the son of Jeremiah Piggott (1801-1880) and his wife Hannah Stuart (1805-1881) who were members of the Holly Spring Quaker Society in Randolph county, North Carolina. David was married to Eliza Catherine Spoon (1840-1920).
David wrote the letter to his brother, Jeremiah H. Pickett (1834-1892) who was carried on the roster of Co. B, 52nd North Carolina Infantry as J. H. Piggatt. Jeremiah was conscripted into the Confederate service on 1 October 1862. He was not discharged until 20 March 1863 at which time he was finally able to raise the $500 exemption fee required of Quakers—who opposed violence—to be excused from military service. The $500 was used to pay a bounty to some other person who would take their place in the military. Apparently a limited number of Quakers were excused from military service even though they did not pay the $500 fee if they agreed to work in the salt mines of North Carolina.
Following the war, Jeremiah lived for a time in Indiana, in Iowa, and finally in Graham county, Kansas where he died in 1892.
Transcription
[Alamance county, North Carolina]
December 30, 1862
Dear Brother, who I often think of and regret that I have not wrote to you before now, but I know not where nor how to direct my letters for you. Perhaps it is very uncertain about this letter by what the rest of our folks tell me. I was down at home and at father’s last Sunday. They was all well and I do hope that you may enjoy the same blessing. Simon is at home. He or others has sent on money to keep him from going but he told me that he had not got it fixed right yet and he was uneasy about it. Some of the Friends, he says, is so strict about Holly Spring that they won’t give him a certificate yet. He says he is a going to see about it soon.
The officers are hunting down there some yet but none about here. Abel Moffitt ran away from them at Asheboro. Hiram and Fismuis and Macon’s boys are all out in the bushes. Calvin Hays is in a contract at Simon Allen’s. They caught him when going home and took him to jail but he ran away from them before they got him to the railroad and is at work now I suppose. I am at my father-in-law’s. I board here and work in a saltpeter contract at Michael Richard’s with 4 other hands. It is a slow business. I think that I will move my family up here for awhile. I fear we will have a very scarce time even here yet.
If I knew you would get this letter, I would write more particulars than I do. David Chamness is at work on the railroad. I saw him not long since. He says he has wrote several letters to you which he thinks you never received. He seems very much concerned for you but I don’t know much about what they all will do yet about sending money to you. You know I can do but little more than my influence. I do want you back very much indeed. O, that you was with some of us at work in a contract. Simon told me last Sunday that father had promised to try to bring you back after Christmas if Simon gets clear, which I think he will. Mother has been to Chamness’s & Eli Coxe’s and so on, doing all she could but I don’t know how she has done yet. Chamness will do all he can. He has 200 dollars and plenty money can be borrowed. He says he will stand your security any time for the money. Father said they was going to write this week so they can tell more than I can about this matter.
Simon says your hogs is doing very well. Them 3 pigs is very nice indeed and all the others. O, that you could come back and see them.
O Jeremiah, I have often wept for you and prayed for you amidst all our troubles. I do hope I may soon see you at home again. May God provide for you and protect you. O that you could have some of my victuals or some of pleasures here, I would share your troubles if I could. O that I could help you or divide with you until we should die together. I do hope to meet you on earth again, my brother. If not, be sure of heaven. Please write to me soon. Patterson’s Store, Alamance county, N C.
— D. B. Puckett
Spared & Shared 22 