<hi rend="bold">Letter from William F. Lewis to his sister, Emma Lewis Speight, September 19, 1841 [Containing a Description of the Shooting of a Student]:</hi> Electronic Edition. Lewis, William Figures Funding from the University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill supported the electronic publication of this title. Text transcribed by Bari Helms Images scanned by Caitlin R. Donnelly Text encoded by Stephanie Adamson First Edition, 2007 ca. 16K The University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2007

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 John Francis Speight Papers (#3914), Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Letter from William F. Lewis to his sister, Emma Lewis Speight, September 19, 1841 [Containing a Description of the Shooting of a Student] W.F. Lewis 3 pages, 4 page images 1841 Call number 3914 (Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

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 </bibl> </taxonomy> </classDecl> </encodingDesc> <profileDesc> <langUsage> <language id="eng">English</language> </langUsage> <textClass> <keywords scheme="unc_history"> <list> <item> Any special keywords assigned for this project </item> </list> </keywords> </textClass> </profileDesc> <revisionDesc> <change> <date>2007-02-13,</date> <respStmt> <name>Stephanie Adamson</name> <resp/> </respStmt> <item>finished TEI/XML encoding.</item> </change> </revisionDesc> </teiHeader> <text id="unc06-114"> <body> <div1 type="personal letter"> <pb id="unc06-114-p01" n="[1]"/> <head>Letter from <name key="pn0001009" reg="Lewis, William Figures" type="person" rend="yes">William F. Lewis</name> to his sister, <name key="pn0001589" reg="Speight, Emma, (née Lewis)" type="person" rend="yes">Emma Lewis Speight</name>, September 19, 1841 [Containing a Description of the Shooting of a Student] </head> <opener> <dateline> <name key="name0000165" reg="Chapel Hill, NC" type="place" rend="yes">Chapel Hill</name> <date>Sept. 19<hi rend="sup">th</hi>. '41</date> </dateline> <salute>Dear <name key="pn0001589" reg="Speight, Emma, (née Lewis)" type="person" rend="yes">Sister</name></salute> </opener> <p>Your letter of 26<hi rend="sup">th</hi> ult. came to hand in due time, and should have commanded an earlier reply. I was very sorry to hear of the illness of <name key="pn0000992" reg="Lewis, Ann (née Harrison)" type="person" rend="yes">Mother</name> and Mr. <name key="pn0001590" reg="Speight, John Francis" type="person" rend="yes">S.</name>, and hope by this they have recovered. </p> <p>Allow me to congratulate you my dear <name key="pn0001589" reg="Speight, Emma, (née Lewis)" type="person">Sister</name>, on what I concieve to be a most happy event. I have heard by a letter <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Exum</name> received from his <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Mother</name>, of the birth of your <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">son</name>; and hope it will prove to you a source of the greatest joy. </p> <p>I received a letter a day or two since from <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Cadmus Cotton</name>, containing the melancholy news of the death of Brother <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Exum's</name> younger daughter; after a short but severe illness. I am very sorry for Bro. <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">E.</name> It seems he is doomed to constant suffering and misfortune He had been keeping school at <name key="x" reg="x" type="place" rend="">Canton</name> <name key="name0000662" reg="Mississippi" type="place" rend="yes">Miss.</name>; and studying law at the same time. He had however at the time the letter was written, returnened to <name key="x" reg="x" type="place" rend="">Meridian Springs</name>, and was then electioneering for a commission merchant in <name key="x" reg="x" type="place" rend="">Vicksburg</name>, for whom he expected to act as agent on board a steamboat, or employ himself in some other way, until he could obtain license to practice law; when he expected to move to <name key="name0001110" reg="Texas" type="place">Texas</name>, where he hoped he would do better than in <name key="name0000662" reg="Mississippi" type="place">Mississippi</name>.</p> <pb id="unc06-114-p02" n="[2]"/> <p>I believe there is not much news stirring about the <name key="name0000165" reg="Chapel Hill, NC" type="place" rend="yes">Hill</name> at this time. There was a fray here between two students, a few weeks ago. A student a brother of one of those engaged was shot. The ball struck him on the hip; in such a direction however, as to glance without doing him any serious hurt. It was a very fortunate escape. It would doubtless have proved a more serious affair, had not some seven or eight students in anticipation of it, gone down to prevent the friends of either party from interfering. They were both dismissed from college of course. </p> <p>Such serious difficulties among the students seldom occur here; less frequently here I believe, than at most colleges. </p> <p>I think <name key="name0000165" reg="Chapel Hill, NC" type="place">Chapel Hill</name> is coming out a little. There has been of late a decided improvement in its society; having had a valuable acquisition, in some 8 or 10 <hi rend="underscore">young ladies</hi>. </p> <p>It is thought by some that it would be an advantage to have a female academy established here. I have no doubt it would be the best place in the <name key="name0000745" reg="North Carolina" type="place" rend="yes">State</name>. for such an institution, on account of the salubrity of its climate, and for the advantages that might be derived from the large and choice libraries we have here; but I apprehend that the students would soon be found to slacken in their progress up the steep of science's rugged mount, and would be found more frequently paying court at the shrine of <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Venus</name>, than of <name key="pn0001190" reg="Minerva" type="person">Minerva</name>, Some retired nook in old <name key="name0000804" reg="Orange County, NC" type="place" rend="yes">Orange</name> might soon attain the celebrity of the far-famed <name key="x" reg="x" type="place" rend="">Gretna Green</name>. </p> <p><name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Exum</name> and the girls are in the enjoyment of excellent health. I dont believe they have got to thinking much about <hi rend="underscore">sweethearts</hi> yet; however, I can't speak for<pb id="unc06-114-p03" n="[3]"/> certain of <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Nanny</name>. She seems rather fond of reading novels, to the neglect I fear of her other studies. I gave her a lecture about it the other day, without a promise tho' of amendment. <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Martha</name> is very studious and industrious, and upon the whole, I think our sisters may felicitate themselves on having found such a good place for the education of their daughters; both of whom, tho' they may never make a great show, will I doubt not turn out well. Let me hear from you again soon. </p> <p>My best love to <name key="pn0000992" reg="Lewis, Ann (née Harrison)" type="person">Mother</name> — Remember me to Mr. <name key="pn0001590" reg="Speight, John Francis" type="person" rend="yes">S</name>. </p> <p>Tell Bro. <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">H</name>. I should be very glad to receive a letter from him.</p> <closer> <salute>As ever your affectionate brother</salute> <signed> <name key="pn0001009" reg="Lewis, William Figures" type="person">W.F. Lewis</name> </signed> </closer> <pb id="unc06-114-bk" n="[Back]"/> </div1> </body> </text> </TEI.2>