Martha Simpson was born in 1827. She was the daughter of Emily Parmelia Wyatt and Moses Simpson; Emily’s parents are our direct line, Henry Wyatt and Elizabeth Redd.
On October 19, 1841, Martha married Josiah F. Tinney, a veteran of the War of 1812. Their son John Henry Tinney fought for the north during the Civil War.
This is from my mother’s records, exactly as written, complete with typos. It’s an exceptional glimpse at what it felt like to worry about a son who’d gone off to fight.
“Josiah and Martha had a son, John Henry Tinney, who fought in the Civil War on the union side and, due to exposure, etc., he died early. A letter written by ‘Mrs. Martha tinney to here son John tiney,’ states: (dated December the 8 1863) deare sun I take my pen in han to drop you a few lin to in form you that I received your welcome leter the of the first od December and its fond me as well as comin I hope these few lin my find you well and enjoin good health I have bin lokin for you for some time bute ite seme like I will neve git to see you bute I hope you will soon come home and see me I heard you had oders to leve there and I want you to ride to me and tell me where you are goin I hope you will come nere home instid of goin farther for you are fare enough from now I wante you to bee a good boy and serve your lord the best you can and I wante you not to play cards I herde some say you had took to plain cards and if you have for my sake never tech them I wante to see you very bad bute I wante you never to desert I wants you to come like a gentleman when you come there is nothing on this earth that wold satisfy me as well as to bee with you ate home in peace I hope you will soon come we wose all most crasey about the other day bute I hope the beter is yet to come I hope you and all of you will live to come home agin again I hope the rebels won’t kill none of you I never hardly sware bute I hope dam there infernil haste of them I hope you and all the rest may kill them all and then we will have peace when all the rebel devils is dead I want you to ride as soon as you gite this leter and let me now how you are gitin along mus close I remane you mother until death.”
Martha’s son made it home but died young as a result of wounds he sustained in battle.
So sad. Go hug somebody.
Sir Thomas Wyatt the Poet 