Documents From the Lindsey Family of Frankfort, Kentucky

This post is about a family completely unrelated to mine. Last year, I stopped into a local antiques shop and noticed a pile of old documents laying on a display table near the entrance. I stopped to look at them more closely, and observed that they were original letters from the late 1800s, all regarding the same family. At first, the documents appeared to be primarily related to business or legal affairs. It was the letter addressed to "my dear child," that made me realize I couldn't leave these treasures to an unknown fate. They needed to be returned to the descendants of this family.

I purchased the documents, worked with some kind volunteers at my local genealogy society to interpret the old, elaborate handwriting, and now would like to share their contents. They provide a wonderful glimpse into the life of the Lindsey family of Frankfort, Kentucky. Once I've completed this series of posts, I'll be reaching out to Lindsey family members on genealogy forms to try to find someone who would like to have the original letters.

Some of the people in the Lindsey family who are connected to these documents:

Helen Talbot Lindsey

Helen Talbot Lindsey- Born 12 June 1841 and died 21 February 1908, Helen was the daughter of William Garrand Talbot and his wife, Ellen Sophia Hart. She married John Brown Lindsey. They had twelve children together.

William Garrand Talbot - Born 1 January 1813 and died 26 November 1866 in Bourbon County, Kentucky, William was the son of Isham Talbot and Margaret Garrard. William and his wife Ellen had nine children together.

Isham Talbot - The father of William Garrand Talbot, Isham served in the Kentucky State Senate from 1812 to 1815. He then was elected to the U.S. Senate for Kentucky from 1815 to 1825.

John Brown Lindsey

John Brown Lindsey - Born 4 July 1837 and died 8 April 1922 in Frankfort, Kentucky. He was the son of Thomas Noble Lindsey and Isabella Price Weisiger

Thomas Noble Lindsey - Born 22 December 1807 in Newport, Kentucky and died 22 November 1877 in Louisville, Kentucky. He was the son of John B. Lindsey, an Irish immigrant, and Maria Noble. His father, John, served as both Sheriff of Campbell County and mayor of Newport. Thomas was a lawyer, president of the Farmer's Bank, member of the Legislature, and a representative of the Constitutional Convention of 1849. During the Civil War he served as the Confederate Mayor of Frankfort.

Maria Lindsey - Born 18 February 1863 and died 16 February 1945 in Frankfort, Kentucky, Maria was a daughter of Helen Talbot Lindsey and John Brown Lindsey. She did not marry. Two of her sisters, Cordelia Lindsey and Lilian Lindsey, are also named in the materials I found in the antiques store.

I will start with the "my dear child" letter. It was written by William Garrand Talbot to his daughter Helen, when she was still young and living in her family home. 

Here is the transcription:

Miss Helen M Talbot
Frankfort

Saturday

My Dear Child
I sent by last evenings mail a letter containing some black pills for your Mama; And I send by the boys today a few more. I return the money which she lent and wish you to tell her to send no more; but let me know always a little time before her supply is exhausted and I will take care that she shall have them in time. She can pay my bill with a jar of Blackberry preserves this summer.

We are all becoming very anxious to see you. If I am well enough however I will pay you a short visit before you come up. My eyes have been gradually improving for several weeks but I almost dread leaving home for fear of a backset. We have tried our piano and are entirely pleased with it. It has an easy touch is very sweet and brilliant. 

Our dearest love to you all
Affy
W. G. Talbot

It sounds as though both William Talbot and his wife Ellen had been ill. Ellen was taking pills for an unknown ailment and William was having trouble with his eyes. As to when this was written, it must have been before 1859, when Helen married John Lindsey.

I'll continue on with some other documents from the Lindsey family in my next post.