Brackett, Kinney Co., Texas
February 8, 1889
Mrs. Rebecca Burke
Dear Rebecca,
Yours of the 24th of February received yesterday, read and re-read. It would be useless to try and tell you of the emotions of my heart, I will not try to tell you. I sent some papers to you yesterday, and will send you our county paper next week, though you will not find in it anything from me. i do not write often for our paper, when I do I sign it.
Yours truly,
Fuzzy Buck (aka Wm. Washington Arnett)

Your uncle George has written me two letters, which I have answered and then sent the letters to Lon and George. I never saw your twin sisters or your brother John and did not know of John. I have written to Kirk and also to your ma. I have been quite sick this week but as old man Bridges used to tell your grandpa Kirkwood, "I hope that I will be better tomorrow" as I have to stay in my office and nothing to do I will write a long letter and if it don't interest you can throw it in the waste basket as the editors do. There has always been a longing with me to know something more of my forefathers than I do and it may be so with you, I will go back as far as I can and give you all the information I can of past generations.

[ ] married, but from her sprung the Curlees. John Curlee married a Miss Barber. Their children were Rhoda, Elizabeth, Cullen, Calvin, and Ann. Rhoda Curlee married my father David Arnett. Elizabeth married Ben Enloe. Ann married James Smith and after his death married B. L. Smith. Cullen Curlee married Nellie McFerrin and Calvin Curlee married Rebecca Fortenberry. Uncle Cullen died in Miss., Uncle Calvin in Tenn., Aunt Ann in Tenn., Aunt Betsy in Tyler Co., Texas. My mother Died on the 25th of August 1837 in Leak Do., Miss. One of Uncle Cullen Curlee's daughter Louisa, who married a Mr. Forbes correspondence or wrote to me from 1840 to her death, then her eldest daughter Elizabeth, or as she signed her name Betty took up the correspondence and I get letters from her every month. She married a man name Frank Morton. I will send you one of her letters, to her and her mother I am indebted for my knowledge of the Curlees.

Louise A. Curlee, Mrs. Forbes, wrote to me when her mother was 84 years old that every one of hers and Uncle Cullen Curlee's family was seated at the table at one time that were living. There was 74 and not a drunkard or scalawag among them. there were doctors, lawyers, merchants, and farmers. Three of the Curlees were killed in the Confederate War, one died in Corrinth, Miss., a district judge. Only one lives, Cullen, he has been a member of the Mississippi Legislature and now lives in Russi, Miss. All the family name their eldest boy John, hence your father's name (John Curlee) and if there is a Catholic among them I do not know it. Well I will go to the Arnett Family.

Sometime before the war between the United States and England (Revolutionary War) a family of Arnetts went from the eastern shores of Maryland to South Carolina. It was in South Carolina that my grand father Arnett was born. He served with Francis Marion in the war aginst the British and Tories. I do not know my grandmother's maiden name. My father, David Arnett, had not any brothers and had nine sisters. I know but little of them. After my mother and father were married they came to East Tennessee. It was there that your father was born (J.C. Arnett), also Rebecca, Mary, and Cullen. Then my father moved to Franklin Co., Alabama. There Milton, Calvin, James and yours truly were born. Milton died in infancy and Calvin at the age of five years. Sister Rebecca married John Curlee Lawhorn, a third cousin. They have one child living, Mary Weathered (Ocola, Hill Co., Texas). She is sixty three years old, a noble Christian woman, has raised a large and respectable family. She has promised to come and see me this coming spring. Mary married Levy Eastham and (I fear that they are on the order of their father, weak and feeble minded, I know but little of them. Now Rebecca, I guess you know as much about them as I do.

So I will conclude by telling you of yours truly. I, William Washington Arnett was born in Franklin Co., Ala. on the fifth day of January 1823. That makes me about 66 years old or as the Mexicans say "Poka Paho". I left Miss. on the 21st day of August 1845 and fooled along the 25 day of August before I crossed the Sabine. All of a sudden I got in a hurry and crossed just at sunrise on the 25th day of August, 1845, 24 years in Texas. Now don't that make me an old Texan and you have been in Texas longer than I have. Well, I came to your Pa's at Town Bluff in September. There I first saw you, your Ma, your Grandpa K. and Zeke Fulgive, but don't you think that Bob was a better man than Zeke. I then went to Wolf Creek to see C. C. and Family (Cullen) and got acquanted withe the Wolf Creek ticks. Do you remember them? While I was teaching that school you spoke of, I wrote resolutions to govern myself by one was "I will never kill a tick in Tyler Co. with the expectation of lessening their number". While I was writing this George K. was making love to Frankie, you were asleep and I was winking at Ana Liza Rigsby. Poor Frankie, poor Ana Liza and poor me, little did we know about the "Sweet Bye and Bye", but we do know now you see.

Well Beck, that is what George calls you, when I left Tyler Co. we came to Milam Co., there our first child was born on Dec. 22, 1849. We named her Rebecca Leodocia, she lived six weeks, she is buried in Milam Co. In 1852 we came to where Uvalde is now. In December we had twin girls born. Leona and Meranda, Meranda was the strongest, and at eleven months her ma weaned her and she took up with me and was ever after Pa's baby. Rebecca, you can never know how much I loved her. Out of the twelve I loved her more than all. Leona died at 2 years and two months. Meranda died at 5 years and six months. When she died all hope of earthly happiness vanished. I was an infidel. It did seem hard to have to give her up to make a change in me, that the Sectarians had made me. I blame the Methodists and the Baptists for my views. If they had told me the truth I would have been a Christian all of my life. Well from this on out I began to read and compare the preaching that I heard with the Word of God and found but few who preached the truth you see. Our next was born in 1856. Her name is Louisa Emeline, named for Louise Curlee and her ma. She is living here, has three children. She married C. C. Clamp, a lawyer. She is a noble daughter, a noble wife, a good mother and Christian. She is one who none of the Arnett family will ever be ashamed of but she has one advantage, who some may not have, she has a noble man for a husband you see. Our next was Rusola Cennett, but called her Lola, she married W.L. Clamp, a brother to C. C. Minerva was our next. She married and separated the moment after the ceremony was over and they never have met since. She has caused me much sorrow. Our next was a boy, Russell Varnell, he died at 8 days. Well this is all of mine and Emeline's. Emeline died in 1871. In 1874 I marred a Mrs. Eudocia Herrington. We met on Friday and were married the next Monday week, the 27th of July, 1874, 15 years and never a cross word spoken to each other. Now will you say Friday is an unlucky day" We have 5 children, Calvin Curlee, Willie W. (Fuzzy Buck, Jr.), Minnie Bruce, Georgia and Berty Stover. Our baby is two years old, sleeps with me, meets me when I go home and I love him just as I used to love Meranda. I named him for the boy preacher who joined the Church of Christ at 11 years old, began preaching at 14, died at 32, but his work still continues. So you see we have five and seven--12 children. Eudocia and I were trying to count yours up last night, we made out eleven, is that correct? My wife said that she did not wonder that Rebecca was an old woman it would make anyone old to have eleven children, I have only five and I am played out and don't want any more.

Well it is getting late and I will close. I hope that you won't find me crazy. My kindest regards to your Ma and sister, John and all the family. If you write I will answer you. Hoping to meet you all in the Sweet bye and by, I am as ever yours,
W.W. Arnett
P.S. Ask your ma if she remembers running the preacher (Methodist) by telling him we all had the itch. I believe his name was Camp. But he did not camp with us that night.
Fuzzy Buck

Record of John Curlee
Anson Co., N.C. records John Curlee b. 1785 through Land grants etc.

John Curlee was son of William Curlee--earliest record of a deed dated 1725 from John Bryan to William Curlee. From N.C. Colonian Records Vol. X, p. 120--Wheeler's N.C. History Vol. 1, pp. 86, 226.
John Barber from Tyron Col, N.C. 1738, resided in the Colony or Province years 1738 and 1802.
The deed in Anson Co. N.C. 1802 mentions him as a member of Committee of Savaty, Tryon Co, N.C. July 1778. Captain of Tyron Co. Militia 1775-`776.
From William and Mary Quarterly Vol. 5, p. `95. Major William Barber by York Co. Va. Resided in Colony--members of House of Burges from York Co. Va. 1710.

[written by Wm. Washington Arnett]

My father, David Arnett, (David Arnett married Rhoda Curlee about 1804 and went to East Tenn. where son John, b. 1805) had nine sisters but I know of only one--she* married a Weatherford and their oldest son, John Weatherford name me when I was born, William Washington Arnett, 1823 Jan. 1st., near Tuscumbia, Franklin Co., Ala.
My father and mother moved from East Tenn. to Franklin Co. Ala., and four children were born here, Milton, 1814; Calvin, 1816; James B., 1820; and yours truly, born 1823. When I was about 5, (or 1828) we moved to Miss., Hinds Co. and then Leake Co., Miss.
The John Weatherford, who named me W. W. had a son born a little before I was and he was named William Washington too. John Weatherford was sheriff of Franklin Co. for many years, W.W. Weatherford was about my age but a little bit over my size as he wrote ma a few years since that he weighed 240 lbs., he was a doctor, a captain in Confederate Army and last a member of Ala. Legislature.
*Mr. Weatherford, I believe the "sister" was Rebecca Arnett.

I, Abigail Curlee, certify that the following fourteen pages are true copies of what they purport to be:
Exhibit A: Letter of Mrs. Luella D. Curlee (Mrs. Shelby Hammond Curlee) St. Louis, Mo., Mar. 31, 1927, to Abigail Curlee
Exhibit B: Certified copy of the division of property of John Barber, decd Anson County, North Carolina.
Exhibit C: Portion of a letter of Eleanor K. Curlee, Corinth, Miss., April 23, 1928, to Abigail Curlee.
Exhibit D: Portions of a letter and two inclosures from Eleanor K. Curlee, Corinth, Miss., April 17, 1929 to Abigail Curlee.
Exhibit E: Settlement of the estate of John Curlee
Exhibit F: Obituaries of Calvin Curlee.
Exhibit G: Portions from the Bible of Peyton Becton Curlee.
Exhibit H: Inventory of the Estate of John Curlee, Aug 1, 1812.

Signed: Abigail Curlee
Subscribed and sworn to before me on this the 24th day of May 1929.
Signed: E.R. Cornwell
Notary Public for the County of Travis

St. Louis, MO
March 31, 1927
Miss Abigail Curlee (now Mrs. T.J. Holbrook)
Austin, Texas
Dear Miss Curlee or Cousin:
Your letter of February 25th reached me in due time and should have been answered earlier, but, for a number of reasons which I will not attempt to enumerate. The last one is that I have been in Mississippi on a visit and while there had the pleasure of attending the Conference of the State DAR. The President General was there, add amny other interesting women, my son and I enjoyed our few hours spent with Cousin Eph and his sister, Cousin Minnie. Also spent several hours in the Court House in Murphreesboro looking up records. Since that visit, I have been into North Carolina and Virginia searching for records and have found much of interest to the genealogist and one interested in history.

For a number of years I have attended the April Congress of the Nat. Society DAR in Washington. It is a wonderful gathering of women from every State and several foreighn countries, where Chapters have been organized. Usually, I go into some of the Ancestral States after Congress closes. A year ago, or rather two years I went to Anson Co. N.C. where I found interesting records of Curlees. By tracing these through Land Grants etc. found that John Curlee father of our Cullen and your Calvin was son of William Curlee - one of the earliest records that I have of Wm. Curlee in N.C. is 1724, a deed from John Bryan to Wm. Curlee for 634 acres - the line of descent from John Curlee b. 1761; d. 1812; m. 1781 Mary Barber b. 1767; d. 1829. Said Mary Barber was the dau. of John Barber b. 1738; d. 1802; m. 1754 Mary Barber b. 1739; d. 1807 - John Barber was a Rev. War soldier and patriot - was a delegate from Tryon Co. N.C. (since named Lincoln) to the Congress which assembled at Halifax, N.C. the 12th of Nov. 1776 commonly call the Provincial Congress. He was also on the Commitee of safety for Tryon County. See Colonial Records of N.C. Vol. 10 pp. 915-924-950-120-247, etc. also Wheeler's History of N.C. Ch. 1, pp/ 86 and 226 et al.
Manuscripts in Secy. of State's office, Raleigh, N.C. awhich were examined summer of 1920, stated that John Curlee, Private was soldier in late (Rev.) Army of U.S. in this way - John Curlee's name appears in list of non-commissioned officers and privates N.C. in late army of U.S. possed upon the Commissioner of Accounts.
Children of John and Mary Barber were as follows:
Nicey, Liday, Wm. Arbey, Ziby, James, John, Nancy, Allen, Gatsey. Mary B. 1767 m. John Curlee had Elizabeth m. Enloe; Tabithat m. Arnett; Cullen m. Eleanor 1818 McFerrin; Calvin m. Rebecca Fortenberry; Annie m. 1st Noah Smith; 2nd Reuben Smith.
You have John Barber's record as Rev. War soldier and also John Curlee's. I went to Hampton, Elizabeth City Co. Virginia last spring there I found many records of Curlee's some of whom went into Bertie County, N.C., thence into Anson etc. Went to the tomb of Thomas Curlee b. 1640 b. 17640, Sussex Co. Eng., d. in Virginia 1700. He was brother of Pascho or Pasco, both sons of Nicholas of Eng. Thomas died unmarried and left his property to the sons of his brother Pascho. I hope to go back to Hampton and spend several days in the records. The widow of Wilson Curlee who was Priscilla Meade, married John Campbell of Bertie Co. and went to N.C. to live. She had several small children. She was the mother of Wm. Roscoe Wilson Curlee of Rev. fame. It is my intention to leave April 12th for Washington and shall try to go to Raleigh afterwards to see what they have there. I hope that what I have written may be of service to you. Am sure that it will entitle you to membership in the Society DAR. With best wishes and hope that you may soon be registered as a member, I am
Your new cousin,
Luella D. Curlee
Mrs. Shelby Curlee
Hotel Chase
St. Louis, Mo.

(SEAL)
The University of Texas
Austin, Texas

Inventory of the Estate of John Curlee
August the 1st 1812. This is an inventory of the property of John Curlee deceased one Negro girl about 14 or 15 years of age one negro boy about 11 or 12, 1 Girl about 9 or 10 years old, 3 beds & furniture, 1 chest, 1 shelf of books, 1 Shot bage & Powder Horn, 1 dresser & furniture, 2 cotton wheels, 1 flax wheel, 2 pails, 1 tin cup, one dutch oven, lid hoop & two skillets, 2 pr cotton cards, 1 loom 1 pot & hooks & stirrup? iron 1 pr saddle bags 1 shove plow 1 log chain 1 iron wedge 1 poll axes 1 tormahawk, 2 weeding hoes 1 pr iron gears 5 bells & collars 1 single tree & clevis 1 double & single tree 6 chairs 1 table 1 cooler 1 bottle 1 smothing iron 1 heifer 1 cow & calf 1 heifer 1 cow 1 middlin of bacon 11_____ open sows in a _______ 56 pigs & shortes 1 sorrel horse 4 years old one sorrel filley 2 years old last spring 1 sorrel mare 9 years old 1 bridle & saddle 1 yearling Bay Filley 1 bay filley 3 years old last spring 1 ten gallon cask 1-2 gallon cask 1 note 16 1/2 Bu corn one order for 6 bushels corn a debt on Joseph _______ for about eight dollars & 80 1/4 cents one order on Thomas Knox for five shilling, an account on David Arnett for three dollars 62 1/2 cents a note on David Arnett sum for $6.28 on Michael Austin for Thirteen gallons whiskey a note on William Stokes for $1.70 one account against Calvin Curlee for $10.00 4 salt barrles 1 pr shot moles 1 pocket book some feathers & ducks some leather 2 1/2 gallons whiskey

Cullin Curlee
Calvin Curlee

This is to certify that the foregoing is a true and accurate copy as found in Record Book 2-3-4 Page 209.
J. P. Leathers
County Court Clerk
Rutherford County
Murfreesboro, Tenn.

(SEAL)

"A Settlement of the Estate of Jno. Curlee, Dec'd. as returned to October term 1814
23rd. July 1814.
We Joshua Barton Thomas Berry V.H. Goodloe Commissioners, Appointed by order of Court July term to settle with Calvin & Cullen Curlee Administrators of Jno. Curlee Dec'd. do report to October term 1814 as appears underneath.
The amount of Estate $330.57

To deduction of two legatees
parts paid by the Administrators 89.19
To Creditors Receipts 5.50
To Articles furnished family agreeable to Law. 57.50
-----------
$152.19
The Reduction of their __________ 89.19
-----------
$241.38
Due to the Estate by the Exrs 89.19
-----------
Signed by us
Joshua Barton J.P.
Th. Berry J.P.
Henry Goodlee J.P.
Recorded this 3rd. day of Nov. 1814
B. Coleman."
This is to certify that this is a true copy of the Settlement of the Estate of jno. Curlee Dec'd. as found in Record Book No. 2, Page 304. Rutherford County, Tennessee.
Witness this my hand and seal this the 3rd day of May 1929.
J.P. Leathers, County Court Clerk
Rutherford County,
Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Enclosure of Eleanor Katherine Curlee in letter of April 17, 1929.
"John Curlee. Revolutionary Soldier
b. Tryon Co. North Carolina, 1761, d. 1812 m. 1781 Mary Barber b. 1767 d. 1829"

Land Grants to Soldiers of Rev. War. Recorded at Nashville, Tenn
John Curlee, Private, 640 acres. Warrant No. 1974. North Carolina Rev. War Service

No Record of John Curlee's ever having come to Tenn. His two sons, Cullen & Calvin, came and perhaps took up their father's grant.

Cullen Curlee, son of John Curlee was soldier in War of 1812. We know the two brothers were living in Rutherford Co. Tenn. 1814. The two brothers witnessed deeds &c. from time to time - bought & sold land &c. in same county all along up to 1828. The names of Berry and Arnett - married into the family - occur along with theirs.

State of Carolina To John Arnet Sr
1780
Novr 5 to 20 Bushells Corn @ 3/6 (8th) To 10
Rations a 6.....................................3:15:
500 Corn Blades @ 3/1 1/2 Cr 4 Bushs
Pease @ 3/6 Marion £9:72

Will of John Arnett (written 1777; From the Copy in the South Caroliniana Library)
In the Name of God Amen I John Arnett of Prince Fredericks Parrish Craven County and province of South Carolina being very sick and Weak in Body but of perfect mind and memory Thanks be given unto God Calling unto mind the Mortality of my Body and knwoing that it is appointed for all men once to die Do make and Ordain this my Last Will and Testament that is to say principally and first off all I Give and resign my soul into the hands of Almighty God that Gave it & my Body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in a Decent Christian Burial at the discretion of my Executors Hoping for a Glorious resurrection to Eternal Life through the meritorious and preveling Intercesion of our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ and as touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to blefs me is this Life I Give Demise and Dispose of the same in the following manner & form. Iten I give & bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth Two pounds Currency Item I give & bequeath to my Son James Sixteen pound Currency Item I allow my two Sons John & Alexander to Give to my Daughter Mary as they see that she stands in needs or their abbilities will allow Item I Give all the reminder of my personal Estate to my Wife Arnett And my Sons and Daughter to Wit. John Alexander Margaret & Ann and them to live upon the Plantation together and not to Vendue and if my two Daughters Margaret & Ann Marry they are to receive their parts Either in Goods or Money as best answeres the other to Give Item I Give to my Son John & Alexander the plantation I now live on and my other plantation on Tract of Land on Venture Branch and Lastly I Do herby Nominate my Two Sons John & Alexander Executors of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and Disannul all and every other former Wills Testaments Legacies Bequests and Executory by me in any ways before named Willed & bequeathed Ratifying & confirming this and no other to be my Last Will & Testament In Witnefs whereof I have herunto set my hand and Seal this 22th day of January in the Year of our Lord one Thousand Seven hundred & Seventy Seven--------
His
John Arnett (LS)
Mark
Signed Sealed Published Pronounced
and Declared by the said John Arnett as his
Last Will and Testament in the Presence of
us who in his presence, and in the presence
or each other have hereunto Subscribed our Names
Isaac Nelson
Samuel Montgomery
William Montgomery