Thanks to my long lost Arkansas cousin, Ron West, whom I located through FamilyTreenDNA.com, I have just read 5 letters written from relatives in the family of my 4th great-grandfather, George W. West (abt. 1819-1895). One letter was even penned by my 4th great-grandmother, Jennet Cowen West, herself.
If I can stop bawling my eyes out every time I read them (yes, they were THAT moving), I plan on transcribing them and even doing a little history project with them.
Until then, I’ll just put out into the universe that… YES! I have letters written from as far back as 1882 and I am one HAPPY and LUCKY genealogist! Huzzah!
Happy detecting!
Update: The first letter has been published! Letter from Jennet Cowen West to Paschal P. West
Update 2: The second letter has been published! Letter from Edith West Harris to Paschal P. West and Rebecca Westray West
Genealogy Technology 
Yay! Congrats on such a good find! I’d llllooovvvveee to be able to hear what was going on in my ancestors life in their own words.
One of the letters details the final days of a sister who passed away. It’s such a detailed, beautiful account and it’s very moving. I cried twice when reading it. I’m such a softy for family stories!
I cannot wait to read them. Yay !!!!
Oooh Lavon *West* Guinn! Are we related? I need to hurry on up and get these things transcribed, don’t I?
Here’s the first letter! https://jennealogy.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/amanuensis-monday-letter-from-jennet-cowen-west-to-paschal-p-west-and-rebecca-westray-west/
Congrats to you! What a great find.
Thank you, Andrea! I owe it all to FamilyTreenDNA.com – without it, I never would have met my 3rd cousin 4x removed Ron West and gotten hold of these letters!
How exciting! Jennet Cowan is my 3rd great grandmother. I would love to know more about her.
Hi Deborah! I actually have just finished transcribing the letter she wrote, and am almost ready to post it up TODAY. Stay tuned!
Here’s the first letter! This is the only one from Jennet: https://jennealogy.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/amanuensis-monday-letter-from-jennet-cowen-west-to-paschal-p-west-and-rebecca-westray-west/
Will you be transcribing the other two? I am a West descendant.
Yes! I’ve transcribed three of them. The fourth one isn’t as revelatory but I’ll get to it soon. Here are the three:
https://genealogytechnology.com/2015/06/11/letter-from-george-w-west-to-paschal-west-1887/
https://genealogytechnology.com/2013/07/22/amanuensis-monday-letter-from-jennet-cowen-west-to-paschal-p-west-and-rebecca-westray-west/
https://genealogytechnology.com/2013/08/08/letter-from-edith-harris-west-to-paschal-p-west-july-1882/
How are we kin?