Stephen Alpheatus Corker was born May 7th, 1830 in Burke County Georgia which is near Augusta. He died in Waynesboro, Georgia on October 18, 1879. He was a lawyer, soldier and US Congressman. These letters were written mostly to his wife before the War between the States, during the War and after when he served in the 41st US Congress. These letters tell the span American history from 1859 to 1872. "Copyright, 2012, John C. Hall, Jr."

Thursday, May 24, 2012

July 28, 1862


46

July 28th
                [1862]
Envelope:

Mrs. Margaret M. Corker
Virginia

Letter:
My Dear Margret,

            Your kind and affectionate letter came yesterday morning, and we were gratified by hearing from you all once now, it seems an age from one letter to another.  I hope you have received your trunk of watermellons and peaches although the Peaches are not as ripe as they ought to have been.  Yet I hope you enjoyed them.  Do write me in what state they reached you in and those watermellon were owes.  We have received a Telegraph from Frank, which was sent the day that Laura started and two letters since.  Send the trunk home by Newton when he comes.  Sallie is at home and is rather thiner than when she went away.  She has just sit up at Mrs. McCormic’s in and ate biscuits until she is as poor as a quaker.  I asked her teacher to tell Mrs. Mc not to let her eat so much molasses and biscuits but make her eat something else.  Tallula’s darling has telegraphed for her and she has gone down and I expect she is married before this and may be on her way to Virginia with him.  I am so glad to hear that the Hoofing Cough has not served our little darling as badly as I feared it would Jane came over the other evening to bring me a few grapes and for some oil for one of Nellies children that was sick.  He said that Tom was still there and that old Elbert had not found the pigs yet.  Of course you may count them lost.  Your father has just come in from Elisha’s, and says he seems a little more easy now than he has been for several days.  I just sent him a nice basket of the same kind of peaches that I sent you.  They are now in their prime.  I also sent him the first bunch of ripe grapes and your father read your letter.  He seems so overwhelmed with gratitude to Mrs. Digs for her attention to Robert.  With your letter came one from Frank saying he had just received the letter containing the money for Mrs. Digs that we sent some 4 or 5 weeks since, which I suppose you will get when you go to Richmond and your father says you must try to get exchanged for some that will answer her purpose and that you must also write her a letter and tell her if he lives until after the war that he is intends to go in person to thank her for her kind help to his son, and if he should not live until the close of the war, and we are not subjugated by the North and his property confiscating that he intends leaving her something in his will.  Also he wishes his kindest feelings of a deeply felt gratitude, tendered to those young ladies that have been so kind to Robert.  I suppose you saw Laura as she passed did she seem glad to see your letter written was Delighted at the idea of going to see his father.  You father wanted him to stay, but I would not hear to it.  Sallie will return to school the last of this week or the first of next week.  She is deligthed with Miss Callie.  She is making her up some ___ and I am trying to get her 3 chemises made this week.  She and L. have both learned to crochet  that lace like that round the collar that Miss Glass sent you. Laura had nearly done enough when she went away for a chemise.  You do not talk of coming home.  I wish you were here to enjoy the nice fruit I see Newton  will get home in time to get some.  I am having your cape and all your blankets ironed(?) today as it is such a splendid day for it.  It is the second time that I have had them ironed(?) and my dear little darling one a thouseand and times for me and may God protect you all and bring you in safely to your own home, is my sincere prayer of you affectionate mother.  All send love Black and White to you both and Many kisses to dear little Palmer.

Friday, May 18, 2012

September 5, 1872


44


                                                            Waynesboro Ga 5 Septr Septr 1872


My Dear Wife:
            I enclose this in a letter to Palmer.  Will write you but a line or two –  I will try and get you some money up soon.  As I wrote you before, money is very scarce now – I have 2 bales maybe 3 cotton, which I will gin, & ship before long –  Our county convention meets again in December to nominate candidates
for Co officers – I believe I wrote you, that J[o] Jones, Shumake & Glisson, were nom- inated for Legislature.  Rodgers was a candidate and received only 10 votes.  Jones 70 – Shumake 48, & Glisson 52.  This was a poor showing for R who is seeking the nomination for Congress.  We belong to the
Congressional dist, & the nominating convention will meet at Blackshear, Pierce Co, on the 13 inst to [ ] work. Jinks Jones is pressing Rodgers to spite me – but his records is so bad I do not think he can get him nominated. Jones pressed him for nomination for the Legislature against Glisson: but you see the result – some friends worked to nominate me, but I declined – It would cost money & the chances for
election doubtful.  I would like to get the nomination for Congress; but as Burke has just been put in
with [the] new county & I am not acquainted with anyone I see no chance – So I shall be quiet.  Besides,
honey, politics is hateful & stirs bad blood – Rodgers said out at Rocky Creek Church not along when some one asked if I would want to run for Congress again that, “the days of small men had passed
and men of the weight must be brought to the front.”  Soon afterwards, he became a candidate, this showing who he thinks is a man of weight – I got even with him in the convention by commenting severely on
his military record, & political course – you see now how nasty politics are & I feel like never having anything to do with them again – I am quite well & send love to all –
                                    Your aff – husband
                                    Fes


August 22, 1872


43

                                                                        Waynesboro Ga 22nd Aug 1872


My Dear Wife:

    Yours from Washington, rec’d yesterday, & was glad to hear from you & know you had arrived safely and all well.  Tell little Frank it is an old saying‘that it takes a wise man to know his daddy.’but he ought to have more sense than not to know the one he has been taught to know as his daddy.  I reckon the little fellow felt like he had been from home & was returning to it, & expected to meet me & would not be
disappointed in seeing his papa.  Well, kiss him and the other two for me.  I answered Palmer’s letter, & sent him a $1= as requested. Hope he has rec’d it.  Tell him to write again make him write two letters a week; it will improve him in writing & composition.  I think he has improved some, though his letter to me was not as to spelling very credi-table – And yet it was passable for his age – I gave your love to Mrs. W&H, & they returned theirs of course.  They are all well [   ] Doc’t says he is busy, going every day, &
that a good deal of sickness of a mild from[form] prevails.  – Nothing new at all – Politics getting hot – Hydrophobia in the form of politics is abroad – I never saw so many aspirants for office, both for state, federal, & county.  I see Gen DuBose is a candidate for reelection.  Tell him if you meet with him, that though I am a foreigner now, being in another district, if he knows of any way I can help, or be of service to him, to write me & I will not fail him – Give love to all – I want to come up a day, or so, before you leave if possible My fish pond is about half done – Accept my whole love – Aff husband                                     Fes

March 3, 1871



42

Washington DC
March 3rd 1871
½ past 1 o’clock at night

Dear Wife: Good luck again.  Well you ask what is it.  The House past a resolution today giving me the seat against Beard.  So far, so good.  But the House went further & passed a resolution giving the Ga members of the 41st Congress $5,000 – five thousand dollars each.  The tax on it will be about $150,  But after paying expenses including the contest & board here, will leave me at least $4,000.  I go to New York Sunday morning & will buy you a good clock.  This is all you have written for.  Hope I will hear from you in the morning.  Well I have been lucky all my life &  can’t say I deserve it.  I have always wondered why I never got hurt in the War.  But I reckon our Father thought I was not fit to go.  This is the last day of the 41 Congress & I think we will sit all night.  It is now 15 minutes of 2 o’clock at night & no prospect of an adjournment.  I do wish you could see the Capitol buildings.  They are most magnificent.  Over head is a fancy glass roof showing the coat of arms of each state.  The lights are all in the roof & the gas is lighted by electricity.  In the twinkling of an eye the whole overhead flames brilliantly.  The whole house is six hundred feet & 4 inches long and 300 hundred feet wide.  All solid granite.  It is a huge, grand pile & will never be disolved til the judgement day.  It is said to be the finest building in the world.  Well kiss my boys & give all my love.
Your aff husband
                               Fes




February 28, 1871


41                                                                                           

Washington DC
                                                                                                            Feby 28th 1871


 Dear Wife,
            Have just been down & taken lunch & feel quite _____. I still think I will visit NY before coming home, will know definitely friady [Friday?].  At 12 o’clock Saturday March 4 my official term as member of 41 Congress ends & I will then be free to act as & go as I please. Of course my thoughts are turned homeward. But as I am here in a few hours & near [?] of NY I think I ought to go up there. Only sorry you are not here to go with me. I man, some day, come back to Congress & then you shall come too. Sorry my time of service is so short. I will hardly get the hang of things before going home. Better’s Southern Bill is now before New House & I am watching to vote no.______
Whether it will pass or not. Give love to my boys. And kiss all. Had no letters from home except from you & Dickson.

                                                            Your aff. FES

February 8, 1865


# 40                                                                                        

            Johnson's Island Ohio
                                                                                                            Feby 8th 1865

My Dear Wife,
            I wrote you a few days ago in reply to yrs of the 19th and 29th December, but have just rec'd yrs written on the 19th October, &  will answer it on account of Judge Carswell.  Tell him I will do all I can for John, & regret verry much that yr letter in regard to him did not reach me sooner.  I have written to Mr. Nott on the subject and will write John as soon as I can send out another letter.  I will also write Aunt Mary in regard to him.  I am verry sorry I did not know John was a prisoner before.  Yr letter is the first intimation I have had of it.  If I can hear from him, I will report as to how he is getting along in my next.  Tell the Judge to be patient in regard to him, for he will find it difficult to hear from him often, at least it is so in my case.  Rest assured dear, that you are not wrong in supposing that I write often and I am equally assured that you do the same, but I rarely receive them.  I suppose that this is insepparable from my position as a prisoner.  I accept yr good advice and will be patient.  If I could know that you keep happy and contented, I could not be otherwise.  But why doubt it?  I know the superiority of womans equanimity, patience, and endurance under trials and misfortunes.  My health keeps good.  I had a letter and a little money from Cousin Emma a few days ago.  They are all well there, except herself.  She was afflicted with her old complaint rising [a rising or rison is a southern colloquial name for a boil.] in the face.  She writes that they are getting along excellently.  Charlie has grown a fine boy and is going to school.  Tell my dear boy father loves him "more than tongue can  tell" and would give anything to see him and that he must take good care of Mother until I come home.  I sent him a picture book by Capt. Snead.  Yr devoted husband,  
                                                                                     Stephen A. Corker
                                                                                     Capt. & Prisoner War

February 5, 1865


#39                                                                                                                              U S Military Prison

                                                                                                Johnsons Isld Ohio
                                                                                                            Feby 5th 1865

My Dear Darling Wife,
            Your letter of the 19th Dec’r was recd today, and tho I had two days ago rec’d one from you of later date, this is of much interest to me. You did not tell me to whome cousin Anna was to be married.  You ought not to have omitted this. I infer from yr letter that a good many of Ma's servants left her. I shall be sorry if any of my old colored playmates have gone off.  Say to Elbert  and Sam that it is my wish for them to remain at home, & there is no real or imaginary including that of freedom that they shall not have if they will remain true to beloved Georgia.  I want them to take my family name and transmitt it to their children. I know Elbert will never dishonor it.  I hope as much for Sam'l.  Tell them also that they shall have a home on my land where they now are as long as they want it and while they behave well.  I do this because whilst I know that the South can never be conquered a great revolution is taking place and will take place in our labor system.  I am also moved to this because I see that our Congress has decided to free and arm the negroes.  If Sam should elect to go into the military service tell him to bear himself well. Give him clothes etc.  I played with him in childhood and will be glad to know that he has united his energies to mine in defense of our beloved home & state for which I would be willing to lay down my life.  Give my love to all.  I reckon this will take you by surprise, but Georgia first and all else afterwards.  Your affectionate husband Stephen A. Corker
                                                                      Capt. and Prisoner War