Letter From a Woman in Mississippi, Including an Account of a Camp Meeting at Which a Blind Preacher Spoke

Manuscript letter, 8.5 x 11", three pages, sent in January, 1840 by Mary Brougher of Mount Prospect, in Tippah County, Mississippi, to Jane Craig of Hudsonville, Mississippi. Toning to paper, separations along folds. Brougher was from a pioneering Mississippi family, daughter of Frederic Brougher, a native of North Carolina. According to Misspreservation.com, Brougher "came with his wife and seven children to Mississippi in 1836 and bought a large tract of land; pitched tents to shelter his family while the home was building. Before the first stick of timber had been cut Mr. Brougher was stricken with fever and was ill for weeks. They had no neighbors, were surrounded by Indians; and no physician within reach. Mrs. Brougher sought and found medicine for her sick husband in the herbs that grew on the mountain side, she provided food for her family with the aid of her shot gun. As soon as Mr. Brougher recovered he began the erection of a double log cabin two stories in height. This was their home for seven years. In this home was born Charles Brougher, who afterward became Secretary of State. In 1841 a more commodious dwelling was planned." Brougher wrote about meeting with an uncle visiting from up north, and penned a response to an earlier letter about feelings of melancholy; however, the letter is highlighted, by a 2/3 of a page description of a local camp meeting at which a blind preacher spoke: "The whole camp meeting when past appeared to one, as a dream or a tale that is told, there I met with the friends and companions of other days, it seemed as if the past were for a while recalled, when we left the ground the spell was broken the delusion vanished.A greater excitement prevailed on Monday night than any previous one.The blind preacher addressed them but he became so hoarse that he could scarcely speak, and requested some brother to proceed he however gained his voice and continued.the purport was that he had been permitted to celebrate one centenary on earth and he said I expect to spend the next in heaven!".…