Alma Josephine JACKSON HOLDER was born in 1882, married very young and had four children before she died in 1906.  Her obituary is the basis for the letter below.

Dear Alma, 

You were so young when you left your babies. . .  married with four children when you were barely 24 years old. What did you look like?  I’ve never seen a picture of you.  I wonder what your life would have been like had you lived longer?  You had already done so much.  Maturity and responsibility were upon you but illness stepped in your path and changed your direction. Beloved by those who knew you both in and out of your family, I wish I had known more about you.  Thank you for living and birthing my grandmother even though she only had 6 short years with you . . . I think you would have been proud of her.

Sincerely, Your Great Grand Daughter

READ ON:

Alma’s obituary gives the details for the letter written above.  From the Henry County, GA Obituaries 1900-1907 we read:

“Mrs. Jim Holder died at her home near this place on the 30th ult* after a painful illness of several weeks’ duration.  She was the wife of our clever blacksmith Jim Holder who is left with several small children to mourn her loss.  The broken-hearted husband has the heartfelt sympathy of the entire community in his sad bereavement.”

*’ult’ is a typing error for ‘July’

1900 U.S. Census of Henry County GA