Letters to Bob from Win

1981 July 1 re: letter from Richard W. Dixey, Rebecca Gardner Dixey’s husband (typed copy is attached), curious about a “cousin Theodore” and an incident about ship Houqua in Foochow. Reynolds heard from Debrett but still doesn’t have information about English roots of Francis and Deborah Girdler. Win says that with Tracy they have nice story about the Robert H. Dixey and Tracy contacted Robert Dixey’s descendents in New Orleans. Envelope and Richard Dixey letter enclosed with notes. 1853 February 16 from Richard W. Dixey (New York) to John Dixey, his Father relates Rebecca and Cowell (their son) on ship and ready to go to sea. Destination is San Francisco and says he wishes he could send a handsome present but can’t afford it – Robert (Hooper Dixey) owes him $200 and father Gardner (Abel) has $240 of his money. Speaks about hearing Mr. Beecher (Henry Ward). Writing letter aboard the Houqua – the joiner is widening berth to accommodate wife. Hope to see brother Hector in California (Hector Cowell Dixey – youngest brother of Richard Dixey), Cowell had a letter from cousin Theodore with drawings. Pleased with Mrs. Kimball as sensible and good natured. Mentions girls Rebecca, Hannah, Carrie, Eliza hopes they write letters. (The notes explain that the Houqua was one of the first clipper ships and had long career in China trade. With Richard Dixey as captain, ship left New York February 21, 1853 arrived in San Francisco July 15 and was at Foochow, China in mid-October of 1853, left 16 January 1854 and reached New York 26 April 1854 – 95 days from Foochow. The Marblehead men sailing on Houqua were William Symonds and Frank and John Millett according to Samuel Roads The History and Traditions of Marblehead. The original Dixey letter was found in a file in the Marblehead Historical Society numbered 12191 filed in a folder marked “Estate of Capt. John Dixey.”) 1983 May 1 Note from Win Pierce to Bob explaining that Lewis R. Girdler is another man and not Lewis, son of Capt. John Girdler, so please discard the page of quotes from the Swasey correspondence but Berriah Brooks still stands. 1983 May 1 Letter from Win to Bob re: a Hulen Girdler of London, Kentucky who also came from James Girdler. Reynolds Girdler also knows of her. They tried to work out a relationship between Marblehead Girdlers and the Kentucky people out of Pennsylvania and couldn’t do it. Marblehead Historical Society has given some correspondence of the Swasey family in Marblehead written during Civil War. Lew Girdler was a friend of Swasey. Win asks Bob is he knows of artists who paint pictures of houses as Win wants a picture of her grandmother’s house - 22 Franklin St. which belonged to her grandfather, Captain Woodbury Swett.