I don’t know if kids write letters to Santa Claus anymore, but they sure did back in the early 1900s and fortunately these letters sometimes ended up in the newspaper. In December 1902, a little boy named Preston who lived in Jetersville, Amelia County, Virginia wrote a letter to Santa Claus care of a Richmond newspaper [1]:
A seven-year-old wanting a double barrel breech loader and shells for Christmas! The following year, young Preston of Jetersville wrote again to old Santa Claus [2], but this time he reveals his identity:
I’ll bet old Santa Claus found Preston after his family moved to the Thompson’s at Jetersville!
H. Preston Morris was my great grandfather John Stewart Morris’ nephew – son of his brother Augustus Rives Morris (Uncle Gus) and his first wife Ella Campbell Rowlett (Aunt Ella). For those keeping track, that makes Preston is my 1st cousin twice removed. To learn more about Uncle Gus and his family see my previous post entitled Uncle Gus’s Watermelon: https://wordpress.com/post/asonofvirginia.blog/198. One thing I did not mention in that post is that Gus and his first wife – in addition to Ella being 13 years older and his teacher – were also 3rd cousins through the Vaughan family. Here’s how they were related:
Henry Preston Morris (called Preston) was born on 12 January 1895 in Jetersville, Amelia County, Virginia to Augustus Rives and Ella Campbell (Rowlett) Morris.[3] He grew up in Amelia County and attended the University of Virginia. He became a lawyer and moved to New York. He married N.Y. native Mary Theresa Doody on 14 April 1923 in New York.[4] They had two children including John Preston Morris (1925-1999) and Mary Virginia Morris (called Virginia) (1929-2011). H. Preston Morris spent 35 years working for Pam Am Airways and served as secretary and general attorney. He died on 18 October 1972 in San Bernadino, CA where he and his wife had moved three years prior to be near their son who was a physician.[5] His wife Mary (Doody) Morris, 81, died just a few weeks later on 20 November 1972 in San Bernadino, CA. Both are interred at Mt. View Cemetery, San Bernadino, CA.
Merry Christmas to all!
A Son of Virginia
[1] Richmond Dispatch, Wednesday, 17 December 1902, Richmond, Virginia, p. 8
[2] The Times Dispatch, Sunday, 20 December 1903 Richmond, Virginia, p. 43
[3] World War I Draft Registration Cards, Registration Location: Amelia County, Virginia; Roll: 1984207; Draft Board: 0; 1917-1918; Ancestry.com
[4] Schenectady Gazette, Tuesday, 17 April 1923, Schenectady, New York, p. 12
[5] The San Bernardino County Sun, Thursday, 19 Oct 1972, p. 39
A Son of Virginia 
And a very Merry to ll of the Craig’s past, present and otherwise named!
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And to the McCarthy’s as well!
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Merry Christmas! See you soon!
So interesting, I love the Santa letters from little Preston.
Just checked David’s dad’s genealogy chart to see if you are related, esp given the Rives name in common. Could not find a connection.
David’s ancestors settled in what is now Middlesex— and other counties. Robert Beverley was part of Bacon’s Rebellion. David’s grandfather Ennion Gifford Williams was Va Health Commissioner, saw Richmond through the pandemic of 1918-20, died too young, leaving his widow and 8 children, one was Elizabeth Rives W.
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