Ernest Birge - 1940 - Ernest Birge

Seymour Manufacturing Company
Incorporated
Scythe Snaths, Grain Cradles
Post Hole Diggers, Etc.
Established 1872
Seymour, Indiana

March 9, 1940.

Mrs. Sarah A. Johnson,
1506 Y. Ave.,

LaGrande, Oregon.

Dear Mrs. Johnson:

I thank you very much for the clipping you sent to me, of which I have made a copy, and I am returning the clipping to you. The information contained in your letter was quite valuable to me in connecting up your branch of the family with mine as you give the information that Elijah, your grandfather, was in the war of 1812. One branch of his family lived in the eat and from this branch was descended a Mr. Manning D. Birge, of Chicago, who had quite definitely connected up his line with William’s line, to which your letter and clipping referred.  Your mention of the fact that Elijah was in the war of 1812 corresponds with information with reference to his grandfather, Elijah, who was in the war of 1812. Therefore, this to my mind definitely connects our family. 

I am inclosing a list of you brothers and sisters as I now have them lined up. After the names I have showed their mother’s names as I understand them to be. Will you please check this information as you seem to be better informed with reference to the family than any other member who has given me information.

My understanding is that your brother, Fran, was put into an orphan asylum after his mother left. There seems to be some confusion as to whether Frank was a son of the fourth wife or the fifth wife of our father and I cannot check this information very well as I do not have the date of his birth or the date of Jessie Edwards’ birth. Do you know the name of the aylum or where it was?

Thanking you very much for the trouble you have taken to give me this information, I am

Sincerely yours,

Ernest N. Birge.

(hand writing information on the side of the letter):

It is rather interesting that William Birge mentioned in the clipping which you sent to me married later Mary Noble My grandfather William born Nov. 18. 1813 also married a Mary Noble. Did your father ever speak of Milly Sommers as his Mother.  I have a record that indicates he (Elijah) married Millie Sommers and possibly Eozubeth or Elizabeth Burnham.