Woodburn OR - Dec 7 1984 - From Iris & Milton Taylor

Rainier Rd

Woodburn, OR 97071

Dec 7, 1984

Dear Lynn and Pat:

It was so good to hear from you and receive your Christmas Greetings. That is one of the blessing of Christmas I believe, as it does bring friends and relatives closer together May the good Lord watch over you and keep you in good health Take time too, to have good times together and enjoy life to its fullest. This is a fine time now with your plans for a family. May God bless you.

We are both fine and expecting to have a good trip to Mexico Jan 21-Feb 3. It will soon be here so we are already looking forward to it. Yes, I wish you were going too. Maybe someday that will be a thing for which to make plans. Anyway, since we are both getting old, we don’t have much time any more so have to make hay while the sun shines!!!!!!

Milton is losing eye sight but will have a cataract operation in the near future that will hopefully bring back his vision. In the mean time, I do all the car driving and reading for him I try to help him keep up his courage and not get dispondant.  He will be 88 in Jan I just had my 78^th birthday. We are blessed, believe me, as our health is good for being this old.

Well, dear ones, we appreciate your invitation to come your way some time and stay over with you. Yes, I think we can make it but not right away. We will wait for some better weather, perhaps in the spring. But will let you know. Do take care now and remember, take GOOD CARE OF THAT LITTLE ONE IN YOUR TUMMY. HE-SHE IS IN YOUR CARE and needs the best you can give. Our love as always.

Iris and Milton

Dec 19 - 1956 From Mabel - Cousin to Minnie

Gary, Okla

Dec 19-56

Dear Cousin,

Am sorry I am so late getting your letter answered. I was glad to hear from you. We are all well and busy as usual – seems like there is more to get done every year, maybe its ‘because we slow down more as we grow older. I am 66 now, how old are you.

Our dag. Ruby & family still live in Richland Wash, my brother Georges daughter Lahoma lives there too she has 2 girls. George passed away in 1932. My Dad died in 1938 he was the last one of his brothers and sisters to go.

I don’t know just what you wanted to know about your fathers family all I know is that his parents Mason True and Esther Baker (Campbell) True were born in Ohio. Our grandma Esther True was 1 of 16 children and I can’t remember all her brothers & sisters names some were 2 brothers Sylvanus & Bushnell and 2 sisters Rebecca & Sally Amy. I have forgotten the others and the only one of Granpa Trues family I remember was a Dr Austin True who lived in Ohio – Oh yes grandma had a sister named Lydia her married name was Porter, Rebecca’s was Maxwell and Sally Amy’s was Tinkham.

Your father had sisters, Lydia, Rebecca, Sally Amy, brothers William, Lawrence, Sylvanus. I just can’t remember any more and I think that is all. I don’t know where any of Aunt Rebecca’s children are. There is 1 girl & 2 boys left as far as I know. The only one that ever wrote to me just quit writing and I could never get an answer she was old and sickly so I suppose she passed away and no one bothered to tell me. Their family were not very close together and fussed all the time.

Uncle Sylvanus was Mittie & Linnie Trues Dad they are both alive and I hear from Mittie at Christmas she is past 80.

Aunt Sally’s family were raised here in Oklahoma and there is Albert, Finley & George & Lucy left. Mytle passed away last spring.

This is about all I can tell you of course if we could chat together I might be able too tell you some details. I wish I had written down a lot that has been told me. Didn’t your Dad ever talk about his family and as long as your mother lived with you she should have been able to tell you some.

Do you have a picture of your old home near Natoma the one with the family on if you want one I will send you some that I have. Say didn’t you have a daughter named Mabel (your oldest) you never mention her. I just wondered. My step sister lives at Okarke but she never visist me. I also have a step brother in the church home for old folks at Independence MO. I have a half brother, Leslie who lives in San Diego alif. Don’t hardly ever hear from him either. He has 4 children I have 2 boys & 1 girl who live near us. We still live on our farm and don’t do much farm work but chickeys & garden our son farms the land. Hope you have a nice Xmas.

Love from Mabel & Herman

(above the letter – am sending a clipping I found in some paper. )

Jan 1964 - Park Wineland

Sunday

Jan 19-1964

Dear Mrs. Taylor;

I am sorry that I could not answer your letters, and also to Mrs. Winland, sooner.

I am enclosing a copy of a family record that was sent to me by the decedent of Jacob.

I have not been able to connect John 1803 up with any of the other I have on first the emigrant.

However I came across something that might help, and it’s not so far from where you live, altho I do not know exactly the spot.

There was a John Wineland, emegrant that settled in Virginia.

He had a son Peter (the only record I have)

Peter had 8 children

About 1780 three of his sons, John, b. 1769 – Peter, and Christian, went to Morrison’s Cove, PA about 1780.

The emigrant John and his son Peter with the rest of the family’s stayed in Virginia. I don’t know how long, but I am sure they are buried there.

I am enclined to think that he might have landed in the neighborhood of Norfolk. As there were some German settlements in the area south of Richmond toward Norfolk.

If you could find a 1790 census, it might give you something on the way of names.

Thanks,

Park Wineland

Ray Simpson - Dec 31, 1985

Grainfield, Kans

June 28 (1943)

Dear Archie & Mable

I see your nice long letter and was sure glad to here from you. Geo sent me this letter you wrote to him. And I intended to write to you but I had been pretty busy and never got around to it.

We are still in Grainfield have been here 5 years but don’t no how long we will be here. The Fellow that owns it is trying to sell it, so we will have to get out when ever he sells it. The Boys Harold & Clifford wants us to come to Siverton Colo where they are. They both work in the Pride of the West mine.

Harold has been making over $600 a month. He runs a machine.

And Clifford makes between 4 & 5 hundred a month. He is married again. He got married last Nov I and Bess was there and went to New Mexico with them to get marrid. Silverton is only 75 or 80 miles from New Mexico we were out there & over in Utah to Geo for 2 months last fall. I went hunting Deer with Geo and got one the first day and Geo got 3.

Bobs oldest Boy Bobbi is in Australia he is in the Navy and Harold Alice second Boy is in the Solomon Islands he is a Marine.

And Geo Cliffords oldest Boy is at Tasal Utah forman of the Cross H Ranch. He married the Bossis niece and has a good job. Marold got killed in an Auto Accident out there three years ago in Sept.

Bob lives down buy Sludley he run the Robinson Elevator there a year. He quit a month ago and is working in the Oil Field in the Pratt Ranch at Studley they have brought in two dandy good wells. They run 12 to 14 hundred Barells a day.

Alice just has 1 Boy at home he is about 14 years old. And his Girl has been working in Wichita in an Airplane Factory.

John & Syliva still live out there where they did when you was there last. We had the Bigist Hail storm through here a week ago last Thursday nite. It reached from Alakley to Salina and it was from 10 to 12 miles wide. It just mowed everything down.

We had the finiest Garden that we ever had and it just ruined it.

Rawl Alice & Bird and the two Sylvias & Johny came in yesterday and had my Birthday Dinner. My Birthday was last Thursday and your mother a week ago to day. She would have been 66 if she had lived. I was 69 that’s getting pretty Damed Old. I don’t feel so good  but have been working all spring I may drive Johns Truck in Harvest.

Rosa lives at Atwood. Curry runs the Port of Entry and sells gas & Oil and Baldwin Combines.

Alice Rosas Girl works for JC Pennys in Topeka. She is 19 years old Geo is still in his Ranch  in Utah he has 3 boys. He is doing well.

Harold has 2 Boys Billy & Darell.

Rosas Boy finished High School this year. She has another Baby Boy born the 9^th of March.

The 2 Red Headed Girls looks like Twins Shirley is a little taller than Bessie Jean and a couple of lbs heavier. I had a letter from Netti. She is not very well. I have not seen Geo or Wm since last Sept. Wm three Girls are in California.

Did Irvin have any children from all his wives. Why don’t he even write to me. Tell hm I would like to here from him.

Well I guess I had better ring off Aunt Bess sends her love. Be sure and write.

Love

Uncle Fred

Uncle Fred (White) June 28, 1943

Grainfield, Kans

June 28 (1943)

Dear Archie & Mable

I see your nice long letter and was sure glad to here from you. Geo sent me this letter you wrote to him. And I intended to write to you but I had been pretty busy and never got around to it.

We are still in Grainfield have been here 5 years but don’t no how long we will be here. The Fellow that owns it is trying to sell it, so we will have to get out when ever he sells it. The Boys Harold & Clifford wants us to come to Siverton Colo where they are. They both work in the Pride of the West mine.

Harold has been making over $600 a month. He runs a machine.

And Clifford makes between 4 & 5 hundred a month. He is married again. He got married last Nov I and Bess was there and went to New Mexico with them to get marrid. Silverton is only 75 or 80 miles from New Mexico we were out there & over in Utah to Geo for 2 months last fall. I went hunting Deer with Geo and got one the first day and Geo got 3.

Bobs oldest Boy Bobbi is in Australia he is in the Navy and Harold Alice second Boy is in the Solomon Islands he is a Marine.

And Geo Cliffords oldest Boy is at Tasal Utah forman of the Cross H Ranch. He married the Bossis niece and has a good job. Marold got killed in an Auto Accident out there three years ago in Sept.

Bob lives down buy Sludley he run the Robinson Elevator there a year. He quit a month ago and is working in the Oil Field in the Pratt Ranch at Studley they have brought in two dandy good wells. They run 12 to 14 hundred Barells a day.

Alice just has 1 Boy at home he is about 14 years old. And his Girl has been working in Wichita in an Airplane Factory.

John & Syliva still live out there where they did when you was there last. We had the Bigist Hail storm through here a week ago last Thursday nite. It reached from Alakley to Salina and it was from 10 to 12 miles wide. It just mowed everything down.

We had the finiest Garden that we ever had and it just ruined it.

Rawl Alice & Bird and the two Sylvias & Johny came in yesterday and had my Birthday Dinner. My Birthday was last Thursday and your mother a week ago to day. She would have been 66 if she had lived. I was 69 that’s getting pretty Damed Old. I don’t feel so good  but have been working all spring I may drive Johns Truck in Harvest.

Rosa lives at Atwood. Curry runs the Port of Entry and sells gas & Oil and Baldwin Combines.

Alice Rosas Girl works for JC Pennys in Topeka. She is 19 years old Geo is still in his Ranch  in Utah he has 3 boys. He is doing well.

Harold has 2 Boys Billy & Darell.

Rosas Boy finished High School this year. She has another Baby Boy born the 9^th of March.

The 2 Red Headed Girls looks like Twins Shirley is a little taller than Bessie Jean and a couple of lbs heavier. I had a letter from Netti. She is not very well. I have not seen Geo or Wm since last Sept. Wm three Girls are in California.

Did Irvin have any children from all his wives. Why don’t he even write to me. Tell hm I would like to here from him.

Well I guess I had better ring off Aunt Bess sends her love. Be sure and write.

Love

Uncle Fred

Wilda Simpson - June 23, 1962

Plainville, Kansas

June 23, 1962

Dear Mable & Archie,

Got your letter & the sweet sympathy card yesterday. I’ve been wanting to get a letter written to you sooner than this but seemed I just couldn’t. You see I had so much to do in such a short time. This happened 2 days before school was out so I had a lot of school work to do after school was out. Mr. Mahoney told me to take all the time I needed but I knew Summer School would soon start & I’d be terribly busy then so I worked as hard as I could. Ted & Edith stayed a day after the funeral to help me with mom’s apartment. Ray & I came back another day & finished up. Then I had to sort stuff, cards, keepsakes, etc. & put in boxes for us 4 kids. I had gobs of letters to write to mom’s close relatives (brothers, sisters) & lots of letters to write to Bonnie, Lyle & Ted about the affairs, etc. I also had a lot of things at home to do getting ready for college. Than it started – so now I just squeeze in a letter when I can. It was so nice of you folks to send flowers. Thanks so uch & also for the card.

Hope you folks are feeling fine. I’m feeling some better though I still feel awfully blue & lonesome sometimes. Ray & Bob are OK. Ray has been fishing some & had pretty good luck but they aren’t very big. Jim & family will be here from July 1-5^th. He is to go to Keesler in Mississippi for some more schooling. Bill’s & Dave are fine.

Rosa was here for a couple of weeks visit. She left Monday. She surely looks good. Aunt Mattie looks pretty good but Uncle Mel has high blood pressure, his eyes & ears are giving out on him. Aunt Laura is about the same as she was, I guess.

Uncle Art had another sick spell – I guess it is pleurisy. I certainly hope it isn’t his heart.

You would probably like to know some of the details of mom’s death. You know I told you I was over to see her about 4 times a week & sometimes oftener. I see her every Saturday & she would always go to the Beauty Shop with me, do her trading or whatever she needed. So I saw her May 12, we had her over to our place Mother’s Day, May 13, & then I came over May 14 because that was their 50^th Wedding Anniversary & I couldn’t let her spend all that day alone. I took her to Plainvill & took her to café for supper (She loves to do that & we took her quite often). Then we did some shopping & she bought some wreaths for Pop’s, Newts, & her little brother’s graves. (She was so proud of these wreaths & I was going to take her to the graves Memorial Day). Then we went to the Laundramet & did her washing. I didn’t get down to see her Tuesday or Wednesday but Ray & I came down Thursday evening & visited a while. We took her out to Pop’s grave to see how the grass was coming. She said, “I’ll be glad when I’m right here beside him.” The next morning she wrote letters to Ted & Aunt Mary, cooked her dinner & left it on the stove to keep warm & went down to the post office & fell at the door & was gone instantly. God was certainly merciful to her & to us, too, by not letting her linger along & suffer. But oh, how we miss them both Young Henry Pohlman gave her mouth & mouth respiration till the resuscitator got there but she was gone. Uncle Art came after me immediately & I was called out of my school room as I was before & I was down there in a few minutes. We called the other kids, Ted & Edith came that evening. Bonnie & Del were up in the mountains 200 miles from Denver & the Police told them to go home immediately but didn’t tell them why. Bonnie came on the train Saturday evening. Del & Lyle drove down Sunday morning (& Fern, too). Dan & Bills were here but Jims couldn’t come. We had the funeral Monday afternoon & it was a beautiful service & the flowers were beautiful, too. Leonard James led us into the church reciting “The Lord is my Shephard.” The obituary tells what songs were sung & who the casket bearers were. Aunt Bessie & Aunt Mary aren’t very well & we surely worried about them.

You can probably imagine how Bonnie & Del felt hurrying down the mountain & not knowing what was wrong. Del’s folks aren’t very well, either. Fred Pohlman told them very plainly to tell the Police or Highway Patrol to find them & tell them it was Bonnie Harch’s mother.

Sunday Morning –

Isn’t it about time for Shirley & family to come back to the U.S.  I hope they are here already for I know it is hard on you & Archie for them to be so far away.

I wrote the first part of this letter on my lap at the Beauty Shop. Hope you can read it OK.

We might possibly be out there in August if you are still planning on being home. We don’t know for sure yet what we will do. But of course we’ll get in touch with you if we do decide to come. But if you have something else planned for then don’t hesitate to tell us. It would be nice to have some more good visits.

Bonnie called me yesterday morning.  We just get lonesome to hear each other’s voice so we call.

Harvest is going on here now but it is kinda wet. It rains a little nearly every day or night.

I am sending you some pictures mom had. She had boxes & boxes of pictures. I thought maybe you or some of the other kids might want them. Usually our parents give away our childhood pictures to their brothers & sisters & then when we are grown up we don’t have them & would probably like to have some.

I must stop for this time. Sorry I didn’t write sooner. But you know you are one of my favorite counsins. Gold bless you all. Write.

Love, Wilda & family

In case you just ordered flowers & didn’t specify what kind – they were candy stripe carnations – very pretty.

Ray & Wilda (Matheson) Simpson May 19, 1961

Plainville, KS

May 19, 1961

Dear Mable & Archie,

So glad to hear from you & that you are coming out to visit. You are coming the right year, too, for it is our Centennial year & there is lots going on in the neighboring towns. The larger places are putting on some real good entertainment. Plainville will celebrate June 1, 2, 3, 4 & they will have one of the nicest celebrations around here.

We won’t be here when you get here but will be back before you leave so we surely will have some good old visits with you. I’m so glad you’re coming. Today was our last day of school & we are leaving Sunday to go to Michigan to visit Jim & his family. We’re so excited. We haven’t seen their youngest – Patricia – She’ll be just the cutest age – about 5 ½ or 6 months. Ray’s vacation is from Sunday May 21 to June 1! So we’ll be back the last week you’re here – as we may be home a little earlier.

Yes, will try to get all the relatives together here that we can. The Uncles & Aunts have aged a lot – including my folks.

Oh yes – back to the Centennial – Beards everywhere & in some towns the men, women & kids are wearing old time clothing & there are Centennial Jails. Etc. Ray, Bob & Bill have beards & we are all having lots of fun. We hate to miss the celibration at Plainville but will be back for the one in Hays. Bob’s outfit is real cute – like Wyatt Erp, Bat Masterson or the Mavericks. He even made himself a fancy Walking Stick.

I hope you have some movies of Shirley & her family. I’d sure like to see them. I bet you & Bonnie will have a nice visit. You & Jo Hogan, too.

Bill & family live in Hays. They have 3 real cute little kids.

I am at Edna’s Beauty Shop in Natoma under the Dryer writing on my lap. I hope you can read this.

Yes, Mable, we’ll see that you & I have at least 1 day with just you & me to have a good old “gab fest” like we used to. We could talk for hours & the time went so fast we wondered where it had gone. This is the only time we could take our vacation this summer because college starts June 14 & ends Aug 10. We couldn’t go anywhere after Aug 10 & get back in time for Institute & School. I hae to go over & enroll the 14^th.

Archie, will surely be gald to see you, too. We’ve been having quite a lot of rainy weather lately, but by the time you folks get here it may be hot & dry. You know how Kansas is.

Ray & I have quite a few gray hairs now but, after all, we have 6 grandchildren. Our kids are all fine & so are the grandkids. We had our 30 Wedding Anniversary May 2^nd.

Well, I must stop now. My hair is nearly dry. I’ll have to hurry home for I still have 101 things yet to do. We even have to have a school picnic tomorrow. So take care of yourselves. God bless you & will be seeing you soon.

Love,

Wilda, Ray & Bob