Frances Stevenson - 1985

Note: this is not quiet 50 years old, but it's a member of the family that has since passed. 

Dear cousin Mable,

Yes I am still sewing – painting, & the yd work except moeing the grass.

I still trimmed the trees N of house as fas up as I can reach them with an Eledric clippers then my grandson has been doing the rest & mowing & what ever he can get the time off from Farming too.

I ieced & tied 2.2 quilts of knit took almost a year to finish them. The kids all say they are sure warm this winter. And went to San Diego one to Dallas & 2 to MO. I gave Bro Ted one, one to Denver. Dean is in Saudia Arbra. So I still have his & gave one each to 4 children. & 16 grandchildren oh one went to  Grand Junction Colo too. Grand Junction Colo too. Grand Junction Colo too. I kept one for myself.

I did have a good garden but my son planted it for me cause last March guess I must of gotten sinus infection partly from the knit & from Nov 8^th to Feb 8 I was trying to  take in so many pot luck dinner. So this fall I by passed some of it.

We have a 2^nd time around shop at th church & on Wed. I work there from 11 AM to 1 PM waiting on customers. W sort clothes & most everything t & price in some we box & sent other plae where people can have in & use it We give to th needy & sell real cheap. All of it like a set of Mattresses for $25.00 Drsses not more than 2.00 most a lot 1.00 Suits 2.50 Baby Beds for $10.00 or less. Soes from 25(cent sign) to $1.00 per coats 2.00 to 3.50 good tngs some are new lots and lots of jeans for 1.00 & kitchen things in fac I can’t begin to name in all. I like to do that as of now I am making thngs for gifts & have some painted pictures for my 4 children that are married.

I do get some pictures made off of the true grandparents & great grands also Stevensons Will’s parents & his grandparents an his Mothers & Fathers side  The Allen Grandparents of mine & my parents wedding pictures for each of my children for gift for Christmas. 3 by 5 size black & white. Hope they will like them So Maurice still milks cows. My daughter & husband turned theirs over to the one son. Ilene goes all over at the dairy farms to test milk & it goes to Tapeka, Ks. She is gone 3 to 4 days a week. She stays at night where she is for the evening & morning test.

She has had to pick her days due to the Storms & icy wheather & zero too. I heard out there you too have had rain & snow. Side of our streets are still lots of ice & snow. & we are due for more this week am biggest snow was 6 in of ice an everything. Guess it is cold & stormy all over U.S.

I don’t like to write either, but once a year don’t hurt. Oh, Did Christine get married. I did not relize who Christine True was she she was here. This could have been Maurice, Grandaughter if so she was little when I saw her last. She & a boyfriend were on their way to Illinios to get married. I haven’t heard from them since Bro. Tedd said she was a cousin they were here late at night & stayed & left early next morning.

I will take time & look it up n this Family History Note Book Ilene made and get that straightened out. I hope to have some of our kids here by Dinner at Christmas time.

I he you are all well Tell Maurice Hi for me he can read this letter to, if you don’t mind.

I forgot to tell you after Wm. Died 9 years ago a neighbor of mine he always came over to play dominoes with Wm after his wife passed away. One day he decided to sell out & go to Seattle where his daughter lives. Then one day about a year ago he ask me to go out their with him, but I said no. In fact he never knew it but I never liked him ha. Then 2 other guys wanted me one was father of my son in law & the other his Uncle. I am Happy the way it is. So what.

Give this a laugh. Guess they wanted a cook as the first one when he & daughter came back for a visit became to see me & said he had a lady friend. She does the cooking & he buys the groceries, how about that.

His son was here too & he said when his dad ask me if I had a boy friend I said no. He said he dint either have a lady friend we laughed about it.

Well I better go hear the news so far now, Frances S.

Eben White to Rosa White - October 1882

Saturday Night – Oct 7 1882

Dear Rosa

Yours of the 2^nd came to hand to night and found us all well. But wet and muddy. Yes it has come to that againe in Kas we had a fine rain last Monday onyesterday and most all day and it is raining now and will be a raining night I think. I am sorry that your Mother is so Pour I was so glad to get your note saying she was able to set up. Mrs Herrick give an oyster suffer last Wensday night – (for a good by) Gant Lowe Lowe armitage the Dr and others were asked but could not come. Freddie Lowe came over and sloped with the boys and Mr H sent them some cake we had a very nice time singing & c

There was a young man that was going from Ravell to Bull city and had to stay over night at the P.O. and so he was there at Mr. Hs we walked down to the store after it was throughand I asked him what was his state and he said Illinois, County Lalalle. Town of Lorlant I told him I came from nar there he said aint you got a brother in Iowa by the name of John I told him I had he said I sloped two or three days with him last week, odd was it not, I think I will slop for it is time to go to bed good night my dear.

Sunday 10 o’clock. A.M.

Just got through with my work and will finish this so to send out in the morn It took me three days to take the rye down for my wagon was so poor I got my pay and paid that 20 dollars to Lane so Major is free. But am afraid I shall lose that of Phillips he has nothing and is going away this winter to work. It is kind of hard when I have worked hard. And then my boor came I shall not get anything out of that the rain came through the shed and spoilt Mat Louise and mine I can not get a cent for it, my bad luck seems to come all at once but as long as we are well and I have my loved ones I can stand it I wain hopes that by another fall we could get some kind of a little house for it is so hard for you. For I expect after you stay there in a good home and lots to eat you will not want to come back here to the little sod house on the hill.

And now dear I don’t like to say anything about it at this time when your Mother is so sick but would it not be well to speak to the boys in time about the money for it will have to be paid you know and I would like to know in time so if I have to pay it I can sell a horse or some of the cattle d not have them take it and have lots of costs to pay by the time Maloney is paid and the Bank I am afraid we shall not have a team I helped threash ½ day to get that wheat – of Fathers I got 4 ¼ bushs. I am going sowing wheat tomorrow shall put n 15 acre I am afraid that they don’t take very good care of the cows but she wanted them very bad and said she would sethat they had all the watter they wanted and feed the calf well the Dr thinks I will have to see and offer me only 30 for that cow that will be the way if I have to sell I cannot get anything for them you must write often for the (?) thing to you are your letters a kiss for Lizzie I have sent you two letters and a card and L has sent you a card. Ever yours Eben

Note: This may help in explaining why Lizzie lived with her Aunt and Uncle all those years. 

Lizzie White's Report Card - 1892

Report of examination held at Round Mound, Kansas

January 11^th or 12^th 1892

Lizzie White

Physiology 80% U.S. History 77%

Grammar 83%  Penmanship 85%

Arithmetic 95% Geography 73%

Orthography 90% Reading 91%

U.S. Constitution 50% Average 81 1/9%

George Lerew

Teacher

Chicago, March 10th, 1869 - Eb White

Chicago

March 10^th 1869

Dear Rosa

I do not kow as you will be glad to get another letter from me so soon for I suppose you have got the one I sent you the other day I wrote it Sunday and put it in at Ottawa the next morning We thought that the car went at the Oclock and so we went down as far as Ikes Williams brother in law and went into that shop to stay until two oclock gohng you know had to go an to see Wife Canles (?) and he found out that the cars did not go until six in the morning so he come back to the shop and told us and we had to stay until morning but that was not the worst ofit you would have thought we was somebody gr to see the folks after us I will till you why this is a larg body of shoes makers or most all of them that have formed themselves into a Lodge or Society in the U.S. and they say that they will not work until they can have a good price for this work and they do all they can to stop others that do not belong. From marking if we had knowed about it we should not have come for we side with the shoemakers of sourse Will we had not been in the city a half a hour before they was after us not to go to work for you see it was like this if we went to work it would gain in strength to the manufactures and weeken the shoe maker or if we did not it would be the other way they met us at every place and they came nary near haveing a fight at our boarding house the first night some of the boarders belonged to the Lodge (but we did not know it) and so one of them asked father out doors and this was one yong man sides with the manufactures and so he told father not to go out with him then the other man got mad and they had it I thought they would fight but they did not by and by father went out and thir was about a days men at the door and on the street some of them was heade men of the Lodge and they was gentlemen and smart men and they talked with father and told him just how it was and they sent in for me and they talked with me they sead they would pay our fare back home and then just as soon as shoemakeing did start up or that is so soom as the manufactures would do right they would send for us so the rest went back and I am agoing to stay and get a job as soon as it comes all right the manufactres do not want to be gavernd by the shoemakers because they look on them as little better than dogs Of corse this does not interest you but perhaps you will read it through and I wished you to know how I was getting a long that is if you care I feel bad abut it for I thought I should do so well and make a good lot of money you know the reson I wished to make it but  it seems that Palnays have bad luck but I shall doc the best I can and If I don’t git anything to do here in three weeks I shall go east and see what I can do I am writing a long letter you can take yr time to read it but I have not got anything else to do.

Note: upside down on the top of the letter:

Be sure and address it to

E. White

Chicago

(North. Wells. Street 533) Illinois

And then it will come right to the house please write soon. Eb.

Added to the letter from March 10, 1869

I have got a good boarding place now (I left that one that whare they came so neare fighting I did not like it) with a private family they have a nise little house and I like the folks vary mutch they have only one little girl and one boarder as I sead in the first port I do not know as you will be glad to git another letter so soon from me but I hope you will write me one as soon as you git this and send it to me for I want to hear from you and would like to all the time, I have a chance to look around the city and see a good meny pretty girls but they are all made up paint and false hair and thir is not one that I think so pretty as somebody that I know of Do you think a little of me some times Rosa I hope so and I hope thir is no yng man out thir that think that somebody is a very good girl or if thir is I hope the one I speek of wont think he is vary good for if you do what shall I do about it I shall have to stop now so good by Eben White. 

Letter to Fred from Grandmother (Solon's wife) White

Header: THE NATOMA CENTRAL TELEPHONE

(note: S.E. White, Secretary, Natoma, KS)

My dear Fred,

I was very glad to get your letter this morning & I have my “stint” done I will scratch a few lines so it will go in the morning. I got home last Thurs. Robert came out as far Mr Bales to sell him a car (a Sedan) as Mattie & I rode with him that far & I came the rest of the way with your father & we got stuck in the mud (didn’t have chains on) & I had to sit in the sun while John Schneider ate his dinner so he could bring his mules to pull on out. They must have had lots of good things to eat it took him so long.

Your father went to Osborne this noon to a ball game. He went with Lee McErven. William is planting corn. Made 10 rows this forenoon & a lot of chores too. He hints o his father to milk so he can get out a little quicker but father never takes a hint like that.

I have been writing Telephone names & addresses to number of shares, all the after-noon, in a Telephone Book, I did not see that your father had seen figuring on this write I turned it over so I’ll go ahead.

(Note: there are math figures on this back of this letter – she wrote around them)

Louis was sick in bed with sciatic rheumatism & is not well yet but he went down to Natoma yesterday & over to see Bernice last night. He told me he did not go to sleep until midnight his leg pained so but slept well the rest of the night. He has felt pretty good all day today but that hangs on a long time some times. I hope it won’t this time.

My, I think George must be like his Uncle, not like his grandpa who threaed a good yoke of oxen for “old Lucy” – she must have been 40, & it don’t see possible Harold could drive & horses. What a help they will be to you. ILL George go to high school next winter?

Did Robbie get Archie’s letter? Archie came out Sat eve with Mattie & went back Sun eve.

You sure will have lots of work to do with all the road work beside your own. Am glad you will have a garden, it is such a help to your living, Love to you all, come down when you can & write soon again to your old crippled Mother

Post Cards

Here are some of the post cards that have been in the family.

Some of them have writing on the back as well.

There is wear and tear to most of them. BUT the are really pretty to look at.

Some of these, I wonder if grandmother just liked and wanted, or if she bought them to use.

This is just a few of what I have. I'm starting back on working on the letters, as there are way too many of them. If I can get organized, then that will help out as well. I have filled a binder of the letters I have done so far. And that isn't even a dent.

Newspaper Articles

I have a lot of newspaper articles out there as well, so I'm posting them.

This is my great grandfather, Albertus Taylor.

This is a branch off our family. Grandmother kept all newspapers about everyone and everything she was interested in.

This is my grandfather - Archie Wineland.

This is my White family. Howard White.