(Mort W. Coffman)
Biographical Note:
(continued)
(Glen Corrie) Biographical Note
Glen Corrie wrote a letter in 1916 and his Biographic information is located in that section.
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You asked for something about our families. My wife, who was Miss Mary Lackey, daughter of Andrew Lackey (deceased), is still traveling life’s highway by my side. She was raised three miles southeast of Sumner on her father's farm, now the Morts place. My only living child, daughter, Vinnie is married and has one child, Mary Wilfred, 3 1/2 years of age. Her husband J. S. Armstrong, is vice president and manager of the Armstrong wholesale music house. And just to give you some idea of the business done by the firm, which is composed of the three Armstrong brothers, will tell you that their running expenses for the year 1916 exceeded $60,000, so you see we are music loving people in the west, as there are two other large stores, besides a number of smaller dealers in the city.
We five live together and have many happy times and any time our old friends come this way we would be pleased to have him call on us.
Respectfully yours,
Mort W. Coffman
403 West Noble Street
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Messex, Colorado
January 11, 1917
Editor Sumner Press:
I am one of the wanderers from Lawrence County, and will take a little time to let my friends and relatives know where I am.
I was born in Lukin Township and my father was postmaster at Raurk, better known as W. F. Corrie. I wrote last year to the Pink Press. We lived in Madison, Illinois, and I suppose if anybody remembers what I wrote about Colorado then, I will have to apologize for being here now.
After living in Madison 10 years and working in public works most of the time, wife and I decided that we were on the wrong end of this game of living, consuming everything and producing nothing.
So as luck would have it and looking in a church paper one day I saw the name of Rev. P. D. Griffin and remembering that he had been a good friend of mine when he preached at Claremont, I thought I would write him a letter. When he answered me, among other things, he said he had a farm of 160 acres for rent and wanted me to take it. That was what I wanted to hear and that is why we are here.
As scenery, climate and statistics are among the forbidden fruit I will not write about them, but we are having a good time and lots of experiences. The two boys are keeping fat and feeling fine. It is wonderful the amount of things people can get along without and never know it until they can get them. We are roughing it pretty good.
I took one trip with the "sky pilot," which is Rev. Griffin. He travels about 100 miles every Sunday (thanks to Henry Ford for making a machine that can climb these hills), hasn’t of a church on the charge, that preaches in schoolhouses and it is surprising the number of people that gather to hear the gospel preached.
I still like to read the press and regret to hear of many of the best which have occurred the past year, also the losses by far, especially the burning of Bethel Church.
Well, when you come out on your vacation trip this summer, come over and see us.
Sincerely,
Glen Corrie
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Madison, Illinois
January 23, 1917
Editor Press:
Having lived in your community when I was a boy. I am deeply interested in its people and the Pink Sheet.
I am the youngest son of William F. Corrie, who lives about six miles northwest of Sumner on what is known as the old Staats farm. I was born in 1891, in Lawrence County, about 12 miles southeast of Sumner on the old Moffett farm near the old Moffett graveyard and Bethel church. My parents were members of this church and I attended the Frogeye School. My mother's maiden name was Elva Maguire. She passed away when I was two years old, leaving four children, three boys-Elmer, Glen and myself and one girl Alma. Elmer is married and living in Madison and Glenn is also married and recently moved to Messix, Colorado, Alma is now Mrs. Curtis Lathrop of Claremont. Almost 3 years after my mother's death my father married Mrs. Charles Bailey, her maiden name was Emma Fisher. She had one son six months older than myself. It kept our stepmother busy watching us. The creek, which ran below the house, was our delight and if we were caught with our hair wet it was a sure sign of a hard whipping. One day we decided that we would play a trick, so we went down to the creek and wet our hair. When we came back to the house our stepmother met us and told us to line up against the wall and went for the whip, but when we explained the joke she let us go. We thought we had things right and we could go swimming whenever we wanted and always tell her the same thing, but she soon got wise to this and the trick didn't work any longer. I think of the old home many times and wish I could see it. The last time I visited it was in December 1905, when Roy, Glenn and I spent Christmas with Mr. and Mrs. Sam Thompson near Bethel We attended a Christmas entertainment at Bethel, that being the only time I had been in the church since we left there in 1900.
Some of my schoolmates were Charlie, John, Victor, Evertt and Earl Joy, Austin Hebber, Agnes and Victor Bryan, Herman, Ethel and Orville Wright, Mary, Dell, Joe, Jim and Guy Schrader. Among my first school teachers were Mr. McCann, Miss Mary Wright., and Charlie Moore. In 1898 my father ran a small country store and at the same time had charge of the Ruark Post office. In 1899 we moved from the Moffett place to the Moore farm, northwest of Frogeye School, and lived there until 1900. Finley moved to Richland County, about five miles west of Sumner. We lived in this County until about two years ago, when the folks bought the farm they are now living on. In the spring of 1909, I left home and went to Tuscola, Illinois, and went to work on a farm. I had a cousin living there at that time but on account of sickness I was compelled to return home again, where I stayed about three weeks and then left again for Madison, and have been here ever since. The first three years I was here I was employed by the American Car and Foundry Company here. It helped build freight cars. I quit this company and accepted a position with the Kettle River company. I began as treating engineer helper. After six months I was transferred to the night run, where I had charge of the treating department. I have been with this company for about five years, but have resigned my position with this company to take effect February 1 and have accepted another position with another company at Granite City, Illinois. The plant is now being constructed. I will have charged at the treating department. Madison has a population of about 10,000 and has 48 or 50 saloons, which run day and night, 365 days in the year, but I am very glad to say that none of them bother me. Just after we moved to Richland County in 1900, I was given the nickname of “Happy Jack," and I was known by many people around home only as "Happy Jack." Christmas, to me, is one of the happiest days of the year and I always plan tospend it with my folks. I had a fine time at home this Christmas. Those who have had experience in being away from their folks know what a pleasure it is to spend at least one day of the year there. I hope to hear from many of my friends who the Pink Press.
Yours very truly,
Everett Corrie
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(Everett Corrie)
Biographical Note:
James Everett Corrie was born September 15, 1891 to William Friend and Elva (nee McGuire) Corrie. He was united in marriage on April 17, 1917 to Maud Anna Franklin, daughter of William John and Alice (nee Echelman) Franklin.
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