From Former Sons and Daughters of

Martha J. Moore was born in January 1848. She married William R. Strader. They had one child, Blanche (b. abt. 1878).

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Jesse Inez Perkins was born to Stephen and Mary Jane (nee Edmondson) Perkins in November 1894. In 1913 she married James Garfield Stroup at Vincennes, Indiana. James Stroup was born at Bradford, Pennsylvania, in 1881. Soon after their marriage, Mr. & Mrs. Stroup moved to South America where he worked in several oil fields.

James Garfield Stroup

January 17, 1917

Dear Editor:

I wonder how many are writing tonight, and if there are any farther from the old home and I. In reply to your call to the wanderers, I will jot down some of my history.

I was the daughter of James Moore, who lived and died one mile west of Flora Illinois. My two sisters, Caroline and Evaline and myself were taken after father's death to make our home with Thomas Corrie and family, his wife being fathers sister.

A jolly good home it was all will remember whose memory can travel that far back. I attended school at the old schoolhouse “Warren's Glory.” I grew up and was married from back home to W. R. Strader of Coles County in 1870. We spent our lives in old Illinois until coming to Canada from Toledo, Illinois in 1910.

I am living alone with my only child, who is a trained nurse. She makes good money here and has had the best of success in her work. They have tried since the first year of the war to get her to go to the front to nurse.My husband was snatched up by an accident October 5, 1916. After this blow it seemed we most hasten back to old Illinois, but leading people said, “no, stay here and you shall want for nothing.”We are on 160 acres in the Prairie, but are cozily situated as to ourselves in stock. Our nearest neighbor is less than a quarter-mile away. Talk of good neighbors, well you can't find any better anywhere that I have here.We had expected to sell out and return to Illinois in 1917, but now I sometimes think we will only go back to visit and make Saskatchewan our home.

Life has yielded to me much happiness. I am in good health for one of my age. Would enjoy hearing from any of the old-time friends.

Mrs. Martha J. Strader

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Augusta, Kansas

January 19, 1917

Sumner Press:

I received a reminder today in regard to the letter from the non-residents of Lawrence County.This is my first letter to the Pink Press, although I enjoyed the issues 1915 in 1916 very much. The editor would have known how we appreciate our paper had he seen all the trouble I put the mailman to this week in looking mine up when it had been misplaced. We usually receive it on Saturday evening and every thing else is put aside until it is thoroughly digested, not as much as an advertisement escapes notice. I was formally Jesse Perkins, daughter of S. W and Mary Perkins. My father was one of the oldest pioneer settlers of Lawrence County and a resident of Sumner for nearly 80 years. He died in 1914. My mother is still living in Sumner. Lawrence County will always be home to me. I try to make an annual visit there. I always notice changes even after one years absence yet it is still to me “the garden spot of the world".I was married 1913 to James Stroup, Bradford, Pennsylvania where we made our home until 1916, moving from there to Kansas. We are located seven miles south of Augusta, that thriving oil town in the midwest. There are a number of Lawrence County people here. We see someone from home almost every day. We like Kansas very much, and this field looks good for a number of years yet as it is only in its infancy. Wishing the press much prosperity throughout the year. I remain,

Respectfully,

Mrs. James Stroup

January 1917

The Pink Press:

I find the Pink Press very interesting reading. It permits each one to write his own story of himself and consequently we get the best account possible of the “other fellow", as well as having the glorious privilege of giving the most favorable account possible of ourselves. It is good however not to take oneself to seriously lest we assume ourselves a debt from the old world so large that we meet with grief and disappointment, for the world is very slow to pay even what it justly owes us. But beside the blessed privilege of writing ourselves up, the Pink Press informs us in a most pleasant and agreeable way of so many of not only former residents of Sumner and vicinity but friends and acquaintances and it is like getting a letter almost direct from each one of them.

It is surprising how many of those correspondents one remembers after so many years of separation.

In the sunny, sandy San Luis Valley we find it necessary to provide some way and means to while away the long winter evenings as profitability and pleasantly as we can just the same as you do in the old Lawrence County and the Pink Press helps its share.

I and my family read much, which, as brother P. W. “Ye Lukinite Scribe" in his recent kind letter to me wisely said, enables us to keep company with the wisest and best minds of all time.

Additionally to this way of profitability winter evening pastime we have in our home in Colorado several first class musical instruments which we bring into lively use many evenings. Music is one of God's most pleasing gifts to mortals; It spiritually disposes to the better things and invariably forms a common sympathetic bond between all such as play up on the harp, the piano for the violin and such like instruments. I often take my violin of a quiet winter evening. Soon it's melodies recall former days and associations. All my old time “fiddler pals” of long ago not only those of Lawrence County but elsewhere I have roamed and have met them. My violin is a more efficient reminder to me of them than the Pink Press for they do not all get into the Press, but the memory of them comes to me in the splendid soul stirring harmonies of my violin. In the old times we have played together. I have always endeavored to learn several pieces from good violinist as mementos of our friendship. When I play these mementos I tell my family and friends of whom I learned them, and as proficiency and peculiarities of the one who taught it to me.

And so, in the most delightful way possible I am reminded of Jim Harlan, Steve Perkins, Neil Taylor, Hen Allan, little Jim French and Billy Culter formerly of Sumner and vicinity, and besides these the Cottrell Boys and Higgines of Wabash County, all champion fiddlers of “ye olden days.” I am calling them by their pal names so we never knew each other by any other names. “Should Auld Acquaintance be forgot and days of Auld Lang Syne?” Not so long as we can draw the long bow, my fiddler pals, come out, old pals, who of you who may still be among the living come out to our Colorado home and we will hold a concert that will make the very sands of the desert sing, and all the hills rejoice. So long to you my fiddler friends and now let us bow ourselves in heart and reverently bless the good God, who stringed our souls with the harp strings of melody

Joseph Russel Sutherland was born March 8, 1851 to Asa and Mary E. (nee Harlan) Sutherland. On April 23, 1871. Joseph was a school teacher and preacher for the Christian Church. He was united in marriage to Amanda Fiscus, daughter of Alexander and Mary (nee Shick) Fiscus. Amanda was born March 22, 1850. To this Union the following children were born: Otis Asa (b. Feb. 1872); Alvis (b. Jun. 1875); Lawrence (b. Feb. 1878); Charity (b. Aug. 12 1883). Amanda and Charity both died August 12, 1883. On September 18, 1884 Joseph married Martha Effie Edwards; Martha was born on march 22, 1859. To this union the following children were born: Monta Effie (b. Apr. 1886); Eugene S. (b. Feb. 1888); Wilford (b. Jul. 1889) Bainbridge (b. Feb. 1892); Josephine (b. Jul. 1894); Bryan R. (b. Apr. 1897). Martha died January 11, 1926 and Joseph died March 11, 1928.