George Oliver Atkins was born in Illinois on September 11, 1865 to Richard and Ester Atkins, both of whom were born in Ireland and are buried in the Lone Tree cemetery. George was living in San Bernardino, California in 1900. Records indicate George was never married.
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San Bernardino, California
January 15, 1918
Dear Editor:
Having received notice from a relative of your call for letters from former residents, I will write a few lines in answer
I was raised on a farm in Claremont Township about six miles southwest of Sumner and lived there until I became a wanderer at the age of 21.
Since then I have often wandered back to the old home place and been made happy by meeting my old friends and relatives but for the last 10 years I have been living in California, too far away to visit at the old home very often.
I am engaged in business in a small way in San Bernardino. Am operating a fruit and confectionary store, doing fairly well, enjoying good health for an old bachelor and like this country fine.
I think your idea of an annual non-resident addition of your paper is a great one, and I would be very glad to receive a copy containing letters from all the wanderers from there whom I used to know.
Many have been called beyond and others are scattered all over this great land of ours, I know not where, so I think this an excellent way to get in touch with each other again. I believe if they had all had notice of your call they would take advantage of this opportunity to get together in spirit again.
This is the first time I received notice of your call and as I never saw a copy, I hardly know what to write, but thought I would do my bit by writing a few lines, to let my friends know where I am, how I am, and what I am doing.
I hope to receive a copy of the Pink Press, full of interesting letters from former residents near Sumner.
George O. Atkins
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Lewistown, Illinois
January, 1918
Dear Editor and Press Family:
We are located in the County seat of Fulton County and daily tread the soil where Lincoln and Douglas had their famous debates. I am Pastor of the Christian Church here also him doing some other work in a grocery store. We have organized a Ministerial Association which meets monthly and the duties of secretary were assigned to me. Since coming to this County I have preached ten funerals and married two couples, besides making the address on the fourth of July. Also preached the annual Thanksgiving sermon, this occasion being a union service. I have taken 20 members into the church. My name is. F. (or Frank) Bell, my father being Silas Bell.
We would be very glad to hear from anyone you see our address. Wishing all the press readers success, we will close,
Yours truly,
F. G. Bell
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La Harpe, Kansas
January 15, 1918
Editor Sumner Press:
By some crook or turn I received a copy of your paper, which I am sure was a welcome guest. I think your head is level and having the non-residents send in communications for publication.
I suppose I come in that class, as I lived in Lawrence County from the spring of 1853 until August, 1862, when with a lot of others, we bid goodbye to friends and boarded the train at Sumner and started for Camp Butler, Illinois, in Captain J. W. Watts company I, 130 Illinois and I wonder how many who were in that crowd are living today. God only knows.
In the spring of 1853 father moved from Indiana to Lawrence County Illinois, and Denison Township. We live one half mile north of Pisgah church, about four miles south and a little east of Bridgeport. Many times I live over those days again in my mind.
(F. G. Bell)
Biographical Note:
Franklin Grover Bell was born July 22, 1866 in Lukin Township, Lawrence County to Silas K. and Sonora Angelica (nee Kirkpatrick) Bell. Franklin was united in marriage to Nellie Grace Frizzle on July 19, 1914. Nellie was born April 11, 1894 the daughter of James and Mary Jane (nee Hite) Grizzle. There were seven children born to this union. Franklin died March 28, 1948 and Mary died in July 28, 1978.
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(F. A .Bonner)
Biographical Note:
Francis A. Bonner was born n Indiana in August 1841 to James and Christina Bonner. Francis was a Civil war veteran joined the 130 Illinois Company I on September 9, 1862, and was wounded at Vicksburg May 22, 1863. He married Sarah Ann (nee Flowers), born December 1853; died 1921. Francis died in 1923 and they are buried in the La Harpe Cemetery, Allen County, Kansas.
(F. A .Bonner)
Biographical Note:
(continued)
Editor’s Note:
F. A. Bonner wrote a letter to the Press in the 1919 section.
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(David Brian)
Biographical Note: Editor’s Note:
David also wrote a letter to the Press in 1917. See his biographic notes in that section
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There were six boys and two girls of my mother's children and I am the only one left. My mother died before I was five years old, 72 years this coming April. She's been in heaven a long time, but I will know her when I see her. My father died January 15, 1872, in Mercer County, Missouri. I had four brothers in the Army of Uncle Sam from 1861 until 1865, and so there were five of us in the service and no two in the same Regiment and had no two have passed away were buried in the same state. My oldest brother, Lou, was buried in Grayville, Illinois; J. M., In Slayton, Oregon; Charles W. at Long Beach, California; my youngest brother, Jim, in Hempstead, Texas, and here I am in Kansas, in my 77th year, just waiting, only waiting for the summons from afar, when we'll have a reunion over just across the bar.
Perhaps some who read this are wondering how much of a family, if any. My good wife and I have three children living, one daughter and two sons, two,-a boy and girl, died in infancy. The daughter and one son live in Kansas City, Missouri, the other son lives here in LaHarpe. I also have a half sister living in Nebraska.
Well, it's time I let up on this letter else I worry your patience. Tell my comrades and friends, if any, I think of them in my hours of meditation and think of the days of long ago.
I forgot to mention that I had a sister, the oldest of the family, who died in San Francisco in the year 1909.
With best wishes for you and all mankind,
F.A. Bonner
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731 Clanton Street
Los Angeles, California
February 1, 1918
Dear Editor and Readers of the Press:
I trust I am not too late to get a few lines in your Pink Issue this year.
Myself and family are always more than anxious to receive the Pink Press every year and think the only way we can show appreciation is by each one doing his or her part in making this issue a success.
It will be 27 years May 11, since myself and family left Sumner and came to Los Angeles to live. But my wife (whose maiden name was Frances L. Fisher and I have made several trips back to visit our home folks since coming west and sure enjoy a visit in good old Illinois.
We have all had good health and I have been in steady employment up to last April, when I had quite a sick spell and have not been able to work since. I am feeling real good at present and am improving right along, but had not fully recovered my speech.
I hope that my wife and I will be able to make a visit to Sumner again sometime in the future.
Now when any of our old friends and acquaintances come to Los Angeles, come and see as.
Hoping this finds you all enjoying good health and prospering, I am,
The writer of this letter was born on a farm in Monroe County, Ohio, in the year 1850, and at the age of 21 I landed in Bridgeport, making my home with my brother, Eugene Webb,, for over a year working for him on his farm, five miles south of Bridgeport.
I very well recollect my first day in Illinois. It was the ninth day of June and harvest had just commenced. I found everybody very busy in their wheat harvest. It was the custom them for two or more farmers to change work in harvest. My brother and Levitt Hughey were working together and after dinner they sent me out with the team to hitch up to the reaper. I having never seen a reaper before and placed the team to pull the reaper. I found out later it was the fashioned Rugs reaper and ran ahead of the horses. Then they had the Ha! Ha! On yours truly.
The end of my first year in Illinois I went back to Ohio, vowing I never had any more use for Illinois, as I was having the ague very bad and took so much quinine. I think that was what caused me to be deaf.
I remain in Ohio about two years and got straightened up. The next move was to Decatur, Illinois. I lived there two years and had good health, but concluded I would go to Texas, but would visit my friend in Lawrence County first and there I met that best girl I had been hunting for 20 years, and we hooked up and never got any nearer Texas.
We bought a small farm south of Beulah, where we lived for over 25 years and where all our 14 children, 10 of whom are still living were born.
After leaving Beulah we lived several years on the Lewis Shick farm and from there to Sumner, where we lived about nine years and engaged in the Book and Bible Agency Business.
January 1, 1918, we started for Los Angeles, and we located, temporarily, at 5931 South Olive Street, and only regret we had not come here years ago.
We are forbidden by the editor to write about mountains, cities or peoples, I will just say if anyone wants to know anything about Los Angeles address me as above and I will answer any questions to the best of my ability.
Thanking Mr. Wood and the boys for this great privilege and the Pink Press. I am,
JNO. W. Brothers
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(John W. Brothers)
Biographical Note:
John Wesley Brothers was born in October 1851 to Stephen and Levina (nee Green) Brothers. On September 18, 1878 he married Elizabeth Frances (nee Irish), daughter of Stephen A. Irish and Isabelle Adaline (nee Denison), born on October 13, 1859. To this union eleven children were born: Edna (b. abt. 1879); Jenny Myrtle (b. Dec. 1881); Adaline (b. Jan. 1883); James Leslie (b. Mar. 1885); Bertha Frances (b. May 1886); Lucy (b. May 1887); Nellie Elizabeth (b. Oct. 1889); Wilmer Stephen (b. Feb. 1896); Fredrick John (b. Nov. 1898); Theodore (b. 1902); Ralph Kenneth(b. 1906);
