From Former Sons and Daughters of

January 25, 1918

Editor Press:

I am a wanderer from old Lawrence County and the East Side of Richland. I am the second daughter of William Gudgel. I was born in Richland County, Bonpas Township in 1877. When I was only a babe, my father moved four miles south of Claremont and one mile south of Mt. Pleasant church and there my good mother closed her eyes in that long sleep and passed to the greater world above.

My father remarried to Malissa Ricter, his present wife, and then we moved to the place where he now lives and moved into Lawrence County and lived there three years, then moved back where he now lives again and there I grew to womanhood. I got most of my education at old Bugaboo school. I went two terms to Uncle Charlie Carter, as he was known and most of you near Sumner remember him. He was one who didn’t believe in using the whip, but hired us to sweep the school house and learn the multiplication table. I often think of my old school days at Bugaboo, but most of my schoolmates have moved away and some have passed away from this world.

In 1895 I was married to John E. Heath, son of Tobias Heath. I spent most of my married life in Lawrence County. Have one sister, Dora, in Oklahoma, and one in Urbana and one at Broadlands, Illinois, and two sisters and one brother living near Sumner.

I expect some time in the near future to visit back there and hope we can all meet and have a happy reunion together.

In the fall of 1914 we left Sumner and started for old Arkansas, our present home. Now we live six miles southeast of Beebe and 2.5 miles north of Butlerville, where we get our mail. We live on the mail route and have a nice little home of our own and are prospering as well as we ever did up there, but we would be glad to have any of our old friends come from up there and make us a visit.

The editor says not to tell about the climate, but I just want to tell on we have got a big snow down here. We too could go sleigh riding if we didn’t hang on a stump. It is the biggest snow that has ever been here.

We have taken the Press a long time and could not get along without it, as it is like the letter from home, for we hear from friends we would have never know anything about if it wasn’t for the Press. We lay all other papers aside till we read the Press.

Wishing the editor and all the

Press readers a happy 1918.

Minnie E. Heath

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McLeansboro, Illinois

January 28, 1918

To the Editor, Friends and Readers of the Press:

Another year has come and gone and we are looking forward to the reading of letters from friends and old schoolmates. How we prize them and with eagerness peruse everyone.

When I think of the many happy days spent in old Lawrence, I almost wish that I might call back a few years and live them again, but alas! They are in the past, only to be remembered and fondly thought of.

Since living in the west the few years we did, I think more of the old home County and while finding many pleasant places and people, also the spot of our childhood days is the dearest. I and the happy mother of four boys- Otis, Hubert, Walter and Paul. All are strong and well, which is so much to be grateful for, and oh! The great anxieties of a mother's heart. We are now serving the McLeansboro Station work of the M. E. Church: have a fine, large brick church and nicely located in the city. We have a fine Epworth League and a pretty good Sunday school. I have a Sunday school class of the young married ladies, which I enjoy very much, and am always so happy when doing work for the Lord. There is no work that lies quite so close to my heart as God's work, and if I may be able through him, to accomplish anything, the glory belongs to him. We had a nice town, although I have lived places I like much better. I must close, wishing the best to all. My parents are Henry and Caroline Wright, still living on the old home place of my mother. I attended school at old White Oak, which is a very dear spot to me and my memory holds dear the teachers, schoolmates and classmates, as well as the happy times.

Yours,

Addie Wright Ivie

Junction City, Oregon

January 17, 1918

To My Old Friends Back Home:

I was born in Lukin Township, Lawrence County, Illinois. My father's name was William C. Ivie . We lived on the farm until I was 14, when we moved to Sumner. Lived there until I was 18, when I went to Centralia, to attend Business College. While there I met Miss Nora Spicer and we were married the 16th day of November, 1907. My wife graduated shortly after we were married and I when I finish my course there we moved to Portland, Oregon. We lived there until 1913, when we moved to Junction City, Oregon, and went to farming.

I am now farming a 300 acre farm for a Mr. Bailey in the Williamette Valley. This is one of the finest farming sections Oregon. The Valley here between the mountains is about 10 miles wide. We can see the ridges of the high foothills on each side of us.

We have two children, a boy, 8 years old, and a baby girl, 1year old. We like the country fine. The people out here are some of the finest in the United States.

I would like to go back to Illinois on a visit to go down to Bethel and Frogeye and spend a long time visiting my old boyhood chums. Some of the happiest years of my boyhood were spent there. I would also like to visit Sumner and spend some time of the old days over again there.

I will never forget the times George Emerick, Frank Baker, Hugh Sivert, Ned Huston and my many other boyfriend spent together. I wish you were so everyone of my old friends could visit me in Oregon. I like the climate and seasons much better than an Illinois. I would be glad to receive an answer any personal letters from any and all of my old friends there.

Wishing all the very best of success,

I remain Your friend,

Victor C. Ivie

R. F. D. No. 3

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