(Harry G. McKelfresh) Biographical Note

(Harry G. McKelfresh)

Biographical Note:

(Frank “Francis” McNeely)

Born October 2, 1860 to Samuel and Elvira Dorcus (nee Close) McNeeley. In the 1880 census Samuel McNeely and wife and Children Francis, William G, Elnora, Emmaretta and Idella lived in Petty Township. Francis married Alice Jane Reeder. Alice was born in August 1868; To this union the following children were born: William Hollis (b. Dec. 1889); Lola G. (b. Sep. 1891); L. (b. Dec. 1893); John R. (b. Sep. 1898). Frank was a Tin Smith. Alice died march 15, 1946 and Frank died January 3, 1923 and they were laid to rest in the Topeka Cemetery, Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas

---------

Charles Milburn was born February 1865 in Illinois to Harrison and Emily (nee Shoff) Milburn He was married November 11, 1885 in Lawrence County to Laura Buchanan. In the 1910 census the children are listed as Dora, Ray, Helen and (Charles) Albert. Without this letter Helen’s death would be a mystery to genealogists. In addition to the three sisters he mentions, he also had a brother, John R.

The Charles Milburn family was living in Evanston, Cincinnati Ohio when the Pink Press was published in 1917. C.S. wrote then that he was still traveling for Bray, Robinson, Curry clothing house of Louisville Ky and his territory was all of Indiana north of the B&O SW RR to Michigan. Albert was at Purdue, and Dorothy was now Mrs F. E. Brodt of Scottsburg Ind. He also states that Mrs. Milburn have been in Cincinnati “ visiting her parent, Mrs Jesse Buchanan, Charlie and Edith. Father Buchanan passed away last august in his 80^th year.” He also notes that while the city claims to produce 80% of the soap made in the US you are ready for a bath every time you go downtown because of the smoke from the factories.

Now, Dear Editor, if you have any use for this in your special, use it, but if not just drop it in the wastebasket and let it be forgotten.

With best wishes for the Sumner Press and all this readers for a pleasant and prosperous 1915, I close,

Respectfully,

H. G. McKelfresh

------------

Topeka, Kansas

January 24, 1915

Editor Press:

While visiting at the home of Warren Gibney, I had the pleasure of reading the Sumner Press and talking of old times. I think it was about 1870, my father Samuel McNeely, moved to Sumner. I attended school in an old frame schoolhouse. First teacher I remember was Thomas Stevens, later Miss Whitmore, Sallie Keene. I have a copy of the Sumner Weekly Democrat Vol. 1 No. 1.

Father is dead, mother living near Topeka. Since leaving Sumner have lived in several other counties in Illinois then to Colorado, Texas and now in Kansas.

I often think of old Illinois as the best state in the union.

Frank McNeely

517 Lime Street

---------

Seymour, Indiana

January 15, 1915

Mr. Editor:

In response to your request for a letter for your non-resident issue, I will attempt same and trust it will be appreciated by the readers, as I know we will certainly find great pleasure in reading their letters.

We left Sumner 12 years ago next August, having lived there 18 years, with the exception of our year spent in Olney, in the employ of S. J. Eckenrode. While living in Sumner, I was employed in the mercantile store of Marion May & Sons and I. H. Bunn. Mr. May and Mr. Bunn, excellent men, both have since gone to their reward. I accepted a position with the Buckskin Breeches Company of Evansville, and moved to Seymour, Indiana and traveled for them exclusively in Indiana territory, for 10 1/2 years, until the dissolution of that firm. I've been connected with the Bray, Robinson Curry Woolen Mills of Louisville, Kentucky with whom I hold a lucrative position.

We are duly thankful for the good things of life and prosperity, but have suffered a great loss in the death of one of our dear children, Helen, who died in San Antonio, Texas four years ago this next May, where my family spent the winter months. I also lost my good father a short time before, at the age of 85 years. To know him was to love him. My mother is living in Olney with my sister, Mrs. Jno. C. Page. She is 86 years old and enjoying very good health. She spends the summer months at Maple Shade farm near Mt. Carmel with my oldest sister Mrs. O. H. Wood her every need is looked after my sisters, Mrs. Page and Mrs. VanAusdel. She will enjoy reading your non-resident issue so I will send her a copy.

Dora, our oldest daughter, who spent her childhood days in Sumner, is still home with her mother. Ray is married and is prospering as proprietor of the Seymour Cleaning and Pressing Club. He was with me one year on the road with the Buckskin Breeches Company. Albert, our youngest is 16, and a junior in high school.

Seymour is a very progressive city of 8000, noted for its beautiful paved and shady streets, well-kept lawns and houses, excellent school buildings and ward schools, good churches and also a fine Farmers Club building, given to the farmers of Jackson County, for their exclusive use, by the Blish estate, in memory of Meedy Shields Blish, the first farmer of Jackson County, and is kept up by the estate. Seymour is 59 miles south of Indianapolis, 54 miles north of Louisville, Kentucky, 87 miles west of Cincinnati, and 100 miles east of Vincennes Indiana. We have three railroads; also one of the best interurban roads in the state runs through here.

Thinking it would be wise to leave some space for more able writers, wish to say in conclusion, that Mrs. Milburn and family join me in very best wishes to all readers and friends far away, but not forgotten.

Our number is 516 North Ewing Street Seymour, Indiana telephone 792R. The doorbell is broken but when in the city knock and enter.

Very truly yours,

C. S. Milburn

---------

January 14, 1915

L. M. Wood & Sons:

I thought some of my old friends might like to hear from me. Born in 1877, in Chauncey, Illinois my father M. R. Newman was running a general merchandise store there at the time after being in the employee of May & Bunn, at Sumner He is now living at York Illinois, Clark County, farming and doing nicely.

I am in the employee Swift & company, St. Louis, Missouri, as bookkeeper, since 1902, work four years for the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway previous to this, which was my first position after leaving school. 17 years of straight work out of my 38 years of life.

My wife and I paid a visit to my old hometown two years ago, stopping at my cousin's house, Fred Correll.

I left Chauncey in 1884, and was only back twice since then in 1889 and 1912. I lived in Sumner with my aunt and uncle, S. S. Henderson and wife for almost one year. Think that was in 1885. Uncle Henderson died at Chicago in 1909 and since then my grandfather and grandmother coder having passed away and having a family, working all the time, I do not get to make many visits to Lawrence County. Uncle Morris C. Coder, as lots of the readers know, is now stopping with me here in St. Louis.

Respectfully,

Clarence A. Newman

2769 Chonteau Avenue

(continued)

(Clarence A. Newman)

Biographical Note:

Clarence Ashmore Newman was born in Lawrence County on July 21, 1877 to Morman and Awlinda (nee Coder) Newman. Clarence was united in marriage to Elizabeth (unknown). Norris A. Newman was born to this union about 1897. Clarence died on may 21, 1952 in St. Louis and was laid to rest in the Walnut Hill Cemetery in Belleville, Illinois.

Aaron C. Pepple was the son of Jesse and Margaret Pepple born in December 1863. He has two sisters. Mrs. Lyman Stivers and Mrs. C. V. Murphy, Three brothers, Oliver Jasper and Theodore. F. and Harley M. Pepple. Aaron married Emma Jackson about 1900. The 1910 census lists four daughters: Smith(?) age 8, Jarnet age 5, Walker age 4 and Elizabeth age 1. Aaron died sometime before 1918. Aaron and Emma are buried in the Oakland cemetery in Dallas, Texas.

January 13, 1915

Publisher Press:

I noticed in your newspaper that you want everybody that has “strayed away" or run away, either night or day to write a letter to the Sumner Press. Of course when you write a letter to the Sumner Press is just the same as writing to all the home folks.

You say for us to tell you where we lived. I lived up in Petty Township, on the banks of Muddy Creek near Spring Hill College. I left Illinois about 25 years ago. Of course, I was very young then I had been traveling for the Art Metal Construction Company, of Jamestown, New York will be 25 years the fifth day of this coming April. They have paid my expenses and, of course, I have eaten three times a day, and I am still on the payroll, still eating three times a day. Have traveled throughout 29 of 30 states but has spent the most of my time in Texas, and I am now almost a native Texan. Married a Texas girl and we have four little Texans, all-girls, and of course the finest girls in the world. Now five native Texans make one "Illinois sucker" stepson.

Mrs. Pepple and four girls are thinking of making a visit to Illinois this summer that is providing I can borrow the money to pay the railroad fare, as you know these railroads have a habit of taking the money in advance.

I have been telling my Texas girls that I kept School at Buckhorn and Petty colleges several years. They are anxious to see the place where they would allow me to try to teach school, but I was there just the same, and those were good old days down in Lukin and up in Petty. Lots of good old spareribs and backbones and everything else good to eat and just as free as the water to Muddy Creek when there was water.

You can travel all over the world but you can't find any better people than they have in good old Lawrence County. They claim that the south is noted for its hospitality, but I tell them that they can't beat the people of Lawrence County. Lots of good people down here in Texas and they have certainly treated me fine, and I haven't any complaint to make.

The Sumner Press has visited me every week for the past 25 years that means a letter every week from the home folks. I read it through and through and am just as anxious to get it as when I first left home, and if I owe the Press anything send me a bill and I will remit it to your next payday. Wishing all the good people in Lawrence County and the Sumner Press, all the good things there are in store for 1915 and ever more, I am,

Yours very truly

Aaron C. Pepple

"Everyday is the Best Day"

Former location, Claremont Township, Richland County Illinois

Present location Bonesteel, South Dakota

January 1, 1915

To the Sumner Press:

Although I was a reader of the Press in my father's home four miles southwest of Sumner, near Beulah Church, where he still resides, in the days when that paper was edited by J. A. Igler, circumstances did not permit me to be a continuous reader or subscriber but since I have been able I have been glad to read it with interest, especially news of my old friends and most of my near relatives who still live there.

I spent many years roaming about since 1882. I lived in a number of places near central Illinois, in St. Louis and southern Missouri at a few different places in South Dakota, including from Bonesteel to North Dakota line, also in North Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska and a short stay in Oklahoma.

I have a home here now and plenty to eat and wear since I have made my home in Bonestel, about 15 years ago. I have not been Sumner since the first part of the year 1902. This is the best winter since I lived here.

I wonder how many readers of the Press remember the old camp meeting held at John Kneppers Grove, west of the old Beulah log schoolhouse, when the men made platforms of wood covered with earth to build Hickory bark fires on for lights to light the Grove during the meeting. I was one of the boys who helped gather the bark. Well, younger people have better places of worship now. We did not sing with organs then. We used one horse to plow corn then. School was short-term.

We plowed in stumps and instead of the short term of school many were compelled to take an ax and clear so the younger ones could have a better time. How many think to thank those older ones who made longer terms of school possible and also gave younger folks a chance to go to school full-time, also use modern machinery instead of the stump plow with aching ribs, a grain cradle and grass scythe, they have the binder, mower and cultivator, all fixed up to ride upon. This is passed with the panther and wild turkey and the old angling road through the woods to Sumner or to Andy Milligan's mill, east of town with cordwood as high as a man could reach to use.

Samuel W. Perrott

------------

Grand Junction, Colorado

January 20, 1915

Editor Press:

In answer to your special edition, I will write a few lines, as I was born in old Lawrence County and still have many warm friends and love for my dear old home and country back there.

I was born and raised three miles south of Lawrenceville.

My maiden name was Isabel Henderson. I lived in Lawrence County until 1910, and then came to Delta, Colorado with my daughter, Miss Bessie Lake, for her health, but came too late and she passed to the great beyond. Then I remained here.

I married Robert Petersen, of Delta, Colorado, where we had a beautiful little home and many friends.

Last February we came to Grand Junction, Colorado, as Mr. Petersen’s business called him here. We have made many friends here, and had met a few from Lawrence County, which were our friends there.

I will say I love the beautiful sunshine and climate of Colorado and wish all Lawrence County friends’ happiness and success.

As ever,

------------

Samuel w. Perrott was born about 1860 in Ohio to John and Ann

Samuel wrote an interesting letter for the Press in 1917

Hickory bark works extremely well as torch fuel; a mixture of green hickory bark mixed with dried strips of hickory bark. Bind together a group of these strips. Include enough kindling in the middle to catch fire easily, and to maintain enough heat to light the bark.

Isabel Henderson was born in Lawrence County about 1856. She was first married to Calvin Ridgley. In the 1900 census the following children were listed: Leola Ridgely, Harley V. Ridgely, Jessie E Ridgely, Calvin M. Ridgely. Calvin died sometime before 1894. In 1894 she married David A. Lake and the following children were also listed:

Bessie and Bertha Lake. David Lake was not in the 1910 census. In 1911 Isabel was again married to Robert Peterson as mentioned in the letter.

Harley V. Ridgley

Son of Isabel Peterson

Theodore E. Piper was born on January 25, 1844. He married Margaret E. Hillis in Richland County on May 22, 1863. Theodore died January 15, 1919.

Catamounts:

Large cat similar to puma, mountain lion, or panther
Puncheon:

A piece of broad, heavy, roughly dressed timber with one face finished flat

---------

January 23, 1915

Dear Editor:

I was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania in 1844. In 1859 my father, Abraham Piper, mother, uncle Robert Piper, brother Will, and myself came in an old-fashioned, high wheeled covered wagon, from Pennsylvania to Illinois and located in Christy Township, Lawrence County. At this time there was no Sumner, and no B. & O. Railroad.

The country was wild deer, wild hogs, wild turkeys, catamounts, foxes, lynxs, raccoons, opossums, skunks, and minks were more numerous than the rabbit is there today. Pheasants were as numerous as the prairie chicken is today and there were wild pigeons without number. I have captured my share of all these animals, in fact I captured seven wild hogs one day and two lynx one night.

Now I must tell you about my school days. Mr. John McCarthy taught the first school I attended. It was not a public school, but a subscription school, that is, each student paid the teacher $2.25 every three months. The school house was log, 16 feet wide and 20 feet long with one window on each side. It had a puncheon door, with wooden hinges and a wooden latch, a puncheon floor, clapboard ceiling, clapboard roof, puncheon seats without backs, wooden pins were placed in the holes, that were bored near the windows, and a board laid on these served as a writing desk. Two could write at a time. Now don't you think we had a glorious time?

In June, 1862, I enlisted as a volunteer in the Civil War at Sumner. I was in Company K, Illinois Regiment No.70. Then came the second glorious time.

I have been married twice. My first wife's maiden name was Margaret Ellen Hillis. To this union six children were born, three living and three dead. My second wife's maiden name was Lucy Ann Fenis. To this union seven children were born, three living and four dead. At the present, the numbers of living children are as follows: six children, 21 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

My present home is in St. Marie Township, Jasper County, Illinois.

I am 71 years young, a farmer, hale and hearty, working every day. I own eight hundred twenty-four acres of land, a host of town property, and some money on interest.

I have taken many a good old fox chase and coon hunt, and I still enjoy coon hunting as much as ever.

Yours respectfully,

T. E. Piper

-----------

January 17, 1915

Editor Press:

I, for one, and thankful to the editor for the chance to send my old friends a greeting. May the year 1915 be a prosperous one for you, and in the language of Rip Van Winkle, "may you live long and the happy." Do you remember our "Rip Van Winkle" we had in Sumner? He was sure fine! W. Shepherd was his name.

Those were good old days to me, and I often tell my boys and girls of the fun we used to have in my girlhood days in Sumner, Illinois. Young people do not have the pleasure we did then, and I often think of all of you and the fun we had. We love the far west it has been my home for many years and has "ties" binding needs to Colorado. My children were born and raised here. My husband was buried here. As far as I know now it will always be our home but thoughts often wonder to old friends and old times, girls, you that are left of our "old set," do you remember? There were the Westall boys and girls, Jones boys, Tom Hoopes and Molly, John Burget, Cash Laws, Scott Bunn, Will and Alice Morgan. There were more boys in our set, who like myself, have gone or wandered away from old Sumner. There was Dora Burget, Molly David, Ling McElfresh, Lyde Lent, Lucy Jones the two who were the life of the set, Grila Turner, she was married to, but she like Lyde Lent had a good, kind husband and did not care how much fun they had with us young people. There was John-I cannot think of his name, he married Mary Milligan. Please pardon me if I do not mention your names. Your faces are all before me now, but I forget names. Last but not least, is my dear old friend and chum, Belle Lewis Day, who has left us, but girls, she will always be with us. When we recall those girlhood days, you that are left will often think of the fun we had when we would go over to spend an evening with the Hawkins girls, Allie, Kate, Lily, we would go to Mrs. Lewis (no men there) and our girl parties were just fine and you boys and girls all had a good time at our house.

I know Pa Turner and mother love to have you come and did all they could to make us have a good time.

Boys, you that are left of our old set do you mind the time you got up a surprise party of 10 or 12 of us in a sleigh and went out on state road to see Jennie Elkins? Well, it sure was a "surprise" to some of us, for it turned out to be a dance and the two mollies, Bell and I, of the party had joined the church and were trying to do right. Of course it caused us some trouble, I never did dance so it was no temptation to me, but for Bell, well, we were pretty angry at the boy for a while.

About that time we girls formed a club of girls also join the "blue ribbon" club and made a vow to not go with a young man if we knew we had been drinking. (We had a lonely time for a while) I do not mean to even think out loud that our boys were guilty, but they just simply kept out of our way for some time. I can think of a lot of stories to tell of old times, but I will wait and see if some of the rest of you will not have a story to tell for some of the special edition.

We did a great many foolish things in those days, but we try only to think of the goodwill we always had for each other."Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind in days of old lang syne ?" No, I say and when our time comes to go at some of the old friends before I hope they’ll play us where we played some 40 years ago.

Emma Ruark Rawlings

Emma Burt Ruark was born April 9, 1856 in Illinois to James F. and Martha Elizabeth Mattie (nee Roberts) Ruark. On April 6. 1876 in Lawrence County she was united in marriage to Joseph Talbert Rawlings, son of Loyd and Matilda (nee Ruark) Rawlings. To this union Census records indicate the following children were born: Guy Willis (b. abt. 1877); Bertha Dell (b. May 1881); Joe W. (b. May 1886); Edith M. (b. Nov. 1887); Lloyd Hamilton (b Apr. 1896); Elmer D. (b. Mar. 1898); Mildred (b. abt. 1901)

Joseph died May 17, 1906 and Emma died April 24, 1940. They were laid to rest in he Orchard Mesa Cemetery, Grand Junction, Mesa County, Colorado

---------