This edition will be printed on

When we left Chauncey, we felt we were coming a long way from home, but no sooner were we located in our new home and Frank Baird and family, who were visiting relatives in this part of Indiana, called to see us. Later Miss Carrie Westall spent a couple of days with us and in November my brother, Ray, and family, accompanied by my mother and sister, Mabel, drove through in their car, making the entire distance 265 miles in one day. At Thanksgiving time Miss Velma Greer, who is teaching at Rockford, Ohio, spent her vacation with us. It is needless to say we were glad to see all these people and we shall be just as glad to see anyone who may come this far in the future. If you want to drive through in your car you will have good roads all the way after crossing the state line. We have seen only one mile of dirt road since we have been in this town.

We are now engaged in our first revival for this conference here. Although greatly hindered by the cold, snowy weather, the crowds are increasing and the interest growing. By the time you read this letter we hope to have seen many souls converted.

We are watching the Press each week for good reports from the Sumner meeting.
As ever your friends

B. M. Petty and wife

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Chatham, Sangamon County, Illinois

January 28, 1918
Editor Press:
Dear Sir and brothers, the "sojourners" of Sangamon are sending you a somewhat hardy greeting, but it is nonetheless hearty and sincere. Our number has recently increased by addition of two Methodist ministers, both of whom reside in Chatham. One of these is the Rev. Carl Corrie, who hails from Lukin, a native of Lawrence County. He has been pastor of the Chatham and Glenarm churches since September. His six feet plus makes him quite an imposing figure in his pulpit, though he is by no means an imposition, on the contrary, he is a good preacher and a man of fine social qualities, and winning for himself the favor of all the people-a worthy representative of the sterling qualities of the men of Lawrence.

The other preacher is the Rev. Mr. Barringer, who some years ago, traveled Sumner circuit, where, I am told, he did good and faithful work and made many friends. My acquaintance with him has led me to believe the story. Ill health has compelled him to abandon the pastorate for a time, and he has purchased a nice home here and added a good citizen to Sangamon.

The above is "original matter": the rest will be a good deal like preaching an old sermon over as there is nothing especially new to tell about the Pipers of Chatham. The first quarter of my fifth years with these good people ended with the close of the year, and we are well started on the ground, with however the prospect of closing our partnership with the present quarter and going back to the soil, graduating so they say from the pastorate to the plow. Whether it will be a good thing for the former and a bad thing for the latter, or vice a versa, remains to be seen. Anyway we are pleased at the prospect of being within driving distance of your splendid little city-near enough to visit our old friends more frequently and to have the pleasure of entertaining them when they see fit to honor us with their company.

Just now, in common with the greater part of Illinois, we are being besieged by that fierce and implacable old ruffian, Kaiser Winter. He has bombarded our roads with drifts and piled high his fortifications, compelling us to dig in for several days while we worked with might and main to dig out. Many of our roads look like long drawn out trenches, and these so narrow that it is with difficulty one traverses them with horse or team between banks from 3 to 8 feet high either side. Last Friday we thought old King Sol had shaken his grip, that he came back with a counter yesterday and halted the Kings advance and in holding him again in a firm grip. But, like the entente allies, we are sure that ultimately he will be routed.

The press has been, for these last eight years, a most welcome visitor and one of the best periodicals of its kind that has come to our table. Mechanically, editorially and in its correspondence it has few rivals, and we wish for it a long period of success under its present management.
Sincerely and cordially,

Joseph H. Piper

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Manning, Iowa

January 28, 1918
Dear Editor:
As we have never had an opportunity of writing a letter for the Pink Press and as Sumner is our home place thought we had better write a few lines.

My wife and son and I are enjoying the best of health. We have had real winter weather; the coldest was 33 degrees below zero, but we have had zero weather for about six weeks. There has been snow on the ground for about six weeks. Have had fine sleighing all the time and it has been snowing for the past 48 hours.

I will try to tell you what kind of place Manning is. Its population is about 1700, and it is sure a fine town for its size. We like it fine. It was pretty hard to get used to working at night and sleeping in daytime, but after you get used to it, it isn't so bad. We have a 75-bbl. mill and run steady day and night most of the time. Since the government took things in hands we haven't been running so steady.

After February 1 we will run for 60 days and nights. Sundays included, as the government granted us six carloads of wheat and we have only a certain length of time to mill it. The mill has a record of doing the most business of any mill in Iowa for its size.

I have written all I know of any interest, so we wish you good luck with the Pink Press, and hope to hear from many of our friends in good old Illinois.
Cecil V. Ridgely

Box 376

St. Louis, Missouri

January 23, 1918
Mr. L.M. Wood, Editor, the Sumner Press:
You deserve a medal for bravery in issuing that free-for-all challenge to amateur poets, but since you have done it, I am going to add to your misery by inflicting the enclosed ragtime versus on you.

There are two good reasons why they won't be acceptable: first, because they are rotten; and, second, because they are probably sent in to late; but, as I said in the beginning you have brought it upon yourself, and I can only hope that you go to the reading of them without any permanent ill effects.

4532 Oakland Avenue

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Landes, Illinois

January 24, 1918
Editor Press:
I will tell you of myself. Maybe someone would like to hear from me. I was born in Gibson County, Indiana, March 24, 1844, went to school at Knowles schoolhouse, one half mile south of Antioch church, until I was about 17 years old, my two brothers older than I being in the Army.

On August 27, 1862, I enlisted in company F, 80 Indiana, and in a week or so went into camp at Princeton, Indiana. September 8 went to Indianapolis, thence to Cincinnati and Covington, back to Cincinnati, thence to Louisville and marched a few days to Perryville, Kentucky. On October 8 went into a half days battle, just one month after leaving Princeton. We were in probably 50 hard-fought battles and skirmishes before the war closed.

The war closed and I got home July 10, 1865, went to work with my father on his farm, one half mile south of Chauncey, Illinois, he having moved there in the spring of 1865. Work for him that summer and the next, then began farming for myself and continued to the present.

I and glad to tell you I united with the Christian Church at Prairie Hall on November 4, 1866. Several years later organized at Chauncey and I was a charter member.

Afterwards I concluded I wanted a cook. I got her, too, a good one, in the person of Miss R. J. Baker. We were married on the seventh day of November, 1867. We have 5 children-all living, 25 grandchildren-all living, 7 great-grandchildren-all living, 37 descendents without a death.

I and tired writing all about self it sounds too egotistical. I understand that it is according to the rules.

I must say something about Uncle Sam's boys who are going to fight against the devil and his savages. Oh, excuse me, Mr. Satan, I mean that kaiser without a capital. All honor to the boys that follow Old Glory. I hope they show to the world that they are good brave boys and are not afraid to die for the right cause. I hope peace will soon be restored to our country.

I forgot to tell you that I immigrated from Lawrence County to Crawford County between Christmas and New Year's in 1868. We have 106 acres of land.

Thomas A. Rosborough

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Denver, Colorado

January 20, 1918
Greeting Editors, Friends and Wanderers:
I will try to write a few lines for the wanderers addition of the Pink Press.

I was born and raised on a farm in Christy Township, Lawrence County, four miles southeast of Sumner. I am the oldest of three children of James M. and Emily Ruby.

My mind goes back to the schoolmates that I went to school with at Old Franklin and Clark schools; and those I knew later at B. T. H. S. are not forgotten. Memories of the past and conditions of the present remind and tell us that the happiest days of our lives have gone.

For the last three years I have been traveling about, working here and there. Two years were spent in Iowa, the great farming state. The first half of this year I work for the Frisco Railroad Company in St. Louis, Missouri. I came to Denver about July 10, 1917. I am employed by the Golden Eagle Dry Goods Company as assistant shipping clerk.

My father, and sister, Nellie, live in Bridgeport, Illinois, and my brother Everett, is in Chicago employed as a mail clerk.

We have been having fine weather out here, compared to weather conditions in the east.

I would be glad to receive a letter from any of my friends, wherever they may be, and if any of you are ever out this way, would be glad to have you call and see me.
Yours respectfully,

O. H. Ruby

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New Metropolitan Hotel

Rochester, New York

January 16, 1918

My interest in this announcement is impersonal, though I was born in Lawrence County, on the old Frank Warner farm in the environs of Bridgeport, a location which will no doubt be familiar to the Lanterman's and the Gillespie's, if any of those once famous tribes survive. Also I may say that I spent the first 14 years of my life in Lawrenceville. Beyond this statement, I fancy, no one in Lawrence County will be further interested.

As this issue of the Press will likely have a wider circulation than is customary, I hope you will take measures to impress upon the minds of your readers the importance of the impending celebration of the admission of Illinois into the American Federation of States. The importance of this event lays upon every native of the state a duty which I hope you will be able to impress upon him, or her. Search among their old trunks for letters and papers and other documents bearing upon the early history of the County, or State. Nothing of this character should be considered worthless and destroy. Old newspapers are especially valuable. Some men and women may have been found to have diaries or other notebooks. These should be gone over with care, for sometimes an accidental reference to an incident, the mere mention of the name, may throw like in connection with some other persons incidental note-upon some important fact of history.

Mr. Sutherland articles have shown the paucity of early data which need to throw light on Lawrence County settlement. The information needed may repose unknown in an old and forgotten trunk, belonging to one of the old familiar. An historical society has been organized in the county, but an historical society is a little good unless the descendents of the early settlers come forward with documents to give it some excuse for being. Let us hope that someday this society may boast of a home say in that county courthouse. When it does, there should be a museum attached to it, containing some examples of the primitive household utensils of Lawrence counties infancy.

Howard F. Ruddy

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Danville, Illinois

January 21, 1918
L. M Wood & Sons:
We left Lawrence County to attend college. After graduating I taught two terms as school in Crawford County, the last one the Hutsonville. From there we moved to Merom, Indiana, to work for Union Christian College. After serving that institution as its secretary head of the Commercial Department seven years, I accepted a position as Commercial Instructor at Brown's Business College at Danville, Illinois. I like the work fine. We are located in the center of the business section of the city at the corner of Vermillion and North Street in a new up to date building, and have registered 421 students thus far. The school is growing daily.

Our son, Noble, is spending his sixth winter in the primary department of the Franklin School under the supervision of Miss Fenton, who is recognized as one of the best primary teachers of this part of the state.

Mrs. Sanford is spending the most of her time in looking after domestic and church affairs, although she aids in the teaching of shorthand in the shorthand department when needed.

The Sumner Press is a welcome visitor every week and find us at 602 Robinson Street, where any friends or visitor may find S.

Awaiting the Pink Edition, I remain,
Yours very truly,

W. S. Sandford

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Chicago, Illinois

January 19, 1918
To our friends in Lawrence and Richland's counties
Mother says "write once a week anyway", and we always comply gladly, so surely once a year we can write to our many friends through the non-resident issue of the press.

To speak of the severe winter weather we have been experiencing in Chicago would not be news, but from the amount of snow in the street in front of the apartment and piles like mountains in many places. I believe we can snowball until June. It has been zero and below here for two weeks and no promise of moderating as yet. While the intense cold is "inconvenient" in some ways, it is proving a great blessing to the city by preventing disease. The coal shortage situation, of which you hear so much, perhaps, is not such an important item with you, as there is always plenty of wood for cutting but if coal is short, but with us it is been brought home quite forcibly in many ways. Just as an example might say the other evening with the Mercury at zero, I returned from the city to find my wife (Ida) with two sweaters on, namely, hers and mine, to keep warm. There was no coal for heating the apartment. In a case like that, of course, there is only one inviting place, between the blankets, if you're lucky to have them.

Another way the fuel shortages noticed is the great manufacturing plants which are silenced on account of fuel, throwing thousands out of employment. As for myself the "heatless" Monday is rather welcome, as I have a holiday each week, with no reduction in salary.

The country is facing a real crisis in many ways, much of which we are made to believe has been brought about by administrative errors and the unreasonableness of labor, but we, as Americans of old, take pride in solving problems and will win.

Several changes have been brought about in my personal life since my letter of last year. The most important and pleasant was that of Miss Ida Warren becoming my wife in October last, now you know who I referred to when I say we.

Also I was with the Chicago and Alton Railroad Company until the first of the year, when I accepted a position as traffic man with the International Harvester Company of America. The new position, of course, was a nice advancement and I like it very much.

Fearing my letter will be too long, must close. We beg to say "Hello" to all and to cordially invite you to visit us in our home.
Yours very truly,

George H. Shafer and wife

6235 Drexel Avenue

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Terre Haute, Indiana

February 4, 1918

My maiden name was Eva Foster, the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Corban Foster. I was reared on the farm near Hadley, on the county line just south of the B. & O., this being a very dear place to me. I went to Hadley school and to Antioch sunday school, having served as organist at Antioch from the age of 12 until I was married.

We have been living in Terre Haute, Indiana, for the past eight years, and I think Terre Haute the best town in Indiana, especially since my husband is Judge and everybody has to be good. We have two boys, Paul, nine years old, who is in the fourth grade in school and enjoys his school work very much; James Corban, who is just one year old, and like his grandfather's, believes in rising early in the morning and making things move.

We are getting along very nicely, and shall be pleased to hear from any of my old friends through the Pink Press columns.

With best wishes to all, I am,
Very sincerely yours,

Mrs. Paul R. Shafer

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Tipton, Iowa

January 27, 1918
Editor Sumner Press:
Hearing of your special issue of the press through our aunt, Mrs. L. H. Morgan, will try to write some.

We are living five miles from Tipton farming 240 acres of land. We have been on this place four years. Have been in Iowa, near Tipton, for 11 years. We like this country fine.

We have two children-Beulah, aged 15, a freshman in the Tipton high school; Leroy, aged 13, going to country school in the seventh grade.

There are no other Lawrence County people around here and would be glad to see or hear from any of our Lawrence County friends at any time.

I was born and spent most of my life until 26 years old in and near Sumner. My maiden name was Stella Williams. Was married December 20, 1900, to Jesse E. Sloan in Sumner.

We left Sumner April 11, 1902. Lived in Kankakee, Champaign County, Illinois until 1907, when we came to Iowa.

With best regards to all our Lawrence County friends, we remain.
Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Sloan

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Galton, Illinois

January 22, 1918

The years are telling on us, but we are cheerful and full of hope. We are always finding good friends but none better than those we found at Sumner. We are reaching forward, but we are glad to spend a little time, now and then, to think of the past. Good feelings toward, and best wishes for everybody.

T. D. Spyker and wife

804 Lafayette Avenue

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Kansas City, Kansas

January 14, 1918

The author of this communication was born on a 40 acre farm in Bond town, Lawrence County, the old home (and I can see it now) being about nine miles northwest of Lawrenceville, and just two miles and one quarter southeast from that historic site on the banks of the Ambraw far away, known as Westport.

I left the old homestead Christmas Day, 1895, the day I was married. The fall of 1900 I removed from the County, going to Edgar County, near Paris, where I was Pastor of two country churches for four years. In September, 1904, were removed to Adrian Michigan, where I matriculated as a student of the Adrian College, graduating from that institution in June, 1909, after five years of the most strenuous work in my life. I say strenuous because when we landed in that beautiful city we had $250 in the bank on which to support our family of three. During the five years of my college life I made pictures "real pictures with a camera", worked with my hands carpentering and far more, and pastor for two years a congregational church in Tipton, Michigan, supplied three churches for six months near Jackson, Michigan, and purchased a church building and organized Methodist Protestant church in Britton, Michigan, which church I pastored until September after my graduation. The two years I was Pastor in Tipton we lived in the parsonage adjoining the church and I drove during the good weather can miles to Adrian, driving in all over 6000 miles in the two college years and carried 20 hours of recitation work in the college and preached every Sunday.

On January 10, 1907, we removed and accepted the supply pastorate near Jackson, and would leave my home Saturday morning of each week, travel on the train and with a horse and buggy 150 miles, preached three times on Sunday, getting home Monday afternoon and do five days of college work in four. The Britton work was not so difficult, this city being only 12 miles from Adrian and easy access via the Wabash Railroad. This work I did because I was determined to have a college education, and while getting it to keep myself as much out of debt as possible and do some service in my work in the ministry. The result of the whole may be summed up in these words: on June 17, 1909, I received my diploma from "Old Adrian," graduating with the largest class in the history of the college, of which class I was president and in which I was tied with another for first honors; had led into the kingdom a large number of men and women; and had supplemented my $250 to the extent that I had only involve myself in debt to the amount of $350.

We are now in Kansas City, Kansas pastoring the largest Methodist Protestant Church in the city. We have a fine people with whom to labor, a people thoroughly alive to all the needs of the church and the kingdom, and who support their pastor and family in a modern Parsonage and was salary commensurate to our needs and their money. Our problem now is to live up to the needs and demands of a great city like this one a city with approximately 400,000 people, about 80,000 Protestant church members, 40,000 persons belonging to other religious and semi religious organizations, and about 200,000 unchurched people. When we think of this field and its problems we explain "who is sufficient for these things?" But when we think of the many noble, God-fearing, self-sacrificing men, pastors in other churches and our noble constituency in our church membership and that "power belonged unto God," we explain again "we can do all things through Christ which strengthens us."