This edition will be printed on

January 15, 1919

I can apprehend many sad reports among the letters this season. Hardly a home or heart in the world which has remained intact from the ravages of war, influenza or other form of trouble during 1918. It will go down in history as representing two extremes: one of absolute anguish and one of glorious exultation to the fulfillment of a great dream; monumental in its greatness in comparison with other years, but furnishing full draughts from the cups of sorrow for most of us.

Last June 8, about the time the sun was in eclipse, the death Angel summoned my best earthly friend and mother lay at rest. She sleeps beside father there in the Sumner cemetery, which is as beautiful and well kept as any you will ever find claimed by the city its size.

Not many days after mother's death, received an announcement of the birth of a second grandchild, a little girl, born to Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Frymire, of Salt Lake City and named Kathryn Lee. Mrs. Frymire, our daughter, Kate, and the babies have remained in the home while Lieutenant Frymire, her husband, has been in an army camp in the east. Just now he is with them, having obtained a three-month furlough.

Mary, our second daughter, is employed in the home school and, like the others, has taught only intermittently. The flu ban has been in effect so much of the time that our term is not half finished, though school opened in July.

George, our third and youngest, is not far from the largest of the family now. He attends high school, a member of the sophomore class.

Mr. A. is home with us now having had employment near Brookland, Arkansas, during this summer and autumn.

Uncle A. M. Fyffe’s family are well and employed same as at this time last year, except Arthur, the youngest, who is yet in Camp Funston.

Mrs. W. F. Guess, of whom we spoke at another time, died very suddenly of heart failure last September. Her husband was shocked to awake and find her dead in bed. He is still in Dexter and was well as usual when we heard from there not long since.

Other former Illinois residents near here are prosperous and in good health, save a few who are convalescing from influenza.

With best wishes to the Press and all its readers, I remain,
Yours very truly,

Della Daniels Abernathy¹⁹

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Monan, Indiana

February 1, 1919
Dear Readers of the Pink Press:
Another year has gone and here we are again. Although there are great members who have passed into the great beyond, some of us have been spared.

We have all gone through something that one year ago we did not realize as we do today, that is in giving up our boys for the great war. Dana, has been in camp since June 15, 1918 until January 27, 1919. Never left the states, has not arrived home yet, as he and wife are visiting relatives at Olney.

Herbert was in the last draft, but did not have to go. Ere this is printed Herbert will be married. He is breaking on railroad making good money.

Nina graduates from four years high school in one week on February 7.

Sorry to see so many passing away at old Sumner especially the passing of Mrs. J. M. Brian, a good friend of mine. I loved her so much. It grieves me when I get the Press to see my good friends had gone.

We had flu but got through all right, for which we are thankful, whole families have died here with it.

I hope in March to visit Sumner again and I am anxious for the time to come.

Last year I sent a letter for this issue and received four letters and cards from friends of other days, of whom I had not heard for so long. Was so glad to hear from them. Hope I shall have as good success this time. I will close and wait anxiously for the letters.

Mrs. Lizzie Anderson

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Guthrie, Oklahoma

January 31, 1919

Editor Press:

We didn't have any boys in the first registration, but the second one got the youngest and the last one got all of our sons and three of our grandsons and some of them were anxious to go, but I am thankful that the war was over before they were called to go, for surely it had lasted long enough to leave plenty of suffering and expense for years to come.

I, like all others, have tried to do my little bit in food saving and had helped some with Red Cross work, though I never did join the society, consequently have no Red Cross flag to display in my window, but as I belong to the Church of Christ. I need no other society for his teaching will thoroughly furnish us unto all good work, and if all nations were humble, obedient Christians, nothing more and nothing less, it would do away with so much crime and sinfulness and also the necessity for wars of any kind.

This country has been afflicted with the flu and there has been some deaths from it, but the weather is very nice now and those who have it seemed to be getting better. Our immediate family has escaped it so far, thanks be to God, the great giver of all good gifts, to man.

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El Dorado, Kansas

January 14, 1919

At present we are all in the best of health and have been except for a very bad spell of the flu and pneumonia, which Elsie had during November. It looked for a time as though she would not get well, but by skillful doctoring and good nursing, she is regaining her strength.

We are located about 6 1/2 miles north of El Dorado, on the Stone lease. I am at present and have been for the past eight months employed by the Carter Oil Company as gauger. We have a nice little bungalow, built for us, furnished by the company without any charge; also free coal (we have no gas here) and electric lights. Our house is on the old Hocking Trail, running from Texas to Montana, and directly back of it runs the beautiful Walnut River with the Santa Fe Railroad about halfway between the house and the river. We are about one half mile from school and Charley Baltzell, goes to school everyday. Lorena is with her grandparents and going to school at Hadley. This is a description of our surroundings here.

The Kansas oilfield is certainly a great field and I believe the Carter Oil Company the best in the mid-continent field.

This is quite a change for me from one year ago and I often think of my many good friends on Rural Route No. 3 whom I was serving at this time last year.

Should any of our friends happen out in this "neck of the woods" while we are here we would be much pleasured to have them call on us.

We certainly appreciate the Press each week, for it is like getting a long letter from home, for some time we expect to return to our home there.

Work here has been very plentiful until recently, things are a little dull. The wells on this lease produce from 100 to 600 barrels every 24 hours. We have a railroad station just a half mile from us, where we have two stores and a butcher shop and can go to El Dorado twice each day and return.

We have with us here Vernon Diebold, of Sumner, who is certainly making good in the oilfield.

Ed and Nell Perkins live in El Dorado and come out to see us occasionally. Ed looks 20 years younger than he did when he left Sumner and they are both doing fine. Fisher and Sergeant, who used to drill in the oilfield there, and who lived at Klondike, are both drilling on this lease.

I will close, with best wishes to all.
Very respectfully,

George A. Baltzell

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Clearwater, Florida

January 30, 1919
Editor Press:
As I have never written to the Pink Edition of the Press, I thought I would write a few lines to let my old friends know where I am and what I have been doing.

Five years ago I lost my wife and broke up housekeeping and had been making my home at Princeton, Indiana, with my son, Charlie, doing nothing but run around and visiting old friends and relatives in Kansas, Iowa, Ohio and Michigan, and two years ago I came down here for a short time and liked it so well I thought I would come down and stay a little longer. So I and French, one of Oliver Baltzell’s boys left Princeton, Indiana, January 6, came down to Evansville, stayed all night, took the Dixie Flyer at 6 o'clock the next morning and arrived in Jacksonville the next day at 3 p.m. stayed all night, took the train the next day at 11 a.m. arrived here at 9 p.m. and John Berryhill met us at the train and we are boarding with him. He is doing a thriving business. He has 24 regular borders by the week and lots of transients.

This is a fine city of 4000 population, situated on Clearwater Bay 20 miles north of St. Petersburg. Dr. Murphy lives there; I got a letter from him yesterday. He says their G.A.R. post is to celebrate Lincoln's birthday on the 12th of next month and wants me to come up. I think I shall go. He says there are several hundred visiting comrades there and I expect they will have a nice time. Dr. Murphy is quite poorly.

There are about 600 tourists at this place. I expect to stay here till after April 1.

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From our oldest non-resident

Sedalia, Missouri

January 20, 1919
L. M. Wood:
I will write a few lines for the Pink Press, as I can't do like you say, but you can read pencil marks.

I am 88 years and 5 months old; only missed 3 Sundays this year at church and sunday school. Have 12 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren and 1 great great-grandchild. How is that for an Illinois mother? Also am a member of the Red Cross. Have been away from Lawrence County 17 years.

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La Harpe, Kansas

January 17, 1919

My letter to the Press last year brought me so many kind letters.

Success to your paper and to all that read it.

I was born near the Wabash River in Posey County, Indiana, in 1841. Yes sir, in Posey County, and I have never regretted it for a single moment.

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1005 East 58th Street

Los Angeles, California

January 20, 1919
L.M. Wood and Sons and the grand Army of readers of the Sumner Press greeting, and thanking you in advance for the privilege of a letter in your columns.

Have been in Los Angeles over a year now and am a voter again. Have been engaged in gardening for the last year, with fair success. I have had the use of four city lots and have raised good potatoes, tomatoes, beans and roasting ears, and about everything we could use in our family of seven.

Have two girls and three boys with us yet. The girls work in the telephone exchange and the boys, Fred and Theodore, are working in a garage and learning the business, and Ralph would be going to school if there was any. The schools have been closed nearly all winter on account of the flu, but the time is set to open the 27th of this month.

I cannot tell you how long we have been taking and reading the Press, but it was when Carlton was the editor. I traded him a load of stove wood for a year subscription and have been a constant reader from that day to this and must say we appreciate it now more than ever. It is better than a letter from home. It makes me sad lately as there have been so many deaths among our dear friends.

We like the Southwest very much. It is sure the land of sunshine. There has been some frost here this winter, but they claim the fruit isn't hurt much.

I think it would be in order that we congratulate each other over the happy ending of the war and tender the soldiers a vote of thanks.

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Augusta, Kansas

January 25, 1919

I have taken the Sumner Press for several years and still enjoy it, I, or we, as I am married now, try to visit old Lawrence County once a year.

I was married in the year 1916, and now have a daughter to bless and cheer our little home. We are in the oilfield of Kansas, located in the little oil town called Brownstown and enjoying the best of health.

My parents are Clint and Lillie Caudle, five miles northeast of Sumner.

We like this state fine, but still call Lawrence County home. If we keep our health, will try and make Lawrence County a visit this fall.
Leo H. Caudle, and wife and daughter

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Oakville, Washington

February 3, 1919

It was 26 years last fall since we left Lawrence County and I have never been back. There have been many changes. Some that were so near and dear to me have passed to the great beyond.

How thankful we ought to be that our boys have come back safe, for so many of the western boys of the 91st were in the last great battle and so many are coming back wounded and gassed.

Had a pleasant visit with Moses Petty, California, last fall.

Hope to hear from all my old friends through the Press.
Mrs. Jane Chambers

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Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

January 20, 1919

My name is Clara Chapman I am the daughter of William and Zerelda French. Was born and raised a my fathers farm, five miles southeast of Sumner, in Lukin Township, where my sister, Mrs. R. F. Barnett, now lives. I attended church and Sunday school at Mt. Zion church and went to Franklin school. Among my first teacher's were Stella Walker, Cains Eaton and Henry Perkins, and my last, O. B. Fyffe, Mattie Stiff and the great professor Doney.

I was married to Charles Chapman in 1891, moved two miles north of my father's farm. We live there 10 years. Two sons and one daughter were born there - Levitte O., William Estes and Bessie Bernice.

We then moved to Doniphan, Ripley County, Missouri, where we lived and cleared up a farm. Stayed there about 13 years, and then came to our present home in Broken Arrow, Tulsa County, Oklahoma.

Our oldest son, Levitte, O., is in Uncle Sam’s service, went to training September 5, 1917, at Camp Travis, San Antonio, Texas. Sailed for France June 21, 1918, landing at LaHarve, France, July 6. Was in training there until August 23, when he helped hold the front at St. Mihiel till September 12, when the big drive began, then was in that until October 11, then was on another near Verdun till the Germans said enough. He is now with the Army of occupation in Germany. He says the boys are all anxious to come home now that the fighting is over, but he never heard one say they wanted to come until the Germans were whipped good and proper. Said everyone wanted to fight after they had seen how the country was torn up and the people wronged. Says they have gone through hardships, but would take no money for his experience and travels if it were possible.

Estes, the youngest son, is with us farming. He would have gone into service in September if armistice had not been signed.

We have been back to our old home in Lawrence County twice since we have been away and although each visit was of short duration we met many of our old friends and enjoyed ourselves very much.

I want to say that the Press is a welcome guest at our home each week, and I sometimes think one don't know it's real value until they get away in a strange country, but when you wait anxiously for a whole week and it comes crim full of news from our old stamping ground and of people we used to know and be with almost daily, one certainly does know how to appreciate it. It was a Christmas gift from my sister, Mrs. Lessie Barnett, this year and last. I could not have gotten a better one.

I just want to say we are doing well and like Oklahoma fine. Wheat and all crops do well here, but I believe it is against the rule to talk about our country, so I will wait with patience for the Pink Press and the many soldier letters, which I enjoy most of all. Will also expect to see a great many letters from friends and relatives whom I have lost track of entirely. And now just a word, if any of our friends should come to Broken Arrow don't forget to inquire for Charles Chapman and family. We will be easily found and will be glad to see anyone from old Lawrence County.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Chapman

Route One, Box 111

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Waynetown, Indiana

February 8, 1919
Sumner Press:
I will send in a few lines for the Pink Press, as I have made but one attempt here-to-fore on this line of corresponding but at your earnest solicitation, I will make a second attempt.

We moved from Lukin Prairie, Lukin Township, Lawrence County 10 years ago this spring, and located on an 80 acre farm 3 1/2 miles southeast of Waynetown, where we have lived ever since, and as age is creeping on us, we have retired some quiet from the hum and buzz of active life, but still moving around enough to keep up circulation.

There are only two of us in the family now and our ages combined only lack about two months of rounding up to 155 years. Were married at the ages of 27 and 28 and will pass our golden landmark in this present month.

Have four children-Cora L. Price, of south of Sumner, Route No. 2; Sherman Ellsworth Cooper, formerly a missionary in Japan 14 years and now in the Y. M. C. A. work at Camp Grant and has been there about ever since the U.S. declared war against Germany; Clara May our third child, married Charles E. Bell, of south Sumner, has been living in Wenatchee, Washington, and in the west for 18 years. The youngest of the family, Albert Ivan, is located four miles south of Bridgeport. We had 10 grandchildren living and one dead and one great-grandchild.

My father's family consisted of 12 boys and 4 girls, 16 in all. Two sisters and seven brothers have passed over to that country from which no traveler ever returns. Two sisters, one in her 82nd year, and five brothers, still on the probationary side of the river.

A few more Pink Press Papers and my father's family will be forgotten.

We are thankful to the Lord that the armistice has been signed and hostilities ceased to a great extent, but the world is restless, strikes and anarchy are brewing on every hand. Don't know what kind of a volcanic eruption will come next. The war has made us more boastful than humble. Next comes this pestilence that is on us now, taking human lives by the millions. Famines and earthquakes in divers places and yet amid all this the dance must go on and let joy and pleasure be unconfined. Sunday picture shows, ballgames, excursions, joyriding is the way to many of us are keeping the Sabbath at this age of the world.

The Lord bless the Peace Congress with divine wisdom, so that they may bring peace out of chaos and that the kingdoms of this world may soon become the kingdom of the Lord and his Christ. Then all this ungodliness will cease. The fountain never gets above its source, so this reformation will need to begin in the so-called churches, yes, right in the pulpits, for if I understand the word of God, no preacher or professed follower of the meek and lowly Nazarene can join himself to any of these worldly orders or organizations. The theaters and eating, drinking, reveling and abominable idolatries, as Peter has it in First Peter 1:4. read 1st Corinthians chapter 6 verse 14-18; Ephesians 5th chapter verses 6-19. After we have read let us strive to obey, for judgment is going to begin at the house of God, and we may be surprise when the sifting is over.

I will not worry you any longer, will close by stating that we are very sorry to hear of so many of our neighbors dropping off.
Mary R. Cooper

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Liberty, Mississippi

January 14, 1919

While we have no desires for Illinois, we still have fond recollections of old friends and acquaintances we left there. We see by the Press that one by one, they are passing over the great divide.

This leaves us both well and younger than we were in Illinois. We are enjoying the good old summertime, kids are going barefooted, have not had to feed a ton of dry feed to my teams or cattle up to this date, hogs fat on the beech nuts in river bottoms, don't have to sow grass for pasture as we did in Illinois, as carpet grass and Bermuda and Lespesa are natural production of the soil.

We grow cotton, corn, oats, peanuts, rice, sweet and Irish potatoes, hay, sorghum and Louisiana syrup corn. We raised last summer eight bales of cotton, plenty of corn to do us, 90 bushels of small Spanish peanuts, 35 of larger ones, rice and lots of hay, oats and cow peas and we think any of these are easier to raise than Ben Davis apples.

There are four white families in our neighborhood, 14 families of colored.

The high land is as good as it is around Sumner and the river land is as good as it is there.

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Detroit, Michigan

February 3, 1919

We have always been residents of Lawrence County, the greater part of the time in the vicinity of Sumner.

We have been a subscriber of the Press for several years and think it a fine paper, as it tells us all the news around home.

We have lived in the city of Detroit for almost 2 years, or I am employed by the American Railway Express Company.

We find this a large and beautiful city of almost one million population.

The people here are industrious, being engaged in all kinds of industry. The principal industries are the manufacture of automobiles and aeroplanes.

Also the discovery of thick beds of pure salt in the down river district led to the establishment of another of Detroit greatest industries.

The Burroughs Adding Machine Company, which employs 3000 hands, makes 90 percent of the adding machines in the country and sends them all over the world.

The manufacture of overalls is a great industry here, making 60 percent of all the overalls made in the country. Also the manufacture of aluminum castings and brass in various forms.

The city has three hundred and eight churches of various denominations. One hundred and thirty-six public schools, about twenty colleges and universities and one hundred nine banks.

Having written, I believe, as much as space will permit in your paper, I will close, wishing you success.
Yours respectfully,

Clarence Fish

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Chicago, Illinois

January 31, 1919
Editor Press:
Just a few lines for your Pink Sheet to my many friends from dear old Sumner. I am enjoying the best of health and am happy to say that our youngest daughter, Lota, is over there, doing Red Cross work.
Yours,

J. M. Freese

6254 Maryland Avenue

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Denton, Texas

February 2, 1919

I have enjoyed all of the past homecomings. Your letters have all been interesting to me. It seems a splendid opportunity to renew old acquaintance and share our mutual joys. But speaking of "joys" seriously reminds me of one feature of this reunion, which I fear will show a tinge of sadness. The past year has brought sorrow to so many homes that it is evident that many of our dear wanderers have been affected. The great world war has been so frightful, so many of our brave boys have been cut down, and their loved ones on this side will not be permitted to again look into their true loyal faces. Many are coming home maimed beyond recovery; this awful pestilence called the "flu" is abroad in all lands, and I fear that the homes of many who contributed inspiring letters a year ago, have been brought to grief and will now tell us of their sorrows, and some way feel too gloomy to even send in their letters. Truly, our hearts will go out to those with love and tender sympathy.

But for we who have been blessed and spared all the heartache alluded to above, it is our duty to write the most cheerful letter possible. If we have any knack at all of scattering myrth and sunshine, and let's get busy.

We have a letter today from our boy, who is now in Germany, with the occupation troops, under date of December 4. He writes that he is well and happy. Brags of having a sweetheart in France, who has taught him to speak her language almost perfectly. He tells us that all the fighting he was in was so strenuous that he had neither time nor inclination to get homesick, but now he is really growing very homesick. Certainly we are thankful that our boy, so far, has escaped all harm and that we have hope that we will soon have him in our home again.

Our entire family is well, happy and prospering. I may be different from others regarding that word "prospering". Three meals a day, all paid for, is prospering, as I understand the term, especially if it is good home cooking, as I am getting. Still I don't think that is perfect prosperity unless one is retaining all of his old friends, and continually picking up new ones as the days go by.

I picked up my Sumner Press today and where the announcement appeared referring to the "Fifth Annual Homecoming", I noticed a heavy blue pencil mark. Now if this had simply been a checkmark, or a mark straight across, I would have not worried over it, but it was a long stroke, kinder on the bias and that has led me to believe that I am expected to furnish more poetry of the reminiscence type. Excuse me folks, I retired from my poetry business last February. I still enjoy the other fellows versus, but I shan't attempt to reel off any more until you folks feel like coming back close to nature and show that you appreciate the good old style "Hog and Hominy" brand of poetry. Now if one of the good old Lawrence County wanderers has a vision of those good boyhood days way back in the 70’s and comes across with a bunch of verses, bubbling over with pathos, taking into account us common people, I'm going to write him my congratulations, even if he does use the expression: "a long persimin pole", to make a rhyme with "our dear old swimming hole", or that "Uncle Dan was mad as all, all Sam patch because we stopped to view his melon patch".

I realize there has been much drifting away from the old beaten path and that the higher critics are now crazy about the fellow who pulls through "Yale", then finishes up at "Oxford" and comes back with a diploma, bearing a gold seal in the left lower corner, some purple ribbon woven through the other corner and some old English script in the center, meaning: "young fellow you are now IT." That guy will get our goat every time, for he will write very little about things material, but he will soon be climbing up on things etheral and soon he'll be up where he can get a straddle of the Milky Way, and while kicking Jupiter in the short ribs, he will be writing a lot of junk, insinuating that he caught Venus making goo-goo eyes at Saturn, and so on along that line.

I had a lady friend, that is, she was my friend, who went to Chicago to finish up at the University there and came home quite a talented writer of poems. I would still speak to her on some occasions, but later she went to Columbia University for higher degrees. On one occasion soon after her return home, she overheard her small brother in the act of memorizing that good old sensible poem about "Mary and Her Lamb. Its fleece was white as snow, and everywhere that Mary went, that lamb was sure to go." Well, here's what that big sis of Columbia postgraduate fame, did for him. She said: "here child, give me that old book and I'll revise that lamb so it will be in keeping with modern times." And here is what brother had to re-memorize, called "The 20th Century Lamb": "Mary was the proprietress of a diminutive incipient sheep, who’s outer covering was as devoid of color as the congealed atmospheric vapor and to all localities to which Mary perambulated the young Southdown was morally sure to follow."

I won't punish you with any more of it now, but she simply paralyzed the whole thing. If I write you next year, I may give you another verse of it, but I don't think it right to ask anyone to hear it all at once.

I have felt much interested in the Pink Press issue since the very beginning. So much interesting news from old-time friends with whom I shall always want to keep in touch. Soon after your homecoming was published last year, receiving more than 40 cards and letters from wanderers in different sections of the country and I want everyone of them to know that I thank them very much for their happy, jolly greetings.

And now in closing, let me admonish you who are poetically inclined to not be at all peeved, if the awarding committee cannot possibly name you all as winners. When the Pink Press came out last year my wife expressed her astonishment that my verses even received favorable mention, "Y!, Will,” she said, “Your efforts remind me more of a collection of "Mother Goose rhymes." I told her that was all right, but some of those good old scout boys from the region of Spring Hill School whose memories remain acute, knew I wasn't trying to work off a lot of "Aesop's fables" on anyone.

One sport of ancient days, who has not lost his sense of humor, wrote me after last homecoming, and pointed out where I had missed the opportunity of my life to have run in an extra verse. Thanks Noah, for the inspiration you gave me. If you think the Press won't have to suspend publication, let us both write next year, and tell it all.

To you who love excitement or would play the oil game, I would invite you to come see me, and in a few hours time we can drive to the greatest oil fields in the world, were great gushers are being brought in and astounding fortunes are being made overnight, or in a few minutes time.

But I just must close now: my wife is calling, saying it is time I was getting back to my wood sawing.

However, remember we love you all, and wish you the greatest possible happiness and don't neglect to keep those good heart-throbbing, cheerful, bubbly letters coming every time the good old reliable Sumner Press extends the opportunity.

W. C. Fyffe

Better known as "Fogy".

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Bloomington, Indiana

January 13, 1919

Yet memories review of great events cannot be complete in full without mention of friends. The world would have been a sadder world today without staunch and loyal friends among nations. Life would be a void without friendship. And it is of the many friends of Lawrence County that we are now thinking. What would our brief home of nine years in Sumner have been without true and loyal friends? It would have been most miserable! The wife and I were just counting the number of friends who have passed over the River of life in Sumner and we didn't have fingers and thumbs sufficient in number to tabulate them. We will miss them when we return to visit Lawrence County. It was death which led to the quick change of our residence. So death makes and unmakes thrones, positions and powers, and sojourns.

Our new home is not entirely new, for it was the former home of the wife and her parents. Many old friends are passed away and new ones must take their places. Adjustment to new conditions is the order of the day. We found a former Lawrence County boy, city clerk, by name of Cooper. It is but natural that a close fellowship has arisen between him and me. Then we find others who have been married by Squire Kellar, at Lawrenceville. A more metropolitan citizenship is around us than was at Sumner. The student body of about 2000, come from all over the United States and some from across the seas. Many of the young men are still wearing the uniforms. The "flu" has closed and kept closed the public schools. Much criticism is heard by some, but we do not find fault with the school authorities for careful attention for "safety first." Church and social life are in keeping with metropolitan ways and ideas. But we missed the church bell. Had all churches been Bell-less, we would not have had the "Little Brown Church in the Vail." So after all it is not the metropolitan town which always produces the lasting sweets of life.

At present we are in the recorder's office as deputy. We find this work fine and congenial, and a good place to form an extended acquaintance. Should Lawrence County record and index all instruments filed for record as we do in Indiana, a separate office would be required. It is an easy matter to run the records over here, compared with there.

The Sumner Press is met at the door as a welcome friend before the mailman gets it into the mailbox on the porch. The latch string is always out for its entrance. We think it better every week. We all wish it extended prosperity and happiness. May the fruits of well-earned newspaperdom always rest as sweet laurel upon L. M. Wood and his true and faithful family, is the least we can wish through the columns of your paper.
Fraternally your,

T. S. Gerhart and family

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Urbana, Illinois

January 27, 1919
Editor Press:
I thought I would not write this year, but receiving a special to hurry up I will write just a few lines. I thought somebody else could write one more interesting, especially the soldiers of our country.

We have stood the winter fine. All had the flu early in the fall (in a light form). Certainly sympathize with those who had it and had bad luck and lost some of their family.

I think the last year has been one that we will always remember.

Wish only better and brighter year and the Pink Press a success.

607 West Washington Boulevard

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Hunter, Arkansas

January 1, 1919
L.M. Wood:
Mr. to Mrs. Charlie J. Heath were both born in Crawford County, Illinois, but while children, their parents moved to Lawrence County, where they were married in 1888. For 20 years they lived and toiled in Lawrence County, near Westport²⁰ and Sumner until February 1918, when they moved to Hunter, Arkansas, where they worked for M. Mushrush and Robert Diebold for five months, then got a job on a farm three miles from Hunter, where Elmer Amerman gave Mr. Heath half the crop and all the corn he could use and work by the day out of the crop.

When Mr. and Mrs. Heath went to Hunter they took all their savings for 30 years as baggage on this farm and in 11 months they have accumulated one registered sow with eight fine pigs, worth about $80: three fine gilts, one fine registered male, total value of $180 in hogs. They milk three good cows, which makes from 4 to 6 pounds of butter week end; have 50 laying hens, six fine ducks.

I want to say to friends and neighbors of Illinois that this is the place for poor farmers who try to raise their living.

I have 20 acres fine oats. Expect to put about 20 acres of corn on another place. This is a good place for stock, as they can run out all winter. The grass is as green as in springtime. Not much fruit around here.

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Grand Junction, Colorado

January 17, 1919

We should all be much happier this year than last, to have peace declared and our boys, so many of them coming home.

Here's a welcome to all who fought there. How noble and manly they are, how true, those splendid boys who fought for me, for you. The stalwart and sturdy who spent their manhood's best, the maimed and crippled, too, are all coming to be our guests. Give jobs to those who left one, pay interest for their heroism, for deeds of courage, cheer for they are surely worthy. Remember what they've gone through for you, for me and while we greet our living heroes, we silently shed a tear and breathe a sigh for those who lost their previous lives over there. We can never forget them our dead heroes left on a foreign soil. God bless and keep all mothers, wives and sweethearts of those heroic dead. And our boys who lost their lives in the training camps are heroes as well as the ones over there.

I have surely enjoyed reading all the soldier boys letters and the ones in Sumner Press seemed to me to be extra good ones.

I suppose a great many of you get the "Trench and Camp." We have always had them. A Chicago boy at Camp Kearney sends them to me now. We were all at the station when the Chicago boys, 300 of them, passed through. They were a jolly good-natured bunch. Met some of them who seemed like old friends. One of them writes to us every week. Poor boys in Camp Kearney and all other camps, who did not get to go over, they sure wanted to go bad enough, but they keep in good spirits even if they are so tired of nothing to do, as they say in "Trench and Camp."

I spent last summer in the mountains, cooking at a goat ranch, 25 miles from the Junction. Had one grand time. I do so love the mountains, but sometimes long to see the plains again. I had a fine or garden up there and I wish you could only see things grow in that soil! Well, I'll not say too much. You would perhaps call it a fish story. Then I would get out and herd the baby goats (kids) and try to keep the little things with the herd, for they were inclined to climb the mountain side out of sight, then Mr. Coyote had a meal of goat.

You should see me (at my age too) scale those rocks after the little critters. Their mothers are out feeding, no dogs around, so it had to be done. And I am glad that I could climb. There were lots of girls herding sheep, so lots of pleasure for all, as well as work. I heard the first whip-poor-will up there last summer at night that I have heard since I left old Illinois, and he seemed to come to the same tree every night for my own benefit. I would feel sad, for all love to hear him. He made me think of days of long ago when a girl at home. It is strange, is it not, dear friends, that old times and old familiar faces will seem to come to us as plainly as if only yesterday?

We are all growing old fast, old girls of younger days, but say, we can still keep our hearts from growing old, after all, don't you think?

I am thinking tonight again of Belle, Molly H., Millie D., Alice M., Gilla Turner, Lide "Bent." Lide Petty, Tiny McKenimish and lots of other dear old girls I used to know in Sumner and Calhoun.

I sometimes think of the boys, too, that they were not always in our fun (but as a general thing not on hand). Hello! To you Becky Sumner, Add Jones and her mother. Sister Dell and my dear mother. May God bless you all this year, and to all old friends, may you live long and be happy. Do not forget your western friend and wanderer.

Daughter of Mrs. M. E. Klingler

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Hampton, Virginia

January 26, 1919
Dear Home Friends:
Thought I would write a few lines for the Pink Press, As I am a non-resident of old Lawrence County this year.

The editor asked us to write of ourselves. I am afraid if I should do that my letter would be no more eloquent than interesting.

However, I will jot down a few personal remarks, so that you may identify me, for even if I am the same, my name has changed since leaving Lawrence County.

I was born in the Southwest corner as Christy Township, oh, a long time ago, and am the daughter at P. W. Brian.

For five years I made teaching my profession, but gave it up last spring for a better one-that is demonstrating practical (?) domestic science in a little kitchen of my own.

We live in Hampton, a town of about 25 or 30,000 inhabitants about seven miles from Newport News, Virginia, where my husband is an architect and daughtsman of the emergency fleet.

There are many interesting places here. Camp Stuart and Hill and Fort Monroe are near and we live about half a mile from Hampton Roads, an old historic waterway. It is a nice place for boating and bathing in the summertime, and we can see all kinds of vessels from a rowboat to a battleship.

There is a small ship yard here. They launched their first government ship last week. It was just a freighter, but cost something like $1 million and took about a year and a half for its completion. Imagine then what time and money a merchant or battleship must require.

We are about 200 miles from Washington D.C. and spent a couple days there while on our wedding trip. It is a beautiful city, with some of the most beautiful architecture in the United States.

We came down to our new home by way of the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay, landing at Old Point Comfort or Fort Monroe, which is about four miles east of here.

The people here are very proud of the fact that Hampton is the oldest permanent English settlement in the United States. Most of the houses are old-fashioned. The town was partly destroyed during both the Revolutionary and Civil wars.

I see my letter is drifting into a descriptive, rather than a personal one, so I will bring it to a close.

I often think of the people back home and would love to see you all.
Yours very truly

Mrs. Imogene Maffett

523 Ivy Street

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Hadley, Pennsylvania

January 28, 1919

I am the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Legg, living six miles northeast of Sumner, where I was raised. I was married to John B. McQuiston in the year 1909. We have five children-William, age 9; Mina, 7; Mary, 5; Arthur, 3, and little Amon Legg, 10 months, William and Mina go to school. William is in the fifth grade and Mina in the second grade.

We have lived in two states since leaving Illinois. They are Oklahoma and Pennsylvania, where we now reside. We have a farm of 110 acres here. It is a very nice place to live and we all like it here, but my husband prefers oil work to farming, so we have rented the farm and will make a sale sometime soon and go back to the oilfield.

It is hard to go through Illinois without stopping at Sumner, so we will visit our friends and relatives. It has been two years since we were there.

We have had very nice weather this winter, scarcely any snow, not enough for sleighing, which is a rare occurrence in this country. At this time last winter the snow was about four feet deep.

We are all enjoying good health.

With best wishes for all, I will close, hoping to find many letters from my friends in the Pink Press.
Respectfully yours,

Vira A. McQuiston

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Yale, Illinois

January 16, 1919
Editor and Readers of the Press:
This is our first opportunity of writing a non-resident letter to the Press, however, we will endeavor to do our best.

To speak of Sumner makes us feel like home, for we were born and raised near Sumner, at Amity, where we spent many happy days.

We regretted leaving our home and our many friends there, but our work has called us to a new field of labor.

We found a sociable and very friendly people around Yale. There have been a number into visit us. Have given us many invitations out to see them. We like our new work fine so far, it being our first charge. We have, of course, been delayed in much of our church work, owing to the scourge of influenza, which has visited our little town. We are glad to report that at this time there are no cases in town. The churches and schools are all going again.

We held our first services last Sunday since the ban has been lifted. The people all seemed glad to be in the services again, after being closed so long. Although closed that we could have no services, we were busy working the church privileges and visiting our members. We were unable to visit some of the sick because of the quarantine which was on. We sent them words of encouragement and remembrance.

We have four places on the charge. We haven't been able to hold any of our revival meetings yet.

I must tell you I word about our town. It is a town of perhaps 300 inhabitants and I do not believe I ever saw town that did more business.

Although we have been handicapped for a few months by the disbandment of our railroad, we are rejoicing in the fact that we are going to get it back.

We have three churches in our little town, so you know it could not help but be good.

Well we must close our letter. We are looking forward to the day when we shall be reading the Pink Press.

Loren Miller and Wife

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Cedar Rapids, Iowa

January 22, 1919
L.M. Wood and Sons, Editors of what I think is Lawrence counties best paper. I will try and write a letter to all my old friends at one time, as I am too busy to write many personal letters.

I left Sumner in August, 1918, with very deep regret, starting out to start life anew somewhere. Very naturally, I drifted to Cedar Rapids the home of my loving daughter, Mrs. W. K. Lytle, where I have all the comforts that a loving daughter can provide for me. After visiting with the family for two days, I realize that I must hustle out and get a position of some kind to occupy my mind, time, draw a salary, etc. So I put the recommendations of F. H. Correll, Dr. A. G. Mountz, O. A. Fyffe and George W. Hill in my pocket and started out.

I decided, however, to try for a position on a streetcar, so went straightaway to the superintendent of transportation of the Cedar Rapids and Marion city street Railway Company and told him I was looking for work and he told me he was just at that time looking for men past the draft age, who wanted to work, so after looking at my recommendations, handed me a plum I was looking for, so thanks be to Providence. I have a good position, that of streetcar conductor. Later, at on spells, I have broke in as motor man also, so I am at home at either end of the car and drawing monthly salary of more than $100. So it can be fully realized by the reader that I am somewhat independent. I like my work and have a bunch of friends among the car men.

Cedar Rapids is a beautiful city of 45,000 inhabitants. Has more large manufacturing plants than any city of its size in the United States. The largest cereal mill in the world is here-that of Quaker Oats, the National Oats Company have a mill here too, but it is an infant by the side of the Quaker.

People who travel any never should complete their journey without coming to Cedar Rapids and allow me to say right here, if you do come, look me up and I will see that you are entertained fully, so without further ceremony, friends call on me.

Now, I have told you about myself and the city, but allow me to say right here that when I decide to quit street carring I am coming back to old Illinois and when I get relocated within her borders I will roam no more, so in short, if I live a few short years I will be back among you to stay the remainder of my life in Illinois.

So, friends, my advice to you is this: if you have a farm in Illinois, keep it; if you haven't, get one, get one as soon as possible, for where I long to be you should be also.

But as a world hates a crape hanger, I must change the subject and to the friends of the family allow me to say Selma is upstairs entertaining a new daughter, born the 9th, inst. All doing well.

Will be glad to receive a letter or a call from any of my friends.

With a fond memory of Sumner and Chauncey and all my friends, I close by wishing the Press, the editors and my many friends a very happy, prosperous year.

Moffit Mills

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Winter Haven, Florida

January 17, 1919
Mr. Wood:
I again take up my pencil to write a few lines for your home coming issue of the press.

All who know me know I am a Lukinite. Born there in 1845. Though in the land of oranges and all kinds of fruit there is no place quite like home.

Wife and I left home last October, meandered to Kansas City, from there to Pleasanton, Kansas, also to Prescott, visiting relatives, and thence to Miami, Oklahoma, where we visited other cousins. From there to Billings, Oklahoma, where we visited our daughter, Maude and family, for a month; from there to Newellton, Louisiana, by the way of Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas, to Shreveport, Louisiana, and on to the Tallulah, Louisiana where we visited Mrs. Robb, who is an own cousin to father. She is in her 80th year. Had a splendid visit with our nephews, Alva and Arthur, and their families. They were in fine health and moving things on their large cotton plantation much after northern style. The first afternoon we were there we went to the field where they were sowing oats. They were running on tractor, which was doing the work of 16 or 20 horses, and also had five or six tour mule teams plowing and harrowing and two drills seeding. Twenty Negro families live on the plantation and they were still picking cotton.

Left Tallulah Tuesday, December 10 arriving at Winter Haven, Florida, Thursday, December 12 by way of Jackson and Meridian, Mississippi, Birmingham, Alabama to Jacksonville, Florida.

Since coming here we have had some disagreeable weather, but at present the weather is ideal.

This seems to be the center of the citrus fruit enterprise. Two packing houses in town send out about 10 carloads daily, with another a mile up the track and one 3 1/2 miles the other way.

We are figuring on going to the East Coast in a week or so and feel our way back north with the spring birds by April.

This leaves us well, will be glad to hear from all of us suckers scattered on the face of this great U. S. A.

D .S. Moore

Home address: Lawrenceville, Illinois

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Decatur, Illinois

R.F.D. No. 3

1919
Editor Press:
I like the country here, but have worked hard every day since I came.

We had a big wheat crop and best in quality ever known. Oats were medium and corn a fair crop, not as large as usual. Pasture was good all year.

We have a large wheat acreage and it is working fine.

We never had such an open winter here as this one has been so far.

John F. Peters

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Ranger, Texas

January 27, 1919
Editor Press:
As I read the news from home I wonder how many, if any, of you would be interested in a short letter from Ranger, Texas.

I have been here since June, but never dreamed so many people would be here in six months. This is a little town, but full of people; so many from Oklahoma, Illinois and other eastern states. I am so lucky as to have one brother and one sister for neighbors. Both live real close to me. My brother, Guy Jones, dresses tools for my husband, and my sister's husband, Sam Berry, dresses tools on the same well with his brother, Glen.

We find this a beautiful country in the winter, not speaking of mud and roads. We have some rain, of course, but must say we have some beautiful days. My sister-in-law, sister and I go uptown without our coats, or wraps of any kind and are plenty warm. Keep our doors open most of the time in the day.

I cannot imagine the weather being so nice in January back in Sumner, as I lived close there for 20 years and never did see it like this. We have had just a little snow that never stays on only a little while. The leaves have only been dead about two months on what these Texas people call trees. You would call it brushwood and I find there are buds on lilacs even now.

Am sure you have heard of the big oil wells, making from 75 to 80,000 barrels per day. This is one of the most prosperous towns in the southwest. Lots of business, best of wages, tool dresser's and drillers getting from $10-$12 per day. Board $10 per week, room from 7 to 10, but we are keeping house now and I like it much better. We figure we will be ready to go on a farm we bought near Anderson Missouri, by March or April. That means we will escape the hot summer here in Texas.

Trusting I shall read a lot of good news in the press, I am seriously awaiting each Saturday.

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Spokane, Washington

January 29, 1919

While there are many former Lawrence County folks in this great state of Washington, it seems few respond to this generous offer of the press to at the home folks and others know who they are, where they are and what they are doing.

I know that 30 years ago I sold many tickets to Lawrence County people to all parts of the west, and especially to Washington. Many of them I have forgotten, but I am now in a position to ticket them the other way should the occasion present itself.

I know my friend W. C. Fyffe, of Texas, will say I am infringing on my rights by forcing in an ad. Not so, Uncle Sam runs the roads and we don't have to "rustle". I mention this fact for the reason that should any of my old friends hit the trail for Spokane they will find me just as young as I used to be, and as anxious to see them, either going or coming.

We have just enjoyed the most happy event with Rev. and Mrs. L. J. Hawkins, formerly of Bridgeport, now of Conrad, Montana. We lived over again the old oil boom in that part of the country and as we had been back recently had a store of news for them.

We are no worse off than one year ago. It is a well known fact that a setting hen won't grow fat, but if fed regularly doesn't lose much flesh. That is the position of the average railroad man.

Yes, we had the flu, and am happy to say, survive, for which we are thankful, and extremely sorry for those of our friends in Lawrence County who were not so fortunate.

I would like to spread out and tell you something about this great Northwest, as we have found it, but the editor has the bars up. Hence I will confine myself to come and see.

2317 West Liberty

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Kankakee, Illinois

February 4, 1919
L.M. Wood and Sons:
As I have written for the other editions of the "Pink Press," I will only write a short letter this time.

I am still in the business college work and am at present, assistant principal at Brown's Business College, Kankakee, Illinois.

This is the banner year with this college. We have had to increase our floor space twice this year.

We are now occupying seven rooms on the third floor of the Arcade Building.

With best wishes and kindest regards, I am
Yours very truly,

W. S. Sanford

242 North Schuyler Avenue

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Mount Vernon, Illinois

January 17, 1919

My son is still publisher of Daily and Weekly Register. I go to the office every day and attend to the mailing to out-of-town subscribers of both the daily and weekly issues. This, with the tableting, keeps me quite busy. Then I being quite handy with tools, am called on to fix anything out of order, so there is plenty to keep me busy, but I find I cannot be on my feet and do the amount of work I formally could, but have to sit down, not to rest, but to work at something or other and there is always something to do about a newspaper office. My son has two lively daughters, who visit wife and I enough to keep us from being lonesome.

Our daughter, Rhoda, is happily married to J. R. Barclay, and is living at 39 North Emily Street, Crafton, a suburb of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Wife and I visited them for seven weeks last July and August and no preventing providence, would like to do so again next July and August.

Once in a while someone from Lawrence County, passing through, stops and says howdy to us, which we greatly appreciate, for as we grow old the old time friends seem nearer to us.

That there have been great changes in Sumner I realized when I look at a picture taken at 1902 reunion on the wall before me, containing 25 old soldiers and one son of a veteran, T. F. Hoopes. Of the 25, 13 that I know to have crossed the river and are resting under the trees on the other side, as follows: comrades Carey, Bunn, Lett, Fyffe, Burnside, Smith, Webb, Westall, Petty, Umfleet, Clark, Travis, and McElfresh.

It is now 57 years since I a boy of 18, enlisted in the Union Army for three years. I fully expected we would whip the Johnny's in a year at farthest, but after two years the end seemed farther off than ever. The government made a special appeal to the soldiers of 61 to reenlist for three years more and whereby show the South we were in earnest and offered, if we would do so, to give us 30 days furlough at home. That fetched us, or at least three fourths of us, who January 1864 reenlisted for three years more. Well, we did get them at last, though we who were in Sherman's army had to nearly wear ourselves out running after them, but suppose we had refused to re-enlist and come home and the south had gained their independence? We would be singing a different tune now, for Germany would also have triumphed and we would now be bowing to our German masters. But God did not manage it that way, for which let us give thanks.

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De Lassus, Missouri

January 19, 1919

We left Sumner 17 years ago, going from there to East St. Louis where we resided 12 years. In the spring of 1914 we came to this place, a little town 91 mile south of St. Louis, on the Iron Mountain Railroad. We have a nice little home here, all enjoying the best of health since coming here. I enjoy the outdoor life and exercise of the country and think it much better than living in the city.

Mr. Shick has been working for the railroad company for several years.

Our two oldest daughters, Pearl and Ruth, are married. Pearl lives in St. Louis, where her husband C. L. Napper, is a buyer in the Carlton D. G. Company. Ruth married Lawrence Hunt and lived near Farmington. Our other three children are still in school. Hazel and Carrol are in high school and Nellie in the sixth grade.

As nearly all our relatives live in Lawrence and Richland counties, we are always glad to get the press and hear of them and how they are getting along, as well as old friends and neighbors, whose letters in the Pink Press we are always glad to read.

Hoping that this issue of the press will be a greater success than any before.

Mrs. A. C. Shick

Farmington, Missouri

R.R. # 6, Box 80

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Knoxville, Tennessee

January 20 August 19, 2019
L.M. Wood and Sons: "hurry up call", I just realized that I was about to get left. No doubt some of the folks will be surprised to learn that I am writing from Tennessee instead of Terre Haute, where we have been located for 16 years. In fact, when I was informed in Chicago, in early December, that I was to be transferred to our Knoxville office, I knew it would be pretty hard to leave Terre Haute, which was our home, in fact having lived there so long and within two blocks of where we first located in the city, but our position with the company, is so much like a Methodist preacher, from the standpoint of migration, that we were not at all surprised (we don't move as often ask the preacher).

We left Terre Haute December 24, spent Christmas with Ralph, in Cincinnati, coming down here Friday, December 27, getting into Knoxville same day at 6:30 p.m. and took on hotel life for two weeks before our goods came.

There was one house vacant and we took it. It is in a recent addition to the city, named Park city, 2306 East Fifth Avenue, is about two miles from center of city, one block from car line, two blocks from largest school and high school in the south, so we are very pleasantly located.

The country is vastly different from what we have been used to, as we are in the Cumberland Mountains, hence the country is very rugged. We also have the Blue Ridge Mountains in our territory. The people raise all crops in this country and the valleys are very productive.

We cover East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia part of Kentucky and part of North Carolina. We hope to establish a summer home at Asheville, North Carolina, which is in our territory, also Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain.

Was at Cumberland Gap in Bluefield, West Virginia last week. We drove through the battleground of Fort Sanders, on Tennessee River, last Sunday, which is in edge of Knoxville. Frederick started into high school today and Eloise is starting the junior year today in high school. Irene is keeping up with all latest styles and noting all good shows all good shows, also has located all the magnolia and laurel groves in East Tennessee.

Should any reader of the press happened to get into this part of the United States we would surely be glad to entertain happily in northern or genuine southern.
Yours truly,

E. O. Shick

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Princeton, Indiana

January 26, 1919
L.M. Wood and Sons:
Resident readers at hand and note what you say.

I am still at Princeton as automobile salesman and look forward to a big business this year.

We are all up and going again after a fight with the flu, as practically everybody has had. Ruth and Paul, soon seven and nine, both in school, just got their midwinter promotions and getting along fine, while Margaret, our little Hoosier, soon two years old, and her mother, managed to get all the eats on the table, three times a day that we get of this high-priced war food. The guess we have got no kick, as we are all here after the war and flu both have reaped their harvest.

Wishing one and all the readers a happy and prosperous year and anyone coming our way to find us at 710 West State Street, begged to remain,

Ira W. Shick and Family

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Chicago, Illinois

January 10, 1919
In December issue I told of some of those school days, which I will take up again.

After leaving the log schoolhouse, east of town to a frame school house the first to be built in Sumner, with one big room and the seats were up to date, you may be sure it was a couple of half hamman jumps from the sidewalk where we went to school on weekdays and to Sunday school on Sundays and to church. They didn't move any of the furniture from the log house to the new one but the piano-that was the switches. These were the strings to play the piano with.

There we learned everything from A. B. C. to algebra, if we were capable. There were no grades, as now, it simply meant, learn all you can or the teacher would strike a tune on the piano.

Then that school has got too small and out of date, then the brick schoolhouse was built. I suppose it stands to this day, it's four rooms, two upstairs, two down, and oh my the improvement in the furniture. It was something to be proud of, but we still kept the piano. Seemed to need it, although the girls didn't seem to take to it as did the boys, but I stayed there long enough to see the piano thrown out. The teacher that said he had no use for it was L. Pugh. Well do I remember that time, for I thought that my clothes didn't need dusting anymore for when I got them dusted at school I got the same or little more when I got home, so you see we got it going and coming.

Now about the cemetery east of town. There was a family by the name of Goodman that lived in Sumner and gave the land for the repose for the dead and one of those Goodman’s plowed the ground, leveled it and laid it out and then waited to see you would be the first and it was the same one that had prepared it and that was my first to see that act and the disease that took him took the whole family, if my memory is right.

Since the other letter I wrote I have received letters from schoolmates and friends and see by the issue of January 2 there are others that I would like to get a word from. You will still find me the same old pal.

Just tell me that you are still hitting the high spots and where I can reach you by mail or a flying machine with a Happy New Year and many of them.
George W. Shirley

6228 South Marshfield Avenue

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Freewater, Montana

January 26, 1919
Dear Editor and Friends:
I was born and grew to manhood on a farm five miles southeast Sumner. My parents were W. H. and Anna Simms.

I attended the central school at Franklin from the ages 8 to 15. I would not go to school when younger. The next year I attended school in Sumner and the next year I attended the Normal school at Normal, Illinois. The next four years I taught school and attended spring terms at the Normal school.

I got the Western fever the summer of 1913 and came to Montana, homesteaded a farm 24 miles north of Malta.

I returned and married and old-school may, HazelSimms, Price, daughter of J. W. A. and Louella Price whom I had been taking buggy rides and sampling her cooking for four years. We moved out here the following spring to make our home. We proved up on the homestead over a year ago. When starting up five years ago we purchased a few head of cattle. One account of range conditions we sold the cattle and increase this fall for enough to put eight woven wire fence around our ranch and purchase a flock of 80 ewes and a registered shropshire ram. We also keep two milch cows and 14 head of horses.

This country has changed in the past eight years from virgin prairie to tilled land, farm buildings and wire fences.

This has been one of the warmest winters on record, 30 to 40 degrees above zero, while other winters it is usually much below of mornings. No snow, autos running like summertime.

We have two little girls, Martawa, aged four years, and Anna Ermide, aged two years. They make life interesting, never failing to order candy and oranges every time I go away from home and can ask more questions than a dictionary can answer

We just have one near neighbor, Corrie Stine. Harry and Bernard Stine, with their families, are at Tacoma, Washington for the winter. My brother, Ed, whose ranch joins hours has moved to his store at Lovejoy eight miles north. Martawn cannot run off next summer, as she did last, to see Auntie Grace.

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Thomasboro, Illinois

January 26, 1919

Am a daughter of G. W. Westall. My home is now Champaign County. Have lived here 13 years this February. We live seven miles north of Champaign, although our mail route comes from a small town northeast of us. We live on my husbands fathers farm of 80 acres and rent 120 adjoining it.

We have been married 13 years the 21st day of February and have had seven children to bless our home. The two oldest having gone to the great beyond, leaving five, their names are Raymond, Dorothy, Mabel, Pauline and Willie Woodrow. Our baby was named just before Wilson was elected president.

We are all well at present. All had the flu this fall and it left a very sad event, which we will never forget. Our oldest daughter, Ann Louise, 10 years of age, dying with pneumonia and she was laid to rest beside her little brother, who died seven years ago, at the age of four years, interred in the beautiful cemetery at Roselawn. It is a perpetual care cemetery just south of Champaign.

I was down to Sumner in July to attend my mother's funeral, which took place at Pleasant Hill and we met so many of our aunts, uncles, cousins and friends that we hadn't seen for years. We passed the old home place, but things had changed so much it didn't look like home anymore.
Yours respectfully,

Mrs. Bessie Smith

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Covington, Oklahoma

January 15, 1919
Editor Press and Dear Friends:
As this is our first opportunity of writing a letter for the Pink Press Edition and Sumner has always been my hometown, Mr. Stamats spending the last 10 years of his life in and around there, we need no introduction.

On leaving their last April we located in Augusta, Kansas, lived there until August, coming to Covington, Oklahoma, a thriving little town of 1500 inhabitants. They were building a beautiful school building, 12 rooms, with gymnasium and all other modern improvements, when we came. Have two churches, the Baptist and M. E., Where we have a good Sunday school with an enrollment of 90. The boys, Robert and Maxwell, are enjoying good health in the west, but think there is no place like Sumner and their little friends there. Although we have met lots of new people and find them to be true blue, we have a longing to get back to old Illinois and expect to make a visit there as soon as Robert is out of school.

We are getting along nicely and shall be glad to hear from any of our old friends and neighbors of Sumner and Petty vicinity.

Wishing all prosperity throughout the year nineteen and nineteen.

Mrs. O. O. Stamats

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Oblong, Illinois

January 17, 1919
Editor Press:
As all non-residents of Lawrence County are invited to write for the Pink Press, I will try my hand.

I live near Bridgeport, where I spent my girlhood days, attending school at old Pinhook and Sunday school at the White House church. On October, 1898, I was married and moved here to Landes, Crawford County, at which place we have made our home.

We now live on 440 acre farm near Oblong. We have four children, the oldest, a girl, is teaching school this winter, two oldest boys are in high school at Oblong; the youngest, a boy, is in school here in the common school, trying to graduate this winter.

We enjoy reading the letters as we hear from many old friends otherwise we would not. We have taken the Press for twenty years with the exception of two years and we missed it very much. As this is my first attempt will close, wishing all prosperous New Year. My maiden name was Essie Kenworthy.

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Omak, Washington

February 3, 1919

I am a wanderer from old Lawrence County and from the southwest side of Crawford County.

I was born in Crawford and I am the second daughter of Lewis and Grace Mushrush. My childhood days were spent in Crawford County, where I attended school and also taught for a couple of years. My mind often goes back to those good old days. The first days of school I attended were in an old log schoolhouse with long benches were seats, which were all carved up by the boys pocketknives. Later a new frame building replaced the old one and here was where I spent the rest of my school days. I wonder where the rest of those boys and girls are who attended back country school. They are all scattered here, there, and yonder. I hope to see some letters in the non-resident issue from them.

In my 22nd year, April 15, 1897, I was married to D. E. Wagner, Lawrence County. We moved to our little home in Petty Township, near the town hall. Here we were surrounded by many kind and loving neighbors, such as William Westall and Albert Hutchinson and a number of others.

In September, 1909, my husband and brother-in-law, E. S. Petty made a trip to Okanogan, Washington, where he had two brothers living. He was pretty much taken up with the country (not so with E. S.) and when he came back we talked it over and decided to move to Washington. We sold our personal property and in March, 1910, we bid our old friends and relatives goodbye and started on our journey, accompanied by Otto Irvin and family.

We were just six days on the way, first on the railroad train, then on the boat, and lastly on the stagecoach but the old stage route has been abandoned and the train takes the place of it now.

Very soon after our arrival we bought us a lot and pitched our tent, where we live that summer. We also bought an orchard track 4 1/2 miles from Okanogan and a mile and one half from Omak, Washington. This we set to trees at once. During this summer we built a nice little bungalow on our lot in Okanogan, where we lived for five years.

In June, 1915, we decided to move on our ranch near Omak, a nice little country town, with a high school and a nice Presbyterian Church, where we attend church and Sunday school most of the time.

After our removal we decided before settling down to real ranch work we would make a visit to our old home. We found many changes and many of the faces we knew and loved were gone. Among them my dear brother, who had bidden goodbye to this earthly sanctuary and gone to heaven, where we all hope to meet some day. We sent to pleasant months with our friends and relatives, but the time came when we must say goodbye again. We arrived home safe and sound and settled down to real ranch life, where we have been Ever since.

We have a family of four children, two boys and two girls-Virgil, Mabel and Ralph, born in the sucker state, while Grace Pauline is a little evergreen girl. Virgil will be 21 in March. He works on the ranch during the summer months and during the autumn he works at the Omak fruit growers packing and storage plant, where the big red Apple is handled. The wintertime he spends in doing various jobs. Mabel is 15 and a sophomore this year. Along with her schoolwork, she is taking music lessons. She also worked at the packing house this fall, where she made a neat, little sum of money. Ralph is 10 years old and in the fifth grade at school. In the summertime he and his pony heard the cows, take care of the rabbits and do various chores. Grace Pauline is four now and she helps me keep house for the rest of the family.

While we are barred from saying much about our country, I must say this is a fine climate in which to live. We have had a very pleasant winter so far, but quite a good deal of snow now and some rain, but the Fords ran the year around.

Well, how thankful we are that this great war is ended and victory one for the allies, while every true American has done their bit by buying liberty bonds, supporting the Red Cross, the Y.M. C.A. and a number of other organizations which were for the care and protection of our boys, we feel that we haven't done very much, when we see the boys coming home maimed and crippled for life. And then we think of some who will never come back, but have given their lives that we might live. We also think of suffering and sorrow that has come from that awful epidemic, the influenza.

We feel we have been a great deal more fortunate here in the Western states that they have been in the east. While we have had a number of deaths here from it, it has not been so bad here as elsewhere.

I must leave room in this issue for more letters, so I will close. This leaves us all well. My family and myself send our best wishes to all our friends and Press readers.

Mrs. Myrtle Wagner

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Deniphan, Missouri

January 17, 1919
L. M. Wood and Sons:
As you requested all former resident of Lawrence County to write a letter for the Pink Press, thought I would comply with your request.

I was born in Knox County, Indiana near Vincennes. Moved to Lawrence County about 26 years ago, where I met and married Anna Hart. We moved to Sumner and lived there for 16 years.

We left Sumner last March, so you see we still speak of that place as home.

We are situated in Ripley County, northeast of Doniphan, on a farm of 1043 acres and like the country fine.

The family is well and always look forward to Friday, when we receive the Press. We live within a half-mile of church. It is a live little country church. All the children attend Sunday School and Epworth League²¹. The three younger boys, Harry, Ronald and Earl, go to school every day, Charlie, Arthur and I run the farm. Charlie is in St. Louis now, but will be home for the spring work. Mrs. Williams is kept busy with her poultry and housework. The girls both have government positions, so are not with us very much.

Will close, hoping to see lots of letters in the Pink Press.

Grant Williams

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St. Louis, Missouri

January 7, 1919
Editors and Old Friends:
Although I have not wondered as far from the old home has some, I hate being gone a long time and thought perhaps some of the old friends would like to hear from me. I feel very thankful to the editor for this privilege of writing to be fifth edition of the "Pink Press" and hope to see many letters from other wanderers.

I enjoyed reading the interesting letters and the other additions and hope enough will write to make this the best Pink Press ever published.

Now, to tell you a little about myself and family: I was born on the Richland and Lawrence County line, just 4 1/2 miles Southwest of Sumner, where my father, John Perrott and brother Asa, still reside. I was out to visit father during the holidays and found him in the best of health, although nearly a century young. Your mother left us some nine years ago this month, that we have sweet memories of her and hope to meet her in the great beyond.

I called old Lawrence County my home until the year 1901, when, with my husband (William Worstell) and children moved to St. Louis Missouri. We have lived in this city the most of the time since. At present we are located in the southwest part of St. Louis, living in a pretty little five room bungalow which we own. Husband is a contractor and carpenter here.

Our oldest child has been in Uncle Sam service for the past five months. First taking training at Camp Funston, Kansas and then being transferred to camp Mills, New York, where he is now stationed as one of the world war engineers.

Our second child, a daughter, is now at College View, Nebraska, a small town in the suburbs of Lincoln, preparing herself for a missionary.

Johnny, our youngest, is still at home with us.

As I do not wish to take up space that would be filled with letters more interesting than this, I will close now, wishing all a happy and prosperous new year.

4951 Blow Street

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Quincy, Illinois

January 27, 1919
Sumner Press:

Your call for letters from non-residents at hand and a few words in reply. I am well and still in the home. I enjoy my paper from home. Conditions in the home are not just all as we old soldiers might wish, yet we hope for some changes for the better in the near future.

Wishing you success, I close,
Respectfully,

George W. Young

S. & S. Home, Cottage 21

Directory: ~illchgs -> letters -> old files
old files -> From Former Sons and Daughters of
old files -> L. M. Wood and Sons: In response to the general invitation extended to former residents of Lawrence County, I proceed to write briefly, if possible concerning the few "wanderers," in this section

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