From Former Sons and Daughters of

Lena L. Freese was born in March 1869 to Robert and Mary Freese. Mary was born in Ireland. Lena was united in marriage to Stoddard D. Burrell and he was born in Massachusetts about 1870. The following children were listed on the census records; Mary Frances (b. abt. 1906); Kenneth E. (b. abt. 1909). Lena died in 1925 and is buried in the Sumner cemetery.

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Bertha Carlisle was born about October 26, 1871 to John Nelson and Alice Mary (nee Goodman) Carlisle. She was united in marriage to Parish Everett Burt in 1895. Parish was the son of John F. and Nancy (nee Mitchell) Burt. To this union the following children were recorded in the census: Lisle Mckinley (b. Jul. 1896); Nina D. (b. Nov. 1898); Winifred (b. abt. 1902); Wilma (b. abt. 1906). The letter mentions another daughter, Pearl having passed away. Parish died in April 25, 1942 and Bertha died December 13, 1949. They are buried in the Chauncey Cemetery.

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January 5, 1917

Editor Sumner Press:

I see by the Press you have called for letters again from former residents of Lawrence County.

I am one. I was born and raised in Sumner and although my old home was broken up, as my dear mother was taken from us. I will always call Sumner my home. I have a brother there and one in Chicago.

I have been away from Sumner 12 years, but the Press comes to my home every week and I do enjoy reading it.

We were living at El Dorado Springs for 10 years, until about four weeks ago we moved to Nelson, Missouri, which is a nice little country town. We are all pleased with our new home. We have two children, a little girl, 11 years old, and a boy, 8. They are both out of school at the present time on account of their health.

I will close now and not take up too much space. My maiden name was Lena Freese, but now

Mrs. Lena Burrell

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St. Paul, Arkansas

January 16, 1917

Editor Press:

As we have always read with pleasure the letters in the Pink Press, we thought someone might be pleased to hear from us.

We are now living in northwestern Arkansas. By finding Fayetteville on the map and looking for a little town of St. Paul, which is 35 miles south, you will find our nearest town.

We are living on a small mountain farm which is six miles from St. Paul.

Perhaps those that know me at all remember that I am the second daughter of J. N. and Alice Carlisle. Was born in Lawrence County near Chauncey, Township Five, Range 13 W., and spent most of all my life there until my marriage to Evert Burt in 1894. My husband was the third son of John and Nancy Burt, who came to Chauncey in 1882, and made their home there for a number of years. His father died in 1908 and his sister, Irene in July of the same year. Three brothers are still living-W. C. Burt, a newspaperman of Asheville, North Carolina, Elzie D., who is a mail clerk at Robinson, Illinois and Ray G. who is a telegraph operator at Bertha, Minnesota. Their mother is living with Elzie at Robinson. We have four children one son and three daughters Lisle M. is 20 years old and Nina Doris 18, Winifred 15 and Wilma 11. One little daughter Pearl died in infancy.

All of our children are home with us at present excepting Doris, who is in St. Louis.

We came here almost 4 years ago from Nebraska, where we spent 13 years and where three of our children were born.

This is not a farming country and is very rough and the people very un-progressive especially here in the mountains.

I will close, as perhaps this is more than will be of any interest to your readers.

Mrs. P. E. Burt

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Port-au-Prince Haiti

January 26, 1917

Editor Sumner Press:

Having been a constant reader of the Press for the past several years, I will try and show my appreciation of the best home paper I have yet seen by contributing a few lines for the Pink Edition.

I was born and raised in Christy Township, 2 1/2 miles southwest of Sumner, present home in Sumner, my father, Joseph Buzzard, having moved to the city about three years ago.

In February 1911, I listed in the U.S. Navy at Indianapolis, Indiana. I did my apprentice training at Norfolk, Virginia. After six months of learning the first qualifications of Man- O- War’s- Man, I was sent to San Francisco, to serve aboard the USS South Dakota. During my time aboard the ship I cruise over 80,000 miles, visiting many foreign countries, among the most interesting were Japan, China and Australia. I was discharged February, 1915, at Seattle, Washington and straightway set sail for home, and I honestly believe of all the places that I have seen Sumner looked the best of all, “just then."

After a stay of four months with home folks, I reenlisted as St. Louis, Missouri, and went to the electrical school at Brooklyn, New York. After a course of instructions lasting eight months, graduated electrician (radio), and was detailed to the USS Wainwright on which I am at present doing duty.

We sailed from Hampton Roads, Virginia January 10 in a company with the Atlantic Fleet. After a trip of six days arrived in Culebra, R. R. leaving the 18th for Guantánamo, Cuba, where we refueled and sailed for Santiago, Cuba, where all hands were given an opportunity to see the places of historic interest.

After a stay of three days we took aboard the assistant secretary of the Navy, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and set sail for Port-Au-Prince Haiti where we arrived this morning, amidst the booming of saluting canon.

Lying in the beautiful harbor are 56 war craft, with a score or more aeroplane circling above, making one of the most impressive scenes that I have ever witnessed, and the best part of it all, is the Stars & Stripes float from them all.

Will close with pleasant memories of the many happy years spent in Lawrence County, and I take this opportunity instating my appreciation to the Sumner Press publishers for the best home paper of them all.

Respectfully,

Ralph Buzzard

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The Last Letter from Rev. N. A. Cavens

The editor of the Press knowing the peculiar genius of Rev. N. A. Cavens, formerly of this city, later of Salem, Mo., but now of that innumerable company who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, to write most interestingly, we had asked for a letter for the Pink Press.

Ralph Buzzard was born in December 1891 to Joseph and Mary Ellen (nee Ridgley) Buzzard.