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(O. J. Huchel)
Biographic Note:
Otto John Huchel was born on September 28, 1876 in Illinois, the son of German Immigrants. He was united in marriage to Mary (nee Tucker) born February 7, 1879 in Illinois. To this union the following children were born: Edith (b. abt. 1900); Ralph (b. abt. 1903); Lloyd (b. abt. 1906); Robert J. (b. abt. 1908); Otto (b. abt. 1910); Bert (b. abt. 1913); Charley (b. abt. 1916). Mary died November 24, 1964 and Otto died January 16, 1950.
Editor’s Note:
The next year Otto wrote another letter to the Press. He said he had been home to Lawrence County visiting and left Parkersburg Wednesday Jan 16 and arrived home on Sunday, January 20. “Left Illinois in a severe snow storm and saw men in the field plowing when we arrived at Shrevesport, La. The schools were closed at Logansport on account of meningitis and German measles so his boys were at home.
I often wonder if Simon Stadge, Gustav Voigt, Ed and Will Yelch, John Leathers, and George, Lee, Alf, Charlie and Rolla Jones ever think of the times we used to have, and the trouble we used to cause our teachers. I have to laugh when I think of the time the shotgun was fired under the teacher's desk, also when someone cut the whips, and the time that John Leathers had to read his love letter before the whole school, and the time that “Squire” Stadge and I put the cocklebur in a certain girl’s hair. I wonder if Ed and Will Yelch remembers the night we went rabbit hunting and swathe "ghost" and if Gustav Voigt remembers the night we invited Bill Leathers to help us eat “chicken”. Of course we paid for the chicken.
Those were good old days, but they are past and gone, never to return and we are getting old. That was about 25 years ago, and times have changed since then. I intend to come back there next fall, in October, as my time will be out in the Army, if no new trouble starts.
This is an awful life to live down here on the border. No one knows what it is unless they are here a while. I suppose Columbus will be a busy place for the next month, as the troops are to be brought out of Mexico, and most of them will pass through here.
Well, for fear my letter will take up too much space, I guess I will close. Just one more thing I want to say, and that is, I would be glad to hear from any of my old friends, and I will answer all letters I receive.
Just a few words to your Mulberry-Mount Olive correspondent, I always read that part of the Press first. Keep up the good work.
With regards and best wishes to the editor and readers of the Press, I remain,
Yours truly,
Rolla W. Houser
Medical Department
12th U.S. Calvary
Columbus New Mexico
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Logansport, Louisiana
January 20, 1917
Editor Press:
Your appeal to the wanderers for letters just came in today and as I did not write last year, I will try to let you know where I am, as I once lived in old Lukin and will always have a warm spot in my heart for grand old Lawrence County, especially Lukin, as some of the best people on earth live there, or at least I think so, for I have been around a little since I left there five years ago.
I have been in several states, including Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas. Have visited quite a few of the leading cities of the west and south.
I am at present about 150 miles south of Shreveport, Louisiana. I am putting up a sawmill and planner for a lumber company. I am the carpenter foreman. Have been here since October 4, 1916.
My family is living in Arkansas at present, where we have been for the past five years. We own a farm of 120 acres there, nicely located on a graded road, rural route, telephone line, only 1 1/2 miles from a graded school and four miles from Winthrop, Arkansas, located in the extreme southwest part of the state. Well, this leaves me well at present. Am about the same old stick in the mud, haven't got rich very fast so far. Have six hardy boys, all well the last I heard from them. Four of them are going to school and making good grades.
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My daughter is married and lives near us.
We expect to move down here in Louisiana soon, as I expect to stay here for a few years and if any of my old friends in Lawrence or Richland counties want a little hot mix from the sweet sunny south, just drop me a line and will try to oblige them.
I will close for this time, as this may be too late for the Pink Edition but I wish all my old friends and associates in and around Sumner and Lukin all that is good in life.
Yours truly,
O. J. Huchel
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Cairo, Illinois
January 20, 1917
L. M. Wood and Sons:
Twenty seven years ago, February 20, 1890 we moved from West Salem, Illinois to Lawrence County, first locating on a farm near Hadley. The farm life did not appeal to us so in September same year, we moved to Sumner where we had better educational advantages, as there were four of us of school age. I attended school for two years graduating in the class of 1892. I sure thought Sumner was the best place on earth.
Our crowd, the "Upper Tens”, consisted of about a dozen girls in our teens and many were the good times we had. Only a few of them live there now.
When we first moved to Sumner and were strangers, my oldest brother died, but when, several years later mother was called home that was the greatest grief I know anything about.
I lived in Sumner nineteen years when I went to Dawson Springs, Kentucky, where I was bookkeeper for three years for my brother, who is in the hardware business. About five years ago, I married and moved to Cairo where I now reside. Some people think of Cairo as the worst place on earth. It is not. Of all the places I ever lived I prefer Cairo for it is good enough for me. When we get "booze" voted out Cairo will be hard to beat.
My husband came here in 1874 and has seen Cairo grow up. He is a gunsmith and has a good business. I have been a non-resident of Lawrence County for eight years, but I still call Sumner home and try to visit there at least once a year.
I have always taken the Press. I could not do without it and always am anxious for its arrival. Many times I see sad news and my heart goes out to others who have lost loved ones, for I know what it means.
My maiden name was Kate Staninger
Mrs. H. E. Ince
417 Eighth Street
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Trenton, North Dakota
January 3, 1917
To the Editor and readers of the Press:
This opportunity affords me great pleasure, not only in writing but knowing I'll get to hear from so many of my all-time friends.
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(O. J. Huchel)
Biographic Note:
(continued)
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