I am glad for this opportunity of writing a few lines to so many at one time. Think we ought to congratulate the editor for this privilege.
I hesitated to write at first as we lived on the boundary line of Lawrence on Richland side but Sumner was our town just the same and we thought this too good to miss.
It was five years last August since we left Sumner for the West. Must say the Lord has been wondrously good to us, giving us health to enjoy about 360 sunshine days (more or less) out of each year, making life worthwhile living as all Nebraskans enjoy.
Time has passed so rapidly only seems as a dream. We often think of the good times also that we have spent on the East side of the Mississippi. I am planning for a visit at the old home about July 1915, so Boosters of Sumner keep up your good work and plan to have a good time at Sumner, July 4, as I will enjoy seeing you all.
Respectfully yours
Ida (Kimmell) Haynes
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Cassville, Missouri
January 24, 1915
Sumner Press:
I see in your paper of recent date a request for old settlers of Lawrence and Richland counties to write a short article of the early settlement of Sumner and surrounding country as it was in early days. I can give a partial history of the country as I now remember it from 1849 up to 1879.
The country since then I presume, has gone through many changes that I know nothing of. In 1840 my father and family moved from Coles County to Lawrence County and came through where Sumner now is but at that time it was a cornfield owned by old Uncle Benjamin Sumner. I was at the time 11 years old, having been born in 1829. I grew to manhood in the neighborhood of Sumner, Hadley and Claremont and knew nearly every mile around, but the boys and young men I associated with in those days have grown old, like myself, if they are living. Most of the old citizens have long passed away.
There were the Christy's, Clubbs, Sumner's, Frenchs, Hillises, Leathers, Laws, Conours and numbers of others I could mention, but space won’t permit it this time.
Charles and Polly Higganbotam
In 1850 I and Miss Polly Smith were married and if we live till next Friday the 29th we can celebrate our 65th marriage anniversary. We have had seven children born to us, six now living. We have 37 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. My wife is a relative to the Sumners, Laws, and Basden's, being an own cousin of one of your
(Ida Kimmel Haynes)
Biographical Note:
Ida Kimmel was born February 1880, the daughter of Mathias and Doretha Haynes. Doretha had been born in Prussia. Ida married William Haynes Feb 27, 1898 in Richland County. According to the 1910 census in Kearney County, Nebraska she was widowed.
Editor’s Note: Her son Lee, then 13 years old, wrote a letter for the 1916 Pink Letter Edition of the Sumner Press, and her daughter Pearl wrote a wonderful poem for the 1918 edition. Ida wrote again on January 27, 1917. Her address was 124 30 Street Avenue B Kearney, Nebraska. After giving credit to the past year for a year well spent, and having blessed the family of four with health, she continues: We have had the pleasure of having my only brother, Raymond H. Kimmel here with us this winter. He is on a farm down near Poole, Nebraska, and likes this country fine. He had typhoid fever while in Oklahoma just before coming here, but has gained and added weight since here and enjoying good health. The children are well, going to school, and doing well in school work.”
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(C. W. Higganbotham)
Biographical Note:
Charles Wesley Higganbotham was born October 28, 1829 to William and Rebecca (nee Gordon) Higganbotham. In 1850 he was united in marriage to Mary Polly Smith. Mary was born April 15, 1836. To this union the following children indicated in census records: Albert (b. abt. 1854); William (b. abt. 1856); Amy R. (b. abt. 1861); Lott W. (b. abt. 1866); Eva E. (b. abt. 1868); Charles D. (b. abt. 1874); according to other records Sarah (b. abt. 1871, d. 1871).
(C. W. Higganbotham)
Biographical Note:
(continued)
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(Della Hollingsworth)
Biographical Note:
Della was born about 1873. Della married Thad C. Hollingsworth, a 37 yr old bachelor twenty years her senior sometime between 1900 and 1910 and moved to Knox County. Thad’s brothers and two nephews were living with the newly weds in 1910, but by 1920, they had moved next door.
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(Mrs. S.E. Eckenrode and M. M Hoopes)
Biographical Note:
Sarah Elizabeth Eckenrode age, 61 was widowed and had her own income at the time of this letter. In 1910 her sister, Margaret M was living with Sarah in Sumner and working as a bookkeeper for the Thomas F. Hoopes mercantile establishment. Margaret had also taught in Sumner public school, acted as assistant postmaster for her father, and was later connected with the W. S. Hoopes Bookstore. Their brother, William S. another child of Caleb and Margaret E. Denison Hoopes, was living in Springfield, and selling insurance for the “Etna Co.” Apparently the two sisters moved to Springfield next door to him, but after an extended illness Margaret passed away at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield on Aug 19, 1918 at almost 58 years of age. By 1920 Sarah was living with her brother William and his family.
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town’s ladies, Mrs. Martha J. Anderson, and I being a cousin of C. H. Gordon, of Sumner and Mrs. Martha Turner.
I moved from Illinois to northwest Kansas in 1879. In 1904 came to Barry County Missouri where the climate is much more mild. We are enjoying very good health for old people, 79 and 85 years old.
C. W. Higganbotham
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Bruceville, Indiana
January 30, 1915
Readers of the Press:
Perhaps it might be of interest to you to know something of my whereabouts, too, along with the many other "wanderers". I have not wandered very far however, being located on a farm in Knox County, Indiana 11 miles northeast of Vincennes and two miles northeast of Bruceville. Our farm is rolling and its yields are very satisfactory. Our beautiful pikes winding around the bluegrass hills produce a very picturesque scene indeed and altogether I think as is natural for us all, that I have the very best home on earth.
However, I have a warm spot in my heart for old Lawrence County, the place of my birth and will always want the Sumner Press to be a weekly visitor at our home.
Your request for a letter from the people who have moved away from their old home town hardly seems to apply to us as we have been away so short a time that we have hardly learned to say that it is not our home.It may be that some of our friends have not yet missed us and it would be well to tell them we are pleasantly located at 223 E. Lawrence Avenue in this city and have the State House, Governor's Mansion and other important buildings in our neighborhood, also in easy walking distance of the business section and four or five of the leading churches are quite near us. Our brother, W. S. Hoopes, living next door to us, makes it very pleasant and homelike. We shall be glad to see any and all of our friends when they come to the city. With kind regards to all and Press readers.
Very respectfully,
Mrs. S. E. Eckenrode
M. M. Hoopes
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Dana, Illinois
January 11, 1915
Editor Press:
I came to Dana in 1889 from Chauncey, Illinois, worked for my brother until 1910, when he sold out and moved to Lewiston, Idaho. I am doing well, have a shop 22 by 50 with shed 16 by 50. Have12 different machines run by gas engine making most all the house trimmings I use. Am finishing an 11 room house at present. Have brick on ground for basement of a 12 room house for my wife and self. We live on Pekin branch of the Santa Fe which crosses I.C. at Minonk, six miles southwest of here, have passenger (trains) each way from Chicago to Pekin, Illinois.
The business square of our village was burned last July, the fire originated in the meat shop, burned two dry goods stores and grocers, hardware and machine shed, Lodge Hall, poolroom, restaurant, Opera Hall, barbershop, doctor’s office and residence, farmer’s elevator and grain with offices and all their machine sheds.
Two dry goods stores rebuilt last fall of brick, poolroom and restaurant of concrete, more will rebuild this spring
Yours truly,
George I. Hughes
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West Salem, Illinois
January 15, 1915
Dear Press Editor:
Having received through the columns of your paper, a request here from Ex Lawrence County residents we will contribute our mite, having been a resident of old Lawrence in Petty Township for 40 years and spent many happy days on Grandfather Samuel Smith's farm now by cousin Foss Smith, where there assembled parents, aunts and uncles, while we children enjoyed ourselves to our hearts content:
In Orchard and Meadow
And deep tangled wild wood
And every loved spot
Which our infancy knew
But alas times have changed. We realize we are older and many of our friends and schoolmates as well as, dear kindred are sleeping in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, and recollections only bring sad memories. We have been residing in our own home in Edwards County for most four years, surrounded by friends, neighbors and our children both of whom are with us yet. Robert has chosen farming as his occupation while Rachel is doing very well with her studies and music. This leaves us with reasonable health and all join in sending best wishes to the Press and its readers.
Very truly,
Annie Hardacre Irish
James Annie Robert Rachel
Irish
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(George I. Hughes)
Biographical Note:
George was the son of Joseph C. and Mary A. Hughes. Joseph was an undertaker in Petty Township when George was a small boy. George married Elizabeth McHenry in LaSalle Co, IL in 1900. When this letter was written George and Elizabeth were both 42 years of age, with no children.
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(Annie Hardacre Irish)
Biographical Note:
Annie Z. Hardacre married James Irish in 1882 in Lawrence co, Robert A. was born in 1894 and Rachel in 1904. Annie’s parents were Robert M. and Minerva Hardacre.
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(Earl C. Irwin)
Biographical Note:
Everett Earl Irwin was born April 29, 1878 In Lawrence County the son of Corbin Wagle and Charlotte Alice (nee Lathrop) Irwin. He was united in marriage to Julia Bowen born February 14, 1884 in Illiois
to John W. and Mary (nee Keplinger) Bowen. Everett died on his birthdate in 1958 in Trenton North Dakota.
Editor’s Note:
The Great Northern Railroad was the only privately funded, and successfully built, transcontinental railroad in United States history. No federal land grants were used during its construction, unlike every other transcontinental railroad built.
I was raised in Lawrence County, Petty Township, Leech School District. I left Sumner for a Trenton, North Dakota, November 17, 1909. On December 27, 1909, I entered one fourth section in Township 153 N. R 103 W. of the 5th P. M., and according to an Act of Congress, enlarging the homestead, I was allowed to file on 40 acres more, and on December 11, 1913. I made final proof on all, complying with the three year act.
A going away from home, friends and relatives on a raw claim, away from church and almost away from civilization and staying for three years mean something yet there is a pleasure in knowing you are at home and all you raise is yours. It isn't so bad where I live as I'm only one and one half miles from a Trenton, which is on the mainline of the Great Northern Railroad. Just think some being 40, 50, 60 and 75 miles from a railroad. But the west is fast coming to the front new railroads and new towns are springing up in all directions and schools and churches also.
We have S. S. in the city or town hall. We have preaching and C. E. in the same building.
I follow farming and ranching for a livelihood.
In writing a letter it affords pleasure and yet it brings a feeling of sadness over me. Less than a year I made the trip to Sumner with one whom was so dear to me and from there, with friends and relatives went to the Leech cemetery and laid my dear father to rest by the side of my faithful and true mother. While many have wondered from Lawrence County homes and friends, there is one who we must not wonder or stray from and then if we never meet in Lawrence County weekend clasped hands where there is no more wondering, straying or parting.
I perhaps have written too much already, for I want to read the letters from others. Would be glad to get personal letters from as many as will write and will answer.
Will close by bidding all goodbye,
Earl C. Irwin
Waldo, Kansas
January 13, 1915
Dear Friends:
I am glad that our editor has given me this opportunity of writing to you. Some of you I have not seen for years and perhaps I may never see some of you anymore this side of heaven.
The old home place where I was born and raised is seven miles southeast of Sumner and Lukin Township, Lawrence County.
The old schoolhouse where I spent so many happy days with schoolmates and teacher is known as "Old White Oaknear my old home.
My mind often goes back to my schoolhood days and the many happy times I had with old playmates, as we played our childhood games. I taught several terms of school and Lawrence and Wabash counties.
In 1900 I was married to C. W. Ivie, and in the fall of 1905 we started in the ministry. Since that time we have had many happy and refreshing times in the service. We have seen many souls brought into the kingdom.
We served charges in Olney and Mt. Carmel districts in Southern Illinois Conference and in the fall of 1912 we transferred to the Northwest Kansas Conference where we are still laboring.
The Lord has wonderfully blessed us in His service and is crowning our efforts with great success and unto Him alone we give the glory. He is giving us the desire of our hearts in seeing many souls saved and Christian people made stronger by His power.
My maiden name was Addie Wright and my father's name was Henry Wright and he is still living on the old farm where my mother was raised and she, too, is still living, for which I am very grateful.
I am looking forward with great anticipation to the reading of the many different letters from friends that I have not seen for several years, and although we cannot be gathered together in a reunion face-to-face, we will be in a reunion of thought at least. I often longed to be back in Illinois and visit old friends again.
May God's blessing be upon all of you where ever you may be, is my prayer.
