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LETTERS FROM WILLIAM WALLACE HENTON of Canton, MO, to his cousin, AGNES NICHOLS GRIMES, of Frederick County, MD 1918-1920
(see also Canton Press (MO) Newspaper clippings from 1885-1886)
Canton MO, Jany 3" 1918 Mrs. Agnes Nichols Grimes Frederick City MD My dear Cousin: Your address was given me by your Aunt Clara V Lease of Hanover, Pa. and I suppose you will be surprised to receive a letter from a cousin you never heard of. I am a grandson of Perry Nichols who was a brother of your grandfather William Nichols. Grandfather was born in Frederick Md, Oct 7" 1816 and I don’t know just how old he was when his parents, George and Elizabeth (Wallace) Nichols moved to Guernsey County Ohio. I know they were there in 1830. He was married to Jane E. McCune, in Barnesville Ohio, in 1840, and in Oct 1859 He with his family came to Canton MO where they continued to live until their deaths. He died Oct 31, 1886. They had a family of six children, as follows: William Wallace, Elizabeth Jane, Elvira, Honora Melissa, Laura Gertrude and Helena. William Wallace Nichols died in 1906 left no family. Elizabeth Jane Nichols my mother was born April 20, 1844 and is now in her seventy fourth year. Was married Sept. 25, 1866 to Walter Briscoe Henton. They celebrated their golden Wedding in 1916. I am the eldest child born July 3 1867. Have two sisters, Daisy Mary Henton born Nov 12" 1871. Now the wife of Capt D. Walter Wisherd of Quincy Ill. He is President of the Wisherd Steam Boat Line on the Mississippi river, have no children. Ora Lee Henton, born July 14, 1882 married Herbert R. Kreitz, of Quincy ILL. They have five children. I am a bachelor and live at home with my parents. Seems like it runs in the Nichols family not to marry for I find so many have remained single. Aunt Elvira Nichols married late in life to L.T. Myers and lives in the old Nichols Home here at Canton. Aunt Honora Nichols, born 1850 married Fred R. Condit and has four children, Edwin Perry, Walter Henton of Detroit Mich, Pansy now the wife of H.B. Clay lives Jefferson City MO and Wade Wallace Condit, all are married except Wade who is in training in the camp in Florida. He is a fine boy we hated so bad to see him go to war. Aunt is now visiting with her daughter in Jefferson City. Aunt Laura G. Nichols died at the age of forty-seven years unmarried. Helena died at five years of age. Our branch of the Nichols family consist of seven grand children and eight great grand children of Perry Nichols. Mothers family were all home for Xmas. She sure enjoyed having them with her. Sister Daisy and husband left the next day for a trip to Baltimore & Washington City. I have been working on a history of the Nichols family for a number of years and am trying to get up a complete genealogy which I think is a fine thing to preserve these records for future generations. Your Aunt didn’t know her father has four sisters. She though he only had the one. Aunt Mary Ann Nichols Gartrell who lived in Ohio. The other three came out west and are buried at Edina Knox Co. MO about fifty-miles from here. Maria Nichols born Feb 14" 1799 the eldest Nichols child, married in Md to Joseph Boone. Came to Ohio first then to Knox Co. MO in 1841. Had a family of twelve children, only one now living, her youngest daughter who is eighty years old. This branch is numerous. Margaret Nichols born Jany 20" 1801. Married Joseph Evitt in Frederick Md. Her last surviving child, Elizabeth Catherine Evitt-Stauder died Sept 11" 1917 age ninety years. She was a grand woman, have visited in her home a great many times. I have? Seen? her mother Aunt Margaret Evitt who died in 1881 age eighty years. Louesa E. Nichols born Oct 23" 1821 was the youngest child of the Nichols family married In Guernsey Co. Ohio. Aug 16, 1838 to Ellis Slater, had a family of six chil they came to Edina MO in 1854 and she and her husband died that same year. Only two now living. Mrs. Lucreta? Slater Bucey of Everett Wash. And James Slater of Canton? Ohio. Mother said Aunt Loues… was a fine woman. She has some grand people among her descendants. I have seen a good many of this branch. Henry Nichols was married in Md and came to Ohio. Had a family of thirteen children, only two now living. Four of this family never married. The daughter Miss Frances Ann Nichols was eighty-two last Oct. Geo. Is seventy eight, he lives on the old Henry Nichols farm in Guernsey Co. Ohio. I have just recently located some grand children of Uncle Sylvester Nichols and hope to obtain a complete record of this branch. I haven’t as yet learned what became of the other two brothers George and Thomas Nichols. Cousin Elizabeth Evitt Stauder told me a good many years ago that one of these uncles died in Frederick Md unmarried but I have forgotten which one. I have written to Cousin George in Ohio (Henry’s son) to see what he knows concerning this. It was this cousin Geo Nichols who told me about your Aunt Clara living in Hanover Pa. I was so glad to locate your branch of our family. I shall be very grateful if you will help me to obtain a complete record of your fathers family and descendants, to Please? Time with date of all birth, death and marriages with place of birth, and where deceased members are buried, with present post office of each now living. Your Aunt didn’t say how many children they were in your father’s family. She failed to give me knformation concerning your Aunt Mary Jane Nichols…did she leave a family? If so I would like to obtain records. Please give all the information you can on this family of your grandfather Wm Nichols. I am going to write your Aunt again in a few days. I do wish we could trace back further than our great grand parents Geo and Elizabeth (Wallace) Nichols, I have often wondered if they were married in Frederick Md………….(unreadable) at the courthouse would show. I will close with kindest regards to all and hoping to hear from you soon. I am Sincerely your cousin, William Wallace Henton P.S. I will send you some family papers if you care for them. W.H.
Canton MO Jany 12" 1918 (Lisa’s Note: He may have meant January 19th) Mrs. Agnes Grimes Frederick Md. My dear Cousin: Your letter of January 12th received, and you don’t know how delighted I was to hear from you and to learn more about my dear relatives, which I have been trying to find out for some time. I am very grateful for the information you have given, and now hope we can obtain complete data of all descendants of your grand father Wm Nichols down to present time, with date of all birth, death and marriage, place of birth and where deceased members are buried. Don’t you think your cousin Clara Miller will furnish me complete data of her mothers family and descendants or if she will send me the address of her brother Will and sister Annie and give information concerning their families so I can write them. I enclose sheet for her to fill in and I shall be very grateful if you will obtain records of your brothers and sisters families which will save me a great deal of writing, as I have so much of it to do and they are living near you. Your Aunt Clara Lease failed to tell me if your Uncle John Nichols left any family. I want to get dates of death, marriage and wifes name. I have this birth date given in family Bible, from which your Aunt sent me a copy. Do you know where he died and if his wife is still living? Some years ago I saw in the Quincy Ill. Paper the death of a Mr. Nichols in Chicago Ill. Who formerly lived in Quincy, but I have forgotten his given name. It said he was born in Frederick Md. I though at that time he must be of our family as they came from Frederick. I haven’t answered your Aunts last letter but I intend to tell her about this. She said she would try and find out his death date when she sent me the records, but this is all she told me about him. That he died in Ill’s. If he ever lived in Quincy Ill. That is only seventeen miles from here. But perhaps he never knew his Uncle Perry Nichols lived here at Canton . seems like the Nichols family got so scattered and lost track of each other. I told you before our grand fathers three sisters, came out here to MO but they all passed away before my time except our great Aunt Margaret Nichols Evitt who was born Jan 20, 1801, died May 14, 1881. I saw her several times while visiting at her daughters home in Edina MO, it was her daughter Elizabeth Evitt Stauder who died in Sept age ninety years. She was a grand woman. Aunt Margaret wore a wig was a very proud old lady. This seems to run in the Nichols family. Mother says her grand mother Nichols was proud. She remembers her well. Your Aunt wrote me that her grandmother Nichols came back to Frederick Md and kept house for her father two years after her mother’s death in 1852. He married again. Then she went back to Ohio and I think must of died soon after that. Your grand father Wm. Nichols is buried at Frederick Md, so your Aunt told me. Also his wife and some of the children who died young. There were nine children in this family but only four lived to be grown . I received a letter yesterday from the only surviving child of our great Aunt Maria Nichols Boone. She is Mrs. Arminda Boone Shannon of Millbank S.Dak.and will be eighty years old Feby 11" and is a remarkable woman for one of her age. Was the mother of eleven children. Aunt Maria Nichols Boone her mother had twelve children, Cousin Arminda Boone was married in 1855 at Edina MO and has lived in the north for over fifty years, most of her children never saw any of their Boone relatives and now her children are so scattered this Boone-Nichols branch of our family is a large one, I haven’t been able to find the old Boone family Bible with records, seems like they don’t know what became of it. Aunt Maria Nichols was born Feby 11 1799 died Apr 8 1863 Edina Mo., Married (I haven’t this date) about 1818 to Joseph Boone who was born Nov 30 1789, died Feby 1883 Edina age ninety four years. His father Joseph Boone Sr of Maryland was a cousin of Daniel Boone. I suppose you hav read of Daniel Boone the old pioneer of Ky and Ne? I wish we could trace the Nichols family back to Revolutionary times, both of my sisters are D.A.R.’s but would like to have a bar over the Nichols line(?) the only way we could find out is to examine the will books at the Court house and get the names of the older ones. Sister Ora is regent of the Chapter here now and I enjoy the magazine published by the D.A.R.s. I see by the magazine that the Frederick Chapter has copied most all of the old will and marriage records at the Court house, and sent them in to Washington to be kept in the D.A.R. Hall, this is being done all over the country which I think is a fine thing to preserve for future generations as they get destroyed sometimes if the court house should burn, and they have a fine fire proof building for these things at Washington, the DARs are doing a good work now in Red Cross. Sometimes when you find time I wish you would look in the index of some of the old will books and see if you can find any by the name of Nichols. I know our great grand parents George Nichols and wife were living there as early as 1800 for all the children were born there, from what I can learn. Geo Nichols father could be a Revolutionary soldier. Have you ever visited any of the old cemeteries and looked over the old head stones for the name of Nichols. I think George Nichols had a brother Peter Nichols who lived at Frederick, so Cousin Lizzie Evitt Stauder told me, two years ago, the last time I saw her. She said her mother talked so much about him. I have a few marriage dates that I would like to have looked up at the court house and I would be very grateful if you are some of the family could look them up, this is the only was I can get them as the relatives don’t seem to have the dates. I will give the name on a separate sheet and about the time of dates. In a few days I hope to mail you some pictures of the family and a picture of cousin Lizze Evitt Stauder I took of her two years ago at the age of 88 years. Has your father a picture of his father Wm Nichols. I though perhaps some of you had one. I want to get one to copy. I have pictures of Margaret Evitt and Maria Boone. I will close with kindest regards and all……hoping to hear from you soon again. I am sincerely your cousin, Will W Henton (Separate page) Mary Jane Nichols born Sept 1, 1833 Guernsey Co., Ohio, died Apr 18" 1913 Frederick Md. Burried at___________________ Married____________________ To_________________Lease born ____________ died________buried. Children of Mary Jane Nichols Lease, give full name date and place of all birth, death.
Clara___________Lease born_________ Married____________in__________to_______________Miller, born____________resides (street no)______________Frederick Md. Children of Clara Lease Miller give full name, date and place of all birth, deaths, if any married give records and place, residence.
Canton MO Nov 4, 1918 Mrs. Agnes Grimes Frederick Md. My dear Cousin: I have often wondered if you received my letter of Jany 19" as I received no reply, was so anxious to hear from you again and to know more of your fathers family. A few days after I wrote you in Jany. I met with a very severe accident by falling on the icy walk which tore the ligaments loose in my hip, was laid up in bed for a long time then had to go on crutches for months, the shock was terrible and I have been so nervous ever since. My hip still gives me a great deal of trouble, so I haven’t been able to do much writing and this is the reason I never sent you the pictures sooner. I know you will enjoy looking at your relatives that you have never seen, for I am so glad to receive pictures of my dear relatives and would love so much to have a picture of your father and any others that you could send me of the family. Did your father have a picture of his father Wm Nichols? I would like so much to have one so I can make a copy. How is your son Herman getting along that was in camp? I have only one cousin that had to go to war. Wade Condit, son of my Aunt Honora Nichols Condit. He was in the Camp at Washington D.C. but now at Baltimore. Wish you could meet him – he is such a fine young man – twenty eight years old. I would like so much to have the address of your aunt’s son that lives in York Pa. And I hope to get this family data complete. Your Aunt Clara failed to give me her sisters family name. Have just written her again, suppose she thought I was never going to answer her letter. The family join me in sending love to all. Please write soon. I am Sincerely your cousin Will W Henton
Canton Mo., Jany 9, 1919 Mrs. Agnes Grimes Frederick Md Dear Cousin: Your letter received and I sure was glad to hear from you again, as I know you were worried over your dear boy being in that dreadful war and we are all so thankful it has ended. I hope he will soon return home. I would of answered your letter before this but Mother has been very sick with bronchitis and a weak heart, we didn’t think she would live for a week, but is now able to be up part of the time. My sister Daisy came and helped me take care of her. Mother will be seventy five in April and has been in poor health for a long time. Aggie did you know that heart trouble runs in the Nichols family..our great grandfather Nichols died that way, and my grand father had heart trouble for a long tie before his death. One of Uncle Henry Nichols daughter died last year with heart failure she was eighty-two years old. I had a letter in December from your Aunt Clara V. Lease. I enjoy her letters so much and to learn about the family. She told me your Uncle John T. Nichols at his death, left a family of seven children. I did not know he had any children, as she had only told me of your family and her sister, but never has told me the married name of your Aunt Mary Jane Nichols. I’m hoping you will be able to get this data for me from her daughter or son Will, please give me his name and address. Do you know where your Uncle John T. Nichols lived at the time of his death. I would like so much to locate his children. If I only knew where he raised his family perhaps I could locate some of them. Your Aunt only said he died in Ill’s, did his family ever live in Quincy Ill. Some years ago I saw in the Quincy paper an account of the death of a John Nichols in Chicago Ill who formerly lived in Quincy and it said he was born in Frederick Md. If his family live in Quincy that is only seventeen miles from here. I know there are a good many by that name living there. I want to thank you for looking up the marriage dates for me, they had on the slip of paper Margaret Ann Nichols to Joseph Evitt Apr 6, 1882, should be 1822. I think, she is our grandfather’s sister and the only one I ever saw, was such a proud old lady and wore a wig. Mary Ann Nichols to James M. Gartrell Feb 17, 1827 is another sister. Henry Nichols & Sophia Brish 1807, this is wrong. Should be 1827. Wish I had the day and month. I suppose our great grand parents, Geo & Elizabeth "Wallace" Nichols were not married in Frederick Md. As you couldn’t find the dates, they may have come from Va. Over into Md. I know they were living in Frederick in 1816. For grand father was born there. I regret so much that I did not commence to collect data before grand fathers death for he could of told me so much on early history of the family back in Maryland and Ohio. I was surprised when I saw you were born in Jefferson Co. W. Va. My ancestors on father’s side the Van Meter family settled in Berkeley Co. in 1730. My great great grand mother, Mary Van Meter, daughter of Jacob & Letitia "Strode" Van Meter was born Feby 11 1757 in Berkeley Co. Her father’s family moved to Green Co. Pa. in 1769. She was married to David Henton in 1773 and in 1779 they all moved to Hardin Co., Ky and my grand father Alexander Keith Henton came to Lewis Co Mo in 1833. I have a history of the Duke-Shepherd and Van Meter related families all early settlers of Berkeley Co. & Frederick Co. VA. I see your sisters husband, Levi? P. Lucas is a descendant of the Duke family. I am enclosing a picture of my great great grand mother Henton that I wanted you to see. This was copied from an old oil painting over a hundred years old, which is still in one of the family now living in Texas. You can return it some time when you are writing me. Also sending a picture of Aunt Margaret Nichols Evitt and her daughter Elizabeth "Evitt" Stauder in whose home I have visited many times. She was a fine old lady, we all loved her. She was ninety years old at her death. I made this picture just a short time before thought you would enjoy seeing them. I sure will be delighted to receive pictures of your family, also would like one of your brother Albert and any other of the family they will send. If you can give me any information as to where the family of your Uncle John ever lived please let me know soon as you can and I will try and locate them. Will close with kindest regards to all. Your Cousin Will W. Henton Jan 9, 1919
Canton Mo. Mch 9 1919 Dear cousin: I received the pictures Jany 25" also your letter and I hope you will pardon me for not writing sooner. Mother asked several times if I had written and thanked you for the pictures which we enjoyed seeing so much. I think you have such a nice family, and I am in love with Herman’s picture he is such a fine looking young man, how I would love to see you all. I don’t wonder at you worrying about Herman being so far away from home, and I hope he will soon return now. One reason I did not write you before this, we have had company and I have had a good deal to do as Mother is not able to look after the house work and it all falls on me. My cousin and her daughter came from Kansas and they have been here at our home. She is my favorite cousin and the daughter of fathers oldest sister. Canton is their home but they have been living in Kansas for two years. Her husband is a contractor and builder, I am so glad she has come back here for we missed them so much. Her oldest son is in France. They are looking for him home soon. Her youngest son, Raymond R. Odor, graduated from West Point last November and was married on the same day in the Chapel at West Point. He was only twenty years old. A mighty fine young man is now stationed in Old Mexico. I received an announcement card of cousin Minnie Lease wedding and am writing your Aunt. Has been about two months since I received her letter. They are so anxious to have my cousin Wade W. Condit visit them on his way home from Camp at Baltimore. He is going to be married just as soon as he is released and is so anxious to return to his work at Jefferson City MO. The Girl he is going to Marry is a Jefferson City girl. I met her last spring. She visited her at his mothers. She got a position in Washington so as to be near him and I think they will be married there and come on here to see his father & mother. I am sending you a picture of the wife and son of Walter Henton Condit. He is the second sone of Aunt Honora Nichols Condit. Their home is in Detoit Mich. She was here last June on a visit and looked so well. Now she is in St. Louis Mo. Being doctored for a cancer of the breast but I don’t think there is any hope for her, from what Aunt tells me. I feel so sorry for the little boy. He is a great mamma boy and loves her dearly. I will be so glad to get a picture of your father. Your Aunt said she would have one made off the one she has of her father Wm. Nichols. I just had letters from the daughters of Uncle Sylvester Nichols living in Columbus Ohio. Have been trying to locate this branch for several years. Their names are Angeline Nichols Snyder and Celia Anna Nichols White. Both Widows and living with the daughter of Mrs. White. Mrs. Snyder is about the age of your aunt Clara. Mrs. White is older. Their father Uncle Sylvester died in 1861 and their mother in 1849. I was sorry to hear of your nephew loosing his little girl and the only they had. Agnes couldn’t Cousin Clara Miller fill out the paper I sent of her mothers family. Do you suppose her brother could if she can’t. I should think some of them would have the record. Please ask her to give you a record of her family and the address of his sister Annie so I can write her for a record of her family. Am so anxious to get this all complete. Has Will Lease any family? I am sending a picture of all the great grand children of Perry Nichols. This was taken last June. You will see they are all young. The older grandchildren had no children. Sister Daisy has been married twenty five years but has no family. I want to thank you again for the pictures. You don’t know how glad I was to get them. Will close with love to all Your Cousin Will
Canton MO. Sept 14" 1919 Mrs. Agnes Grimes Frederick Md. Dear Cousin: Received the picture all o.k. and appreciate it very much. Am so glad to have a picture of your father who was named for my grand father Perry Nichols. think the picture is very good to be copied from and old one. He looks a great deal like the? our? Nichols’es. Combed his hair just like grand father did. Cousin Aggie, I began to think you had forgotten me as it had been so long since I wrote you last. What has become of your Aunt Clara. I wrote her last February and have never had a reply. She was trying to help me locate some of the family of your Uncle John Nichols. am so anxious to locate them and obtain records. I wish you would have Clara Miller give me a record of her family for I don’t suppose her brother could give it. Then you said they had a sister living in the west. Do you think Will could give her record if I had her address I could write her myself. Mother has been very sick for two weeks. Am so uneasy about her for she is in very poor health and seems to be failing all the time. I have all the care of her and looking after the house hold duties keeps me pretty busy. We have had a great deal of sorrow in our family since I wrote you. Sister Ora lost her youngest child, Lee Ora, age nineteen months on the 15th of July. This was such a shock to us all. The way she met her death we can hardly get over it. She was such a bright child and we all thought so much of her. Was my favorite. I enclose clipping giving an account of the accident. Please return the clipping as I want to keep it. Sister Daisy was her that Sunday spending the day with us and all the family were on the porch. They had just returned from a car ride and the car was in the yard near the porch. Before they could get to her she must of inhaled the flames which caused her death as the burns were not deep. I will send you a picture of her taken just two days before the accident – soon as I can make up some. She is the small baby in the group picture I sent you. Walter Henton Condit lost his wife Aug 30". Was buried in St. Louis MO. They lived at Detroit Mich. Think I sent you her picture taken with their only child. Walter Jr. age seven years. Her name was Phyllis May. A fine woman. Was here last summer on a visit and looked so well. His brothers Edward Perry Condit of Canton MO and Wade Condit of Jefferson City MO attended the funeral. Aunt "Hun" Nichols Condit is not in very good health. She had something like a slight stroke of paralysis last June. Her daughter Pansy Clay and two daughters of Jefferson City Mo. have been here over two months with her. I know you are glad to have Herman home again and don’t have to worry so much. Your Aunt Clara never did send me the picture of her father. She said she was going to have one made for me. Think I will have to write again and ask? why she has not written me. Am afraid she has? Is not well.. but I think her daughter could write. I wi?? Write to Will Lease soon and see if he will send records. With love to all I am Sincerely your cousin Will W. Henton
Canton Mo. Oct 21" 1919 Dear Cousin Aggie: I will write you a short letter and enclose blank for cousing Clara Miller’s family. I am so glad you are going to get this for me as I am anxious to complete the William Nichols branch of family. I am glad you saw Will lease and mentioned it to him. Has been over a month since I wrote him, hope he will send his family data. I also asked him to get his sister’s data who lives in the west as I haven’t her name and address. Perhaps Cousin Clara could give it. Also try and see if she can’t give her Mother’s family record. Haven’t had any word from your Aunt Clara since I wrote before. So I wrote the other day to Harriett. Perhaps I will hear from her. She may of not received my letter. I am trying to find out from her the different places your uncle John Nichols lived to see if I can not get in trace of his children. She has never told me where he died or where he was married the second time and wifes names. If she can give me this information I am sure I can locate them. Didn’t I write you one time I saw in Quincy Ill paper notice of a John Nichols death in Chicago Ill, who formally lived in Md. But I don’t know the names of his children. This notice said he was born in Frederick Md. And I am sure it must be the same John Nichols by being born in Frederick. When you go up to your Aunt’s please find out all you can from her. Quincy is only seventeen miles from here, that is where Daisy lives. A great grand daughter of Uncle Henry Nichols also lives there. I just had a letter from Ohio telling me the old home of Uncle Henry Nichols burned this summer and everything in it. Cousin Geo Nichols age eighty-two years was living there. He is the only surviving child of Henry Nichols family of thirteen children. I find some might-fine people among his descendants. Mother is feeling some better, but is quite feeble. Sister Ora’s little girl age three and one half years has been real sick, we were real uneasy about her for a week. She is better now. Seems like we have had so much sickness. Will close with love to all. Your cousin Will
Canton MO. Dec 29" 1919 Dear cousin: I have some very sad news to inform you. My dear Mother passed away Dec 11". She has been failing very fast since September and I took care of her all through her sickness which has taken most of my time. I gave up ever thing for her and have been with her day and night. Am about worn out from loss of sleep as I would of written you sooner. This was a sad Xmas for us. Sister Daisy and husband drove up from Quincy in their car and spent the day with us. This leaves Father and I alone in the home. He is in his eightieth year and has failed so much the past year. I expect to stay right at home and keep house and care for him long as he lives. He don’t want to give up his home. This has been hard on him. My home is lonely now without mother. We have been companions all my life and have lived in our present home fifty-three years ago last September. Aunt Honora Nichols Condit has gone to Jefferson City Mo to spend the winter with her daughter. She is in very poor health and this has been hard on her being away from home. The mother-in-law of cousin Ed Condit died just two days before Mother. They live near us. I feel so sorry for his wife as it leaves her all alone in the home. Ed travels and is away all week only home Sunday. Aunt Elvira Nichols Myers feels so lonely now without Mother as she is the only one left here and she has no family. She comes to see me most every day. Is living in the old Nichols home. Cousin Aggie I never did hear from Will Lease. Think he might send me his family record. If he doesn’t know much about the family he could send his data. Did you ever get records from Clara Miller? I can’t understand why I never hear from your Aunt Clara. I wrote to Harriett and she never answered. Has been about a year since I last heard from them. I enclose Mothers obituary. After you have read it please send it to your Aunt Clara. You said they had moved and I haven’t present street no. Will close wishing you all a Happy New Year. With Love Will
Canton Mo. Feby 13" 1920 Mrs. Agnes Grimes Frederick Md. Dear Cousin: Your letter of Jan 5th rec’d, was so glad to hear from you. Aggie you don’t know how I miss my dear Mother for she was always here when ever I would come in. Now her chair is vacant. I know you must of missed your Mother, and she had made her home with you after your Fathers death. I think the ones who have always been with them are the ones who miss them most. Father is feeling better than he did and was down to Quincy Ill and spend several days with sister Daisy. Seemed to enjoy his visit so much. We can not leave home at same time in winter on account of my Flowers? Blowers? And the furnace. Am afraid the water might freeze in the pipes. Had a letter a few days ago from Aunt Honora Nichols Condit who is spending the winter in Jefferson City Mo, with her daughter & son and she is improving some. Aunt Elvira is only one left here now and she misses mother so much and feels so lonely. She is about same age of your Aunt Clara. Had a letter a few days ago from Harriett Lease, the first I had heard for over a year. Said her mother was going to write soon and tell me about your Uncle John T. Nichols, you know I had been trying to get some information from them ever since I first commenced to correspond with your Aunt. Seemed like she had forgotten the address where he last lived and said he died in Ill's. So that was one reason I never wrote to the old add you sent me. Hutchins Iowa. Was looking over your letters last week and said to my self I will try and see if I can locate them. Wrote to the post Master and in five days got a letter from his second wife living at Britt Iowa, in same county. Good for you Aggie, you have been more help to me in trying to obtain data than any one of your branch. I sure appreciate your effort in trying to get record for me and to think his youngest daughter Mable lives to near you. On Lincoln Highway, near Gettysburg Pa. She told me to write to his eldest daughter Clara Bartlett (widow) living in Minn, and she would tell me the address of the others so I have written and will give you full account of the family when I hear. A son Frank lives same place, John Thomas Nichols died Sept 12" 1903, buried Britt Iowa Cemetery. Now when I get the family of your Aunt Mary Lease and Uncle John’s will complete your branch. I think they will answer as they don’t know much about the family and will be interested. His widow said she would be glad to give me any information she could just write what I wanted to know. I wrote Will Lease again but to this date no reply, if he don’t know anything about the family think he could send his record and I wish you would write off Clara Millers. If she can’t guess you will have to do this if we ever get it, do your best cousin Aggie and write Will Lease and see if you can’t have his wife fill in the sheet I sent with stamped envelope. Am so anxious to get this all completed. Now I have located the John Nichols family. Please get the address of their sister living in the west. Has she a family? You said her name was Annie Lease. Will close for this time. Love to all. Your cousin, Will
11/11/2002
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