Family letters ....stories & history for generations to come .......this page of old letter content gives wonderful insight into the early days of Plymouth County. Letters written by our ancestors to one another are excellent source as to how life was in the early days. Please feel free to submit any letters or portions of letters for consideration. Email the county coordinator, Linda Ziemann. Any history you want to share in this way is much appreciated! ......More letters written from a distance and mailed back to Plymouth County, Iowa. Enjoy the HISTORY these letters contain! Nebraska letter, 29 Mar 1886 The following letter written by Watson Kennedy to the members of the Epworth League will be read with interest by his friends: [This letter in its entirety was printed in the LeMars Sentinel dated July 10, 1898] Camp Thomas, Ga., July 4, 1898 Watson D. Kennedy was the son of William H. and Martha Kennedy, residents of Seney, Iowa, Plymouth Co. in 1898. Watson had just entered the military, Spanish American War era. (Portion of a letter found in the LeMars Sentinel, date unknown, Spring 1929) John Ruble Meets Men Against Who He Fought in the Sixties "John C. Ruble, who is visiting some of the old battlegrounds where he fought sixty years ago, writes from Arlington, Virginia. "We crossed the chain bridge into Virginia from Pennsylvania and went by the camp where we spent the winter of 61-62. From that camp, I carried dispatches twice a day from Gen. Hale's headquarters to McClellan in the city. Our camp was called Camp Pierrepoint. From there we went around all the ground where the entrenchments were until we got to Arlington. There is where many of our great generals are laid to rest in the beautiful cemetery. We went to Bull Run where the Confederates have that cemetery fixed up very nice. My wife has a son living in a house alongside of an old fort which was built to protect the railroad bridge crossing the Rappauhock River. Tuesday we went to the battlefield of Brandy Station where was one of the greatest cavalry fights of the war and from there to the battlefield of Cedar Mountain. I was in that fight. There were four companies of my regiment, the First Pennsylvania Cavalry. The old major took us down to the end of the road and drew us up to attention. "First battalion, do you see that line of battle coming up there?" Then he pointed to one of the batteries that had about all the horses killed and said, "I am ordered to break that line and by God we are going to do it and some of you will see your grandmothers before you get back." Now I was not anxious to see the old lady just then. However we got through the first line, and then my horse was killed and I fell into the hands of the Johnny Rebs, and got a trip to Richmond where I came near starving to death, but I am glad I was not killed. Submitted by Edwin Lackey "Another year has passed, and things are much as they have been in the ninety-three years that have gone. The sun rises in the East, the wind blows, the seasons come and go, crops grow and are harvested, or withered, depending on the weather. The things of nature are much the same as they were when we were children; man and the things of his mind and hand have changed, and not always for good, I fear. But the years when we were children on the Broken Kettle were not all bad. They had their ups and downs, goodness knows, but there were moments of gladness that gave sunshine to our days, and happiness to our hearts. A few of the early events stand out clearly in my memory, your midnight ride to Akron with that terrible toothache, the time you broke your arm while distributing fodder to the cattle from the back of a wagon, the snow-covered hills that seemed so large in those far-off days, and winter nights, both bitter cold and sublimely beautiful under a full moon. And, too, I recall nights when we heard the distant howl of the wolves, with their scary cadences, singing, I suppose, to attract their counterparts in distant fields. And the occasional times when the peddlers and 'men of the open road' would pass our way, peddle their wares and tell us of happenings outside our world, or until we received the mail. You know the mail was very important to our folks. It came, at first, in grain sacks from the LeMars Post Office, not oftener than once in two weeks, the 'Weekly Scotsman,' perhaps a few letters from Scotland or England, and a magazine or two. I have often marveled at the correspondence between Mother and Aunt Kate Pringle, fifty-five years of regular letters between the faithful sisters. It made a record of correspondence of some sort. I have thought of the coming of the mail, rural free delivery about 1901, and Mr. Swandon, our first mail man, the telephone and its variety of rings for the customers, and the covert listening to the neighbor's telephone conversations. We didn't have the 'tapes' in those days, but not much was hidden. Not much was covered up." Letter excerpt written by Robert C. Tindall to his brother, Jack Tindall in LeMars, IA. Jack was soon to celebrate his 92nd birthday, born 02 Mar 1882. Letter dated: 25 Feb 1974 "My Dear Jack and Ferne:- Nina and I have passed our 60th wedding anniversary and we are facing the next 60 years. There was just one thing missing at the great event: you two were absent. Jack was present at the original marriage, he, Mary and Leslie came, after a harrowing storm, of wind, rain and blustery weather. Jack told the tale of a run-away freight train, passing through the Merrill freight yards at lightning speed, and leaving the would-be passengers half asleep, and shouting WHOA to the 'iron horse.' But that story has passed, with many others, into the realm of forgotten lore; it happened sixty years ago." Letter excerpt written by Robert C. Tindall to his brother, Jack Tindall & wife, Ferne, in LeMars, IA. Robert & Nina Tindall had just celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary. Mr. & Mrs. Robert Tindall were married in 1914. Letter dated: 16 Jun 1974 Dear Granddaughters, I would like for you to have these vases for "keep sakes," --not that they are so valuable, except in expressions of sentiment. These vases were given to me by my Aunt Eva Brodie, my father's youngest sister. The smaller one was a gift when I graduated from 8th Grade in 1919. In those days the children who took 8th grade work in country school had to pass state examinations in every subject of the grade, in order to be accepted into a high school. I passed my exams in Feb. 1919, at the age of 12 years. (If some did not pass all subjects in February, they were given another examination in that subject in May.) Then if all grades were at an average of 75 with no grade below 70, the scholar was admitted to the county graduating class. We were given a graduating "ceremony" very similar to the high school commencements of the present time. I remember that I made my new blue organdy dress with white ruffles for the occasion. The larger vase was given to me by the same aunt at the time of my high school graduation, in May, 1923. These vases are old. I want you to have them now. [Lovingly signed by, Grandma] Letter excerpt written by Mrs. Ferne Tindall, of LeMars, Iowa, to her two granddaughters. Wonderful history written concerning country school and eighth grade graduation! Letter dated: Spring 1974 AUNTIE KING REMEMBERED By Rena Perry She introduced us to nursery rhymes, stories and songs and always had a heap of information about anything we asked. While sitting or lying on the ground at her feet, she helped us find the big and little dippers. She taught us Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and told us when seeing a falling star to think of a good friend and you would always think of that person when seeing a falling star, which proved to be true. While waiting for one of the young boys to come home from a visit with one of the neighbors, his mother was relieved when she had us put our head down to the road and listen for the sounds of the horse’s hooves. Raising our heads, we would see him coming up over the hill in the bright moonlight. |
