Terwilliger Letters
Letters written to Harriet Paul Terwilliger Martindale and husband Horace Hart Martindale from William Kaylor Terwilliger and other family members (1905-1921)
[Letters in possession of Frederick P. Pelser, 160 Ravenswood Ct., Vacaville, CA 95688.
Copied by hand by Gladys True Phelps, with salutations omitted and spelling corrected.Typed by Jimmie Gay Williams.]
Booneville, Ark.
March 4, 1905
Mr. H. M. & Family ...
I have not commenced farming yet. Planted some potatoes and onions and peas and cabbage seeds. Cleaned off my ground. Well, Hat, much obliged for the coat. They all said it was a dressing sack. It is all right. It is so warm. Be fine for cold weather ...Well, Hat, Stella married the fellow you had in mind, Fred Wilson. I am not going to plant any cotton this year ... Willie Goff is boarding here and going to school. I think Stella will take John and the children in and your ma will have a better time.
Wess has the grip and Em has taken it I am going to town today and take some eggs. I took some Tuesday and three pounds of butter. Eggs are 20 cts and butter. 15 a pound.Do you think you will move back to Ark? I have not heard you say much about it lately.
W. K. T.
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Booneville, Ark.
Rt. 1 Box 51
March 1909?
Well Sis, I will write you a few lines to let you know how mom is. She had two of her fingers removed and she is not getting along very well.
Her arm is swollen to the elbow. Joe is going to sit up with her tonight. She is at Ann Spears. I have not seen her since it was done. It was taken off Friday at 9:00. If she is no better when Joe comes back, I will go to see her. I would have gone before but have to tend Pops things till she gets able to come home.
Fay is sick. Stella is at Boonville with her ...
from Retta Williams
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Booneville
June 11, 1909
Ma's hand is not well yet ... I raised ten children and have 48 grandchildren and can not get one to stay with us . Nora Terwilliger is about to die with inflammation of stomach and bowels. Looking to hear of her death any time.
W. K. T.
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Booneville, Ark.
Sept 11, 1909
Mr. H. H. Martindale & family,
... Ma has been sick about 3 weeks. Better now.. Hand is still running . . . No rain in over eight weeks. Have to draw water out of 45 ft. well ...Stella & Fred have moved to town.
W. K. T.
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Booneville, Ark.
Dec.28,1909
Stella & Fred came up Christmas morning and went back Sunday. We had an invitation to take dinner with Lect but is was too cold & windy Ma's hand is not well and the cancer is breaking out in a new place. She had a bad case of kidney trouble ... I have one in the comer of my eye... Matt had not got her box yet before Christmas... Sindy (Cindy) is married and has two children. She lives close to Paris. Nora is dead. Willie lives with his Ma and Lewis (Louis) stays among the Taylors. Margaret is married to John Spoon and keeping straight, I guess ... We got a nice card from Clara ... Alvin Goff is married to Will Gilliam's daughter . . . The old Speer place I sold for $900. He sold it for $2000 so you see I lost $1100.
W. K. T.
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Abbott, Ark.
Feb. 6,1910
Mandy to Hat and All.
This winter I will have a fresh cow soon. I have 16 head of geese & 50 head of chickens. I am preparing to go in the poultry business. I have 1 acre of ground for a garden.
... My house is arranged in six rooms, 1 hall, 3 porches, 2 closets. Danny is 9 years old this month and weighs 101... Eldridge and Marvin are great big boys. I have a new sewing machine. Excuse me for bragging. Reney Melvin has had a long spell of fever but up again. I heard that Grandma T. was in bad health ...Myrtie lives near .......... .......... has a girl baby. Alvin has a girl baby. He is near Charleston. We visit W. K. T. in the fall. I am taking 5 papers. You know I like the news.
W. I. Goff
I forgot to say I am making baskets yet
Isham Goff
Mandy
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Charleston, Ark.
May 23,1910
I am sendin my baby's picture. Her name is Atha Maria. She is 11 months old. I was 22 years old the 30th of last April. A large croud of youn folks surprised me. They came in on me going to bed. I was shocked, you bet.
Alvin Goff
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Nov. 1, 1910
I seat myself to tell you the bad news of Matt's death. She died Oct. 28 late in the evening. Laid her away yesterday in the Charleston Cemetery. Her boy Chester(?) was buried first one month before in the same place. Her little girl, Goldie, is staying at Will Swaims.
Looking for her to die any minute. Bess was so she could sit up yesterday, a little. Ma knows I am not very well ... I am not heart sick, just a nervous breakdown. Typhoid fever is what ailed the rest.
W. K. T.
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Nov. 6,1910
I made plenty corn but little cotton. My cropper made a good crop. Grandma has a cancer on her eye. It can't be cured. Pop can't see much. He can get around pretty well yet. I stay in the house with Emma and the little boy. He is fat as a pig now.
J. W. Goff
... Aunt Mandy and Martha have been here with us today. Leonard went to Ishum's last night, but he has not got home yet. We get 10-12 eggs a day. We will have four hogs to kill but three are small. We have one nice beef to kill. We get a dollar a bushel for our apples. I guess you know Matt is dead. They never let us know about it till she wasburied ... I still have spells.
EE to HP
(Emma)
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undated
I am slow about writing, when you get in your 75 year you will know why I am slow if you live that long ... Ma is staying up very well this year so far. We are having summer weather now. We had three days winter weather. Froze the Arkansas over fist time in 12 years . . . Joe's were here last Sunday and Em and Wess. Em is looking pretty bad... Ann was puny ...Horace, you ought to see Booneville grow. 10 years ago you could buy lots from 15 to 27 dollars. Now they are selling for 150 dollars. Houses are going up all the time. You had better come and see the country and town and all the friends. Do you good.
It would have done me better to buy lots with my money instead of buying land.
W. K. T.
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Booneville
April 18 (1911?)
Dear Sister & Brother,
... Mamma is no better but much worse. the doctor said he could do her no good ... Do not be surprised any time to get a letter telling you she is gone. Well I don't see how they can get that land if you took land notes and 80 acres, the way land sells, would bring you a thousand dollars. We have been offered 22 hundred for 80 acres but it is bottom land. I hope you can get it and then you can come to see us. I wish you could come to see Ma while she would know you. I am afraid she will get so she can't talk. I have to get close to her now to understand her.
As ever,
Retta Williams
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Booneville, Ark.
April 24, 1911
Dear Sister,
I will write you a few lines to let you know how mama is getting along. She is pretty bad off. We have got the third doctor with her. Maybe he can help her though the other two said they have done all they could. Mandy came down and staying tonight. Lect and Willie one night and Joe stayed one night so you see we have had plenty of company so far.Dr. Armstrong said she might get well but I am afraid she won't. Papa is able to wait on Mama now. If he wasn't I don't know what I would do. I wrote a note to Daisy Pruitt this morning.
It was cold and today we got our corn planted but no cotton yet. It would not do any good as long as it is so cold. My little
chickens are all doing well ...
Stella
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May 5,1911
Dear Sister,
... This leaves us all well but the baby has been sick for three weeks, but is better now. We have all been exposed to the measles and Elsie is coughing now. She may be taking them. This is the 17th day. Well, Hat, Ma has been awful sick but is better now. They did not think she would live for awhile and she is not out of danger yet ...
It has rained so much we have had a time planting our crops. We are planting cotton but have about 15 acres of corn to plant yet. My garden is fine. Ed is going to send you one of his pictures. It is just like him. He also has written some too.
Electa Swaim
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PM May 28 (1911?)
Dear Sister...
Well, I though I would write to break the news to you. I guess you will not be surprised. Mamma is dead. She passed out of this life May the 25th at 5:30 o'clock in the evening. She is dead but resting. While her body is here, her spirit is with God. He gave it. It was
hard to give her up. But she is out of her suffering. She suffered 2 months till it looked every day she would pass out of her suffering. She was laid to rest in Booneville Cemetery. Mandy came down from Abbott last Monday and stayed with her till she was buried. She knew everything and everybody till the very last but she could not talk. . . I can hardly write the news to you but she is better off than any of us ...
Retta Williams
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July 1, 1911
Booneville, Ark.
I am as well as can be expected under the circumstances. I am not satisfied anywhere. I went up to see Matt (Martha Jane, his sister??) last week. She is very feeble and has heart trouble. Ma and I lived together 53 years and 5 months. She was 74 years, 2 months, and 17 days old. Five weeks ago yesterday at 3 o'clock she was laid away in Booneville Cemetary. I bought half a plot for me and her. I am going to sell out if I can. I will put up a monument in the center for both of us and have my name put on right away. Then my children will have no trouble. I do not know what I will do yet. I am staying with Stella and Fred yet they live in with me. I want to go see Mandy soon ... I don't feel like living.
W. K. T.
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July 22, 1911
Booneville, Ark.
We have had a very hot summer and dry. Early corn is burnt up. Late corn looks fine. The drought is broken. We had a fine rain Thursday. I think it is pretty general. Cotton is fine if nothing happens to it, it will be a bumper corp. We went up to Isham Goffs last week. They were all well. I was over to Wes's and Em is some better than she was. Leonard is married again so Em will have some help. I heard Symons sold my old place for ten thousand dollars. I sold it for $300 so you see I have been makin money. Sold the old Speer (?) place for $900. In 12 months it sold for $2000. The world wags on. Rothwell donated that 80 acres of your that lay next to Muchlers. From the start if cost him $140. It is worth a thousand so you can see that you could have made some money if you could have red(?) it. Times are different now from what they were. The farmers are all doing better than they used to do. The oil experts have been in here. They say there is plenty of oil and gas here. They are taking options on the land from Chismville to Washburn. They say it is as good oilfield as Pennsylvania was. If they find oil, land will go out of sight. I was at Anne's this morning. They are all well. I have about 15 bushels of fine peaches of the Alberty variety. Have some August peaches and some October peaches. Albertas are $1.20 in town, $ 1.00 in orchard. Do you not wish you could be here to eat peaches and drink watermelons. Do not look for me unless I sell out.
W. K. T.
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Feb. 4, 1912
I have had another spell this winter but am up again and doing very well now. have some cold ... You must not think too heavy on my coming out there. It will be just how my health is. Still have the trip on my mind. If I come I will not leave before the 20th of May when the weather gets warmer. Leonard said Friday that his Ma was not very well at present.. I spent Christmas with Isham. Some of them had very bad colds. All the big Goffs were there and all of the little ones too so I got to see them all - children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He has just got three children at home, two boys and one girl. Mandy is holding up very well. She weighs 143 pounds ...
W. K. T.
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Booneville
Aug. 17, 1912
Horace, I was in the storm belt. Blew MY houseoff the foundation. I have got it up again, cost me $95. Stella and the children and myself went up to Joe's Thursday and the storm came Friday night so we escaped. If we had been home I guess Stella would have done some squalling. Well there were only two or three persons hurt, 42 houses blown off the foundations, and five blown down. So you see it was a pretty good storm, just straight wind. Well, I had a good trip all the way through. Never missed a connection anywhere. I was just as long going home from Danville as to your place. I had a letter from Clara this week. She said she was well and like it very well where she was. I hope this will find you all well.
Minnie has gone to Oklahoma to stay with a friend till the first of November.Em is not well yet. Her bum has not healed yet. I have not been over there yet. My house was down a week ... Joe was to town yesterday. He said they were all well.
W. K. T.
(undated)
Booneville, Ark.
Route 1, Box 51
Sept. 2 (1914?)
Dear Sister,
...Well you spoke of rain out there. It rains hereall the time. I got the cake all right and have it yet. Will not let them eat it. Lecta has got her a new daughter-in-law. Ed married last Sunday ... I have been trying to dry apples. I canned 103 cans of peaches, 48 of tomatoes and I don't know how many of the other stuff - apples and berries pickles and we made 75 gallons of molasses ... The girls school be out next Friday. Dewey's school will start Monday. He will take up the 10th grade. . . I have got thirty little fall chicks ...
Retta Williams
(undated)
(Jan. 1, 1914?)
Dear Sister and All,
. . . I was waiting to see how the sick folks would get so I would have no bad news to write but it is bad news. Anyway Em is dead. She died this morning at 7 o'clock. I came from there Monday and thought she was better. But she taken penumonia in the other lung - and Lect's little girl has pneumonia. If Lect's little girl is not too bad I will go to the burying tomorrow. Do you see Papa's family is going fast. I hate to write when I can't write the folks is all all well ...
Retta Williams
June 8, 1916
Bonneville
Dear Sister & Family,
... We are all well today but the children have been chilling for the longest time ... I have so much to do that I hardly every get time to write and I have got so I had rather do anything I ever have done than to pick up a pencil and write.My garden is fine. I have had two messes of beans and peas till you couldn't rest and some potatoes, but our potatoes are no account this year.Well, we will get done hoeing cotton next week. Our cotton looks very well. We have in about 40 acres of cotton and about 24 of corn and 20 of peanuts, 4 of oats so you see we are well cropped. Well, Hat, by the time you hear from me again I will be Grandma. Just think, only 38 years old and Grandma. Well, Elvie and Bud are getting along fine. They have got a nice crop this years and they made a splendid crop last year. They made plenty of corn to do them and made 16 bales of cotton. They have a good team of mules and one horse, hogs to make meat and cows so that is what you call good for a couple just starting out.
Ed and his wife are doing very well too. Ed has a big team of horses, one cow and two heifers, two nice sows and pigs and has about 20 acres of crop. Well, I would like you to come and see us again if you could. Seems like writing don't do me much good and I'll never be able to come to see you but wish I could. Mamma is not very well again. She went to Fort Smith about a month ago to have her teeth taken out and she had eight pulled and she came so near bleeding to death that I don't expect she will to have the others taken out until fall. She is gaining her strength. Saw Lecta pass the other day and she is as big and fat as ever.
We had an awfully hard rain last night and some hail. Think there was quite a lot of damage done in other parts of the state by the storm. We have had several messes of peas since I came home and some potatoes but it was so dry before the rain last night that our garden doesn't look very nice. We have had strawberries ever since I came home but think we had our last today. Guess you are not even thinking of garden vegetables there yet ... Tell Anna I surely would like to come to her wedding but I'll not get to. Hope she is going to get a good man and I know she wouldn't have any other kind. Wish some of your could come to see us. Think Elsie might come. She could get a pass if her husband is a railroad man. We got the picture ok. Elsie has two such sweet children ...
Rev.Stonewall Anderson from Tenn. preached the commencement sermon today and it was fien. The closing exercises will be this week ...
Minnie Spear
(undated)?
I am going to see Mandy this summer. I go to see Stella about once a year. I have just written her a letter for the first one since last summer. I got one from her about two months ago. Well, I have written all I can think of this time. Will close. Answer soon and tell all the news and how the children are getting along.
Elect Swaim to Hat
Abbott, Ark.
Dec. 8, 1916
Dear HHM and all
I thought to write you again. We are all up, just a little older. Times is dull here. A great many people are in debt here. Everything is high. Corn is 100 a bushel. All eatables are high. I am in debt a great deal. We have 2 children at home yet. Marvin and Dena. Marvin and I have a mule, and 3 head of horses. We have 2 milk cows and 3 yearlings, 1 hog. Well Horace, I am still making baskets. I have made $59.65 this winter. Well Horace, I would like to see you one more time. I often think of the past of long ago. I visited brother Henry some time ago. He is in bad health. If I could sell my farm, I might go to Okla. The oil and gas is getting great in Oklahoma and in Arkansas this country has changed a great deal since you left. I weigh 198 lbs, Mandy 149, Dena 181, Marvin 147. Dena is good playing organ and guitar. We send you the family group except Arthur and Eldridge and family. Eldridge was sick, Arthur was contrary.
W. W. Goff
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Abbott
Jan. 1, 1917
My Dear Aunt,
... How are you. I am all ok and hope you the same. I received your card. Was glad to hear from you. I am going to school now. I am studying the eighth grade. I have got good teachers. This makes their fourth term. Well, Aunt Hat, you said on the card for me to write
about my nephews and neices. I will just send you their pictures . . .
Dena Goff
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Abbott, Ark.
July 11, 1917
Dear Brother,
... Mandy had a sick spell first of the week. We are most done our crop and I have done much work in the hot sun and I am almost knocked out. Corn looks good and cotton is small. We have 23 acres in cotton, 17 in corn, 1 1/2 in peanuts, 1 1/2 in melons. Besides peas and cane and other things, all told about 48 acres.3 of my boys had to register. I don't. All but one of the boys at home is too young. Well, Horace, I would like to see you one time more. I'd sure enjoy a long talk with you. I wish that you could come out.
W. Goff
To Hat, Dear Sister,
I was glad to get your letter. I have worked very hard this summer. I made a fine garden, have raised several chickens. I have a fresh cow. I am milking 2 cows and soon will have one more.I don't think any of my boys will have to go to the war. They all have something that ails them.I wish that you and Horace would come out and see us all. I made about 7 bushels of onions. I have lots of peaches. I am canning peaches now. I have peaches as big as your fist. I wish I
could hand you one ...
Mandy
Dena is crocheting. She wants to know if you
crochet. Samples of Mandy's and Dena's
dresses.
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Boonville, Ark.
July 22, 1917
Dear Sister & family,
... We are all well except Lydia. She is chilling. Has had two chills. Say, I will send you Claud's baby's picture. It is 6 months old. Well, they have not got my boys in the war yet but Claud had to register. They may call him any time, but I don't think he will pass. He is not well and stout. Has your boy had to go yet? Well crops look good so far. I have canned my beans and cabbage and made my kraut and cannin my cucumbers now. I have planted me some late beans and peas. Trying to raise everything we eat. What you buy is so high ...I have not heard from Stella since she left here.
Retta Williams
I forgot you asked me about Devoe Speer. Inever hear them say anything.
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Abbott, Ark.
August 23, 1917
Dear Brother,
... We are all well at present. We are having too much rain to dry fruit. Well, Horace, I will have the peanuts for you. They will be above 1 bushel but I haven't been particular about them, only to get them picked off. There will be lots of sorghum this fall. Some early cane is ready now. I don't know what they will sell at. Something above 50 cents. I am trying to get the dried peaches. I think I can but don't know. About price I will let you know later on. Cotton is fine at this time. We are expecting 20 or 25 cents a pound. Corn is good fall crop is good. Say, Horance, I have a wagon load of watermelons. I wish you were here. We would stay and eat. Say, Hat, the boy who had his house burned had a share crop with his father-in-law. He had a good crop. He is now in the peach selling on the same farm. Ell lost his baby. Baby is dead ...
Haven't any of my boys been drawn in the army yet ...
W.I. Goff
Mandy to Hat, Dear Sis,
I am awful glad to hear from you. We see some of Williams every week or so. We saw the old folks last week at a picnic at Mansfield. The old man was paralyzed in the spring and isn't over with it yet. I have sold lots of eggs this year. We are selling watermelons and tomatoes now. We have a fall Irish potato crop doing fine. I have over 100 jars of fruit up.
Aunt Mandy
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Booneville
Oct. 15, 1917
Dear Sister
... All are busy picking cotton. Have out 2 bales for our selves and 2 for Claude. We will get about 5 bales, Claude 3. None of my boys has had to go to war yet. Claude may be in the next call but I hope he will not have to go. Well, Lect has got a big boy. That makes I I for her. If is name is Grafton Autrey. Joe has not gathered his corn yet. He dug his sweet potatoes, got 30 bu. We tried to raise everything we could to eat. Everything is so high.I saw Wes at Booneville Wednesday. They were well. He lives with Leonard...
I will send you the girls' pictures...
Retta Williams
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Booneville
Feb. 1, 1920
Dear Sister,
... We have sure had a mild winter here. So far we have just had two little snows so far. Well. how -has it been out there. Well, I wish you were out here to help me quilt. me and Ruby has quilted I 1,and,got to more to quilt. Will make 17? for us since Ruby got out of the field. Well, Hat, I don't know whether I ever wrote to you about Edwin's baby. They have a boy 9 months old and they named him Horace. Tell his Uncle Horace that he will have to get him a present. He is a sweet black-eyed baby. I have two grandbabies and they are both boys. Ret has three and they are all girls. One of mine is nearly 4 years and the other 9 months. Less has been married two years in October. She has no children. Well, I was up to see Mandy this fall. They were all well. I am thinking of going out to see Stella this spring. She lives about 50 miles from me. I am going to wait till the sickly season is over before I go. I have a letter from her and she told me her oldest girl was nearly as tall as she was. It has been 3
years since I have seen her and about the same since I saw Ann ...
Electa Swaim
Abbott, Ark.
Feb.23,1921
Dear Brother & family,
... Say, Horace, we had the biggest snow here I ever saw. It was about 22 inches deep. It is 13 inches today. The sun is warm to dry it out. It is melting fast. Mr Gilliam(?) has moved near Fort Smith. one oil company has the derrick up at Booneville to try for oil and I learn they will begin here at Abbott soon. I guess you see in the paper what a great oil field just opened at El dorado, Ark. It sure is a boon. We are getting ready for a crop. Have planted some gardens. Have had turnip greens all winter. Say, Horace, can you still get old clothing out there as you once did? If you could, I would pay the freight on them. We want them princibly for Arthur's family as he is not able to work and hasn't done any for most ofa year and don't...........................................
Arthur's family as he is not able to work and hasn't done any work for most of a year and don't know when he ever will ...
I had a letter from Fred Wilson some time ago. I am still making baskets. I have made 80 something this winter ...
W. I. Goff
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To Sister Hat,
I am well, and the biggest snow I ever saw in Arkansas. I have enjoyed my turnip greens this winter. I am milking three cows. We had to sell our cotton at a low price and it got us in a hard shape again and money can't be got at the banks so the farmers are up against it for this year. Before the snow the chickens and geese had green grass to feed on. Well, Hat, I send you a lock of my baby's hair. I got eggs all winter but the price is off now. It looks at this writing like it will snow again.
Mandy to Hat
Dear Aunt Hat,
It is with pleasure I write you a few lines this lonesome Sunday. There is what I call a big snow on the ground. I don't guess you would call it much of a snow but it is a big snow for this state. Well, what do you do nowadays. Do you crochet any? I make quilts and read most of the time. Tho it won't be very long until my work begins in the field. Yes, Aunt Hat, some flower seed would be highly appreciated. I certainly do love flowers. Have you very many flowers now? Mother said tell you, as she forgot, that she was more than proud of the picture you sent. It sure did look natural.
Well, Auntie, I will ask you to excuse sorry writing as my pen point is bad.
So hoping for a long letter.
Your niece,
Dena Arzella Goff