I have many letters from the late 1800's to some semi-current. I'm in the process of reading them and transcribing them to add to this page.
December 02, 1866 Missouri
Dear Mother,
I write there few lines to let you know that I' am well. I was married the 19th of October and I expect to stay here for 5 years as I have lived a place for 5 years. This is a great corn country. The land produces from 40-75 bushels to the acre. Sherwood, I want you to come down and see us this winter. If you have got time and bring my Philly with you. For I have gotten nothing but a yoke of oxen to tend my crop with. If you come to ? and then take the old state road-that runs the corner of ? ? on the elk mill ?. I live about 4 miles on the elk or scott mill and about 12 miles below pineville on the Coushin River. I have found where ? and ? went to see the man and he told me that he sent his trunk with $500.00 worth of accounts to John Maxey. Ordering him to put them in the hand of Lawyer Cravens to collect if John Maxey is there. Make inquires of him about these things. If you come out here inquire in ?. I want you to write as soon as you get this letter for I haven't heard from you since last February. Give me all the news, tell me whether Greenfields have moved or not. Give our respects to the connection and receive a large portion to yourself. Direct your letters to Pineville.
M. E. & Ellen Walton
Denison, Texas Jan 2, 1918
My own dear Grace,
Well missy I have a few minutes before I go to work I will drop you a few lines just to let you know that I and everything arrived ok. I hit here at 5 went to work at 6 and finished the night so you see I did not have much time to run around after I got home. But you know the old saying there is no rest for the wicked. Well I guess this is the first letter you will receive from me this year and here is hoping they may come thick and fast this year whatcha say. Grace dear I hope I made you Xmas holidays happy and joyful. For at least I tried to that was why I did not let you know I was coming for I knew if I told you that would spoil it all, so I just kept quiet. I did not have time to call Lillian for I stepped right out of one car in to another only waiting five minutes. Grace dear you don't know what a mysterious and peculiar feeling came over me as you and I sat there together and when you pressed and rubbed your hands upon my face. There are not a word in the English language to express the feelings and I guess you were there in the same boat. And Grace dear you don't know what joy and pleasure it gives me. And dear Grace dear when I look at that ring of yours something tells me that I will never call it mine again now do you believe that something is right but I should worry over a little article like that. Well we are having some more pretty weather up here it is just as warm and pretty you can almost go with out a coat of any sort. But I guess by tomorrow we'll be bundling an O-coat. I told Eva this morning about my going down to see you and she would not believe me for awhile until I impressed it quite strongly on her mind. I read your letter when I came home and was sure glad to get it. Grace dear I haven't never figured out why you should think I would ever forget my little baby or the girls in the Dutch collar for I never will until something great happens or old Grim Death doth separate us for Grace dear I have learned to love and think more of you I would have never stopped and taken the time to come and see you Grace dear I want to ask you a question now look out before you answer and I hope and pray that your answer will be "Yes". Grace will you be my Little Baby and Sweetheart forever and ever to come. And here is hoping for the above answer if you think you could always be that. P. J. went to McAlester all right and he reported a magnificent time. Eva said if her beloved had come down to see her we could have all been satisfied but as usual she was left out. I am enclosing a good piece if you can read it. Well Grace dear I will close looking for a letter Monday.
From your truest and loving sweetheart,
Murray W. McMillin
Denison, Texas Jan 06, 1918
My Own Dear Grace,
Well this time 12:30 last Sunday I was writing no letters to nobody at all for I had no occasion to. Just 6 short days since I seen you and it may be that many long months before I see you again. Awful isn't it but it cant be helped. Well there are not anything to keep us from writing are there dear. I received a letter from Pauline the other day she said Grace Bracher was her dearest chum and she and Grace were the only girls from Texas. They shared their Xmas goodies together. She also gave you her best regards I guess she meant YOU she said my dear little friend in Waco now who else could she have meant I wonder. I also received a card from Grace. When I answer Pauline's letter I will tell Grace hello for you whacha say to it. Eva told me today that she received a letter from you it was the first time I have seen her in two weeks. I told her about coming down she said I should have taken her with me. I asked her if you told her everything about me coming down and she said no but it would have been ok if you had. I am including some photos junk and truck which I think you and Mr. Dollins will enjoy reading some of them I almost had a scrap with Babe to get these photos for he only had 3 of each and I managed to get 1 each of them. Eva saw them and I nigh had a fight for she wanted them too. Well we have another northern up here I expect you have it by this time. My aunt just told me that I did not come on to the dishes she would sure fix me with you but I cant be worried at all. I have not told Aunt Dulce about me coming to see you last Sunday for the notion hasn't struck me right yet. I will send you some more photos sometime soon. Well Grace dear I will close for this time looking for a letter Monday.
From your True and Loving Sweetheart
M W McM
11:45 p.m. Denison, Texas
January 07, 1918
My Dear Sweetheart,
I recieved your most welcome and expected letter this a.m. and you cant imagine what joy swept over me when I read it. Grace dear I have a little plan which I think will work out if we can engineer it right. That is this that seeing I wont be able to see you for some time the we each talk to our propositions over with our (Bosses) you with your mother and me with my aunt and see what they say to it and then they can fix things up to suit us. My auntie has asked me several times whether I had cinched the proposition yet I told her I would let her know when I was ready for her to take a hand in it and she said she was at my service any old time I might jar loose with a question or two. You can talk it over confidentially with your mother and I know she will see things in our light for she was once a girl herself- you know. You line everything up on your end and I will on mine we can then let each other know how we have progressed. Then we can let your mother and my aunt get their pens and inks and heads together and see what the results will be in other words we want to find a X. And dear Grace here is hoping to success all round. Grace dear I have lived about 5 days in suspense and waiting anxiously for Monday to come and for your answer "YES" or maybe "no" for I did not know which it would be but I hoped and prayed it would be YES and when I received your letter this a. m. I could not read it fast enough for I wanted to see what the answer was. Well if it had of been me I don't know what I would have done I guess I would have done without. Baby dear I had no more intentions of taking my ring from you than I have of flying to the moon on a battleship for I know if I did and did not replace it with another that it would break your heart and I would not have that done for a car load of rings and as to giving or even letting Rudy wear it you should worry about that for you know where the ring is right now dontcha. Well right there is where it is going to stay for a while until a little later on. Babe for now on I don't see why you say it is funny that I should really and truly love and care more for you than any one else it is funny to me but you know Babe that some funny little things will happen in one life time I think our affair started about the same time which was last Easter. I think I hit the nail on the head that time you have no idea what pleasure and enjoyment I witnessed last Easter and the more and cares finally turned into that wonderful tie of Nature's Love. Babe if I had not of wanted you for my Sweet Heart and Baby I would have never asked you and I also thought that if you cared and loved me your answer would be "YES". When I read over those lines and you said you would always be mine I just was so full of joy I laughed out loud and Lenard asked me what tickled me so and I said nothing and sorry I have some property in Waco Tex and some of these days I will come and get my property put it under my right wing and fetch it back with me that is if Uncle Sammy don't stop me before I get that far. Well dear it is 1 a.m. Tuesday. I think I will say Good Night and Sweet Dreams to my little Baby and Sweet heart.
Your true and Loving Sweet Heart
Murray W. McMillin
Denison Texas Jan 13, 1918
My Dearest Grace,
I will answer your letter which I received Wednesday- was glad to hear from you as usual. I don't think you will receive this on Monday for I have been laid up with a cold for 3 days. Layed off Saturday and am in bed and I cant find any one to mail this for me so I will have to do it in the morning my self. That is if I go to town but I wont if I don't feel any better than I do now. We have had another snow about 6' deep on the level and Friday night when I came home the thermo told the tale of 2 below zero and the wind was blowing at 20 mile pace and believe me it sure was cold. Grandpa will be 81 years old tomorrow. And he says from the way he feels he is good for 20 more and I believe myself and here is hoping he may live that long he says he might like to see the 5th generation on his knee before he dies you see I was the 4th. I certainly will tell Grace B. Hello for you when I write to Pauline I told her in her other letter and I will also tell her in the next. You tell John that I said if I did not hear from him pretty soon "WOE" be unto him when I do see him. My dear, my aunt does not object to me coming to see you the only thing is that some folks might find out and say something they should not. She also said she would be glad when I quit going to Waco I asked her when she thought I was going to quit and she said she did not know but just wait time would tell so I guess we will have to think so. I am glad you liked the pictures I knew you would I will get some more some of the day I asked Basta Campbell to get me 5 golden (?) stones the next time he was in Dallas I tried to get them when I was there but could not. Grace I want you to send me another picture of yourself and about the same size as the one I have on my watch for I broke my crystal and split the one I had and there if you have a planer one than the one I had on there just send it to me. I just went out after some wood and on the way out some one hit me with a snowball and when I looked around it was Bredett I run him around the house and caught him and mashed his face for him and he said it was fair for me to do that if you were he I would mash yours "maybe". Well Babe I guess I will quit and go to sleep. Write soon and a long letter.
From your True and Loving Sweet Heart
Murray W. McMillin
Wed night 11:45 (Jan 16 1918)
My Dearest Sweet Heart
I read your letter Tuesday but it was not your fault that I did not receive it Monday it was those old trains. Grace dear I am in a bad shape every thing is against me and us. My aunt approves of our marriage o.k. I have not said any thing to grandpa yet but Dulce's only objection is that we are both too young to think of such a thing yet I told her that I had no intention of jumping together until I see how Uncle Sam and the Kaiser come out and dear you know yourself that you would not want to be tied down with me and me in the Army and chances look very good that I may be there by summer. I also told her that if you wished and I think it would be best for us to dissolve partnership in case I have to go but we will not do such a trick until I am in for good now whatcha say If everything goes all right I will be drawing little better than $100 about June and then again I may be not but things look very good for the $100. She also said that you and I did not know each other well enough on how the land lay on both sides of the river. I told her if we thought and loved each other enough the the other would come out all right I think though myself we are both you and have plenty of time and another thing every body would say is well, we did it to get out of the Army; in other words, I would be a slacker and Baby dear I would rather be any thing on God's green earth than a slacker and I think you are the same way. She also said she would write to your mother and talk it over with her and see what she said about it. Of course we are our own Bosses but as my aunt say she is boss as long as I am at home and I would not want to get married with out both of their consents and I would not want you to either. I know that the biggest draw back would be our ages but as I told my aunt if I had of ever dreamed of out not being able to get along without quarreling all the time I never would have asked you what I did although I haven't known you ever since Heck was a puppy I just know we will not have any quarrels, don't you. I have not had much time to talk to my aunt for I want to work Mon but I know things will come our way if we just wait. Baby dear as to me keeping and making promises I don't think I have ever made one to you that I have not kept. I guess I will help you with the dishes as I will need no breaking in in that line of business as is far as troubles are concerned I don't have any. And I think if I am not mistaken you usually have your own way don't you? You can have it as long as it agrees with mine (maybe). You will not have any use for a temper at all. You just put that in the clothes basket and leave it there. You know dear that I am never home before 12 but I will make a point to be there by that time or sooner. As to the grub there wont be any by that time if we keep on having chickenless and meatless and porkless days. The next thing they will start will be eatless days and my how that will hurt. I will do just as you say about things for a good long while any way. Well we have had some more snow rain sleet rain and sunshine since I wrote you Sunday. I am just about over my cold. Ha Ha. P.J. has caught the chicken pox he sure looks ??????? like a guinea egg. You should see him. Well baby dear it is Thur a.m. I think I will retire so be good and careful and sweet dreams to my baby.
From you (sleepy) true and loving Sweet Heart
Murry W. McMillin
Grace read and return the clipping on jokes on Ridings (?). Excuse dirt for I have been carrying it in my pocket.
Sunday 2 p.m. (Jan 19 1918)
My Dearest Sweet Heart,
I will answer your letter which I received as few days ago. Grace I don't wonder at you not understanding my last Sunday letter I ????for I had been taking quinine and I was about ready for Terrell. Grace I know my aunt has no objections to me coming to see you for if she had not approved of it I would have never come down here last Easter and dear she approved of our affair right along for you are the only good Catholic girl I ever went with or carried on a correspondence. I went with one young lady here Miss Cuniff (ask Eva about her) but she was blond. And I never could get along with those callow headed creatures. And I think my aunt still approves of our affair in a few ways and disapproves in some others. As I told you before she asked me this a.m. on the way to Mass how her daughter-in-law was. As I told her that you were just fine when I saw you last. She was teasing me about you making me promise to help you with the dishes and she said she was going to tell you that I was a very good house keeper also. She also said that there had not been a McMillin yet who had failed to get a good cook and there had never been one who had never failed when it came to providing the cook with cookies. Babe if I were you I sure would give John a good shaking for treating you like he has. You might try my trick on him when he write a slim one give him a slimmer one in return and if will not take him long to learn how he can ???? fat ones. "Yes" dear I will never forget that long distance call and some day I will tell you a good joke about it.... Baby dear I will never forget that March letter for it brought us both to our senses don't you think. I will tell you that I don't believe I ever felt bluer in my life than I did when I read that letter for honest goodness I just did not know what to do but I did so we should worry for as I told you before lets bury that in the book of the past and look forward to the future. I told P.J. I now had a chance to square myself with him. He asked me if I would mail his letter for him I told him yes after I had carried it around in my pocket for a day or two. And he almost begged me not to so I guess I wont. He also said to tell the twins Hello for him and you also. He is getting along just fine with his chicken pox but he can't go outdoors. Well we are having some more cold and probably snow so look out. I was just told that there was a blizzard headed this way. Well the dishes are ready so I just say goodby.
Looking for a letter Mon.
From your true and loving Sweet Heart,
Murray W. McMillin
P.S. Thanks for the picture
Sunday a.m. Jan 27, 1918
My dearest Sweet Heart,
Grace Dear I want to thank you for that precious little prayer book you could not have given me any thing which would have pleased me more. I think you must have heard my aunt and my self talking last Sunday for I told her the next mission we had I was going to purchase me a book. I used it this morning when I went to Mass. I also received the swellest birthstone ring from Aunt Dulce and Grandad gave me a box of cigars, have one on me. Well I guess by the time you receive this our norther will have you in its grip. It is 18 below zero right now and getting colder. Babe do you remember when you made those 3 wishes and I requested one of them. Well mine has come true in both places. One was that I would get you for ever and the other that I have a regular job by my birthday. So you see your wishes were not in vain. Eva just told me that she had written to you a day or so ago. Girlie dear I think in due time my aunt will be o.k. for she seems to get that way more and more every day and dear you will be just as welcome here as I am at your house. But I will tell you that my aunt has some funny ideas and she is been considering our affair from all side. I know that in the end she will consent wholly and fully, but in the meantime let us offer up your prayers to that cause. And furthermore she must endurly love and care for you or she would have never called you "daughter". Dear I cannot explain things like I wrote on paper so we will just have to wait until June. Well the Army got Lennard and one other up here. Baby dear I was kidding you about your cooking for I have ate several meals at your house and I ain't dead yet so I don't think you would just deliberately put a bug in my biscuits would you. Well I guess I am good for a year or so without going to be drafted but we should worry until that time comes. P.J. is all ok now and he says he never felt better in life. He also said that if those twins did not be careful he might accidentally lose something in Waco and just like I have. I say it would be some joke if you and I were in line those two for a splicing whatcha you say. I was lucky the 25th received one lucky card Aunt Dulce gave me that before she me get out a bed. P.J. thrashes (?) me but he said he would be 21 some day and then I would work on him so he would not touch me at all. My aunt made me the finest cake and sure enough she put 21 little candles on it. It reminded me of when I was a wee kid. Grandpa says you stop writing me and do the dishes and of course I have it to do with out any arguments what ever. We had an awful week up here I guess you have heard it by this time. I wanted to go down but I could not find a way and it was to far to walk. Well dear I will close. Looking for a letter Mon (maybe). I thank you once more for the prayer book.
Your true and loving Sweet Heart,
Murray
P.S. Tell Estelle I was sure sorry to hear of her accident and I hope she does not have any trouble with it.
McM
Thurs Oct 9 (1924)
Dear Gracie and Kiddies,
Guess you think I ain't at 6:00 p.m. goin to write no mo but here comes. 1st of all I am feeling good but still awful weak. Have been feeling fine since Tuesday and will continue as long as the weather is pretty it has been trying to rain all day today guess it will tonight. I will weigh again Sat a.m. I know I have lost some probably 4 or 6 pounds, hope I haven't. I sure did have myself one more cold that stayed in my head as usual and I sure was glad for it had went down I would have had the devil's own time and maybe he would have won, who knows. Junior seems to have quite a time with his toes but such is life with the little ones. Just one stumped toe after another. Grace have John weigh both boys and the girl the first time he takes them to town please. The reason I say Junior is bigger than Glenn Mooney. Also measure his height. Did I tell you that I saw the Round the World Fliers when they went over. Also the new Hotel Simpson is open they had a big blow out last week. I also saw 2 autos bump noses the other day, but nobody was hurt. Ha Ha, you should have seen me yesterday a.m. I was sitting out on the porch in a chair I leaned back too far and broke its rockers and you should have seen me splatter out almost on my head. But it did not hurt me at all. Now what do you think about that. Well this is the 13th so I will try and finish what I started last week. I know you were wondering why I dont write but I have been having trouble with my eyes but have my glasses now they are fine. Busby fitted them for me. Leo Holden and family are here in town again he is jobless and he called me he was going to Dallas and Waco to see what he could find. They have another girl her name it Betty Jane after her grandmother Holden. Kittie also has a boy Dan Holden also a new wee boy. Mildred Elkins is in the City Hospital for appendicitis went there on the 6th. I lost 5 pounds when I weighed Saturday that was not as much as I thought I had lost. Glad it wasn't more. I had another vomiting spell last night at 12:00 so was on the burn till I ate dinner and had my nap- I feel 1st rate now. Drank some buttermilk and it gassed my stomach so at 12:00 the whole works came up. I sat on the porch yesterday a.m. 2 hours. That is the longest time so far. Kika moved Granddads big chair out here so I can rest in more comfort. We are still having pretty weather and I hope it continues for I don't like the cold now for I stand too good chance of taking cold again. Tell Ruben he should come up here with his flivver for we only 1 copper and he is just on part time so he can drive his head off and not get pinched. Sure glad you had the chance to see The Covered Wagon. I saw it in Chicago last summer. If the following pictures come there they are good: Hunch Back of Notre Dame, White Sister, 10 Commandments, Thief of Baghdad. The Wagon and Hunch Back have been here at Rialto. Mr. McGuin was out this p.m. he gets out once a week and usually on Monday eve. We had quite a time discussing baseball and the World Series. Dude D. was out one day last week, he has been with a crew in Okla, Ark, Louisiana, TexasMissouri. He was all dolled up, guess he must have a raid somewhere. Leo said he would come out and see you and the Kiddies if he came down, so you can be on the look out for him. Kika made some of her famous dough babbys Sunday and believe me they sure were good. I have only had 1 so far, as I am scared to eat any more of them. Well Kiddie guess I will quit as Geo is coming so write soon and a big fat letter.
Lots of love to you and the babies,
Murray
Finished Tuesday 14th.
P.S. Mildred is coming home Thurs so Ernest ??? pharmacy.
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Source: original letters
Copyright © 2001 by Holly Hayes. All rights reserved.
One more thing...the information contained on this page was not meant to take the place of doing your own research by using primary records such as birth certificates, census records, wills, etc . You can find a list of my sources by clicking on the hyperlink for sources on the family tree pages. I have worked very hard to ensure that I have given proper credit to every source of data on these pages. Some of my information has come from other family members, however, and I don't know their sources. In other words, everything on this page may not be completely accurate and you would be wise to verify all names, dates, etc. for yourself.