108 Vintage Handwritten Letters Hall Family Hoopeston Illinois Muncie Indiana




Item History & Price

Information:
Reference Number: Avaluer:2388Date of Publication: 1904
Subject: Biography & AutobiographyMaterial: Paper
Original/Facsimile: OriginalRegion: North America
Language: EnglishType: Handwritten Manuscript
Special Attributes: First EditionAuthor: Hall
Original Description:
WELCOMETO SALLY’S DIARIES: Upfor auction today are 108 handwritten letters and all of thembelonged to the William E. (Edward I believe) Hall family ofHoopeston Illinois. The letters begin in 1903 and end in 1927. Thefirst three letters pack quite the punch and start the story off withgreat intensity and mystery; two deaths and sickness. Williamwas born on November 29th, 1870 in Muncie, Delaware CountyIndiana. I don’t know when he married his wife Mary ElizabethMahoney but aro...und the early 1900’s they moved to HoopestonIllinois and in 1905 their daughter Mildred was born. William passedaway in 1935. Ifound a great web site concerning the history of Hoopeston which alsohad some wonderful early photos of the town. The photo you see ofmain street is one of those photos and I copied it off the web. Ifound this bit of information concerning the town…..“Incorporatedin 1874, Hoopeston was a wealthy town in its early history and itsname was bandied about in the New York newspapers on severaloccasions. Once, in particular, when the Mayor of Hoopeston and itsAldermen decided not to accept pay for serving the city. Hoopeston, nicknamed the “Holy City” or “White City, ” supported morethat thirteen churches of all denominations serving area residents. It also became famous as a dry or “temperance” town in 1877. Nosaloons were allowed in the city. Hoopeston remained a dry communityuntil the early 1940s.” Theletters are from family and friends addressed to both William and hiswife Mary. They are from all over but mostly Tipton Indiana, PontiacIllinois, Cincinnati Ohio, Toledo Ohio, Medary Indiana, SolsberryIndiana, Rankin Indiana, Chicago, and more. I would say they average2-4 pages each. Some of the authors are a bit illiterate (includingthe ones from William himself) and I’ve chose to quote them exactlythe way they were written. I of course couldn’t possibly quote fromthem all but here are a few example excerpts from a few. AsI stated above there is a mystery to be solved with these letters.The very first one is heart wrenching as are several after that. Itried to find out just who William’s parents were and moreimportantly, who his siblings were especially because of the veryfirst letter which is written in December of 1903 and what a way tostart the story off. It is addressed to William in Hoopeston Illinoisand written by Mrs. S. E. Liddington who is living in HammondIndiana. I’ll just let the letter speak for itself, she’s alittle bit illiterate but that only adds to the preciousness of thisletter……“December15th, 1903. DearSir, I take the opertunity to write you thise few line. Has yousister been staying with me an I tried to make it a home forher. She took to her bed last Friday an died this morning. If youwish to see her or do anything for her come at once or send. Shewrote 3 letters to you but received no answer. From her friend, Mrs.S. E. Liddington.” Howvery sad is that. I tried to find out who William’s sister was butcouldn’t. But I’m sure with some time and effort you could. Thenext letter skips to February of 1904 and this letter is addressed toa Miss Effie Mahoney in HoopestonIllinois and I quote….“AlphaIll. Feb. 24, 1904MyDear Effie, I will write you a few lines today. I thought, perhapsyou would like to get a letter from me, even if you can’t anserback for I know you are not feeling well enough to write. I am sorryyou are feeling so bad but I hope you don’t suffer much pain buttry and be brave and put your trust in God. He is an ever presenthelp in time of trouble. We can’t understand God’s ways, butsometimes we will be able to know that he doeth all things well. Wehave been having revival meetings in our church. We had a ladyevangelist from Manhattan, Kansas. She was a lovely woman. There wasabout fifteen conversions. I only wish there had beenmore…...Remember, dear Effie, that I think of you and pray for you.From Your Friend, Hattie Dee Spivey.” Thethird letter is written by physician and surgeon, J. S. Adsit ofHoopeston, and it reads…..“March14th, 1904. DearFriends, I was very much grieved to see the notice in the paper todayof the demise of your dear little baby and wish to hasten to extendmy deepest sympathy to you in this your sore affliction. The littlevolume that has been so ruthlessly closed by the grim monster was alife of so much good cheer and innocent prattle, that it cannot butleave a great void in you breasts, but take cheer from the thoughtthat the great father father of us all knows his own and cares forhis own…...Following the work of the great destroyer, comes thesavior of the world gathering up the fragments and makes from thesean everlasting anchor to bind your breast and minds to the othershore. Sincerely yours. J. S. Adsit, M.D.” Thereare several letters after this and they are all sympathy letters notonly giving the couple sympathy about the death of their child butalso sympathy for the death of Effie, Mrs. Hall’s sister. So EffieMahoney is the woman who was sick in the second letter quoted above, not the Williams sister who died in December in the first letterquoted. So a lot of death for this couple in just a matter of months.These are still from 1904. In 1910 there is a letter from William tohis wife and he talks about being away and being very sick. I lookedup the address he was at and back when this letter was written theIllinois Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary was located there so I’massuming this is where William is as a patient…….“June27th, 1910. Chicago Illinois. Dearwife and baby and all. Just redd your card and was glad to here fromyou. Was sorry to here of Filsley’s bad luck. I want you to tellthe boys to bee afel carfel with my horses and do not hert them. Itis so hot that they may hert them before they no it. I just think Iwill get out of here be fore long. You don’t no what I havesuffered since I have been up here and I can’t tell you for fearbut I will tell you when I get home. I hope that I never will haf tocome here anymore when I get away once and I had better stay while Iam here…...Good by dear wife and baby, from your boy, W. E. Hall904 West Adams St. Chicago Ill.” Thenthis, one of the most heart wrenching letters of all….“February18th, 1913. Chicago Ill. DearUncle and Aunt. As it has been years since we saw one another I havenever forgotten you but never knew your address…...I am marriedagain. Have been for two years and I had four children, two girls andtwo boys when my first husband and I parted. The children were put inthe Orphens home in Yisan____ Ind. As none of my people wereable to care for so many and him and his people did not care forthem, nor me rather, so it was. Now I can give them a good home and Ican’t get them. The two girls is adoped out but the boys are thereand I found out when I was out there last week that they are going tosend two car loads out west to be given away. Now it all most sets mecrazy. I must do something to get a hold of them boys. If I could getsomeone that they do not know at the home to adopt them I wouldgladly pay back ever dollar it cost….(she goes on asking himfor money to help her out and is very desperate. She says she’sgoing to try and find the girls too…) I must let you know who Iam. I am your sister Mary’s oldest daughter Sadie…..Write soon.Something just told me to write and ask you.” “Nov.22, 1918 Yorktown IndianaDearbrother and sister and neace, Will answeer your welcomletter…...Bessie Hofberd is dead. She was baried Oct. 28. She lefta babe girl 14 months. Old Minnie got to South Bend Saturday night.She was baried Monday. Birt wants Minnie to ceape house for him so hecan ceape tha baby. Eda lives at South Bend. Minnie was at Eda whenshe writ to me. Tho as a few cases of enflunza through tha county.Hear a man died Friday at Gilman with Enfluenza. One of Harle Michellgirls baried at Bethel today. 47 cases at Alexandra, 40 at Yorktown.A fue cases at Munsie…..Your brother Sam Smith.” (Hesays the bells and whistles are ringing and I believe he means fromall the deaths)“November 12th, 1919. Park Place Lake BluffDearMrs. Hall, Say woman I’ll bet you are all excited now over themurder. Do you remember what we were talking about when I was out.You predicted this. Well I want you to write and tell me all aboutit……Sincerely, Lucille.” “November9th, 1921. Kouts Indiana. DearSister Mame. Will drop you a few lines to let you know we arrived atKouts all ok and are almost straightened up once more. This is not alonesome place. Rock roads right past the house, not 5 minutes in theday they a car passing or the bread wagon or the buss. Something allthe time. I seen the hurse go by today so I guess they die over hereto. Well our neighbors on us today. The lady was a Chicago nurse. Soyou may no that she don’t have very mutch to do. She takes herwalks…….With love to all, Laura.”“July22, 1922. Rankin Illinois. DearSis, Will write you a few lines instead of calling……Ethel andbaby are just fine. She calls him Alvin Leroy. Nellie Grove isworking for her. A stick she is too. All she thinks about is theboys. She has about a half dozen. We are talking about having a partyat Thom’s. That is several women of us and we want you to come andto help us out in some thing to entertain them. We will have half ofthe town I don’t know when it will be. Mrs. Davis’s house caughton fire a week a go today and burned the roof off…….Close withlots of love, answer soon. Sallie.” “May2, 1923. Hoopeston, IllDearMother Hall, You’ll no doubt wonder to get a letter from me and Ireally wonder myself. Chet has had a nervous break down the past weekand if some thing isn’t done pretty soon he’ll be bed fast. It’saffecting him in nearly every way and no one knows the exact cause.Now please don’t say anything to anybody. I’m so broken heartedover this that nobody knows what these three months have meant to me.I’ve done all I can, every thing and every way but something moremust be done so the folks home decided to move out. I hate to seethem come but dear me I’m glad to have some one come for this lifefor Chet is getting to be an awful one. We’re going to double upour furniture and store some anyway to make a change for the betterso I guess you’ll have to find a place to store yours somewhereelse. I’m awful sorry Mrs. Hall to put you to all this trouble butI just can’t help it. I’m in a terrible position myself and I’dgive most anything to be where Chet could be satisfied…..Now don’tfeel hard towards me because I’m putting you to so much trouble forI’m doing the best I can……Much love, Viola.” (Quite afew letters about Nick and his cancer and how awful he is doing)“January15, 1924. Pontiac Illinois.“DearFriends, In case you haven’t heard the sad news I will write you afew line telling you about Nick passing away Sunday 13th, 3:30 P.M. John went back the 3rdof January and been there ever since. They thot the end was near.They are taking him to Cincinnati . He will be buried Wednesday 16th.Expect John home the last of the week. Wish I could talk instead ofwrite. Love to all, Annie Cummings.” Thereis really so much more to these letters. All of them have theiroriginal envelopes. Most of the letters are in good shape but some dohave little mouse bites. The envelopes vary in condition, some good, come poor. Please keep all this in mind before bidding.



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