The previous letter in this series was from William McKay to his cousin Edward Frasier (my great-great-grandfather). This next letter, written just two days later, is from William’s sister Addie. This letter was mailed to Edward together with the letter William wrote..
I have not done any independent research on the McKay family. According to a family tree posted on Ancestry.com, she was born in 1854 and died in 1888 at the age of 34. I don’t know if she ever married.
I believe I copied this photo from a photo album that belonged to my grandmother (Thelma Frasier Pearson), now in possession of my mother. I’ve recently developed a better system for scanning and documenting photos, so I need to go back and get this collection better organized.
The front side of this letter is from Addie to “Eddy” and the back side contains some postscripts and other scribbles.
November 1, 1874
Cousin Eddy,
As Willie has just finished writing a letter to you I thought I would write a few lines to you and put it in with his. I wrote a letter to the girls the 19th but have not had a right chance to send it yet. Willie talks of going to Portage tomorrow and we will send our letters then.
I hope you have got over your sickness by this time. It has been so long since we have had any word from you that we fear you are not all well yet. And Mag had a letter from your Mother some time ago and answered it soon after. Willie has gone down to Uncle Bowley’s to-day. We go there thinking that they might have a letter and they come here thinking that we might have had a letter from you. So you can see that we think of you all yet although you are out of sight. I would like to see you all once more. Better think of the good times we have had, and think that you will not forget us. I hope you like Iowa and we are having good times.
Will has written the news. I will close for this time.
From your cousin Addie McKay.
[back side]
I intended to have written more but Uncle Bowley and Aunt Mag came here and so I could not write more. They met Will at Mr. Kearns and he came back with them. They came up to see if we had any word from you.
[the following appear to be random notes in another person’s handwriting – perhaps in Edward’s own hand, “practicing” his response to William and Addie.]
Mr. William Mr. McKay
Eddie Frasier
Emerson Iowa Mill County Iowa
Adie A Ada Addie
Willie Addie McKay
November 7
September the 6 1874
Dear Cousin I have got started to rite to you at last. I got boath of your leters …
…Emerson Iowa Mills
write sample ….
Links to letter images (note, these are Google+ links and these photos will be available there for a limited time. If the links are broken, contact me to get copies.)
