Letter from Frankie Cook to Minnie Stilwell, August 1877

Here is an outline of the Stilwell family.
Here is a list of  links to the Mary Elva (Stilwell) Jones papers I've posted. 

This letter is from Minnie's friend, Frankie Cook.  Frankie was the niece of Frank Munn, who was married to Minnie's sister, Blanche.  Frankie was 17 when she wrote this letter.  Interesting to think of a 17-year-old teaching school and that she couldn't go home every Friday because her school was twelve miles from home and that was too far!

While the postmark is cut off on the envelope, Frankie lived in Windom, Cottonwood Co., Minnesota, so that is probably where the letter came from.

Mentioned in the letter:
Uncle Frank = Frank R. Munn, Frankie's uncle and Minnie's brother-in-law
Mother = Elizabeth (Munn) Cook, Frankie's mother and Frank Munn's sister
Mr. Stilwell = probably Lonson Stilwell, Minnie's father

Cora, Jennie, Mattie = all school friends of Frankie & Minnie, I believe
Warren = Warren Stilwell, Minnie's brother

                                August 12^th 1877

My Dear Schoolmate Minnie

                As Uncle Frank has been writing to you, I will try and scribble a few lines to let you know I am still alive.  I have been teaching School this summer  my school was out Friday.  I like teaching ever so much.  The only fault I found with it I had to be so far from home for if I couldn’t get home every Friday night I would get awful home sick and lonesome.  I was twelve miles from home, otherwise I like it ever so much.  I have been to Sunday School to day.  Mother & Uncle Frank are singing some Sabbath school songs.  Uncle Frank gets very homesick & lonesome sometimes.  He says that him & I are coming back there next fall or a year from next fall.  I really hope we will.  Oh how I would like to come back there.  I think there is no place like Ripon.  I went on a Sabbath School picnic yesterday had a very nice time.  I am thinking this will not be a very interesting letter for I have not written a letter in so long that I cannot think of any thing to write at all.  I have said I don’t know how many times that I would write a letter to Mr. Stilwell but I would put it off and then forget it, but you can tell him that I am a going to write him a great long letter although I have neglected it so long I am most ashamed to write now.  How does Cora get along.  I owe Mattie a letter  I must answer it.  Have you seen Jennie lately  I would like to see all of the girls ever so much.  Tell Cora to write to me.  Do you go to school this summer.  My teeth ache so to day I can hardly stand it  I have had the head ache ever since school let out.  I feel a little better to day.  I guess I will have to draw this to a close as I can’t think of any more to write at present.  Now Minnie you must write me a long letter.  I will try and not be so neglectful in the future.  Give my best respects to all the girls and also to your folks.    Good bye.  Write soon.

                Your loving friend as ever

                                Frankie A. Cook

P.S. Tell Mr. Stilwell to write to me.  Mother & Father sends love to all and of course give my best wishes to Warren.  Frankie 

1879 Letter from Deadwood, Dakota Territory

Here is another letter from Clarence and Hannah (Stilwell) Bent to Minnie (Mary Elva) Stilwell.  This one was written from Deadwood, Dakota Territory on 30 March 1879.  I don't seem to have the envelope.  If I find it, I will add it later.

Here is an outline of the Stilwell family.
Here is a list of  links to the Mary Elva (Stilwell) Jones papers I've posted. 
If you are interested in what Deadwood looked like around the time Hannah and Clarence lived there, here is a link to a site about Deadwood.

Mentioned in this letter:

May & Julia = May Stilwell and her mother, Julia (Bristol) Stilwell, daughter & wife of 
   Hannah & Minnie's brother, Lucien Stilwell.

Mother = Mary K. (White) Stilwell, Hannah & Minnie's mother
Father = Lonson Stilwell, Hannah & Minnie's father
Warren = Warren Stilwell, Hannah & Minnie's brother
May & Nig = not sure who these may be
Charlie = Charles Osborn, husband of Annette Stilwell & brother-in-law of Minnie & Hannah
Otto = probably Clarence's clerk at the drug store
Blanche & Frank = Blanche (Stilwell) & Frank Munn, sister & brother-in-law of Minnie &
   Hannah
Miss Merrillo = not sure; a teacher in Fond du Lac, I suspect
Nid = don't know
Greta H. = don't know
Miss Rocker = a neighbor of Hannah & Clarence in Deadwood
Mr. Parker, Mrs. Mund, Mrs. Curtis = residents of Deadwood

************************************

Sunday Afternoon Mch 30^th ’79 [1879]

Dear Sister Minnie,

                I have just come down to the store to relieve my clerk who has been on duty all day.  I left Hannah happy at home with the birds.  We regret so much that we can’t have all the Sabbath Day together.  But we console ourselves with the thought that we enjoy more time with each other than many do & maybe it won’t always be  so.  This is a beautiful day – bright & warm.  We have escaped our usually very disagreeable Mch weather.  We may get it in April.  At any rate we will take what ever comes.  Come what will.  We, too, often complain at the trifles of life.  Han & I attended church this morning & remained at Sabbath School.  Good attendance at both.  I did not tell Han I was going to write you, but knowing how little there is left for me to tell after H. writes, that I just thought I would get the start of her this time.  But writing as often as we do, there is not much news to communicate.  Last week our public school gave an exhibition two evenings.  We attended the first evening – quite good.  I enclose programme.  There are a great number of children in the Black Hills now.  If we only had a railroad we would be as civilized as any people.

                Tell mother we rc’d her good letter last evening.  Letters from home are always so welcome.  Presume you miss May & Julia.  Although Yankton is in this territory it is more than 500 miles East of us therefore we don’t visit them often.  Hannah has not started her new dress yet, but hopes to begin operations this week.  Tell father I send him a Chicago paper containing Ingersolls disgusting lecture.  Presume Warren has commenced springs work.  “May & Nig” [?] will fairly shine under their new dress.  Tell mother not to conclude that we think of naught else but what we eat.  It don’t cost us more than $12 or $15 for week to live & we call that very reasonable for this country.  Well Min how do you like him by this time?  Who?  Did you say.  Why the new gent up at Charlies.  When you write tell us all about him.  Two weeks yesterday (last year) Apr 13 since I started for Metomen.  What a happy boy was I then.  Not more so than now.  I will bid you good bye & let the little girl finish.  Love & Kiss to all.  Ever your loving

Bro Clarence

Well, my dear sister, Min, Clad thought he would “play sharp” this time, and have his say before I knew that he was going to write even.  However you have gained a letter thereby sooner than you otherwise would have, for I thought my next writing would be to some of the Eastern friends.  Clarence has been home to supper and gone again.  I kept him with me an hour & a half, then he had to go to let Otto go to church.  Wish I could have him with me Sunday evenings if not in the afternoon, but it is impossible, if he goes to church and Sunday school.  Oh! Min, you do not know what a splendid old boy Clarence is any way and I mean every word of this too.  None of you know how good and kind he is every day.  You may think me foolish for saying so much about him, but its all true.  I hope some good man is in waiting for “Little Kiddle.”  Guess you will have to go to Fond du Lac to school just as I did.  I would like to see Blanche and Frank settled on the Morris farm again, and you going to school to Miss Merrillo.  I should be glad for you all.  When are you going to school again, Min?  I hope Nid will go to school this summer.  Hope they will have a good one in the first place, but it seems as though Greta H. [?] was such a little girl, no actions.  Perhaps she has improved.  You must miss little May.  I took Mother’s letter from Box 2-36 myself last night.  A Miss Rocker, a young lady across the way, came over and asked me to go to the post office with her, which is away over on Sherman Street, the other side of Main St.  We went alone after dark, though the moon was dimly shining.  I never want to go again, however, in that way.  I do not think that ladies ought to be on the street after dark unless accompanied by a gentleman, especially in a place like this.  I was so frightened all the time that I scarcely thought of anything else.  I never think of going off the porch after dark without Clarence.  You know I never was very brave.  Often when I go out in the day time if alone, I go with fear and trembling, for I am so afraid of the dogs, and this town is full of them.  It is perfectly dreadful to see so many in a little town like this.  Two families living not far from us are not content to have one or two a piece but have four or five.   One of these dogs bit a little boy not long ago, too, so Mr. Parker has since given it to a ranch man.  This same dog frightened Mrs. Mund & I terribly one time following after us and barking.  Some of them are savage.  Some one poisoned one savage dog on this street a while ago.  Clarence has poisoned one, not a savage one, but the owner was coming to live next door to us, and we had been terribly annoyed nights by the barking of other dogs that were with it.  But I think my dog story is about long enough, don’t you?

                It has been a warm day, and I am sitting without a fire this evening.  Mrs. Curtis and I went out calling yesterday afternoon.  Went over to Englereide.  I want to go out once more while the fine weather lasts.  Received a new scholar into my class to-day.  Seven present.  Tell Mother that we enjoyed her letter & hope she & Father will write soon.  Now, Min, let us hear from you soon.  This isn’t much of a letter, but answer it all the same.  Much love to each one and kisses.  Kiss Father  & Mother good night for me.  Wish I could see you all.  Good night.  Affect. Sister

                                                                                                                                Han

1878 Letter from Deadwood, Dakota Territory

The following is another letter from Clarence ("Chad") Bent in Deadwood, Dakota Territory to his 17-year-old sister-in-law, Minnie Stilwell.

Clarence had married Hannah Stilwell (Minnie's sister) on 8 May 1878, so when this letter was written on 5 October 1878, the couple had been married 5 months.

Mentioned in the letter:

Mother = Minnie & Hannah's mother, Mary K. (White) Stilwell
Matie = I don't know who Matie is.
Lucien = Lucien W. Stilwell, Minnie & Hannah's brother
"Ede" = Edith Stilwell (or Edie), Minnie & Hannah's sister
May = May Stilwell, Lucien's daughter, who was about 4 years old
"L J & M" = Lucien, Julia, and May Stilwell; Julia was Lucien's wife
Bent & Deetken = the druggists/partnership of Clarence with Julius Deetken
Blanchie = Celia Blanche (Stilwell) Munn, Hannah & Minnie's sister
Charlie = Charles H. Osborn, husband of Annette (Stilwell) Osborn; brother -in-law
Emmett = I don't know who Emmett is, perhaps a beau of Minnies?
Mr. Deetken = Julius Deetken, Clarence's partner in the drug store

Here is an outline of the Stilwell family.
Here is a list of  links to the Mary Elva (Stilwell) Jones papers I've posted.

*****

Letter addressed to:  Miss Minnie Stilwell, Ripon, Wisc., Box 263

Postmark: Deadwood Dak. Feb 6

Return address: From Bent & Deetken, Druggists

Deadwood, Saturday Evening

Oct. 5^th ’78

Dear Sister Minnie!

            Mother says you are getting “spunky” and I have come to enquire [sic] into this matter, how is it?  Presume ere this you have received Hannahs letter forwarded by Matie.  Han’s idea in sending to Matie first, was that you might retain it when rec’d.  I have just come down from the house where I left the “birds” – Lucien’s & Mothers letter came this p.m. about 5 o’clock.  I hurried home as quickly as possible & we enjoyed so the first together.  We have been intending to write you & “Ede” all the week, but Min, you know our family cares are so numerous and pressing that we scarcely have any leisure time.  It is our aim to write home once a week, but if we fall short of our calculations you must not censure as you know we have many to write too.  Our friends in the east are patiently waiting to hear from us.  I presume Han letter will interest you most, as she I believe is to give a descriptive detailed acct of our handsome little home.  Nearly every thing is arranged now, except the parlor stove.  It arrived about a week ago, but got broken in transit compelling us to wait for repairs from Chicago which are coming by express.  Wish you could, all of you, just peep in upon us.  Every thing just as neat as can be & so nice & new adds greatly to its appearance.  New wife (& a loving one too) a new man (& a cross one too) new home, new furniture, & new ties of love which bind us closer to each other every single day.  It is indeed, needless to tell you how happy & contented we are.  You already know.  We have breakfast between 7 & 7 ½ O’Cl.  Dinner between 1 ½ to 2 O’Cl & lunch at tea time if needed.  Han fills position of cook in first class style, ECB figures as second cook rather poorly, - Han’s wants are numerous & when it isn’t butter, eggs, thread, zephyr, ginger, “oil cloth for that door sill” kerosene, & salt, its meat, pepper, syrup, lemon, sugar, “black my stove for me” take the mouse out of the trap, vinegar, sugar alum, “chop up the cabbage”, flour, potatoes, “onions all gone,” a box for this & that, “bring in some wood for me,” bring in a fresh pail water, put up clothes line, hang your coat in the closet, a new lamp wick, a little shelf for the corner, &c&c&c&c.  Oh! Min I can’t tell you how much I have to do.  Even make fire these cold mornings.  Put over the tea kettle, find coffee, put the spider on, sweep down the “beautiful” flies & “shoo them”!  As “Nid” would say.  Perhaps you can imagine how much pleasure this brings to a naughty brother away out in the terrible Black Hills, (not alone, as it used to be)  Han has displayed a marked taste in arranging everything.  I have assisted, after her planning.  We have the neatest kitchen in Deadwood.  I venture this assertion although I have not seen them all.  We are often reminded of the dear Wis. Home & the happy hearts that beat with love for us.  We feel we have been blessed and offer thanksgiving daily to the giver heavenly gifts as well as earthly.  Han keeps well & I believe the climate change will not effect her to any extent.  It is quite autumn like now & indeed it is time.  The evenings are cold & a fire is needed.  I have got our winters wood, potatoes & flour.  Have sent to Chicago for 3 bbls apples & please tell Mother I would like about 50 lbs no 1 bulb & some fresh egg’s.  Egg’s come to this

country in the patent cases Lucien speaks of & also packed in oats.  Would like as many as a bble of “Heggs” & what we don’t want can sell, also dispose of the oats at good price.  They can be shipped from Ripon addressed this, Bent & Deetken, Deadwood, Dak., via Bismarck, c/o N.W.S.E. & T. Co.  Would like to have them shipped as soon as possible.  Send bill to me & I will remit at once.  Hope this will not put mother or father to too much trouble.  Potatoes are cheap this autumn as are all vegetables.  Tell Lucien and Mother we will write them soon.  May has become a fine little lady & Uncle Chad would like to give her a sweet kiss.  Pleasant to have L.J. & M. with you.  Wish we might have seen them.  Hope little Blanchie had a nice time at the falls.  Her picture perfect.  Han will have some more photos soon & we will remember you, & I have half a mind to send you one of mine to pay you for your naughtiness.  Your letter & mates were good, I didn’t read it out tho, Han read it out loud.  Of course, I didn’t listen.  Shall be anxious to hear Charlies decision in regard to Iowa.  Min how is your Emmett?  None of my business?  All right!  Don’t you often imagine his loving strong arms around you, pulling for dear life the idol of his heart out of the green waters of the lake?  But its all right Min, if you can’t touch the tender heart strings of this affectionate youth in any other way, you may fall into the lake, yes you may!

            Mother says you will not attend school this winter.  May be you will teach the corner school?

            Well Minnie I must go now.  Hope you will write us a good long letter full of news very soon.  Mr. Deetken has been out & has returned & now I can go home to little Hannah,

            Goodnight,

            Love and kisses to all

                        Bro Clarence

Tell mother that it is not necessary to ship a barrel of eggs, but I could dispose of this amt if they were fresh.  Only send what is convenient to get & not to trouble any about them.