Here is another of the letters I have that belonged to Mary Elva ("Minnie") Stilwell Jones. It was written by her friend, Mati (no surname yet known) from Brandon, Wisconsin, on February 3, 1878. There is no envelope, however, other letters to Minnie written in 1878 were addressed to Ripon, Wisconsin. Ripon is about 15 miles north of Brandon. In the letter, Mati mentions "the Corners," which was probably the town of Reed's Corners. That village no longer exists as a town.
I did a little research to try and identify Mati. I don't have much to go on, so I searched for girls born about 1862 and in Fond du Lac Co., Wisconsin about 1878. I found a Matie Potter, born 1861, died 1884, daughter of Benjamin and Deborah Potter, who is buried in Ripon, Wisconsin. I found a Matie Mason, daughter of Oren and Marilla Mason living in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin in 1880. And I found a Mattie Stickles in Brandon, Wisconsin in 1880, age 16, working in a hotel. There is also an Esther Stickles listed next to her on the census who is of an age to be her mother. The 1900 census shows Mattie Gunnison, wife of Arthur Gunnison, living with her parents Esther and Edward Stickles. It would be nice to determine who Minnie's friend, Mati, really was.
Individuals mentioned in the letter:
Will Jones - There are several Will or William Joneses in Fond du Lac Co., Wisconsin at this time, so I can't really sort out who this might be.
Mrs. King and Emmet - I found an Emmet King, son of Jane and Charles King who lived in the Metomen area in 1880. I believe this is probably the correct person. His Find-A-Grave entry says he lived in the Reeds Corners area and married his first wife there. In addition, he came from the same area of New York that the Stilwells did and he died in Hankinson, North Dakota.
John Tuttle - I found a John Tuttle of the right age, son of James and Alvira Tuttle, living in Metomen, Wisconsin in 1880. His Find-A-Grave entry says he was born in Brandon, Wisconsin in 1858. I suspect this is the man. There is a photo of him on Find-A-Grave.
Willie Merriman - I found a William A. Merriman born about 1862, son of William E. Merriman, in Ripon, Wisconsin. William E. Merriman was the first president of Ripon College. I think Willie was probably William A., son of the college president. Minnie attended Ripon College starting about 1879.
Zenas Scott - I found a Zenas Scott in the hardware business in Fond du Lac County in the mid 1870s. There seem to have been two Zenas Scotts in the Brandon area. I suspect they were father and son. Zenas F. Scott (probably the son) is probably the one mentioned in the letter.
Mr. Vroman's - I found a Perry Vroman, wife Julia, born about 1830 in Ripon, Wisconsin on the 1880 census. And there was a Peter Vroman, wife Margaret, who had two daughters, Hattie and Addie, who attended Ripon College. Suspect one of these could be the correct person and there aren't many Vromans.
Hannah - probably Minnie's sister, Hannah Stilwell
My transcription follows:
Brandon, Wis., Feb. 3rd
1878
Dearest Minnie: -
Having just returned home from
church, and as I feel like writing, I resolved to write to you according to
agreement. I suppose that you had just
as soon that I wait, until after I had been at school and see if Will Jones had
anything to offer but I have the time now and must improve it. Oh! Minn it does do me so much good to
see you it just makes me feel good; not good in one sense of the word
but, rather jolly to use an expression that is almost if not quite slang. I have thought of so many things that I want
to tell you, one thing in particular: I want you to get lots of secrets
to tell me by the next time we meet; I will do the same. If you have any parties do not fail to tell
me all about them for the young people of Metomen are of considerable interest
to me, and I like to hear all the news concerning them that it is possible to
find out. I am going to say something now
that you must never say any thing about.
I wish that I could come up to the Corners to a party and I said so when
I was up to Mrs. King’s last week and Emmet said that I should have an
invitation to the next party but did not say who would invite me. I do not know but what he was fooling but he
acted sober, but I rather guess that he would have hard work to get any of the
boys to come way down here after me; but if he does send any one I hope that it
won’t be John Tuttle. I
believe I would rather go with any one than with him but please do not tell
any one that I said so but I know you
will not for we promised never to tell what we wrote to each other. Do you ever see Willie Merriman if you do I
wish that you would speak to him about that embroidery; I should have thought
that he would have sent it to me or else have given it to some of your folks. Do you remember Zenas Scott that came up to
Mr. Vroman’s to that New Years’ party a year ago? Well he goes to school and the other day he
was talking about it and he said, You don’t know how I dreaded to come up there
to that party. I supposed that all the
young people were religious and that I should have to carry myself pretty
straight but he said that he rather liked religious parties and he said he did
wish that they would invite him up there again.
Of course he did not expect me to tell of what he said, but I have as
near as I can remember it. It rather
pleased me to think of religious parties for that is a new name for them but I
think it is a good one and I hope and wish that the parties would prove
themselves worthy of the name. You asked
what I studied so I will tell you.
Orthography Arithmetic Grammar Algebra & Geography. It is getting so dark that I can hardly see
but I do want to finish this letter so much so that I will be sure and send it
tomorrow. You said in your last letter
that your sheet of paper was longer than mine but mine is wider than yours and
will be about as well filled if I keep on.
Minn just think of it! Here I
have been in Brandon four weeks and have not had one single solitary
adventure. I think it is a shame but
I have had to study so hard that I do not think of it only when I want
to write you a letter & do so wish that I had something to make my letters
more interesting but I am such a sober mortal that I have come to the
conclusion that I am not a good subject for adventures. In fact I hardly think there is enough
sentimentality about me to call for many of the adventures that so many girls
have to pass through with and I don’t know as I care very much about it
either. Not so much but I expect to be
as happy as though I was very much given to stargazing and note writing. What do you think about it? Well I think for one thing that I have said
perhaps too much about it but if I have please excuse me. And I think for another thing that I must
draw our pleasant little chat to a close.
I say pleasant for I find it to be a pleasure to write to you Minn. Tell Hannah that I missed her at church
today. I would like to see her and all
the rest but as I cannot I will send lots of love and kind regards to all. And Oh! Minn such lots and lots heaps and
heaps of love to you my dearest darling friend.
Do write to me soon and I will answer immediately. Your loving
Mati
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