Letter from Blanche Munn to Minnie Stilwell, no date

The following letter from Blanche (Stilwell) Munn to her younger sister, Mary Elva "Minnie" Stilwell does not have an envelope or date.  However, from the contents, I suspect it was written in late 1870 or early 1871.  Blanche married Frank Munn in 1867, so it was certainly written after that.  Other letters in my possession indicate that Blanche & Minnie's sister, Hannah, was visiting Blanche in late 1870 to early 1871, so I suspect that is a good estimate for this letter.  In addition, Hannah married in 1878, so it must be before that.  And Blanche addresses the letter to "little Minnie," which makes me believe Minnie was a young person.  In 1870, she would have been 9 - old enough to read and write, but still young enough to be called "little Minnie."

Here is the letter:

"Dear little Minnie
        I have just finished a letter to Lucien and now I will answer your nice letter.  I meant to have done so before but have been very busy.  You must forgive me this time and I will do better in future.  Frank and Han are playing Black Gamble like good children amusing themselves while I am writing.  Han is having quite a time with us two (?) don't you think?  Tell Mother I will keep her busy about something.  Is Nettie there yet?  I suppose you go to school all the time.  How do you like Miss Lyon?  Tell me what you study besides spelling and reading.  Frank and I speak often of the nice visit we had when you were here.  Frank thinks a great deal of you.  You must be a good little girl and maybe Mother will let you come out next spring again when your school is closed.  Tell her I wish she would send me the pattern of those little baby shirts made with sleeves cut all together.  I am going to make Clem and Lucy each one for their baby.  Have you seen little Frank Munn.  Tell Mother also to send me the number of stitches she put in my stocking.  Write me soon and answer all my questions.  Tell Warren to write me.  Kiss him and little sister Edy for me.  Give much love to all and don't forget to write to
                                          Your loving sister
                                          Blanche Munn"

Letter from Fannie (probably Hanchett) to Minnie Stilwell, Jan. 6, 1884

Well, it is hard to believe that I have not posted anything here since February!  And it is also pretty incredible about all that has changed in the last couple of months.  I hope everyone is staying as healthy and as safe as they possibly can.  We are doing out best here.  And now, I think I'll post another letter.

The following letter is another from Fannie in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.  This is probably Fannie Hanchett.   It is addressed:  Miss Minnie E. Stilwell, Ripon, Wis. and postmarked Sheyboy... Wis., Jan. 7, 1884.

"Don't let any one read this but Nid (?) for I have written in such a hurry & made so many mistakes.

                                                                                                         Sunday Evening
                                                                                                          Jan. 6th, 1884

My Dear Minnie,
     It is rather late in the evening but I am going to have a visit with you before going to bed if you will not mind sitting up a little while with me.
     We will occupy the large easy chair together here by the cozy coal fire and make out tongues run just as fast as they can for it is a long time since we have had our visit.
     The two weeks that I was gone were such busy ones that I hardly found time to write to Papa and since I have been home the holidays have taken so much of my time that this is the reason my dear for my shameful neglect.
     Now before I go any farther give me a good big kiss so I am sure you are not one bit provoked at me.
     O, I had a lovely time every moment while I was gone only I was obligated to make such short visits on account of the holidays being so near.
     I went to Aunt Nellie's Thursday and staid until the next week Saturday then went to Wanasha and stayed 'till Tuesday then went back to Fond du Lac and came home Thursday so I was gone just two weeks.  I did want to stay in Wanasha another week so much I had such a lovely time while there.
     I was so sorry to hear that Cousin Blanche had been sick and I hope ere this she may have entirely recovered.  Of course I was a little disappointed in not visiting you but sickness is something we can not help and even had I been able to have come I should have been obliged to have stayed such a very short time that there wouldn't have been much satisfaction in the visit, but when I do come I shall stay a good long while.  I am afraid I shall not be able to come to the wedding as much as I should like to, for Papa missed me so much while I was gone that I fear he would hardly consent to my going so soon again, but how I would like to and it is quite a disappointment to me to give it up as I planned going so long ago and have talked and thought so much about it.  When is the great event to take place?  I am so anxious to hear for it must be quite near.  Please let me know right away.  I expect Nid (?) is very happy; kiss her for me.
     Well Xmas & Ne Years have come and gone & how did you good folks pass the holidays:  My Xmas was a very merry one.
     Did I write you that we club girls were to have a tree here Xmas night.  Well we did and it was a splendid success.  All the girls exchanged presents and all were here but Annie Schrage.  The girls came at 7 o'clock & gave their presents and the gentlemen were invited at 8 to come & spend the evening.  The tree was in the alcove at (sic) it was perfectly lovely.  We took great pains in trimming ity.  We had the tree ladened (sic) with little cheap toys for the boys and they caused lots of merriment.  We had refreshments of cake, charlotte russe, and nice candies.  Some of the presents the girls gave were lovely.  I gave each one a very pretty gingham work apron that I made myself with a pretty bordered kerchief in each pocket.  It was something entirely different from what the rest gave.
     I wonder if you would like to hear what my presents were.  Well I imagine that I hear you say yes.
     Papa gave me a beautiful butter dish, a willow rocking chair and some toilet soap.  Cousin Sara, a silver thimble and a bordered kerchief, Aunt Joe a stand scarf, Aunt E. a white silk kerchief, Minnie a card, Cousin H & Uncle C a card, Aunt Nellie a bread boat, Albert a lovely large bottle of perfume with 3 kerchiefs, Rublee (?) a case of three books, Mrs. Clarke a pearl calling card case & a lovely card.  Now for the club presents I received - Agnes, a painted tambourine, Helen, a painted tile, Frankie, a painted tile, Mattie 2 table mats for hot dishes, Nellie G. a black leather hand bag, Lillie a set of wash stand mats, Lucy a collar with a button in shave of H., Charlie a vase, Jennie a pair of pink bed room slippers too sweet for anything and then I had a few cards sent me and O yes, Mrs. Cole gave me a book.  I guess now I have told you everything and wasn't I treated pretty well for a naughty girl?
     You must tell me what you got when you write.  How did your mother and father enjoy their surprise?  New Years Day passed pleasantly but quietly and I guess it isn't too late to wish you all a Happy New Year.  I rc'd the lovely cards sent from Ripon, thank Warren for me many times and here is a kiss for you and Nid thanking you for yours.  I have put it on an easel on the piano and every time I look at it I think of you two.  Warrens I have pined (sic) on the wall and it looks very pretty.
     Why I am talking so fast I hardly know where I am but you will have to endure me a little while longer as I'm not quite through.  How did your entertainment go off.  Jennie, Uncle Cl(?) and I are on committee to get up the library entertainment for next Wednesday evening.  They are little 10 cent entertainments we have every two weeks at library hall.  We are finding it rather hard work to get people to help us.
     O, I must tell you of the great surprise we girls, all but Helen, had this morning at Sunday School.  Agnes and Mr. Stewart were married last evening at 8:30 - think of that and we girls never thought of their being married.  Helen is the only one of the girls that was present except Nellie at the ceremony and aren't we girls mad though to think she didn't write us or even tell us for we have vowed that the girls should see each other married.  We were all surprised as Mr. S. has not been unusually attentive to Agnes lately.
     I don't think they have been engaged long & I don't believe she had here wedding day set more than a week.  She had no time to make a wedding trousseau & I don't think she has a thing new.   They are to board at the hotel.  About two months ago he fitted his rooms up very beautifully but we all thought they were for Alice Vedder but it seems they weren't.  It is all very funny anyway.  I hope Agnes will be happy she is such a nice girl.  I am going to see her to-morrow & scold her hard too.
     I guessed I have not written you that Mrs. Vedder is dead.  She died the first of November very suddenly of brain disease.  It was a terrible blow to the family.  They have all left here now & gone to Indiana.  I think it is very sad.
     Albert started for California last week on a business trip.  He expects to be gone about two months.
     Cousin Sara is still west.  She spent last week at Aunt Eunice's but I expect her back to-morrow.  She starts for home in about two weeks.  I shall miss her so much as she has been such good company.
     I am to have club Saturday.  I shall expect Mr. & Mrs. Stewart - Ahem! - to be here.
     Now Minnie I am sure I have made up for lost time and you write me soon & I will answer ditto.  The clock says quarter of 24 by standard time so I must go to bed if  I expect to sleep any before Monday morning.  How I wish you were here & were going to sleep with me to-night.  Well with many a kiss & love more than I can tell
                                                                                   Your Fannie

Frank Williams is very devoted to Jennie just at present.  I am steady as an old clock Haven't a sign of a fellow, but I'm quite happy.
I forgot to tell you that I had Uncle S. & Aunt Joe here to dinner Christmas.
Oh, I was at Mr. Simmons while I was in Fond du Lac & took dinner & stayed all night with his sister while I was there.  He is ever so pleasant.  Minnie's Mr. Simmons cousin.
This F.D.L. Mr. Simmons has a sister I think a great deal of.  We correspond & I visited with her quite a little while in F.D.L.   Don't say I never wrote you a long letter goodness I don't know as I shall ever be able to stop writing.
My club friend Annie Schrage expects to have an increase in her family in April or May.  She was only married last July, but that is the way the world goes."


From the context of the letter, I believe "Nid" must be Edith May Stilwell, Minnie's sister.   Edith married Judson Kellogg on 16 January 1884, so that is the wedding that Fannie mentions.
Most of the rest of the people mentioned seem to be friends of Fannie's.

  

Letter: Fannie (probably Hanchett) to Minnie Stilwell, Nov. 2, 1883

Letter addressed to:  Miss Minnie Stilwell, Ripon Wisconsin

Postmark:  Sheboygan Wis Nov 2 1883

Sheboygan, Nov. 1^st, 1883

Thursday eve.

My darling Min, -

            I have been sitting here by the cozy coal fire for about an hour all alone trying to do some of my Tehantanquan (word very hard to read) reading, but since here my mind it is elsewhere and the reading is not as interesting as it ought to be so I have just laid it aside and I know I can enjoy a little visit with you.

            Your letter was received about three weeks ago – does it seem possible that it can be that long – time flies so quickly.

            Well Minnie we are all moved and settled and we have changed so and look so nice you would hardly know us.

            Every room, even the kitchen, has new paper and paint and a coat of white wash.  Our parlor is furnished all most entirely new.  Papa got three elegant new chairs – two are crimson brocade plush trimmed with green brocade and the other is a patent rocked of old gold and black raw silk trimmed with scarlet silk plush  I have those with one of my upholstered chairs and the (unreadable) in the parlor and my (unreadable) stand is in one corner of the room.  We finally got carpet for the “alcove” and in there I have my little stand of shells and a rocker and an upholstered chair.  I hung my chart (?) and a bracket in there.  We got three new pictures, two are very handsome and with the picture I gave Papa and the paintings of grandpa and grandma Hawes my walls look very pretty.  The paper in that room is awfully pretty.  I hung all my pictures in there with gilt and so the hangings are invisible.

            Do you remember the old fashioned book shelves in the parlor?  Well I have covered the mantle with heavy green flannel and finished the edge with a silk striped fringe four inches deep and on the shelves below I have my books they look awfully nice.  On the mantle I have Papa’s and Mama’s pictures with my placque and vases.

            I heat that room with my wood stove and I have got it blackened so nicely that you can see your face in it.    For curtains I have buff Holland trimmed with a fringe on the bottom, they look neat and pretty – Papa bronzed the gas chandeliers all over so they look as nice as new and how I wish some evening when we have the gas lit – don’t that sound big – you could step in and see how cozy we look.  I guess you can get a small idea how the parlor looks even if I am dreadful at describing.  Our sitting room is to be our living room this winger as we have the coal stove in this room and it is a very cozy room.  I have my piano here, my music holder, Papa’s easy chair my cane rocker and two, three more chairs and a little work stand in the center of the room.  The fire place mantle has been painted a jet black and I have put a number of little nick nacks on there.  It gives the room a very pretty look.  We can’t use the fire place because it is not safe.

            Do you remember our little group of bird pictures  Well we have those hung in this room with new frames and this makes them look like new

            My dining room is a sweet little room.  The paper is just as pretty as can be.  I have the table, chairs and lounge in there and my fruit pictures and lamberguise (?) bracket on the wall and Dot occupies this room.  Papa’s bedroom opens out of there you remember and is a splendid large room.  The carpet and paper in there is very pretty and there is a nice large closet out of this room.  The kitchen and pantry are very convenient and Mary’s room is off the kitchen.

            My room is the front room up stairs.  I have things fixed about the same as I had them at the other house but they look very different after all.  The back room up stairs we shall furnish I guess in the spring for a spare room but this winter I put a rag carpet in there and that extra bed I had.

            I forgot to tell you that I put the carpet I had in my sitting room at the other house down in the dining room and the one I had in the dining room I put in my room and managed to get enough good out of very old carpet to put in the little hall up stairs.  We have a pretty new stairs carpet.

            Min you would never know us for we look so different.  Papa has let me have my own way in every thing.

            O, I forgot to tell what a nice large cellar we have.  It is a splendid clean cellar with a nice floor.  We have our coal bin down there.

            I am just as happy as I can be but I hardly dare say so for fear something may happen.  I have thought of Mama so much of late and how much she would have enjoyed fixing up.  O, I often think, Why was she taken from us but God knows best and we must be submissive.

            How I wish you could visit me now and see how fine we look.

            Cousin Sara is at the falls this week and I guess I shall go up tomorrow.

            She is going to visit Aunt Nellie the last of this month and the first of next and she and Aunt Nellie both are very anxious I should visit Fond du Lac while she is there so would it make much difference to you folks if I should come and make you a little visit then and not be there at the wedding proper.  I may not go to Fond du Lac at all, I can’t tell so far a head and if I don’t will then come to the wedding but if I do will it make much difference to you.  I can’t stay longer than a week anyway for I want to visit Fond du Lac and Wanasha and don’t feel that I can be longer than two weeks from home.

            I haven’t gotten one new thing for winter yet and don’t know that I shall get either.

            Albert has been here nearly every evening the past week – Isn’t that dreadful?  But I rather enjoy it – don’t tell.  Mr. S. and Minnie drove down and took tea with me night before last.

            Aunt Josie is moved and settled too.  They look very nice in their new quarters.  Do you know Minnie that my thoughts come so much faster than I can make my pen go that I have made dreadful work writing.  Please don’t show it to anyone.  You may read it out loud but goodness don’t show it.

            One of the girls stayed all night we me last night and we never went to sleep till long after midnight so I’m just a little sleepy.  I am crocheting me some red trimming for the bottom of a red petticoat that I am going to make me soon.  Well dear I hope you can read this dreadful crazy scrawl and don’t scold because it is hard to read.

            Papa has just come and as it is late must bid you good night.  I’ve enjoyed my little visit very much as you have let me do all the talking.  I hope I can come again soon.  Lots of love to all, Nettie and Belle included.  Write soon deary.  With a kiss,

                        Yours,

                                                Fannie

Jennie Ulead has been away from home four weeks.  They expect her back next week.  I miss her.

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

While she doesn't sign her last name, this is most likely Fannie Hanchett.  Her mother, Jennie (Bent) Hanchett died in August 1882.  The "Grandpa and Grandma Hawes" she mentions would be on her side; Jennie Bent's mother was Mary Jane Hawes.  

The wedding she mentions possibly attending was probably that of Edith Stilwell to Judson Kellogg which took place 16 January 1884.  Edith was Mary Elva's sister.

I have not researched all of Fannie's family and so do not know who all the other people are she mentions.

Letter: Sara Hoyt to Minnie Stilwell, August 1883

There is no envelope with this letter.  It is dated Rosendale, August 10, 1883 and signed Sara Hoyt.  From the contents, I believe Sara was a school friend of Minnie's.  I found a Sara A. Hoyt in Rosendale, Fond du Lac Co., Wisconsin, who was born 19 July 1862 in Wisconsin and died 13 February 1924 in Sibley, Osceola Co., Iowa.  I believe this is the correct Sara.  She never married and is buried in Rosendale Cemetery, Rosendale, Wisconsin.

Others mentioned in the letter also seem to be school friends.  Jennie in Baraboo can't really be identified without a surname.  I found a couple of Mary Swifts in Wisconsin about 1880, but can't determine which one is correct based on the information in this letter.

Here is a transcription:

                                                                                             "Rosendale, Aug 10, 1883
Dear Minnie,
     I was so disappointed in not being able to see you commencement time.  I long for a good chat with you once more.
     It seems as though I had hardly had a chance to look at you since you left school and yet we have been such a little way apart all these years.  It is a perfect shame.  It must not be so any longer.  I want you to come and make me a visit without fail sometime while I am home.  I expect now to be at home until next spring.  I would like to have you come before it gets to be cold weather.  Come as soon as harvest is over if you can.
     Jennie has not returned from Baraboo yet but is expected soon.  In a week or two.  If we three could only get together once more wouldn't we have a regular visitation and I hope that time is not far distant.
     The last I heard of Mary Swift she was just able to get around a little on crutches.  I cannot find out what is the matter of her.  She has been sick for over a year.  Doesn't it seem sad & I think that I will write to her although she has owed me a letter so long.  From all I can hear I do not believe she did very well when she married.
     I am very sorry if that is the case for I think that Mary is a very nice girl and deserves a worthy husband if any one ever did.  I hope that Jennie will go to see her while she is so near.  Ironton is not a great ways from Baraboo.
     What exceedingly warm weather we had week before last and how cold and rainy it was last week.  I hop that it has cleared off for a while at least.
     I have not been very well a good share of the time since school closed.  I have been having the rheumatism quite badly but I am a good deal better now though rather week (sic).  I find that I cannot do as big a day & work this summer as I did last.
     Everyone else in the house is in bed and I suppose I ought to be there too but I dread to go.  I do not sleep very well and the nights seem long.  Let me hear from you very soon.  With love.  Sara Hoyt"