// Letters written by the Thomas H. B. & Lydia M. Frieze Julian family to my great-grandparents: Richard Monroe [1856-1923]& Margaret [1858-1909] Reams Rumsey & their children, Mary Catherine [1885-1978] & Samuel Ernest [1890-1961] in Pope Co IL. [Judy Foreman Lee] Winona, Miss Oct 16 1895 Dear brother and family I seat My self to write you a few lines to let you know how we are getting along. We are all tolerable well at present hope this will find you all well and doing well well brother Richard I hope you are successful at presbytery and got through all right well I thought I would right some while Hariet was writeing it wont be very interesting for she has wrote everying and that leaves me blank. Pg 2 Well Richard this is agood country to make money I have raised $200 dollars worth of cotton on nine acres of ground this good hog county I raise my meat evry year people in this country depends on buying I have sold fifty Dollars worth of hogs this sumer I have gathered about Six hundred bushels of Corn I have dug about 50 bushels of sweet potatoes the yellow yams I have seven milk cows and hav 17 head of other cattle – 4 mules I have been superintendance of the Sunday Pg 3 School ever sinc I have been here and bible teacher we have protrocted meetings here but don’t much revivals here religion is scarce not many here that talks to Jesus face to face not many that walks in his truth that trusts in his promises like people did in older times when the church was small when Christons was persecuted for the love and faith in Christ but I hope that time will come again soon where did your pa die at was Pg 4 he living in Col did he die in the faith of Christ [Richard’s father Richard Rumsey was born 10 Jan 1825 in Georgia & died 20 Feb 1895 in Manassa, Conejos Co Colorado ~ JFL] did you have agood fruit Crop this year well Margret I caned 157 cans of fruit this sumer is cattle high there cattle [? leaves/bears ?] avery good price here sam and lee says tell you that they weigh about 170 pound they are pouncers [?] where is mosts folks I have not heard from them sinc last December tell them to write and I will answer from THB Julian and family To Richard and family written by Lydia please excuse bad writny. // Winona, Miss. Oct. 16. 1895 Rev. Richard Rumsey & family Kind Friends: I take pleasure in answering your kind and welcome letter which we received only a short time ago. We were certainly glad to hear from you all once more. We are all well as common at present and hope you may be enjoying God,s richest blessings when this comes to hand. We were glad to hear that you was preaching and give our best wishes and heart felt desires to you and Margeret too that you all may Pg 2 Accomplish much good. I am sorry to say that there are but a very few Presbyterians in this country and they are very dull. I only know of one church and that is 17 miles from us. If there isn,t but a few of that denomination here we would enjoy a visit from you and Margeret all the same would be so glad to see you. I,ll just tell you all I came very near coming to see you all about two weeks ago, and all that backed me out was that I had not wrote and had no one to meet me at the train. You asked if any of us had gotten married yet no we have not, but it may be that I can not tell you so in six mon. more but I am not the Pg 3 one and it may not be any of us. Sam went to Tex. last winter he was very much pleased with the country, but did not stay long. I am thinking that I may get to come back to old Ill. next summer, but will not say for certain. I guess I will have to get you and Margeret to pick me out a fellow if you know any worth catching between 25 and 35 yrs. old. I guess it is time to change the subject. I guess you would like to know something about what we have been doing Mina and I have been teaching school I have taught three schools I now hold my fourth certificate and this winter makes my fourth school. Pg 4 Lee and Sam are in the cattle business. Pa says to tell you that he would be powerful glad to be with you in your meetings that he would enjoy being with you in one of your good meetings better than anything. Ma says to tell you to tell her who Peggy married (I believe this is Peggy Catherine Wilkins, she was an orphan girl my great-grandparents raised. William Isaac Stapleton [son of Andrew & Melinda Cole Stapleton] & Peggy Catherine Wilkins [dau. of Hose G. & Betty Shadowens Wilkins] married 7 Jan 1894 by Robert Dawson, Minister at Richard Rumsey residence; wit: W.A. Harris & S.H. Stapleton.), what became of Jim, where Jim Whiteside and Jim Clardy,s folks live? I guess I had better close my letter to keep from worrying you all. With best love and good wishes to all the family I close. Your true friend. Answer soon. Harriet Julian Winona Miss. Judy Foreman Lee _UdyDee43@aol.com_ (mailto:UdyDee43@aol.com) My families: Benard, Brown, Crawford, Carr, Davidson, Doctorman, Echols, Foreman, Glass, Hanna, Holmes, Hurford, Jackson, Jennings, Lewis, Maddox, Reams, Rumsey, Scott, Shadowen, Sipe, Slankard, Soward, Trovillion, Tomlinson/Linson, Vinyard, Whitley, Williams, etc.