Mrs. F. L. Wightman Letter

Letter submitted by Carol Niewinski. This letter was sent to Emily Warren Baumann who at the time lived in Hayfield, Dodge County, MN and when they first came to MN lived in Mantorville, Dodge Co., MN. Explanations of relationships and the questions she has follow the letter.

Parish, Aug 31, 1919

My Deare Auntie.

How very glad I was to here from you. Am glad to heare you are feeling well. Oh, how I wish I might come and see you but it is so far and I don't have the confidence to travle alone. My sister-in-law has a brother who lives in Windom, MN. He comes out here every two or three years. If I could go with him some time but I probably never will. You know, as we get along in life we dread to get away from home. I will be fifty the 18 June, Aunt Emily, how old are you? I know you were younger than mother but I do not know how much. How I do miss my mother. People used to say "you will get over that after a while; but I miss her more and more every day. So many things I would like to tell her and talk about. She was such a good mother. Always felt she had to work. Perhaps if she had been more careful of herself; but she wanted to do it.

She was always more contented when she had something to do. Does your girls live near you? I did not know Homer was going to see you. We figured out your town on a map he had and he told me the citys he would strick; but I am glad he went there. I sent him your address a year ago when he came down here. I had a card from him at Nevada. So you see they are getting toward home. I wish they would come back this way to live so we could be somewhere together. He is the only one that is away so far. But he does not like our winters. One brother is in Rochester, NY and one in Fulton - that is about 24 miles from here. Do you ever here from any of your brothers? I wrote them the same time I did you but did not heare from them. Perhaps I did not have the right address.

Well, I must tell you I am working in the canning factory. We have canned peas, are now canning beans, and are going on corn this week. Do you have a garden with your place? We have a very good one now.

Hasn't this war busted things sky high. I mean prices. I hardly know how a man working by the day can support his family if he has five or six children. Well, I must close. I guess this will be enough to tire you out.

Now Aunt Emily - do write to me again. Do not wait so long. For I am so glad to here from you.

Now take good care of yourself and take all the comfort you can. But I think there comes a time in our lives when we seem to be lonely and lonesome and nothing seems to be a comfort or pleasure for us. Will close hoping to here from you soon.

Your loving niece,
Mrs. F. L. Wightman Parish N.Y.

Relationships:
1. Emily Warren Baumann (aunt Emily in the letter) my gg grandmother b. 1844 Amboy NY, d. 1925 Dodge Co., MN.
2. Eva Liona Kinsman Wightman (daughter of Amelia Warren Kinsman who is sister of Emily Warren Baumann) b. Jan. 18, 1870.
3. Amelia Warren Kinsman b. 1841 OR 1844 NY. (Her tombstone says 1841, 1859 census gives her age as 5 which is same as Emily) Amelia d. May 19, 1917.
4. Lester D. Kinsman (Amelia's husband) b. 1821; d. 1905.
5. Frank Leslie Wightman (husband of Eva) b. May 17, 1859; d. Jan. 20, 1934 NY.
6. Homer is Eva's brother.

Questions:
1. Where did Homer live?
2. Who were the other brothers of Eva who lived in Fulton and Rochester, NY?