The following letter was written to Zena Huddleston by Catherine Harvey  We don't have a date for it other than "May", and from the letter we believed that Catherine was living in Mansville, IT (Indian Territory) at the time the letter was written.  However Max Reed's letter clears this up and includes a second letter written by Catharine the next day (May 31st). Both letters were very well worn and the edges had been chewed away by the mice.
 

Page #1

Mansville it - May the

dear children i set my self this moring to drop you a few lines in answer to your cind leter that come to hand and was very glad to here from you all.  I had begine to think you was not again to rite eny more.  This leaves us all well as comon onley i am down in my back.  I can hardley get up strate and have bin so faor about three dayes.  We want to see you all very bad.  We would of come up thear in the winter but your grand pa awent to trade for a wagon and old cleam fel down on him and sprained his foot and e could not walke on it for
 

Note: I believe "old cleam" was his horse.


Page #2

about too months and sens he got well the river had bin up nearley all spring and we will go to chopen coten monday.  I dont no when we can come.  We have sent the horses off to the paster but jude and riben ????.  Will come the first time i can.  We got about eight achors of coten adn i is nye hed has got a good crop.  Charley has    Got a god crolp and in good shape.  He got john hioges hired for awhile.  He will ?? his corne next weeke.  Well Zene we have got a good garden.  Have got tators adn beens and will soon have pees.  We had fride chicken this morning and will have taters for diner and ingers and letes for super.
 

Note: Jude and Ribe were their riding horses.  I am not sure if I copied the name John Hioges right. In looking at the food they ate, I think I would have starved!!!!!

Page #3

The way the pages are numbered, it looks as though one page is missing.  This page was never found.
 

 

Page #4

Well Zene i got a leter from Laura yesterday.  Tha was all well tha was booth babtised the 2 day jof May by a chistern preacher.  Laura joined on Sunday night and Finley joined the next day at the water.   Well Zene bety is about to kill her self at work because she at work with her johney.  Tell haley and will to rite to me.  We dont no wheter tha got bety pictors or not.  Teel Walter and ed to rite and see whether we can read thear leter and if we cant we send it back.  I guess they let loda beet them learning and tha dont want me to no it rite soon.

Good by
catharine harvey
 

Note:

  • Zene is Zena Huddleston 
  • Laura is Laura (Harvey) Nelson 
  • Betty is Betty (Harvey) Vowell 
  • Loda is Loda Huddleston 
  • Walter is Walter Huddleston 
  • Ed is Edgar Huddleston 
  • Pa is Thomas H Harvey (husband of Catharine) 
  • Charley is Charles Harvey (son of Catherine - second marriage) 
  • Catharine Harvey is Elizabeth Catharine (Copeland) Harvey
All of the above are in the old photo of Thomas H Harvey and family taken about 1892.

Also mentioned in the letter was Will and Haley, William McLain, Catherine's son by her first marriage.  Haley is his wife. 
 
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