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Katie wrote a letter on Sullivan Dry Goods Co letterhead to hernewlywed daughter, Edna Van Gundy. Although the letter was not dated,it had to be written between 1/5/1910, Edna's wedding, and 10/30/1911,Kate's death. It may well have been the last letter she wrote toEdna, the reason it was kept. She said: "Thursday evening Dear Children I just got your letters andwas so glad to here from you and hope your colds are better by nowtake good care of your selfs and dont get your feet wet for I think aperson takes cold that way so quick. Ella said she was going to writeand Joe has his letter ready to send ansell & Earl talks aboutwriting ever night but they have been so buisy fixing fence made acole House cleaned the barn and I dont know what all We had thehardest rain to day I ever saw it rained for 2 Hours like a flood wegot a big rain last night to. Ella called me awhile a go and saidthair was 104 chickens out so I guess they will do pretty well if wecan raise them I am so proud of them the nicest little things. Puss& I went to see Barnes in Decatur Tuesday after noon. He said hecouldnt do any thing for me that he would not operate on me at all andfor me not to let any one else He said no body but a man that wantedto make a big bill would talk such a thing he said the shape I was inI would not live through the operation. He said for me to Dr mygeneral system take good care of my self not to work nor worry a boutany thing and get as much out of the time I had as I could He said ofcourse I might with good good care last quite awhile He could not saynor any one else. But if he could do any thing for me he would beglad to and for me to have the Dr here call him up and he would beglad to give him advise any time. Kessler has helped me I know everother way only that place and I am glad I took his medicine forDavidson would have put me under the sod long ago he said I could beoperated on all right he eather didnt know or wanted to make a bigbill for Brown & Barnes said I could never stand it when they examinedme I am going to work a while longer and when it gets nice and warmso I can get out I am going to take a long vacation then ansell & Iwill come out to see you after the corn is put in. I am not a bitdiscouraged I think maby I will get better and if I dont I am only oneI am not a fraid to go for I do the best I can and that is all Godasks us to do. I want you and Bob to go to church & sunday school youwill meet with the best people that way and it is your duty to go Italways makes one feel better to go to a good place and I want you bothto so bad. I was so glad Bob wrote I want him to write ever time hecan if it is only a line I want all 3 of my boys to do well for theyare all the world to me. and if I had a had you & Ella made to orderyou would not have suited me any better. We saw Maud Powells Mark atthe depot he wanted us to go down for supper but we came back on thesix oclock train for I was so tired. Mrs Seass was at our house andstayed all night she seems to be well pleased with the place the wayit looks Ella just now called and said the water had raised in thecellar till it was nearly full we will have a swimming pool if itturns off warm come in the water is fine. I would love to see yourcows & pigs your chickens are acting offel nice & only have 3 henssitting. Lilly J. incubator didn't do a bit well she didnt get 50 and some of them died I dont think they watched it close enoughfor I saw them up town so much. Mrs Seass said she would make us akitchen where that back porch is wont that be nice she said just assoon as it got so she could get down to see about it Burt Said hewould take her & Lucas ansell & me to your house this summer in thecar. so put the big pot in the little one for will sure come. Harriecalled me up as soon as they got home I was so glad to here from youtell Jake Hellow I expect he will get lonesome to. last sunday wasso pretty the sun shone warm all day after noon Ansell & I went tothe barn all over the place ever where we came back to the lot and heturned the cow in to the calf and then after it got its dinner turnedher back in the pasture and I and him was standing by the big gate shetook a run at me split the top of the gate ansell trying to hold it tokeep her out then she got down on one knee and took a run at thebottom of it. I had a piece of a pitch fork handle in my hand I hither with it between the eyes the blood run our of her nose but itdidn't conquer her at all well I never was scared so bad ansell saidI never would be any while when I was dead I thought I was safe witha fence between us well it didn't take me long to get a way fromtheir havent been back since. I think my visits will be few and farbetween as long as she is their. Dr Gladville of Bruce was buarriedtoday here in town. I wish I was thair to eat supper with you & havebeen off my fead to day. you know the new buggy Sam E. got well hegot full the other night and went home trid to turn to short orsomething up set and run his head right through the top bore a holeclear through skined his head and face all to pieces he goes a roundnow with a white plaster all over his head that is what whisky doesfor a fellow just now LuAnn brough me up the nicest ham sandwish myit looks fine the girls are offel nice to me. Mary has been sick for3 weeks dont know when she will be back wheather at all or not shewent to Decatur today to be ? she sent me the nicest boquet thismorning she said it was for easter I was offel glad to get it for Ido love flowers so much. Mr. E.J. Miller gave me a pink carnation theother day I took the stem home set it out and it is growing nice Pusssaid all of them are well she comes in to see how I am nearly ever daythey got your cards this morning she said tell you many thank and thechildrens was so pretty. you didn't say how you liked your card tellBob I have another one to send him a comic. He will get it in a fewdays. Grandma Powell & Mary Buxton went to St Elmo to day to see thatDr I told ma to ask him when he would be back up in here and if hethought he could help me. Well if I keep on I will tell ever thingand the rest wont have any thing to write. Grandma Gipsons was wellthe first of the week I havent heared since. Joe & Earl are so proudof our chickens. We havent made any garden yet it rains ever time wethink about it. Thair was a traveling man here to day and I ordered agalon & half ice cream freezer when it gets warm I will lay underthem trees and eat ice cream It is the prettiest place we ever lived.Grandma Bupp is still a live but offel low. Delia & Flossie was in thestore to day. & yes I nearly fell of my stool this morning Geniecalled me up and ask how I was she said she had heared what the Drsaid and though she would call me up I said yes I have seen you inthe store lots of times but you didnt speak. it beat her so bad shesaid no I didn't know wheather you was a lowed to have company uptheir or not. I said yes I have lots of company ever body comes inthat knows me always speaks I wanted to say none of them turned theirback like you did but I didn't. I just let it go. But when she couldhave been company and a help to me she was not & now I dont need hershe just felt a shamed of herself I know well I have got plenty offriends I would rather do for me if they half to as her. that is theway I feal a friend in need is a friend in deed and she wasnt onethen and I wish her well and all that but I can go the rest of the waywith out her I dont think much of any one that waits till the last tosay a kind word. Willie has called up several times and ask how I wasHe called last night and ask about you and said to tell Bob to drophim a line. the sun has come out nice now after the storm well I mustclose you will be glad twice to get this glad when it is read I wantyou both to be good have a good time dont worry a bout any thing andlive just the best you can ever day write to us often I am justcrasy to see your new home and will before long Goodby from If you cant read Mama this guess at it for I have had to stop so often" Names in the letter, some of which have been identified: Ella - Ella Powell, Kate's daughter Earl - Earl Powell, Kate's son Ansell - Ansell Powell, her husband Puss - Mary Powell Dunkin, Ansell's sister Kessler, Davidson, Brown & Barnes - physicians Bob - Robert Van Gundy, Edna's husband Maud Powell & son, Mark - Unknown Mrs Seass - Wife of Burt Seass, Kate and Ansel's landlady Lilly J - Unknown Burt - Burt Seass, their landlord Lucas - Lucas Seass, probably son of Burt Harrie - Harry Gipson, Kate's half-brother Jake - Unknown Sam E - Unknown Mr E J Miller - Unknown Grandma Powell - Nelson's wife, Kate's mother-in-law Mary Buxton - a friend of the family Grandma Gipson - Kate's mother Joe - Joseph Powell, Katherine's other son Grandma Bupp - In the Partial List of Patrons of Moultrie Co, are JohnBupp, who operated a dray line and his wife Isabella. They are buriedin Greenhill Cemetery, Sullivan, IL along with several other Bupps:John L Bupp 1855-1925, Isabell, his wife 1855-1920. Why Katecalled her "Grandma" remains a mystery to be solved. Delia - coworker or neighbor Flossie - coworker or neighbor Genie - Eugenia Baker Powell, wife of Ansell's brother, William Wiillie - William Powell, husband of Genie |
| Ansell's father and Kate's mother gave their permission for thewedding since both parties were still under age. Witnesses were JRParker (either Kate's half or step brother) and Ross Cox, herbrother-in-law. Both Katie and Ansell were residents of JonathanCreek Twp at that time. |
| At 4:45 P.M. Katherine died of a tumor of the spleen and hypertrophyof the liver. The problem had plagued her for about 5 years. Dr.W.E. Scarborough of Sullivan had been caring for her since May 11 andsigned the death certicifate. Although Kate worked at the SullivanDry Goods Co until shortly before she died, the death certificaterecorded her as a housewife. |