To: Sophronia Troupe – Fostoria, Ohio
From: Jonas M. Hutchins – Kendallville, IN
No envelope
Dear Cousin, April 17, 1875
I will try to write you a few lines to let you know that I am still alive. I received your letter two weeks ago today but I was busy plowing for oats and did not answer it. We got our oats sowed last Monday and Monday night it snowed. It snowed today most all day. I guess we will have sleighing all summer.
Our Sunday school will commence tomorrow. I wish you was here to go with us. There is meeting at Stone’s Corner’s tonight but I didn’t go. The Perseverance Preacher preaches there. He preached at the Weston Chapel last Tuesday. We was up to hear him. He preached a good sermon. Brother Lancaster did not get back there again. I wish you was here to go with us to meeting. We have a good prayer meeting. There will be preaching at our Church a week from tonight. Brother Krieger will preach for us if nothing happens.
I was out to Waterloo three weeks ago tonight. I got there about 11 o’clock at night and the Preacher’s folks was gone and I had to go two miles to Goodwin’s and stayed all night.
I didn’t get many Easter eggs Easter. Francis Rowls has gone home. Her Mother died and she had to go home and keep house for her father. Aunt Sally is out there now.
Well, I guess I will quit for this time. So goodbye from Jonas M. Hutchins to his Cousin Frona Troupe. Write soon. Forward towards Kansas
We had a good time the last night of our singing. They took up a collection and got 81 cents and 2 cartridges, 1 walnut, 2 buttons and a bean.
Well Frona, {Sophronia Troupe} Old Joe is hauling lumber to town to build him a new house. He told Albert that maybe he would get pretty married soon or its maybe not so soon. He went to town and got his pictures taken, he got eighteen. You ought to be here to get one of them. J.M.H. (Jonas Michael Hutchins)
My pen is poor, My ink is black, if you can’t read it, send it back.
Dear Mother and Niece
I set down to write you a few lines to let you know how we are getting along. We are reasonable well at present hoping these few lines may find you all enjoying good health.
Well Sophronia, {Sophronia Troupe} I don’t know much to write this time. I hant been down to Hana’s since you went home but I heard that Crist was very poorly. I am sorry for his is a good boy. Dave is farming George Hanas’s place this summer. I hant seen him since that day you went home. I guess Anna (unreadable ?) hant working there any more. She is going to get married next Sunday to Bill Crate. What do you think of that? I think it is business.
Well, me {Lydia Story Hanas Stahl} and Annaliza {Lydia Ann Eliza Hutchins Lovett} was over to Roscoe’s {Roscoe Gustavis Hutchins} today to make Ella {Ella Story} a sun bonnet. She is getting as fat as a pig. I didn’t get her picture taken yet, I hant been to town yet. I was sorry I didn’t have them when Lizzie Rinebolt was out. I would like to went back there with her, but I wasn’t ready. Fred Longbarger went out there a week ago last Friday. He went to Wood County.
Well Frony, {Sophronia Troupe} I wrote a letter to Israel Stahl long ago but I didn’t get no answer yet. When you write again, write if you heard from Mike {Michael Stahl} since he went off. Who does Israel Troupe work for this summer?
Well, it is raining like sixty and it is bed time, so I will close for this time. Write soon if you please. Where is Lizzie {Sarah Elizabeth Troupe} working now and how does Louisa Bell get along? Tell her I send my best respects to her.
Lydia Story Hanas Stahl {Lydia Stahl Hanas Story}
Well Sophronia, {Sophronia Troupe} they organized Sunday School yesterday. They hit Davy Piant in for Superintendant and Eckhart for assistant superintendant and Hiram Lovett is secretary and Jonas Hutchins is Treasurer and Henry Reams is Chorister.
Well Fronia, {Sophronia Troupe} I was down to Ackerman’s to see their babies. They are nice big ones so no more. Write soon.
I hant heard from Dad yet so I don’t know how many eggs he eat Easter Sunday. Me {Lydia Stahl Hanas Story} and Annaliza {Lydia Ann Eliza Hutchins Lovett} talk of going to the city of Milford this week.
Dear Cousin,
It is with pleasure that I seat myself to drop you a few lines to let you know how we get along. We are all well at present and hope that this will find you the same.
Well Fronie, {Sophronia Troupe} I see Orin Chaffee today. He was here this morning before breakfast and he said that he was coming out there to see you before long. He said he would like to see you. He makes his home at Eckharts now and Albert makes his home over to our house now and he is a working for Aunt Lydia. {Lydia Stahl Hanas Story}
Well Frony, {Sophronia Troupe} I don’t know as I have seen any of Bryant’s boys since you went home. They have moved off to their new home. Pa was up there a couple of nights and he said that there was no body at home, but Uncle and Aunt and Oscar, they would not let the other boys come home to stay and Mell is married and keeps tavern. They live 14 miles on the other side of Fort Wain. {Ft. Wayne, Indiana} She was down to our house after you went home to hire you to work for him at the tavern and she wanted Manerve Millbourn to work for her.
Well Fronie, {Sophronia Troupe} I wish you was here to go to Sunday School with me. They are a gone to commence Sunday School tomorrow.
Well Fronie, {Sophronia Troupe} you had ought to a been her tonight to go to meeting with Orin. Him and Albert went down to Stones Corner’s to meeting tonight. I don’t know whether he stopped in and got Mary Eckhart or not.
Well Fronie, {Sophonia Troupe} I guess that they hant heard any thing from John Ross yet.
Well I guess you heard that Charley Extell is dead. He got killed with his (unreadable). It broke and one piece flew in his head and cut in til all his brains came out and the other cut in his breast til they could see what he eat and cut his arm most off. This happened on Saturday and he was buried on Sunday. Easter Sunday.
Mary is a working out by the week and has that littliest boy with her and she gave Wilkerson’s her biggest boy.
Well Fronie, {Sophronia Troupe} they are just a going for twins out here. Ackerman’s has a pair of twins, a boy and a girl.
Well I guess I must close for this time for Jonas {Jonas Michael Hutchins} is here and he is a gone to write a little to you I guess. So good bye. Write soon from Lydia A. E. Hutchins to Sophronia Troupe. Write soon. Fredy has not made his appearance yet. Calebs son. {Caleb Traster}
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Well Fronie, {Sophronia Troupe} they say that Christ Hanas is very sick. The doctor said that he didn’t know whether he could help him or not.
Well Fronie, {Sophronia Troupe} you tell Lizzie {Sarah Elizabeth Troupe} to answer my letter and send me one of her pictures and you send me one of yours and then maybe I will ask Old Joe for one of his pictures for you or hant they many chicken hawks out there?
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Poor Simon, I guess he will have to stay at home all day tomorrow because he hant got but one fine shirt and that is burnt. Poor fellow. I spect he is a cryin about this time.
Well Fronie, {Sophronia Troupe} Old Joe has lots of his pictures now. I dreamt the other night that he give me one of them.