Ella McKinnon to Annie Hall January 17, 1922

Mapleton Minn Jan 17th (22)

Dear Cousin Anna,
I do not think I have written you about Elizabeth’s illness. she had a slight shock of paralysis about the 1st of Oct. but rallied and seemed about as usual again was down town & did some Christmas shopping and was quite spry until the 8th of Jan. Effie wrote me that as they were getting supper she was stricken again this time in her right side (the other was in the left and completely paralyzed even her speech she could not talk but on the 11th when Effie wrote she had taken a little nourishment & seemed some brighter & could make them understand

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what she wanted but could not talk as I understand the letter she seemed to be suffering some in her left side Effie said but we are all in hopes she does not have to suffer long at least but she is getting old like the rest of us she is 74 today so we cannot expect her to rally like a younger person would.

Oh Anna I do not suppose you remember any thing about an old schoolmate of ours you used to go to school with her but not very much but we used to come and see you when you lived on the Edwards place her name was Aleena A Porter. a few years ago we wrote to each other then dropped it again but at Christmas time this year I ran

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across her old letter & sat down and wrote to her again. she was just a little bit older than we were she will be 67 in June & we will be in August. a couple of years ago she fell and broke her right hip and has never walked since & does not expect to she says goes in a wheel chair when she goes any where I would like to see her so well. I believe I could talk her nearly blind or dumb on or the other it so long since you have heard of her or thot of her I suppose you will hardly remember her but I thot you might possibly I was so pleased to hear from her.

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We have had such a fine winter until lately it is not bad now or we have hardly any snow but it will be cold for a day or two then it will warm up some then a little bit of snow then cold again tonight there is a cold N.E. wind & looks like a storm of some kind.

Well I can not think of any more news as I know of only I have not told you anything of my husbands death it is just 5 months yesterday & yet it seems as if I ought to see him moving around here some where he did not suffer so very much until the last few weeks then he did a good deal until the last week. I do not think he had much pain at all but was conscious until the last about 15 hrs.

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he seemed to be in a kind of stupor but knew me until those hours I asked him if he knew me and he says “yes it is Mama” he got to calling me that for the last 2 or 3 months he always seemed to know me but sometimes he would ask if I was his wife or how I came to be taking so much care of him he did not seem to want any one else to do anything for him & I am thankful I was always able to take care of him although he did not need so very much as he could always wait on himself until the last week. but I could not leave him alone long he had

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kind of funny spells come over him & was liable to fall any where when they came on so it was not safe to leave him alone then he got a notion of wandering away & could not find his way home again. he knew when he got there but not the way to go nor the places he passed. I guess you will get tired of my subject but I believe I could write or talk about him for 24 hours if any one would listen to me. so I guess I had better ring off now.

I am feeling just fine this winter do all my own work & have Walter my youngest son with me he is on the mail route so is at home
Your with lots of love
From Cousin Ella


Jacob McKinnon died August 16, 1921, Mapleton, Blue Earth County, MN. I found it odd that Ella didn't write to Annie about his death earlier. The last letter in the file was from 1918; had they dropped their correspondence again for a time or were the letters simply not saved?

Ella talks more about Aleena in her next letter.

For more see:
Carlisle - Wisner Letters
Family of William Wisner
Descendants of Maryetta Wisner
Descendants of Sarah Ann Wisner
Margie's Ancestors - McKinnon Pictures



McKinnon, Ella Hall (Mapleton, Minnesota) to “Dear Cousin Anna” [Sarah Ann Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 17 January 1922. Digital Images 1-6. Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Snowville, New York. 2008. [Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1921 – 1922, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

Memories on Monday - Uncle Oscar

I was able to join scanfest yesterday and I not only had a great time meeting some people and reconnecting with others but I scanned and tagged 31 photos!

I was able to finish a small album of pictures that John's sister, Marie, had given me. All of the pictures were reprints that she had had made up for me. I have no idea who some of the people are but this picture was a real treasure for me. I believe that this is the only picture I have of Uncle Oscar.

Oscar and Mary (Nardozzi) Mere,
date and location unknown

I grew up far from extended family so meeting John's family was overwhelming for me. In those early days John's Uncle Oscar was quite kind to me, I think he understood that I simply could not process a dozen or more people talking at once. There aren't very many smokers in John's family so Oscar and I would often slip off for a smoke and a little peace and quiet. We never talked about anything particularly important but I always looked forward to seeing Oscar when there was a family gathering. Oscar became the kindly uncle I never had growing up. So today I am fondly remembering my time spent chatting with Uncle Oscar.

Ella McKinnon to Annie Carlisle Aug 18, 1918

Mapleton, Minn
Aug 18th 1918

My dear Cousin,
Please excuse a lead pencil as I can write faster & Better with it.

Yes Anna I am certainly busy these days. besides my housework I have knit about 3 pairs of sox for for the Red Cross in a little over a year and this summer I have done all of my housework all alone a good deal of the time since about the middle of May at least Hermie the youngest girl is helping Myrtle this summer as she has a little baby boy not quite 3 months old yet and that makes her _ so could not get along alone very well but it keeps me busy. Ella

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is at work at a store here in town so she is only home at meal time and they have to be on time so it makes me jump on wash day at least. My husband is not able to help me any or least I do not let him unless he peels potatoes or something like that.

Yes Anna two of my boys are soldiers Neil and Walter the two youngest boys. Neil the oldest of the two was at Paris Island S. C . since last March. he joined the Marines so he was on both land & water until last March. he was home then for 10 days then was sent to the Non Commissioned Officers school at Paris Island then was made Corporal and lately was made Company Commander but last week had orders to get ready for oversea so he may be on the water going to France now I do not know just where he is. Walter has been at Camp Grant. Ill. But he has had his orders to send his things home and has his overseas equipment given him so as to be ready. They only had about 24 hours notice either one of them they have both liked their work but Neil especially felt as if he was not doing much it is about 15 months since he enlisted but Walter was in

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Class 1 of the draft so has not been gone from home 2 months yet. I have written and received letters from them both nearly every week since they went away but now I cannot get them so often I suppose.

Thanks Anna for you kind wishes and if I feel as I do just now I will likely see quite a few more as I am well and feeling good most of the time for my age at least.

We have had so much rain I wish you could have had a part of it We have had to much but everything has done well but not many apples this year garden good Ever yours Cousin Ella

Myrtle's son was Gordon Birchard Cumming, her third child.

Tragically, Hermie died 22 September 1918 at the age of 22. I have not yet discovered her cause of death.

For more see:
Carlisle - Wisner Letters
Family of William Wisner
Descendants of Maryetta Wisner
Descendants of Sarah Ann Wisner
Margie's Ancestors - McKinnon Pictures



McKinnon, Ella Hall (Mapleton, Minnesota) to “My dear Cousin” [Sarah Ann Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 18 August 1918. Digital Images 1-2. Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Snowville, New York. 2008. [Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1918 – 1919, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture: Back to School Edition

Lisa has posted the Back to School Edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture at Small-leaved Shamrock. This was a great edition for me to participate in because I have become very wrapped up in transcribing letters. Taking a step back to look at some of my other lines to see where I am and where I need to go will help me get back on track. I also hope that by following the research of other participants I will gain some tips that will help me eventually make the leap back to Ireland.

The next edition, "Luck of the Irish": Superstitions and the Irish people, will be hosted by Bill West at West in New England.

Halloween (or Samhain as it was known among the ancient Celts) is approaching and what better time to tell us about your family’s Irish superstitions? Perhaps you have stories about strange coincidences and events that might have been passed down by your Irish relatives, or even know of some favorite legend or haunted place in Ireland. Share them with us in the next edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture.

Deadline for submissions for the Irish Superstitions edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture is October 25^th. The carnival will be published at West in New England on October 31. See you there!

Hmmm. My family isn't a very superstitious lot so this one will take some thought.

Black & White & Read All Over

I read it in the news! Newspapers have been a mainstay of my research for the last several years. From the items I've found I've filled in huge chunks of my family's history.

One of my biggest newspaper finds was actually a transcription posted on the Ontario County, NY GenWeb site. It was a legal notice that listed the heirs of Laura Carter. At the time I had no idea who she was but there were a couple of names that I recognized. From that brief newspaper posting I had a starting point for further research that allowed me fill in many branches of my Hall family tree that I previously knew very little about. I originally wrote about that find here.

One of my most fun trips through the newspaper archives was researching the history of my grandparents house. I "knew" it had been an orphanage at one time. It turned out it was the Syracuse Baby Camp. Take a peek at what I wrote, it's a piece that I'm quite pleased with (except for the lack of source citations).

The Wreck of the Flyer was a local bit of history that I was unfamiliar with. I was surprised that I'd never heard the story as a cousin was the fireman that was killed in the wreck. Since I wrote about it originally, I've found several more articles and the original newspaper reports and I should write a follow up. I cross the tracks just south of the site of the wreck and have told the story to students several times so my family history is their local history.

John has no interest in genealogy and his sisters knew very little. I took out a subscription to the archives of the local paper and found more than I thought possible. Obituaries helped me sort all the August's and Adam's. The other items were mostly sad. I've written about Helena Grabowske and the loss of three of her sons. Then there was the sad tale of Adolph Niemann that played out in the paper over several years. I have dozens of transcriptions that I made detailing the public record of his family. I have posted a couple of them and may post others in the future.

My family hasn't been written about very often but some of the items I've found have been gems. I found the article announcing my mother as salutatorian of her class. I also found a wedding announcement that listed Mom as the maid of honor. I asked her about the yellow chiffon dress that was described and she demanded "HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT!" lol Mom and chiffon, not something I ever would have pictured! I also found several articles about my father's science fair entries.

There have been many other interesting finds. In looking through my archive I found it interesting that I haven't written about any of these finds in about a year. I'll have to get more of the transcriptions published here soon.

This was written for the 57th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy to be hosted by Jasia at Creative Gene.

Ella McKinnon to Annie Carlisle Sept 19, 1917

Mapleton Minn Sept 19th 1917

Dear Cousin.

I am rather slow in answering your letter but I have so much to do most of the time I scarcely get tome to write.

We are all well except Mr McKinnon he does not improve any and I don’t know as he is losing any he keeps about the same the Dr was here this

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fore noon & he said his pulse & heart were steadier than they were last time he was here and that was about 3 weeks ago but he said in a little while they might not be so good.

We have had a big days rain yesterday today is cloudy but it does not rain

How are peaches with you this year they are big & here of course they come from the west but $1.30 a crate is the lowest they have

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been, Oh I think one day they said $1.20 or so they thought they would be down to that.
We have had a very poor season here small grain is pretty good & turns out well but the corn is not very good only a few pieces on high ground the spring (at planting time) was pretty cold and wet so quite a good deal was planted over so was late

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then we had a late frost about the first of the month that hurt it some on low places.

My boy that joined the Army is on a Ship patrolling the coast so his address is New York city. I just got a letter from yesterday they dare not tell where they are or what they are doing now so we will not know whether he is in America & France or any where.

Yours with love Ella

Neil was the son in the Army. Ella provides more details in the next letter.

This letter was misfiled in the 1907 folder.

For more see:
Carlisle - Wisner Letters
Family of William Wisner
Descendants of Maryetta Wisner
Descendants of Sarah Ann Wisner
Margie's Ancestors - McKinnon Pictures



McKinnon, Ella Hall (Mapleton, Minnesota) to “Dear Cousin” [Sarah Ann Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 19 September 1917. Digital Images 1-4. Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Snowville, New York. 2008. [Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1907 [misfiled], Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

1st Edition of the Canadian Genealogy Carnival

Kathryn has posted the 1st edition of the Canadian Genealogy Carnival at Looking4Ancestors. In this edition we introduced our Canadian ancestors. There were nine participants of which three were new to me. I look forward to future editions.

Call for Submissions! The topic for the next edition of the CGC is "My Famous Canadian Ancestor". Was your ancestor a famous Canadian hockey player, actor or politician? Tell us about famous Canadians in your family. Don't have a famous Canadian ancestor in your family tree? Not to worry; choose a famous Canadian you admire and share why you would like to have this person as your ancestor.

Deadline for submissions is December 7, 2008.

Submit your blog article to the next edition of canadian genealogy carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Wordless Wednesday - Fall 1986

Lake Temalo, Fall 1986 Wo-He-Lo

Spreading the Love

I am so ridiculously behind that it is a bit embarrassing. September is always busy for me but this year has been the worst yet.

I want to thank Julie at GenBlog, Cat at Diggin up Dirt and Thomas at Destination: Austin Family for passing on the I heart your blog award and apologize for waiting so long to acknowledge your kindness.

The rules of the award call for me to pass it on but it I think it has probably run it's course. All the blogs listed as GeneaFriends on my sidebar are favorites that I try to follow regularly so pick any that might be new to you and tell 'em Apple sent you.

Memories on Monday - Car Rides

I am now a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician. I survived my first car seat check as a tech on Saturday, having previously worked at checks in a support capacity only.

Part of the class dealt with the liability I have taken on and that got me to thinking about the good old days when we just got in the car and went.

We weren't belted in as kids. We were free to sit on the floor, lie on the seat or kneel and look out the back window. If Dad took us someplace and Mom didn't go too, I got to sit up front. During the years that we had a station wagon we would go to the drive-in with sleeping bags in the back. After the first movie finished we'd climb into the sleeping bags in the back and drift off while my parents watched the second feature.

After my parents divorce we stayed with Dad during the summer in North Carolina. Some of the trips back and forth were made in the back of the pick-up truck. There was a cap on the back so we stayed dry and reasonably warm. We could play games or stretch out and read a book or catch a nap.

My first car was a '62 Buick LeSabre Convertible and I don't even recall if it had seat belts. I do remember there being nine of us in the car on more than one occasion and I'm certain if it had belts that it didn't have that many.

By the time my first child was born both of our cars had seat belts and we had bought a car seat but B went home from the hospital in my arms. We did put him in the car seat eventually. The kids stayed in car seats until their 4th birthday only because the law said they had too. I also remember many a quibble over whose turn it was to ride in the front. I have always made them wear the seat belt, although I did let them wear the shoulder belt under their arms. I don't remember exactly when they passed the law requiring front seat passengers to buckle up but that was when I relented and started wearing mine. Shoulder belts were always very uncomfortable for me and I've been known to make some creative adjustments to them that effectively made them useless.

In 1994 I started driving a school bus and my outlook changed. Back then all of the buses didn't have belts yet but I was forced to learn about passenger safety in all types of vehicles. Putting on a seat belt is automatic and I can't imagine riding in a car without one, even in the back seat. Of course technology has come a long way too and a shoulder belt is no longer a painful proposition.

What do you remember about buckling up?

Irish Homework

School's back in session and Lisa has assigned us to outline our plans for researching our Irish heritage. I have many Irish ancestors but I must admit that I know very little about most of them.

• David & Leatis Carlisle are thought to be Irish, however some records indicate that they may have actually been from Scotland. David was born about 1702 and Leatis about 1705. The first record I've found for them is the birth of daughter, Elizabeth, 22 October 1730 in Concord, Middlesex, MA. For this assignment I will endeavor to learn more about Irish history at the beginning of the 18th century and see what ship passenger records are available.
• In with the family letters that I copied in Michigan earlier this year, there were also some genealogical papers that have given me more information on the ancestry of my great-grandmother, Rose Graham. In a piece written by a cousin, Rose was described as "dirty, shanty, Irish." This led me to believe that her parents must have been migrants. I now know that this assumption was false. Jared and Sarah (Jackson) Graham immigrated sometime before 1795. Rose's mother was Elizabeth Doughty, born 1826 in Virginia. For this assignment I will: 1.) Transcribe the family notes contained in the file, 2.) Verify the Graham genealogy that I have found online, 3.) Try to determine the parents of Elizabeth Doughty and take the line further back, and 4.) Learn more about Irish history from the mid to late 18th century.
• Michael & Mary Kelly most likely left Ireland at the time of the potato famine. They settled an hour north of where I now live. I need to find out where they are buried and try to find records that may tell me what Mary's maiden name was. I believe that they emigrated to Canada and then on to the United States. As their names are quite common, I will try to see how much solid information I can find about them from records in Jefferson County, NY. I will then see if I can find any records for them in Ontario, Canada. Hopefully I will someday be able to track them back to Ireland but I am doubtful. So for now I will read up on general Irish history from the early 19th century through the potato famine.

I will assign myself reading for the first semester. Google books has several older titles that will be a good starting point. I will see what our local library system has so I can have an actual book on hand during my wait time at work. Transcribing what I have and digging deeper will probably be second semester assignments.



This was written for the 8th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture, to be hosted by Lisa at Small-leaved Shamrock.

Canadian Roots

My paternal ancestral tree has it's roots firmly planted in Canadian soil. My grandfather literally married the girl next door, both living on Metcalf St, Ottawa, Ontario. Shortly after their marriage in 1922 they moved to Syracuse, NY where my grandfather's uncle resided.

My grandfather, Kimberly Powell Berry, was born in Ottawa on 6 January 1900, the son of Joseph Berry and Charlotte T. K. Hollington. Joseph was born 22 May 1871 in Blockley, Worcestershire, England and emigrated to Canada with his family when just a toddler in 1874, most likely with the aid of one of the emigration societies of the time. The Berry's would have been in the Agricultural Laborours Class in England so their economic and social status was greatly improved by their move across the ocean. I have written more about the reasons for their move to Canada here.

left: Kim Berry c.1935, right: Joseph Berry date unk.

Charlotte Hollington was born 3 October 1875 in Ottawa to James Hollington and Sarah Ann Ross. James was born 7 Aug 1845 in Quebec City to James Hollington (born about 1805 in England) and Eliza Ewing (born April 1815 in Ireland). Family lore states that James, Sr. was in the military and sent to Canada, where he stayed. I have no idea where in Ireland Eliza was from or why she left for Canada. Sarah Ann Ross was born 1848 in Quebec City to Richard Ross (born 1821 Kent, England) and Sarah Ann Lower (born 17 September 1823, Sussex, England). Again, I have no idea when or why they moved to Canada. I don't even know in which country they married.


My grandmother, Mary Leith Kelly, was born 6 June 1900 in Calabogie, Renfrew County, Ontario, the daughter of James Kelly and Isabella White. I know very little about the Kelly's. James was born 18 March 1856 in Adams, Jefferson County, NY, the son of Michael and Mary Kelly. His eldest brother, John, born about 1854, listed his place of birth as Canada on the 1880 census. My best guess is that Michael and Mary left Ireland for Canada at the time of the potato famine, stayed a short while and then moved on to northern New York where they remained. I do not in which country Michael and Mary met and married and I have few clues as to Mary's maiden name. I have no idea why James moved north to Ontario. Does my grandmother's middle name, Leith, hold a clue?

Isabella White was born 6 April 1865 in Dalhousie Township, Lanark County, Ontario, the daughter of James M. White and Isabella Craig (born 1826 Paisley, Renfrew, Scotland). James M. White was born November 1824, Dalhousie Township, Lanark County, Ontario, the son of John born abt 1806 in Scotland. I have not worked much on these lines. I have yet to discover who was the mother of James or why the White and Craig families emigrated to Canada.





This was written for the first edition of the Canadian Genealogy Carnival hosted by Looking4Ancestors. Since my father's death in 2000 I have not worked very often or very hard to fill in the gaps about my Canadian ancestors, preferring instead to research my maternal lines while Mom is still here to enjoy the journey with me. I do still find little gems now and then, usually when looking for something else. Hopefully this new Carnival will inspire me to dig just a little bit more each month.

Wordless Wednesday - Test Tonight

September

September is always a busy month for me but this year it has been especially jam packed. The school year got off to a rocky start and my CPS tech class that was postponed from the spring has just started. This is also the time of year that I spend as much time as I can in the garden - the cold weather will be here too soon. Throw in some tragedy and I've been overwhelmed.

There are a few more of Ella's letters to come, however I am working at finding records and other information to go along with them. There are also some missing years and I'm trying to fill in what I can for those years.

Classes end on the 20th and I hope to get back on track then.

Belle McKinnon Leick to Annie Carlisle June 23, 1913

Grand Rapids, ND
June 23, 1913

Dear Cousin,
I received your letter to-day, and am trying to answer these letters as fast as they come in, because there are quite a number of them.

Thanks for your good wishes.

My new home is in a small town. George is cashier in the bank here. He was formerly bookkeeper & assistant cashier at Adrian. He goes by the name of George instead of Henry.

We have a very nice little 4 room cottage. We have no furniture yet so are boarding altho we

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sleep at the house. It has been re-____ & wired & will be varnished. It is about two blocks from the bank. There are only about ½ doz. residences here but lots of work in the bank. The people seem to be very nice. Lots of autos and all are quite generous so we get quite a lot of rides. Then George has a horse & buggy so we go when we please.

Crops look fine here but we are having some very warm weather, accompanied by severe winds. This is very likely to ruin crops if it is continued too long.

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We were at home a few days and at Madelia, George’s home, a few days and got home last Thurs. Had a very nice time.

I have lots of sewing to do so with settling I shall be very busy for a long time. Then I may learn bookkeeping and assist in the bank later.

We have received quite a few gifts which will help us out when we start housekeeping.
You must have been busy with Frank’s children. Haven’t heard from Tamerson for a long time.
Write again. Love from,
Belle Leick




Belle & George Leick are starting out their life together in North Dakota.

Madelia is in Minnesota, not too far west of where Belle grew up. She doesn't mention her very quite trip home to Mapleton. There are towns named Adrian in both Minnesota and North Dakota. Since Adrian, ND is very close to Grand Rapids, ND I assume that is the one that Belle is referring to.

Frank and Tamerson were eldest of Annie's three children. My grandfather, Daniel was the youngest.

I had originally planned to just quote a few lines from this letter as Belle lived until 1949. I wrote about some new information I learned regarding copyright here. Based on that information I feel it os appropriate to publish the letter in it's entirety.

For more see:
Carlisle - Wisner Letters
Family of William Wisner
Descendants of Maryetta Wisner
Descendants of Sarah Ann Wisner
Margie's Ancestors - McKinnon Pictures




Leick, Belle McKinnon (Grand Rapids, North Dakota) to “Dear Cousin” [Sarah Ann Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 23 June 1913. Digital Images 1-3. Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Snowville, New York. 2008. [Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1913-1914, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

Ella McKinnon to Annie Carlisle June 15, 1913

Mapleton Minn
June 15th 1913

My dear Cousin
I do not remember who wrote last but I feel as if I ought to write to you anyway I hope you are well. I am most of the time feeling fine too. I have had a good deal to do all the spring so far am in hope a rest will come by & by.

Elizabeth & Effie are here now to stay until some time in Aug I think. And of course that makes always a little more to do if it is your own folks even you always do a little different

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I like to have them here. Then tomorrow Ella is starting for the Summer school so as to get ready to teach. Then too Belle was here a few days last week. she was married out there the 10th and came home after her things she had here and left again Sat. morning that is all we have seen her since the last of Sept. it was no satisfaction at all. seems as is she had not been home at all. The next month I expect Eunice Wisner will be here for a little while do not know how long she will stay. I had been loking to a rather lonesome summer but it is getting to be full after all. you had better come too then we would all be together

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Oh dear it has been so hot today I have not taken any comfort at all. where there are so many to cook for we can not all go and come home and get dinner it takes too long so I stayed at home and this evening has been too warm then I had several letters I wanted to write so that was another excuse. We have had a very cold backward spring May was rather wet but has been very dry for quite a while and if we do not have rain soon will not have many strawberries as the vines are drying up so we had the promise of a lot of them and they are just beginning to ripen but will not be

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with out some rain gardens are alright as yet but will not stand it much longer without rain. but corn needs just such weather it is very much behind wheat it ought to be at this time of year but we had so much rain just at planting time that it was late getting planted.

Well I cannot think of anymore this time as I must write another before they gett home from church or I will not get it done as they all talk at once generally. I hope you will not wait as long as I did but answer this soon. I hope this will find as well as it leaves us.

With much love to all
I am as ever your loving
Cousin Ella


I love how Ella slips in the biggest news "Then too Belle was here a few days last week. she was married out there the 10th and came home after her things she had here and left again Sat. morning that is all we have seen her since the last of Sept. it was no satisfaction at all. seems as is she had not been home at all." No details or even her new name and address! Mary Belle McKinnon married Henry George Leick and this letter confirms the date I had of 10 June 1913. I believe "out there" was Grand Rapids, North Dakota. Belle wore a white dress and had a very large and pretty bouquet. Margie has Belle & George's wedding photo here.

Elizabeth Hall Belden was Ella's sister and Effie her daughter.

Eunice Ann Fenlon Wisner was the widow of Ella's cousin, George H. Wisner.

Ella was Ella's daughter and it seems she is preparing to teach school too. I've been surprised at the number of women in the family that were teachers.

For more see:
Carlisle - Wisner Letters
Family of William Wisner
Descendants of Maryetta Wisner
Descendants of Sarah Ann Wisner
Margie's Ancestors - McKinnon Pictures



McKinnon, Ella Hall (Mapleton, Minnesota) to “My dear Cousin” [Sarah Ann Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 15 June 1913. Digital Images 1-4. Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Snowville, New York. 2008. [Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1913-1914, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

Copyright Revisited

Craig Manson has written about a series of love letters that were penned in the 1940's and which are being published by The Union, a newspaper in California. The newspaper is publishing them with the stated goal of returning them to a family member. Craig took up the challenge of trying to determine if there are any living descendants of the couple. Read his posts; An Attempted Act of Genealogical Kindness and Update: An Attempted Act of Genealogical Kindness. With my current letter transcription project I wondered about the legality of the paper publishing the letters and left this comment:

Interesting what you’ve found so far. Should the paper be publishing these letters? With my current project I’m not publishing anything written by someone who hasn’t been dead at least 70 years. If they don’t know who the heirs are, who holds the copyright?

Craig was kind enough to answer my question with another post: Should Newspaper be publishing "Love Letters"? From what he says, the letters that I have would fall under the 1909 copyright law rather than the current law, which I wrote about here. After reading Craig's explanation I feel I can publish some of the letters that I was only planning to excerpt. I doubt very much that there would be any repercussions should I publish any of the letters irregardless of the copyright but for me it's about doing it right, not what I feel I can get away with.

Be sure to read his entire post as he addresses not only the copyright issue but also privacy and ethical questions. The ethics question is a tough one for me, on the one hand I have no qualms about publishing the letters of my long gone family members. On the other hand, I know my mother would be livid at the thought that I might publish her letters from the 1940's shortly after her death. Stop over and tell Craig what you think.

Show and Tell

Jasia has published the 55th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy and all I can say is WOW! I love Show and Tell and with 5 articles to read about a very wide variety of items I'll have plenty to read when ever I get a couple of spare minutes over the next couple of weeks.

There are changes ahead for the COG in the future, so be sure to read Jasia's instructions for future COG submissions!

Call For Submissions! The topic for the next edition of the COG will be: 10 essential books in my genealogy library. It will be hosted by Lori Thorton at Smoky Mountain Family Historian. Thank you sooo much Lori! The deadline for submissions will be September 15th.

Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Ella McKinnon to Annie Carlisle Jan 19, 1913

Mapleton Minn
Jan 19th 1913

Dear Cousin
Well I have begun at last to answer your letter but as I am in no very big writing mood tonight I may not write such a very long letter but felt as if I just had to write some letters as I am behind with all my correspondents.

You asked what Myrtle’s husband did and his name so I will tell you. His name is Birchard Cumming and he has a farm about 7 ½ miles from Mapleton and is a very successful farmer and a very nice man all around. I or rather we think she has done well if she did wait a good while

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before finding the right man they seem to be well mated of about the same age he being about 6 mo. older than she is so if they both live they will grow old together

We had beautiful weather for Christmas too but rather cold although not so cold as some years and just enough snow so that a sleigh would run. There were two of our children that were not here and we missed them. Belle could not have long enough vacation to come and John was too far away but Myrtle & her husband were here so we had 9 here to dinner. then one of Deette’s girls are out here visiting and she was here in the afternoon (her ^Deettes oldest ^ boy lives here town)

Well Annie I do not see as my work is much less only not so heavy I don’t seem to get much time for fancy

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work or much sewing of any kind especially in winter I have a lot of calico blocks cut out that I would like to get pieced up but do not get much done we do not get up very early and then as the two youngest are in school yet I have to get three meals a day and it takes a good deal of time. but I must try and get at it now as the days are longer and get some thing done. I have a dress to make now too would like to get it done this week I I could but dont believe I can as Ella is not at home & and I do not know when she will be she went out in the country on a visit but did not intend to be gone only a week but the weather

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maybe so she cannot get here.

We had such nice weather until New Years since then it has been cold but not so very bad but it was so warm before it seems cold now but last year it was far worse. we have had very little sleighing yet and now I do not believe we will have. but the roads a fine for wheels.
Where is Joseph now? he said he was coming to see me again but I ave not seen him yet. Give him my respects when you see him again.

I will say Goodnight as I have told you all I can think of that will interest you.
Ever your Cousin
Ella


Deette Hall Bullen's oldest son was Earl R. Bullen 1880-1920. He married Edith Myrtle Taylor in Mapleton, MN on 1 January 1903. By the 1920 census they had moved well north to Pliny, Aikin Co, MN. You have to wonder if he chose to settle in Mapleton because his Aunt Ella and Uncle Jake were there.

Deette's oldest daughter was Lois E. Bullen 1885-1941. She was still single in 1913.

For more see:
Carlisle - Wisner Letters
Family of William Wisner
Descendants of Maryetta Wisner
Descendants of Sarah Ann Wisner
Margie's Ancestors - McKinnon Pictures


McKinnon, Ella Hall (Mapleton, Minnesota) to “Dear Cousin” [Sarah Ann Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 19 January 1913. Digital Images 1-4. Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Snowville, New York. 2008. [Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1913-1914, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]