Effie McFarlane to Anna Carlisle March 12, 1922

Moline, Ill Mar. 12, 1922

Dear Cousin Anna,

Remembering the letters exchanged between mother and Aunt Sarah and your own letters at the time of her death I thought you might be interested to know of mother’s passing. She left us Jan. 20 and we took her to our old home, Waukegan, Ill., and laid her by my father. She had a light stroke of paralysis the 1st of Oct.

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but recovered quickly and almost entirely. She had her second stroke Jan 8. and lingered till the 20th. She was unable to speak after the second stroke. She just gradually slept away the last week.

She has always lived with me and I am terribly lonely but glad she didn’t linger long in that state. My little three year old daughter is lost of company and comfort.

Truly yours,
Effie Belden McFarlane
404 – 4th ave.



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



McFarlane, Effie Belden (Moline, Illinois) to “Dear Cousin Anna” [Sarah Ann Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 12 March 1922. Digital Images 1-2. 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.]

Ella McKinnon to Annie Carlisle Feb 22, 1922

(1922)
Mapleton Minn Feb 27th

Dear Cousin Anna,
I know I have been very negligent but not meaning to be but I ought to have kept you informed of Elizabeth. She had her last bad stroke the 8th of Jan and lived only until the 20th and suffered a good deal her girl wrote to me. I thot I had written you some time ago that her gorl was married. she has been for about 6 years I think it is will be this spring and went to Moline Ill. to live and she has a little girl 3 years old now. Elizabeth was 74 the 17th of Jan & her granddaughter was 3 the 19 so their birthdays are pretty close.

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yes they always lived together would not be separated hardly over night.

Martha’s husband died several years ago they found him dead in his bed he lived alone I believe but some of his children were near him but he went to bed feeling pretty good but passed away some time in the night. her boy has been working for Effie’s husband I do not know whether he is there yet or not. they had not been in Nebr for a good while they were in Ill when Martha died & he has or rather both of them have been all around since they were in Florida with a daughter of his for a while & lived in Iowa a while he was there when he died.

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Aleena Porter Nelson lives in Libertyville now has for a couple of years they lived in Antioch for a good while she can get around some with crutches but not very well I guess.

We had a terrible ice storm Last Tuesday & Wednesday it just misted in the day but Tuesday in the evening we had a regular summer Thunder storm it thundered & lightened so bad as I ever heard in the summer wednesday it was so icy it was hardy safe to step out door then we had a have shower in the evening again then it snowed some so it was not

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quite so slippery yesterday it thawed quite a little but the ice is not all off the trees yet and it grew colder again tonight is like a winter night it is so cold.

I have three other boys all married and homes of their own but two of them are so far away that I do not see them very often they were both home last summer tho’

I keep so well this winter have not had much of a cold even nothing to mention the same as some have had

Well I guess I have told you all the news that will interest you & my paper is full so I say Good night & Pleasant dreams
Love to all Cousin Ella

Before this letter I had no death date for Elizabeth or birth date for her granddaughter. As her granddaughter may still be living I will refrain from publishing her name here.

Martha Hall Fairman died in 1893. Her husband was Gallio Hamilton Fairman and I have an unverified death date for him of 7 December 1917. Their only child together was Wirt Hall Fairman 1891-1962. At the time of the 1920 census he was living in Dixon, Lee, IL and in 1930 in Maine, Cook, IL. Wirt married Cathrena Maxwell 1896-1966 and they had at least one child, a son who I believe is still living and in his 90's.

I have not had much luck with Aleena Porter Nelson although I admit I have not tried very hard. I did not find her on either the 1850 or 1860 census for Avon, Lake, IL which is where Ella and Annie would have gone to school together.

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. 27 February 1922. Digital Images 1-4. 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.]

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.]

Elizabeth Belden to Sarah Ann Camfield Dec 28, 1908

Kilbourn, Wis Dec 28th 09 08

My Dear Aunt
I am ashamed that I have not written you before this and have intended doing so but just allowed myself to neglect it.

First I want to thank you for the pretty pin ball you sent by Belle; I am very proud of it because it is pretty but most of all because it is your work

I am pleased to show it and tell people that it is the work of my only living aunt and at your age too; I have few things I prize more and Effie wishes me to thank you for her for the card you sent her

Well Christmas has come and past; at least the day is past but I am sure the spirit of the time

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will last a much longer time with us

I was a quiet day here; when there is but two we cannot be very merry; when such days come I miss my friends and wish we could eat our dinner with some the few dear ones who are left me
We were both well remembered at Christmas; several handkerchiefs and acrds a pretty handkerchief box for me.

Effie got a pretty necktie a handkerchief a silk opera bag a silk petticoat and several cards and aprons and a few little trinkets.

Wasn’t it nice to see Belle and you had a good visit with her while we only had a call but was glad to get that much

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I must write to Ella too and I have a book I intend sending her and have neglected it

We have had the finest weather all the time so far; have now snow for fine sleighing and the town is taking advantage of it I don’t expect a sleighride though I should enjoy one very much Effie expects to go this evening; her S.S. teacher lives a few miles in the country and has invited her class for the evening: they will drive in after them and bring them back

Effie is at home all the time this winter as she has a position in the Kilbourn City school and we live only a block from her work, so you see I have it very pleasant.

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We are only the same distance from our church so we have no reason to stay from its services and we are there always if we are able and have not been kept at home by sickness very many days.

We had our Christmas exercises Christmas eve, and tonight both the Episcopals and the Presbyterians have theirs: I think I shall go to one of them.

Now Auntie I hope you will be able to answer this but if not tell Annie I shall look to her to let me hear from you as I am always so pleased to hear; remember us to all the family and my best love and prayers for you

From your affectionate niece
S. Elizabeth Belden

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I must add a little more to my letter to say that I enjoyed my visit to Lake Co this summer very much though there is but little that will be of interest to you as nearly all of those you would know about or remember are gone to their last home and everything is changed so much since you were here.

But I must tell you about Mrs Culver: I took supper with her & she asked after you; you would be surprised to see how she keeps and looks so young

She is 84 and does all the work for herself and Sim and even the washing and goes whenever and wherever she wants to and is not very gray I was pleased to see her. Julie lives near her but is nearly white

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She is the only girl left her though The boys are both living

Mr Shultis has gone and really there are not many left: George Wisner has failed a good deal since I saw him last. more than I expected he would.

Well I will close once more
With love
Elizabeth


Sarah Elizabeth Hall Belden was the daughter of William Hamlin and Maryetta (Wisner) Hall and in 1908, Ella McKinnon's only living sister. She is writing to Sarah Ann Wisner Camfield who would have been 91 at the time.

I have written before that I don't know much about Elizabeth. In last few days I have learned a bit. She was married to Ephraim Belden on 18 December 1875. I can find him on them on the 1880 census in Waukegan, Lake, IL. In 1900 Elizabeth was living in Poynette, Columbia, WI and was listed as married but Ephraim was not listed with her. From this letter I know that in 1908 she was living in Kilbourn, WI, which is now known as Wisconsin Dells. In 1910 she and daughter, Effie, were living in Elk, Lancaster, NE and she is listed as a widow. An undated letter, that I think was written in January 1910, was written from Benedict, NE as was one dated December 1910. In 1920 I find her living with her daughter, Effie, and son-in-law Thomas McFarlane, in Moline, Rock Island, IL. Was she already a widow in in 1900 or was Ephraim simply living elsewhere at that time? It appears they may have moved around to wherever Effie's teaching positions took them.

I believe the Culver's and Shultis' were neighbor's of the Hall and Wisner families in Avon, Lake Co, IL but I will be looking at them a bit more closely to see if they may be related in some way.

For more see:
Carlisle - Wisner Letters
Family of William Wisner
Descendants of Maryetta Wisner
Descendants of Sarah Ann Wisner


Belden, Sarah Elizabeth Hall (Kilbourn, Wisconsin) to “My Dear Aunt” [Sarah Ann Wisner Camfield]. Letter. 28 December 1908. Digital Images 1-6. Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Snowville, New York. 2008. [Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1908, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]