Ella McKinnon, Jr to Sarah Ann Camfield Oct. 21, 1906

The next letter in this group was written by Ella Margaret McKinnon, daughter of Jacob McKinnon & Ella Hall McKinnon. Ella, Jr was born 2 March 1892; married Andrew Jensen 20 December 1920; and died 12 January 1949 so her letter does not fall in the public domain and therefore is not reproduced here.

She was 14 years old at the time she wrote to her great-aunt and the letter is a very brief two pages. She starts the letter with wishes that she could visit Sarah Ann and laments the fact that she has met so few of her relatives. The family lived fairly close to the rail line and she mentions twice that she has never ridden on a train and it is clear that she would like to.

She also mentions that she is in her first year of High School and that the weather has not been very nice for walking to and from school.

She mentions a picture of her parents that must have been sent to Sarah Ann. I don't remember seeing the picture described in the box of old photos that I have or in the file of pictures that I scanned years ago when visiting my aunt and uncle in Michigan.

Don’t you think those pictures of Papa and Mamma are fine? I do except that Mamma had that black and white checkered waist which really looks almost like silk, but in the picture it looks like a faded calico waist.

She ends the letter by referring to her father being old at 66 and inferring that Sarah Ann is very old.


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


McKinnon, Ella, Jr. (Mapleton, Minnesota) to “Dear Aunt Sarah Anne” [Sarah Ann Wisner Camfield]. Letter. 21 October 1906. Digital Images 1-2. Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Snowville, New York. 2008. [Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, Apr – Dec 1906, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]

Gordon Birchard Cumming 1918 - 2008

Gordon Birchard Cumming was the son of Myrtle McKinnon and grandson of Ella Hall McKinnon. He passed away July 17, 2008 at the age of 90.

Born on the family farm in Mapleton Township on June 7, 1918, Gordon was the son of William Birchard Cumming and Myrtle (McKinnon) Cumming. He graduated from Mapleton High School, was inducted into the U.S. Army in October 1941.

Preceded in death by brothers Stuart and Stanley Cumming; sister Jean Floden and husband Harry; granddaughter Josie; and great-grandchildren Peter, Gracie and Jonathan; brothers and sisters-in-law, Robert Orson Britton and wife Lola, Katherine Barthelmus, Helen Denn, Gordon and Beulah (Britton) Johnson.

His obituary was published July 20, 2008 in The Mankato Free Press, Mankato, MN

Rose Camfield to Ann Carlisle Oct 1, 1906

South Bend Oct 1st
Dear Ann,
We received your letter yesterday and in regards to Uncle Henrys coming here, I will say it seems by Mr Halls few short lines that we havent any thing to say in the matter of his coming, or how long he will stay or any thing else all we are called on to do or rather he demands of us is to send our address plainly so he cant miss the place or have any trouble in finding us, and that would be easy to do

2

after he gets here he could find us easy enough, and I doubt if they wait for directions I expect to see him any day. I think they have planned to send him here for a while and Mr Halls letter (or note) signifys that they are not waiting our convenience or our letters, or our advice on the subject in any way shape or form
if he had written a letter stating about how long uncle Henry would stay with us or even asked if we could have him, but instead of that he writes that he is coming so I shall look for him every day without our writing to them

3

Now about our opinion on the subject, Joe says and so do I that it would be awful nice for mother to see her brother that is if he would come and stay a fiew weeks and then go home but we have none of us ever seen him (I havent’) we dont know what his disposition is or how feeble he may be and if he should be sick here so fore from his friends we would be forcect to keep him perhaps all winter
I think an old person like that ought to stay home if they

4

well now to change the subject how are you all any way Pearl is still at the same position and Roy is in the store yet and Ruby goes to school I have one bushel of sweet apples I am going to make som preserve som with _inces My sister is taking care of a woman who is paralised she has been there some time
this is a gloomy October day and makes us begin to ___ for mother we shall look

5

for you her most any time now
well you will write all abot it when you com if we hear anything from Uncle Henry we will be sure to send you word so good by and love to all Rose

oh yes, did Mrs Matth_____ favor you with a Call? she Called here she said she was going to see you when she returned to Buchanan
Rose



Rose Graham Camfield (1852-1931) was the wife of Joseph Harrison Camfield and the sister-in-law of Annie Camfield Carlisle. I have included this letter here because it refers to a possible visit by Uncle Henry Wisner.

This was in the file of undated correspondence, c. 1900-1940. It must have been 1906 based on the reference to Henry wanting to visit his sister in Ella McKinnon's letter to Annie Carlisle dated 6 February 1906 and the fact that Henry S Wisner died 26 May 1907.

Mr Hall refers to Herman Hall as Emmit Hall died in 1904.

The end of page 3 seems to be an unfinished thought but there is no more written on the page.

Rose talks of her three youngest children. Pearl (1886-1972) was my grandmother. Roy or LeRoy (1890-1964) was an artist and I have one of his paintings of the Allegany River. I have written about Ruby (1888-1986) here, where you will also find a picture of the three c. 1900. Rose's two oldest children, Frederick (1874-1962) and Mabel (1876-1934) had already left home. We will learn more about them in a future series of letters.

I wish I could make out the name of Rose's caller. Matthews is my best guess.

I'd love to know if Henry actually did visit Sarah Ann. The answer may yet be in the letters but so far I have been unable to find any reference that the visit happened.


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


Camfield, Rose Graham (South Bend, Indiana) to “Dear Ann” [Sarah Ann Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 01 October c. 1906. Digital Images 1-5. Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Snowville, New York. 2008. [Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, Undated c. 1900-1940, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]