Ella and Jake's Picture

I finally connected with one of Ella's descendants today! I'm so happy that at least one her descendants now knows of the letters and can enjoy them.

I found Margie through her website where she has some pictures of her ancestors including this one of Ella and Jake that she has graciously allowed me to post here. She also has posted a couple of pictures of Belle McKinnon. I'm excited to see the face behind the letters!

Ella and Jacob McKinnon ca. 1906

In looking closely at this picture I think it may be the picture that Ella McKinnon, Jr referred to in her letter of October 21, 1906.

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.

Now I''m wondering if the picture was taken for their 25th Anniversary in 1905. Ella would have been 50 and Jake 66. Then again Ella, Jr's letter was written in late 1906.


Ella Letitia Hall McKinnon and Jacob McKinnon. ca 1906. Photograph. Privately held by Margie McKinnon [Address for private use.] 2008 Reproduced with permission.

Memories on Monday - Got Lights?

Becky had a cute story about a power outage and asking her neighbor's if they had lights. Her story took me back about 35 years to a power outage from my childhood.

The power had gone out, whether the outage was caused by weather or something else I can no longer remember. Mom grabbed our camping lantern and fired it up and set it on the dining table. The dining table was situated in a little alcove at the end of the living room and the walls reflected the light around so well that it was actually a bit brighter than with the electric lights. I was sitting in the living room.

Our house was on a suburban street, where the houses were fairly close together and you could easily see your neighbors houses out of your front window. The street was lined with street lights and when there was a power outage it seemed very dark outside. I image our windows would have appeared to be glowing to the neighbors.

It had only been a few minutes when all of a sudden our front door burst open and one of our neighbors burst right in! He had obviously had a drop or two to drink and demanded to know how we had lights when the rest of the street was dark!!!!

Now I was afraid of this particular neighbor when he hadn't been drinking so when he burst in I was terrified. This happened after Dad had left us so it was just Mom and us three kids. She very calmly told him that our power was indeed out and that we were simply using our lantern. He glanced at the dining table, did an about face and left as quickly as he arrived. Mom was my hero!

Thus marked the beginning of our locking the front door early in the evening instead of waiting until Mom was ready to go to bed as had always been our practice. And that particular neighbor never visited our home again.

Ella McKinnon to Annie Carlisle Sept 16, 1908

Mapleton, Minn
Sept. 16th 1908

My dear Cousin,
I am going to try and write some tonight: I was going to answer right away but thought I would wait until Belle got home. I got a letter from her a week ago to day and she said she was not coming until Monday on the 6 O’clock but John had sent word to a friend that he would leave here on the 9 in the morning so she so she was not going to see him so I wrote to her and she got here on the 6 O’clock Sat. night so I had them all at home over Sun.

John was going to Colorado to be gone no one knows how long if he likes it out there they intend

2

to go up in to Idaho in a few weeks.

Every one tells Belle she is fat so I think you must have fed her good while she was there. She had a fine visit in Ill. and Wis. too she would have liked to stay down there longer but she would have been out of a school.

I shall have to send you all many thanks for those birthday remembrances as I had no thought of you sending me anything. Tell Joe that I remember him if it is a god many years since I saw him it will be 41 years in the winter (I think it was winter when he was at our place) since I last saw him. I was just a little past twelve years old and it was 34 years

3

this month since I saw you & your mother. It does not seem so long until one begins to count up the years. I remember when I was at work at that time and what a time we had one afternoon when you & Deette came over to see me.

Belle think she had the time of her life ____ while she was down there and I thank you for your kindness to her and wish you & Tamerson could come out and see us so we could return some of it.

I did not do so well this year as last year. I got 14 cards & 8 letters then and now I only got 9 cards & 1 letter but I must not expect so much each time.

Are you getting a collection of Post Cards? How many have you. I have 73. Ray sent me 14 for a Christmas

4

present 2 years ago all scenes of Poynette Wis. he was there then and I was acquainted with most of the places he sent me.

We had a very wet Summer until a few weeks ago and now it is so dry it is hard plowing being so wet when it did dry out makes it hard. But the weeds grow just the same.

Well I can not think of any more the children are studying and talking and it is hard work to keep any thoughts together very long.

So good-night with love to All. tell Auntie I will write to her soon.
Ever your Cousin,
Ella

Belle would have been 20 during the summer of 1908, her 21st birthday being just a couple of weeks after this letter on September 29th. It sounds like she had a wonderful time traveling on her summer break. In Illinois she would have visited with her Hall and Wisner relatives. Belle called on ] her aunt, Elizabeth Hall Belden, in Wisconsin, and her visit there is mentioned in the next letter. Perhaps her brother, Ray, was still there in 1908 but Ella says "he was there then" referring to 1906 making me think he was back in Minnestota in 1908. When Belle visited Annie & Tamerson Carlisle in Michigan she would have stayed at the house on Main St in Buchanan.

John was Ella's third child. I wonder if we'll hear more of his adventures?

Joe Camfield is Annie's brother and Tamerson her daughter.

My favorite line from this letter is "But the weeds grow just the same." Some things never change.

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


McKinnon, Ella Hall (Mapleton, Minnesota) to “My dear Cousin” [Sarah Ann Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 16 September 1908. Digital Images 1-4. 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.]