April 13, 1884 letter to Herbert Keith from Harvey Keith

April 13, 1884

To: Herbert Keith

From: Harvey Keith, Wyattville, MN

Writes that he was feeling better but still couldn’t do anything yet. He received the money from Pa as it came just in the nick of time. He went to church with the Geeslins the week before but took cold and felt worse the whole week so didn’t want to go again.

Wyattville April 13 1884

Brother[1] it is with pleasant that pen these few lines to you. i feel a little better today but cant do any thing yet am in hopes to gain rite a long now. Tell pa[2] that i got letter last night tell him i was glade to git that money for it com just of nick of time. Well what is the wether there and what are the boys[3] a doing how is Mrs Barker and the children. Tell them to write. Have you heard from Ira[4] yet i have not heard a word from him nor any of the Covert[5] folks. The wether is mild to day it has been cold and stormy all the week. They have not commenced spring works yet hear. Mr Geeslins folks[6] has gone to church today i did not feel like going i went to curch last sunday and took cold and was worse all the week so i guess i wont go again wood you. How is Ina[7] kiss her for me. Be a good boy and mind Mother.[8] Give my love to her and all the rest of the family.

Yours truly

Good by

Write Soon

——-

[1] John Herbert Keith. In his letter of April 5^th, Harvey wrote that he would write to Herbert the next time he wrote

[2] James “Oscar” Keith

[3] His brothers, James and Glenn

[4] His brother-in-law, Ira Randall, the widower of Harvey’s late sister, Katie

[5] Ira Randall’s parents lived in Covert, Michigan

[6] John & Emily (Brainard) Geeslin, and their children

[7] His niece, Inez Randall, the daughter of his late sister, Katie, whom his mother was raising

[8] Mary Ann (Batey) Keith

This letter is among several which were loaned to Jim & Ruth (Stankey) Keith, probably back in the 1980s, by Ella Nola (Curtis) Eaton, whose husband, Clifford Eaton, was the great-great-grandson of James “Oscar” & Mary Ann (Batey) Keith. This is a photocopy of Ruth’s handwritten copy of the letter. Note: Jim Keith is the great-grandson of Charles Luke Keith Jr., who was James “Oscar” Keith’s uncle.