February 17, 1899 letter to Bess Brown from Henry & Nancy Brown

February 17, 1899

To: Bess Brown, Chicago, IL

From: Henry & Nancy Brown

Have everything packed and want Claude and Bess to look for a place for them to live. Henry will get there Saturday or Sunday but it will be a week from Monday or Tuesday until Nancy and Lela get there.

1899-02-17 Henry & Nancy Brown to Bess Brown

Feb 17 – 1899

Dear Bessie

Friday Noon

Packed and all but one load in car. Will ship by chartered car and will have to find a place to live Monday so you and Claude[1] look around Sunday and see what you can find. I will be there some time Sunday morning or Sat eve. Tell Ed[2] I will have to be busy first of week and he cant get away before last of week as I can see. We will stay with Eda[3] to-night, last night at Wagners. We go to Galesburg[4] tomorrow morning.

Bess, I think you better get what Papa[5] left this for me to finish but there is nothing to write much. Lela[6] & I wont be there before a week from Monday or Tuesday. Auntie[7] is sick in bed with “grip.” Aunt Lou[8] cant come down so we will try & go up there again & from there to Chi.[9] When the goods get there you will find in a bushel basket some plants. Take them out & water them & keep them from freezing if they are all right.   

We will soon all be together.

With love

Momma

——-

[1] Their son, and Bess’ brother, Claude Brown

[2] Edgar Atkins, Henry’s paternal first cousin once removed. Edgar was also a photographer

[3] Claude’s fiancée, Edith “Eda” Neumaier

[4] Galesburg, Michigan, where Nancy’s parents lived

[5] Henry wrote the first part of the letter and Nancy finished it

[6] Their daughter, and Bess’ sister, Lela Brown

[7] Nancy’s sister, Hannah (Keith) Towne

[8] Nancy’s sister, Louese (Keith) Harris

[9] Chicago, Illinois