April 27, 1902 letter to Oscar Keith from Helen York

April 27, 1902

To: Oscar Keith, Bloomingdale, MI

From: Helen York, Nampa, ID

This is the last page of a four-page letter that was hand copied by Ruth Keith. It is extremely hard to decipher. From the body of the letter it appears to have been written to James “Oscar” Keith.

Scan of 1902-04-27 Helen York to Oscar Keith

How does Katie[1] get along? Did their son Mark Milham[2] go to Cuba? Heard of his being shot in the foot I think. Is the Col Chaffee I read about _______________.  How many Marys[3] brothers & sisters are living. I read John _____ death last year. Uncle Luke[4] & family quite comfortable. In Jan. rec’d letter from Ethan.[5] Mrs Brown[6] died last September 11th funeral at their place. E. said Nancy[7] did not seem to get reconciled to Hanks death[8] were looking for him home that month to visit the girls,[9] running the 2 gallerys.[10] Then received a letter from Gertie M[11] since ____________ visiting Clara[12] in Kentucky looking for her home this summer. ______ & his wife had part I sorry to hear that. I think I better bring this to a close. Hoping to hear from you soon, that all are well. The best of love to each & all. Will direct this to Bloomingdale.

Yours in friendship & love

From cousin Helen M. York[13]

——-

[1] Oscar’s sister, Frances Catherine (Keith) Chaffee

[2] This is actually Mark Chaffee; see following news articles

[3] Oscar’s wife, Mary Ann (Batey) Keith

[4] Oscar’s uncle, Charles Luke Keith Jr.

[5] Luke’s son, Ethan Keith

[6] Matilda (Allen) Brown, who was the mother-in-law of Luke’s daughter, Nancy. She died September 8, 1901

[7] Nancy (Keith) Brown

[8] Nancy’s husband, Henry Brown, who died May 22, 1901

[9] Nancy & Henry’s daughters, Lela and Bess Brown

[10] Henry was a photographer and had two galleries in Chicago that he ran with the help of his daughters

[11] Gertrude Milham

[12] Clara (Milham) Owens, Gertrude’s sister

[13] Helen (Bradley) York. She and Oscar were paternal first cousins

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.