May 10, 1904 letter to Oscar and Mary Ann Keith from Glenn Keith

May 10, 1904

To: Oscar & Mary Ann Keith

From: Glenn Keith, Greenville, MS

A letter to his parents setting down the financial state of his business.

Scan of 1904-05-10 Glenn Keith to Oscar & Mary Ann Keith

Office of
G. N. Keith
Dealer in
Furniture, Matting, Stoves, Machines, Iron
Safe, Window Shades
Furniture Bought and Sold

Greenville, Miss
May 10, 1904

Dear parents

I am well how are you all. Well I paid $900 today on my note of $145000. I have in stock $153900 and on my books that I sell on the installment $2,39950 that is due from time to time most of this pay by the week & month. I have made about $150000 or more this year clear from my expences. I have sold for cash on the instalment this year $1,086140. I owe on my note $55000. I could of paid that if I had not put so much on repairing my house. I am worth in real estate $150000 Furniture in Store $153980 & goods bills $2,39980. It will cost about 25% of the accounts for ______ so as I write I am worth about $4,100 easy with a good trade & well liked in the city. I bought out Gregg 1 year ago today. Give me 5 years & no bad luck & I will be all right & have 15 thousand dollars to the good.

Good-bye write soon.

Your Son
GNK

You know I am Glad to get so near out of debt today.

 

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.