This letter were sent to Mrs. Effie Coral "Stewart" Thatcher in Chama, New Mexico by her siblings and mother. Verdie Mounts, Effie's daughter, sent these letters back to Oklahoma to Amber Boyce, August 25, 1978.
The letter was written by Grace, Metta, Lulu and their mother Hannah "Butler" Stewart
Grace's Letter (Age 16)Goodnight, Okla. March 30, 1902
Dear Effie,
I though I would scribble a little this evening although I can't think of much to tell you. This is Easter and I will tell you I am full of eggs. I ate five for dinner. I only had twenty hid but I just hid what I found that the rest had hid. There is a gathering over at the Canyon 1 to-day. Bermie 2 went over. Birdie Moores was down here yesterday evening and got five dozen eggs. We have some colored eggs, but I can't send you any in this letter. Our school was out last Wed. and we had a big dinner the last day and an exhition at night. I spoke a Rec. so did Harold, 3 Metta and Bermie. Murl 4 was going to but he was asleep when his name was called. He hated it awful because Miss Chrystal didn't let him say his piece. She treated us with candy. I got the most head marks in our spelling class. There was a bunch of white birds upon the cornfield above our house and Amber 5 looked out the window and said, "Mama whose got their washin out." Cody 6 got her baby's picture taken Wed. Cleo can walk a few steps and say "mamma" "tac" for cat and "duck". He has 6 teeth and weighs 26 pounds. Amber weighs 34, Metta 86, Harold 78, Cody 135, Lulu 130, Mamma 149, and I 140. I will soon be the biggest of all.Oh! I forgot to tell you how much Murl weighed. He weighed 50 lbs. Gladlys Enslows school was out yesterday. Walkers are going to sell out and move to Coyle. I expect you have heard of the death of Roy Hayes 7 baby before now, but thinking you might not I thought I would think about it. John McCamey is working our other place. Johnsons had music last night they have an organ, fiddle and mouth organs and McCreights boys were up with their guitars and they had some very nice music so Bermie said. I wasn't there. I would like to go to school this summer but I am afraid it won't be any use to ask.
Good bye from Grace
Mamma has a crock of tomato plants.
Meta's Letter (Age 10)
Metta Stewart to Waldo
Murl is going to get him a wagin. He has a dollar and half. Coral and Carrie 8 was here this month and Grandma 9 is at Uncle Jakes 10 now. This is all I have to say now so good by.
From Metta to Waldo. When this you see remember me, from your friend,
Metta Stewart
Lulu's Letter 11 (Age 21)
Goodnight March 30, 1902
We are all well and I hope these few lines will find you the same. I way 130 pounds. Cleo is a pritty boy. Aint Roda 12 is sick now.
from L.B.S. to ECT.
Cleo (Cleo Lewis, Aunt Code's Son) - L.B.S. (Lulu Butler Stewart) - ECT (Effie Coral Thatcher)
Hannah "Butler" Stewart's Letter
Dear Effie and family,
I will write you a few lines. We are all well but papa 13, he has malaria, is able to be about and work some, takes quinine. We had a nice visit from Grandma but it was shortened on account of Aunt R. J. being sick. She is very sick and sent a phone call for Grandma to come up. She went a week ago yesterday. She has written two times since she went and we are thinking of going up. Aunt is anxious for us to go. She (grandma) wrote Friday that R. J. did not eat and could not keep medicine on her stomach. We had a visit from Mrs. Kitterman. Henry died the 10th of Feb. with an absess on the brain. Etta is married again to a man with 2 children and she has two of her own. Bell has 2 children she is getting along fine I guess. Well, this is Easter, the children had about 9 doz. eggs hid, they brought in 5 doz. in the evening and I sold them to Moors. I don't know how many they cooked, they colored some, Grace ate 5 and she said Code ate 6. The school was done Wednesday and they had an entertainment at night. They had a good program but to big a crowd and some ruffins that kept up a noise all the time. Grace thinks of taking examination in April, has not fully decided yet. Cody has given up going with Grandma to Pa. she wants to get a claim if she can. Aunt R. J. wants her to come and stay with her when she gets better. Will Johnson went to Kansas for his health, we heard he was down sick now. Charley Keffer got both his legs cut off by the cars up by Wichita, Kansas, he is in the hospital there. Mrs. Keffer went up but has come back, I saw here just to speak to her. She said Charley was getting along very well. I don't know the particulars. We heard several stories, one that he was drunk, one he was trying to rob the train, another he was trying to steal a ride, but it is very bad however it happened and I feel very sorry for his mother. She looks ten years older since the last year. Mr. and Mrs. Puckit are both sick, Mr. has rhemnatism and I don't know what ails Mrs. Mrs. and Mr. McCall 14 have been sick with gripp but are better. Mrs. Hays 15 is not well this winter. Jim Davis and Albert 16 all went to Cheyenne country. Dave 17 got a claim there. Cody went to Perkins and got the baby's picture taken last week but haven't got them yet. Well, I will close. The children are writing and I expect they will tell everything.
As ever your loving mama
- The canyon referred to is "Horse Thief Canyon" which lies on the south side of the Cimarron River almost directly south of the Monroe Stewart Homestead.
- Bermie was the Grace's brother. He was 18 years old.
- Harold was Grace's brother. He was 12 years old.
- Murl was Grace's brother. He was 6 years old.
- Cody was Grace's sister. She was 23 years old. Her husband John Lewis had been murdered about 9 months previous to this letter and she had a baby boy.
- Amber was Grace's youngest sister. She was 3 1/2 years old.
- Coral and Carrie were the daughters of Jake Houston and Rhoda "Stewart" Houston. (Monroe's Sister)
- Roy Hays was the son of Margaret Hays. He came to Oklahoma in the run of 1889.
- Grandma is Jane "McCall" Stewart, the mother of Monroe Stewart. She was widowed and living in Clarion County, Pennsylvana but was in Oklahoma visiting.
- Uncle Jake is the husband of Rhoda "Stewart" Houston (Monroe's Sister)
- Lulu was handicapped and lived with her parents and later with her sisters all of her life.
- Aint Roda is Aunt Rhoda J. "Stewart" Houston. (Monroe's sister)
- Papa is Monroe Stewart
- Mr. and Mrs. McCall are Robert and Elizabeth McCall (Robert is Monroe's Uncle and they came to Oklahoma Territory with the Stewarts)
- Mrs. Hays is Margaret Hays whose claim was across the road north from the section where Progress School House stands. She had arrived in 1889 also.
- Albert is Albert Hays, the youngest son of Margaret Hays.
- Dave is Dave Hays, son of Margaret Hays and he got a claim near Cleo Springs, OK.