Advance Mo - Sept 15 1892 - Envelope Postmarked Arbor, Mo

Mr D S Fergison Esq, dear Sir

I wil drop you a few lines to let you no that I havent forgot you. Wel dave I am wel at present and hope these few lines wil find you all the same.

Have been having hard hard luck and am liable to have worse. Maby I wil get out.

Wel dave I have got good corn crop. I made 50c Bushel. On Wheat I got a damaged and only got fifty cents per bushel for it. Times are dul here now.

I would like to have that upper field sowed in Wheat so I could. Its sure in clover.

I dont no whether I wil come out or not this fall or wait. I wil try and come. I want to sell out. You must excuse me for not writing.

Write Soon, your Truly, J H Tilly

June 16 1895, Arbor Mo
Mr D S Ferguson

Kind friend, I write you in anser to your letter just received and was glad to hear from you. the folks is all well.

Crops doesent look anything extry here. It has been awful dry. It rained yesterday. they are all dun cutting wheat and about dun planing. there isent any thing going on here to a mount to any thing.

In regard to that lumber. I dont know wheter I want to sell it or not until I come and see. i will be back in about a month. I am coming and try to make a change. I dont no what I wil do yet.

I was glad to hear of the fruit crop.

I want you to try to get that $8.05 from Jas Bransfield if he thrashes his wheat before I come. I am going to try to sell I think and come back here. You had beter sell and come here and buy you a farm here. I have (been) working in hay this week.

So I wil close. Write Soon and tell me the news.

Yours ever, J H Tilly

Arbor Mo, Dec 2 1896
Mr D. S. Ferguson Esq

I will write you a few lines to let you know that I got here all rite.

I got a letter from D W Thompson and he was wanting to know about renting my place. I think that his and Billies note would be good. I want them to cut out the fence corners and would like for them to pay some down if it wasent but a little. You go in and see Trobridge and see what he has down and if he hasnt done any thing yet and no prospect, tak up that contract with the assignment canceled acording to the receipt.

I havent been around any yet. I dont no much what is going on here. There was a man shot at advance Sundy evening. they think he wil get wel.

I think Thompson wil be all write but have them to pay you some as much as you can enough to pay my taxes any way and have it in the contract that they are to give possessin the first of the year. he sed in letter for the year of 97.

See Trobridge and see what the prosped is for selling that Forty and tell him to see if he can and tell him if he dont sell it against the first of February I wil haf to rent it then and he wil haf to sell it subject to rent.

the Folks is all well. I had a child last nite.

I dont no whether it would be better to take Thompson note or have the crop to stand good for the rent or you can do what you think best. Try to get them to pay some down and make him pay enough to pay my taxes any way. See Trowbridge and let me no what he has done so I wil no what to do.

I guess I wil haf to raise B L Hitt money for him. Try to get Thompson to pay $10 if you can.

So wil close for this time hopping to hear from you soon.
Write soon. Yours Respectfully
J. H. Tilly

Make the rent payable the First of October. See Jinkens May if you can if he has come
Write soon

Arbor Mo Feb 18 1897

Mr. D. S. Ferguson. Kind Friend

Sir yours at hand last nite and was glad to hear from you.

Will say that I would much rather rent for cash rent but wil haf to rent for part of the crop. If you cant get cash I think you would do wel to rent your land and tend that. I would like for Trobridge to sell that forty awful wel but I want it cultivated shure. Although the first of March I sent long note to you, tell William to wait until then and see if Trobridge can sell it. I would rather sell it. I can use the money to a good advantage but I want it cultivated.

You can do what you think the best with the other place. Dont rent to Thomson for grain unless it is the only show the way he has done about it. Tell William to wait and let them sell it and then if they dont well it to try awful hard to rent and you help him if Trobridge dont rent it.

I havent heard from any one there only you since I left. I havent done any thing yet. Am going to work next month. There isnt a great deal going on here. There is some log hauling here.

I havent heard from John for some time. He was at Black Rock Ark the last I heard from him.

Their is a rite smart sickness here. Doesnt seem to be many deaths.

I may farm some if they sell that forty this summer. I think I can mak money by it. Cant unless I could sell, so let me no as soon as you can about it so I wil no whether to make any arrangments for it or not.

So wil close hoping to hear from you soon. I wil close for this time.

Your Respectfully. J H Tilly

You can tend the place if you want it. I would lik to have some corn raised on it this year. People wil think I wont raise it after and I am satisfied you could rais some on it.

Arbor Mo, March 17 1898

Mr D S Ferguson, Sir and Friend

your at hand to day and was glad to hear from you. have intend writing you for some time and neglected it.

We are all wel and have a fine Baby Girl

I would rather Rent all the Ground to One man. do as you think best about it and the best you can. If you rent the house and orchard separate try to get it taken care of.

I think I wil moove there next fall and would like to have the house the first of the year if you can rent that way. would like to sell the Stephison place but think I wil get in ashape to come this fall any way and dont care so much. tell me what William has done with the place. I wrote to him some time ago and havent had any ansur. I want that place tended.

We are having lots of Rain and high water.

So I wil close hoping to hear soon. Write soon and let me no what you do.

Your as ever, J H Tilly

P.S I never get this letter off this morning and wil write you a few lines more. I Bought me a span of mules this morning. Paid one hundred and twenty five Dollars for them. they are good ones.

I am going to moove out there or sell my land for what I can get for it. do the best you can with it. try to get $25.00 for the house and orchard if you rent the ground seperate. do with it what you think best.

So wil close. having lots of Rain and high water. write soon and tel me all the news.

Write soon. Your as ever. J H T

Arbor Mo, Jan 23 1899

Mr D. S. Ferguson Esq
Dear sir and friend

Your of the 18 at hand. was glad to hear from you. I writen you a letter abut the 7 or 8 of this month. Wanted you to find out the amount of my taxes and let me no. could of my self. didnt no the numbers of the Stephison place. Wil send you five Dollars. want you to pay them. If not enoug, pay them and I wil send you the rest.

Dave I havent done much to wards getting readdy to moove out there has been so much bad sickness. My uncel Lewis Tilly and his Wife is booth dead and several others died the Winter. Frances was sick almost all Winter.

My Father n Law got his leg broke the 29 Dec and had it taken off the 4 Jan and the 12 had to have it taken off again and the 20 it biled and the Dr had to cut the stiches and tear it all up to stop it. He is at Marble Hill with the Doctors. I have been there every since he was taken there all but thre days. Wil go back to morrow. Ida is up there now. Dr says their isent any chace for him to get wel.

Dave I dont think I can get ready to moove out there this winter would like to. I want you to do the best for me that you can with my stuff out there and I wil pay you for your trouble.

Sell my corn and rent the Place however you think best. would like cash rent if you could get it. I am going to come out if I can get off after while. I no it look like to you I dont want to come.

I would like to sell my land if I dont moove on it. think I wil moove if I can ever get ready. There has been lots of sickness and several deaths this winter.

So I wil close for this time. let me hear from you soon. do the best you can with my stuff. wil try and come out. would like to see you and have long talk with you. Write soon and tell me all the news.

So I wil close hoping to hear from you. Write soon. Your as ever
J H Tilly

Arbor Mo, Oct 20 1901

Mr D. S. Ferguson
Dear Sir and Friend

Your at hand some time ago. Was glad to hear from you. Dave I wil be out of a job in about a Month or wil stop to moove about Fifteen Miles or stay away from Home. Think I wil quit their. I am coming out there then and see how everything looks in Howel Co once more.

Corn is worth 65 per Bus. How is that. for new team I by 20 bushel a day. they are going to have corn shiped from St Lewis. you can have my wheat if you want it and pay me when you want to.

I got leter From Lewis not long ago. He wanted to sell me his part of the place and him make me Deed when he was of age. sed he was to be married to a widow soon. I didnt make him any offer. Think he would get away with his sooner than John did with his. Johns didnt last him one sumer. Heard from John last week. He isnt doing any good. Just burly making living. He left me $25.00 to pay for him. Says I bought his land to cheap.

Dave I see cattle is coming up again. wil be high next year.

This leave all wel. hope this wil find your all the same. Wil close. Hoping to her from you soon. yours as Ever.
J H Tilly

Arbor Mo. 10/3 1902 (Postmarked Advance Mo)

Mr DS Frguson. Willow Springs Mo. Dear Ser,

yours of some time ago at hand. Was glad to hear from you. this leaves all wel. hope this wil Find you all the same.

Dave you dident tell me what you got for your Farm nor what you had to pay for the one you Bought. I would like to sell the Stephison Fourty. Dont care to sell the other yet awhile.

Dave have had lots of bad luck this year. Lost one of my little Girls in August. Have got two children. One Boy and a Girl.

I am still working at the Log Business yet. am working at Advance come home every night. go Back and Forth on Train. Leave Home at 8 and get Back at 4. Am not working very many men. Dont no what I wil do. Havent done any good this year. Havent made any thing.

Dave Pay my taxes when you pay your. I wil make it all right with you. Guess you wil vote to morrow. I cant verry handy. Dident vote last election.

Dave wish you would find me buyer for the Stephison Forty. I believe I could use the money to better advanatage than it.

Hope you wil be pleased with your new home. I am not satisfied. No havent been for the last 2 year.

Write and tell me how all the old setlers around Pine Grove is getting along. wil close. hoping to hear from you soon. Write soon. Hope this wil Find you all Wel and doing Wel.

Yours as Ever, J H Tilly

Advance Mo, Nov 29 1903

Mr D. S. Ferguson, Willow Springs Mo

Dear Sir, Wil Write you a few lines to let you no I havent forgotten you.

Wel Dave, Local option carried in this ter and I wil hope to close my salloon the 17 of next month. I intend to come to see you then. I have bought Lewis part of the land. I want to sell all of it.

Now write and tell me how W. S. is and how many salloon their is there and how you are getting along. I have made little money but wil have lot of stuff left on my hands that wil not be of much propfit unless I start up some where else.

Mr. Hitt is dead (Note, Dave had a letter from him in 1896)

I under stand Willow Springs is to have another Rail Road soon.

Wil close hoping to hear From you soon. This leaves all wel and hope this wil Find you all the same.

Dave try and sell my land. Want to sell it all together.

Your as Ever, J. H Tilly

Advance Mo, Feb 29 1904
Mr D. S. Ferguson, Willow Springs Mo

Dear Sir and Friend, your letter at hand. Was glad to hear from you. I am sure milling right along now. I ran the edger today. We have just got our new house finished today. Haskins wil moove to morrow.

There is lots of sickness here now and several Deaths. Our Baby isent verry well to night.

Wel Dave I have bought me some land here. Went in Debt $1500.00. Do you Recken I ever wil pay out. I wouldnt take a thousand dollars for my Bargain. think I could get it. think I can make 2 thousand clear in short time. Every thing is quiet here since salloons closed.

Got Tax Receipt all O.K. Dave I think you have made the man a good ofer on the place. I couldent do any Better than that. Dave I would like to sell out there if I could make as good trade as I did in Buyng here. I worked 2 weeks to make the trade. Was gone from home several nights.

Wil close for this time. Hoping this wil find you all Wel and doing wel. Write Soon

Your as Ever, J H Tilly

Note - I found the James H and Ida (Hitt) Tilly family on the 1900, 1910, and 1920 census records, and was later successful in locating some descendants in Advance, Mo and Cape Giredeau, Mo.

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This page was last updated December 1, 2000.