Andrews Family letters 1851-1923

1910 August 17, Andrews, Ella Simkins to Samuel Andrews (brother-in-law)

Formoso Kans    August 17- 1910

Mr Sam Andrews

My Dear Brother and family

Your veary kinde letter received

 some time ago and we thank

 you everso much for your

 sympatha in this hour of great

sorrow which came as a thunder

 bolt from a clear sky.

The weather had been veary

 hot and dry: and the heat

 seemed to be veary hard on

 him but he worked a little evry

 day and about two weeks

 previous to his death he

 complained of a severe pain

 in his breast  and had me

 get some turpentine and lard

 and baith his chest  he said

 it had helped him and he didn’t

 complain any more.

And on Monday before his death

 he seemed so well and he run

 the washing machine in the

 morning and in the afternoon

 we roped Wilmas goods to send

 to her for she had been at home

 two months and had gone back

 to Saint Joseph Friday before

 and on Tuesday morning

 he went to the pasture to

 fix the fence and when

 he came back he went over

 across the road to one of

 the neighbors to get his teem

 and wagon to take Wilmas

 goods to town.  he had been

 gone about an hour when

 the woman of house over

 there phoned me and said

I had better come over and

 help Uncle Joe to the house for

 he was over there at the barn

 and was sick  I went as fast

as I could and when I got to him

 he looked so bad and he said

 he had got so blind and

sick  I bathed his hands and

 head and he said he could

walk home  I got him home and

 put him in bead [sic] and he comp

lained of that pain in his

 breast and his left arm  he

 said hurt him  I bathed him

 and he drank a cup of tea

 for dinner.  I wanted to send

for the Doctor but he would not

hear to it  said he was feeling

 better.  So he drank some tea

 for supper and did not eat

anything but said all the time

that he was better.  I got him to

 bed where it was coolest and

 it was about twelve oclock

 when Joe and I layed down

and at one I was up and he said

 for me to lay down that I was

 tired and he was better and would

 go to sleep.  I lay down but did

 not sleep and at half past one

 I got up and went to him and

 he had turned on his face like  I

 called Joe and we turned him

 over and he just gasped once

  we worked with him but all

 to no good his spirit had fled

 and and I left alone  Oh Sam

 I  just feel as thoe I cant stand

 it sometimes but I brave [last of page missing]

he misses his father so much

 Mollie and David did not

get home atall they are so far

 from rail road.  had a letter

 from both of them they feel veary

 bad of course.  Wilma came home

 got hear the day her father was

 buried  Now Sam I have

 given you all the particulars

 as near as I can.  This is the

 first time I have attempted to

  write.  I have been feeling veary

 poorly  Joe is working evry day

 and no one in the house but

 myself as you kno just how I

 feel  but Joe is veary kind to

 me and thoughtfull but of the

 lonely hours how they drag

  We had bought us a [place]?

 and Pa had planned and layed

out so much to do.

I will send you the paper

 with his death notis  it is

 not what I wanted  one of the

 G.A.R. members took it on

 himself to do it and it is rather

 a flimsy affair.

Uncle Sam we would be

 veary glad if you could come

 and see us again  I could tell

 you better than I can write

Now I must close this

 is as well as I can do at this

 time  I would be glad to hear

 from you as often as you

 feel as thoe you could write

 for I feel as thoe I have lost

 all this world holds dear to me

   As ever your sister   Ella Andrews