Family History by Robert Monroe Fleming (Sr.)
Grandma Causey’s Portland Letter
Transcribed by Robert M. Fleming Jr.
Dear Kids: Well its been quite a while since I wrote. but I have a good excuse. the first of March I took the flu. the intestinal flu. & It was the first time I hadit. & say if you never had it. I hope you never will. I wasnt so awfully sick. but it hung on so long. & made me so nervous I couldnt sleep. I had to go out to the bathroom. 3 nits in the nite. well I finely got over it. then Monday morning May & I were alone& I went in the bathroom to soak my clothes to wash. & came out to go in the kitchen & stoped in the door. I never saw such a queer looking sight. the whole room looked like red fire such a glare. I was scared so bad I couldnt move I couldnt see what was making it look that way. I couldnt see any fire. & I wondered if the world was coming to an end. then I saw a blaze. it was the garage under that window there by the sink. then I tried to find May. & she came up stairs. the firemen had just got down there. I put on my coat & went down the first time since I came in Sept. 7 months. those steps are hard to get down & up. no banisters. I couldnt hardly get up. The woman that lived over there in that house just renters stood on the front porch & screamed & screamed. didnt try to do a thing. Mrs Johnston that lives down stairs took her bible over & prayed for her. & the firemen was putting out the fire. & she expected all she had to do was scream & pray. & God would put it out. thats the sense some people have . God expects us to do some thing. not just sit down & expect Him to help us if we dont do some thing ourselves. it didnt burn any of the house except the corner by the G. I expected it would make me sick but it didnt. I have a stiff neck. but I have that any how. well F thinks he will get some work on that G & porch. in Jan he got 5 days work. in Feb he got 5 days work. but it was road work & only $4. a day. & 80¢ of that went for car fare. & March he had 3½ days. & last week he got 3 days & is still at it. 3 days this week. so we are in hopes his luck has changed. Well I have always thot Jews were fine people. & I believe our new Gov will prove to be all right.& if we had some more men like him & Aaron Frank we wouldnt have such hard times. I am going to send a package of letters. will register it. as I am going to send Mr Loebers letters. I will send one from Emma McClintock. Uncle Kenedys daughter. they live over in Idaho 300 miles from here on a ranch. they arent far from Boise. she wants me to go over & visit her. but I dont see how I can. she says it only takes a day to come & one to go back. but F cant go go with his old car. maybe Guy will go after it gets nice weather. it would be best a treat for her kids to see those turkeys, cows, she is 73. her husband 78. but Ray lives there to. the ranch is his. & when they came out he got them to build a house on to his. & his wife died. so they live there together. I am sending another letter from Charlie & you [next line, at bottom of page, illegible with only tops of some letters showing] Falls up there. will soon be settled when anything does to W D C to be settled. it has to be the final settlement. then Charlie will know what he can do. & I will know what I will do. he will fix some way so I wont have to live like I have been living. F has done the best he could he just came home. only worked ½ day. well now I will tell you all I know about that Samuel J estate. Maggie Steffens lives in Minn. she is Uncle Jimmies daughter. she has a hus but no chil. lives on a farm. her bro clarence lives near her & his son Gerald & his family lives there. & one even G took some people to town 3 miles. & they went to see a woman who was hunting up names for these people. who was trying to get an estate. & G was introduced to her. & sheasked him if he was interested in those Jennings estates. she said the Wm J & Samuel J. he told her his father was trying to find out if he had any interest in the Wm J estate. but he had never heard of a Samuel J estate. she said there was a large estate left by Samuel J in 1700. & a will too. for she saw his name on a record as she was hunting another name. & its in the rich coal diggings in Penn. part of the estate is in England. but the most is in Penn. she said from what she could find out about it there were some Jennings in there. & was going to keepothers out if they could. she said if we could prove we are some of his heirs they couldnt help themselves. so you see why I have been trying so hard to get a clear record to show we are on the Wm J branch or Samuel J. either one G G grandfather that died on the ship. might have ben the son of Samuel. Titia wrote to Thuesa when she was in Eng. every time she went to London she passed Wm J estate. & it joined Wm Penn estate. now if their estates joined it seems like they might have been friends. & Samuel may have been some kin to him. & may have come to America with him. Iva Charlie has so many historys I wish you would see if you can find where Penn came to the U S. we know he went to Pa. but I dont know what year. Ge??ld Jen said he forgot if she said that estate had been there since 1600 or 1700. but he believed 1700. If I could find some one who had money to burn & would take a chance & would go back there with F or Charlie. & find out all about it. Frank & C worked there in Butte for years. right among the mines. of course it wasnt coal mines. but they saw enough to find out about them. I would much rather one of them would go than trust a lawyer. if they could go in a car & camp it wouldnt outside cost as much.
I know I have always heard my grand F was named Samuel after one of his ancestors. & Bonifiel after his Mothers family. & he named me after one of his people. but I have forgotten who they were. always said he thot more of me than any of his grandchildren. Grand F was a gret man. a large tall man 6feet 2. & just to look at him you would know he was a man to rule. I was to young to know but I have heard it so many times that all of his boys went to him for advice before they did any thing. & they were all married except the 3 youngest & they were grown. you know this tree at the side of the house over that garage. well it wascovered in bloom pears. & the fire ruined it. I love trees so I hate to see one spoilt. I guess it will come out next year. God can only make a tree. I have sent Emma McClintocks letter to H. & told her to send it on to you. its a great letter. she says she can talk better than write. she dont know she will have to write even if I do go. but we can see each ther. we were raised in two miles of eachother. but I am 7 years older than she. & we moved to Mo when I was 18 & she was 11. but we remember each other. Im going to ask her if they are near a creek. If Guy could fish he would go for a day or so. it only takes a day to go. & onr to come back. its so nice out I want to be out so bad. well I must stop as the grocery man will soon be here. & he takes the letters. I will send the package as soon as I can get it fixed up. we are all well & I hope you all are. love from Mother.
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©2009 Robert M. Fleming Jr.
This page was last revised on 27 December 2009.