ATHENS COUNTY OHIO Letter from Charley Tinker and A. Tinker to John and Addaline *********************************************************************** OHGENWEB NOTICE: All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Sandra Streitberger beachbum@bitstorm.net August 6, 2000 *********************************************************************** These letters contain the Tinker family correspondence. It was typed exactly as it appeared in the letters so there is little punctuation and many misspellings. The first couple of letters were written by my great great grandfather, John Quincy BOUDINOT to his wife, Levina Adaline TINKER during the Civil War. John and Levina lived in Belle Rive, Illinois but were both born in Athens County, OH and migrated to Illinois shortly after they married. Apparently Levina's entire family--the Tinkers--remained in Ohio, and from all the names in the letters I gather they were a large family. I still have not been able to "straighten out" all the Tinkers but am working on that. Hope this info can be of some help to others. *********************************************************************** (Underlined text to indicate illegible writing or unable to read what was written) ((Bold text to highlight references to Tinker)) Letter from Charley Tinker and A. Tinker to John and Addaline Trimble Athens Ohio October the 20 1871 My Dear Daughter Adeline We received Florence leter this morning glad to hear from you but grieve to learn that your health is so poore bane it with all the fortitude you can you have hart felt simpathy of all your friends none forget you all grieve because they cannot be with you. I was taken in early part of September with Diarear which reduced me verry low wnt to sowing wheat brot on chil and fever have got the chil stoped had it not been for that should have ben th___ before this time your ma was sick at the same time we are better now I may be there soon if I feel able to do you any good or be of any help to you but think I wil come soon all our ____ at this time Walter has gone to baltimore with fourteen catle and four horses to make out the car load Thay cold not Set ___ ___ Thay ___ ___ ___ We look for him tomorrow or the first of the weak we wil rite you all I hope and pray for your health and hapiness your ma wil rite good by for this time my child I am your affectionate wel wishing father til deth that take me Charley Tinker Next line begins writing by a different person, presumably "ma" Dear Child we have just read Florence kind letter we are sorry that you don't get better your Pa and I will go to athens in the morning and call and see Doc Fuller if he has got any of his cough syrup if he has we wil send you some I feel like starting of to se you I don't like to leave your Pa here he is afraid to go he thinks he is not able to stand the journey he is a taking quinine to keep him up he is verry mutch redused we think those frosty knights will help him and will be able to go soon he said it might in the course of a weak of Walter stays here this winter I will go with Pa and spend the winter with you well Em did not come home she went to Kates, she and her Pa was not on good terms Elias got home lat Sunday he did not cross the creek its one of their moves they cant stay any where long did Em give you any dryed currants we sent you two little sacks of dryed currants and two tumblers of jelley as they have told us a story I thought that I would ask Em told Kate that she staid with you about three weak and took care of you and Elias told us so last Sunday evening now I will tell you your Pa and I went to the Doc to se Em and Elias before they left your Pa made a bargin with them that Em should stay with you and take the best care of you that she could and that he would pay her for it when we parted they rinewed the promice if you got the jelly could you relish it Austin went to Parkersburg with Walter he staid all knight with Elisha they are well and a doing well Charleys are all well Roxannas health is not any better Frankey is well she has a pretty little girl they are here now she is going home in the most of the little children ha died in wilsonville this fall well its most knight and I must stop Mary is a stiring pumpkin butter and Franky is a baking we have work hands we have finished soing our wehat to day and they are a digging potatoes we have a nice crop of potatoes we have about five or six acres wheat up and shoes nice it has ben so dry here that the farmers did not like to so their wheat we have verry heavy corn our grass was uncommon lite tell Marthy that Mary is well and well contented as far as I can find out I often ask her to write to Marthy she sais I will but puts it of untill another day she must excuse her she thinks that she hears through our letters, welladaline try and take good care of your self you shal hear from us or see us soon John do all for her that you can girls se to your mother all you can and god will bless you Charley you can help to kiss the little boys for me tell that that I will step in there soon if we can this from your Mother most afectionaltely don't fail to write as soon as you get this A Tinker