Because Mother Said So

From Mother, Mary Elizabeth (Turner) Barnett to her children

May 8, 1912

This letter was written a few years after Maggie, Joe and 'Babe' went to Oregon and before the others that I have posted.

(click the pages to enlarge)
or
(transcribed below)

Uh Oh, the kids are in trouble with Mom.

And Will had gone to 

Columbus, Ohio for medical treatment; 
something I had never heard.

I need to research who Grandma Kinsey was.
Mr. Whitlock was probably Cora's husband, Ferdinand.
Cora was Will's oldest sister.

She continues to share the news around town.

Charles was her brother, a sheriff.

Chester was also her brother as was John. John was the oldest of her siblings; age 84 at the time of this letter.

Ernie was one of Will's older brothers and I believe
he had a drinking problem which may
be what she was alluding to.

Aha, we may have gotten to 

the heart of the matter.

Riner Virginia

May 8, 1912

Dear Sons & Daughter

As I haven't heard from you all for a great while although I wrote to you last but I have come to the conclusion that you are not going to write and so I thought I would write again as I am anxious to hear from you all. I think you could spare the time to write to me once in a while. I haven't had a letter from any of you since a good while before Christmas. I am getting out of the way of writing. I haven't written for so long.

Willie & Bell don't write often. Willie wrote that 

he was getting some better of rheumatism he had been treated in Columbus, Ohio. He was in the Grocery business again.

Ed has been working for Thomas Surface, May Vernon Shelburn's husband. They are living at the old house place. Mrs. Shelburn has turned everything over to Tom and he is farming this year.

Ed has been working some improvements on the house and helping to build a barn and he is letting him have some ground to put in corn & potatoes. I think I wrote to you that Ed has moved his house

where Grandma Kinsey did live. He bought a pony so he wouldn't have to walk so much to work. Erny has been working some for Mr. Richison this spring and has made some garden . He hasn't got any stock now but one cow.

Mr. Whitlock has been making _________ ____ most of the winter and this spring but hasn't shipped them yet but will ship some soon I think. Tom Horton has been helping him. He thinks he will get $10 per thousand. I think its rather slow business. He has been attending court this week.  The Rundle's boy

trial is going on this week. I guess you have heard something about that. Thompson's boy getting a lick on the head that caused his death in a drunken fracas about Christmas. It's supposed he was struck with a piece of iron but they couldn't get proof that the Rundle's boy was the one that struck the heavy low. I heard it was a hung jury yesterday. 

Your uncle Charles has moved to Christiansburg. He was elected deputy sheriff and has gone there to 

take charge of the jail again.

Mabel had the misfortune to have one of her fingers taken off at the

first joint. She had a sore finger by getting a splinter in it and she put carbolic acid on it and it got to eating the flesh and she went to the Dr and he told her gangrene was about to set in and it would be best to have it taken off. They moved to town the first of April rented his property here to Ed Childress. Chester sold his property here to Mr. Basham.

Your uncle John has gotten so he can't wait on himself more than a child. He can barely walk across the floor. Myrtle is married. She married a railroad man. Smiley is his name. L_____ want me to come

and stay with her a while for company but I am not feeling very well myself and don't think I will go and Erny can't do very well by himself thought I would like to go if I could.

I did not finish my letter yesterday and I heard last evening that they got through with the Rundle's case and they decided to send him to jail for twelve months. The school here has closed . There were three got through this grade and have gone to Hilton. The ones that got through were John Williamson, Rice Richison & Gray Altoyer. Roy is going to school in Christiansburg. The school will be out the first of next month. Well as I want to get this in the mail this eve I will have to bring it to a close with love to all and don't fail to answer my letter this time from your devoted     Mother.

P.S. A few lines to Babe. You wrote for Ed to pay me ten dollars out of what he owes you but he failed to do so. He paid Cora ten but not all in money and sent Willie thirty dollars worth of ? and said he would pay me ten but hasn't as yet. I thought I would let you know about it. Write soon and tell me if you think you will come back to old Va. again. I would be glad to see you all with love goodbye.

I have noticed in these letters that they tend to write just as they speak so I tried to break it up here and there.