The Letters: Reading Between the Lines

But who ARE all those other people in the Evans/Ivans letters? 
Hmmmn. LA pours over  these old letters vs comparing them to the Evans names in our family tree. Head scratching, squinting and tree sketching ensues. 

Gradually the Evans clan comes into focus. The counties, the names, the kids: All the pieces fit!  This is AMAZING.  As the forensics detective says, striding into the police station "we have a match."    LA is beside herself with excitement. OK, only a "genebuff" could possibly care about this neat bit of primary research. But it is extreme good luck to be able to first find such letters, then to to match them to people and place in rural America 170 years ago is astonishing. 

Letter 1:

To: Mr. John O. Florida Areadelphia, Clark Co, Ark                                                                                                            August 1, 1852    

Ditear BROTHER and SISTER  (John Osborn Florida and Elizabeth M Evans Florida ) 

 It's with pleasure I take my pen in hand to let you no how we are doing. We are all well and hoping these few line may find you and family injoying the same blessing or greater have nothing of importance to write tho we (?) own such as we have. We sole the plaice that we were on when you came to see us and bought brother WILLIAMS (William M Evans) place (this checks with census in 1850 William Evans was in Bradley Co. Arkansas, the 1860 census shows him in Columbia Co. Arkansas) that he was on when you was here and has my second crop on hand and has got the best crop that I ever have made. Crops are generaly very good throo June. OSBON, (John Osborn Florida) we could tell you of moor ups and downs and bad luck than you have thought of for the last too years and light rightly on the nail now? After all an I hope so at least. OSBON, We would be glad to see you and your family. All I want you to come and bring your lady and all of the children to see us for I think that we could muster up a right pirty little show of children. Now we have FOUR BOYS, (William Ritchie, Thomas Ritchie, Stephen Ritchie) the too oldest is going to school and learns very fast. MOTHER (Mary Catherine McMasters) says that she wants you to com and bring your wife and all of the children to see her and thaty must write to her and rite often for if she cant see you she wants to hear from you often. She is sick at this time. She has the Chills and veever every other day. CAROLINE (Julia Caroline Evans Reaves) and LOVET (Lovett Reaves) is living in too miles of us. There oldest child (Martha Reaves) has chills and feever every day. The rest of there family are well. We haven't heard from JAMES (James Felix Evans) since spring. There were all well then. They have 5 boys. CAROLINE has 2 girls. (Martha Reaves, Jerusha Reaves or Sarah Reaves). We have not herd from CHARLES (Charles Bussey Landers) and MARY (Mary Catherine Evans Landers) (since February. Mary and the children were in bad helth then. LOVET (Lovette Reaves) got a letter from BILL (William M Evans) in March. They were all well at that time. JAMES (James Felix Evans) lives in Drew County about five miles from Montongoo. MARY and CHARLES live in Loosianna but we cant tell you where. (Van Buren, Union, Arkansas note: borders Union Parish Louisiana)WILLIAM lives in Union County. Do come and see us and write soon for we are anxious to hear from you all. WILLIAM (son William Ritchie?) says to tell UNCLE OROM (John Osborn Florida) howdy. MOTHER and CAROLINE send there love to you all. CAROLINE says you must both write to her. Give all our love to all of the children. (?) nothing more but remains you bother and sister until death.

 Uel H. and Sarah Ritchey (Uel Hardy Ritchey and Sarah Ward Evans Ritchey) 

Letter 2:

To: John O. Florida, (John Osborn Florida & Elizabeth Evans Florida, sister of Julia Caroline Evans Reaves)Terrenoir (Terre Noir Township),Clark Co, Ark State of Ark   (County of Bradley )
                                                  February 3, 1853 

Dear Sir,
we received your letter after so long a time found us all well as common hoping these lines may reach you all enjoying the same like Blessing. Mother (Mary Catherine McMasters) has recovered after about three months illness and is as well as could be expected. Richey and family is well. (Uel Hardy Ritchey and Sarah Ward Evans Ritchey) William (William M Evans) was hear in December and expected to go to Camden but I do not now where. Lis (?) his wife (has a son and a daughter. (Benjamin F Evans and Julia Josephine Evans) Mary (Mary Catherine Evans Landers) has three sons, (Hezekiah R Landers, Charles F Landers, James E Landers) they are still living in Union county. James (James Felix Evans) is still living in Drew County (Arkansas) and is doing well as he ever did, he has a house full of boys, (I do not now how many, six or seven. (William Evans, John Evans, James Evans, Peter Evans) We have had a grate deal of sickness in our County, a grate many deaths, we have lost our oldest child, Mary Catherine (Mary Catherine Reaves) in October. Mother and Caroline is desirous to see aan hear from you all and how your are geting on in this world and what the rospect is in the world to come. Paul says be all way ready to give ( ? ) reason of the hope that is within you that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth ( ? ) doth he yet hopes for but if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it and not onley so but we glory in tribulation, also knowing that tribulation woreth patience and patience experience and eperience hope and hope maketh not ashamed. No more to right for it is late. Let us hear from you when you can make it convenient. Your (?) (?) of love to fare you well.
 Lovett ReavesJ.C. Reaves (Julia Caroline Evans Reaves )

 

Not only does our mysterious Kate (Mary Catherine Evans Allison) have siblings,  she has an army of aunts, uncles and cousins spilling across Arkansas and over into Texas and "Loosiana."    Kate had family and a big one at that.