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Thursday, February 14, 2008

Letters from Home - Post 9

This is the eighth letter in the stack of Letters from Home to Austin and Della (Smith) Carringer, residing in the San Diego, California area after 1887. An explanation of the family members and situation is here.

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Letter from Davie Smith to Austin Carringer. Envelope addressed to Mr. Austin Carringer, Box 513, National City, San Diego Co, Cal. return address D.D. Smith, proprietor of Blue Front Livery Stable, McCook, Nebraska, 2 cent stamp postmarked May ?? 1890.

Letterhead of D.D. Smith, proprietor of Livery, Feed and Sale Stable,

McCook Neb May 27, 1890

Dear Brother and All,

Your sad letter recieved and was very sorry to learn that you had to give up your little boy but such is life. We will all have to suffer such loss more or less. I know it is very hard to give them up but then we cannot help it when they are called on we can only make the best of it.

Well, Pa has gone to Hastings to see a doctor to treat his eyes if there is any chance to save them I am afraid that he will go blind if he does not have some help for them soon. Well he sold the ranch but will not have any money left when he pays up what he owes but I tell him it is better than to live the way he has been waring his life away over things up their. After he made the trade I had to go up their and turn over the town a little to get the stuff he traded for as he came away with out it and they would not shipp things but they found out that they weren't dealing with DJ. When I got their and came to time they would beat him out of everything if I had not went up he came home almost crazy and you bet I was hot and I read the right act to them and they were all very nice after that.

I shall move the stock down near McCook ... where so that I can look after them for him. I shall sell one the first chance I get so as to move and enclose you Draft for $85.00 dollars $10.00 Pa sent to Mother and the balance for yourselfe. Money is terrable close here and I had to borrow it but you have been very easy on me but you will never loose a dollar of it as I will sell out one of these days and then it will come in a bunch and do some good. Pa has 320 acres left yet.

Love to all, Bye Bye all well, Dave.

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Here is the first letter reacting to the family tragedy - baby Devier David Carringer, the first son of Austin and Della (Smith) Carringer died on 10 May 1890. I will post a picture of Devier and the Death Card for Devier in a later post.

We get another look at the problems that Devier J. Smith has - he is going blind and everybody took advantage of him when he sold the Ranch in St. Francis, Kansas. Davie has to go and gather the stuff DJ rightfully owns. What a dutiful son - and he threatens to use force if necessary - probably typical for a 27 year old man on the frontier, but he has a wife and child.

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