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Sorry, I haven't yet recorded the document.
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Here's a letter to Alma from Mama Margaret's younger sister Rebecca. Mama Margaret had died five years before, but Alma still kept in touch with her aunt. Aunt Rebecca is, at age 82, clearly still in full possession of her faculties and interested in family news. She lived a dozen more years. Her spelling is not out of the dictionary, but I noticed that once in a letter Mama Margaret spelled "thought" the way that Aunt Rebecca did: "thot". So I wonder about what the schooling was like for the Provines family back in the 1850s.
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Aunt Kay's transcript:
My transcript - not much different from Aunt Kay's, but copy-and-pastable.
Washington Penna.
795 Addison Street
May 29, 1929
Dear Alma
I did not think it was two weeks since I herd from you I had just got down to write when I herd Cora crying. She had just gone up a few minutes before went up to see what was wrong she had taken such a terrible headache she said she thot she would go crazy. Well I thot so too, the way she acted. I was alone and not used to such headaches. I did not know what to do. I got some ice and put on the back of her neck, and finely got her toned down. I never had the headache, only time I had it was when I had typhoid fever just after we came to Washington. So I do not know anything from expriance in that, what to do.
I was glad to know Laura had gotten a long so well. In John’s letter he said she had called and looked so much better, and she did not come to see him after the operation so did not know how she got a long.
I have not herd from her since you was here. She is not much for writing letters. But I thot she would write after she got through the operation and get her plans made for her summer vacation. It has rained so much that some of the roads would not be very good for her to come thro. in her car, as we have a good many improved and some are being done this spring which will cause a detour in some places do hope she has not left us out, of her plan. I don’t know the Hanlin I don’t think I ever saw Will Hanlin’s family but will be glad to see them. And as Martha’s school will close 3 June so I know she will be home after that time. Sorry her’s and Eva vacation did not come to suit your vacation. And I always depend on them when it comes to entertain, and Cora was not feeling good.
I was very glad to know Fred + wife had gotten sich a nice place and and they would best stay there and that they could find enough to do in this country. Now to keep them busy.
Yesterday being a Holy day we had no mail so my letter was not put out for mail.
Will add a little more to it this morning. I am going to put in a letter cliped from a Sunday school paper it is from a missionary in India. She has been there since the year 1881. She tells of some of the flowers in the northern part thot it would interest you. She is supported by the Women’s Missonary Society, and now is quite old but a great worker. Hoping you have your exam over and will soon have time to get your breath and can rest awhile. I hope you will get time to write before you leave the U.S.A.
Wish you a safe voyage and success in your undertaking.
I herd a sepessed [??? Aunt Kay has it as se—-] Missionary give a talk in our church, he was from North India his work was among the Outcasts and the way they had to work. I think it is offle the way live, but you will not have the same clast where you are going.
Will close and get this in box as you may not get this before you leave for Woods Hole.
Yours with Love,
Aunt Rebecca
795 Addison Street
May 29, 1929
Dear Alma
I did not think it was two weeks since I herd from you I had just got down to write when I herd Cora crying. She had just gone up a few minutes before went up to see what was wrong she had taken such a terrible headache she said she thot she would go crazy. Well I thot so too, the way she acted. I was alone and not used to such headaches. I did not know what to do. I got some ice and put on the back of her neck, and finely got her toned down. I never had the headache, only time I had it was when I had typhoid fever just after we came to Washington. So I do not know anything from expriance in that, what to do.
I was glad to know Laura had gotten a long so well. In John’s letter he said she had called and looked so much better, and she did not come to see him after the operation so did not know how she got a long.
I have not herd from her since you was here. She is not much for writing letters. But I thot she would write after she got through the operation and get her plans made for her summer vacation. It has rained so much that some of the roads would not be very good for her to come thro. in her car, as we have a good many improved and some are being done this spring which will cause a detour in some places do hope she has not left us out, of her plan. I don’t know the Hanlin I don’t think I ever saw Will Hanlin’s family but will be glad to see them. And as Martha’s school will close 3 June so I know she will be home after that time. Sorry her’s and Eva vacation did not come to suit your vacation. And I always depend on them when it comes to entertain, and Cora was not feeling good.
I was very glad to know Fred + wife had gotten sich a nice place and and they would best stay there and that they could find enough to do in this country. Now to keep them busy.
Yesterday being a Holy day we had no mail so my letter was not put out for mail.
Will add a little more to it this morning. I am going to put in a letter cliped from a Sunday school paper it is from a missionary in India. She has been there since the year 1881. She tells of some of the flowers in the northern part thot it would interest you. She is supported by the Women’s Missonary Society, and now is quite old but a great worker. Hoping you have your exam over and will soon have time to get your breath and can rest awhile. I hope you will get time to write before you leave the U.S.A.
Wish you a safe voyage and success in your undertaking.
I herd a sepessed [??? Aunt Kay has it as se—-] Missionary give a talk in our church, he was from North India his work was among the Outcasts and the way they had to work. I think it is offle the way live, but you will not have the same clast where you are going.
Will close and get this in box as you may not get this before you leave for Woods Hole.
Yours with Love,
Aunt Rebecca
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1.
I herd Cora crying
Probably Rebecca’s daughter Cora Stewart Taggart, 7/16/1879-4/15/1933, Barb has no marriage listed for her.
2.
In John’s letter
Must be her brother, John G. Provines
3.
I have not herd from her since you was here.
So Alma visited her Aunt Rebecca in Washington PA. When? It sounds as though it was relatively recently. Maybe the summer of 1928? I need to look around.
4.
But I thot she would write after she got through the operation and get her plans made for her summer vacation.
So Laura sometimes visited her Aunt Rebecca in the summer?
5.
I don’t know the Hanlin I don’t think I ever saw Will Hanlin’s family but will be glad to see them.
The Hanlins are relatives from the Gracey side of the family - i.e. related to Jane Gracey Provines, the mother of Mama Margaret and Aunt Rebecca.
6.
Martha’s school will close 3 June
Must be Rebecca's daughter Martha Gracey Taggart (Mattie), 1/10/1877-2/25/1950, Barb has no marriage listed for her.
7.
Sorry her’s and Eva vacation did not come to suit your vacation.
Probably not Eva Stokey Evans, but rather Rebecca’s daughter Evelyn Aura Taggart 3/28/1887-6/23/1945. Barb has no marriage listed for her.
But was this Evelyn named for somebody in the Provines/Gracey family? And if so, was our Eva named for the same person, but shortened because Papa Charles and Mama Margaret wanted to give her the name that they would actually be calling her, as they did with Fred?
8.
I was very glad to know Fred + wife had gotten sich a nice place and and they would best stay there and that they could find enough to do in this country.
Is this Fred’s Westboro job or is Aunt Rebecca talking about living quarters?
9.
Sounds as though Aunt Rebecca is really interested in Alma’s India trip.
And the envelope is addressed to Dr. Alma G. Stokey. Rebecca is proud of her niece.
I herd Cora crying
Probably Rebecca’s daughter Cora Stewart Taggart, 7/16/1879-4/15/1933, Barb has no marriage listed for her.
2.
In John’s letter
Must be her brother, John G. Provines
3.
I have not herd from her since you was here.
So Alma visited her Aunt Rebecca in Washington PA. When? It sounds as though it was relatively recently. Maybe the summer of 1928? I need to look around.
4.
But I thot she would write after she got through the operation and get her plans made for her summer vacation.
So Laura sometimes visited her Aunt Rebecca in the summer?
5.
I don’t know the Hanlin I don’t think I ever saw Will Hanlin’s family but will be glad to see them.
The Hanlins are relatives from the Gracey side of the family - i.e. related to Jane Gracey Provines, the mother of Mama Margaret and Aunt Rebecca.
6.
Martha’s school will close 3 June
Must be Rebecca's daughter Martha Gracey Taggart (Mattie), 1/10/1877-2/25/1950, Barb has no marriage listed for her.
7.
Sorry her’s and Eva vacation did not come to suit your vacation.
Probably not Eva Stokey Evans, but rather Rebecca’s daughter Evelyn Aura Taggart 3/28/1887-6/23/1945. Barb has no marriage listed for her.
But was this Evelyn named for somebody in the Provines/Gracey family? And if so, was our Eva named for the same person, but shortened because Papa Charles and Mama Margaret wanted to give her the name that they would actually be calling her, as they did with Fred?
8.
I was very glad to know Fred + wife had gotten sich a nice place and and they would best stay there and that they could find enough to do in this country.
Is this Fred’s Westboro job or is Aunt Rebecca talking about living quarters?
9.
Sounds as though Aunt Rebecca is really interested in Alma’s India trip.
And the envelope is addressed to Dr. Alma G. Stokey. Rebecca is proud of her niece.
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LINKS TO OTHER RELEVANT PAGES IN THIS WEBSITE
DOCUMENT LISTS FOR PEOPLE:
- ALMA: DOCUMENTS ----- Incoming
- FRED: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- LAURA: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- SIBYL: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- PROVINESES & GRACEYS: DOCUMENTS ----- Aunt Rebecca Provines Taggart
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- DOCUMENTS BY SOURCE ----- Barbara
- DOCUMENTS 1920-1929
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