CAMPBELL COUSINS CORRESPONDENCE
The
Campbell House,
819 Third Ave. North,
St. Petersburg, Fla.
May 6, 1923.
Dear Cousin Will,
Your most valued letter with enclosures is
received, and greatly appreciated. We had not heard of Cousin
Herb Hughey’s death. And
although Frank and I visited
them, many many years ago, out on their farm near Brainerd, we had
not heard from them or of them in a long time and then only as
someone at the Cousins Reunions would mention
them.
I certainly have enjoyed reading his letter to you, and it
was a revelation, as we knew nothing of his family. Their home was
on the edge of a small lake, in a new undeveloped section of the
country when we were there;‑ not much cleared land about. We stayed
all night with them; he had a small cleared field up north of the
house on which they had raised Buckwheat, and Herb arranged that he
and I should get up early the next morning and go up there and
shoot some prairie chickens. We went, and he allowed me to carry
the gun and do the shooting. I shot two, and we had them for
dinner. We hired a livery to take us from Brainerd out to his farm,
and as I remember, it was about six miles, through winding sandy
wood roads part of the way. But a straight laid out highway was in
the making by his place, and he had given the Township a
Schoolhouse site on his farm on which they were to erect a Public
School.
It really is a shame, Will that we Cousins do
not know each other better.
We had rather expected to see you down here
before the season was over. Why didn’t you come? Phil Young and
wife were with us a week, and were delighted with St.
Petersburg. My daughter,
Mary, and husband (O.
C. Shewman) and son
John were with us ten weeks, and I think we have it all planned
for them to come here this Fall and run the House for us. We did
not run it this year, but rented it to a party from Syracuse,‑ and
we rented a small Cottage among some fine sheltering Oaks, a few
blocks away, just large enough so we could have them with us, and
we did enjoy
it
so much. The fact is, I had taken on a forty acre tract just in
the City limits, and sub‑divided it and my time was occupied
looking after that. We built as Office out there, and kept a Real
Estate Agent there all the time. Have also put up eight houses
and sold them, so manage to keep busy most of the time; but shall
try and go North for a couple of months this Summer if I can
possibly leave.
We
have never taken the Boat route North, and have made the trip
every year for the past ten years, so this time think we will go
by Boat, and shall try to be North for the Cousins
Dinner.
I
meet Mr. Aulsbrook often, and he always speaks of you. We are
having delightful weather here now;‑ the bathing is fine, and
fishing excellent.
We
also have some fine Churches and wonderful ministers. It is a
Church‑going town,‑ not so small either, about 85,000 and about
90,000 during the Winter season. Will enclose you our today’s
Church Program, where we attend. We again thank you for your
kindness in remembering us with the copies of letters you
sent.
Frank joins in sending kindest regards to yourself and family. We were sincerely sorry to hear of Herb’s death.
Your Cousin,
- Report 1 - Page 11 -
(William Campbell
Family)
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