Addressed to Richard F McKinze
(His full name is Richard Finley McKenzie and his sister is referring to him as
"Fenley")
700 N 4th st
Leavenworth Kansas
(postmarked Buckskin Ind Jan 1903)
1 Janury the 7 1903
Buckskin Gibson co Ind
Dear brother
i seat my self to rite to you once more in my life
i was so glad that you was a live itt I thought you was daed
I have thought of you lot of time but I could not heare form you
The people would ask a bout you so much and I could not tell them Wheare you was
Well this leves all Well at present
I hope this few lines Will find you Well and enjoying the Wourld
The best kind as you can
Well fenley, august and annie has going to shool now
2
We have a nother little girl her name is gracie and
We have a little girl daed it lived two week old
Well fenley I got a letter form george the other day and tha was all Well at that time
Well fenley did you hear form hery (Harry?) lately
I Will rite and tell you a bout liney (Lizzie?)
She is daed
She has bin daed two year last May I thought I tell a bout it
I thought maby tha dent rite and tell you
I hant got no letter from Jasper for a long time
But he is a liven it
Frank said tell you that he was a trying to clear a peace of ground for ben shipp
He Will go to bucksin
3
Someday Well fenly I have rote so many letter to you and never got no ancer till this one
form you
Where have you bin so long that you never rote bekas (because)
has bin four long year since I got a letter form you
Well I gess I will bring my letter a close for this time so I want to hear form you a gain
soon
This is form your loven sister to my darr brother that I thought Was gone that
I never would haer form enmar (anymore?) from beckey rood (her name?)
Well to fenly Mckinzie good by hoping to hear from you soon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Since Richard Finly McKenzie was in the Army during this time, perhaps these two pages of
letters might be from him to his family. The pages were stuck in the same envelope as the
letter from his sister in 1903.
January 1899
My leaft side then was marked duty but I dident do eny liftin I busted my left side
January the 8 then I was hurt so bad I had to go to the hospital a gain but the doctor sed
I was not but I suferd forn very bead panes
Beccre (because?) I had to do my duty the same. I dident do no heavy liftin, this had
happen.....
August 28,1899
I felt my ruptur august an I went on the sick report September the first on Stade an the
Sick list tenn days an I went back to the mill at the same plase but the heavy work hurt
me too bead so I went back too the hospital an the doctor marked me lite duty but I was
put out on the same duty liftin an packing lagey (?) then I went to the quarter master an
I got relived from the mill, but that dident help me eny to git well so I had to mark the
sam I was so fatigue ever day till I hurt...........