Abilene, Kansas

9 February 1933

Dear Cousin Belle,

Those prints of Ozias Humphrey and Parnel Douglas are fine and I shall highly prize them. I have never seen a picture of them and these silhouettes give a good idea of how they looked.

Ozias was born 6 March 1789 and Parnel Douglas was born 3 May 1793. I do not have the date of their marriage but aunt Lenora was born June 2nd 1815. If they were married in 1814 grandmother would have been 21 years old and the silhouettes would be about 120 years old.

When I was back home in 1931 it occurred to me that I did not know much about where grandfather Ozias lived so Wilson got out some notes which father had made. I enclosed a copy of what I wrote at that time which you may keep. I think that Uncle Nelson Castle was related on the Douglas side. Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois belonged to that family.

Ray Humphrey and Grace spent ten days with us in November. It was Rays first trip west and we showed them everything there was to see here. They are located at 48 Broad St. Salamanca N.Y. where Ray is train dispatcher for the Erie. Ray said that grandfather always wore a plug hat, believe it or not. Imagine him out cutting brush with a plug hat on.

I think that Parnel Douglas must have been a wonderful woman. She raised a family of nine children and Anna the mother of Ozias lived with them all the time until she died 25 May 1842. Mother and son lived together 76 years. Isn’t that a record?

Wilson says that part of the house where I was born was built of logs but I do not remember any logs in it.

Philip Wilhelm and his new wife called on us last October. He married Hazel Frederick in San Antonio, Texas Jan 23 193? They live at 621 E. Armour Blvd., Kansas City MO. And Phil travels for Goodyear Rubber Co. part of the time by aeroplane.

Theodore Humphrey and Eva have a new baby Roger Lawrence born 22 December 1932. Eva’s family name was Lawrence.

Solon Wilhelm had a copy of the Humphrey genealogy. It may be stored away somewhere in an attic.

I have heard of the Storey Road but couldn’t locate it. Bertha Kiehle, daughter of Elsie, married Nathan Moose. They live in Dansville and have six children, all girls. Elsie is spending this winter with her sons John and George in East Orange N.J.

When we came back from Mnnesota last fall we passed thru Lincoln and drove out to John’s place on 12th St. and saw Mable. We did not know until she told us that John died a year ago this month. How he did enjoy driving those big engines on the Burlington.

Charlie Baird told me that your father and mother were married at the hotel in Hornellsville on New Years Eve and that Peter Baird and his bride were married at the same time. I have the date of that wedding on my paper 29 December 1858. Do you know correct date.?

We often think of the wonderful time we had at your place on 23 August 1931. The only time we ever saw all your family together.

With Love and best wishes for the whole family in which Hester joins.

Herbert L. Humphrey