Dear Children
    I will write you A few lines to lett you no whair I am   I am at

Mary NOLTONs

Working theory: Mary Agata (KELLY) KNOWLTON, b. 1836, m. Andrew J. KNOWLTON, later m. Alman WETMORE.

today    I reseived your letter last Saturday   Glad to hear that you

got thair alive

Bert and Helen just moved to Mt. Sterling, OH from PA.

   I thinke that you did well to be on the roade as long as you were   I moved my goods up hear A weeke ago last wensday   I sewed up to Mrs SHAWs last weeke   She donte sit up yet   Got my stove set up   This is all   I suppose you have got your paper by this time   Shade sent you one extry   I think those pictures of

babys

Tessie Viola (STAGE) DARCY, b. Oct. 14, 1888.

very poor ones   Thay arnte finished good   You dident say hoo was to have them
    I will send her pin after awhile   I cate get to it now   I would have wrote yo sooner  

Luty

Lucy A. "Loutie" (THETGE) SHEPHARD (twin of Louie Thetge, author of other letters in this collection).

saide she woude wright to you 

Birte

Dismissing the idea that this is a reference to Albert Jackson "Bert" STAGE because the author refers to him as "AJ" when addressing. Birte Barnes? Something other than a name?

Mr BARNES payed me that half dolar   I will send some things to baby with it   I wante to know whether your goods got thair all wright or not   Mrs NOLTON sais kiss baby a dosen times for her and forty times for me   _____ CLARKE baby is very sick with new monie   Did you get

Fred

Fred is a bird. My grandmother, Nellie Avis (STAGE) RUPPEL, spoke of this.

thair or not  

Daisey

Given the context, following Fred, it's reasonable to think Daisy is a bird, too.

sings lots Helen I wante you to write and lett me no how it looks thair and how you like it   

Matie and Lew

Working theory: Mabel (NASH) KNOWLTON m. 1886 OR 1981 to Louie B. KNOWLTON.

• Calling it a transcription error. Assuming M.E. Wood misspelled Mabel as Mable, it's easy to read a "bl" as a "ti".
• Mabel was born in 1872 in Mansfield; she died in Greensboro, NC, in 1953.
• Mabel is the daughter of Elisha NASH and Louisa (SMITH) NASH.
• Louisa Smith is the daughter of Arad SMITH and Margery (GANOUNG) SMITH.

is over to NASHes   Thay ar makeing lots of maple sugar this year   I am going to help Mrs NOLTON with her carpet rags tomorow and next day and she is going to help me straton my place up a little so that I can stay thair  

Mate

Mary A. "Mate" WOOD, Helen's older sister.

hasent moved down home yet  

Aunt Saley

Is Saley = Sally? This Sally gathers some belongings. While doing so, she is "confronted" by whoever Ed is.

Sadey/Sadie? Could be a transcription error from the original letter. In Mary A.'s assorted letters to pension office, there is an affidavit from what appears to be "Sadilla Archodilea Culver Dyke"

picked up things enough to keep house with  

Ed

Who is Ed?

told her that she was snooping around as tho she was trying to steal something   I had a letter from

Fany since Herb

Herbert M. WOOD b. 11-13-1859 and wife Fanny M. (TORPY) WOOD. Herb is Helen's brother.

went home   He got home all right   How tired you and that poor little baby must have ben when you got thair and before   I havent wrote to Mate yet 

Charley

Charles A. WOOD b. 9-15-1855, d. 7-1-1931. Helen's brother.
While there are several "Charley" options, mom is going through a checklist of updates on Helen's siblings.

came up Sunday after you went away and the (got) bedstid and some other things  

Will

William H. WOOD b. 8-9-1861, d. 6-23-1915 (Sheridan, WY), Helen's brother.

was pleased with his overcoate   I cant think of enything more tonight   Wright as soone as you can and as often as you can
    My love to you all from your

Direct to Mansfield