Dear Aunt uncle and Cousins.

Helen L. (COLEGROVE) STAGE. It continues to fascinate me that Aunt Helen gets top billing over blood relative Uncle Charley.
Charles Emmett "Charley" STAGE.

Cousins:
• Emery Brightman STAGE (b.1874)
• Everett Theodore STAGE (b.1876)
• Ada L. (STAGE) BOSTWICK PARCELLS BELCHER (b.1879)
• Leigh W. STAGE (b.1881)
• Stella (STAGE) TITUS (b.1883)
• Blanche (STAGE) KELTS (b.1885)
• Beatrice Maude (STAGE) SEEDS GOFF (b.1889)
• Florence L. (STAGE) VanOrder (b.1899)

   it is with pleasure i answer your most kind and welcome letter i received last night.  it found us all well but

Pa.

John Albert STAGE, Charley's brother, Ida's father.

  he is better now.  i got your pictures all right and am well pleased with them.   i think they are awfle nice.  i am glad

Birts

Albert Jackson "Bert" STAGE, my great-grandfather.

folks are well.  i am better this summer than i have been for amany a year.  last winter i weighed more than i ever did.  i weighed 118.  now i weigh 101.  i havent been sick but twist this summer.  i had the feever this spring.  when i got over that i took the measles.  i was

down to Kates.

Katherine Ann (STAGE) COONTZ, Ida's sister.

  they was all well.  she has a nice little girl. 

her name is Hazel.

Hazel COONTZ, b.1893, d.1895.

  i was at

Claras.

Clara Angeline (STAGE) WILLOUGHBY, Ida's sister.

 they was well.  she has got a nice boy. 

she calls him Cecil.

Cecil Loyd WILLOUGHBY, b.November 18, 1893.

 

Stella

Viola Estella "Stella" (STAGE) BARBEE, Ida's sister.

and i

spent out 4th at Morgans Station.

Morgan's Station is now Orient, Ohio. It's less than 10 miles away. See page 5 of this document from the Southwest Franklin County Historical Society.

  in the daytime, and at Grove City in the eavening.  we had a dancing picnic here at night and such a crowd to.  We are going to a dance tonight out in the country.  We go to a dance once a week.  We go to Church Sunday and Wednesday eavening.  So we know how to appear at both places.  i suppose you have herd i was going to get marryed.  i had a good offer but i have changed my mind.  the fellow owned a big brick house and a good farm but he is dutch and

i wont have no dutchman.

The universal human experience: designating someone as beneath yourself by virtue of some inconsequential difference.

 

Lib and Henry

Elizabeth Helen "Lib" (STAGE) TENSLER and Henry TENSLER.

was here last Sunday.  i guss they get along all right.  i saw

Elmer and Son.

Elmer STAGE Ida's first cousin.
John L. SEEDS, b.1889.
Lib and Elmer are siblings.

  he makes a fine step pa but

he will be a Pa fore shure before long.

Elmer marries Nancy (ARNEY) STAGE, John's mother, in 1894. Elma (STAGE) PETERS.

 

Aunt Thank and Elmers wife

Thankful Francis STAGE.
Nancy (ARNEY) STAGE.

fusses most all the time.  Lib dont speak to her.  she dont visit his poor people nor dont want them to visit her.  if you was here i could talk better than i can write.  tell

Sister Helen

Helen Augusta (WOOD) STAGE, Ida's sister-in-law, my great-grandmother.

Stella has a new beau.  his name is Morgan LAWLESS.  he is going to take her to the dance.  Mr. Tomana LANDIS will take me.  i wish i could walk in and see you all but i guss i am not able to walk that far yet.  Pa is going to run the Enjin in the Canning factory when it starts up.  i dont know whether i will get to work there or not.  have you had any fryed chicken yet this summer?  we have had two.  i took one for my dinner the 4th.  ther was about 30 of us went from here.  we took our dinners and all eat togather.  Well i will close for this time hopeing to here from you soon.  this is from your Neice Ida Stage to her aunt Helen Stage.  With love to you all.  Good By.
Excuse mistakes and poor writing.