Read the Letters
1890-11-09
To Henrietta from her daughter-in-law, Bettie. Louis, [Brooking’s brother] is visiting them in Missouri but he is ill. She reassures Henrietta that she will take care of him and hopes that he will stay long enough to recover. She also thanks her for the gifts, especially the flowers that she sent to them.
1892-09-18
To John Anthony from Brooking. This is the first reference to “Windy Hill” and I am wondering if that is what Brooking and Bettie decided to name their place. He is writing his father about the farm and how it is producing. It seems that Bettie hasn’t been well and that they made a trip to Colorado.
1892-12-20
To Louis from his brother, Brooking. The heading of the letter is about the winning of Cleveland in the presidential elections that November. Grover Cleveland and his running mate, Adli Stevenson, beat incumbent president Benjamin Harrison in the elections. Brooking is waiting for his brother and friend, Willie Cox, to visit him and talks about taking them hunting. There is also a second letter to Henrietta from her granddaughter, Fannie [Francis] who would have been 13 when she wrote this. She has been in a spelling bee and her school beat the competing school.
1893-07-02
To Henrietta from Brooking. He, Bettie, and Will have been to Chicago to visit the World’s Fair. He says that of all the countries represented, France excelled in beauty and grandeur, followed by America. He also tells her about a tornado that they had in June, about his good corn crop, and how much he wants her and Pa to visit. If she comes, he will send Louly back with her to spend the winter if she can find a school to put her in.
1895-08-04
To John Anthony and Henrietta from Brooking. He writes to them about the crops that he is growing and urges them to visit. He also says that he is going to send Fannie to school in Oregon. I assume that this is Oregon, Missouri, a small town between Mound City and Savannah about 20 miles away.
1897-01-08
To Brooking from his father. This is the telegram that John Anthony sent to Brooking announcing the death of his brother, Louis Mason, with no explanation about what the cause of death was. This leaves no remaining siblings and Brooking is now the only child left to Henrietta and John Anthony.
1897-01-18
To Henrietta from Felice. This undated letter was written in 1897 because it is a sympathy letter written to Henrietta condoling her on the death of her son, Louis. Felice is a distant relative through the extended Gex family.
1897-01-20
To Henrietta from Mary Chiles Coleman Gentry. This sympathy letter was written to Henrietta from her great-niece, the granddaughter of Mary Throckmorton Brooking. She has just heard about the passing of Louis and is trying to comfort her aunt.
1897-01-22
To Henrietta and John Anthony. This is a sympathy letter written by Kate Mosher after she heard about the death of Louis. She was shocked to hear of his passing and had no idea that he had been ill. She offers words of comfort and prayer.
1897-03-07
To John Anthony from Brooking. Although this doesn’t have a month date on it, I believe that it was written in either February or March of 1897. Brooking has been to Kentucky, possibly to his brother Louis’ funeral who died in January, and is writing to his father upon his return to Missouri. He is concerned that his father needs help and says that “Lucian’s son,” his cousin Anthony [Antoine Louis, 23], would be good to help him if he is willing. His daughter Lou [Luly] is there staying with her grandparents.
1897-06-29
To Henrietta from Brooking. He writes to his mother that the children have recovered from measles, about their berry crops, and about Fannie traveling to California. He wishes that they lived closer together so that they could see each other more often.
1897-07-03
To Henrietta from Emma Mountjoy, the wife of Florian Cox. The Cox family is distantly related through the Brooking family to Henrietta and they appear to be good friends. She is writing about the health of her family, plus expresses sympathy for the death of Louis. She also tells Henrietta how her servant Georgie has left but that she has someone to take her place.
1899-01-09
To John Anthony from Brooking. He has just returned from a trip to Kentucky and writes to his father about his trip back. He then tells him about the coming weddings of his two eldest children, Lulie’s [Louise 23 years] on January 12th, and John’s [21 years] on January 11th. He is very nervous about the coming weddings. Apparently, while he was in Kentucky visiting, he had words with his father and in this letter, he stresses how much he appreciates and loves him.
1899-11-29
To Henrietta from Brooking. He writes to his mother that he had hoped to visit them in Kentucky in January and February but Francis [Fannie] is getting married on December 17th, their third wedding this year, and he doesn’t feel that he has the resources nor can he leave the farm for two months for his wife Bettie to look after. He feels badly because he knows that they are lonely.
KAREN GEX ASFOUR 