Thos. O. and Asenath Walling Wilkinson

Thos. O. and Asenath Walling Wilkinson


First is a letter from Asenath Walling Wilkinson to Emory & Grace Walling regarding Roby Walling Wilkinson. Found in an old box of stuff by Esther Lennertz and Harriet Sawdey, and provided to me by Scott Coyle who also did the transcript here and the notes on the people mentioned in the letter.


Findley Lake, N. Y. April-21-1924
Dear Brother + Sister - Am writing
to let you know that Sister
Roby is very ill. They do not expect
her to live long as she grows
weaker every day.
Jessie + Charlie are there caring
for her. She is well cared for,
and has every thing she needs,
but she would like to have some
flowers. She said if any one wanted
to give her flowers she hoped
they would send them while she
still lives and could enjoy them.
I have not been to see her yet.
The roads have been so bad but
I have made preparation to go to-
-morrow if possible. Thanks for
the card you sent me from
Atlantic City. It was good of
you to remember me.
I hope you are in Erie.
Am expecting a visit from Ethel
and her twin boys very soon -
am extremely tired of the cold weather
and bad roads -
Hastily yours Asenath
Brother - Emory Andrew Scott Walling - brother of Asenath and Roby
Sister - Grace Ellen Marshall Walling - wife of Emory
Roby - Roby Jane Walling Wilkinson - sister of Emory and Asenath
Jessie - Jessimina A. Wilkinson Brandow - daughter of Roby
Charlie - Charles A. Brandow - husband of Jessimina
Ethel - Ethel Beatrice Wilkinson Stilwell - daughter of Asenath
Twin boys - sons of Ralph Alonzo and Ethel Beatrice (Wilkinson) Stilwell
Asenath - Asenath Esther Walling Wilkinson - sister of Emory and Roby
Roby died on July 13, 1924 - less than three months after this letter was written


From the same collection of material came the following, from Scott once again, and Karen Michaelis helped in identifying the people. The two pages of the letter are followed by Scott's transcription, then by the identifications:






North East Mar. 22 - - 1919

My Dear Brother + Sister. I am inclosing some
letters we received from Cousin Alice Darling
to let you know just how it is with Uncle
Henry. We understand you have been sending
money to Aunt Huldah thinking it would go
to help support Uncle Henry. You can see by
reading those letters that the money you send
Aunt Hulda goes into her pocket. She does
nothing to help support or care for Uncle
Henry. Now I have been living with Grace on
the bank of Lake Findley. We have a large
house pleasantly situated and Grace has
offered to take him for $500 per week which
would just about cover his board. I and Grace
will try and care for him the best we can
without extra charge. Atwell said he would
pay $100 of the five dollars per week and we
thot perhaps would help out some rather
than to see him go to the poor house.
Al + Alice just can not care for him longer.
Edith said when we got tired of caring for him
we could bring him back there. But you know
there circumstances and poor health.
They are going to bring him over tomorrow
and we are going to try and make him comfortable.
If you wish to help send your contribution to
Mrs. Grace M. Seltzer Findley Lake N.Y. and we will
see that it benefits Uncle Henry.
I would like to know what you advise.
Please write. My address will be
Mrs. T. O. Wilkinson
Findley Lake
N. Y.

My health is very good. Grace + husband + child
all had Influenza. I cared for them and did all
the house work. Grace was sick six weeks
but she is quite well now.
Josephine�s health is miserable she spent several
weeks in the hospital and is some better now.
Frank�s folks are well. They have escaped the
"Flu" thus far. I would like to hear how you
people all are.

Kindly remember me to your children.
With kind regards I am as ever your sister
Asenath
Brother - Emory Andrew Scott Walling - brother of Asenath & Thomas
Sister - Grace Ellen Marshall Walling - wife of Emory
Alice Darling - daughter of Henry Smith & Sarah A. Elliott
Uncle Henry - Henry Smith Elliott - uncle of Asenath, Emory, & Thomas
Aunt Huldah - Huldah M. Elliott Cherry - aunt of Asenath, Emory, & Thomas
Grace - Grace Mabel Wilkinson Page Seltzer - daughter of Thomas & Asenath Wilkinson
Atwell - Thomas Atwell Walling - brother of Asenath & Emory
Al - Alfred Darling - husband of Alice
Alice - Alice Elliott Darling - daughter of Henry Smith & Sarah A. Elliott
Edith - Edith Elliott - daughter of Henry Smith & Sarah A. Elliott
Mrs. Grace M. Seltzer - Grace Mabel Wilkinson Page Seltzer - daughter of Thomas & Asenath Wilkinson
Mrs. T. O. Wilkinson - Asenath Esther Walling Wilkinson - sister of Thomas & Emory and widow of Thomas Orlando Wilkinson
Husband - Elbert C. Seltzer - husband of Grace Mabel Wilkinson
Child - Carmen E. Seltzer - son of Grace & Elbert Seltzer
Josephine - Mary Josephine Mallock Walling - wife of Thomas Atwell Walling
Frank - Franklin Emerson Wilkinson - son of Thomas & Asenath Wilkinson - the "folks" likely refers to his in-laws
Asenath - Asenath Esther Walling Wilkinson - sister of Thomas & Emory and widow of Thomas Orlando Wilkinson

Henry Smith Elliott died about 1-1/2 years after this letter was written.
Alfred Darling died in 1920.
Mary Josephine Mallock Walling died in 1921.

Karen Michaelis, from an e-mail of Dec. 2000: "The family group pic is of Thomas and Asenath's family... Front row, Ethel, Thomas (don't know who the two little girls are) Asenath, Cecil Page holding baby Gerald." Scott Coyle says Gerald A. Page was born on 22 March 1908, so the picture must have been taken not long after that. "Standing, Genevieve and Moreland Pellor, Frank, holding daughter, Florence (she is the one that died a year ago with whom I had corresponded for awhile. She gave me some of the info that I have), Grace Page Seltzer and Charlotte (Lottie) Witcher, Franks wife. One of the little girls down front is possibly Geneveive's daughter Blanch Zurl who is the one still living at 100 years of age in Eagle Bay, NY."


More from Karen: the one on the left "is of Thomas Wilkinson and Asenath Walling...supposedly their wedding pic...but why on earth would you marry dressed in black?" And at top right: "Am also sending a pic of Blanche and myself that was taken when we were there...you can see we are looking at the old reunion picture. Wonderful picture of Blanche....horrible of me. When we went to see her in the summer of 1997 she was doing well. Lived by herself and had someone come in and check on her daily. She kept her walker in the corner and used her broom to steady herself as she moved around her home. She is a very pleasant person to visit with. Notice the broom stick by her side. She looked at the reunion pic and didn't really know too many people...she picked herself and her mother out using a magnifying glass. But other than that she wasn't much help in identifying any of them. In fact, she was asking me who some of them were. I asked her about some of her old pics but she wasn't willing to dig them out....so no telling what she might have. She has no children and said she was going to leave all of her pics to her neice on her husbands side of the family...she evidently likes old pictures." At bottom right is Karen with Jennie Wilkinson, widow of Maurice Wilkinson, who turned 97 in 2009, still living in North East. The picture was taken in the summer of 2008 (see Karen's e-mails to me of 2/27/09 and 3/6/09).


The following pix came from the collection of Blanche Zurl who died in 2003 at the age of 102. They were e-mailed me by Karen Michaelis 9/8/03. They "are of Asenath's children.....Frank, Geneveive, Ethel and Grace." First is Ethel Wilkinson who married a Stillwell:


Next, sisters Ethel and Grace Wilkinson. "Grace married a Seltzer":


"Florence is Frank's daughter and Lottie is his wife, Charlotte."


On the left is Franklin Emerson Wilkinson. On the right is a later picture of him:


"And of course, Geneveive (Blanche's mother) married a Pellor."


Next, the Post Farm early and then in 1996. "... the Walling, Wilkinson home of yesteryear and what it looks like today. This home is on German Road and is across the road from where Thomas Walling and Laura built their log cabin.

"This home has been owned by Ray Post for the better part of 60+years. Ray and his wife Mildred have long since died and the house has sat empty for several years now. Ray and Mildred had 8 or 9 children and none of them seem to want or care about the old place....it may just fall down out of neglect. Kinda sad, but maybe it is too far gone for any kind of repair or liveability...is that a word?"