The Letters On This Page Was Contributed by  Dana Christian [email protected]
Dated 1903 To 1904

These letters were written by my great grandfather to his sister. He was a physician living in OK Territory and she lived in Tennessee.
Dr. Harvey Donald OWEN,  M.D. to his sister, Mrs. Myrtle MARTIN of Lebanon, TN. Dr. Owen, who lived in Keokuk Falls, Pottawatomie Co, Oklahoma Territory, died of pneumonia on October 3, 1906, ten days prior to the birth of his second child. He is buried in Giles Cemetery, Pottawatomie Co, OK.
The letters were typed as written, so there are run-on sentences and poor grammar.

Keokuk Falls, O.T.
Feb 12, 1903
Mrs. Myrtle Martin:-

Dear Sister:
John wrote me last week of your marriage to Alvin. At the time I was away attending the Grand Masonic Lodge at Guthrie and found the letter when I returned yesterday.
I must say it was a surprise to me but to you and Alvin I extend my best wishes for you success and happiness this life. I hope you both have made a wise choice in selecting each other as a life partner. That was for you to decide and none other. When I decided to marry I ask no one's opinion but considered it a question solely within my own life.
This leaves us well, our boy is growing fast & in good health. I was away one week to Guthrie & had a pleasant trip-met people from all parts of Oklahoma.
While there I visited the Legislative Hall, Carnagie? (sic) Library & other places of interest. The Masonic Temple is fine & I spent one week there & enjoyed it much.
We had a letter from Lee and Ada they were well. How would you and A. like to come to Okla to live?
This country suits me a great deal better than that but might not you. As I passed thru Oklahoma City I saw Sullivan, the one that use to go with Miss Clemmons. I did not know him there. He is well pleased with this country & would not go back there to live.
We want you to send us your pictures. We will have the boy's made when the weather gets good so we can get to Shawnee & will remember you with one.
With best wishes
I am your Bro
H.D.Owen, M.D.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Office Of...
Dr. H. D. Owen
Keokuk Falls,
Okla., Jan 29, 1904

Dear Myrtle and Alvin:

I intended writing you sooner and remembering you with an Xmas present but owning to late crops and short collections I failed to do it. Besides was out some when Lena's Father died, she had to make a trip home. All in all have been scarce of money.
We have had a mild winter until last week when we had a hard rain followed with cold and a little snow. The roads have been excellent, dry weather & that made it favorable to cotton picking. The crop was so late a great deal of it was to gather after Xmas.
We had a very nice Xmas tree here cedars are very scarce & we had go down the river 10 mi and buy one from an Indian.
Every thing is very different here than from there but I like to live here best. I could never be satisfied there anymore unless I could live in a good town which would be hard to do as very town is crowded.
There is more doing here than there and I have become accustomed to the ways here.
How are you and Alvin getting along and do you ever have any idea of coming to a new country. Contentment is the main thing in life and what suits one don't another.
I expect to go the world's fair if nothing happens, but can't say for sure. Do you aim to go?
I think Claude intends to be there. We have not heard from him since Xmas.
We live 75 mi from Charlie & Jane and we want to drive over there in the spring.
We have Herman's picture that was made in Nov. when he was 15 months old. We think he is the finest boy in the world and are sure you will think the same thing when you see his picture. He is smart & is learning to talk. I expect to send him to Richmond College soon.
Lena has so many of her people to write she don't get around to you all.
I often think of that country and people but it is past now and I don't think I'd like to live there any more tho would like to visit & want to bring Lena when I come again & we are not able to come now hope to be in a few years.

Write soon
Yours
H.D. Owen

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Keokuk Falls O.T.
Dec 27, 1904

Dear Myrtle and Alvin:
I should have wrote you long ago but have so many to write.
The letters I write John & Texas are ment (sic) for you too. I wrote you a postal while in St L.
We had a great time at the fair. It was money well spent-can't tell you by letter what we saw so much. Some of the buildings covered from 6 to 23.4 acres each.
We had a warm Xmas but yesterday it blue up cold & is very cold today. We had our Xmas tree Sat night. Herman got a few presents-he thought "Old Santa" was the real stuff.
We had his pictures made a few day ago. He is growing very fast & can talk well.
We thought C. & Jane would come up but they did not.   Had a turkey for dinner Sun. & a few of our friends ate with us. Laurence Logan was here. Jenkins was to have come but did not.
Jane wrote Irvin was to be there Xmas.
Must tell you about Jerusalem at the fair it was an exact reproduction of the modern city. The Mosque of Omar on the site of Solomon's temple. We saw a model of S. temple. The babe in the manger, the star & the wise men from the east. We entered the Holy city by Damascus gate. The Boar war was good.
We have some thought of moving but don't know yet.
Will send you a small souvenir. We hope you had a good Christmas & wish you a happy new year.
I aimed to send you all an Xmas gift but my collections are so late but will get to it later. Write me soon.

Your Bro
Donald