Edna Stark Noyes Letter to Bettie Noyes, April 13 1897

Below is a letter from Edna Stark (b. 1872) wife of Paul Noyes (b. 1869) to Elizabeth “Bettie” Brewer Noyes (b. 1877), wife of Ray Noyes (b. 1874), a brother of Paul’s. The letter shows that at the time they were living in Whiterock, Oklahoma. The baby picture that Edna mentions as having received from Bettie would likely be one of Pansy, who was born Dec. 8 1895. Grace also mentions two of her own children, Grace, who was born in 1892, and Ormal, who was born in 1893. They had another child, Garrett, but he isn’t mentioned.

Enough is written that we may glean some information on Edna’s garden and Paul’s farming, the weather, their hopes and the hopes of the community.

By 1900, Paul and Edna were back in Barton County, Missouri, living a couple of households from Ray and Bettie.

Whiterock Oklahoma
April 13 1897

Dear Bettie Noyes,
Liberal MO

Dear Bettie. Your letter and baby’s picture was received last Thursday and I was glad to get them the baby looks so fat and healthy. Grace and Ormal have grown quite a bit since you saw them. They just stay out of doors all the time when it is nice weather.

We had quite a rain Sat. night Sun. morning since it made everything look nice the wind is from the

(2)

west today and is cool. I hope it won’t frost because my garden is all up nicely peas are three inches high. The last frost got part of my radishes but they are coming out. I am not having any luck with chickens I have had about one hundred hatch out but they have almost all died.

(3)

We have two Sabbath Schools here now Saturday and Sunday we never have gone on Saturday but go once and awhile on Sunday.

Paul is breaking sod now on the school grounds (?) he takes his dinner and stays all day it gets lonesome for the children and I to be alone all day.

(4)

The wheat is about three feet high in some places there certainly will be a large wheat crop here this year and the people surely need one if they do any where The prairies are covered with flowers and Grace and Ormal go out on the lin (?) side and picks their hands full I am making them some dresses and I will have to stop and go to work.

Your Sister,

Edna Noyes

(Envelope postmarked Whiterock April 14)

Paul Noyes Photo


Paul Noyes


Original image courtesy of Nancy Benton

Paul, son of James Allen Noyes and Caroline Atwell, was born 24 Nov. 1869 at “10 oclock AM” in Anna, Union Co. IL, and died 3 May 1931 at Humansville, Polk Co., MO. He married Edna STARK on June 8 1891 at Liberal, Missouri. Their three children were:

  1. Grace V. , b. 1892, married Jim Pinkerton (perhaps James O. born about 1874 in Missouri). She married later in life, working first as a nurse in Kansas City for a number of years.
  2. Ormal “Ormi” b. in Miller, Oklahoma in 1893.
  3. Garrett Allan b. 1896 Dec 4 in Oklahoma Territory, died Feb of 1964. He married Genevieve who was born about 1903 in Missouri.

Paul, preparing for the Cherokee Land Run of 16 Sept 1893, lived with his brother Allen 1892-1893 at Miller, Oklahoma. Consequently, he lived in Oklahoma Territory through at least 1897. A family history details some of the experience.

Paul and his family in the census:

Central, Barton, Missouri
Pg. 20A
Sheet No. 3
Supervisor District 13
Enumeration District 18
5 June enumeration by David E. Harpole
(Ancestry.com page 5)
Preceding households appear to be John RHINE, Thomas WILLIAMS, James HANSHAW, John SMITH and Charles DURHAM.
20 48/49 HARMON O. E. Head wm Dec 1854 age 45 married 21 yrs. b. Michigan F-Vermont M-New York Farmer 0 can read and write, 0 months unemployed, F F 50
21 E. Viola Wife wf Dec 1860 39 md 21 yrs, 1 child 0 living, b-Michigan F-Michigan M-Vermont can read and write
22 Robert adopted son wm Oct 1887 12 sg. b-Missouri F-Penn M-Michigan Farmer 9 months unemployed, can read and write
23-29 49/50 Frank and Nancy STONE household Farmer
30 59/51 William H. GRIVET household Farmer
31-33 51/52 Newton WINNER household Farmer
34 52/53 NOYES Ray Head wm Jan 1875 25 married 6 years b. Illinois f-Michigan m-Vermont Farmer can read and write O F F 54
35 Bettie Wife wf July 1877 22, 2 children 2 living, b- Missouri parents-Illinois, can read and write
36 Pansy Daughter wf Dec. 1895 4 sg b. Missouri f-Illinois m-Missouri
37 Cora Daughter wf Sept 1896 3 sg b. Missouri f-Illinois m-Missouri
38 James A Father wm Dec 1824 75 Wd b. Michigan Parents-NY can read and write
39 53/54 JACKMAN Henry Feb 1849 51 married 21 years b. Penn parents-Penn
40 Mabel March 1863 37 5 children, 3 living b. Michigan F-Michigan M-Rhode Island
41 Hiram July 1881 18 b. Missouri
42 Amy May 1880 20 b. Missouri
43 Benton Oct 1891 9 b. Missouri
44 54/55 BECKMAN George April 1866 34 married 7 years b. New York F-Prussia M-Germany
45 Emma 1871 28 2 children 2 living b. Indiana parents-Indiana
46 Harold 1894 5 b. Missouri
47 Basil 1897 3 b. Missouri
48 55/56 NOYES Paul Head wm Nov 1869 30 married 9 years b. Illinois F-Michigan M-Vermont Farmer o months unemployed, can read and write, O F F 57
49 Edna Wife wf Dec 1872 27, md 9 years, 3 children, 3 living b. Missouri parents-Illinois Can read and write
50 Grace Daughter wf Mar 1892 8 b. Missouri f-Missouri m-Illinois
Pg. 21B
51 Ormil Daughter wf May 1893 7 sg wf b. Oklahoma Ter. f-IL m-IL did not attend school
52 Garrett Son wm Dec. 1896 3 b. Oklahoma Ter f-IL m-IL
Following households are STEVENSON, FOOTE Virginia, WILSON, JACKSON Louis, JACKMAN Allen, STRICKLAND Julia and son Lemuel, MOHLER James, JACKMAN A. M. , JONES William, Viola, Iva and Eva and Marcus, CHESTER Hiram and Permelia, BARNES E. J. and STACY William.

Paul Noyes is yet to be located in the 1910 census.

1920 Richland, Barton, Missouri
Roll: T625_902 Page: 4A ED: 36 Image: 1084
43 Fm 84/84 NOYES Paul Head own mw 50 md b. IL father b. MI mother b. MA Farmer General Farm EM 64
44Edna Wife fw 47 md b. MO father b. MO mother b. IL

Year: 1930; Census Place: Springfield, Greene, Missouri; Roll: T626_1188; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 5; Image: 0410.
42 702/40/41 NOYES Paul owns $5000 Doesn’t live on farm mw 60 md at 21 b. IL father b. MI mother b. MA Farmer Farm, not a veteran
43 Edna Wife fw 57 md at 18 b. MO father b. MO mother b. IL
44 Garrett A. son mw 33 md at 25 b. OK father b. IL mother b. MO Commercial truck Creamery, a Veteran of WWI
45 Genevieve daughter in law fw 27 md at 19 b. MO father b. KY mother b. IA
46 Nancy G. granddaughter fw 7 b. MO father b. OK mother b. MO
47 Luanna granddaughter fw 3 and 2/12 b. MO father b. OK mother b. MO