The collection offers a late 19th Century group of letters of a family that appears to have spread out over the Midwest in Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, and elsewhere, seeking opportunity, either work, school, farming, etc., they write to each other to keep touch, and correspond with friends and associates.

        Correspondence

Correspondence includes: 6 outgoing letters of William J. Hisha, of Lake Village, Newtown County, Indiana, as well as 39 incoming letters to Hisha; his fiancé, later wife, Sara B. Keithly, of Ringo’s Mills, Fleming County, KY, writes 9 letters and receives 15 letters; other members of Sara’s family also write and receive letters: her father James J. Keithly, of Ringo’s Mills, and her sister Dora Keithly, of Salt Lick, KY. Other friends, family, or associates write to and from each other, or to Hisha and Keithly. 

      William J. Hisha (1866-1917) and Sarah Belle Keithly (1861-1930)

William Hisha was born 9 August 1866, in Illinois, a child of German (Baden) born parents. He is found in the 1880 Census enumerated in Lake Village, Newtown County, Indiana, in the home of Andrew and Pheba Smith. Smith was a farmer, and William, then years old, was working on the farm, either his parents farmed him out, or they never immigrated, as they were not in the Smith household in 1880 and Hisha was listed as a “servant.”

Hisha married Sarah Belle Keithly about 1891. She was born 17 October 1861 in Kentucky, the daughter of James Jefferson Keithly (1840-1916) and his wife Trinville Smoot, both of Kentucky. Besides Sarah the couple had several other children, notably Elizabeth Dora Keithly who married Wilber Davis and Jennie B. Keithly who married William F. Miller. Both of Sarah’s sisters wrote letters in this collection, as does their father James.

Together William and Sarah had at three children: Leila Hisha (1891-1954), born in Indiana and never married; Claude Everett Hisha (1896-1958), born in Fleming, Kentucky and never married, he served in the US Infantry in WWI; and a third child who was born and died young, sometime between 1900 and 1910.

The Hisha family appears to have lived in Indiana in 1892, and moved to Kentucky by 1896, then was found again in Indiana in the 1900 and 1910 Census, where they were enumerated at Lake Village, Newtown County, Indiana. In 1900, the Hisha family were renting and William was working as a farmer. However, by1910, William was found working as a laborer on a steam railroad and the family owned their home. Young Claude was a farm worker in 1910.

William J. Hisha died on 4 June 1917 in Chicago, Illinois and was buried at Lake Village, Indiana. At the time of his death William was working as a railroad section hand in Chicago and also lived there.

William’s wife Sarah Keithly Hisha died thirteen years later on 31 July 1930 of breast cancer and was buried with her husband.

       Sample Quotes:

“Fort Wayne, May 3, 1885

Dear Friend Pusher,

Your letter was received and today is Sunday so I will answer for don’t have much time on week days. The only time I get to practice on the fiddle is nights after I get home from the Conservatory. We have to be there at eight in the morning and get out at five at night. I go at eleven o’clock twice a week to the college and take a lesson on the fiddle an have to be back at one ready to go to practice on the piano and Bird goes at night to take her lesson after she gets through at the Conservatory…

Pusher tell Ma that we have Sate out here to the Conservatory. She is Miss Work from Angola one of Birds old friends and she looks and talks and acts just like Sate and she makes me think of Sate whenever I look at her…We had to buy us an umbrella just a little while after we got here for we have to go to the Conservatory rain or shine.

Oh Pusher, I saw the grandest site the other day. The Odd Fellows had a grand street parade and marched through town all dressed in their uniforms with their swords on their shoulders and they had two or three bands. I tell you they were just dressed grand and it was a as good as a show to me. They have the streets all lit up with electric lights out here at night and they give the prettiest light and it is as light as daylight nights. We have an electric light right in front of our room…

Pusher you said you believed I was home sick because I keep you writing so often, but you are mistaken. I have too much to do to get home sick. I am doing my best to learn and I think that I will try and get me up a class to teach and earn some of the money back I have spent when I get back home…

They have lots of roller-skating rinks out here but the Prof. says we can’t go without we have a written excuse form home, but all of the girls go a walking in town when they want to and he never says anything…by from Bant”

 “Logansport, Ind., August 23, 1888

Friend William,

Your welcome letter came last week. It found me well and very busy. We are having the house repaired and we have three carpenters here at work.

Next week is Institute week and also the week of our Fair. I do not expect to go to the fair for I shall attend Institute.

William, you inquired about the Normal School at Logansport. It has broken up for lack of money to run the school. I do not think there will be any school there this year. My school will begin in two weeks. We will have seven months of school. I will have about a mile and a half to walk.

There is a great deal of sickness but we have been very fortunate and have not been sick.

Who is going to teach the schools at the Village?

I will close for this time William, for I am very tired tonight. My best wishes to yourself and Henry.

Jessie Thornton”

“Momence, Ill, Oct 12 /88

Mr. Hisha:

I received your letter a few days ago which I am seated to answer. I am in Momence working at the dress making business. I make on an average $4.00 a week clear of expenses. I spent the fourth at Momence. I danced all night had a splendid time. I did not go to the fair this year. I had been to Kankakee to the fair so many times that I didn’t care to go unless I could go to Morocco. The new road was not finished so I did not go. George is working to Mr. James Chatfields, has been there all summer. He don’t go anywhere. I am proud of him he seems to be so steady and tries to save.

I do not know where Will is now. He has been staying up your way some place, but isn’t now I haven’t seen George since in March. I saw Will about a week ago. He isn’t very healthy. I am healthy. I haven ‘t lost a day on sickness for 7 years.

We have been entertaining for a couple of weeks by a troupe of men and Kickapoo Indians representing the Indiana remedies They gave free exhibitions every evening. They were both interesting and entertaining. I went several times. They are in St. Anna at present, from there they go to Chicago.

They said that the Momence girls were like bad colds, easy to get but hard to get rid of. They also said they was like a soft-boiled potato ‘easy mashed.’ Momence boys were like rotten potatoes, ‘not worth mashing.’

I thought that was rather rough on us, don’t you think so?

Will close, From your old-time friend, Miss Etta Line”

“Winfield, Kansas, April 18^th, ‘89

Miss Sally Bell Keithly

Dear Madam,

I write to you to let you know that I have not forgotten you and let you know of my safe arrival in Kansas. I came first to visit my widowed daughter Mrs. Gidley. I enjoyed my visit very much. I had a good time while there. I drove out every day and attended one wedding. Don’t you think this is a better life than I lived in Kentucky?

I visited with my daughter one week then came to Kansas. I have done nothing since I came here but buggy ride and visit. I have invitations enough to last for a month at least. I think my friends look upon me somewhat as the prodigal son for they are all ready to kill the fatted calf. Now enough of this I will change to other subjects and give you a little of Oklahoma. There has never been anything like it known in the history to see the masses of people moving you would think it was going to depopulate the United States. It’s a wonderful sight to behold. I am not going in with the rush, I am where I can look over in the Territory at any time sometimes, I take my gun and go out and bring in a Jack Rabbit. There is plenty of Jack Rabbits and chickens here. Would you not like to go out over the prairie in the Buggy with me and see me shoot the game? You can just bet I am having lots of fun. I went to the Salvation Army one night. I will give you the program of the way they conduct their meetings. The first I saw they commenced blowing horns then there was an old woman marched in beating the drum and another with a tambourine. Then they sang and prayed beating the drums and tambourine, then they marched out in the street carrying a large flag blowing horns beating drums and tambourine up and down the streets, then they came back to the hall and marched around the audience in the hall keeping up the music all the time. When they went on the platform and the preacher commenced preaching with the tambourine in his hand beating it all the while and the woman slapping their hands and shouting. They had a young fellow dressed in a bed jacket he acted the monkey by dancing on the platform and beating the tambourine. Don’t you think you would like to go to the Salvation Army. I think I had better bring this letter to a close least I tire you…Yours truly, E.A. [Mabu]”

“[Nov 1889]

My Dear Sarah,

If I only had you here tonight to kiss me, I would feel better. Lots of my friends and school mates have got married and are enjoying themselves why can’t you and I do the same. Life is but a span my father’s almost 64 years old I don’t want to leave him any, more the reason I left the west. He lives all alone we could live with him. He wants me to come home and rest this winter. You and I could be welcome with him. He has 40 acres, two horses, a wagon buggy, two clots, chickens, 8 turkeys. Have you [any] objections against that? Sarah I could rent a farm in Ills where I was at. You see my father is getting old I must be around where he is once awhile, just the same I love you best of any girl in this land. I will not give you up if you stick to me…when would you like to have me come [?] I don’t think I can come before December. Sarah, I have not seen William Denton yet. Harland and I have been thrashing together. Sarah, I have been broke out with boils this summer. I am some better. I am not very well. Give my respects to your father and mother, to your sisters. Also tell them to write to me you have very nice folks. Sarah, I want you to write to me soon and let me know what you will do so I will know what to depend upon. Will you Sarah, I am telling you the truth what I say Sarah I mean. I want you for my wife. I will stay by your as long as I live write soon from your best lover in the world to Miss Sarah B. Keithly…My address is Lake Village, Newton County, Indiana…”

“[17 Nov 1889]

My Dear Sarah,

You must not think I am doing that way to fool you. I am not going to fool you if I send you $20.00 Dollars to come where I am. I will meet you at the Depo this is the cheapest way when my money is scarce. I have to make it go so far as I can you see and if you will do that way when we get to Hammond, Indiana, I will send you twenty dollars to come where I am. I will tell you how to come. Your ticket at Hillsboro to Cincinnati and from Cincinnati to Hammond, Indiana. Hamond is on the Louisville and New Albany Railroad, a through train comes from Cincinnati to Chicago right through Hammond. It would take you a day and night I expect to come through but if you get your ticket alright and your trunk checked as far as your ticket goes, it will be alright.

My father and I is going to fix up his business, sell his chickens every that we can get a cent out of , awe we will do it and then go and [get] our house ready and if you want to do that way, I will send you the money and if you don’t come when I send you the money and you do not come, I will consider the engagement broken and if you come I will marry you and treat as good as I can. Sarah, I mean just what I have said, is true your father said he and your mother ask to treat you well, I will be as good as I can Sarah. Write soon, give my love to your and all the family. I am your intended husband. I love you dearly Sarah. I will be a good boy hope to hear from my wife Sarah as soon as you get this. I am husking corn till December write to Lake Village, Newton Co., Indiana, good bye, by Sara, William Hisha.”

“Grand Island, Neb, Sunday April 12, 1890

Friend Will, I am almost ashamed to write it has been so long since I got your last letter, but we have been moving and I have been busy. I did not have time to write to anyone. We are living at Grand Island about one hundred and 25 miles south and west of Oakdale. We have gone in partnership with a man by the name of Emmons in the gardening business. We intend to plant about 40 acres of garden. We have all of our early garden planted, and most of it up. Our hot beds are nearly 100 feet long and six feet wide, covered with glass, I tell you there is a lot of work about taking care of it. I tell you. I will tell you about our moving. We moved dow2n here with teams. It took us five days to drive through with loads, there was young fellow from here came up with a team and hauled a load down for us, and a young fellow from Oakdale came down to drive the cows for us. We slept in a barn and in the tent every night that we was on the road. I tell you we had a big time coming. I went back after the second load and the fellow that drove the cows and a young fellow from Oakdale that has been attending college here went back with me. So, I had plenty of company. Then when I came down with the second load, the college student Fred Beckwith, the son of the man we are in partnership with, Louis Emmons, and a young fellow from Oakdale by the name of Hal Bow came down with me. We had a gun along with us and I tell you we had more fun then you can shake a stick at. We cooked our own grub as we came along. I will now tell you a little about our town. It has 15000 inhabitants, so you see it is a pretty good-sized place. There is a canning factory, a beet sugar factory, 2 breweries, a soap factory, harness oil factory, electric light plant and two gas factories. The city is lit up with electricity and the stores and most of the private dwelling burn gas. There are 27 saloons here and other things too numerous to mention. The town lies six miles north of the Platt River. It is a mile wide at the wagon bridge. We live one mile and a half north of the city. I bought me a team of colts just before I left Oakdale. I tell you they are fine ones. I have a colt coming 2 years old in June it is half pony a bay mare well built and my colts that I bought will not be a year old until July They are both horses and half-brothers and one of them is as large as my 2-year-old…Write soon and I’ll do better next time. From your pard, P.E. Custis”

“Hammond, Ind., Dec 3, 1890

Miss Sarah Keithly

Dear Friend,

Sarah I am in Hammond, Ind., looking for work. I can find work but can not get any house to live in. I am going home this morning. I can not write very much this time. I will tell you in a few days what I am going to do. I have three jobs on a farm, I wanted a job in a shop. I can get none at Hegewisch, Ill., at 1.50 per day in a car shop but the drinking matter is not good and it is a rough place to work up there. There is so many saloons in that place I do not want to go. I can get a nice place in Ills. with nice Christian people, good pay to these I am going to write to them to see what they will give me. Mr. Spry will give me work Sarah, I can not come right away you write to Lake Village, Ind. I will get it. I have got to see my father tonight. If I can get there, I am 50 miles away from home. We will have to wait a while before we can see each other, till I can tell what I am going to do. Good by write soon to Lake Village, Ind. From your William Hisha”

“Salt Lick, Dec 27, 1890

Miss Sarah Keithly

Dear Sarah,

I received your letter Wednesday night. I started Thursday night from Rose Lawn, Ind. to Louisville, from there to Salt Lick I cam alone. William Denton was to come with me but I have not seen him yet. I came here because I knew the way the best. I got here at 11 o’clock in the night. I found the way all the same. I want you to get ready I will be over next week some time. I am waiting for the weather to clear up a little and for Taylor to come. Mr. Davis and I is all coming together, so tell the girls all to be there. I want to see them to our wedding, so get ready tell Jennie I think she had better get ready and come to Indiana with you and me. I am going to take you back with me. I will be there some time next week it is very hard traveling in the snow. The Sleet has broke[n] the telegraph wires down so the trains has to run by guess it is dangerous traveling now. There was a wreck that kept me waiting an hour & 20 minutes yesterday. I have my valise full of clothes. I will come as soon as I can so don’t be uneasy. Mr. Davis [and] I will come. I will close from your intended husband, William Hisha.”