Letter from Sallie Kendrick Mohave to Fannie Egger

Submitted by Beverly Berry
Notes: Sallie is daughter of Mary Ellen Stanley and Jonis Wesley Kendrick. Fannie Clara Kendrick is her sister. Jesse Sallie's son. Not sure who Olie is. Not sure who Erig Friday is. Prather Bost is a close family friend, and out families remained friends for generations. Sounds like they used to wrestle a bit. Sallie married a man from the Mohave tribe and lived with her husband on the Mohave reservation for most of her adult life. She loved it there, and was not happy to leave. She herself is half-Cherokee. The family lost track of Sallie, just after this letter. If you know the where-abouts of Sallie Kendrick Mohave (last name may be mispelled), please contact her great- great neice at bjberrykeeper@yahoo.com

July 20, 1899
Mrs. Fannie Egger
Edge

Dear friends it avail my self of the opportunity of writing you a few lines. This leaves us all well. Hope these few lines may find you all well. I have no news to write. Our boys are gone to Kansas to work in the harvest. They are with the thrasher man. Single hands gets 1.25 per day wages and team gets 2.25 per day. Jesse took a team. Got a letter from Olie yesterday.

The boys like this country very well. I like very well. Would like better if had some of my old neighbors up here. You don't know how much I think of you all. I've had some very good neighbors. I don't like the Indians here very much. That is the full blood. They will come and sit for an hour and won't talk unless you ask them something. I would as soon had a log sitting up in my house as them, sense can't talk English. They are going to have a camp meeting concerning Erig Friday they say. They have big times. I am going. I have never been to hear them. It is 1/2 mile to the church. Our preacher meeting commences the first Sunday in August.

How do they all like Preacher Rigs. Are they getting a long with the new church? How is the Baptist getting and who's their preacher this year? Tell Prather Bost we are trying to live up to our duty. Tell him we very often think of him. I would give anything to hear him cry uncle more. I want you to write and tell me all of the news.

Don't wait for us to write. We have so many to write to. I think if nothing happens to our crop me will make something. We had to mortgage for 60 dollars. Think we'll have 10 or more bales of cotton besides our corn. The boys will help gather the crop. They want to all farm together next year. The Land works fine. I think you and brother Egger might take a trip up here this summer.

Tell all of the children I would like to see them. Tell Jonice I haven't had anybody to laugh with since I left the reservation. Tell him old Jasper is still a live and eats all the grain he wants. You will get tired reading my foolishness, so by by.

Love to all. I remain as ever your true friend,
Sallie Mohave