Evansville, Kans
Feb 7 1887Mr. Williams,
Sir - I write you a few lines for Mr. Carnefix as He is sick in bed and has been for three weeks. I think he is better now.
Mrs. Carnefix has been sick eight weeks. Sometimes we think she is better but I don not believe she will ever get well. She is not in her right mind any of the time. She has not eat any thing to speak of since she has been sick. I have been here four weeks nursing her. The Doctor says I am the best nurse he ever saw you you know that she will have good care.
If any of you want to see her alive you can not come to soon for she may pass away any day. The disease is something like the quick consumption.
Jackey is not very well. The other children are all stout and well.
They want you to write soon.
Yours Truly,
Mira A. Bruner
Kenneth Lewis Williams to Jerry Ferrin,
email dated May 31, 2006.This letter written by Mira A. Bruner was found in my Grandfather's Family Bible. I am sorry to say there was no envelope included. The family referenced in the letter is Carnefix. Mira addressed it only to Mr. Williams. This could refer to Mrs. Carnefix's father Alexander WILLIAMS 1816-1896 (My GreatGreatGrandFather) or her brother Austin Henry WILLIAMS 1846-1912 (My GreatGrandFather).
Nancy Ladona WILLIAMS, born 6 Feb 1862, married James William CARNIFAX on 3 May 1877. They had 4 children: Arthur, Roxanna, Lena and Austin Jackson. In the letter Mira refers to Jackey. I believe this may be Austin Jackson.
Mr. Carnifax returned to West Virginia and married a Emma Catherine CRIST on 9 March 1892. They had several children.
I do not know if Nancy Ladona Carnifax passed away in Evansville, Kansas, but indications in the letter lead me to believe she did.
I wondered how did this old mountain boy end up there. But because of this letter, I have found a bit of the History of Kansas, and the caring nature of its people in times of trouble. An early lady settler in your region cared enough to care for a sick family and keep their family back east informed.
Jerry, I have found several spelling for the name Carnefix, Carnifex, Carnefax & Carnifax.
Feel free to use any info in Mira's letter or this one of mine as you see fit. My only hope is that some day a descendant of Mira A. Bruner reads about what a thoughtful and caring person this lady was.
Kenneth Lewis Williams
Dunbar, West Virginia.Also see:
- History of Evansville, Kansas
- "Our acquaintance did not extend far, but among the ranchers of that day we remember the Comanche Pool Cattle Co., which was just closing out there, Snearly, Estill, Gallagher, Platt and Flato and
D. T. McIntire . Settlers nearby were Geo. Rutman, Sid Heller, W. P. Ward,Capt. B. M. Veatch , Fred Veatch, W. Carnifax, Sam Wagoner, Jim Curran and J. H. Hackney. We rememberEmil (Joe) Bowers , who we remember as Comanche-co.'s first duly elected sheriff." -- Excerpt from Early Day Life in Comanche-Co. -- C. F. Spicer, Now of Springfield, Ill., Tells of His Experiences Here 36 Years Ago, The Western Star, June 10, 1921.
- Carnifix Family Message Board at Rootsweb
- Bruner Family Message Board at Rootsweb
Thanks to Kenneth Lewis Williams for contributing the above letter to this web site!
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