Letter

Note to Nora Roberson from D. W. Herring
(C. Avis Catalog entry #743)
(Document ID #387c)

[D. W. Herring was a son of John Henry Herring by his first wife, Julia Williams.  Therefore, a half-brother of Nora Herring Roberson]

At our age we take far more  pleasure in the future of our children than our own. And Dear Nora, I am  so very,very glad that yours are a credit to you and to all  of us.
There is no family on earth, I would rather visit and see all of than yours, but I suppose that pleasure is to be forever denied me.
Remember that you are the oldest female representative of our Herring blood, and my only sister. God Bless You.  I told my wife the other day that if I had been raised with a good sister or mother, I think I would have been a better man.  My mother died when I was a small child. Would like to hear of your mother and how she is getting along, and where she lives.  Never was with her much.

Affectionately Your brother Dick.

{signed D. W. Herring}
 

Letter of condolence from Charlie Rudd's commanding officer
(C. Avis Catalog entry #674)
(Document ID #616)



                        WAR DEPARTMENT
                    AIR SERVICE FLYING SCHOOL
                            MATHER FIELD
                    SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA

                                                                        November 26 1919

Mrs. James c. Rudd
916 South 1st St
Temple, Texas

My dear Mrs. Rudd:
    May I offer you in behalf of the officers and mend of Mather Field our utmost Sincere condolences to the loss of your son who met his death near Stockton, California, when his plane crashed into a tree when he attempted to make a landing after dark. His death was, if possible, as much our loss as yours for he was an officer who commanded the respect of all who came in contact with him owing to his gentlemanly qualities and pleasant demeanor. During his service he has twice served at this Station and during this time there was nothing said about him except of a complimentary nature. He had won a place of high esteem in the hearts of all of his comrades and was rated as the kind of officer we could absolutely depend upon in any emergency.
    Lieut. Rudd was at all times an officer for whom we had the greatest respect and admiration. His willingness to perform any duty assigned to him and to perform that duty well could demand nothing less of a brother officer than the great admiration, to which he was entitled.  Being the kind of an officer and soldier he was, with the deepest devotion to duty, the greatest courage and having utmost loyalty, his record while in the Service will long remain an inspiration to all members of this command and to all who knew him.
    To you, Mrs. Rudd, we have the greatest sympathy for your loss, for it, no matter how great the loss may seem to those of us who knew him and loved him, could never equal yours, and the members of this Command want you to feel that the friends that Lieut. Rune left are indeed. friends
of yours in your great hour of sorrow.

    Believe me
            Very sincerely yours,
                    

                    [signature]

                    W. A. ROBERTSON,
                    Major, Air Service,
                    Commanding.
 

List of J. D. Avis Descendents by Ruby Avis Dunkelberg
(C. Avis Catalog entry #410)

In a letter (dated Feb 1984) from Ruby to Charles Avis, she gave the following list of descendents of her father J. D. Avis.  

<The '2 nephews' listed under 5) should be 'one son (dead) and 2 grandsons (living)'.>

1) My oldest brother (Piner) - 1 daughter - Camille (dead)
2) Brother Dave Avis - Piner, Helen, J. D. , Martha J. (all living)
3) Sister Katie Lou Weeks - 1 daughter - Katherine (living)
4) Lill - no children
5) Your grandfather - 2 nephews
6) Sister Gretchen Avis McCutchen - Billy, Jean (living)
7) Ruby Avis Dunkelberg - 1 son Ralph C. Dunkelberg (living)
Grandsons:  Ralph III (26), Jim (25), Bill (25), Dan (20)

Jake Avis letter about Avis refinery
(C. Avis Catalog entry #347)
 

Mr. John W. Campbell                                                    Mr. W. B. Campsey
Route 1                                                                            Route 2
Jacksboro, Texas 76056                                                  Bowie' Texas 76230

Dear Gentlemen:

Though belated, Mrs. Avis and I have not forgotten our nice visit with you nor your most gracious and valued information and the tour to the erstwhile refinery at Avis.

Due to a reference to Avis and the refinery, a friend loaned us the book, "94 Years in Jack County, 1854-1948", written by Ada Lassiter Huckabay.

As I mentioned to you, our grandson keeps up with the Avis lineage, and he had read that portion of the book relative to Avis and the refinery. Thus, knowing that we were driving to Wichita Falls, he asked that we drive by Avis to see what was left of Avis and the refinery. It was a welcome coincident that we found you two together, each giving personal, knowledgeable and informative answers to my many questions propounded, since you, Mr. Campbell, were familiar with the construction and knowing of my father and, you, Mr. Campsey, having worked on the construction of the refinery.

May I again say it was a pleasure to have visited with you fine people and please be reassured of our gratitude for and appreciation of your information. Our many thanks to you. Please note that this is a joint letter, and a copy is being mailed to Mr. Campsey.
 

Let us hope that our paths will again cross.
 

Very truly yours,
 
 

Jake Avis
1110 Claire Avenue
Austin, Texas 78703

JA:cy
 

Frank Wolff Letter to James David Avis 1911
(C. Avis Catalog entry #346)

    Frank M. Wolff
    GENERAL MERCHANDISE    
    Telephone 24
    Arcadia, Indiana                                   Aug 8th 1911

    "Dear Uncle" Jim
                Yours of June 30th reached me promptly -
    glad indeed to hear from you.  But sorry to learn you was driven
    almost Bug House (as you expressed it) by such a little thing as
    dry weather.  We have had so much of that article in this neck o'
    woods for so long- we have gotten used to it - its just been dry
    and Red Hot ever since the first day of May - with the exception
    of 4 or 5 days - today it is 90 in the shade and from that up to
    100 is about the pace it has kept up for four months and better.
    We had a fair wheat and oats crop.  Hay crop cut very short and
    corn is greatly damaged - garden truck burned up - no early pot-
    atoes - but we are very thankful its no worse - especially when
    we read of Kansas , Okla, parts of Neb and So. Dak.

    I rec. a letter from your Bro. Frank M. dated July 28th from Ros-
    well, N. Mex - saying he would likely winter there - he claims the
    summers there are fine - elevation 3600 ft - "Gee" but that would
    certainly be enjoyable to a sun scorched Hoosier - it makes me want
    to go there or some other cooler diggins.  My son Fred is visiting
    my youngest sister who lives in the Galatin Valley, Mont.. He left
    here June 19th and the greater part of the time has worn an overcoat
    every evening - he starts from there tomorrow (Wednesday) for the
    Yellowstone Nat'l Park for a week or ten days tour of that famous
    wonderland - and will return here the latter part of [unclear].

    Father Avis who is in fair [?] (for his age) contemplates making
    a trip to Dayton Ohio the latter part of the week or first of
    next to visit his only full sister Mrs. Lida Hunter, who is in
    feeble health.  Will likely be gone a week or ten days and then
    return back hence.

    My good wife (the woman you claim to have fell in love with) is a
    very busy individual.  She gave 30 treatments last week and 32 the
    week before and as fast as she discharges patients , others bob up
    to take their places.  She enjoys the work and certainly has been
    very successfull in making sick people well - in fact the great
    majority of her patients are the ones that the old line drug and pill
    doctors had given up as incureable - and her warmest friends are
    those that she has been instrumental in helping to health and strength,
    and everyone of them is a walking advertisement.  She is not a
    Christian Science Healer or a charm doctor - but uses the best
    methods in Osteopathy & Chiropractic.  She keeps herself well
    posted in all the new up to the minute methods in Drugless Healing -
    and they are the people that are coming the the front (in this 20th
    century) at a very rapid pace.  I don't wonder at your admiration
    for your new found neice - for I firmly and truly beleive she is
    (if not the best) surely one of the best and most loveable women
    in all this great big world.

    This leaves us all in fair health - the 3 grandchildren, the
    "Canton Kids" doing fine this hot weather - and growing sweeter
    every day.  I hope this may find yourself and family all OK -
    would be pleased to have you all pay us a visit in the no distant
    future - the latch string at the Wolff Inn is always out - a royal
    reception awaits you.  So come and welcome.  

    So in conclusion wishing you and yours health, happiness, and pro-
    perity.  With kindest regards, I am very truly your Nephew

                        Frank M. Wolff

Dr. Ben Brown's Letter to Lillian Avis Baum - 1960
(C. Avis Catalog entry #81)

George West, Texas  Jan 8 - 1960

Mrs. Lillian Baum and family of J. D. Avis Dec'd
?____? Friends:

Last evening I rec'd clippings from magazine sections of Wichita Times sent me by a friend of my youth, Mrs. Collie friend a long time citizen of Wichita Falls which tells of the death of one J. D. Avis a son of my childhood school mate & friend Jim D. Avis Senior in Old Montague, our childhood home, about one year ago.  I wrote J. D. Dave Avis on account of death of his brother Piner Avis & Mrs. Lillian Baum wrote me a personal letter telling me aout her fathers family.

You see - my early memories go back to my childhood days, when my parents moved from Decatur, Texas to the near town, Montague and our first two weeks were spent in the home of Mr. & Mrs. C. C. White.  That was in Feby 1872 and the brush had not been cut from the designated Public Square.  There were four children in the White & Avis family - Mary, Jim D., Frank and Nannie Belle Avis.  Mary and Jim being about 10 & 12 - Frank about 8 & Nancy Belle & I about 6 years of age.  So - we were much like one big family.  And thought the young Jim Avis was my ideal of a big boy - even until he was grown up to manhood & even after he was grown and married to a wonderful young woman who happened to visit an uncle in Montague & later moved to Wichita Falls, about 1884 or 5.   Then in 1891 - I stopped off for a visit with the White - the Avis - Hodges family which tied me onto a job in Wichita Falls for four years.  I have marvelled that those good people have in a manner been gone on for years because they were such good specimens of manhood and womanhood - while I who from early child hood was physically a poor risk, have survived.  On Nov 21 I was 92 & although I have been partially paralyzed since Sept 1947 my general health is good.  My recreation has been contacting friends of long ago & writing and receiving letters from them from all parts of the ?__?.  Mrs. Baum please write me all about yourself your father's family.  I send you snapshot made last June.  So you can see how I look.  Sincerely,  Dr. Ben S. Brown

Letter to Ross Mooring Hall from her mother on the death of C. G. Mooring
(C. Avis Catalog entry #485)

<from a transcription by Andrena Brunotte>


7-20-03        Temple

My Dear Ross,
I know you thought it strange you did not get a letter from us last
week, but on Sunday your Papa was sick, and I was not very well,
and kept putting off all day, and we had no one to go to the office.
Your Papa was not so seriously sick, the Dr. said the first day he
came, your Papa had heart trouble, but not bad, the next day he told
me that trouble was all gone, but gave him liver medicine not
calomel, he did not seem very sick, only when the med. made him
sick.  He was up and dressed Wednesday all morning, but lay down
about 12.  He ate breakfast with us at the table, and I thought he
was almost well, Tuesday morning I gave him fever med. to keep
off his fever at 5.30.  The Dr. came about six, your Papa got up and
unfastened the screen, asked him why he came so early.  The Dr.
said his cousin had been thrown out of his buggy, and was badly
hurt, and had sent for him, but he would be back to see if he had
missed his fever at 12.  Your Papa told me all the Dr. had said to
him, said he could have all the lemonade, and mineral water, but no
fruit.  I asked him what the Dr. said about ice water, said he did
not say.  I said I am not going to give you so much ice water today,
but will go and make you a lemonade, but I did not get it, I heard a
noise and went back as quick as I could, found him lying on his
back breathing very hard, and loud, or making a noise, he was then
purple in his face with his eyes partly closed.  I had only been out
a very short time, not five minutes.  I called for help, put water on
his face, rubbed him, put whisky on his face & neck, did all I could.
Mr. Howard and Miss Bessie were the first to come to us, but all
was too late.  He never knew anything, passed away, so soon and
easy, not one struggle, just quit breathing so quick, no one can
ever know how shocked I was not knowing there was the least
danger.  He was so bright, said he had a good night.  He was feeling
so much better, talked as cheerful as he ever did in his life, then
passed away so quick.  How I wish I had not left him, how I wish
he could have spoken to me, but all is over, all passed.  I feel his
loss so much, am so lonely without him, will always miss my own
loving man.  Write to me at Mineral Wells, as I go there soon.  I
guess I will have to go back to Mineral Wells Tuesday, to try to
settle up, one insurance man phoned me from Dallas to meet him
there Wednesday.  Bert will go with me, Mama.

Ross Mooring Hall's Letter to Fay Rudd Chiles  09-20-1941
(C. Avis Catalog entry #273)

<Ross Mooring Hall was the sister of Fay's mother, Margaret
Mooring whom Ross called "Sister".  Fay knew Ross as "Auntie".>


The Donegan Insurance Agency
110 Norht Fredonia Street
Nacogdoches, Texas

Sept. 20th, 1941

Dear Fay:

All of us were so pleased to have your nice letter written last
Saturday, and of course I intended to write at once.  Hope this
delay has not caused you any inconvenience.

Filled in Affidavit A, and made an erasure as to the place where
Sister was born, and this may spoil the whole works, if so send me
another blank and I won't erase anything.  Sister was born at
Grandfather Ross's Plantation, possibly in the Home - but Daddy
and Mother lived in another house about where Uncle Brown's place
now is, and she may have been born in their own house.  I was born
at Grandmother Mooring's place.  Daddy was running the place for
Grandfather when I came.  Bert was born in their own home at Red
Top (Prairie Plans) where they had a General Store.  So none of us
were introduced to the world at Bedias (you had it spelled OK), but
Grandfather, Uncle Bob and Daddy had another store at Bedias and
Daddy went there to manage that store when Bert was very small -
so were Sister and I, for that matter, but Bert was a Baby about
one year, I think.  The place at Red Top was left to Uncle John
Stewart (no kin - just a War Buddy) but a real uncle to Sister and
me.

It just occurred to me that the DAR records could be referred to in
case of question as to Citizenship - no other record being
available, and the DAR are recognized as Authentic, I think, at
least they are by themselves.  And I do think their records would
be accepted as well as Church regisiters - which were the records
until the Civil Authorities decided to make County Records of
births and deaths, long after Martel and you were born.  But during
the last War, when Martel needed proof of being born, Dr. Lee was
as alert as could be desired, and he filled in the blank with no
delay.  Of course Mrs. Booker or Mrs. Black or some of Sister's
friends in Temple, Dr. Scott - though not the attending physician,
but I recall Dr. Scott is dead, too, but one of the Old Guard surely
are there yet.   Dr. Smith, I know, saw you safely landed, and he
has been dead sometime - died early.

Dear, I meant to write more - but Mr. Hall has just come for me,
not driving some one always sees me off and then some one sees
me home.  Want to write you again soon - I just want to "tell you a
few" the horse show, and school and Martel about whom there is
nothing to tell - and everything.  But must close.  Love from all of
us.  

Auntie