The Death of Julia Owen (nee. Dutton, 1847-1920), The Dutton Letters, part 2

Julia (Dutton) Owen was the daughter of Norman and Nancy (Smith) Dutton, and the half-sister of my 2xg-grandmother Louisa (Dutton) Walker.

 

 

                                                                         Metamora, Ill
                                                                         Nov 9, 1920
Dear Effie,
     I'm afraid I was rather sudden with my sad news, but I called you as soon as I got Mabel's telegram.  I had just gotten a letter from Mabel this eve.  Saying her mother had one of her old spells of indigestion.  He cousin Elva had written her and she was quite worried.
The telegram was phoned me from Peoria as near as I can remember.  It was something like this: "Mother died Pm. Buried Wednesday in Uncle Harvey's lot in Springfield."
Doesn't it seem like a horrid nightmare?  I.m so glad we had such a nice visit this summer -- who of us thot it would be the last.
I must write to Mabel, and some others.
                                                                        Sincerely,
                                                                        Myrtle 

JULIA EMMA OWEN: "May your days be filled with happiness and all your shadows fly away." Aunt Julia

Effie Mae Kern (nee. Ricketts, 1881-1952) was the niece of Julia (Dutton) Owen through her sister Laura Ella Ricketts (nee. Dutton, 1854-1887).  We have not yet discovered who is Myrtle Ellis.

Friday a.m. 

Dear Myrt,
We are home from our sad journey and just feel stunned -- I am enclosing the letter I received from Elva Mon a.m. just before I wrote you.  Then we sent a telegram for them to view immediately mother's condition.  I could not help but be uneasy and we got a wire about 11:30 saying the Dr said her heart was bad and we had better come.  we left at 1:15 and she died about 1:30 but of course we didn't know it until we got there.
I'll always feel they should have let us know sooner altho the Dr assured them she would be all right.  Of course it was our first thought to bring her to Metamora but I seemed to remember mother said there was no more room in Grandpa Dutton's lot and Uncle Harvey wanted her buried where he will be and her name will be put on his monument where Aunt Lou's already is and also Uncle Harvey with just the space for dates left.  And after all she will be among her own people.  If we had intended to stay here for always of course I would have brought her here.  But of course Ed and I want to be cremated so she would have been alone here too--So I guess it was best after all--but it was hard to leave her away down there.  Uncle Harvey is all broken up over it all.  They were to have left for Florida next Monday.  How thankful I am!  If it had to be that it happened before they went.
Write to Madge -- of course she would have liked to come but it was out of the question. The flowers were beautiful and I never heard a better funeral sermon,  I can't write more now.  Will write to Effie soon.  Wish you would send this to her and Elva's letter too.
Write to me when you can.
With love, Mabel

This letter came down to us through Effie's estate.  The letter from Elva was not included among this bunch, I don't know if Linda has it.  Elva Mack (nee. Dutton, 1867-1952) was Harvey's daughter and would have been writing from on location.  I am not sure who Madge is yet.

My son Ralph and I have visited the Dutton family plot in Metamora a couple times and it is indeed full.

Tomorrow I will complete this story line with the letter from Harvey, and a look at the memorials.

Copyright © 2015 by Kevin W. Walker