2 Nov 2025 — I am slowly transitioning to combining my letters into larger PDFs as I have learned that it’s very tedious to have so many individual letters for others to download. So, in order to make it easier (hopefully), these files will be combined — > all letters for one month, and then eventually, all letters for one year. Please comment below whether the files are downloadable in this format. I’ll adjust if it’s an issue when the files are larger than 10MB, I can zip them as well. Learning a lot with this! Hang in there with me!
***NEW as of 2 November 2025
1906 May letters: 2nd, 6th, 11th, 15th, 18th, and 23rd all combined
* * *NEW as of 4 October 2025
2 April 1906
4 April 1906
13 April 1906
23 April 1906 – I think the 1st page of the letter is misdated; it says 1904 but the postmark is 1906.
27 April 1906
28 April 1906
*NEW letters as of 27 Sept 2025:
20 Jul 1905
18 Jul 1905
28 Jul 1905
26 Dec 1905
2 Jan 1906
9 April 1906 – two letters
24 April 1906
27 April 1906
1 May 1906
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* * * NOTE – I am now looking for descendents of MAJ. THOMAS ATKINSON, JR Q.M.C. – US Army.
I have a copy of a letter from him to MAJ. AVERY BRINK WIGHT, Q.M.C. (my great-grandfather). The letter was written 5 Dec 1918 Tours, France.
I have letters from 100 years ago. Each time I scan a new set of letters, I am moved by the fact that my great-grandfather Avery or great-grandmother Eleanor held that paper in their hands, sitting in their houses… this is what makes history alive for me. (Eleanor also happens to be my mother’s name but A & E are on my father’s side!)
I am grateful, excited, and curious…. these letters were passed to me from a 2nd cousin. (JMW – THANK YOU!!!). there are over 100 letters between my gr-grandfather Avery and my gr-grandmother Eleanor that span over a period 10 years: from when they were dating and living in two separate towns (Kechi, KS and Cashion, OK) to marriage, to Avery’s service in WWI with letters from Italy and France.
Also included are a few additional letters from their friends, a former teacher and military brothers.
Have you been fortunate to have a similar piece of history? If so, please post your website if you have stories to share! I would love to hear about them. ❤
i would LOVE to be put in touch with anyone who might have more of Eleanor Woodworth’s letters, as I don’t have many of those.
Feel free to reach out to me for any reason; if you attempt to transcribe any of the letters. I would love to be included in what you think; i am having difficulty with the handwriting at times and am working on a typewritten set of these.
MASTER list of current letters:
- Page 1
- 1904:
- 24 July
- 8 Oct
- 1905:
- 2 May
- 18 Jul
- 20 Jul
- 28 Jul
- 26 Dec
- Page 2
- 1906:
- 2 Jan
- 2 April
- 4 April
- 13 March
- 2 April (@2)
- 9 April (@2)
- 13 April
- 17 April
- 23 April
- 24 April
- 27 April (@3) – one of the letters is from Avery to his future FIL, Mr. Woodworth
- 28 April
- 1 May
- (combined letters May 2-6-11-15-18-23)
- 27 July
- 4 Aug
- 6 Aug
- 10 Aug
- 12 Aug
- 20 Aug
- 13 Sept from unknown to Eleanor
- 14 Oct (2) one letter is from Clara Wight to her sister-in-law Eleanor
- 26 Oct
- 4 Nov
- 15 Nov from Aura (unk. who she is)
- 19 Nov
- 7 Dec
- 12 Dec (wedding invitation)
- Page 3
- 1907:
- 27 Jan from Bess to her sister Eleanor
- 11 Feb
- 1908:
- 15 Aug from E to A @ Ft. Riley, KS
- 1917:
- 3 Jan from E to A in Italy
- 4 Sept from A to E, from Halifax N.S. on White Star Line
- 14 Aug from friend to AB who was in France
- 29 Aug from HL Hershey in Phillipines to Capt. AB Wight
- 1918:
- 5 Dec letter from Maj Thomas Atkinson, Jr Q.M.C to Maj. A.B. Wight, Q.M.C in Tours, France
- 1919:
- 22 Feb
- 1920:
- 15 Dec from friend in Paris, France to AB Wight, at First National Bank, Cashion, OK
- date unknown:
- from George C (brother) to Avery
I saw your mother today and she told me that you had quite a time of it getting to Guthrie. Great Lord! had to stand nearly to Ark. City! What sort of a gang were they any how and what the deuce were Derby people doing going to Ark. City! (excerpt from 26 Dec 1905 letter)
…continued on next page
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