THE TACOMA HOGANS

Letter from David W. Hogan from Kansas City, Ks before he and family moved to Tacoma, Washington. Letters from Susannah Jane Young-Hogan to her sister, Belle Young-Ferguson. Some notes from Jane and Dave Hogan's daughters, Flo and Belle and from Charles Ferguson to his parents, Belle (Young) and Dave Ferguson. I have added periods and some paragraphs for more ease in reading.

Letter dated November 29, 1894. State of Tennessee. Greene County

Dear Nephew. i set myself to try to answer your ____ ____ ____ that came to hand last ____. All well but Milley and ____ ____ to ____ ____ ____. Jas Luttrell ____ ____ is tolerbal bad. i dont ____ ____ ____.

Well Dave ____ ____ ____ see us this chrismus for we all would be glad to see you all. Well times is hard. money is scarce. Wheat fifty cense, corn forty cense, Hogs 4 cense, catel good 2 cense. Horses and mules no trade. Tell all the rest of the Boles and connections that I would ____ them to come and see me. Tell Brother Jas to Rite and let me her from him. Well Dave got some Locust seeds and some Elder Beres that had nearly all fell of But i don the Best i Cod.

(This paragraph apparently written for him - different writing) I have wrote all I can. My hands hurt me so I couldnt half write. I will have to close for this time. Write son and send me all of your pictures. I remain always
Your Uncle D. B. Hogan To D. S. Ferguson


(Note: David Boles Hogan died March 1895, age 66. )

Envelope Postmarked May 15 1900, Kansas City, Ks
Letter headed: Kansas City, Kansas May the 14 1900
Mr D S Ferguson
Dear Cousin,

I will try and wright to you after som long a time. This leaves me well. hoping you the same.

Well Dave I went to work the third day after i got here at a dollar and half per day. i taken hold of the first thing that i could gett. i onley got the promisis of a few days work but i worked up till saturday kinght. they got caught up with there work and laid me off. there is lots of work here but the unions is making trouble sow the contracters dont know what to do.

i have bin out to day looking for work. i mist it by not bringing my team withe me. John had a job for me withe the team that i could make from four to five dollars per day. it isnt any trubble to get three and a half dollars per day with a team.

Well Dave this is a great place. there is all kinds of people here. you can see them going in every direction. some seame happy some gloomey and careworn and some stamped with crime. i will try and give you a litle discription of the place. it is a rough hilly broken place. it is just about such a place as skunk town except the rocks. there isnt any rocks here.

well i dont know whether you can read this or not. if not come up and i will read it for you if you dont wait two long. wright and till me all the news. i will close for this time. hoping to hear from you soon.

yours as ever
D W Hogan

Postmarked June 29 1901 received at Willow Springs, Missouri from Fairhaven, Washington

June 23, 1901
To Mr. Orville Ferguson

Dear Bro Joe, Received your letter today and what you think it was the seventh letter. How would you like to write six letters besides what I write to you folks at home?

How is farming, are you having good weather? And how dose every thing look? And how about the 4th of July? Who is going to be your girl on that day and what do you think you will blow your self for?

Say did you ever get your watch fixed?

This is all the time I have. will write again this week.
Your Bro Chas

= = = = = = =

On the back side of the above letter:
Fairhaven, Wash
June 23 1901

Dear Mother and Father,

Received your letters a few minuts ago, that is one from all of you except Pa, guess he was busy but I allways like to get a few lines from you all.

The night shift relieve us at three this afternoon and Pitman, the Condictor that has been learning me turns me over now and after this I will get pay for whah I do. I am not going to get as much as I thought as the Supt. miss _____ a little to me.

August 12 1901
Dear Sister, as Charly is riting, I will rite some.

This is a lovely morning. All of the men are gone to work. The girls washing. They are home Monday but work all the rest of the week. They wash when they are home.

I have not much of anything to rite. I wish you all was here for I don't think that things are so scarce here and not so very high in price and lots of work for all. Men can get most anything to do that they want to do. San went to the matress factory and got work, one dollar per day. I don't like to live here as well as I do in Mo. but we can make more money here than we can there.

I want to come home but don't see any chance for a while but alow to as soon as can. Dave got a letter from Rob and he thinks that there will be people that will suffer this winter.

I think if John and his family was here they could get along so much better here than they do there. Robs says he don't see how that they will get.......... (rest of letter missing)

Sept 8 1901
Dear Sister

I will try and answer your kind and wellcom letter. We're all well except Charley, he has a cold but not bad. He is full of life and fun. Hope you are all well.

When I read Daves letter I felt that I would get to see you again. I know you could do so much better some where else and you would not have to work so very hard. You are both geting up in years to work hard. If you do (come) don't stop till you get Pa to come with you and then I will be beter satisfied.

Tho I would rather live in Mo any time as here if we could make the same money there as we could here. The folks made last week $25.40. You know they could not made that there. They did not work all of the time. San get 1.90 for work he put in all week. Dave gets 1.75, worked four days. Bell worked three days, gets 1.00. Flo works for 1.00. I don't want you think I am braging but I did want you to see we are doing some beter here. Last week was all the week that girls did not get in five days in each week. When they get in good time, the four make $31.90 a week and if they was home they could not do that well, so we will stay here for a while.

Charly put in all last month at 1.75 per day. You know he could not get that much a day for work. He said tell you he would rite you tomorrow. I will take care of him if he was to get sick but I think he will not get bad for he is up and round. If he should get sick I will let you know. Now don't be uneasy about him for he is not very sick, just a cold and he and the children has a time so you know he is not very sick.

I will send you a birthday present. Dont know wether you will get it in time for your birthday or not but that is what it is for. It won't be very much of any importance but you will know we have not forgoten you have a birthday, if we are way out in Washington. We will be apt to stay here for a while as we can make a living here and I guess that is more than some is doing out home. As it is geting late I will have to close for this time.

Love to all, Your sister

Letter dated at Tacoma, Wash Oct 13, 1901

Dear Sister and Family,

I will try and (answer) your letter I received a few days ago and was glad to hear you was all well. This leaves us well except I haven't bin very well for some days but not very sick. Have had the cramps rite smart. Was billous, taken some medison and feel better. The girls has gone to the docks. Just a crowd of farm folks. ?_____ has bin sick but not dangerous. It is a sickness that stay with her for some time.

You spoke of what Dave rote to Pa, it was in regard to Paytons and McDonatch. I don't think I hardly understand what you mean that Pa thinks he meant.

If I knew anything that Charley done I would tell you and would talk to as I would Sanford. I think it is just what I ought to do if I know he isn't doing what he ought and to try and keep him from doing anything that is rong.

I got two sacks of cabbage of Authar Shamon and gave him one dollar twenty cents for them. They weight ninty pounds a piece. Have five gallon of kraut made and will made more this week. Have got a nice range and it is a daise. Give thirty dollars for it. Our folks is doing very well here but it is not home.

We charge Charley ten dollars per month for his board and washing. Do you think that is too much. He is talking of going home soon but don't know how soon he will go.

Sanford talks sometimes like he will go back and hire out but I and his Pa and the girls don't want him to go for he won't make nothing like as much there as he can here and work as hard again and have a boss as he has here and no priveliges at all and here he can do as he wants to. His board and washing don't cost him anything. He don't get any thing less than one seventy-five cents per day and there he would get fifty cents and work about 24 hours a day. Here he works 10 hours and he would have to go when he was told just like he was a slave. Here he works pretty much as he pleases. When he worked of nites he got two dollars and when he commenced days they give him one seventy-five cents and he don't like it very well but that is as much as he would get there for three days and a half. Oh them long days and rocks and grubs. I am in hopes he will stay here as we are here as he is all of the boy left us and I think it would be awfull for him to go away unless he was bettering his self and I know he would not be doing any better than he is here.

This morning looks like rain. The rainy season has not set in yet. All gone to work and are all alone but have lots to do and keeps me busy. Have to fix the girls dress. They are too long.

Rite soon, Your sister

Note from Charley to his parents, Dave and Belle Ferguson. Mostly faded

....that Pa will have that fence row cut out by the time I get back. Has the wood plade out. When I get home I will tell you all about........................... Tennie will write in this letter and will tell you when we will come home, we will get there on the 9:oclock train. Hope all is well. Your son, Charles

Nov 12 1901

Dear Sister, will try and answer your kind and wellcom letter rec. Saterday. This leaves all well and hope you the same. All are gone to work. Sanford is asleep. He works nites. He thinks he will try for a day work. Commenced raining yester morning, rained all day and nite an is raining yet.

Well, I know you was proud to see Charley. I did not know he was going home until it ws dark are all most. I had the lamp lit when he came home from dellie.

(rest of letter missing)

Letter from Flo Hogan to Dave and Belle Ferguson - no date on letter

Dear Uncle & Aunt
Well I will scratch you a few lines while we are waiting for Sanford to come.

I enjoyed reading your letter today Aunt Belle. Say what is the matter with Uncle Dave. Has he smothered in the smoke? You all write of so much fire. I supposed that he had for he never writes anymore. Maybe he thinks that he is to good to write to his poor Washignton relation.

Well every body is geting married out there. I wished that I had stayed. Maybe there would have been a chance for me. It wouldn't do for me to go back for there isn't anyone left except Budge P. and I suppose that Tennye is counting on him, if she can't get Jim M. My Robbie and poor Porter has gone to the Sunny South. Billie Reede and Jissie M are going to get married. Alas! That is the luck of an old maid.

Say I heard that Charlie J was at Puyalup or Wilbur, I have forgotten which. If it is so, tell Lou that I will try to get him but that I will take good care of him.

Does Lou & Dude go to town to school? I heard that Dude was going to the acadamy in town and that Lou was studing something. Oh I forgot what.

Well I have been working a way from home for the last two weeks. I have been at Mrs. Percivale. She has been sick. She gave me $4 a week & I didn't have to do any work that was hard. I got the work done by 10 o'clock AM then dinner & didn't have to do anything until supper. I am going to hunt me another job next week, if we don't move. We want to move if we can get a house.

Aunt Bell, if grandpa gets sick, let us know & write as often as you can. Tell Charlie that I appreciate his kindness in answering my letter. I will write to J & E next time.

Write soon & if Uncle Dave doesn't think he is to good he might scratch a few lines.

Love to all. Flo Tell everybody hello

Letter postmarked Dec 17 1901, Tacoma, Wash

Sister, I will try and answer your kind letter we received some 8 or 10 day ago. Was glad to hear from you. This leaves us well. Dave is not home. He is _____of the mountains helping on a depot. All of the folks is working.

All are well as far as I know. Frank hasn't done any thing for four weeks. He has a absess on his rite arm. The doctor lansed it two weeks ago last Sat and it still runs. The doctor turned the dressing of it over to Flo. She taken care of Edna Payton and the doc thinks she is one of the best girls to do anything he ever saw. He says she would make a good nurse. Frank would not let them lance his arm till they sent to the laundry for Flo. They put him under the influence of chloroform befor they would do anything for his arm. She has more nerve than anyone I ever saw. She would work all day and get up nites when Edna was sick and the same when Frank arm was so bad. Last Thursday he got her a ring - cost five dollars. It is a daysie. She don't like for anyone to say anything about it but San does have something to say about it, of course. She don't like for ever one to say all they think about it.

San has bin looking for a letter from Charley for some time. Tenney has forgoten the girls. She hasn't rote to anyone of them for some time. We have not had any bad weather here and not very much rain yet and no cold weather to say of yet. I keep my house plants out of doors in the day time. It froze here two nites last week. The girls had the scarlet-tune last week. Flo was rite sick but it did not hurt Bell very much.

You must rite and tell me often how Pa is getting along. I have not had a letter from him for some time, allmost two weeks, and it makes us anxious about him when it is so long a time of hearing of him. (Note - Pa is William Young - he died Nov 27 1902)

Delpains are here and they are well satisfied with the country. She has got better so fast here. She was rite sick when she came here. Mr. Owens fell off a building some time ago and he went to the hospital and got better and they sent him home and he got worse and went back and might have to stay some time. Charley knows him.

I am trying to iron. When the irons gets cold, I rite a while and iron a while. Some days seems like they never will end. It is so lonesome and all gone. The girls leaves before it is good light and is always dark when they get home. San leavs home at five oclock in the evening and gets home at seven next morning and sleeps all day. You see I am by myself are all most so.

Walters are all well are were a few days ago. I haven't seen Lou for some time. They live on G and 26 and I don't go very often.

When you churn, think of me way out here paying 35 cts for butter and it not good and 40 cts for eggs. Got 16 qur of milk and watter for 1.00. You can see it takes lots to live here. Of course we make rite smart of money but it takes lots to live for every thing is high. I made 10 gallon of kraut. It is fine. I will have to quit for this time.

Rite soon. Good by, Jane

Feb 7, 1902 - postmarked Tacoma, Wash

Dear Sister, will try and answer your kind and welcom letter rec some time ago but did not answer as soon as I have should. This leaves all well and hope you the same. All are away at work so I am all day alone but I find something to (do) all of the time but I get so lomesome times I can't hardly stand it. Of course all are around us but it isn't home. We have lots of company for the young folks has made lots of acquaintences here, so there is not a week un someone is here of evenings for there is no one goes of days or after noon. All go evening for allmost everyone works.

Just got a letter from Pa. He was well. O how I wish I see him once more but if we have no bad luck, I will see him for all are making a good wage and I will scrimp so I can come home next fall. I don't think Florence will come with me but Bell will. She is as big a pet as ever. She is spoilt. Her fore lady in the laundry thinks she is better than anyone of the other girls and she has her own way. Her fore lady is English but she is a find girl. Her name is Siyie? Westlake. Bell works at the mangle. She folds close that runs through the mangle. The sheets and pillow cases and towels and napkins and all things such as I named.

Pa said that Mr and Mrs J W Harky had a girl baby. I am sure they are proud of it. Hope they will raise it all OK.

I will tell you all about our Christmas here. We sent Pa a few things. Dave got just the same thing from us as Pa got. Bell sent him a hankerchief and Mrs. McD give him one and so did _________. Walt give him a shaving mug. San got a cuff and collar box. I give him that. Bell got him a set of shirt studs and cuff buttons. The two Mrs. McD each got him a hankerchief. Flo got him a shirt, a nice dress shirt and Walt give him a watch chain, said to be gold. Bell got two persiar waist and a pair of side combs, a pocket book and a work box, a pin tray and gold ring. She has two nice gold ring she got one for her birthday. She got six handkerchiefs. Mrs. McD one and Mrs J McD two. Walt one, I give one, Flo and she got a hanker box. She don't know the giver but some of us do and that is as well as to tell her.

Flo got allmost the same as Bell only she got a jewel case more than Bell. Yes, Bell got a pair of kid gloves. Flo ring is nicer than Bells. Her is a carved hand ring but her set ring is the nicest. Of course it would be for it was give a diferent time. I got a nice walter? set. Bell give it to me. San got me a set of silver knives and forks. Dave did not get me anything. Flo and Frank got me set of Salad dishes, a lard dish and six small ones. Guy give me a banna dish. Mrs. Mc a dish and several handkerchiefs.

Sometimes I think that I would rather live there than here but we can't make the same money there as we can here. I and the girls went to see Lilie Sunday. They are all well. She has a new machine. She sent to Sear a Rowbuck for it. She told Flo to rite to Tenie and tell her about a school and she did. They told us that Murrys was almost ready to come out here but Pa did not say anything about it in his letter I got today.

We look for Dave home tomorrow or Sunday. He come home every two or three weeks. He was home two weeks next Sunday. It seems a long time from one time of his coming home to the next time for when the children is here they are not very much company to me for there is always someone here.

Tell Charley that the widow wil be (married) the 16th of this month. She and Fowler is to be married. Yes, by the way, how is Will Reed and his wife get along. I never hear of them anymore.

I will have to close for this time. Rite soon and don't wait as long a you did before. Your Sister till death.

March 16 (no year) probably 1902 Tacoma, Wash

Dear Aunt, I will now try to answer your welcome letter we received today. We are all well and I hope this may find you well.

Well, everything is a dull and lonesome as can be. All we can do is to sit around and look at each other and you know how you feel when anyone is staring at you. I feel like I was shot at and missed.

Well, we are talking of moving again. Our neighbors are Irish folks and you can guess what they are. We can't go outside of the door, but what they call us some 'dirty' names and the folks said we would move.

I would like to be at home to cut meat and fry sausage and grind coffee for breakfast. And of Sunday mornings get up and fly around to the dinner for you all, but that never will be. Aunt Belle do you know I never realized that what it was to be away from all of you. After we came out here, I realized all of that, but I don't think I will ever see you all again. I would give anything to see all of the folks.

Aunt Bell, take care of Grandpa. I know he is so lonesome but he won't complain. I would like to see him too. Do you think he wil ever come out here? I wish he would and you would come two. I know it must be awfully lonely with the house all closed up and everything so still. Ma said she didn't know what she was thinking about to go away off and leave him, you folks and Bill's grave. Aunt Belle, do you know what his grave is like? I wish we was there to set out some flowers on it this Spring and to help take care of Grandpa. I wouldn't be suprised to hear of him being bad sick any time and us away out here. I don't see what we was thinking of anyway.

Why didn't Joe write? That picture of Eula was just fine and who was that other little girl? Who was that for? Flo said it was hers and I said it was mine and Ma said it was for her and so she got it, but I want one and I am going to have it if I have to come to Mo. after it.

Well, I must close for Flo and I will have to get San's supper. He gets off of Sat nights at 9:30, but it is 10:00 before he gets home and we have supper ready for him. Give my love to all.

As Ever, Goodbye, B.H.

(a PS) If you can't read this, just call in some of your neighbors. Forrest for instance. I think Eula has improved lots in her writing.

Folded with above letter.
March 16, Tacoma Wash

Miss Eula Ferguson
Dear Cousin Eula, I will answer your letter that I received today. Well, what are you doing? I suppose you are going to school. You must learn fast and be a good girl. You tell Joe if he don't write the next time, I won't write to him. Your picture is just fine and it is such a cute picture. Well I must close. Write a long letter next time.

Your Cousin, Belle

Hogan Letters Continued on Next Page

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This page was last updated January 12, 2001.