Letter from Bert Hilburn dated 20 May 1974 to Jewell Hopkins, Urbana Mo<o:p></o:p>

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Dear Cousin Jewell:<o:p></o:p>

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We are sincerely grateful for your nice and informative letter of May 13.   When I wrote to Hadley, I sent you a duplicate copy of the letter, that is how you got it. <o:p></o:p>

Inasmuch as you and your blessed mother have been so attentive to our sisters graves, I am now satisified as to the proper location of the headstone.  We are grateful also for someone restoring the stone to a correct position, as it is my memory that the last time I saw it, it was leaning severely.  We noticed Grandmother Harrell’s (Malinda Jane Bartlett Harrell) headstone, was leaning when we were there two weeks ago.  Wonder if the caretaker could be engaged to straighten it to a correct position.  We would be glad to reimburse him for it.<o:p></o:p>

We are keenly interested in your reporting the procurement of statistical and historical brochures of soldiers buried in the cemetery.  We were aware that Grandfather Harrell (Andrew Wayne Harrell) was the first burial there.  I have a vivid recollection of these graves originally being in the corner of the Kreller farm, with the road running between them and the church.  Apparently when the cemetery came under care, the fence was relocated to bring them into the cemetery grounds. <o:p></o:p>

Careful examination reveals the depression now, where the old road once ran, just east of our Grandparents graves.  We are enclosing a check, and hope there are copies of the brochure left so that we may have one.  Use the balance for decorations, or cemetery maintenance, as you see fit.  Would send more, but have already given Hadley, who we understand is cemetery treasurer money, in fact we sent him $20.00 and gave Etta $20.00 for the New Hope Cemetery.  And we send the same amount to Rosa for decorative purposes in the Anadarko Cemetery each year.  This makes a sizeable obligation yearly.<o:p></o:p>

So sorry to learn of Eva’s disability.  Hope she may obtain a more comfortable status.  We were interested in your account of Roosevelt’s passing.  Our sympathy has always been with Jeanne, whom we regarded as a very wonderful person, and could never understand that defection.  We recall the pleasure we enjoyed in stopping and having luncheon with them in Lebanon.  We never suspected any difficulty in their household.  We have had pleasant correspondence with their daughters, in fact one of them, while in Cleveland, Ohio, had planned to visit us in Pennsylvania, but we left there before she made it. <o:p></o:p>

Until receipt of your letter, had forgotten Aunt Zetta having a previous marriage before the one with Uncle Charlie McNamer. <o:p></o:p>

I don’t believe my letter to a Hadley contained the information about my two sisters buried in Mission Ridge Cemetery.<o:p></o:p>

Ruby Grace, was born August 1 1899, and died August 1, 1905, her sixth birthday.  Bessie, “no middle name�?born September 1, 1901, died September 6, 1901.  She was buried there three years before Grandmother Harrell.  You will note, Ruby was six years old, and Bessie only 6 days old.  Ironically I noted that Ruby’s name is misspelled on the headstone, being spelled Rubbie.<o:p></o:p>

Surely you, Hadley and others are to be commended and congratulated on the transformation that has been made in the Mission Ridge Cemetery. It has been upgraded immensely, and is being maintained in a most creditable manner.  We found this also to be true at the New Hope Cemetery.  We know this is a source of great pride to you all.<o:p></o:p>

It will always be a pleasure to hear from you any time at your convenience.  With love and very best wishes, we are<o:p></o:p>

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Sincerely<o:p></o:p>

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Ora and Bert Hilburn<o:p></o:p>

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