The following letter was written by Ora Shain Duggins on April 23, 1930, to her sister Rhea Shain Tinkle.  In the letter, Ora describes the circumstances surrounding the death of her and Rhea's sister, Nola May Shain Kebbell.  Nola had recently given birth to Mary Jane Kebbell, and shortly after the birth, Nola took ill.  Her sickness persisted and she eventually passed away on April 17, 1930.

My great aunt, Grace Kebbell Bratcher, has the original of the letter and let me scan it during August, 2008.  What is set out below are relatively low-resolution copies of my scans, along with my edited version of the content.  I have added some punctuation, and words in italics are changes I made to ease the reading.  (E.g., I changed rec'd to received and Dr to the doctor.)

FIRST

Kokomo, April 23.

Dear Rhea,

I have just received your letter.  Glad

to hear from you once more.

Will try to answer it, amid

my tears.  Oh, Dear Sister, How my

heart is breaking, seems as though

I just can't recuperate, over our

loss.  I wish you were here this

week.  We could be company for

each other.

Dear Nola, taken down with what they

called Flu, and then double pneumonia.

Was almost what you'd call un-

conscious from the start.  So much

like Father, her mind seemed to come

and go.  She paid no attention to the

Little baby or other children.  When

we'd take the baby to her bed, it would

laugh & then cry, then laugh & cry

Second,

again.  She would cry also, but say nothing.

She wouldn't try to talk.  Only said

a few words the whole week I was there.

Seemed so hard for her to swallow, & the doctor

said her throat was cracked open

from intense fever.  She was broke

out 3 days before she left with

something just like measles (all over

her).  The doctor called it blood poison.  Oh

how it nettled her.  We just had to

hold her hands to keep her from

digging it.  The day before she left

she was so bad, and suffering such

agony.  The doctor came & administered

food (butter milk, eggnog and broth)

through a tube into her for strength.

Forced it through her mouth and

also through her nose.  Oh my such

suffering I never saw and groaned

every breath.  It was just torment

Third

to rouse her for nourishment, but

he had hopes of the strength from

it helping her.  She was so low all day

Wednesday and that night, & breathed so hard

and her moans could be heard all

through the house.  So about 5 a.m. I

laid down, but was awakened by

Hildred crying about 6 to come quick

that Nola was dying.  So she drawed

her last here in this world of trouble

about 7 a.m.  Ma, Rut, me, Arnel & Hildred

were by her bedside.  She was calmed from

her [groanings] a short time before the

end, and it came as though she was

sleeping through deep breathing.

A few hard breaths and then the

last one failed to catch again.

I wish so much for her to say

something & tried to get her to, but

she was too weak and near gone

Fourth

to answer.  Olla & Ada had left about

daylight.  He hated so bad that he left,

but he thought he could catch a little

sleep, but too late.  Soon after her departure

the house was filled with good help and

she was sweetly dressed and laid out

by Mariah Shain, Alice Dewees, Ray Shaw,

Ethel Wilson, Coara Doolin, Mrs. Woosley

and several others.

Tommie* suggested Ora B. Olla, Arvil &

myself to go to Caneyville for the burial

outfit.  We went in Olla's car & Lan K.

and I.O. Young drove the wagon out

for the clothes & casket.  We picked a

pretty all white casket and her dress

was white flat crepe, with Soisette* slip

and white silk stockings.  The clothes

were made there at the house.

Eithel had charge of them.  It was

made with 3 big box pleats on front

Fifth

and trimmed with rosettes of

blue & pink baby ribbon and long

Streamers of white baby ribbon.  Made

like shroud they showed us at

Bonds.  Immediately after her death

we called Arthur Beula & Aunt Sarah.

All came on the accommodation* that night.

Goldia and [Baliss] also.

Verna got the undertaker from Caneyville--

brought Charley Strausburg out to

the McCandles Graveyard for burial

at 1:30 Friday p.m. and offered to come

after our corpse at 2:30 in his hearse.

So the body was drawn by his horses

and hearse to the Dewees graveyard

and buried about 3:30 p.m. Friday.

Brother Jerry Preached the funeral and

spoke so sweetly of her life she had

lived and a wonderful memory

of her.  He had no doubt but that she

Sixth

is sweetly saved & resting in Glory.

Although she had made no public

confession of her Dear Savior, we feel

her sweet disposition and cheerful

life to all explained that part well.

The songs were Some Sweet Day,

Home Sweet Home & Nearer my God to Thee.

Script. 15th Chapter of 1st Corinthians, beginning

about the 38th verse.*  She was 30 years, 4 months &

21 days old.  A large concourse of

friends & relatives helped to see

her laid away, and her death was

greatly mourned by the whole

community.  The children cried lots

and wept bitterly as the grave was

being filled.  Her grave was beautifully

covered with yard flowers brought

by the neighbors & homefolks.

Tommie is so sad and took on lots.

Mrs. Kebbell* will move in the house

Seventh

with him and take care

of the little ones.  Her and Ona are

so faithful and shouldered most

of the responsibility of the house

& children.  Ma could help so much

by sewing, washing & such, but you

know her.*  I'm afraid she won't.

I wish I was near to lend a

hand but too far away.

Arvel talked straight to Ma, in

regard.  Maybe it will a little.

Pa Boone is very fine, and has

made Ma a fine home & companion.

If she'll only be satisfied.  He told Rut

he could call that home, and

I'm so glad.  Rut mourned her death

so terrible hard, worse by far than

any.  He required the attention of

someone all time.  He said his

Mother is gone.

Eighth

He is going to work at the sawmill

for Kale Shain.  Write him an encouraging

letter.  Everybody feels so sorry for him.

Rhea, she seemed to have a slight

paralysis of her Right side &

the doctor feared all time that she would

develop Spinal Meningitis, but not

that we know of.  She had got real

healthy looking and fat since

the baby came.  Baby is little

but fat.  It is doing fine on

cows milk.  Mrs. Kebbell mothers it.

Nie, Rut Arthur & me went down

Monday, April 14th, and she didn't pay

much attention to us, but next

morning she spoke to us & said she

knew us, but the doctor said she did not

have mind enough to know

anything.  She suffered & cried

so much, it was a relief to us

Ninth

when the Dear Lord relieved her of

it all.  And how Glad she must

have been.  We all came back

Sunday.  Olla brought Beula, Arvel,

Aunt Sarah & me to Leitchfield to the

fast train at 5:30 so we got home

by middle of p.m. Sunday.

Kids were so glad to see me, but

they all got along so good.  Ed said

Lois had a time making the

boys keep things clean.  And Joan

wanted her to go to her house but

she was always too busy.  Ha ha.

They had lots to tell me and ain't

through yet.

Well, I must close and finish

dinner.  Must iron after dinner.

Hope you are feeling good and

Junior too.  I sent him a card

when I sent yours.  You can

Tenth

pass this letter to him if you

think he can read it.  I am

nervous & don't write very good

anymore.

Write soon.  We are always

glad to hear from you.

Love, your Sister Ora.

P.S.  They all had lots of eggs

& baskets for Easter, but no

new clothes.  Didn't need any.

Ed took them out to the woods

Sunday, and they enjoyed that.

Had their lunch along.

Wouldn't you like to see

them getting ready.  Ha ha.

Ora

Some of the dress and slip.

Return Address:

Mrs. H E Duggins

1127 N Webster

Kokomo Ind.

Address:

Mrs. Rhea Tinkle

Rockville

Ind

Postmark:

Kokomo, Ind.

Apr 23

4:30 P.M.

1930

*"Tommie" was my great grandfather, Thomas Kebbell, Jr.  Nola May Shain Kebbell, the person whose death is recounted in this letter, was his wife and my great grandmother.

*"Soisette" was a tradename for fine combed mercerized cotton in white, plain or prints.  That name was stamped on selvage.  The fabric was used for dresses, linings, curtains, pajamas, shirts, children's clothes.

*The "accommodation" is a reference to a passenger train, one that usually ran after the "fast train" had run through for the day.

*First Corinthians 15:38 - 58:

*"Mrs. Kebbell" is a reference to my great great grandmother Delilah Kebbell.  She was the wife of Thomas Kebbell, Sr., and the mother of my great grandfather Thomas Kebbell, Jr.

*The reference to "Ma" is a reference to Palestine Shain Boone, my great great grandmother.  After her first husband died, Palestine (or Grandma Pallie, as they called her) married a man named Boone.  Even though Nola's children were Grandma Pallie's grandchildren, Grandma Pallie was not inclined to help my great grandfather (Grandma Pallie's son-in-law) raised the children.  Instead, my great great grandmother Delilah Kebbell took on the task.