Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1904-09-09
Lexington illinois
Sept. /. 1904

Sept. l, 1904
Editor Highland Recorder:
Being on visit to this section
Illinois. | write YOU, not knowing
whether it will be published or
reach the waste basket. | left
Mcdowell, my native town, the
Both Of June and arrived i'll Nor
NAL, Ill. the 4th of July. The
first man | ran against was ii u
Malcolm, who built the jail III your
town, now contractor and builder
at that place, and said to be the
finest builder in that city. | re-
manned there one week then went
by rail to Elpaso. Through that
section saw as fine crops OF corn
and oats rs | have ever seen. There
my son, George E Wooddell met
me and went east 7 miles. We
drove through some fine country,
arriving at GridIey. George Wood
dell is contractor and builder III
that town and own some nice
property. Crops in that section
are as fine this season as any one
could wish to see. The season was
very good throughout. The corn
and oat crops are the largest known
for years. and threshing machines
were thick over the country. Oats
made from 80 to go bushels per
acre. While there also came
across three 4the Highland boys,
Charles Wilson who is running a
eating shack in a fine building in
the business part of the city, his
brother who is working Oh farm
two miles north and one mile east
Of town at rs dollars per month,
and George Ralston working on Il
farm 3 miles from that place at
$25 per month.
September 1st | came across
country to the city cf Lexington.
and took dinner with Jacob Botkin
and wife, a daughter of uncle
q, johnny Ralsion near Mcdowell.
After dinner | went up town
where had a picnic shaking hands
with the Highland boys, Saturday
being their shopping day | met
with Van Armstrong and lamp
den, Arly, John and Peter Botkin,
Will, John and Ausker Malcome,
sons of Martin Malcolm. They all
live in a circle from southwest to
east Of town distance Of to six
miles,
1t would make my letter too long
to tell how much oats each one
has threshed so will sum it up in
this way: The average is from
$500 to 5000 bushels.
i also came across William Varn-
er who came to this country 30
years ago and resides at Pleasant
Hill, this county. and who handed
me one dollar to pay his subscrIp-
ton to your paper for which YOU
will find a postoffice order enclosed.
1t had been 80 years since was in
this town and | have met with
quite lot of my young associates
who ranged from 10 to 10 years
old. also found first cousin
that | had never seen-Preston
Curry; who came here from West
Va. in 1853. His wife is a daugh-
ter of Peter Hefner { Heavner)
formerly of Crabbottom, and |
think a brother of Wash and Uriah
Hevener of Highland and Poca'
hontas. Yesterday [ had the
pleasure Of visiting Mrs Arbogast,
the widow of Mr. Benjamin Arbo-
CAST who died last year Mrs Ar
bogast was Nicholas, daughter
of Charles Nicholas of our county.
Mrs Arbogast is living with her
sons Earnest and Ben. They have
well-equipped carpenter shop.
and are contractors and builders.
MrsArbogast is in declining health.
There are lot of Highland folks
here and all have raised fine crops
of corn and are Smelling and de-
livering their last years corn crop.
Mr. John Botkin shelled two cribs
that were So feet long IL feet high
and 10 feet wide. This was the
first shelter | ever SAW running.
Shelled 60 bushels in minutes.
[ close to eat some more of the
Illinois grub with Mr. Alfred Wills
and wife. Though a cripple, /
have seen sights. and am like a hen
on hot griddle running and set
ting. With best wishes to you
and your paper and all the readers.
VIM Z WOodell