Correspondence (incoming): begging letters, E

Ocean Park Jan. 3, 1902

Dear Mrs. Stanford:

Knowing so much of the thoughtfulness and love you express towards everybody, I take the liberty of putting my case before you, with the hope of receiving some suggestion.

I am a young girl alone in the world, with all my hopes and aspirations centered on art. I have been told that my talent lay in designing, and loving it as I do, if I could only do that for a living, I think I should ask nothing

more of the world.

Now, is there any way that I could get through the Art Course, that is, just the Designing, at your University?

Could I teach Stenography for my tuition, or to pay my expenses in some way?

Having had to struggle alone since I was fourteen, trying to get an education, my health is somewhat broken down; but I feel that something I could put my whole soul into like designing would make me well.

Hoping to receive a loving thought or suggestion from you, I am, Yours most sincerely, Josephine Engstrom Los Angeles Co. Ocean Park, Cal.

Amiret, Minn January 16th 1902

Mrs. Jane L. Stanford, San Francisco, Cal.

Dear Madame:

Pardon me for writing these few lines. I had hard luck last year and got in to such a circumstance that I see no way ahead of me for to clear myself out. I went into Farming last year in the spring of 1901. I have not any Land of my own so I rented 80 acres prairie land brok [sic] it all up and Seeded in to flax. During the last days of June I had a fine outset of flax and a good prospection for to clear the business I went in to because I was to get all of the first crop of the Land for my Work of turning the sod over but out through July and August it commence with warm weather and very hot winds so my Crop burnt all down to nearly nothing. When I started at this work last spring I had to Mortgage my House and Lot located here in Amiret, is Mortgage in First National Bank, of Tracy, Minn, for $500.00 Dollars for this amount of money I bought three Horses some feed for the horses and my seedflax. Futhermore I am in debt to F. W. Webb, here at Amiret for machinery. So my Debt in all will amount to $1300 Dollars this is the sum of money that I am not able to pay up because I lost my Crop. And the mortgage on my house is due the 15th of february 1902. So {will ?} then be without home. And the machine man are crowding

The horses is abut [sic] all I and my Family is owner of at this time. But if this Debt was covered we would then get our home back and we would be happy and thankful, So I beg to say if Mrs. Jane L. Stanford, Please would think of us in help to settle my Debt or a part of it we would be ever so much thankful for a little help to us, For the last ten years until last spring a year ago I used to work on the Railroad as a Common Laborer Section man for a small wages and my wife has been ill health of heart Disease for the last nine Years so we always have had some expenses for Doctor and Medicine of my small earned wages, what make me write this statement is on account of that I lost my Crops last year when I first begin farming. And I am past forty years born 1858. so I feel sorry because I have had hard Luck and be in Debt and without a home on my advanced in years and in such a circumstance I find my self in need of Inquire to a God blessing helpful hand.

Respectfully H Erickson Hans Erickson Amiret

Lindsborg, Kans Dec. 28th 01

Jane L. Stanford Sanfrancisco [sic] Cal.

Dear Madam

Excuse my braveness for asking you for a little help.

Please be so kind and help me with $500. (five hundred dollars). I am a man suffering of a nerves decease [sic] caused by being struck by lightning, and not able to work Therefore I ask for the sum mentioned above to aid my expences [sic] at an health resort. Please favor me with this. At least favor me with an answer and your idia [sic] about this I would also be glad to hear an advice from you what would be best for me to do. With Respect C. H. Erickson adr other side