Correspondence (incoming): begging letters, I - J

Fiskburg, Kenton Co., Ky. Dec 17, 1901

Mrs Jane L Stanford Dear Unseen Friend

You no doubt will be surprised to received [sic] a letter from a person so far off; But, as I saw in the enquire that you was helping the institutions of learning; and as I am a poor boy with no means to educate myself, I thought probably you would be kind enough to send me enough money

to educate myself in the college of Sebanon, Ohio. I am a poor boy and am not very stout. I am a christian member of the Baptist Church. I can give reference to same. Now if you will be kind enought [sic] to help one, you can either send me the money by Draft to Crittenden, Tobacco Growers Deposit bank, John T. Mclure cashier, or you can pay it to the college & have them to give me the collegeship. I will be very thankful

to you in return if you can help me.

Your Unseen Friend Elmer V. Irwin

contains; or if they desire to purchase any reminiscences of the "Civil War", if so, I have the "Frank Leslie Weekly" {housed ?}, commencing in April/61 'til the war closed in /65. I have made enquiries and have been told (with what truth I do not know) that there was not probably one half

dozen of these in existence, therefore they are very rare. I should not seek to sell them if it were not that I could do some good with the sum they ought to bring me.

I am a widow and alone. My husband and I traveled much in foreign lands; we had the pleasure of meeting your lamented son in

Mrs Jane L Stanford Esteemed Madam.

I ask your pardon for coming to you with the following subject, yet not having any means of learning whom to address I have taken this liberty.

Its if your Stanford University Library

our journeyings. Trusting I may hear from this enquiry a favorable reply. I am with sincere esteem Armina D. Isherwood 203 Richards St Joliet, Ill Dec 11th 1901