Dear Hortie

This series of letters chronicles the family life of Hortense Johnson Tullis through the many letters mailed to her household in the latter half of the Nineteenth century.  These letters give us a good sense of what life was like for the pioneers in the America’s new mid-east. The letters tell of the people’s daily successes and tragedies. Many were farmers living during a time when their towns were just being built. This building usually started with a church, which would provide the spiritual leadership they would need when so far from what was familiar to them. With the untamed wilderness to conquer and the threat of native revolt, life was unsettled.  People had to be courageous and determined, not only survive, but to try and make a good life for their families, which usually included many children.


As roads were built and communications developed (the telephone made it to the Johnson’s home in 1899), life became increasingly hectic and people gradually started living further apart from each other. At this point the letters nearly stop, as the stories of daily life were told over the telephone instead through letters. Letters were, and still are, typically written by vacationers.

The letters to Hortie are like a story, where the reader can learn about the characters over several decades. By learning what happened to people and how they dealt with life, the reader can become involved with the people in Hortie’s family. We go through the illness of Samuel Tullis and the tragic death of Grace Andrews, as well as the lives of two generations that includes Julia’s childhood and that of her son’s, Tullis.

I believe these letters are the best source of family history. Where most sources are census records or formal documents for such things as weddings and births, these letters capture the day-to-day life of one extended family. Since handwriting and spelling were not perfect, the letters were a struggle to read. Each reading uncovered more meaning.

I am always amazed when I look at the letters; they are 120 years old yet their condition makes them look as though they were mailed yesterday. The excitement I felt when I carefully pulled first the letter out of its envelope and opened it was something I will never forget. I treasure the time I spent learning about this family and their struggles and I hope you enjoy the story as much as I did.

To help figure out who the characters are I will post a list of kinship ties to Hortie for your reference. I outline the events but allow you to enjoy the story as written in the letters. Although not every letter was used, the ones I have included capture the general story.