Correspondence (incoming): begging letters, R

My dear Mrs. Stanford!

Knowing from the press, with what a colossal property has the gracious God of our human race blessed you, and knowing how much good do you make out of your great property, prompting by your loving christian heart: I decided, as a minister of a little reformed congregation in Hungary, to visit you in my these short lines and to ask you in the holy name of our allmighty God, heartily and sincerily, please come and be with some generous help to the little reformed congregation of Gardony in Hungary. The members of my congregation are of number 600, and mostly very poor men, who cannot offer much for the holy aimes of the congregation.--Our church was not renovated since nearly 20 years and looks out very miserably. Our organ too is nearly not to be used. We should like to have a new one. But for these aimes we have not the necessary summ. We should want for these two aimes nearly 1000 dollar. It is a very great summ to us, but it is a very little to you my dear Mrs. Stanford. I come therefore to you am ask you most heartily and with the deepest reverence, be gracious to give us the necessary summ, that we may be able to realize our aimes. I shall be very thankful to you in the name of my little congregation, and I shall always remember of you in my dayly prayers, asking God, our loving heavenly Father to bless you with every blessings as hereafter, as he blessed you heretofore. Please hear my hearty petition and be with gracious help to us! And now I beg your pardon for the many mistakes, which take place in my lines, but it is now 18 years, that I have been a student of the free Churches New-College in Edinborgh; since that time I had no occasion to exercise myself in the english language. To translate I can good enough, but to write and to speak very little 1901 Decr. 12 Your faithfully and truly,

My adress: Rev. Toth Kalman. Gardony Teher megye Hungary Europe

Graytown Hickman Tenn 12-16-1901 Mrs Jane L stanford cal Dear mam you will I hope not think strange of me writing you when I explain my self to you I have a nice Little Home and it is a comfart and dear to my Little Family which comcist of 4 too are olphan childern that me dear wife have taken to raise and hope to give them a common Edication But missfartune have came to us and we have a morgage on our Dear Home and if we

do not get some one to help us out I do not know what to do our Place was to have Ben sold yesterday The 14th But was a Bad Day & was Put off for 10 days Longer Now I wish to past you in all Honusty and in Christ nam[e] to Lone me Just Enough of money to Pay The morgage off and I will Pay it Back as soon as Posable the amount is $1425⁰⁰ Forteen Hundard & twenty Five dolors Now Pleas give me some help in This time of need

Revernce J.G. Battes Centerville Ten I need help & hope you will not think I am a crouk yours very Respect W N Ratliff

NOTICE.

Sale of Mineral and Farming Lands and personal property

By virtue of the power and authority vested in us under a mortgage to us made and executed by W. N. Ratliff and wife, Bettie Ratliff, on the 30th day of June 1900, and recorded in the register's office of Hickman Co., Tenn. Book No. 8, page 222.

We will, on Saturday Dec. 14th, 1901, and continuing from day to day until completed, on the premises hereinafter discribed at Graytown, Tenn., about 5 miles North East of Centreville, expose to sale to the highest bidder for cash.

Three tracts of land all adjoining and in one body situated in the 1st civil district of Hickman Co., Tenn., in Gray's Bend, of Duckriver, and seperately discribed as follows:

One tract known as the Renfro Garner tract and particularly discribed in deed from W. J. McEwen, Sheriff to W. N. Ratliff recorded and the register's office for Hickman Co., Tenn., Book E 1, page 411, containing by estimation 20 acres.

W. N. Ratliff's one half divided interest in one tract conveyed by W. V. Flowers executor to W. N. Ratliff and W. W. Easley by deed recorded in said register's office, Book, H 1, pages 360 and 361, containing by estimation 75 acres. Which lands have recently attracted considerable attention on account of deposits of phosphate and flattering indications of parites, paint, oil, and other minerals,

Also the following personal property:

1 mare mule 5 yrs. old; 1 horse mule 5 yrs. old; 1 mare mule 8 yrs. old; 1 black horse 8 yrs. old; 1 bay horse 4 yrs. old; 1 bay mare 3 yrs. old; 1 mule colt 2 yrs. old; 1 horse colt 2 yrs. old; 1 Jersey heifer 2 yrs. old; 1 dun heifer 2 yrs. old; 1 red heifer 2 yrs. old. 1 McCormack Binder; 2 Two Horse Mitchel Wagons; 1 McCormack Mower; 1 Corn Planter; 1 Disc Cultivator; 1 Double Surrey and Harness; 1 Buckeye Cultivator, and much other gearing, harness and farming utensils: Hours of sale between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

This the 30th day of Nov 1901.

W. M. Baxter,

J. M. Anderson.

same as page 9 but with added penciled note

since writing you yesterday postponed to 28th Dec - W.N. Ratliff