Kermit, Texas
July 6, 1965

        Dear Lowry & Hazel1,

        Dan G. Murrie2 & our part in bringing Aunt Sallie3 to the reunion has been mailed. We are happy to have a part in this wonderful trip. We hope all will go unusually well -- and that every last one will have a blessing they can never forget.
        For health reasons H. C.4 and I can't come. H. C. has been in hospital and is due to have surgery later and while I am not sick -- don't feel up to par.
        As you know I visited her several years ago. Aunt Nora5 was alive then. Unforgettable experiences then. We have an inspiring heritage.
        Yes, Lowry, due to my great desire to know of our heritage -- I wrote years ago to Aunt Nora (I corresponded with her for 40 years) and asked her to write as much of family history as she knew. It turned out that she knew considerable. Her own children had lived right there with everything -- so because of my request she wrote it. I sent copies of what she wrote back to Miss. (I have the original). She also sent me two marvellous letters6 now near 100 years old which

[-2-]


I have framed. They were written by our great-grandfather Daniel Potter and his (our great uncle) brother Frank Potter7 to our grandmother Sallie Margaret Potter Shanahan while she was away at school. Also Aunt Sallie -- just last year -- wrote me what she could remember. She was baby of the Michael William & Sallie Potter Shanahan family and didn't hear nearly as much as the older children. Added to this I have several letters written by Grandmother Shanahan's mother to her daughter Sallie M. Shanahan. Her name was Mary Potter (wife of Daniel Potter). Have also two legal documents drawn after Civil War. Currently they are at photographer to have photostats made. Anyone interested in them -- I can have copies made for them for 50¢ ea. It seems a good idea for all of us who have some information and etc. to somehow get it together and put in booklet form for relatives now and for posterity. I'll share what I have. What do you have? I also know some wonderful stories of family history told by my father Dennis Potter Shanahan.
        In regard to information about 'clan' talents: About the only thing I know that I could do -- would be "Giving Talks". I can't imagine, however, that I would have anything to say that would be of interest to all of the Clan or if I could come to talk. However, if I'm ever needed or wanted I'd count it an honor to do what I could. The Lord has let me speak at banquets, give book reviews, talk for Garden Club and teach S.S. class, for years.
        My best to all.

Love, Billie S. Murrie8

[written in left margin 1st page]: Thanks for working up trip for Aunt Sallie.
[written in left margin 2nd page]: There is a lot of Shanahan History included.
[written in upper margin 2nd page] Just got a letter from Ruby & Gene from Yankton, S.D. (they've moved).
Transcribed 29 Oct 2007 by K. L. Rhodes from a photocopy of the original letter sent to me by D. Murrie (son of Beulah 'Billie' Pearl Shanahan and H. C. Murrie).
Notes:

1 Lowry Lee Stewart (1906-1998) and his wife Hazel Clementine Rollins (1911-1997).
2 Daniel Gregg Murrie, son of Hubbard Casey Murrie and Beulah 'Billie' Pearl Shanahan.
3 Sallie Moina Shanahan (1883-1973), daughter of Sallie Margaret Potter (1851-1921) and Michael William Shanahan (1841-1887), wife of Daniel Franklin Freeze (1880-1959), and Aunt to both the letter writer (Billie) and the letter recipient (Lowry Stewart).
4 Hubbard Casey Murrie (1895-1990), husband of Beulah 'Billie' Pearl Shanahan.
5 Nora Mildred Shanahan (1880-1960), daughter of Sallie Margaret Potter and Michael William Shanahan, wife of William Emmett Phillips (1879-1956), and Aunt to both the letter writer (Billie) and the letter recipient (Lowry Stewart).
6 There are at least two letters written by Daniel Potter and it is unclear from this mention which of the two Billie means; however, I have a photocopy of another letter written by Billie which indicates that the letter written by Daniel Potter on 26 Apr 1867 is the one that she had framed and hanging in her house. The 2nd of the two framed letters that Billie mentions as having been written by Daniel's brother Frank Potter has never been seen by me [K.L. Rhodes].
7 James Franklin 'Frank' Potter (1833-1897), son of James Potter and Margaret Parker and brother to Daniel D. Potter. James Franklin Potter, like his brother Daniel was a Preacher. James Franklin Potter served in the Civil War with the 23 Mississippi Infantry, Company I (aka "Plentitude Invincibles").
8 Beulah 'Billie' Pearl Shanahan (1906-1995), daughter of Dennis Potter Shanahan (1873-1942) and [Mary] Ellen Wilkerson (1884-1954), wife of Hubbard Casey Murrie (1895-1990), and first cousin to the letter recipient (Lowry Lee Stewart).


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