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Note: The following letter, dated 14 May 1973, was received by William L. DECOURSEY of Minneapolis, Minnesota from Mrs Walter (May HILL) NELSON of Dodge Center, Minnesota:
"Dear Bill, I would have answered sooner, been quite sick for sometime. My great-grandparents, William EAGLES and Sarah EAGLES, came to Homer, Winona County, Minnesota, from Canada in a covered wagon in about 1846 to take a homestead on Homer Ridge. Died and buried there in about 18?? (don't know). With them was my grandparents, Charles and Hannah RYCKMAN, my mother, Eliza RYCKMAN 5 years old, Margie RYCKMAN 2, Etta RYCKMAN 2. Ella and George RYCKMAN were born in Homer.
My mother Eliza was married to Jacob C. HILL in Winona 1874. There were 7 children: Milfred, born 1875, died Port Angeles, Wash., married Minnie MARTIN (2 children) died Port Angeles, WA; Charles HILL, born 1877, died 1902, not married; Anna, born 1879, died 1950, married Frank NEWELL who died in Kalispell, Montana (no children); Etta, born 1881, died 1952, married Leslie DECOURSEY, who died 1949, (one son, Don DeCOURSEY); Clark, born 1884, died 1967, wife Letha (LION) HILL, one son, Eugene HILL of Grand Forks, N.D.; me, May HILL, born 1886, married 1909 Walter NELSON who died 1959 (three sons: Gene of Dodge Center, born 1910, Earl, born 1910, and Emmett of Oxford, Ohio, born 1913); Gertrude HILL REZAB, born 1888 is still living in Council BLUFFS, Iowa. Her husband, John REZAB died in Tryon, N.C. in 1962. They had two children: Jack REZAB of Monticello, Arkansas and Virginia of Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Margie (RYCKMAN) STERNER died in Durham, N.H. Etta (RYCKMON) EIFELDT died in Winona, Minnesota. She had 3 children: Lulu, Edna and Leo - all dead. Ella (RYCKMON) SANFORD died Glendive, Montana. She had two sons: Ray died in Calif. and Earl SANFORD still living in Glendive, Montana 88 years old. George RYCKMON, a railroad man, was killed accidentally in 1886. That's all I know of mother's family. I was born 1886 in great-grandmother's log cabin with some lean toos built in Homer Ridge.
That's mother's children and parents, grandparents and 3 sisters and one brother. I do not know much about the HILLS. My father, Jacob C. HILL went to Civil War at 16, was in 4 years, married soon after. That wife died, two sons: Burt and William. Burt died in Rochester, Minnesota. William in Port Angeles, Washington. He (Jacob HILL) came to Minnesota and married my mother in 1874. He had three brothers and one sister: High and Oath died in Valpariaso, Indiana; Bing in Little Falls, Minnesota, Mina (HILL) PERRY in Worth, Illinois. His (Jacob HILL's) parents are buried in Valpariaso, Indiana. They died right after the Civil War.
Milfred HILL had two children: Florence (HILL) GROSS of Olympia, Washington and Howard HILL of Port Angeles, Washington.
My father was 91 when he died. Mother was 86. They are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Winona, Minnesota. Also Walter NELSON who was 81. I will be buried there too. Great-grandmother EAGLES had 14 children: one set triplets and 2 sets of twins. Only one of the twins lived.
I have 11 grand-children, 6 girls, 5 boys. And one great-grandchild, a boy one year old. Guess the HILL or NELSON name will not run out. Great-grandfather and mother EAGLES were French but lived in England. Father Jacob C. HILL was Irish. So I guess I am French-Irish. I remember mother telling me they followed a trail from Canada to Mississippi River, then the Women folks were put on a steamer, "Black Hawk," and came up river to Homer where there was a Hotel for river men. No Winona then. Mother said there was a wedding there and first time she had seen a layer cake. The boat run by steam and had to stop often to cut wood to keep the boiler going. A far cry from Airplanes. Wonder what they would think of this world now. Better or worse? I think people then placed more simple faith in God and trust.
Hope you can read this. My eye sight is very poor. Also my hands crippled with arthritis. Long time no see. Hope all are well. -
Love, Aunt May." (See also: MINNESOTA GENEALOGIST (June 1977), v.8, pp.32-33.)
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