Letter to Miss Mary Hollingsworth from Wm. Cherley Turpin, November 18th, 1899.

Turpin writes to Hollingsworth regarding a letter she just received from Mrs. I. J. Turpen regarding a letter Mrs. Turpen received from Hollingsworth. The Turpens took Cherley in from the Home and are still living in Louisville, but Cherley seems to have moved to Carthage, MO. Cherley says that when she visited Louisville, Papa (her name for Mr. Turpen) told her that she was two years older than she had always thought and said he knew by examining papers. She says that "he never told me what records they were nor did he say a word about your letter." She goes on to say that she has always used the name "Wm. Cherley Turpen," and thought she was "entitled to the name by addoption but Mrs. Turpen informs me that I am not that Mr. Turpen never addopted me and it was not legal for me to go by that name." She asks if Hollingsworth would "be so kind as to let me know about this matter and tell me anything that you may know about myself." She says that she has "no complaint to make of Papa" and "Mrs. Turpen says that was the reason he failed to tell me that he had such a kind feeling for me." Letter marked Carthage, MO.

Manuscript Collection, The Filson Historical Society

Mss_BJ_B222-08_046