A Letter from Our Research Library Archives

Dear Johnny,

Well here we are at last! Bet you have been cussing us for not writing sooner. You should know a lot of new cuss words by now but we didn’t get your letter until Thursday night after we got home from town. Then had to rush off to the 4-H. Then we kept thinking you might come over Sat—But no Johnny—am sure sorry kid you’re having such a tough time with your bubbles. How long do you have to take those shots? Bet there is a red headed nurse in that office and we won’t be seeing much of you—but take it easy kid—Momma will tell you all about the birds and bees some day… When do you think you will be over? Don’t make it to long, huh? Thanks for missing us. That makes it even… Hope you can read this. Write soon.

Love from all
Honeypot



This letter was written to John Jury in 1948 by his sister Marlene, who signed many of her letters with the nickname “Honeypot.” Marlene lived in Murphy with her and Johnny’s parents, while Johnny was residing in Ashland.

It is unclear why Johnny was in Ashland, but Marlene frequently mentions her hopes that Johnny get well from his “bubbles.” Perhaps he was in Ashland to recover from a bout with chronic, recurring boils, which are skin abscesses caused by bacteria or in some cases, inflammation of the sweat glands.



Post Submitted by Karreen Busch


Source: Letter from Marlene to John Jury, 1948. SOHS Research Library Archives.

Thriller Thursday - Doctor's Murder of 1858 Remains Cold Case

The murder in April 5, l858, of the first doctor in the settlement known today as Ashland, Oregon, remains a mystery 152 years later. The assassin has never been identified.

Within two years of arriving in town with his wife, Celeste, British immigrant David SISSON had opened a medical practice, bought the Ashland Mills Boarding House, set up a general store, purchased 160 acres east of town, and built the town’s first hospital.

In the month before he was fatally shot while drawing creek water, Sisson had been shot in the hand and his barn burned to the ground. He was survived by his widow and daughter, Augusta. Someone then burned down the Sisson home and the boarding house, shrinking the Sisson property values from $10,000 to $100.

In 1880, daughter Augusta, now 20 years old, sued Abel Helman and others, claiming a conspiracy to kill Sisson and destroy land ownership documents. Although she lost the suit, she raised the question of murder, arson, and fraud.

A hundred years later Kay Atwood investigated the slaying in her book titled Mill Creek Journal: Ashland, Oregon 1850-1860, but the murder remains a very cold case.

Originally written by Maryann Mason, Dec 2. 2010

Source: Daspit, M.J. “Kay Atwood Takes On Cold Case,” Ashland Daily Tidings, June 15, 2009.

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