Photo from 1947 Reunion
Date of this document is unknown but it stops about 1912 and does not include Simon's move to California via a one year stay in El Paso County in 1922. He then moved to Los Angeles County in California. He and his wife died there in 1933-34. There are some minor errors in names and dates
Following are three letters addressed to Billy and Pearle and the second was clearly intended to be read by Mr. Walker. These letters were responses to Mr. Walker's attempts in 1946 and 1947 to contact all of his Lane Cousins to invite them to the Walker Reunion that he planned to hold in 1947 on the original homesteaded land on Antelope Creek where he and Sarah lived prior to moving to Pecan Grove. That invitation prompted the exchange of the following three letters addressed to Billy and Pearl and written by Cousin Dora in late 1949, early 1950 and one in 1955. These three letters were responses to that initial notice that the first reunion was planned for the summer of 1946 and gives some insight to the relationship he held with the Alfred G. Lane family and his cousins as well as family life of the day. A transcription of the three letters follows. Her return address was 605 W Headingly, Avenue Albuquerque, NM. It is interesting to note that this is some 70 years after Dora's fmaily moved from Antelope Creek in 1876 when she was 10 and Jackie was 14.
12-2-49
Mr. & Mrs. Billie Walker
My dear unknown cousins I am your cousin Dora and would like to get acquainted with you I enjoyed reading your letter Pearle it sounds so nice good & homey. I saw Billy when he was a baby 6 months old (July 1885?)& have wondered where he was after mother died I lost track of all of you.
Oh I wanted to attend the family reunion so much this but did not learn about it in time to any way guess it would have been impossible to come it was so hot & I had 2 attacks of heat prostration & nearly passed on my self. I knew part of the Brown children went to school with Bill & (?Ernsor) I think her name was. I for get lots of things too Brother John was not born until we moved away from Antelope (?Creek) & I was only 10 when we left(?strueet)
Well Jack Dear Old Jack am so glad to hear from you again. I & We all enjoyed yours & your mothers visits very much & oh how I loved to wade thru creek & play in the holes but well as I remember that tribe had long since quit hanging by their tails& we swung on limbs & grape vines by our hands & yes mother did a good job making a coward out of we kids but the boys out grew it bit I still havent have not forgotten & lock my screens before dark and if I am away till after dark look under the bed for a Booger Ooh.
I live alone in one little cabin its just a shack but I am my own boss have 2 children 2 girls & 2 boys living & 3 girls dead. have 24 grand children & 34 great grand children besides all the inlaws had 13 grand sons & grand sons in law in the last war & all came back safe have 3 still in service 1 in air corps stationed at chandler Ariz air Base one a sailor stationed on the island of Guan & one has been the army 12 year he is in Florida that sailor sails for home& will be here in 5 or 6 weeks. Jack I just wanted to let you know I have a big Bunch of decendents too.
Mine are all just people like your neighbors. & I think you would like them if you met them Pearle you will have to guess at lots of this I am nearly blind & very nervous but I do all of ;my own work. have a daughter living in town she is a widow & works all the time but her health is not good she has 3 children all grown & she also has 3 grand children. Jack how long have you been a widower & just how many descendents have you. there is 2 of yours & cousins living our here Jack you remember your mothers Brother Jack & his Daughters Nola Jane well as you know she married Henry (?Treggof) of San Saba well Nola Died & Henry married again & she Left a boy & they called him they called him Jake & he left home & drifted west & married a girl named (?Laressa) Long & they had 1 child a Boy & his name is Dixon Gregg & he live here in Albuquerque & his father (?Lathe) Gregg lives 21 miles south of Belen. I aim to them them about ;the Walker reunion not sure we or will you meet again. Albuquerque is a very nice city of 100 1000 population & still growing. I imagine Lometa is a large place too. I was 10 (or 14) last time I was there. Jack I have thought of you hundreds of times since last we met that when I was 20 & Billy was a Baby & you were living at Richland Springs & we were on our way to Burnett Co. You remember it dont you. I will be 84 the 14 of nextd March and how old will you be & when will you be it.
Children you must excuse my English I never went to school after I was 10 years of age. raised in the west where times were wild & woolly & (school houses) were few & far between. I after I was grown could have gone to school but was ashaned to start in them but Wish I had gone. but its too late now to weep over it so dears just over look the mistakes & remember I still love my (kiss family) even if I am dumb Well Jack I imagine you are tire of listening at this harangue
dont make you (sfaft?) I came back & harangue you another time. I wish you werent so far a way I could talk your ears loose. but I am od & forgetfull of late years but can still remember things that happened when wee were kis. Sint any of your _______ _____ descendents alive there was Torris Lizzie & Buck & Jack is all. I remember well my dears I'll ring off & let you rest & a Merry Xmas & Happy New Year to all & oodles of Love from your old cousin
Dora Bussey
3-19-50
Dear JackieI think your Birthday is already gone but any way Ill send you a ________ to let you know I am sorry I for got the date. & I wish you many more returns of the day. have had flue & feel & feel like it matter no difference if school keeps or not well its dry nearly normaly & _______ here & some nights are prety cool ice lots of mornings bro Simon & son came to see me since Xmas sure enjoyed this visit. Simon said wanted to come to the family reunion this summer & if can I want to go too. I talked Dixon Greggs wife over the phone last week they had had flue too but were about over it. She said Jake was well & was taling moving out on his farm soon Well when are you going to stop running around little Boy. Now when will the reunion be held this year.
Well be a good Boy till we meet again.
Your 84 year young
Cousin Dora
1-26-55
Mr & Mrs Billy Walker
My Dear Cousins received your card when I was expecting to see you I am so sorry you had to rush home I have a bad heart too my heart just dont pump blood & my feet & legs swell badlu so I lie down 1 hour after I get house straitened up & 2 hours after dinner I am sorry but I dont expect I will ever visit Brother John again I am too old to go gading around & my daughter works every day except sunday so you see I have no one to take me places & we are poor foolks too We have a very nice little place have gas furnice heat so when its cold out side its nice & warm inside its been rather cold some nights our cold water faucet in kitchen freezes up but we dont feel the cold we had a lettle snow week before last but its dry as a powder house ought to & has be for years.
& we have dust storms & (?true D) old sand storm so bad you cant hardly see how to drive do you have them down there too Well the 14 of this march I will be 89 if I last that Long Well Bro Simon had suffered so long he was anxious to go & I would would want him back to go thru with all that suffering again he had cancer of the blood & God knows how he suffered but he passed out a struggle easing wile a sleep I am thankful for that his sons live in Lubbock & the 2 girls in Slaton Tex. Well be good & dont do any thing I would not do ha ha. Well good health & the best of Luck to you Love always from
Your Cousin Dora Bussey
OBITUARY- Dora Dean Lane Bussey - Mountainair New Mexico, 92, passed away June 9, 1958, after an illness. Funeral services were held Tuesday, June 10th from the Hanlon Chapel with Elder Ira Chisum officiating. Pall bearers were; Riss Bishop, Mike Shaw, Zip Shaw, Pat Shaw, Elisha Shaw and Buster Chisum. Interment was made in Mountainair Cemetery. Survivors include four children; Monty Bussey, Claunch, N.M.; Simon Bussey, Belen, N.M.; Mrs Ruby Emory, Lubbock, Texas; and Mrs Willie Coker, Albuquerque, N.M.; one brother, John Lane of Sterling City, Texas. Mrs Bussey moved to New Mexico in 1901 and to Mountainair in 1916 and had resided in this area since then.
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Last Updated: July 1, 2006
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