This is a letter Transcribed by Zola Scott Hardy and was furnished to me by Opal Nichols.

This letter was written by Levi Saffer son of Enos Saffer and his first wife Almeda Giddings of Harrison County, Indiana, written in 1908 to his first cousin Eliza A. (Snodgrass) Porter daughter of Alexander Snodgrass and Sarah (Sally) Saffer.

Selma, Indiana, Aug 24, 1908

Mrs. Elizar A. Porter,

My Dear Cousin:

Your Prediction that I would be greatly surprised on receipt of a letter from you some time ago was very abundantly fulfilled, indeed. I certainly was very greatly surprised, for, if I ever knew there was such a person in existence, I had long since forgotten it. I owe you an apology for not answering your letter long ago. I hope you will pardon the delay and not look upon it as a willful negligence or a mark of discourtesy. I had it in mind to gather some additional information about the Saffer family that I thought might be of special interest to you; but the investigation was almost fruitless; so I determined to write anyway and trust to future opportunities for further information.

In the years that have come and gone I have often thought and wondered about Uncle Alex and Uncle Kinzy and their families. I do not remember you, but I do remember George, and I remember the one that married Richard Meek; but I thought her name was Minerva. I have on recollection of one named John. I have a dim recollection of George as a boy older and larger that myself, who played with me once when I went to your home with my father.

If my memory serves me right, your people lived on the farm afterwards known to me ad the Duggin's farm. A few rods south of that farm is the old Baptist burying ground. Ben Shields was the first person buried there, and my mother was possibly the second. My grandfather Saffer pointed out her grave to me when I was a lad. There was at the head of the grave a rough slab of the common lime gray stone found in the beds of the creeds thereabouts. At one side of that graveyard stood an old hewed-long meeting house known as the Little Flock church. My father's father and mother were members of that church and were both buried there. Unless my memory is a fault grandmother died in 1846, and grandfather in 1848. I have it in my mind that grandmother was _8 and grandfather 98. A lapse of 60 years obliterates many facts one once had in mind.

Some years before I left that part of the country, I visited that old graveyard and found it literally covered with dense growth of young hickory, intertwined with green briers to an extent that made it almost impossible to pass through it. Some of the graves had, at some former time, been enclosed with palings. These were in a very advanced stage of dilapidation. The old meeting house was much in the same condition. The members of the Little Flock had long since been gathered unto their fathers.

William Saffer, son of Jonas Saffer, and first cousin to my father and to your mother, was for more than a quarter of a century, pastor of Little Flock Church. About 1840 The membership began to dwindle: and by 1855 there was but one member living- that was Rhoda Brewer, your mother's sister, the wife of John Brewer. For two or three years she was the only member.

At her death the venerable pastor William Saffer was almost alone in the World. His wife and two sons and four daughters had died of consumption several years before. He had preached the funeral of every member of Little Flock and was now without a single member. This lonely condition did not last long, for in a few months he followed his Little Flock into the realms of the unknown, and a Methodist minister preached his funeral.

This William Saffer was locally known as "Little Billy Saffer" to distinguish him from your mother's brother, William Mathis Saffer, who was a large man, tipping the beam at 240 pounds. He was a local Methodist preacher and enjoyed the distinction of being the only Saffer Subscribing to the Methodist faith. He was also know as Big Billy Saffer, the Baptist Billy being a frail bodied man never weighing more that 130 pounds. Big Billy was also a sort of lawyer and twice represented Harrison county in the legislature. He was endowed with a powerful voice and was something of an orator.

David Saffer and Henry Saffer are sons of his and they are the last of the family. They are both old, decrepit men.

Alexander Brewer, son of John and Rhoda Brewer, and the last one of the family of six boys and three girls. He was named for your father. He is an old gray haired man, and lives in the old Brewer homestead. So you will see that I am not the only cousin you have in Indiana.

David Saffer's address is Spring Hill, Grayson County, Kentucky: Henry Saffer's is Dogwood, Indiana, and Alexander Brewer is Elizabeth, Indiana.

Elizabeth Saffer, one of my father's sisters, married William, and brother to John Brewer, and became the mother of two sons, and two daughters. I think the entire family have long since joined the great majority. I think Aunt Elizabeth died at about the age of 40. Her husband lived to marry his third wife. He became a helpless rheumatic invalid, and for several years was a serious burden to his third wife, but was was a good woman and bore the burden faithfully to the end, when he died she was left penniless and helpless, without a home.

My father, Enoch Saffer, was born 1808 and died 1862, in the 54th year of his age. Sometime in 1830 he married Almeda Giddings, and on the 4 the day of July, 1831 at 6 O'clock A.M. I first saw light. I was born in a log cabin near the head of Mosquito Creek in Posey township, Harrison County, Indiana. I was about three weeks old when my mother died, and your mother took me an nursed me till the later part of 1832, when my father married Miss Elizabeth Snodgrass, and soon afterward took his young wife and me to Fulton County, Illinois, and entered land upon which he built a long cabin near the home of his brother-in-law, Kinsey Shields, who had gone there sometime before.

Here he began to make for himself a home. He had been there scarcely three years when his father became physically incapable of running his farm, wrote to my father to come an take charge of the farm. My father returned to Harrison County, Indiana, took charge of his father's farm and built an additional house on it and took care of his father and mother as long as they lived, for which, the farm was left to my father.

My half sister, Louisa, was in Fulton county, Illinois. She died near Greenfiled, Adair County, Iowa a little over a year ago.

I am not certain as to the exact time that we lived in Fulton county, Illinois. It could not have been long, as I remember so little about the place.

There has always been in my mind a dim picture of that place that time has not effaced. That picture shows the ground gently sloping toward the north, and a little was southward a low ridge extending east and west. The door to the cabin faced the south, and in a slight depression on the north side of the cabin was a section of a hollow tree sunk in the ground and contained running water for family use. A path lead from the cabin door up that slope toward the home of Uncle Kinzy Shields. The hideous howling of the wolves along that ridge of nights made an indelible impression on my mind.

I think my father worked a good bit for Uncle Kinzy. Sometimes he did not get home till after dark. My stepmother never talked above a whisper when father was away after dark, and always had the door very securely fastened.</a> <p>

On one occasion, after helping Uncle Kinzy butcher, father came home after dark carrying part of a pig. It seems that the wolves scented the meat a far off and set up a howling so frightful that father ran for his live and his pork. He got home with both. My Stepmother had been keeping the baby and me still as death while she listened to that awful howling, trembling for the safety of her husband, and when she heard him running down the path she unfastened the door an held it so that he could bound right in, and securely closed it behind him.

I wonder if there is someone living that could point out the location of that pioneer cabin. Are any of Uncle Kinzy's descendants living about there?

It seems to me when I think of that far off time and place that Uncle Shields had a son named Benjamin. About 3(O?) years ago I wrote a letter of inquire to the Postmaster at Summum, but as I received no answer, I gave up.

Now, I had thought of closing here but it occurs to me that possibly it might be of some little interest to you to know more about me.

When I was fourteen years old, being a strong hardy lad, I began to pay my own way in the world by working at farm work in the farming season and chopping cordwood in winter, and from that running on flat-boats and steamboats from Louisville to New Orleans.

Before I was 21 years of age my father sold the home place in Harrison County, Indiana, and he, with my stepmother and all my half brothers and sisters, moved to Bureau county, Illinois, where he died about 10 years later. On account of my being engaged to marry Miss Ruth Peter(s) I did not go with them; and it was arranged that I should marry and follow them; but in the meantime the girl's mother died of consumption, on account of which our marriage was postponed for the time being. Then when we did finally marry, my father-in-law seemed so greatly bereaved and so badly broken up whenever we began to make arrangements to go to my people that we put off our going from time to time, until my wife's health began to fail and she died after we had been married a little over ten years, leaving me with three small children, one son and two daughters.

I got places among friends for my children and then, I enlisted in the Union army and serviced till honorably discharged for disability resulting from measles. For some years after this I was physically unable to preform manual labor, and at the instigation of friends I began teaching in the public schools of Harrison County. This I followed for five years, (mean time writing for the press) at the end of which time I became city editor of the New Albany Standard which position I held till the paper changed hands.

In October 1874, I came to Muncie on a visit, and to please some friends I accepted the principalship of Albany schools in Delaware county. This did not suit me, and I resigned at the close of eight month term. I then taught several terms in the city Schools of Muncie.

On account of an offer of higher wages, I came from Muncie to Selma, six miles east of Muncie on the Big 4 railroad and filled the position of principal of the Selma schools for a ten long years in secession. At the close of the 4th year I married Miss Mary Spangler, one of my assistant teachers. We continued teaching together for six years after we were married, when we resigned because we were tired of the work.

We have five acres of excellent ground in the north edge of the town, and I followed gardening for the Muncie market for several years. Then I was appointed by the government to take the 1890 census in the township in which I live. Then I was elected assessor, in which capacity I served five years. Subsequently, I was appointed Rural Letter Carrier on Route 3 out of Selma which position I a now filling. I drive 26 miles everyday except Sunday. I have not missed a day for more than five years-except the fifteen days vacation Uncle Sam gives every year. Uncle Sam pays me $87.00 every month.

I remained a widower 20 years before I married my second wife. My children by the first were all married and doing for themselves when I married the second time. Their names were Almeda, Matthew Edwin, and Matilda Ellen. Matilda Ellen, the youngest, died twenty years ago, leaving a husband and three small Children- a son and two daughters. They are all grown now. They live in Jeffersonville, Indiana. The girls are very fine looking-one of them is really beautiful.

I have two children by the second marriage- a son and a daughter. The son's name is Lloyd Garrison. He is 26 years old the 3rd? day of October 1908. The daughter's name is Lois Jeannett. She is 18 years old the 13th day of August 1908. Lloyd is one of the head managers of Rothchild's great department stores in Chicago. He comes home once a year. Lois has graduated from the district schools, the Township High School and the City High school of Muncie. She graduated from Muncie High school in June of this year. She is a fair Latin Scholar for one of her age, and she speaks French and German surprisingly well for one so young. She will commence the first week in September to take a course in the Indiana State Normal College. She intends to teach when she gets thoroughly prepared.

My present wife and I were married on the 21st day of August 1881 at the country home of her parents 2 1/2 miles from Selma. She is of German descent. She was one of the prettiest little women I ever saw when we were married; but time has faded beauty a little. Her dark brown hair then so glossy, is now slightly streaked with gray. Her form and carriage then so perfect, has become slightly modified, by the hand of time, but with all that, I see her and think her as she looked, and as she was when I married her. She is a very excellent and very estimable little lady.

Lloyd had been in Chicago nearly four years. He is a natural born Cartoonist, and he attends the great Chicago Art School at evening after working hours in the store. He has been doing this for the purpose of developing his natural faculty for making comic pictures, with a view of engaging in newspaper work as a profession. I am trying to induce him to give that up and stick to his present calling and make the most of it. He has a good business education, and nearly ten years of active, practical experience; and he is just beginning to realize how much all this is worth to him, in the way of salary.

Now, I would like to know whether or not you remember anything of me. The time I speak of as being at your home with father was, of course, after we came back from Illinois.

Are you the only one of the Snodgrass family living? Do you remember in what year you moved to Illinois? I remember your father more distinctly than I do your Mother. Do you remember the Babcocks, the Newberrys and the Flanagans?

I am beginning to feel that this writing is becoming unreasonably lengthy, but I also feel that it would be ungracious in me to close without noticing the closing paragraph in your letter in which you express the kind.. hope that I am "well grounded in the faith."

I am an atheist. I am what some very good people call an infidel. I do not now believe nor never did believe that there now is, or ever was, such a being, or thing as a God. I do not now, nor never did, fear any god or gods, devils or ghosts. I do not believe in ghosts-holy or unholy. But I do believe that when a man dies, he remains dead, be he never so good or never so bad. I do not believe in the supernatural. I do not believe that any man or any woman does now, or ever did, know anything more about that which is unknowable, than you or I.

I have no fears of hell or desires of heaven. I do not believe there are such places; and neither do I believe that there is any future life through which man may suffer, or enjoy, either hell or heaven- torment or happiness.

I am now in the 78the year of my age, and I know from personal observation of the workings of nature that I shall soon cease to exist; but do not dread the approach of death. The only sad reflection I ever have in connection with the final ending is in the thought of giving up the friends, and the life that I have so much enjoyed. I have lost near and dear friends; I have suffered sad and sore disappointments; I have suffered reverses and material losses; but I have never repined or fretted over the unavoidable. I have always been blessed with the abundance of warm friends. I have no enemies that I know of.

I have been a citizen of this town 31 years, and have had dealings with all classes of people, and in all that time no one has spoken a disrespectful word to me. I am now the oldest man in town. I have never had but one lawsuit in my life; I was prosecuted once for fighting in the schoolroom. I was out to take charge of an incorrigible school because I had acquired a reputation for enforcing discipline. A crowd of tough youngsters had been in the habit of "licking the Teacher" and breaking up the school. A young Irishman struck me. I promptly knocked him down. All of his relatives than attacked me. I realized that it was a matter of life and death with me. I grasped a poker and knocked right and left; and in much less time than is required to read about it I had the Irish crowd thoroughly under subjection. They prosecuted me for assault and battery. I beat them. That is the only fight and that is the only lawsuit I ever had. I was then 43 years old. That school was not trouble afterwards.

I believe in the strict observance of the laws of the state. So far as I have been able to know, have done this all my life. I am uncompromisingly opposed to liquor traffic. I am a Republican in politics, first, last, and all the time. I helped to organize the party.

Now, my dear cousin, if I should have to go hence before I may have the pleasure of further communication with you I hope you will remember that I entertain not even the slightest fears as to the future. I am part of that mysterious force called Nature. I am a product of Nature and must go the way of all Nature regardless of all philosophies, all theologies regardless of the teachings of any and all creeds. I am in the hands of that mysterious force so little known, and cannot go beyond or outside of the bounds set. I came into this existence without wish or consent. I was not consulted as to any of my desires, or any of my preferences in the matter. I am going out of this existence without my consent and against my will and desire. So that, according to my belief, it is of no consequence what I may or may not believe, the immutable law of Nature will follow its course.

My wife is the member of the M.E. Church. (Methodist Episcopal). She subscribed $25.00 toward building a very fine new church in our town. I helped her to pay it. It is a modern structure and is a credit to the town and people. The church supports a very fine choir and my daughter is one of the singers. She is a fine singer and plays well on the piano.

In two weeks our daughter will start to the Sate Normal School to take the teachers course in that famous institution.

Now, before I close this extended letter I would like to say something about my stepmother. She was good and kind to me at all times and under all circumstances. She never struck me a blow; and if she ever spoke harshly or unkindly to me, I have forgotten it. She never indulged in the neighborhood gossip. I never heard her speak disparagingly of anyone. She was a untiring worker, and I never heard her complain of her lot.

The family moved to Illinois in a large covered wagon. They started on a beautiful Sunday morning. I want as far as the town of Elizabeth with them; and I distinctly remember that when I bid them goodbye, my stepmother was the only one that shed a tear.

That was 57 years ago, and I never saw one of them afterward except my father. I was with him a few days when he came back to collect his sale money.

A few years after they went to Illinois my half brother William was born; and soon after father's death the family moved to Adair county,Iowa. There William grew to manhood married and made his ........ A year ago last Christmas he came to see me. He was in his fifty second year and I was in my seventy sixth. We never had seen each other. He had not written me he was coming. You may imagine what a surprise.......It got into the local paper and was published far and wide........