October 6th, 1907

It looks like Annie and Jack were able to get the money to Matthew, quickly. His writing is quite enthusiastic, and I think if life was like a musical, he would've broken out into song and dance after writing this.

The thing that confuses me is the mention of Harry and Maggie. According to the Nelson Genealogy (by Doreene Derr, Jeanne Kipker and Linda English), Matthew and Amy didn't have a son named Harry. Yet it sounds in this letter that they very much do. Also, they had a daughter named Margaret, but she wasn't born until 1911 in Marshall, MI.

My dad suggested that Harry might be Harry Wilson, a nephew of Amy's. He would be the son of Louise ("Aunt Louise" of Laugh-In fame, who's letter I have as well). It's possible that Maggie could be Harry's sister, and the two were spending a week with them to play with their cousins John and Ellen (although Ellen wouldn't have even been two years old yet).

October 6th 1907
236 Litherland Rd
Bootle


Dear Annie & Jack

I can't express my thanks to you for your kindness in sending me the money and hope it won't put you to any inconvenience by doing it, but I hope to soon be able to repay it back. I was out today looking for more work, at a friend of my partners, and I expect to get a lot of work from him. And we are giving in an estimate for a job tomorrow and if we get it there will be about £400* worth of work in it so don't forget to pray hard for it to come our way for it would give us a good kick along. Things are beginning to look a bit brighter now of course we can't expect to get on all at once in a new business as it takes some time to get known but if any one gives us a job to do we are certain that they will come back with more as any work done by us is done in a first class way and we do it at a reasonable price we don't want to make big money all at once what we want is to get a good connection and do a class of work that recommends itself. Harry seems to be going on very nicely he seems to be taking his food very well only he varies some days. He will eat more than others but he can't keep still a minute and we do have a time in the mornings with John and Harry trying (to see) who can sing the loudest and I have to threaten them with the cane if they don't be quiet, but he is very little trouble, far less than Maggie only him and John keep telling tales on one another.

Thanking you again for your kindness and hoping you are all well as we are at present

Believe me your Loving Brother

XXXXX Matthew Nelson
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Okay, so maybe he wasn't the Nelson who was inclined to singing, but he could probably do a decent shuffle step with a cane and hat.

*£400 in 1907 would be about £9,100 or $14,180, today.