John R. Ewing, of Holmes county, Ohio, is in the city, the guest of his young lawyer friend, W. B. Schwartz.
[Editorial note: John R. Ewing was W. B. Schwartz’s brother-in-law. He married Sophia Schwartz in 1880.]
“Personals,” Brazil Miner (Brazil, Indiana), 2 June 1883, p. 1, col. 4; digital image, Newspaper Archive (http://newspaperarchive.com : 7 January 2014).
Letter transcription:
Kentland Ind
Feb 21 – 1943
Dear Daddy,
Sunday evening and just like spring today. Had an invitation from Arvilla to attend her capping ceremony this afternoon so we drove down. Mother & John stayed in the car with D. and Mark and I went to the service. It was very nice. There were 23 nurses received their caps. After the program was over we congratulated Arvella then Dora Diedam went with us to the hospital to show D. off. We went up to Sister J. in X-ray. I showed her the picture of you you sent me and she said, ‘he looks tough.” I told her I was going to write and tell you what she said and she said for me to. We visited two nurses who were on O.B. when I was there, but they are on 3rd north now. Of course they made quite a fuss over D. After that we stopped to see Forest & Gertrude. Helen had taken her children for a walk and didn’t get back before we left. I wanted to get home in time to give D. his 6 P.M. bottle & cereal, and with driving reduced to 35 mi per it takes quite a while longer to make the trip. I was sorry to miss Helen but felt like I had to start home.
[page 2] Chas Kline is still in Peru and gets home rather often but Bud is stationed in Calif. He had been home recently on a furlough, but his trips home are very few because he has always been stationed so far away.
I wouldn’t have gone this afternoon but I haven’t driven the car much recently and thought the battery needed charging – especially after the severe cold of this winter. I didn’t use all the ration tickets for the first period. I still had tickets for 8 gal I didn’t use and the second period is almost gone and I used two tickets Sat. to fill up the tank and that is all I have used so far, so you can figure I am not doing much driving. I will put a few miles on if we go to C.C. in April – which I hope we will. Floyd & Ruth took the movies of us down home last week-end and showed the folks.
I got out John’s baby book and snap shots taken from 6 weeks to 1 yr. I think the baby resembles him a lot in those earlier pictures. Of course J. is a few pounds heavier at this age than John was but John was fat enough to take a good picture.
I saw the Sullivan baby Sat. She is so fat looking but isn’t any heavier than D. but she is short and he is
[page 3] long – hence she looks lots fatter.
Sat afternoon I walked to town with D. in his buggy. It was sunny and the baby buggies were very prominent on the streets. The nice weather always draws them out. Several people saw him early in Dec – or it was before that in Nov – because it turned so cold after Thanksgiving I didn’t go out with him for weeks – but everyone could see how much he has grown since last fall.
John & Mark discovered the tulips coming up. This warm weather the last of the week did the trick. I haven’t paid much attention to them but they should be doubled this year. I wish I could tell that Omargo [?] man a few things. He wouldn’t replace that tree at the west corner and tho it is going to survive I don’t believe it will grow and the one it is supposed to match is about twice as tall. I think I’ll write the Co. and tell them I want another tree. I don’t believe they will come over here anymore since gas rationing.
The family is all in bed and I suppose asleep and I am writing this in bed so think I’ll turn off the light and get some shut eye too. D. squirmed around a little after I turned on the light but has settled down now.
[page 4] 2-22-43
Mon. – Since this is Washington’s Birthday there wasn’t any mail delivery and the P.O. closed. I started this the 21st finished the 22nd and will mail it at the hotel and it will probably be postmarked 23rd. Took D. for his airing this afternoon and stopped at the dress shop and you should see what I got – a red dress a red hat & red purse and when I say red I mean just that – nothing pale about it – would you like it? I am sure you would. I thought about how you always liked for me to wear red when buying the things. The way it all started – last week I was in at Sharps and saw a red jacket and thought it would be nice to wear this spring so got it – didn’t have a skirt to wear with it so stopped in the dress shop to get a skirt – it is plaid – has blue, red etc. I took it home to try on and when I paid for it today got into this red outfit and since everything was my size & color bought same. That is the first I have bought for myself since last spring. I haven’t bought the dress to go with the buckle & necklace’s but can wear the necklace with the red dress mentioned above. I feel like I shouldn’t spend money on clothes but once in a while it becomes necessary. I won’t spend much on shoes at the rate of 3 pr per year.
[page 5] I got a ration book for D. and asked about turning yours in – which I am supposed to do – so will send it to the ration bd office or take it. I have to go one day this week and get our new ration books. They are for point rationing. The things most scarce will have a higher point value – that is it will take more points out of one’s ration book to buy some things than others. I don’t know yet what foods will have high point values but sure that that will include canned goods. Geo Wolf was here today – and said the stores in Laf. stayed open until 12 o’clock Sat nite. So many things were frozen for this week while the new books were being issued that I suppose the stores were giving people a chance to stock up. I understood that was what we weren’t supposed to do so I didn’t stock up on things – except get a supply of milk for D. and vegetables (canned). I ran out of onion skin paper and wanted to finish my letter – so excuse this last sheet.
This warm weather certainly is welcome and makes me want spring to come – but I suppose we will have lots of cold raw weather before warm weather is here to stay. I am about to run out of space so will get this ready for Mark to mail for me. He has been working on his model and is getting a little tired so the fresh air will freshen him up.
Love Mother
©2014 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/09/the-weekly-letter-gladys-2/
This photograph is not labeled but I presume the subjects to be some of Roscoe’s early students. Roscoe graduated from high school in 1922 and began teaching the next school year in the rural schools of Clay County. Between terms he attended the Indiana State Normal School in Terre Haute, graduating in 1927. By the mid 1930s, Roscoe stopped teaching and began medical school. The clothing in this photograph does not make it easy to date so I can only narrow it down by the years of Roscoe’s teaching career, circa 1922-1936.
Photograph from the private collection of Deborah Sweeney.
©2014 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/09/fridays-faces-…chool-children/
W. B. SCHWARTZ,
Attorney at Law
Brazil – – – Indiana
[?] All business entrusted in his care will receive prompt and careful attention. Collections made a specialty.
“Advertisment,” Brazil Miner (Brazil, Indiana), 26 May 1883, p. 5, col. 2; digital image, Newspaper Archive (http://newspaperarchive.com : accessed 7 January 2014).
Letter transcription:
MRS. R. S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
IND
2-19-43
Dear Daddy – Just finished cleaning the “gopher hole” – that’s what we call J & M’s room. One day John came downstairs and said “Mother, a self respecting gopher wouldn’t stay in our room” – The reason was Mark’s airplane mess and mess in general – So I cleaned it this evening and Mark has a corner in the dormer – that is the dormer is his. He is up there now at work – and should be practicing on his horn. John has done his practicing for today and is now lounging on the davenport. It is warmer but still rather a sharp wind. Mother has a quilt ready to start quilting. We showed it to Mrs. Plummer. She admired it so much we are going to give it to her. They are going to Fla for the mo. of March. Servies were here and hadn’t seen David since before Christmas. They both thought he had grown very much. Mrs. S. says he looks just like you – as so many people do. Irene said I am in the “Nursery” with D. when they come and go to work and we wave and that is about as close as we get. I told you we had Christmas dinner there – Thompsons were there too. I told you before about her asking to use your large office desk but Newell wouldn’t let her have it. I didn’t enter into the thing only I told Irene she could use it if n. would let it go. They can’t get a new one. There are so many things can’t be bought now. Arlene needs a new bed for Bobby but can’t find one to buy. Fortunately Mary P. loaned me one for upstairs and Harold’s sister loaned one for downstairs. I will be looking for a letter with your suggestions about the lawn. Will send you pictures of the yard after things start growing. Mark is starting to practice horn.
Love Mother
©2014 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/08/the-gopher-hole-gladys/
–W. B. Schwartz, late a Harrison township teacher, has taken up his abode in this city.
“Personal,” Brazil Democrat (Brazil, Indiana), 15 March 1883, p. 8, col. 2; digital image, Newspaper Archive (http://newspaperarchive.com : accessed 7 January 2014).
For the last 10 days, I have shared the story of Roberta Van Sickle’s tragic death. The process of searching for and then finding contemporary newspaper clippings is exciting. I found that I really like telling stories this way, giving little bits at a time, like an old newspaper, radio or television serial. Yesterday, I reached the end of this part of Roberta’s story. Any good historian or genealogist will tell you that the story is never over. There are always new documents and discoveries to be found. So today, I am picking up a new thread to weave. This one takes place over several decades as the pieces of one man’s life were woven into place. Like Roberta’s story, I will let the documents, clippings and book excerpts tell the tale in chronological order.
My new story tells the tale of William B. Schwartz, also known as W. B. Schwartz. He was the son of Niklaus Schwartz and his second wife, Anna Barbara Kunz, emigrants from Switzerland. William was one of the younger children in the family so he had the privilege of being born an American. William’s older sister, Elizabeth, became the wife of Christian Yegerlehner. I hesitate to call them half siblings as Niklaus’ two wives were sisters. So even though William and Elizabeth had different mothers, they had the same grandparents. Until 1880, William lived in Holmes County, Ohio where he was born. By 1883, he was living in Clay County, Indiana near his sister Elizabeth and her family. He was a school teacher, teaching his nephews at the local school in Harrison township. This is where my story begins.
1880 Census detail from Holmes County, Ohio – Household of Nicholas Schwartz
The first newspaper clipping to mention William was posted several weeks ago in the post School Grades.
©2014 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/08/a-new-story/
Letter transcription:
Lt (jg) Yegerlehner (MC) USNR
Navy 224
% Fleet P.O.
San Francisco Calif
Feb. 19, 1943
Dear Mother,
Just a note before working. It’s early in the A.M. but pretty warm. This is the 3rd letter I’ve written since this irregularity started hope all of them are coming to you. When we finally get settled the mail should be as regular as before.
I’ll try to get a good full letter out one of these days.
Lots of Love
Daddy
©2014 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/07/just-a-note-roscoe/
Photograph from the private collection of Deborah Sweeney.
©2014 copyright owned by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/07/wordless-wedne…-fun-with-food/
COASTER PROBE ON SHELF WITH GLEN DISASTER
Responsibility for Death of Four Persons Has Not Been Fixed by Officials
NO INQUEST YET CALLED
Police and County Prosecutor Can Find No Evidence of Crime in Affair
After five days, responsibility for the roller coaster crash at Summit Beach park, which on Sunday evening sent four persons to their death, is no more accurately placed than it was five minutes after the disaster.
If the cause is ever determined it will probably be in civil suits for damages brought by heirs of the victims.
The police abandoned their investigation into the case on Tuesday, and Thursday night County Prosecutor Roetzel announced that his investigations into the accident had failed to develop any evidence of a criminal nature.
Meantime it would appear that the coast crash is to be placed on the same shelf as the N. O. T. & L. disaster at the Glen bridge in Cuyahoga Falls.
Officials of the company controlling the coaster still maintain that the disaster was caused by some human agency placing a block of wood on the track of the incline, a theory that is scouted by others who have looked into the matter.
The company insists that no defect was found in the mechanical construction or operation of the coaster. To date this claim has not been given official support from any quarter.
Meanwhile Coroner Metzger has issued no call for a public inquest at which witnesses, including survivors, officials and employees of the company, can be examined.
It will be recalled that up to the present time Coroner Metzger has never held an inquest into the Glen disaster, where several persons were killed when a car on the Mountain line route of the N. O. T. plunged off a bridge into the Little Cuyahoga river although more than four weeks has elapsed since that occurred.
C – 2
“It appears that the only way you can rouse county officials to their duty and get an inquest ordered is by public clamor,” said a prominent attorney Thursday. “In other counties, “he continued, “you will find that the coroner is the first official to get busy following such death cases as we have had here of late. He’s expected to hold an inquest into every death by violence or where the facts are not clearly established. That’s what the coroner’s job is for.
“The people of our city don’t seem to care a rap whether public officials perform their duties or not. You haven’t heard any public clamor for inquests have you? Why, even the relatives of those killed and injured haven’t come forward with demand that an inquest by held. In any other city of the country there would be such a stirring up of things if inquests were not held as to bring about resignations. No public official had a right to slight his job, but the people here are lukewarm apparently. They don’t seem to care a hoot.”
“Coaster Probe on Shelf with Glen Disaster,” Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio), 12 July 1918, p. 1, col. 6.
A very special “thank you” is in order for the Special Collections Department of the Akron-Summit County Public Library. I emailed my request for more information regarding the roller coaster accident on Saturday and received the results in less than 24 hours. Since I received several days worth of information, I will be breaking the story down into smaller chunks for the rest of this week.
Genealogy Lady 