The same group of Yegerlehner cousins (plus one), a few years later, probably around 1940, at the Yegerlehner farm in Clay City, Indiana. The youngest cousin in the picture was born in 1937.
Back row: Earl, Kenneth, Paul
Middle row: Wilma, Romaine, Dolores
Front row: John, Duane, Glendon, Mark
In front: Carolyn
Photograph from the private collection of Deborah Sweeney.
© Deborah Sweeney, 2014.
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/18/wordless-wedne…ew-years-later/
Letter transcription:
May 17, 1943
Lieut R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. San Fran
Dear Mother,
It seems that something always interfers with letter writing but that is only natural when writing in the day time. At night time when one has time of his own it’s impossible to write so that is that.
Yesterday’s letter should come thru sooner than others because of the way it was mailed but if the fellow keeps them in his jacket you may never get it – You know how men are about letters.
After I had written yesterday I got a letter from the folks and
[page 2] one from Harry Storm. He is making a collection of A.P.O. addresses and asked Mother for one and since he then had my address he wrote. He made a guess of my location and missed also. Really it doesn’t make any difference as far as I can see whether people know where I am or not. If I thought it would help it would be different.
Last night several of the officers got together and we had a song fest. Wasn’t very good music but it was something. We do that every once in a while.
[page 3] Have had some stoppage but will try and go ahead even though there is still some conversation but maybe I can overcome the pitfalls.
I believe I have never told you of our one delicate dish – Hearts of Cocoanuts – It’s a brittle while substance that is in the heart of the tree. It’s something like celery when cut in strips. The only trouble is it takes a whole tree when that is served and that is the end of that tree. I think it is sewed in the states at a very high price.
I’m still reading the book
[page 4] written by Cecil Brown and I know have him in Australia. In another few hours of reading I’ll be able to get him back home.
Well, I’ve racked my brain for something more but it just won’t come.
So solong
Love Daddy
Russell Islands
Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)
©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/17/hearts-of-cocoanuts-roscoe/
Letter transcription:
Kentland Ind
May 17 – 1943
Dear Daddy –
Raining again, buckets full. The Music Dept had their annual May breakfast this morning and since Mother was here to oversee thing I went to the meeting. Cocoa & I were going to walk but it was pouring down when we were ready to start – so I drove. Harold’s Mother is here so she went with us. It was still raining when we came home and now at 12:15 there is a slow drizzle. Zells went to Laf. today so John Mark went over and fed their chickens. They are big enough now to fry, so we will probably have one soon.
[page 2] I thought the way the weather was yesterday e would be able to work outside today but not so. It is so wet in the flower beds I am afraid I would mire down. Well I have to get Mother’s things put away – (the back porch is full) so maybe it’s just as well to have rain today.
Mark wrote you about getting a bike – I haven’t mentioned it because I wasn’t sure about it and the ration board won’t let him get it because he doesn’t have a paper route. He was awfully disappointed because he didn’t get it but I think he is getting over it. The band teacher has a good cornet to sell and he brought it over this morning for Mark to try. He wants $75⁰⁰ for it. The old trumpet is so hard to do anything
[page 3] with. He really can play the pieces much better on the cornet. I told Mr. Webster to leave it here a few days and we would consider it. I was going to pay 31⁰⁰ for the bike but since he is reconciled over that I think it would be better to put that much toward a horn.
We need to go to town to mail this and get David some food for his next feeding. He is much better about his eating. Eats his vegetables & cereal now without a fuss. He got such a good tan yesterday but can’t go out today. I saw Pauline Dennis this a.m. and asked her about Jimmy Ed. She said he is getting better. Dr. M. gave them a salve to put on him and it soothes so he isn’t so cross.
I thought I would get to write this in a little quiet, but John is playing for Mark and he is blowing the cornet.
Love – Mother
Yegerlehner home, E. Dunlop Street, Kentland, circa 1943
©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/16/raining-again-…ts-full-gladys/
Letter transcription:
May 16, 1943
Lieut R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran.
Dear Mother –
Received 13 v-mail letters from you and 5 from other people. John & Mark – Ruth M, Sykes & Dave Burns. Got them late last night and had time to read only one before dark and luckily I picked your latest (Apr 22). The remainder I read before breakfast. Your garden must be getting on pretty well by now but you didn’t say if the suggestions I made about the yard were clear enough. However I guess if you get grass to grow that will be OK.
Really I’ll have to read the letters over to get the full benefit
[page 2] of all of them. I didn’t realize that Staton’s were trying to sell their house – Maybe they weren’t but other people thought they were.
You haven’t given me any figures on the bank account lately – not that I could do anything about it for I haven’t had a regular pay since the last of Jan. I was able to draw some for a few necessities but can’t even figure how much I have on the books. I sent the uniform money and if you need it use it rather than paying off the loan.
No garden seeds have arrived as yet but I suppose those things will be coming along in due time. It seems the boys are taking their music seriously.
[page 3] Glad to hear my letters are coming to you as well as they are and I sure wish mine would come as often. The latest I have now came in 23 days so you see yours go about twice as fast as mine. There is a reason for that however and I doubt if ours will ever be much better – but switch back to air mail with only an occasional v-mail as I told you before.
You said potatoes were high but eat them because you have no idea how good fresh ones are after eating dehydrated – I’ve only had a few to eat raw so don’t know how a good cooked one would taste. I’m not starving but have lost about 10 pounds since leaving
[page 4] Noumea, but that might not all be due to food.
This being Sun. I’ll have to write the folks but will probably do that later in the day. Its only 9:00 A.M. now. I can’t seem to write in the daytime as well as at night but there isn’t much to do about that.
It now looks up if we will have a new home for Chappie and we can revert back to our old ways again. However, I don’t think he has had much influence on the gang. Well must get going –
Love Daddy –
P.S. I haven’t heard from Joe Roberts since long before I left Noumea.
Russell Islands
Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)
©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/15/13-v-mail-letters-roscoe/
Letter transcription:
Kentland, Ind
May 16, 1943.
Dear Daddy,
Sunday evening and just got the boys in. They were running around in circles – getting a sweat up and going a lot of damage to coupon 17 (shoes). It has been such a grand day they have been outside most of the time. Mayroses brought Mother up today and she came to stay this time. I got a chicken out of the locker and we had baked chicken for dinner. And I ground up the leftovers and made sandwiches for a supper. It is light so late now they weren’t in any hurry to start home so decided they could eat before starting out. Those chickens certainly are handy to have all ready to use,
[page 2] after all the rain yesterday, it came down in sheets & torrents last night. They started to come up on highway 63 but the water was so deep over the road they had to go back and cross over to 41, which made them a little late in arriving (12:30). Mark was about the only one to suffer – he thought he would starve before we could get dinner on. We sat out in the yard after dinner. Put David in his buggy so he got a good sunbath. John, Mark & the Zell girls decided to play croquet and Mr. Mayrose looked on.
Mark’s grades weren’t very good this last period and his exam grades were worse I going to try to get him to read a lot this summer and also work on arithmetic – He made C – on his arth. Exam. His Lennes pad [an arithmatic workbook] wasn’t nearly finished
[page 3] so I am going to get him to finish it. He can get his work if he takes time. I had him read to me last night and he does very well, but keeping him at it is what he needs. John is practicing on his recital piece. The recital is to be the 28th of May.
You remember the girl we went to see out on Ocean View last summer whose husband is a Navy officer? Well she is in Sheldon with her parents. She has a baby girl eight weeks old and she was several weeks getting word to her husband of the baby’s arrival. Her name was Sipe – married John Hamm. Miss Smith keeps me posted on them. I didn’t ask about his location, I suppose it is not to be known.
Link and I were working on the flower bed that divides our yards Fri evening and both intended to resume our work
[page 4] Sat. but the rain kept us from doing so but I noticed he was out this evening finishing his side. If it doesn’t rain tonight or in the morning I want to get out tomorrow and finish our side. This reminds me of the seeds I sent you. I looked up to see when I mailed them and it was Apr 13 so you should have them by now. Your Mother wrote that she sent you several packs, so if you get them all should be able to farm in a big way –
The competition I have now is almost too much. Mark is sitting by me reading & John is practicing – Mark is going thru the patent leather hair phase – keeps his hair soaked all the time and is trying to get a wave trained – and what’s worse he uses brilliantine on it. That is hard on the pillow slip – had to soak the last one I took off to get the oil out. Well I give up for this time and will try to finish tomorrow when I hope I can find it a little more quiet here.
Love – Mother
Gladys holding David, with Mr. and Mrs. Mayrose
Emma, Mr. and Mrs. Mayrose, and David
[Editor’s note: Mr. and Mrs. Mayrose were the parents of Thelma Mayrose. Thelma was the wife of Gladys’ brother, Jim.]
©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/14/mother-comes-to-stay-gladys/
Letter transcription:
May 15, 1943.
Lieut. R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Francisco
Dear Mother,
Got 3 letters today from people other than you – One from Ruth M. One from Geo. Sondergrath and one about the uniform check. Saying they had been sent, but no mail from you – Maybe later in the day some will stray in – at least I hope so.
Just had two interruptions but both were easily disposed of – however, those always break the train of thought – Even now in comes Chappie – (Chaplin) and said something about a kingdom of which
[page 2] I didn’t pay any attention. Not getting on so well because there is some conversation and writing and talking and listening don’t work out so well. Chappie just now had me all worried said he had lost his watch and after looking all around He found it in his pocket just where he left it.
For the past few days we have had very fine weather but the only indication we have of winter is the early setting of the sun.
I am enclosing a picture we had taken a few days ago and that’s all I can say about it other than some of the fellows as well as myself took very rotten pictures.
[page 3] By now your garden should be coming along in good condition – Don’t know if I told you or not but my potatoes are rotted before even getting a chance to sprout. I have a few more to try so I may yet raise potatoes but the garden seed you sent are still someplace in transit.
Have to make two trips today – one an inspection and another to give some shots so will be rather busy and besides will take a beating in a jeep because those things ride hard.
Lots of Love
Daddy
Russell Islands
Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)
©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/13/something-about-a-kingdom-roscoe/
Letter transcription:
Kentland Ind
May 15 – 1943
Dear Daddy –
No letters today but Thurs. (13th) had 3, the last being of Apr 30 – which brings it up to date pretty well. It is raining again today – If you have all or most of my letters you will think I give the weather a beating but this has been a spring to talk about, like the past winter. It cleared off yesterday and was so warm – got to take David out for a good sunning. Also worked in the flower bed. Had I known we would have wet weather again today would have put out more than I did – but thought the rain was over for a few days. Our garden is so wet Mark hasn’t had a chance to work in it for more than a week. John is doing the lawn mowing this summer and already it is keeping him busy keeping the grass cut. Our back yard & Statons are full of
[page 2] that crab grass and that has to be kept very short. Link’s back yard doesn’t look any better than ours. We both sowed grass seed but it didn’t do much. The lilacs over on Kent are blooming. Things are all late this year. Our tulips are still blooming and this is very late for them. I took some pictures of David on the front step with the tulips as back ground – I hope they are good so you can get an idea how well they are blooming. Clara Molter took up loads of iris for me to put out and lilly of the valley but can’t find time when the ground is dry enough to work in to put them out. Mr. Oliver keeps the horses over at Kent now that Floyd Hoover is working in the loan office – I told you before Tommy Thompson is working with his father farming this summer. They have rented their house & stored their furniture – back to Oliver – he doesn’t keep his horses in very well and they sometimes get out and wander around in
[page 3] our yards & gardens. We have all been complaining so I think he will try to keep them in better now. Link said they ruined part of his garden. The holes they made in our front yard will have to be filled in.
John & Mark both decided to write you and tho I would rather they would write at different times I couldn’t check their impulses today. Every time the baby does some little thing Mark says to write & tell Daddy. He is trying to pull himself up now. He gets very loud singing da-da at times – in fact he drowns us out if we are trying to talk and he is in the same room that we are in. I have knitted him a little sweater & sunsuit outfit. Mrs. Servies crocheted a cap and I took his picture yesterday in his cap. As soon as I get the sunsuit finished will get the whole outfit on him for a picture. It is hard to keep him still long enough for a good pose. He is always reaching for something. He reminds me of John when John was that size – I think however
[page 4] John could handle himself a little better, because I remember when John was 8 months old he could walk around a chair, but David is doing well enough. He and Donnie Funk do the same things at about the same age – I don’t know how I would mange to take care of him if he were as large as Donnie – Donnie is too heavy to handle much.
The Delta Lamba Sigma News letter came today. If I thought you were interested I would send it to you. I was thinking about your clothes – I wonder if it would be a good idea to have them sent home – just in case you do get to come back after a year out – how would you get them if they are stored at N.C.? That reminds me Mrs. Roberts had word from Joe and he is temporarily at Noumea, en route he thinks maybe to join you – That year out business, there is talk around to that effect but Mrs. R. and I aren’t counting too much on it, but we have heard rumors to that effect. However, I think you are right to be patient about it because after all it won’t help any not to be patient. I am enclosing Mark’s letter with mine – John used v-mail.
Love – Mother –
©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/12/mr-olivers-horses-gladys/
Letter transcription:
Kentland, Ind
May 15, 1943
Dear Daddy,
Since school is out, I wanted to tell the news In school I passed to the fifth grade. John passed to the eight grade. Grandma Foster is coming tomorrow and I am going to bake a cake.
I am taking gardening and baking the 4-H. In my garden I have up: peas, radishes, lettuce, carrots, spinach, onions, and potatoes. But unluckily a horse got in all the gardens around here and ruined some of the stuff. Well that is about all I have to say
Love Markie
P.S. David is beginning to say Da-Da.
Yegerlehner home, E. Dunlop Street, Kentland, circa 1943
©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/11/tell-the-news-mark/
I recently started “crowd-sourcing” my family photographs on Facebook. As my blog has grown, and I have found more extended family members, Facebook has become a great tool. This photograph had all the individuals identified in less that five minutes. I wish all photographs were that easy!
You may recognize some of the names from the World War II letters. This photograph was taken during the mid to late 1930s, likely in Clay County, Indiana.
Back row: Paul, Kenneth, Earl
Middle row: Dolores, Wilma, Romaine
Front row: John, Duane, Glendon, Mark
© Deborah Sweeney, 2014.
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/11/wordless-wednesday-cousins/
Letter transcription:
May 14, 1943
Lieut R. S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Dear Mother,
Just finished my morning chores and about to start reading my latest – Cecil Brown’s “Suez to Singapore.” It’s a very interesting story and I can understand some of the physical and mental reactions he went thru while away from home in various travels. It’s a rather long book but worth anyone’s time if interested.
You will notice that I’ve switches paper again.
[page 2] some how I like this better maybe it’s because I don’t have to write so much, but I believe I write just as much. The air mail paper is so flimsy and hard to handle.
I’ve sent both the uniform check home – The 150⁰⁰ on May 7 [written on top of a 6] and the 100⁰⁰ on May 13 so you can let me know when and if they arrive.
Got a letter from Boonie yesterday and he seems to be guessing again but his guess this time was wrong. I imagine that people can guess now. However, they still have no business of
[page 3] knowing.
We had cuttin meat last night for chow – roast beef. If we just had some chewin vegetables now everything would be on the up and up. We still have lots of spagiti and dehydrated potatoes all of which aren’t any better than powdered eggs but other people seem to like some of those things.
Well, I’m run down and myst must get on with my reading
Love Daddy
[Editor’s note: Here is a link to a 1943 review of Suez to Singapore published in Foreign Affairs magazine. The book is still in print today.]
Russell Islands
Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)
© 2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/06/10/suez-to-singapore-roscoe/
Genealogy Lady 