Tag Archives: Arvilla Wright

Summer Vacation

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
Sat. Apr. 28 – 62

Dear David –

I thought I would surprise you and change my writing date. What I really am writing about is the dates for Edna & Arvella’s vacations. In looking over your school calendar you will be in Bloomington from the middle of June until Aug. 10. I told the girls this a.m. one could have the first two weeks in June & the other the last two weeks in Aug. I don’t want you to make any plans for their vacation times except to be home and help me. If you want a vacation before you go back for the fall term which I suppose will be around the middle of Sept. I think you will have plenty of time, but I will need you when they vacate.

[page 2] I am about ready to go to the office (it is now past 4:30). Dad has been getting a lot of work done around the yard. Everything is getting so “springy.” The red bud is in bloom and the forsythia. I have been taking violas up all over the place and have several pots full to set out in the space allotted. You know Dad filled the entire space around the terrace and covered all the violas there, but I had them in several places around the yard so have plenty.

Will bring the things you left when we come Wed.
Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/10/12/summer-vacation/

Esta Herriman

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
Kentland, Indiana
April 2, 1962

Dear David:

Altho this is Apr. 2^nd, we had a heavy frost last night. The sun is shining and there is a promise of higher temperature this afternoon. Dad finally got the mower over the east lawn and one mowing took care of the long dead grass from last fall. He is having a little trouble with the mower. Seems the repair man from Sears put on a part that didn’t quite fit. Things are beginning to look more like spring, but the trees are still bare. It has been so cool that the early, early things are still without bud (like the forsythia and a few other early comers). I suppose one of these days it will be warm enough to turn off the heat.

I bought a New English Bible. I heard Rev. Fields say (and I should have known this) it is a new translation, not a revision. I sent to Melton and it only cost $3.96. I haven’t had time to do much reading in it yet. I was a little tired yesterday from too much activity during the week – attended an ex comm. Meeting at Linden Friday. I drove as far as Oxford and went there with three others. It was an all day affair and I was awfully tired Saturday and still a little tired Sunday, so I didn’t attend the special Lenten service Sunday night. The minister from Raub was the speaker. I talked to Marge Janssen last night and they didn’t go either and she said they were probably on their preacher’s “list.”

I am depositing $150 for you today. I haven’t checked on your balance lately, but since this is the first of the month, I will get your statement today. I have told the girls at the bank not to let your account be overdrawn, so I am trusting nothing like that has happened.

We have quit taking the daily papers, except the Wall Street Journal. I was not reading the papers all the time and there were so many to burn, we decided with the news we get on TV and from the journal, we don’t need the others. I am also going to quit taking some other publications I do not have time to read.

It has been several weeks since Mark’s have been here, but I expect to see them in the near future. Mark is learning my book work and this is the month tax forms (social security & withholding, and gross) have to be sent in. We haven’t heard from them since I talked to them on Shirley’s birthday, so I presume everything is AOK. Mark seemed to think his new job was an improvement over anything he has had so far. I hope he continues to be satisfied. Dad had B. Batton check on the Beck Oil Co.’s rating and Bob says it is a very good firm and he thinks Mark made a wise choice in going there to work. At the same time Mark had his application in there, he also had made application for a bank job downtown. He was hoping he would get the Oil Co. job.

– Yours received. I checked with the bank and your bal. as of this AM before the $150 deposit was $58.23, if that means anything to you. I shouldn’t have put any in for a while now.

When I told the girls you had seen Faye Emerson, Arvella said “she is a democrat” – as if you couldn’t talk to one.

I just talked to Esta on the phone (lights were out for a while and she called me as to whether lights were out here also). She said she had someone looking at the Motel yesterday – prospective buyer. She is trying to get out of the business. She had a dinner for the Carlsons last night. They (the Carlsons) celebrated their silver wedding anniversary yesterday with Open House and Esta had a dinner for the family at her place. She also took care of Janet’s baby, so she said she was pretty tired last night when everything was over. Janet’s baby is very cute and her hair is really something to talk about – so much of it and the shade of red. I told Janet that she is almost as cute as Becky, but that her mother would probably say Becky is almost as cute as Julie Jo.

I have a lot of work to clear off my desk, so think I had better get this finished and get busy.
Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/10/09/esta-herriman/

Stock Martket

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
Kentland, Indiana
October 16, 1961

Dear David:

Arvella gave me your message. I mailed two pairs of gloves to you. I haven’t looked at the market today. I have been pretty busy all day so far and haven’t had time to study the situation. I presume you want me to select something for you since Benquet is not available. Have you looked at the market recently? In case you haven’t International S. closed last Fri. At 30 5/8 which makes it work a little more (about $180.00) than we paid for it. Also we have received another (regular) dividend check for $82.00, plus the one for extra we received right after purchasing, for $125. As you can see that makes our dividend so far this year a little more than $200. We purchased on May 31, the close of one quarter, so naturally didn’t receive any dividend that quarter – regular that is, but the extra. Dad and I will go over the market tonight and see what to select for you. John’s G.E. is worth 12.375 a share more than he paid for it in July – he bought 50 shares, so you can see it is work $618.75 more than purchase price. His Rexall has climbed a few dollars also, but he only bought 25 share of that. It has been very warm here today, so hope it has been warm enough in Bloomington that you haven’t needed gloves. Dad is trying to fix Mark’s record player, but he has hit a snag. He has it back here in the family room on the round table (the J. Paul table) in parts. I have been having a little trouble with my record player. I will have to get Paul out here again to look at it. I had Paul fix the car radio. Just one little fuse had burned out. It took him about five minutes to fix it. I am still having some pain in my right arm and still take a diathermy treatment daily. I haven’t been able to use a broom since my injury, so the garage is getting a little mussy looking. I don’t do anything I feel is unnecessary. The windows look terrible, but they will just have to wait until my arm can handle a window cleaner. I put $130 in the bank for you, so your Nov. deposit has been made. Just keep your bank account straight. We haven’t heard from Mark since they were here a week ago Sunday, so we presume everything is OK with them. We have promised to visit them at the first opportunity. They want us to see their apt.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/09/26/stock-martket/

Far Behind Schedule

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[513 Wright – handwritten by David]
Kentland, Indiana
January 12, 1961

Dear David:

I haven’t ordered the Bible for Gary yet, because I want to know if he wants his name on the cover. Let me know and if he does, just how he spells his name, etc. It won’t take long to get it and you can take it back with you after semester vacation. The Commentary is $8.75 from Cincinnatti. I think there will be a handling charge in addition.

Mark and Shirley won’t be down the 20^th or 21^st. That is the Saturday Mark has to work. Maybe we can go to Chicago and see Becky while you are home if they can’t come down. All depends on the weather, etc.

We received a letter from John this week. He said he didn’t get my letter suggesting he call home for Christmas until after Christmas and since the last time was so unsatisfactory he didn’t think too much of the idea. He said when it was Christmas morning there, he got to thinking that we were having our Christmas Eve, well this is what he wrote, “As I woke up on Christmas morning here, the thought came to me that it was now Christmas Eve back home, that you all would have finished stuffing yourselves and that you would be sitting around watching television or something, waiting to open the presents. I suppose you had the usual potlatch?” Let’s just hope he can be with us Christmas Eve 1961.

This has been a busy week for me. I had to work for Arvella yesterday. She had to go to a funeral out of town. Daddy has been so busy in the hospital, he has had to miss some office hours. I am going to the office again this AM to help out a little since they are going to be so busy. I didn’t get the shirts to Mrs. Shoaf as usual on Tuesday, so I am going to take them today. That is how far behind schedule I am this week.

If I get time will send you some vitamins today. There are some here at home, but Dad said last night there were some he thought would be better for you at the office, so will send them out this morning.

Let me know if you want me to meet you at Rensselaer.
Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/09/14/far-behind-schedule/

Christmas Party Planning

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Kentland – to Wright Quad 513 – in David’s handwriting]
December 1, 1960

Dear David:

Thanks for the schedule – just what I needed. I suppose you will have a few days at home after examinations in January.

My S.S. Class (the girls) came out this afternoon to plan the Christmas party. Mrs. Fields invited us to have the party at the parsonage. I am in favor of that if it meets the pleasure of the rest of the class. Mrs. Fields is having a cookie party next Thursday, so she will have quite a gathering if everybody responds to her invitation. She had a chance to extend the invitation to all my class today. She didn’t bring Mark along, but most of the rest of the crowd brought their children along, so we had quite a meeting. Several of the children – the smaller ones – wanted to get between the tv set and the draperies. I should have shoved the set back a little further against the window, but didn’t think about it being such an inviting spot.

We received a letter from John Monday. He is having trouble with his cook. Says she has been taking things and that he is going to have to get another. He didn’t sound too happy about the whole thing. He had received the pictures we sent of Becky, so he can have some idea about her looks. I am going to send him some more when I get the next roll developed.

I have been rather busy this week. I made statements which took Monday evening, Tuesday evening and Thursday morning. Edna and Arvella helped me get them ready to mail. I didn’t run them on the adding machine (you remember you did that little chore one time), so have no idea how much my mailing list was worth. I told the girls we had to get those statements out this month so we can buy them a Christmas gift. They wanted me to tell them what to get for Dad. I told them I was having the same trouble. I brought Kathy Cheek a Christmas gift today – a charm bracelet. I bought it from LeBeau – a sterling chain with one little charm – the charm is a miniature bicycle.

I need to do some work on the books, so must wind them up.
Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/09/10/christmas-party-planning/

Future Republican President

1 Reply

April 5, 1962 envelope

Letter transcription:

April 5, 1962, p. 1

Kentland
April 5, 1962

Dear David

Thank you so very much for your letter and the campus newspapers. I am taking my time and shall read them thoroughly. My, what publication, and daily, at that. I’m sorry you are not going to show “King of Kings” as I remember the old silent movie of many years ago, and it has always remained with me.

I am delighted to hear about you’re a on your government test. Ah youth – how wonderful to be able to accomplish so many worthwhile things. I have not been feeling well recently, and last week I was in the office and while Arvella was doing a blood test for me, we decided that a certain young man of whom we are both very fond, would very likely, twenty years from now, be our smart young Republican present of the U.S. Or, if that is expecting too much, we would settle for having him be governor of Indiana. How about keeping that in mind. I would not expect to be here to see it, but it could very easily come to pass.

Yes, I remember Faye Emerson when she used to be on I’ve Got A Secret. She always impressed me as being a person of great elegance. I remember one time she lost one of her very high heels on stage. She proceeded with the utmost aplomb to remove both her pumps, and carry on from there in her stocking feet.

It’s fine that you are elected chairman of the council for next year, and I am sure there couldn’t be a more competent one and that you will do fine things. No, your mother and I do not compare your letters. I think we are both to glad to get them to have any thought other than appreciation. I know I am telling you no secret when I say that your mother is quite a little proud of you.

I watch the Tribune for anything worthy of sending you, but it is all in such a negative vein that I dislike to read some of it, and of course you are familiar with it all anyway.

I am glad your snow lasted only the day in Bloomington. A year ago it was April 16 when we had the terrific snow storm here that blocked traffic for two days. The grass is only starting to green here, quite late. My fingers are quite stiff and painful, so I make mistakes, but I intend to keep at it. Bye for now, and thanks again.

Ruth M.

[Disclaimer: The views of Ruth Myers are not necessarily my own. My task as a historian is to present documents in their true and unedited form.]

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/08/10/future-republican-president/

Arvilla (Gladys)

1 Reply

October 17, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

October 17, 1945, p. 1

10-17-45

Dear Daddy –

Yours of Sun. came today. It has been a grand day and I am glad we could let the fire go this afternoon. I talked to Chet Van S. and they have no coal – only Indiana stoker. Anyway the stoker coal isn’t so good to use for hand firing. I will try Harlan and see what he has. If he has any stoker coal I may have Monroe take this auger out and see if he can get it welded. He said they did that to the school furnace but it didn’t work. Loughridge is so indefinite about the oil burners now. When I talked to them in August they were sure they could have the furnace changed over by Nov. 1 and now they can’t give any date. Chet said they were to get a load of coke soon and I have a notion to try that, if we can’t get any coal.

Vincent is going to start on the office tonight. Nick still has his “stuff” stored there but I think Vincent can work around it for a while. I thought if we get something started Nick would get the place cleared.

I worked a little while in the attic getting the office things together. I want to gather up the sheets and towels and get them laundered.

Had a letter from your mother and she said Kenneth is home. He has a 45 day furlough, then goes back to N.C. and he thinks then he will be discharged. Dolores & Steve are home. Steve is out of the Army & Dolores has quit her job. I thought she would stay for a while but now that she is married I suppose they want to get

October 17, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] settled near the relatives. Mom said she didn’t know what they intend to do.

Irene was talking to me and said Link is losing weight. She says he is worried about his job. She is still talking about starting a Baby Shop out here in their home. I take it from the trend of her conversation their finances aren’t so good. She said she told Link if he wanted to sell their place she would be willing. However, I doubt if they will do that.

David just came in with a mask on. Virginia had given it to him and he was so tickled about it. I acted like he frightened me and that made him laugh.

I saw Dr. Mathews in the drug store and told him you were to be discharged Nov. 1 – He said for you to hurry home.

I also [saw] Arvilla Wright yesterday. She has been working in a hospital in Illinois but had to come home. She had an impacted wisdom tooth and was to go today to have it taken out. Alma told me Arvilla would rather work in a doctor’s office here than in a hospital. She figures she could take less and stay home. I have an idea you can get her if you want her.

Dorothy took Bobby over to Hungess for another cold shot this afternoon – the third one.

John is late this evening – he is quite busy getting the school paper ready to edit. The grade cards came – he got A on everything but Band & Cole gave him a B – he was very disgusted about that. He also got a B on citizenship – but they grade themselves on that and he was too modest to himself an A. Mark’s grades were B-C-& D – I told him to get busy & get an A or two next time.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/07/07/arvilla-gladys/

A Tiresome Day (Gladys)

1 Reply

: June 2, 1943 envelope

: June 2, 1943, p. 1

: June 2, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
June 2, 1943

Dear Daddy –

No letters so far today but maybe one or two will come in on the evening mail, before we start for Laf. I am taking Mark to St – E. for his tonsils (to be removed) – Dr. Cole thought it would be better to bring him down in the evening. I am going to stay at Kline’s tonight but will come back home tomorrow. Mark has been eating so he won’t get hungry tomorrow. I told him he wouldn’t be hungry but he doesn’t believe me.
I rec’d 10⁰⁰ from Mrs. Reed today – I could hardly believe it but it’s true. I know it will be hard for you to believe too. That is the

[page 2] first collection to come in since Jan. when Steve McKinley pd 5⁰⁰. This has been a tiresome day – Hot and windy. David has been cross – has some heat on his body and cutting teeth. John and Mark are getting him to patty cake now. He just started doing that yesterday. As yet the second check ($100) hasn’t come but the $150⁰⁰ did. Sometimes letters get delayed and come after later ones.
I can’t seem to concentrate very well just now. Will try to write a better letter tomorrow. Have a few things to do yet before leaving. I saw Carolyn and she said Arvilla is on seonc main so maybe we will get Mark a room on her floor. John is waiting to take this to the P.O. –

So Love Mother

Yegerlehner home on E. Dunlop Street, Kentland, Indiana – June 1943

Quite an appetite (Gladys)

2 Replies

Letter transcription:

MRS. R. S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
3-11-43

Dear Daddy – No letter today or yesterday, but will keep looking every day now since receiving three this week. I think there is one yet to come. One letter came Mon. saying you had written three, but only two more came – Well the weather is getting a little warmer but will look for anything during March. Mark is getting along fine. Had temp of 103 ½ – yesterday but broke out good and is feeling much better this a.m. Sleeps OK at night and doesn’t cough much now. Temp was 99 1/5 this morning. He wants some dinner so he must be improving. Now if John takes them maybe he can get along as well. They closed the grade school – there were 56 out with measles. There are some cases of chicken pox & scarlet fever but we won’t have to worry about them. We are going to give David Immune Globuline if we can get it. Jack Byrnes ordered from Chicago. There wasn’t any to be had in Laf. Mrs. Roberts called me last night and she is going to try and find some for me – said Joe had some but thought his Dad took it when he left. – – Pause – to feed Mark. He had quite an appetite and is feeling pretty good. Dr M. said John could come home tomorrow evening after school Mark thinks John has had it pretty nice eating all his meals at the restaurant. Ira Dixon had another spell like the one he had before. They took his to St. E. – didn’t know whether it was appendicitis or kidney stone. Haven’t any late word about him. Arvilla was on the floor with him when he entered the hospital. Dr. P. wrote me a letter and said he would send your things when he gets instructions from you. I am answering his letter. He said they hated to see you leave. (So did a lot of other people).

Love – Mother

The Weekly Letter (Gladys)

3 Replies

: February 21, 1943 envelope

: February 21, 1943, p. 1

: February 21, 1943, p. 2

: February 21, 1943, p. 3

: February 21, 1943, p. 4

: February 21, 1943, p. 5

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 3^rd 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 21^st finished the 22^nd and will mail it at the hotel and it will probably be postmarked 23^rd. 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