Tag Archives: Emma (Lawhead) Foster

Out of Forms (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
7-17-43

Dear Daddy – This is the first v-mail I have used for a long time. Was out of forms & the boys would forget to get a supply. We had a hard rain today about noon. Came down in streams. Everything was so dry we needed rain. Now should have beans in abundance. Got yours of June 30, also J. & M. got theirs of that date. I see Link pulling a branch down the storm brake loose. If we could cut up all the limbs that have fallen would have enough to burn next winter. This summer seems to be flying by. Just 6 weeks still school starts. I am going to dig potatoes for use next week. Carrots are big enough. Also green beans & cabbage. Tomatoes will be soon but they don’t interest me much. Mother ate a pretty good lunch today – She is still in bed. I think she will get up when she feels strong enough – Arlene told me yesterday she going to have a baby in Dec. Mary F. is due in Oct. Don’t know of anyone else who is booked for fall or early winter. Arlene said to tell you to hurry back so we could catch up with them – I don’t believe I would care to keep up that fast. Donnie will be just 16 mo. old in Dec. John is practicing. Mark is out playing in the yard. David is playing in his pen. He is graduating to 3 meals a day.

Love – Mother

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/10/15/out-of-forms-gladys/

Canning Beans (Gladys)

1 Reply

: July 16, 1943 envelope

: July 16, 1943, p. 1

: July 16, 1943, p. 2-3

: July 16, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
July 16 – 1943

Dear Daddy,

It is cloudy and thundering and I believe we will get some rain. It has been dry and hasn’t rained (except a little shower this a.m.) for more than a week. Mrs. Zell said if it rained they would get lots of beans now. We have some ready to pick and I suppose I will have to do the picking – Mark has gone out twice but come back each time with an excuse, of some kind about not picking any. It won’t take long to can a cooker full (4 qts) if there are that many to can. I don’t intend to can carrots. There is a method of preserving them raw. Just put them in a heavy jar and cover – leave in basement & they keep as long as they last. So that eliminates

[page 2] that vegetable from the canning list. It is still doing a lot of thundering and a few drops have fallen but no heavy rain yet.

No mail today but didn’t expect any. However this is the third day about the time the mail all gets caught up then it stops coming for a few days, sometimes a week. The last was of July 3. So glad you had rec’d the pictures. If I can get my hands on the negatives Betty Lou took I’ll send some more soon. Dorothy promised to have more made but I haven’t seen them.

I think Mother is getting better, tho slowly. She eats a little better and takes her medicine every meal (before & after). An appetite stimulator and “acidophilus broth” – whatever that is. Have to keep it in the refrigerator and she takes it in milk.

David is having a screaming good time. Is standing up

[page 3] in his bed. He is getting so he doesn’t care to eat every 4 hrs. so think I’ll put him on 3 meals a day. He sometimes gets awake at 6 but I just pay no attention to him so he goes back to sleep and the last two mornings he hasn’t had his first bottle until about 8 a.m. He doesn’t seem to mind at all. He takes more than a can of carnation a day – potatoe, apple saude, cereal, egg yolk, vegetable soup, carrots, peas, asparagus, etc., in turn. I sometimes give him vegetable soup with beef broth. He likes it.

I was surprised the other day. While the Thompsons were visiting Foulkes, Mary came up to see David & brought their David along. She is expecting the stork again. I believe it is due in Oct. Davie doesn’t walk yet. He is short – I don’t believe he is as tall as David and he is 5 mo. older, but what could you expect. They aren’t very tall.

[page 4] The Foulkes had a party on their terrace last night. Seems they have one every night or so – and they always get to vocalizing – With what they have had to bring on singing you can imagine how it sounds up here – not good. I don’t mind, they don’t bother me, but it does disturb Mother some.

I see in the paper John Krull has been sent to a camp in Mich. He was home on furlough not long ago. I think I mentioned it before. The acc’t of Lon Staton’s death was in last week’s paper but don’t think I mentioned it. I have scanned thru the papers but see nothing I think would interest you – anyway if I miss something it will be news when you get the paper.

David seems to be having some trouble of his own. I think he needs to go to sleep but doesn’t want to give up. Just looked in and he is trying to take off a shoe. John is reading and Mark is working on his airplanes.

The water meter was read today & Fred said it was only 4:00 this time – was $6 last. I sprinkled the flowers once this summer – last nite.

Love Mother

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/10/13/canning-beans-gladys/

Dunes State Park (Gladys)

1 Reply

: July 15, 1943 envelope

: July 15, 1943, p. 1

: July 15, 1943, p. 2

: July 15, 1943, p. 3

: July 15, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
July 15 1943

Dear Daddy –

No letters today but had up to July 3^rd this week. It is a typical hot & dry July day. We are needing rain now. After all the rain we had and just a week ago it doesn’t seem we would be needing more so soon. John just finished mowing the lawn again and if we don’t have rain soon again the grass won’t grow very fast. The Onargo man was here this morning and trimmed the trees & sprayed. It was Cailey – he was just working for them today. He has a job in a defense plant and had a day off. Now the two end trees look almost the same. They are to replace the one tree. It has come out of it but we are to get a new one.

[page 2] The ones Foulkes & Funks have in the middle of their front yards look like they are gone but they had them sprayed today.

Mark is out in the yard with David & John is washing dishes. John made cup cakes this morning. Mark wants to go to 4-H camp at Dunes State Park in Aug. I told him he could go if he practiced on his piano lessons & worked on other things when told to do so. He weeded some this morning and now John is sitting at the piano with him to get him to learn his notes. I didn’t buy the new horn for him because he didn’t practice on it any better than on the old one. John and I think he would do better on a reed instrument than a brass because it would be easier to blow. So if we come across a clarinet or sax will see what we can do. However I am about to buy the grand piano I wrote you about. Mother has $100⁰⁰ saved she was going visiting on and since

[page 3] she won’t be able to go any place for a long while she wants me to use it on the piano. That would leave $200⁰⁰ that I can pay later. I have been figuring what I can do in the next few months. I know it would be best to have the cash but pianos are so hard to find I thought I had better take one when I can. I have all bills paid up and nothing coming up except Ins. ever quarterly. The car ins. is due in Aug. Your next Hancock is in Oct. This won’t get the loan on my ins. pd. off quite as soon. But maybe can take care of it a little later.

The Rotary Club is entertaining ladies Mon. evening and I am invited. Will see about your dues. Have been so busy with Mother haven’t seen about them yet.

David’s eyes are about cleared up. Just a few red streaks, but definitely improved since starting on the drops Dr. Ade gave. He doesn’t

[page 4] rub them so much. I don’t remember what Dr. Ade said was the trouble, except infection that was going around. So don’t worry about it because it is almost gone, whatever it was.

Irene said her sister has a baby girl, born this morning. I suppose they wanted a boy. Most everybody does. Donahues wanted a boy, but I told Carl they probably felt like we do – wouldn’t trade David for all the girls. John says a girl couldn’t possibly have David’s personality, etc. David is very friendly – smiles at everybody and hasn’t yet shown sign of being afraid of people.

I think Mother is improving tho slowly. She eats little, but does eat something every meal, so that is better than nothing. Had a night letter from Jim. He & Thelma are recuperating from a sunburn they got at the beach. He has a 9 day leave but can’t come home. Says before he is sent out will get another leave & come home.

Love Mother

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/10/10/dunes-state-park-gladys/

Have David For A Brother (Gladys)

3 Replies

: July 14, 1943 envelope

: July 14, 1943, p. 1

: July 14, 1943, p. 2-3

: July 14, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
July 14 1943

Dear Daddy,

No mail today but I didn’t expect any since I had rec’d up to July 3. Had a letter from Marie Mace – Said David has been having rheumatism again. Marie said if he didn’t write to you she would and his reply was that, when he finished a letter to you and read it over it seemed toobe to be so “ped-dling” in the face of things you must be seeing and going through with, he felt it shouldn’t take up the space it would in going to you. He lost 26 lbs. then gained back 6. Marie says his clothes are so loose they hang on him.

Sometimes I feel

[page 2] that way about my letters to you but I go ahead and mail them anyway. I wish every day I could write volumes of interesting thing but hardly do that.

It is cloudy today and has rained a tiny bit and looks like all the time will rain hard. It is cooler than yesterday and I am glad because of Mother feeling so weak. I brought her home yesterday. She is upstairs in bed. Dr. Cole has her taking acidolphilus broth in milk after each meal and a tonic before meals. He said the after meal medicine is to help heal her bowels. She says all the soreness is gone. Is eating a little but not much. If you can imagine her being thinner than she was. Her clothes are too large too.

David’s eyes got red looking – the whites were blood shot so I took him to Dr. Ade – he

[page 3] said it was an infection that was going around and gave us a prescription for drop to put in three times a day. He said it should clear up in a few days. David doesn’t like the drops but I manage to get them in. He has had them three times and I think his eyes are better.

Mark is working on airplanes today. John is practicing. There is a plane going over & Mark has run out to see it. This must be a regular route now because planes go over almost daily. I am writing with an old pen and I keep making mistakes.

The Thompsons are visiting the Foulkes. Tommy is still helping his father farm. I haven’t seen them only from a distance. Mark saw Mary and asked her how much Davey weighed. She said 22 ½ & he is 16 mo old – can’t walk alone yet. Mark

[page 4] thought their Davey is a little slow in every way. Of course I haven’t seen him and can’t say. Yesterday Dr. Ade said he had two girls who would be glad to have David for a brother. John was with me and he said there were 3 girls next door who would like to have him too. It seems almost everyone things he would be pretty nice to have.

When I paid Mother’s bill I had 41⁰⁰ bal. in the bank. Her bill for a week was 47⁰⁰ – that included medicine & lab fee. I had put 52⁰⁰ of her money in our acc’t and you can see there wasn’t much of hers left.

Irene is home this week keeping Jimmy. Said she didn’t know what she would do next week and thereafter – Her mother isn’t coming back yet and she has to find someone to take care of J. when she goes back to work.

I have to make a trip to town.
Love Mother

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/10/08/have-david-for-a-brother-gladys/

A Grand For 300 (Gladys)

1 Reply

: July 13, 1943 envelope

: July 13, 1943, p. 1

: July 13, 1943, p. 2-3

: July 13, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
July 13 – 1943

Dear Daddy,

Rec’d yours of July 3 and you had rec’d more pictures. I am always glad when you get them. The pictures never do justice to David but you can get a good idea how he looks. He is so full of pep and does so many cute things (we think). I may be wrong but he acts like he will talk very young. He jabbers so much. It was hot when John took him up to bed last nite so he went to bed with just a diaper on and slept that way all night. I covered him with his spread and when I woke up this morning he was up playing with the spread. His bed downstairs is in front of

[page 2] the window and if left alone will watch the traffic & trains at long periods. He will play in his bed or pen with a toy or just a blanket or pillow. He loves to pound a pillow and take the slip off. After his bath & meal at 11: Mark usually takes him out in his buggy for a sunbath.

John is up making an Angel Food Cake – we have egg whites left from David’s formula and when enough accumulates John makes a cake. Mark is still in bed. He seemed to be all over his nervous habits after his tonsil operation and then he went to Ruth’s a week. I think he was too excited all the time about things because when I went to get him he was about as bad as ever. I have been trying to keep him from doing so much and let him sleep as long as he wants too – He still jerks his head and bats his eyes, but maybe I

[page 3] can get him quieted down with plenty of rest. I have noticed any excitement or hard play makes him worse. Betty Nesbitt is taking a group of youngsters to Battle Ground, the Methodist vacation school, and she wants him to go. I don’t think I’ll let him go because I am afraid it will be too much excitement.

I am going to the hospital today and if Dr. Cole thinks it’s the thing to do will bring Mother home. She has had sulfaquanodine since she has been down (1 week) and the infection should be cleared up by now and I think she will get along as good here now as there. Jim talks like he will be home soon for a leave before being sent out and I think that should help Mother some. Of course I know it will take food to give her strength and she hasn’t been eating so good. I sent Jim an air mail a week ago but haven’t had any reply from him. Sometimes it takes about

[page 4] as long for him to get my letters as it does for you to.

I have been looking at a piano again. A tuner who worked on ours last fall had a grand for $300⁰⁰. That sounds like a fortune just now and I don’t know what to do. If I could only get your opinion in tme. I told him I didn’t have the cash because I had bought bonds. He said he would arrange the payment for me but I haven’t decided yet what I should do. By the time I get an answer the issue will probably be past history.

I have been quoting our bank bal. several times lately. When I pay the hospital bill today I will be pretty low. Will give you definite figures tomorrow. This everyday living without trimmings is so high – I haven’t spent for anything but necessities and it seems to take a lot. Just so we can get by I am nor worrying about savings – of course I would like to have a nest egg saved up when you come home, but I am not going to worry about it. I’ll feel good about the whole things if we get along –

Love Mother

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/10/06/a-grand-for-300-gladys/

A Logical Explanation (Gladys)

1 Reply

: July 12, 1943 envelope

: July 12, 1943, p. 1

: July 12, 1943, p. 2

: July 12, 1943, p. 3

Letter Transcription:

Kentland Ind
7 – 12 – 43

Dear Daddy,

Yours of July 1 and 2 came today. This is Monday and had a little washing to do. It is hot & sunny so things are drying well. I want to get the ironing done to because I promised to go to Laf. tomorrow. I’ll bring Mother home if Dr. Cole thinks she should come. She wasn’t eating any better yesterday but maybe she will in a few days. Dr. Cole is giving her something to help stimulate her appetite.

I have to fill in a form for a new gas ration book. They should be issued by July 21 – that is the expiration of the present book.

Margaret Kruman came out and asked me to order three catheters for Bud. Seems

[page 2] Dr. M. has had a little misunderstanding with Aloe & won’t order so she asked me to. I am going to send a C.O.D. order.

Bud Krull is here today. He & Mark went fishing & caught 2 little fish they threw back in. I caught Mark in time to keep him from going back so he can mail this for me. You need not worry about him studying too hard. He hasn’t done any since he had his tonsils out, and I am so busy with things now I can’t keep him at anything, so the studying will have to wait until school begins. I started him on the piano again but he won’t practice unless I sit with him. I think he could soon get it if he had the urge. John thinks he could soon play by ear if he tried.

John is over at Zell’s helping them break beans to can. They brought a girl about his age back with them for a week’s visit. John has a bad case of pimples & black heads on his nose and around it but he won’t let me get near him so I can’t do much about it. I told him good scrubbing would help a lot. I suppose you know by now we didn’t get the horn for Mark. He wouldn’t practice any more on it than on the old one and when the bike came along he said he would rather have it.

David is taking a nap at present. It is so hot today he is dressed in a diaper only. We didn’t get back last nite until 8 P.M. and he didn’t mind at all going an hour past his supper. I have been putting him to bed at 7 so he won’t wake so early in the a.m. – even with going to bed an hour late he was awake at 7 this morning. He is jabbering a lot, say Da Da very

[page 4] plainly – anyone could understand it – but that’s about all except sometimes he says mom- mom. He reminds me of John the way he make sounds like words. John can’t understand how he would know to say da da – John has to have a logical explanation for things. He gets more like you every day. He says so many things that makes me think of the things you would say. Mark is so anxious to look like you. I tell him I would be more pleased if he acted like Daddy. He just grins and goes on as usual. Mark & Buddy just came in with a yard stick discussing the length bass & bluegill should be to keep & Mark said 6 & 10 ft. & meant inches. When I called his attention to his error he had a good laugh.

He is waiting to mail this so will get it finished. There is a swallow’s nest in our fireplace chimney – I can hear the baby birds.

Love Mother

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/10/04/a-logical-explanation-gladys/

At the Hospital (Gladys)

3 Replies

: July 11, 1943 envelope

: July 11, 1943, p. 1

: July 11, 1943, p. 2-3

: July 11, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Sunday July 11 1943

Dear Daddy –

Seems my Sat. letter didn’t get mailed so will make up for that by mailing this & Sat. letter from Laf. We are at the hospital. I haven’t talked to Dr. Cole but Mother is still taking Sulfaquanodine. However, I think today is the last day. Mother says she doesn’t feel much better but it has turned hot again and that always makes her feel worse. I’ll try & call Dr. Cole before we leave. I hate to bother him on Sun. He has been so busy. When Rosemary Funk was in the hospital for her operation Dr. Cole said something about mass production, he had delivered 5 babies in 5 ½ hrs.: 3 here and two at the Home. The day I brought Mother down we went out to his office first and he was just leaving to come here to do a section, so we came on and saw him here –

[page 2] We went out to see Ruthie Parttens yesterday. She has to stay in bed 7 wks., but doesn’t have any kind of binding cast or anything on. They kept her in a hammock in the hospital, or swing, whatever it’s called. Speaking of broken bones Sammy Washburn has a broken collar bone and one arm in a sling. The Washburns have more bones breaks than anyone I know of.

I called Mrs. Roberts and she had a letter from Joe dated June 28 and he had told her about your visit. He said where you are is the prettiest or most beautiful (er somethin’) he had seen yet.

Statons came home today from Monticello from their vacation. Irene saw us leaving and talked a few minutes. She hadn’t heard from her mother so Mary doesn’t have her baby yet. Irene is going to stay home a week then I don’t know what they will do about Jimmy – Mrs. James told Mother she didn’t know when she would come back. There is a nursery school this summer in the grade building for workers at the factory – you will see the Dean Davis ad in the paper if you get it. It seems there are a number on women with children working there –

[page 3] I spent 80 meat points yesterday – in the form of 2 ½ lbs. hamburger, 3 ¼ lb. roast, 1 lb steak, 1 lb. sandwich meat and 2 lb. boiling meat – and it cost me about $3.50 – The steak was the most expensive (50¢). The points were changed recently. Steak used to be 8 pts. a lb., now it’s 12 & 13. So far we haven’t used all our red points, but I always use the blue ones and buy canned goods. Harold P. told the boys yesterday he was going to butcher next month and if he does we are to get a quarter. There is a meat shortage now and at times even in Kentland we can’t get much meat, but yesterday Ford’s had a good supply. Sometimes it’s the case of the early bird. It was so late when I got to the store last nite I thought I wouldn’t find much but they must have had a fresh supply.

The way the visitors go up & down the halls there isn’t much quiet. The boys are keeping David in the car. He is asleep now and John & Mark are taking turns coming up here. They tried to get a paper but the little place down the street is closed.

[page 4] The boys said next Sunday the church is having a dinner for Rev. Servies in the basement. I remember last year we attended but don’t suppose we will this time. Even if Mother weren’t sick that isn’t a very good place to take a baby David’s size. He is so lively he needs plenty of space to move around in. He has a seat Mrs. Roberts gave me that fits on the car seat and he enjoys riding in it. He can see all the sights and doesn’t wear anyone out when riding.

I am trying to write in competition with the noises in the hall, John & Mark taking turns running in & out so will try and do better next time.

Love Mother

St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Lafayette, Indiana (Image via cardcow.com)

Okra & Kohlrabi (Gladys)

1 Reply

: July 10, 1943, p. 1

: July 10, 1943, p. 2-3

: July 10, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
July 10 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

It was late when I got to bed last nite and I was so tired from yesterday’s goings. I fed David about 6:30 – he would want to wake early – then we both went back to sleep and I was just up getting dressed when the mail main came and brought 4 letters, June 26-27-28 & 29. Now I must call Mrs. R. and tell her you & Joe have been together but she probably has the word from Joe. I promised her I would come over & see her when I visited Ruthie P. in the hospital but

[page 2] with Mother being down and the boys gone last week I didn’t get over to see Ruthie and now she is home so I’ll just call Mrs. R. until some later date when I can go over.

Mrs. Zell just came over and said we could have green beans – ours aren’t quite ready yet. They have kolorabies [kohlrabi] in their garden. Also are raising okra – if I remember correctly you didn’t care for okra.

When we got home last night David’s evys eyes were red and looked like he was getting something but I bathed his eyes with warm boric acid solution before putting him to bed and this morning they are about normal

[page 3] again – but I remember when I was powdering him yesterday after his bath. I accidently got some in his eyes – so I think that must be the cause. Now don’t worry about it he is OK now. At present he is trying to get hold of a rocking chair beside his bed – He is always trying to reach something. Betty Lou took some pictures and if I can get them will send them today. I think Nick has given up the enlisting idea. Haven’t heard anything about it lately and they are doing some work on their house – putting in a bathroom downstairs and

[page 4] remodeling their kitchen. They are still driving their car. It looks about like it did when you left. He gets more gasoline than we get (a card) because of his business. He has a locker in Sheldon and has to make several trips a week to get meat.

I sent you a financial statement the first of the month but will tell you again – I at present have $91 – but that includes 52⁰⁰ Mother gave me and the 52⁰⁰ will probably go to the hospital when I pay her bill down there – but the Hancock Ins. is paid for this time (3 policies) and all bills except 10⁰⁰ at Loebs and a small bill at Bairs are paid – So I really have a bal. of about 39⁰⁰ – I have to write Jim & Glen, your Folks & Ruth about Mother –

Love Mother

One Thousand is a Really Big Number (Gladys)

9 Replies

In case you are wondering, the title of today’s blog has nothing to do with Gladys, or anything she said. Today, this blog hits a big landmark – 1,000 blog posts. I am still about two months shy of my second anniversary. To date, I have transcribed and published over 650 letters which were written by Roscoe, Gladys, their sons (John & Mark), and the occasional other, in the years 1942 and 1943. I would like to thank all of my faithful readers who have continued to read Roscoe and Gladys’ story day after day. There are still about 8 months worth of daily letters to transcribe and post so I hope everyone sticks around for the rest of the adventure.

: July 9, 1943 envelope

: July 9, 1943, p. 1

: July 9, 1943, p. 2-3

: July 9, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:
Kentland Ind
7-9-43

Dear Daddy –

Went to Laf. today to see Mother & talk to Dr. Cole. He said she had strep, staf [staph], & B-Coli infection in her bowels, a little puss in her urine, but the last to be expected in a person her age. He has her on sulfaquoxadine and wants her to stay in the hospital another week yet. She isn’t minding it so much. She doesn’t feel well enough to care much where she is. He has been giving her sleeping

[page 2] tablets and I suppose this is the first time in her life she ever took a sedative and she slept all night and most of the next day after taking one tablet.

Yours of June 13 came today so that about catches up the back mail. I have been on the go so all day I can hardly get my thoughts collected – Maybe David will let me sleep in the a.m. and maybe he will want an early bottle. He has been waiting till 7 a.m. for his bottle. Zell’s came home yesterday and they are always anxious to keep the baby so Mark and David

[page 3] remained here and at Zell’s – After Mrs. Zell fed him at 3 p.m. he took a nap then they took his play pen over there and kept him there. When John & I left he was having a buggy ride. They have three girls & Mr. Zell wants a boy so much. He was practically in tears when the last two were girls.

Rosemary Funk is home from the hospital and Arlene wanted me to go with her to see R. so after I got back from Laf. & got David to bed I went with Arlene. I thought she had had an appendectomy but Arlene said also more had been done – her uterice [uterus] had dropped and that had to be raised – I don’t know whether I am saying all

[page 4] the above correctly but I think you know what I mean. Dr. C. told her she would have to be very careful for a while – that her insurance for the next 30 yrs. would be in her care of herself the next 3 wks. Her mother still has the baby – she first has a very young girl working for her and isn’t able to take care of the baby herself yet. Her mother spoils him so – Rosemary said she carries him around even while preparing meals.

Carl Donahue’s have a new girl. Carl wanted a boy too and so did Cecelia – that makes 3 girls for them. Ruthie Parttens came home from the hospital and I am going to try to get out to see her. I’ll let you know all about her when I get back. I must get this finished – it’s getting late –

Love Mother

Progress – September 27th

7 Replies

Well, this update is not about the book because I am on book hiatus until the end of October. [Insert crying face emoticon here] I have too many other projects on the stove cooking at the moment to devote time to the book. I am frustrated by this lack of time. I want to be able to focus on the book completely instead of stealing a moment here or there. But the time just is not there at the moment, and I have to be realistic.

My main focus is writing my proof argument for my ProGen Study Group. The first draft was due September 25^th which I turned in a few days early. After I wrote mine, I had to review the four papers of my group mates. We have such different writing styles and research problems. It is great to see what we are all working on. This next month we have to take the comments and suggestions of our group mates and polish up our first drafts into the final arguments.

I chose a research problem which I have been working on for 20 years, since I first starting working on Gladys’ family. One branch of her family has Quaker ancestry which stretches back to the early days of Pennsylvania and William Penn. Due to all the various migrations across the eastern part of the United States in the early years of the nineteenth century, some records are non-existent. The purpose of a proof argument is to gather indirect and direct evidence together in one place, and to write an argument “proving” whether or not events occurred. In my case, I have been searching for the parents of Alfred M. Dicks, Gladys’ great grandfather.

I believe I have a very solid argument. My first draft was 18 pages long, and over 6,000 words. I received some good feedback from some of my study group mates, and now I am beginning to make some corrections and additions. It is also my plan to publish the argument as an eBook when I am done in October.

In my genetic genealogy work, my father’s mtDNA results came in last week. I have two exact matches, but I think they are several generations too far away to help me at present. Mitochondrial DNA is the type of DNA which was used to prove that the bones buried under a parking lot in England belonged to Richard III. My goals are a little less lofty, but no less important to me. I am hoping to prove the connection between Sarah Ann (Jewell) Rea and her parents with mitochondrial DNA. The most plausible candidates are John P. Jewell and his wife Mary (Hoagland) Jewell. My father’s haplogroup is H1g1. This haplogroup appears to be more common in Germany and the Northern European countries. If Sarah’s mother was Mary Hoagland (who was of German ancestry), and I can find another of Mary’s descendants who matches, then I may have solved this mystery.

Last night, as I was searching for more information about Crawford and Clark counties (in Illinois) where Gladys’ family lived, I discovered that the Marshall Public library has begun digitizing the local county newspapers, back to the 1850s. This is AMAZING news! I have been stymied by the lack of records access in these two counties for the last two decades. I finally had to step away from the computer at midnight, but I could have gone on for hours more. The website says that they are still scanning and adding more newspapers, so patrons should check back often! [Can you see me doing Snoopy’s happy dance?] I was able to find the obituary of Gladys’ great grandmother, Belinda C. Foster, which previously I had only been able to find in a transcription, and many other little tidbits of gossip about my ancestors.

I will leave you with a small sample from the weekly news gossip column of West York, Illinois, from March 1896, announcing the marriage of Gladys’ parents.