Tag Archives: genealogy

Helen Kline’s husband (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:
2/2/43
Dear Mother,
It seems my prophecy about v-mail has come true because Today I received your letters of Jan 17, 18 & 19 that is v-mail. Now I don’t know whether you are writing regular air mail or not but don’t discontinue it altogether. I said last night to write it at least once each week but with it coming the way it does maybe once each week won’t be enough. I know it’s asking a lot to write so much so often but you’ll never know how much those letters mean and I can’t see why you should say my letters are interesting because about all I do is fill up space while yours are very interesting to me as well as being filled with things I want to know.
This surely has been a

[page 2] winter for you and I’m sorry I missed it for I would have enjoyed it so much.
This is ground hog day and if there are any of those animals here they could have seen their shadows OK, but it has started raining again so don’t know what the remainder of the day will be like. Hope it doesn’t rain out our show tonite.
All morning long there was a haze hanging around over the mountains and the atmosphere seemed very sticky so we more or less expected rain. Even our view of the ocean wasn’t clear – seemed to remind one a little of Indian summer at home.
I ran into a navy man yesterday and we got to talking about eggs and informed me he could get us a doz. cold storage eggs for nothing so we had a

[page 3] little egg fry after the show we got a hot plate some butter and the bottom of a mess container and were those egg sandwitches with sunny side up good. They were even good to look at. Don’t misunderstand me we have enough to eat etc but it’s the way it’s cooked.
I hope by now you got the word I sent about the taxes. Just pay enough to keep me out of Jail and keep the property in our name.
I’m going to send Mark a letter and one dollar for his birthday – I wrote that yesterday so just repeating. I have had no word on the uniform money so let me know once in a while if you have heard from it.

Later – no show it is raining. This eve after chow Helen Kline’s husband came to see me of course I didn’t know him because as near as I

[page 4] can remember I had only seen him once and that was when we were living in Elmer D. property. We had quite a long conflab. He can’t disclose where he is but he is pretty sure his wife knows. In case you go to Lafayette you might call the folk and tell them he was here. Of course he probably will write them tonight also.
Got a letter from Ruth Y. and from Mom, both dated Jan 15. They gave me the low down on things around C.C.
Well, hope your sinus is better – Lots of Love Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/06/helen-klines-husband-roscoe/

Book of Me – Prompt 14: Special People

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book of meThe Book of Me – Written by You is a weekly blog prompt created by Julie Goucher of the blog Angler’s Rest. This is a fifteen month writing project to highlight my life so that I will have something to leave behind for my descendants. Week fourteen’s prompt is  also Special People and is a continuation of the last prompt.

If you had to hold a dinner party and could invite a maximum of 12 special people who would you invite?

You CAN include family this time. Perhaps they are ancestors you have never met or people that you know/knew.

What meals would you serve and why?

Perhaps include the recipe or a photo if you decided to actually cook the items.

_________________________________

My dinner party would include family members who have all passed on at this point. Most of them I have never known. I have lots of questions for them because they didn’t write anything down or leave much for me to discover about their lives.

The Guests

Alfred M. Dicks and his first wife Ruth Reynolds: They were Quakers. Their families were part of the Quaker migration to North Carolina in the mid 1700s. After staying in the south for several generations, the Quakers began migrating north again. Slavery was a huge issue in the early 1800s. Some remained in the south but many moved in the decades before the Civil War. Some of the North Carolina monthly meetings were decimated by migration. Ruth’s parents migrated a few years before she was born. Alfred traveled as a young man in the 1830s, sometime after the death of his father in 1833. Ruth died young after bearing six children in the 1850s. I know very little about her. Her name appears in very few documents. When she and Alfred married in 1840, their marriage was a civil one which got them disowned from the local Quaker Monthly Meeting. I suspect the meeting was too far away which made it difficult to attend regularly. Also there were lots of strong political feelings and divisions between the monthly meetings in eastern Illinois and western Indiana at that time. I have lots of questions for Alfred, too. He managed to avoid the census takers in 1860. I do not know exactly when Alfred or Ruth died or where they are buried.

John Alden and Priscilla Mullins: I have always known I was a Mayflower descendant.  The lineage of John and Priscilla was the first that my grandmother proved. We “know” so much about their fabled courtship and little else. John’s parentage is unknown. We have very few dates for this couple, including when they married, the births of the children, and when Priscilla died. Hearing about their daily struggles to create a new life in this country would be fascinating.

George Rea and Sarah Ann Jewell: George Rea was an Irishman by birth. He journeyed to America and settled in Greene County, Indiana. So far I have uncovered little information about George’s life in Ireland. He was a presumably successful farmer who owned a sizeable acreage of land in Indiana. George was about 20 years older than his wife Sarah but she died first, perhaps in childbirth. I am currently trying to prove Sarah’s lineage. There was only one Jewell family in Greene County and I think I know how she fits but I have no direct evidence. Again, I have lots of questions for this couple.

David Yegerlehner and Magdalena Strahm: The patriarch of the Yegerlehner family in America and his wife left their homeland to settle in America in 1851. Why? Where & when did Magdalena die? David was a carpet weaver. I would have enjoyed watching him weave. Perhaps they could teach me Swiss or share stories of their life in the Alps.

Michael Schiele and Elizabeth Krieble: I think I have enough questions about Michael and his German ancestry to warrant an invitation to this dinner. Elizabeth’s daughter Nancy raises lots of interesting questions as well. Nancy’s descendents would certainly like some answers about her father.

Roscoe S. Yegerlehner and Gladys Foster: Now that I am old enough to ask the hard family questions, my grandparents have long been gone. Since starting this project, the number of questions that I would have liked to ask my grandparents has increased exponentially. Even sitting with my grandmother for a few hours and having her identify people in the sea of photographs would be a treat.

The dinner

I would like to have a potluck picnic like I remember from all the family reunions of my childhood. Every summer we traveled to Indiana to visit my grandparents. Generally, at some point, a family reunion would be held during our visit. A few times, the reunion was held at my aunt and uncle’s house. At that time, their house was on the outskirts of Centerville. The house was surrounded by corn fields on the two sides, the road to the front, and a wooded area to the back. All my mom’s cousins would come over and all the second cousins would run around for hours. Everyone brought some kind of dish to share.

Since my family does not have a tradition of family recipes being passed down, I would like each of my ancestral couples to bring a family dish that was special for their family and time period. One dish sticks out from my childhood. It appeared on the table for most picnics or special occasions. I am not sure which side of the family the recipe came from. Since my own children have an aversion to food with “sauces,” the tradition hasn’t been continued.

The recipe –

Five Cup Salad:
1 cup crushed pineapple
1 cup mandarin oranges
1 cup of shredded coconut
1 cup of mini marshmallows
1 cup of sour cream

Throw all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together.

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/06/book-of-me-pro…special-people/

Re-read your six letters (Gladys)

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1943-02-01 #2Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S.YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
2-1-43

Dear Daddy – Re-read your six letters rec’d today so I could think a little better in answering. Don’t worry about the taxes. I am buying bonds – besides one each month have 6 – 37⁵⁰ – so they can be used to pay any taxes that have to be paid after the duration – but I will repeat – Agnes M. talked to a Federal man and he said not to finish the ’41 payments now – and if it has to be paid will have the bonds to take care of it. I was glad you prescribed but in case you don’t get some of my later than Jan 7 letters – I tool sulfathiazole drops – but had been taking the “diazine” and use the “thiazole” drops and I began to itch and nose was worse. I was so stopped up I could hardly breathe – I then used Glucofedrin and that opened me up – but I was careful about using drops because I knew it would irritate. Dr. Ade washed the left sinus out. I didn’t seem to get any better so quit all treatments and it seemed to leave finally. David did have a cold and I was I suppose over anxious about him but I was afraid it would develop into something serious. He is fine now. Has a coming appetite and gains an ounce or more a day. Now gets Pablum and vegetable soup – 1 can carnation – one egg yolk (dextri M & water) Vit C tablet & oleum (6 drops) every day. I tried giving him a drink of water from a cup today. I think he will learn easily. He holds on to things and rolls around in his bed, got turned around today and had his feet against the head of the bed. He won’t stay in a basket anymore. Took the bed upstairs so will have to put him on the studio couch downstairs now. Your J.A.M.A. is still coming and I save every one. I also save other medical magazines. If you don’t want them when you come back can chuck them. John & Mark are bathing. I am getting sleepy so will have to quit due to space.

Love Mother

©2013 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/05/re-read-your-s…letters-gladys/

Summer is passing rapidly (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

2/1/43

Dear Mother,

First day of Feb. and our summer is passing rapidly of which I am more than pleased somewhat, and at the same time your winter is passing of which you are more than somewhat pleased. I’ve been reading some more of Daymon R. books and he uses those more than somewhat – more than somewhat.

I forgot to tell you that the house payments will be different this year. Not the 39.01 but the extra that is put on for tax. I wish you would let me know what the payments are – just for fun. And what did you do about that insurance. I mean those dividends that we have words and letters about each year. Maybe you have written those things but haven’t gotten here

[page 2] as yet. As I have it figured the June payment on the old Hancock policy will be the last – and while we are on that subject – How much is borrowed on that. That only way you have of telling that is by the interest you just paid or should have paid sometime in Dec. or Jan. So if it isn’t too much trouble I’d like to know those 3 things.

1. House payments 2. What about the dividends and 2. How much is borrowed. And also the number of bonds up to a certain date and whether or not you got a safety deposit box. Guess I’m jumping the gun but just in case you forgot to write those things. And I never did get the uniform money nor your travel money. Well so much for those things.

I’m going to send Mark one dollar for his birthday just like I did John when I was at Moffett field – I’ll try to send that

[page 3] out tomorrow. You don’t need to tell him unless you want to. I’m just telling you in order that you will know and should it get lost explain to him I didn’t forget.

I’m hardly expecting any mail today since I’m pretty well up to date. I mean new mail. We always expect some of that old to catch up with us sooner or later – possibly later.

Today is pay day and none too soon – for I have 2 cents. I have a little money on the book and in time will send more home, but it doesn’t build up very fast when we have to pay .60 per day for food. About one dollar per wk. for laundry. Same for cigarettes. Coke, beer and a few luxuries like that and send $200⁰⁰ home. I want a little on hand so that I’ll have car fare from San. Fran to Kentland in the dim distant future – what I don’t

[page 4] need I just leave on the books and in case of transfer can be drawn at any time. If too much accumulates I’ll send it home again. Your first birthday present was part of my travel money to Calif. and we also got some travel money from San Francisco to Ventura. I guess Helen Washburn told you about that trip we took. Our ticket costs 3.60 and we were paid 18⁰⁰ travel expenses. Had a pulman and everything. Got on the train at about 9 P.M. and off at 6:45 AM. It was one swell ride. Walsh had the upper berth and I the lower. He got tight and I had to help him in and out, but we made it OK. So far I haven’t been tight and don’t worry I can take care of R.S. Y.

After the show and after main [mail] – the show was good – The mail wasn’t.

Love
Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/04/summer-is-pass…rapidly-roscoe/

I’m not scolding (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

1/31/43

Dear Mother,

I’ve re-read and I believe most of the things are answered so maybe just some comments here and there. In the first place instead of getting only your letter of Jan. 14, I got both 13 & 14 in the same envelope. Maybe that is something only what if the 14th hadn’t gotten here. I’m not scolding just kidding. Your writing every day either hits the mail as it comes or my box where ever it is gets so full the postal clerk has to get rid of some any way that was about the latest yet of any around here. Even the V-mail was later than most other mail.

If Agnes M. hasn’t written about the tax I wish she would because I didn’t know she had written in about the 1941, but I guess you have that all fixed by now. I’m sorry if I asked the 1941 to be paid after she wrote in

[page 2] and everything. You probably had written me of hat in some of those letters which haven’t arrived. And if you have any surplus buy bonds because after all that is the best and maybe it will help in a small way also.

Was your mother just coming for a visit or to stay permanently? She just as well plan on leaving Terre Haute for good for she would have it so much nicer in Kentland I would think.

All the boxes you sent have arrived, and I now have lots of chewing gum. It is OK but even inside the wrapper etc. it is just a soft mass and has to be “walled and lolled” quite somewhat before it gets into a chewable mass. We can occasionally get peanuts here that are canned and if eaten right away they are still fresh but it they stand overnight they get tough and moist.

Sorry Bart got the address twisted

[page 3] because other people might write also. Taylor’s greeting had only the Naval Base and New Caledonia but it got here OK. No San Fran. or anything.

The Chaplin hasn’t reported on the progress of John’s song as yet because after all we don’t have many piano players along since playing pianos isn’t our main purpose for being here.

Got my watch back and it does pretty good – gains only about a minute in 24 hrs. Didn’t cost anything – That isn’t this fellows work but I treated a bunch of boils for him and got him a hundred Vit – B tablets so he returned the favor. He told me however the watch had seen better days but don’t send one because there really isn’t any need for a watch here and this hot damp weather is hard on watches.

Don’t know what the show is tonite yet but the weather looks favorable.

[page 4] The show is over and so is the last mail delivery. Scored big – got each of the Christmas letters the boys wrote and a letter from Dr. M. and a V-mail letter from you dated Jan. 16. That is the latest by two days. So my idea of the V-mail was correct only you didn’t say a word about how you were and since you didn’t mention yourself I assume you are better at least l hope that is the case.

I can’t understand your mother but I do think it will be fine for both and really she don’t need to figure on going back when I come home unless she wishes because I know we can get along. She and Mrs. James should be able to hit it off in pretty good style – by the way I don’t believe you have mentioned her since I left home – how is she? I haven’t had any word from home so am

[page 5] very much in the dark about Duane, but I guess I’ll hear from there sooner or later I hope. The latest letter I had from there was from Sam & E. and it was written Jan. 4. Mom’s letter was Dec. 30 I believe, but I guess I will be hearing soon. I’m just 15 days behind now.

If you can get any dope on the new victory tax I wish you would send it. Just so I could read it over. And maybe – worry you with it. No I’ve washed my hands now of all taxes for I believe I’ve made a mess of things – so I’ll keep out. Unless the exemptions are cut way down I don’t believe we will have much to pay next year because my base pay is only $2000 per year and that is all that is taxable so we probably won’t have to worry with that.

Well, it’s good to get even a V-mail letter. Thank the boys for me – and give each a kiss for me and lots of love from me to you. Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/02/im-not-scolding-roscoe/

Last day of this month (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

I got some letters a week before the first one you wrote came.

Kentland Ind
Jan 31-1943

Dear Daddy-

The last day of this month and more weather. It is very gloomy – rain – There is a little snow left and it isn’t very picturesque. I don’t know how cold it is but looks very uninviting out – like a person would rather stay inside. I called Mrs. Plummer this morning and asked her if she would come over this afternoon – I am going over after her in a few minutes – in the car of course. – – a few hours later

Have had our guest and taken her home again. We had a nice visit. She hadn’t seen the baby since before Christmas and was so glad to spend an afternoon with him. Said he looks like you. She had a “snapfolio” Ruth Padgett gave her to send to you. It has two pictures of the Padgett baby – you remember him. The photo holder

[page 2] was just what I was wanting to send our pictures in – Ruth wanted you to have it to keep David’s pictures in. She told Mrs. Plummer she used 100 cans of S.M.A. – amounting to $100⁰⁰ for “Tommy.” At 10 months he weighs 24 lbs – and wears 3 yr old size suits. He is a baby like Donnie Funk – however our David isn’t so slow. He weighed 14-7 this morning – 4 months & 1 week old – gets Pablum, egg yolk & vegetable soup in addition to 1 can milk every day. He seems to know when to behave just right. He was as good as could be while Mrs. P. was here. He usually is but has his days.

The wind is blowing this evening – You know how it can blow around here – as well as there – The boys – (John & Mark) – came in from Youth Fellowship and John said it’s not so good out. It was freezing when I took Mrs. P. home. There were snow flurries about 5 o’clock – but they didn’t last long.

Bought car & drivers license yesterday $9.75 altogether. Have a bal in the bank now of 296 – but have the Jan bills to pay – coal 28.64 – The boys ins next month & David’s new policy

[page 3] Our new 1943 license is a little plate that is attached to the old (rear) but a new number 541-198. The balance I quoted has the Feb rent deducted – and the Feb check hasn’t been added yet. – Also I have to pay for my coat yet. – Maybe I’ll still have margin enough after everything taken care of to play your ins. loan – then mine. I think those two paid off would be the best investment because of the 6%. I bought those 6 – 37⁵⁰ bonds I mentioned several times before – and about that 1941 tax again. The Federal man advised not to pay it – because it won’t have to be paid – if at all – until six months after the duration and there will be no interest – and we have our bonds to use for payment later on – now does that sound like a wise play or not? Since we are being urged to buy more bonds all the time – and the bonds will be ready for use when you (we) need them to pay taxes, etc., when you are ready to start up again. If this plan doesn’t suit you you can write and tell me to go ahead & pay said taxes.

[page 4]  This is the first regular letter I have written in about a week – Have been using v-mail. There is another campaign on for people to use it. I never feel like I get it all said when I use v-mail but since it should be quicker than this will use it most of the time. The P.O. Clerk told me I could send 3 a day but I try to get by with one. At least it will help some if you get a v-mail once in a while – if not all. If you could get one a week you could keep pretty well informed about us here at home. My sinus trouble seems to have cleared up and my throat is well too. The sinus drainage made the throat irritation. John & Mark are on the well list too and David is fine – gains about an once a day – sometimes more. It seemed like we did have a long siege – starting early in Dec and one or the other of us having colds in some form thru most of this month. John having stiff neck two days & missing school. Mark got a cold Mon. last week from the cold school room but he is over it now. – They have gone to bed and I am tired and it’s time to take David up & feed him. Have to move his bed upstairs. He is much too active now for the basket. Will have to fix something for him to be in downstairs. It if were warm weather could put him down in a play pen but since it is cold will have to do something else. Didn’t get a letter Sat. so am looking for one tomorrow –

Love – Mother

P.S. as of this date uniform money hasn’t come

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/01/last-day-of-this-month-gladys/

Opera about over (Gladys)

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1943-01-30Letter transcription:

MRS R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
1-30-43

Dear Daddy – Sat P.M. and opera about over. You know that is a “must” with John. Mark is working on a model. David is asleep – had vegetable soup today. Gave him about a tablespoon full to start with. He likes it better than Pablum but he takes it now without a howl. I went to see Jimmy Johnson yesterday. His “mama” wants him to be a perfect baby but I think Jimmy is going to be an “individualist” – such as sucking his fingers like our David does. Those things can be corrected in time and don’t worry me now. Lucile wants to get Jimmy over the 2 a.m. habit but he upsets things by waking around 4 a.m. I suppose it is natural for her to be so exacting. They had a letter from you and had me read it. You do write nice letters – they agreed with me that you do. Pat yourself on the back – Our weather is warmer and snow about gone. I was afraid it might freeze before the snow left then it would be slick again. Such a winter – hope it will soon let up, but still have Feb & Mar. I am looking forward to spring and working in the yard – if Mother will stay so I can get out. Wish we could raise a garden so we could can beans, carrots, tomatoes, etc. All those will be rationed soon and if we could can some would help. I got 8 cans of soup for D. today. Have a supply of canned milk- They say not to do that but I don’t want to risk not getting milk for him. Am glad we use Dexri-Maltose. Karo is so hard to get. We can’t get our pictures till Wed. but will send them as soon as we can. Hope you like them. The uniform money hasn’t come, if it does I’ll pay that Ins. loan. I bought 6 $50 bonds, besides the monthly 25⁰⁰ – David has 2 & J. & M. each one but will soon have another. They are buying 25¢ stamps now.

Love-Mother

©013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/11/29/opera-about-over-gladys/

One of my bad days (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

1/29/43
Dear Mother,

This has been one of my bad days – don’t know why or how – just not worth a dern. Finally I went up and took a bath in the brisk breeze and that cooled me off and gave me a little pep I think. I hope. Yesterday I wrote several letters but today this will be the only one I hope.

Today has been less rainy than the past few days but we have had several spurts – now and then. It rained hard at intervals last night and the old tent flopped and banged but stayed put.

My watch is on the bum and a fellow is fixing it for me. He is supposed to be pretty good but

[page 2] I’m not sure what condition it will be when returned. Of course a watch isn’t very important – What one needs here is a calendar and now since I have two I’m pretty well fixed up.

The Chaplin was in a while ago and he said he thought he would get someone to play the song tonite. I think this is choir practice night and he probably will have the regular pianist play it. Maybe John will have to make another record and sent it. We do have a phonograph.

In Ruth M.’s letter the other day she referred to her days work as My Day and I told her I’d rather she wouldn’t use that with quotation marks because of the reminder – Think I asked you to do the same thing. Once upon a

[page 3] time.

Our latest mail is still Jan 8th but there is one delivery yet today so maybe things will pick up.

Dr. P. is all ambition today – has shined his shoes – swept the floors cleaned out our water buckets etc. Must be some sorta of a spell coming on. I haven’t caught any of that surplus so far. Fred is making a necklace but uses only one strand of shells – really don’t think it is a good as the last one I sent.

LATER No mail and no show which pretty well ruins our whole afternoon and evening but maybe will be able to go to bed early and get good sleep for some hours. I am going to get something to read and see how that will work. It isn’t raining very hard but hard enough to keep the show from going on.

[page 4] We just had a visitor and chinned a while nothing important but just helped pass the time. We are just like persons living on the wide open spaces of the west glad for an opportunity to talk.

Well, I’ll have to admit that all I’ve been doing is just trying to fill in space and really I think it’s been a poor job – Maybe something will be in the mail tomorrow and will give something to write back.

Lots of Love
Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/11/28/one-of-my-bad-days-roscoe/

Friday’s Faces of the Past – Family Funeral?

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The three above pictures appear to have been taken on the same day. The two single portraits were clearly taken at the same location. The group photo shows Gladys and the older woman wearing the same clothing as their individual pictures. Everyone appears to be wearing black or dark colors. Hence my assumption that the photograph was taken around the time of a family funeral. I date the picture circa1925. Gladys was born in 1905 so she would have been 15 in 1920 and 20 in 1925. Gladys’ haircut is straighter and less wavy than it was later in the decade. Her skirt length is short which moves the date further from 1920.   The older woman is wearing a dress styled from the late teens. It was quite common for older people at that time to wear clothes that were more “old fashioned.” Even today the trend continues.

McCammon, Lydia & Jesse with Minerva Metcalf

Minerva (seated) likely 1916

Many years ago I sent a copy of the picture of the older woman to my father’s cousin. She identified the woman as Minerva, Emma’s twin sister. Since the cousin knew Minerva, I generally take her word for it. However, I still say “the older woman,” because I am not 100% sure that she was Minerva (Lawhead) Metcalf.  I have only seen two pictures of Minerva and they are of a somewhat younger woman. The earlier photograph was taken about 1908 and Minerva was plumper and would have been about 36 when the picture was taken. The second photograph was taken about 7-10 years later between 1915-1919. Again the picture shows Minerva with a fuller figure.  Minerva would have been in her early to mid 40s at this point.

Which brings us back to the pictures at the beginning of the post. Do you think that the older woman is Minerva? She seems to have aged too much to be in her 50s. But times were different then. For someone who did hard manual farm labor, they could have aged more harshly. I know she is related to the Foster/Lawhead family. She bears a striking resemblance to Jim Foster (Gladys’ brother). When my grandmother was near her end and Alzheimer’s had robbed her memory, she thought the picture was of her brother Jim. So what do you think?

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/11/29/fridays-faces-…family-funeral/

I hardly know (Roscoe)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

1/28/43

Dear Mother,

I hardly know how much I’ve answered and how much hasn’t been. All I know is that there was lots of mail in the past few days. The last letter being Jan. 8 and you were better. All the other letters told of your ups & downs. Your letter may not seem interesting to you but I read every one of them several times because they are extremely interesting. The pictures are also swell – keep them coming ever once in a while.

This morning while things were a little lax, I got out your letters and check way back to August. And strange as it may seem when the ordinary mail didn’t come the V-mail did. There are lots of letters missing – Really

[page 2] more than I thought. Some of the days may be Sun. and since you can’t mail a letter then that might account for a few missing dates. Here is the score so far – I’m giving your missing dates. Some are the Aug. 19, 23-30. Sept 6 and then from the 12 to 30 inclusive. Oct 1, 2, 4, 5, 11, 13, 15, 22, 25, 26. Nov. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 15, 21, 22, 26 & 29. Dec. 6, 18, 24, 25, 27 & 29. Jan 2. Now if you can think of anything important you wrote in those you might repeat. You will notice that more than ½ of Sept are missing. V-mail letters of Sept. 12, 14, 15, 19, 21, 25, 26 & 29 – Oct. 2-5. Nov. 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 & 9 have been received. You see most of the V-mail letters work in where the other spaces are the largest. Maybe you wrote more V-mail and maybe when you wrote a V-mail you didn’t write other. In any case that gives you an idea of how much mail is missing. I haven’t kept track of other people’s letters because

[page 3] I don’t know how often they wrote.

You mentioned that Dr. Holliday was back – you know stories get around pretty fast and we have it that he wasn’t just as brave as he might have been and shady circumstances surround his return. That came pretty straight although he may be back only for a short time. In that case I guess no one could be too hard on him, but if he is back for good I’d rather think there was a colored gentleman in the woodpile. [This is a more polite version of the idiom which means “some fact of considerable importance that is not disclosed—something suspicious or wrong.”]

Last night it looked very rainy before movie time but we took our rain coats etc and went. It was a detective story with several persons suspected and when it came just about time for the quilty one to be caught it simply came down in bucketfulls, but we stayed. Didn’t even get a bit wet, but the rain made so much noise on my hat I could hardly

[page 4] hear the sound. This P.M. it is so windy I wonder sometime if our tent will stay put but so far it’s pretty well anchored – even though it does make lots of noise.

I turned John’s music over to the Chaplin and so far he hasn’t found anyone to play it. Don’t know if it is too difficult or written too poorly. He said he believed he could find someone and if so he is going to let me know. I haven’t heard much of Mark and his horn lately. Is he still at it and if so how is he getting along? And does their music have any affect of D. sleeping hours. I would think he’d get used to noise with the two older ones around because if I remember they weren’t too soft natured around there at times.

Dr. P. & W. have gone to the sea shore for a short shell gathering trip. I’ll go again one of these days and see if I can pick up a different variety and get

[page 5] an idea. Not that I think the things I make so wonderful but it’s something different. Dr. Joe is at a place where he can buy better things than here and I doubt if good are as scarce as here and the stores and supplies larger. I told you before – but I wrote him and got an answer but haven’t heard from my last letter to him. It’s “sorts” nice that you and she can talk to each other once in a while. I think.

Show’s over and all mail over. Good show no mail. It only rained a little during the show so we really enjoyed it. The wind is still blowing like the very duce but the tent is still holding fast, probably the flopping of the tent will help us sleep.

That will be all from here tonite good night and
Love Daddy

P.S. Did that ending sound like Allan Scott do you still listen to him?

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Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/11/26/i-hardly-know-roscoe/