Tag Archives: genealogy

Decidedly More Destructive (Gladys)

: January 9, 1944, p. 1

: January 9, 1944, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland, Ind.
Jan. 9 – 1944

Dear Daddy –

One more Sunday in ’44. I took David to church this a.m. – and we were able to remain thru the service – He has been to S.S. but this was his first church service. He kept very quiet, as far as vocalizing during the sermon, but he was very “fidgety” or “squirmy,” or whatever you want to call it. John asked me if I heard anything the minister said. I followed pretty well. The Shandys were there with their boy. I imagine he will soon be leaving for Miami. John Ade was also at church. He is an air cadet (Navy).

We are trying to break the thumb sucking habit and I believe we are making progress. He went to sleep this afternoon much sooner than he did yesterday. He went to sleep last night after much crying. Sometime during the night he got his favorite (left) thumb free and I could hear him working on it. I took him up and put him in bed with me, and I didn’t get much sleep after that, but I kept the thumb out of his mouth. He wants to throw things all the time. John thinks it’s time to teach him not to throw everything to the floor but I am afraid that would require a lot of hand slapping or what it takes to teach a child not to throw things. David is decidedly more destructive with his toys than J. & M. were – He tries to tear everything up and has done a pretty good job on a lot of his toys. He has a rubber apron or bib, Mrs. Roberts gave him. It is [a] pre-war one she used for their boys. David

[page 2] has ripped it in so many places, the back side looks like it’s made of adhesive tape. Of course, it isn’t hard to tear but David has wrecked things made of heavier material.

Mark is out skating again this afternoon. The weather stays cold enough to keep the pond frozen. John as usual is listening to musicals. Miss Smith told him about some of the teachers in Chicago she studied under she wants him to go to – &7.oo a lesson. I told him when he paid that much for a lesson he would have to absorb everything the teacher said. I told him he would have to direct a symphony orchestra “or something” if he spends that much on lessons. However, I don’t believe he will take any of said lessons soon.

There was a heavy frost on this morning and the air was crisp. I don’t know just how cold it was but know it was low. The sun has been shining all day and the sky is clear. I want to take David out for a walk after his nap.

Arlene is to come home today with the new baby girl. I didn’t get to visit her in the hospital, but will see her at home.

The planes that go over here – this must be cross-roads – they go all directions. Fri. two went so low they looked like they were just above the tree tops. Pinky won’t scare us any more with his antics. I understand he has been grounded – has a desk job now. Never see anything about him in the paper. Marg. Is here helping her mother run the paper and lives in her own house again.

David is awake – I’ll have to take him up so he won’t dampen his bed.
Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: http://genealogylady.net/2015/09/28/decidedly-more-destructive-gladys/ ‎

This Being Saturday (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: January 8, 1944 envelope

: January 8, 1944, p. 1

: January 8, 1944, p. 2

: January 8, 1944, p. 3

: January 8, 1944, p. 4

: January 8, 1944, p. 5

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4 Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Jan. 8, 1944

Dear Mother,

This being Sat. I’ll start and wind up tomorrow because no mail goes out on Sun. as I’ve told you before so I just put them both in the same envelope. Maybe that is just being lazy or scotch or what have you?

Your letters of 14, 15 & 16 came and some Christmas greetings. One from Ralph & Faye, one from Schlegels, one from John & Inez and one from Helen Coan or whatever her name is now.

Faye wrote a note along with their greeting – Seems as

[page 2] if Faye & Ruth have to do most of the writing in their families.

I still haven’t lived up to that New Year’s resolution of writing everyone those letters but will start one of these days.

I’ll be glad when those pictures of D. arrive. It seems so many times when you are going to send pictures you write about them and the letter with the pictures are is delayed.

You also “sorta” left me in the air about the $49.00 you wrote that Brands had you charged. You didn’t say whether you got out of the thing gracefully. I believe

[page 3] you did say they couldn’t find where it came from. Anyway I guess you got thinks all squared away, I hope.

Sun. Dec. 10 [sic], 1944

Your v-mail of Dec. 29 came today. I believe it must have arrived yesterday but just wasn’t delivered because that is the first time I’ve known mail to come on Sun.

I just came back from the movie – I stayed only long enough to see the News. The news are always old but they save 3-4 for Sun. Eve and it makes about a ½ hour program. I have

[page 4] seen the main feature and it wasn’t so good the first time so I didn’t care to sit thru it again.

Sorry D. has a cold and I hope he is over it by now and also hope that you don’t catch it from him!

I don’t know as yet where you went Christmas. In this letter you wrote that D. caught the cold either from Mark or Earl so I presumed you were either at Wilmington or they were over there.

So Funks finally got a girl. I’ll bet they are both

[page 5] well pleased and I suppose Bobby will really have something to talk about now.

In these last letters I finally got the story of Virginia Zell. In the letters before you had said she was in bed due to an injury. I guess that was in yesterday’s letter but I just happened to think. I’m not being critical of your letter writing but just telling you how they come and how I’m left in the dark on some things for days until the missing letters finally arrive.

Well, I guess I’d better wind this up with
Love Daddy

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/09/27/this-being-saturday-roscoe/

Absence of Snow (Gladys)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
1-7-44

Dear Daddy – Another sunny day but cold. It was 5° above this morning in Chicago. Don’t know how much it has risen during the morning but I hope enough to take David out. It doesn’t look cold out of doors – I suppose that is due to the absence of snow. Rec’d a letter from your mother. She must be feeling better – said they had butchered. Said they had a heavy snow down there last week. We didn’t get any here. I saw in the paper that Irene is in a Chicago hospital for treatments. She said she had thyroid trouble and is taking iodine treatments. I haven’t talked to any of them for more than a week. Mrs. James hasn’t been out since she came back from Ft. Wayne. She hasn’t been well this winter either. She didn’t recover very quickly from the flu – John is writing another essay this year for the American Legion. He won second last year. He wouldn’t let me read the one last year and says I can’t read this one. Mark went to Bobbie’s to work on a plane and overstayed so I went to get him. It was the first time I had seen Donnie for a long time. He is such a large child, looks almost as large as Bobby. Arlene is to come home Sunday with the new baby girl. That little girl will have to be a tomboy to hold her own with those two boys. I see the Zells are selling some chickens today. They have had a little trouble selling this time – The market is flooded with chickens.

Love – Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/09/24/absence-of-snow-gladys/ ‎

Laundry (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: January 6, 1944 envelope

: January 6, 1944, p. 1

: January 6, 1944, p. 2

: January 6, 1944, p. 3

: January 6, 1944, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Jan. 6, 1943 [sic]

Dear Mother,

No mail today and no show tonight so we just sat around and chewed the fat. In fact, lots of talkie talk with nothing settled and nothing elevating being told.

I played Lentz 3 games of Acey Ducey and he beat me 2 out of three but next time it will probably be reversed. It’s only a matter of pride because we don’t have anything bet unless it’s a chew of tobacco or a cigar.

Today was the first time in two weeks we were able to send any laundry. People

[page 2] here really take their holidays seriously and it’s really hard to get anything done. 2 to 3 weeks is the usual length of time for a vacation and they all seem to take them around Christmas time.

I believe I have given you the total taxable amount for the year of “43. If I didn’t here it is and if so here it is again. The total taxable amount as I figure it is $2,566.00 less of course deductions. The office may give us the exact figures but I think those are very near. I don’t believe we will have any tax to pay but possibly we do have to file anyway. You

[page 3] may do what you think best about that. We should have enough bonds to cover all the back taxes so we don’t have to worry too much about them. Right now I have very little on the books so you can’t expect any extra for a while. When I get enough I’ll send it home – but I’m going to think some of traveling money for the next month or two. Outside of laundry expenses aren’t much more here than at the last place. The food costs the same but what a difference. I still weigh about 12-13 pounds less than when I left Noumea but I was a little fat when

[page 4] there. This A.M. I weighed 151 and one time in Noumea I weighed 165. Chubby wasn’t I? I’m not complaining or feeling sorry for myself because I feel good and really don’t care to gain anymore – not that I’m on a diet but that is just the way it is. To tell the truth my appetite or I should say my choice of foods is much more limited now than previously, because we were over fed in some lines – peas for example. And we still have lots of them.

It seems I’ve written this whole letter about myself – please excuse I’ll try to do better next time.

Lots of Love
Daddy

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/09/23/laundry-roscoe/

Wedding Details (Gladys)

1 Reply

: January 6, 1944 envelope

: January 6, 1944, p. 1

: January 6, 1944, p. 2

: January 6, 1944, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Jan. 6 – 1944

Dear Daddy –

Three letters today, including the wedding details, which were from your descriptions, simple. However, it doesn’t require an elaborate ceremony to make a lasting marriage. Does it? It is a bright sunny day. Makes a person wonder how it can be heavy and overcast one day and in a few hours so clear and bright. It was so grey and overcast yesterday it was somewhat depressing. I think I’ll take David out for a breath of fresh air after he gets up from his map. It was below freezing early this a.m. but the sun has been shining so bright all day I think the temp. will be up enough to take him out. He is over his cold, but still has a hang-on cough. Dr. M. said if he didn’t get over it he would give him a whooping cough shot. I remember you used to use that treatment for coughs that resisted treatment. However, I am holding out hoping the cough will leave. About the only time it bothers him is after he sleeps a while. The

[page 2] rascal woke me at 4 a.m. – I had to take him up, change him & get him a drink. He was wide awake and wanted to play but you know his mother well enough to know I wanted shut-eye. I put him in bed with me but soon discovered that was not the way for me to go back to sleep, so put him back in his bed and we both went back to sleep.

John had to give a report on dehydration in Ag. today and worked on it all evening. When he has something to do he goes right after it and if I may say so with pardonable pride, does a pretty good job. Having watched his father at work on M.S., M.D., etc., I can’t help but see more than a little similarity.

The account of your meeting Bud (Geo.) Mulligan is in the paper this week. I mentioned a conversation with his aunt in my letter yesterday. In looking thru the paper I see that Jack Sullivan is one of the latest fathers to be inducted. Eddie Steinbaugh was married to an Army nurse at Chanute Field, Monday this week. Jack Dye’s picture is in the paper this week. He lost a leg in action and has been discharged.

Washburn’s celebrated their golden wedding this week and Albert Thompson’s celebrate their 60^th.

David is awake now and ready for some fresh air. He is playing the piano now. Maybe he will be a musician.

Mark slipped and fell down stairs last nite.

[page 3] No damage done. John said it is a good thing Mark can fall relaxed. I told them if John had fallen like that he would have broken bones until he would have to be in a cast from head to toe. Never a dull moment.

Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/09/22/wedding-details-gladys/

Kentland Democrat (Roscoe)

4 Replies

: January 5, 1944 envelope

: January 5, 1944, p. 1

: January 5, 1944, p. 2

: January 5, 1944, p. 3

: January 5, 1944, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
1-5-44

Dear Mother,

Yours of Nov. 18 came today – It must have gotten lost in the rush someplace. Anyway it made good reading. There was also a Christmas greeting from The Prues – a letter from Bob Hufty, a Christmas greeting from Etta Campbell and two Kentland Democrats. The latest Democrat was dated Dec. 2. So it was later than your letter. I haven’t written Boonie as yet to thank him for the Democrats or am I correct? Didn’t you tell me he was sending them to each man in the service?

Seems as if lots of the boys

[page 2] are mentioned in the paper but I’d just as soon not come in for any newspaper stories.

In your letter you said Mrs. Roberts and her children were there and you also said that Joe had hopes of getting home after 18 mo. That does seem to be a policy but this fellow who had the picture taken with me on that vacation has been here longer than that now. I really think an effort is being made in that direction but it really takes more than effort and as I’ve said before too much hope in that direction isn’t so good because the disappointment is too great if it doesn’t happen that way. It probably will be

[page 3] our luck to have the time limit changed to 2 yrs. or longer by the time the next 34 days roll around. You see I have the days counted.

Opinions vary as to wants & wishes on returning. Some wish to stay; others are more than willing to be on their way. I’ll say there are arguments both ways. New Zealand is fine – don’t misunderstand when one is here the war is far but what will be the tour after returning? Many at present aren’t worrying about going home. They are worrying about having to leave a second time and there is a

[page 3] point there. So looking at it in that respect maybe the longer here the less possibility of a further foreign tour of duty but I’ve been thru the mill once and I suppose I can take it again. It’s lots of fun after it’s all over.

Let’s get off that subject and talk about you – I can’t seem to formulate any words but if thoughts could be crystallized huge chunks could be had at any and all times. Believe me! and so good night and

Love Daddy

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/09/21/kentland-democrat-roscoe/

A Skating Contest (Gladys)

1 Reply

: January 5, 1944 envelope

: January 5, 1944, p. 1

: January 5, 1944, p. 2-3

: January 5, 1944, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Jan. 5 – 1944

Dear Daddy –

No mail today but five letters Monday. It is cloudy today. It was foggy this morning then there was a little sleet. It is just a typical grey, overhanging winter day.

Yesterday was Washburns 50^th Wedding Anniversary. They held open house at Howard’s. I took David and went out about 4 P.M. Helen is here from Neb. She doesn’t live in Calif. now. I suppose you have been in the former Canine house (the one Howard bought). Yesterday was the first time I had been in the house. It is almost exactly like the other house they lived in except the porch on this house is enclosed and can

[page 2] be used summer and winter. What a play room that would make. About the Anniversary, there were many beautiful flowers in all colors of yellow and orange to represent Golden. Also beautifully decorated cakes, in white and yellow. Tea and coffee were served. Mrs. Bessie Dixon and Mrs. Ruben Hess poured. I saw Mrs. Carrold Bledsoe there. She said they were living in the tenant house. They were living on the place when it was sold.

Last night the boys (J & M) went to the pond. Bob Shurttler sponsored an a skating contest. I think one of the McCartney boys won the prize. Mark is still learning to skate, so didn’t enter the contest.

David is taking his nap. He was so busy all morning.

[page 3] I wanted to take him over to see Jimmy Ed, this being J.E.’s birthday. I called Lucile this morning and she said Jimmy had a temp. last night and some cold so I won’t take David over. I’ll go over and take Jimmy’s gift. David’s cold last week kept us from getting the boys together. They seem to get along pretty good.

I went over to the locker last night (afternoon) and turned in ration points for the hog (1/2). The weight was 96 lbs. That took 233 points. I turn in advance points in this case.

A woman called me to tell me her nephew is where you are – Pharmists mate 3/c – I think his name is Mulligan. She didn’t know where he is stationed but he wrote home that he had

[page 4] met you. This aunt was in Boonie’s and he told her about your letter to him about meeting Col. W. – and putting this and that together figured out her nephew’s whereabouts. You know Boonie has a yen for figuring things out, although I know he misses sometimes.

I just straightened out the bank figures – I had made a slight error or two – but the balance at present is $336.12 – but there are quite a few bills to pay yet – Ins., groc., etc. When I get them all paid I’ll give you the bal. I got three $37.50 bonds bought Dec. 31. – I bought 7 – $18.75 in July and the above mentioned, which makes $243.75 in Bonds for 1943.

I think David is waking up and I have been writing and figuring and no nap.
Love Mother

New Zealand (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: January 4, 1944 envelope

: January 4, 1944, p. 1

: January 4, 1944, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4 Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Jan. 4, 1944

Dear Mother,

There was no mail today but I didn’t hardly expect any since those came yesterday. We will have to wait now for several days again I suppose.

I could see nothing bad about D.’s mother in the picture where she was holding him on the Johnson’s front porch. You said you were trying to get him to hold still and yours wasn’t so good.

The order came thru that we can now say we are stationed somewhere in New Zealand – so here I am. That is as much as we can say. It really is a pretty country and young with respect to ours in the length of time it has been settled. Natives here often ask what we knew of or thought of their country before the war. I just don’t know what I did think and of course now I’m prejudiced and no use asking you, for you have a different idea now than you had before I know. In some ways I think the people here are about like ours were 50-60 years ago. There is no hurry. The trains stop ever so often

[page 2] for 20-30 minutes and everyone gets off for a cup of tea. Imagine going on a day’s trip in the U.S. and stopping 3-4 times while all left the train and had a cup of tea and a few cakes. I’m still not a converted tea drinker, and don’t ask anyone of them to drink Ice tea. That is simply unthinkable.

The pictures – You said those boys looked English – They certainly are. To hear them talk is just like listening to some bloke over the radio direct from England. It doesn’t sound so funny coming from older people but when a kid comes out with that talk it seems as if they are putting on the dog. I think

I think Bob & I were the only Americans those boys had ever seen or at least talked to and were they thrilled? I suppose our kids would be the same. They have a daughter about 14 and of course we had to autograph her book. I mean write our names in those books girls about that age carry around with them.

Well, Maybe I can write more about the natives next time –
Love Daddy

Jimmy Ed’s Birthday (Gladys)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
1-4-44

Dear Daddy – No letters today but five yesterday up to Dec. 23. Also a letter from Geo. Wingfield Jr. He is in San Diego now. He didn’t give any address except N.A.S. It is cloudy today and below freezing a few degrees. Washburns’ are celebrating their Golden Wedding at Howard’s today. I want to call on them sometime during the day. David is taking his nap. He wants to climb the stairs now that he has discovered that he can. I will have to get a gate or some kind of barrier across the bottom so he won’t have to be watched. Mrs. Zell and I are planning to take some of their fresh pork over to the locker. I don’t have so much in the drawer now. I ordered half a hog but Brands are short of help and haven’t got it put in yet. Tomorrow is Jimmy Ed’s birthday. I have a gift and card for him. I don’t believe Lucile is going to have a party for him because of the flu and colds around now. James L. II has a birthday the 11^th. I am sending him a card today but haven’t a gift for him yet. Can’t get what I want here and haven’t been to Laf. recently. Can’t always get things there either. I may go down Sat. so I can take Mark for an X-Ray. I wish I could take him to a warmer climate – I believe he needs more sunshine.

Love – Mother

Monthly Update – September

Dear Mother, Love Daddy

Book sales continue to be slow and steady. I just received a large shipment of books. I ordered extra books in anticipation of my upcoming lecture this week. The books arrived last week and I was heartbroken to realize that the whole lot was badly printed. The pictures were all streaked and grainy. I even received one book that had been printed with an extra 50 pages. Fortunately, CreateSpace really stepped up. Within 24 hours, the company emailed me back to notify me they were sending a new shipment, and all I had to do was print a label and drop off the messed up books at my nearest UPS store. The new shipment of books arrived yesterday and today, and they look great.

I am looking forward to November when I have scheduled to begin work on the second volume of letters. I anticipate publication of the next volume in February or early March. I think I may have settled on the name of the book, but I am not quite ready to announce the new title.

If you are interested in purchasing an autographed copy of the book, send me a private message through the contact page. Or you can follow the link on the sidebar to purchase a copy from Amazon. For anyone who has read the book, I invite you to post a review on Amazon. I currently have seven reviews and I am trying to reach twenty to boost my rankings.

Sacramento Library

This weekend is my big speaking debut. I am presenting my first lecture at the Franklin branch of the Sacramento Library at 2:00. My presentation is titled Why Genealogy? I will discuss six reasons why everyone should be working on their own genealogy now. Once I survive this presentation, I have several other lectures that I would like to prepare. I am working on fine-tuning my speech this week, and trying not to wander off-topic! I do so much better when I stick to my script.

As for future speaking engagements, I took the plunge and submitted a proposal to next year’s Jamboree in southern California. I am looking for more opportunities to speak in Northern California over the coming months. Contact me if you are looking for a new speaker for your society or group.

My monthly Ask A Genealogist sessions are also going very well. In August, I helped a patron find resources for Italian genealogy, assisted another patron with identifying dates for her collection of photographs, and jump-started another patron on her online tree research. I am having so much fun meeting fellow genealogy enthusiasts and researchers! To sign up for an appointment, contact the Franklin branch of the library.

Discovering Your Past

The second episode of Discovering Your Past premiered earlier this month. Dan conducted a family interview with his mother, and discussed tips for setting up a successful interview. I talked Sue through writing a research plan for her Noble ancestors in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The video on my end was a little wonky, and I made a slight error in my Revolutionary War history. See if you can catch it! I can’t wait until we start working on the next episode. In the meantime, Dan and Sue did some exploring in North Berwick, Maine, to discover where some of Sue’s ancestors were buried. Check out Dan’s blog for the first part of their cemetery adventure.

Fashion Moments

I have written over a dozen Fashion Moments posts this summer. I am amazed by the popularity of these posts. I will continue to write this weekly series because there definitely seems to be a need for fashion education for genealogists. I welcome any ideas or suggestions for future posts.

To view previous Fashion Moments posts, check out my board on Pinterest. I have boards for every decade of the nineteen century with examples of real clothing. Or go to the Blog tab at the top of this page, and click on the sub tab for Fashion Moments.

Personal Research

My own research has slowed down quite a bit this month. But I have taken a little time to explore Ancestry’s new will and probate databases. I have found some great documents but have also been disappointed by many of the gaps in coverage.

Some more family videos have been digitized, including more of Gladys and the children during WWII. The following video is about ten minutes long and includes snippets from 1942-1944. Amazingly, these clips are in color! There is even a very, very short clip of Roscoe and Gladys together at the very end!