Dear Gladys,
Thanks so much for the beautiful booties you sent to Vicki Diane. We surely thought they were cute.
The baby has been very ill, but she is better now. My mother & Inez are here – they came last Sunday. I am fine, only worried, of course.
We hope your family is fine and our best wishes to you.
Helen Ley
© 2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/03/23/thank-you-card/
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/
Letter transcription:
MRS. R. S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
4-24-43 [4-23-43]
Dear Daddy – Yours of Mar. 27-28-29 & 30 came today but last week I had some Apr. letters – up to 6th – but was glad to get these even if they weren’t so new as last week’s. You had added a P.S. on the 31st letter about the seed and it good thing you did because you asked me to send them in the 30th letter and it came today and as it is I sent them out more than a week ago. David is 7 mo. old today and weighs 18 lbs. Quite a load to carry around. I took him out in the yard yesterday while I worked on the shrubbery. He got a good sun bath and to be sure he did he pulled off his bootees and got his legs tanned good. He has had his bath & breakfast and is about to go to sleep. We went to the Jr. band concert (Clara M. stayed with D. as he goes to bed soon after 6 P.M.) Mark did very good. I am going to try and get him a better horn. I think he would do better. The H.S. band is having a concert next Thurs. nite. John will play the sax but I think he will soon have the oboe mastered enough to play in the band. I will send a regular letter with some pictures today but you probably won’t get it as soon as this. Mr. Wittenberg is in the Navy now and has been sent to Camp Peary (where Jim is now) He is a Lt – Bob Tilton was sent home due to ill health – I think his trouble was allergy. Quite a lot of changing & moving is going on. Luelles sold their place to Chas Dienhart and have moved back to the farm. Dave Beaver is manager of the Monticello store and they live there now.
Love – Mother
From the Baby Book:
March 23, 1943 – David is now six months old, weighs 17 lbs and measures 27″ in height.
Apr 1 – David went with Grandma and me to Wilmington to get Aunt Ruth and Romaine. The next day we all went to Clay City to see Grandma & Grandpa. That was the first time Grandpa had seen David. While visiting Grandma & Grandpa we visited Uncle Ralph and Aunt Fay, Mrs. Steiner and Inez Ley. When we returned home stopped to Visit Uncle Dave and Aunt Marie in Brazil.
Apr 21 – Had first shot for whooping cough and diphtheria
April 23- 1943 – David is now 7 months old and weighs 18 lbs – measures 28″ in height. Sits alone, Sings da-da, tries to snap fingers – He has watched me snap my fingers trying to get his attention while feeding him. David doesn’t like to eat his food from a spoon and sometimes he crys when I feed him
May 13 – Had second shot for whooping cough and diphtheria.
©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/05/03/7-months-old-gladys
Terre Haute Tribune, May 31, 1911
MRS. NANCY KLINE
By Special Correspondent.
CLAY CITY, May 31. – Mrs. Nancy Kline died at Lafayette yesterday at a private sanitarium of brain affection, aged 46 years. Her remains were brought here last night and taken to the home of her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Schiele. The funeral services were conducted at the home Wednesday morning, and burial at Greenwell cemetery. She leaves six children, Mrs. Ed Fouts and Roy Walker, of Lafayette, and, and four children by the name of Kline.
Photograph taken by Seth Musselman (2013)
Nancy has been a recent subject of another blog post (Thriller Thursday – Attempted Murder and Suicide). While she survived the murder attempt when she was 18, she did not live a long life. Nancy was married twice. She outlived her first husband, Theodore Walker. Her second marriage to Stephen Kline appears to have been a rocky one. They separated after several years of marriage and four children. Nancy moved with her children to Lafayette in the late 1910s. Stephen appears to have fought the separation and began proceedings to convict his wife of insanity. Nancy died very soon thereafter.
Court summons dated 1 May 1911
Nancy married Theodore Walker on 5 June 1888 in Clay County, Indiana. They had two known children: Charles Roy Walker (1889-1936) and Mae (Walker) Fouts (1891-1972). There may have been a third child.
She married second, Stephen M. Kline on 27 August 1896 in Clay County, Indiana. They had four children: Forrest S. Kline (1897?-1976), Inez (Kline) Ley (1899-1985), Paul H. Kline (1901-1994), and Russell R. Kline (1904-1927).
Nancy with her mother Elizabeth, daughter Mae and grandson Jack, c1910
Special thanks are in order to Karen Brand for providing me with copies of the court summons and Jane Riley for the pictures of Nancy and her daughter Mae and a copy of Nancy’s obituary.
©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/11/09/sundays-obitua…y-walker-kline/
Letter transcription:
Dec. 18, 1942
Dear Mother,
Seems as if it’s only one week from Christmas so that makes only about so many shopping days until then. I was in town today and there was a definite lack of any kind of decorations. There were a very few toys but all of a very simple nature. I saw one bubble blowing outfit and one set of Jacks. No trains dolls etc. Maybe it’s the usual thing and maybe it’s the lack of shipments into the place anyway there wasn’t much there.
The biggest surprise and I might say pleasure today was your Christmas box. It came! And how! The box was open on one end and tied with heavy fishing cord. Maybe you tied it that way and it was opened for inspection or maybe it came open and some good soul tied it up. The content, all the candy sticks were melted into one big gob. With packages of chewing gum interspersed. It was fun finding the chewing gum. The flash light was incased in a “gue” of soft. The leather mirror case had sticky on it. The billfold with the pictures was untouched. The black tie had one long streak
[page 2] of sweet all along the broad flat outside surface and the underware were colored in spots yellow and I thought David had worked on them until I smelled but it was candy. The air mail envelopes were all stuck together with candy and but the paper was untouched. I think I can use the envelopes OK however. There was no batteries for the flash light, and there is about as much chance of getting batteries here that size as there is buying a flash light in the first place. Now I’ve given the low down on the stuff. Listen Dear it was a scream you couldn’t have sent me anything more pleasing and anything that I could have gotten more kick out of. I have a flash light now that was given me by the medical department. I haven’t been wearing any underware shirts. The pants can be easily washed. We don’t wear ties anymore. I’ve gotten candy from Ruth and Boonie. The chewing gum was not spoiled and that is about the best thing you could have sent. The mirror is OK and really is one
[page 3] thing badly needed. And the pictures I like very much so really I’m tickled pink and I really did get a kick out of opening the thing even to the Kentland Democrat and the Indianapolis Star funnies. And Thanks again Dear for all the things. The candy of course had to be discarded because it was mixed with paper inside of the box etc. I really think the mail sack are used to pack with and are probably down in the ship near the engine room where it is hot and that is the reason. Some of the boys have gotten candy sealed in tin cans and it is all stuck together in a big gob. So any way you would send it would be bad. Personally I’d rather have one late letter than all the boxes. I don’t mean to be rude about the box. I really got a kick out of it and I know you couldn’t have known the condition of the shipment of the things. I’m as happy as I could be about the whole thing so please feel that your gift was appreciated and I do mean it was. There are so many packages I really don’t
[page 4]see how things are as good as they are when we know the volume of business that is going on.
The office has furnished me with the figures that will determine the Income tax (federal) that will have to be paid. The gross amount is #1,317.79. That amount added to the amount that was made up to May 20. Less deduction for rent, Interest, Office girl, social security, Insurance on the office and malpractice, insurance on car, gas and oil. Less deduction for dependencies, Tax etc will be the payable tax for 1943, payable on Mar 15. I’d like for that to be figured and if not too much be paid. For as I told you before I don’t want a lot of things hanging over to be paid because I don’t want to have to get my nose to the grind stone right away when this thing is over. You and I are going to live for a while more time for each other and if those things are hanging over to be paid in 6 mo. we’ll feel that our style will be cramped. So pay if you can. Send me the gross of those first 4 ½ months. Or rather the amount that my practice brought in. Especially that that you paid state tax on. We will have to
[page 5] use that amount for federal plus the figure I gave above. I really don’t know what deductions are given this year for dependencies. Agnes will know those things but I take it from your letters that she is in favor of putting these things off but I’m not if they can be paid. So much for that.
Got a Christmas greeting from John & Inez Ley today. Won’t have time to answer that now because it is 2300 and time I was in bed.
Deanna Durbin, c1940s (Image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons)
D. Durbin was the star in the show tonight. It rained almost all thru the show but we stayed anyway.
Again let me thank you for the package and believe me I appreciated it and I sent lots of love to you and the boys.
Daddy
P.S. Remember our mail might be delayed as I told you last night but don’t worry it’s on a change in schedule
©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/09/03/it-came-and-how-roscoe/
Letter transcription:
Kentland Ind
Nov 24 – 1942
Dear Daddy –
Didn’t get any letters today but hardly expected to since five came yesterday. Your Mother & Kenneth came last night just as we were finishing supper. I didn’t have much that I could fix them but managed to get a lunch of cheese, bacon, eggs, and a few odds & ends. We are going to the locker and get some meat this evening after the boys come home from school. I had one sirloin steak left and fixed it for dinner, so will new something for supper and for us the rest of the week. Our company start home tomorrow morning. They are going to stop at Rockville and see Uncle Charlie McQ. This morning I had Kenneth take the car to the garage and had the tires changed and the thermostat put back in. I wondered why we couldn’t get any heat out of the car heater – and then Nick asked me if I had the thermostat put back in. I had forgotten all about it.
Had a letter from Inez Ley today. John Ed is in San Antonio Texas at a Classification Center. He has passed his physical & mental exams so far. He is now a classified pilot. He will begin pre-flight in a few weeks. Bud is in Will Rogers Field, Okla, getting ready
[page 2] to be shipped out. Helen is living with Inez & John. Nadine is home working in the Post Office. I had written to Inez and told her it wasn’t easy for me but that I felt like I must keep “my chin up” and carry on, as I know you want me to do. She said Helen read my letter and said “if she can carry on I surely can.” Inez said to tell you hello! From all of them.
This is going to be a short week. Company the first part and must go to Lafayette Fri or Sat. Haven’t ironed yet but it seems like I can’t get to it – Maybe I can tomorrow. Makes me think of you doing your laundry work. Of course you don’t iron things the way I do. I dn’t iron for the baby. He wears knit suits which do not need to be ironed & of course the while pants aren’t ironed either.
Report card time is here again, but I will let the boys write and make their own report to you. Maybe by tomorrow their Christmas money will be here and they can thank you in their “report” letters.
Kenneth is lying down in the den. Your Mother is on the davenport “snoring” and David is taking his bottle and is half asleep, if not altogether – all this sleep makes me want a nap too but I can’t see any place to lie down. This will be short but will try to do better next time, when I won’t have company. Tomorrow is your birthday and I hope you get your cards & box.
Love Mother
©2013 copyright owned & written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/06/24/november-24-1942-gladys/
In this letter, Gladys briefly mentioned Inez. The only Inez that I am aware of at this point in the extended family was Roscoe’s cousin, Inez Kline. She was the daughter of Nancy (McCoy) Walker Kline and the wife of John Ley. I don’t know if John’s nickname was “Bud”, but John and Inez did have a son John Ed[win] Ley. John Ed was the correct age to have served in World War II. In fact, according to his obituary, John Ed served in the Army Air Corp during World War II.
Letter transcription:
Kentland Ind.
Oct 28 – 1942
Dear Daddy-
I am listening to a symphony – by David. He is a good baby most of the time but as Geneva Simons said about her baby he has his moments and when he decides to cry he just has to cry for it seems nothing we can do will get him to stop. Of course I always see if he is comfortable – that is, if his clothes are dry. For the moment he has stopped and seems to be going to sleep but – I spoke too soon – music started again. He seems to be doing “OK” on his new 4 hr schedule. Yesterday I mixed his formula in such a hurry I put in 10 oz water & 8 oz milk then gave him his bottle. When I went back to bottle the rest of it I discovered my mistake – but the increased milk content didn’t seem to bother him – in fact he seemed more satisfied after that first feeding than later on. However I mixed a new 24 hr feeding and
[page 2] didn’t give him but one feeding from the first mixture. You remember when you were home Geneva S. talked to you about her baby. Well she told me yesterday what the trouble had been. She said she had never told anyone and only she and Bob knew – but when she mixed the baby’s formula when she got home from the hospital she was a little nervous and made the mistake of putting in ½ cup Karo instead of ½ tbsp – Do you can understand why he was so upset. She didn’t catch her mistake until he had taken the entire 24 hr mixture. She said they had to put him on SMA to get him straightened out but have him back on milk now.
Mary Parttens was here a few minutes this morning. She was going to school to get Jim and couldn’t stay long. She has been busy and I think has been helping Harold do farm work, since both Jim & Ruth are in school.
Had a letter from Inez this A.M. She said Bud had finished a course at Chanute Field and is somewhere in Ten. now. John Ed enlisted
[page 3] in Army Air Corps but hasn’t been called yet.
Floyd went to Blue Island again this week but Ruthie didn’t come over, said she had a cold and didn’t think she should be around the baby or me. Floyd is trying to sell his shop equipment and Mr. Zell is talking about buying it. Mr. Zell has taken quite an interest in Mark. He told Shirks he felt so sorry for our boys – the fact that you have to be away – that he was going to do all he can for them. Mark is taking his horn rather seriously. He said Mr. Webster got so disgusted with all the junior band he told them their music “stunk.” Mark said they all admitted they didn’t practice enough so he timed himself last night and claimed he put in 30 minutes. John said today Mr. W. is going to give him a regular sax now. He is doing good enough with this one that he can have a better one. David has dozed off again but don’t suppose it will last. It seems like
[page 4] I can’t get anything done except take care of him. Haven’t got any fall cleaning done yet but I haven’t felt well enough yet to plunge into much work. I am afraid if I don’t take care of myself I might have to go back to bed like Arlene did – and I wouldn’t want that to happen. Mother fell and hurt her right wrist a week ago Sunday and is just getting now so she can use it again. Of course she doesn’t feel like doing much any time so we just do what has to be done and let the rest go.
I have several letters to answer. I didn’t write to your Mother last week- Ruthis was here and she wrote but I must get a letter out this week. I have a letter from Dolores and one from Esther I must answer. I am going to try this week and get some statements out. (I think I told you that before).
If you get this before Christmas – I want you to know we sent you a box – Just hope you get it and all the other boxes and letters being sent.
I haven’t had any mail now for two days but hope I will get some tomorrow – Also hope you get some too. Just wish you could get yours as regular as I get.
Love – Mother
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