Tag Archives: John F. Yegerlehner

Labor Shortages (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
10-30-43

Dear Daddy –

Sat. P.M. – the boys are out in the yard playing football with Dean. John seems to get quite a thrill out of the game. Of course Mark plays it all the time he can, at school & at home. I have been out watering the new shrubbery. We haven’t had much rain so far this fall. It was very warm & sunny today. The yard is full of leaves but why rake them – the wind will blow them away. The Zells are finishing the room upstairs for their girls. Due to labor shortage they are doing the work themselves. Mr. Z. & our boys are going to get some sacks of Ind. coal & fill the hopper to see if we can use it. We will have to do something because no Va. coal is being shipped in. I heard over the radio last nite more coal strikes are being called. Everyone is indignant about such things at a time like this but as I told Mrs. Z. that doesn’t solve the problems or hasn’t so far. We have to go to Sheldon to get some meat. We haven’t used much lately – due to chicken we brought home. Had a letter from Jim today. He doesn’t know what he is going to do – thinks he will possibly be sent out – but I am beginning to think he won’t be, but again you never can tell about such things.

Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/05/14/labor-shortages-gladys/

Surprise Visitors (Gladys)

1 Reply

: October 29, 1943 envelope

: October 29, 1943, p. 1

: October 29, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Oct 29 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Yours of Oct. 23 & one for Mark came today. John’s came yesterday. I was very busy this a.m. – washing, getting lunch started and things upside down in the kitchen – clothes I had washed Wed. piled on the table, when in walked your Mother, Dad, Ruth & Floyd. I didn’t mind the condition of the kitchen but usually someone comes when things aren’t straight – I had spent a little time taking David out & in and had just brought him in and put him to bed a short time before they came & he was asleep. Floyd said they couldn’t stay for lunch because he had to get to Wilmington before the bank closed and he didn’t know when the bank there closed. They wanted to get some movies of David and it was such a grand day for picture taking I took David up. He didn’t mind, got up smiling – went right to Grandma & Grandpa. Your Mother can’t carry him very far – says he is too heavy. We took him out into the front yard and Floyd took several we hope good shots. We tried to get him to stand along but he wouldn’t – walked around the Taylor Tot. The folks went on then and are to come back here Mon. I said we could drive over Sun. and have part of a family gathering. Your Mother said Dolores was married last night and called home to talk to Ralph & Faye. Her name is Stevens. Faye said last week they were going to be married as soon as Steve got back from Cuba. Will try & get a wedding gift sent to them but haven’t the slightest idea what to get.

Took David to Cosmopolitan Club today and he had quite a time walking around chairs & getting picked up & and made over by the ladies. He acted very nice most of the time. After I came home with him Mark got him to take a few steps along. He stood alone several times today & stood alone in the yard yesterday. I suppose he will soon learn he can walk along, then he will get into more things than he does now. His favorite place to play is in the pan drawers in the stove. You can imagine how quickly he can fill the floor with pans – and me trying to work – but he can’t hurt anything and I rather like his company in the kitchen. Arlene still keeps Donnie in his pen but with another baby due in less than two months she almost has to keep him in his pen. She hasn’t any permanent help yet. Neither has Mary & she is home from the

[page 2] hospital with her new baby girl (Mary Margaret). You mentioned the Schultz baby – yes I remembered what you wrote about & did think of that when I knew she was going to get another baby.

You said you didn’t remember Doris Green – she is the girl (welfare) who used to live with Geo. Tilton’s and went to high school here. She was going to State when she got married. Tilton’s had to put glasses on their little boy. He was wearing a patch over one eye today. As far as I know Wilsons haven’t done anything about Susie’s eyes. Probably won’t for a while if Ellsworth has to go to the Army. Doris’ sister Juanita got married (Maurice Sargent) and is back here working for Ellsworth.

Mark had quite a good time at the school Halloween party this afternoon dressed in my old finery. However he didn’t get first prize he had hoped to get. He brought home a sack of popcorn – cookies, candy, etc. The S.S. class is having a party at Helen Bartlett’s tonite but I didn’t feel up to that kind of a party. I suppose by the 31^st coming on Sun. the children will be out Sat. night playing their pranks, or whatever they do (I don’t mean ours, but the crowds that always go out).

Just had to go upstairs and see about David. He was stirring around and of course was uncovered. I tucked him back in and he quieted down.

Mark is getting ready for bead – think I will too.
Love Mother

Dolores and her husband, James W. Stevens, c1940s

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/05/13/surprise-visitors-gladys/

Canning Apples (Gladys)

2 Replies

Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
10-28-43

Dear Daddy – Yours of Oct. 21 & 22 & one to John came today. I just finished canning 9 qts. apple sauce. Apples are so high in the stores and a man came around with some for $3⁰⁰ bu. so I got a bu. It was too warm in the basement for them so had to can them but they will be handy to use now, especially for David. He stood alone twice today. Lucile came out with Jimmy and we stayed out in the yard with them and took some pictures. Jimmy stands alone, has since 7 mo. old but doesn’t walk only a few steps. If David thought so he could walk alone but is just like his brothers were. He waved bye-bye & said same to Lucile & Jimmy Ed when they got ready to go home – used both hands to wave with. I have to fit Mark with a costume for a party at school tomorrow. Think I’ll put my white formal on him. He wants to wear a pr. of my high heels too. John is interested in helping Mark dress but not for himself. Mark wants to go out with another boy on Halloween but I said no he could go around to the houses in this neighborhood like he did last year but that is all. – Mrs. Zell has an attachment on her electric mixer to run apples, etc., thru a colander and I used it today. We loan our things back & forth. She used our pressure cooker all summer. Mr. Z. has a fire going for us Sun. when we came home. We feed their chickens when they are away, etc. Just real neighbors. Mark is getting impatient for his costume so must go see what I can find for him.
Love, Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/05/11/canning-apples-gladys/

The Woman’s Club (Gladys)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Oct. 27 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Yours of Oct. 17 came today – the 18, 19 & 20 came yesterday. You were writing about my throat. I haven’t had any actual soreness for some time but have a hoarseness all the time and keep spitting mucos & have some sinus drainage all the time. I don’t want to look for a sore throat but am a little afraid I will be inclined to have some infection there if this condition continues. Thought I would see Dr. Ade sometime soon if it doesn’t clear up. I don’t want to have a tonsillectomy if it can be avoided. Maybe with sufficient rest it will clear up.

David is on a high horse today. I think I can see two teeth (stomach) about through. He woke me up about 2 a.m. just sucking his thumb & making a little noise he often makes when going to sleep. He won’t stay covered. Try as I will to secure him under his blankets he wiggles out and I find him on top & sometimes at the other end of the bed. He has been going some tall jabbering today – sounds like “Greek er something.” I told him he was a bad boy & he jabbered right after me what sounded like “bad boy.” John said I was stretching my imagination. However when he says something that sounds like “John,” then John says he is calling him. Mark agreed with me that David said “bad boy” so that is how it stands. John is having his troubles at school. Had such a long assignment last night he was carrying on something terrible about Miss K. I told him if he didn’t quiet down I would tell her and he took me right up on it & said he wished I would. Of course I wouldn’t tell her anything, because she has taught school a good many years & I believe is better qualified as to assignments than I would be. That is all the trouble there was but if you could have heard him go on about it you would have thought he had troubles. The band teacher resigned and student directors are going to try & keep the band going. I am glad now I didn’t invest in a horn for Mark because the Jr. band can’t carry on. They were too far behind the Sr. band to combine the two. Mark hardly ever touches his trumpet anyway and I believe it would be the same with anything he would have.

[page 2] The sun was shining this a.m. and I hung some white clothes out. Was going to take David out for a bit of sunshine but it’s cloudy now. Just typical fall weather.

The Woman’s Club had Prof. Phillips from Purdue speak at the meeting last night. Mrs. Zell & I went together. He gave a very interesting talk about what we will do after the war. He reviewed the events following World War I and touched upon the crime waves that have followed all our wars. In the course of his talk he mentioned Time magazine & how it had stooped to vulgarity – It was quite a coincidence – you had mentioned about the same thing in one of the letters I had from you yesterday. In fact you whole letter had run along the same vein he had talked on. I wanted to go tell him about your letter & how it tied up with his talk, but I didn’t. There was a business meeting following his address, so I sat where I was and the visiting men talked to him after he was thru. There were quite a number of men present. Prof. Phillips talked at Rotary once – I believe that was while you were here – or was it – I remember the French woman was on the program you attended.

Dorothy was out yesterday and said Ralph Bower had been appointed Judge. Seems Newell Lamb might have been but for a member of the Committee – That is just gossip and I don’t know enough about it to be certain. At any rate Newell & Ellsworth are supposed to be next up to go the Army and being Judge would get a deferment. D. said Ellsworth was going to try & get a 6 mo. deferment because Doris is going to have another baby.

Had a letter from Jim today & there is a possibility he may be sent to Joliet – in case his rating isn’t changed to Chief Steam fitter. In that event he will be sent to a ship yard. He left his top coat here & I have to send it to him.

I cooked the chicken your mother gave me and besides having two meals from it canned 5 pts. I thought it would be handy to have for quick meals.

David is quiet for some reason. He had a long nap and wish he would take another so I could get one.
“Love Mother”

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/05/08/-the-womans-club-gladys/

Something Wrong with the Alarm Clock (Gladys)

2 Replies

Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
10-26-43

Dear Daddy – Yours of Oct. 18-19 & 20 came today. You evidently hadn’t rec’d any message thru the Red Cross about Mother’s death. I haven’t had any confirmation from them as to whether it was sent. You may get my letters first. – It is a typical fall day. Wind and rain, chilly, leaves falling. There was a heavy freeze predicted for last night but the temp. according to the radio this a.m. was 44. The Onargo Co. finally replaced the evergreen (a week & half ago) and I had a few more shrubs put in the back. I was going to water them but I think the rain will do it for me. We overslept this a.m. – John wondered what was wrong with our 7 a.m. alarm (David). I heard him about 6:15 & gave him dry pants & put him in bed with me & he went back to sleep. When I woke up he was about ready to get out of bed. He doesn’t like his play pen any more. I am afraid it has served its purpose here. He does stay in it a little while at a time but prefers the wide open spaces. Paul & Leanna’s baby was 4 wks. old Sun. and they took her to church. I didn’t take D. Your Mother stayed home with me. She said she didn’t know what we would do with him in church – he is so noisy & can’t sit still. The Tommy Thompson’s have a baby girl. Coke came over to solicit for the U.S.O. drive & she told me the news. I gave $1⁰⁰ to the drive. I have a chicken cooking for dinner. Your Mother gave it to me – It was a young rooster weighed over 7 lbs.
Love – Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/05/06/something-wrong-with-the-alarm-clock-gladys/

Indiana Coal (Gladys)

2 Replies

: October 25, 1943 envelope

: October 25, 1943, p. 1

: October 25, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Oct. 25 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

About all I have done today besides get lunch is write letters. I baked a cake and John & Mark assured me I am the best cake baker. John came in & when he saw the cake & steak hugged & kissed me. I told him he was like Dagwood in the funnies. He saw what was “cooking” before he embraced me. However I appreciated the gesture anyway. Had a letter from Jim & Pauline (she writes for Glen & Co. now) this a.m. and an Ins. receipt. Also rec’d a jar of Morruguant I ordered from Massengill salesman last week. That is the best ointment, bar none, I ever saw for burns. I give “dabs” to the neighbors when they have burns & thought I had better get a new supply. I smeared it over a place on my arm I touched on the hot grill & presto! No burn. It works like magic.

It is blowing today & cloudy. I was going to take David out in the sunshine but don’t see any now. There was some around noon but he was asleep and I was busy getting lunch ready. It feels like winter is blowing its cold breath the way it comes in around even the windows & storm windows. I am going to try a stoker full of Indiana coal. Chet says he has some that is pretty good. I have had our order in since last spring & no Va. Coal has been rec’d here. Floyd said Bluffton was the same way. I saw a load of stoker coal going out at Garrison’s, Earl Pack. I called Bun Walkup about getting me some there but he said he wouldn’t have it so it must be like the kind McCartney had that time. Now I wish we had an oil burner because there seems to be plenty of oil around here. But wishful thinking won’t do any good, so will do the next best thing & try Indiana coal.

David is taking a nap. He is some tired from his visiting. He doesn’t walk alone yet, gets tired of his pen and has too many spills out in the broad open spaces, so little fellow has a hard time once in a while. He certainly has a mind of his own about what he wants to do. I just wonder if Daddy wouldn’t spank a little more than Mother does. So far he hasn’t gotten very many but I think he will get them in time.

[page 2] I have a roll of film so will get some pictures in a day or so, depending on the sunshine. I would take the whole roll & send them this week but don’t know when I can get more so will make this roll last longer.

Today was music club but hardly felt up to social gatherings. Thought I would take David for a walk & mail the letters I have written but it seems so chilly, don’t know whether to take him out or not. He is still asleep – his second nap toady – but I think he was pretty tired from all our visiting around.

J. & M. can write you about their grades. John is getting ready for stunt night. He has a part in the 8^th grade play. Mark plays football all the time. He is trying so hard to get a muscle & get heavy – by the way he is in the 5^th grade this year.

Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/05/04/indiana-coal-gladys/

Thirteenth Month (Gladys)

2 Replies

: October 23, 1943 envelope

: October 23, 1943, p. 1

: October 23, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Clay City, Ind.
Oct. 23, 1943

Dear Daddy –

Today is David’s 13^th month. We are visiting with Esther & family today. When Leanna was ready to come Imogene, Ruthie, John, Mark, David & I went down and brought her & Linda. Linda is a very healthy looking young lady. Is on pasteurized & Karo. It seems funny for them to go to town and buy pasteurized milk since I have been here but your Dad just milks one cow and she is a Jersey and since David is sensitive to rich milk I thought it would be better to get the pasteurized. However I boil it – remember you said to boil it until the baby is old enough to boil his own. Ruth & Floyd brought their movie camera & want to take some pictures tomorrow if it’s sunny. It is raining now. Ruth took some of J. & M. & Sam’s new dog but David was taking a nap & didn’t get in that picture. They (R. & F.) are coming out tonite and show all their movies. Mom asked all the families to come tonite & see them so we will probably have a house full. After dinner Imogene showed us their wedding gifts. Her brother is in Hawaii and sent her a luncheon set from there.

– – – We have been to town, stopped at Clarence’s on the way home & now back home. J. & M. stayed to play monopoly with Dwane. Clarence’s went to T.H. today to get Wilma. She gets every week-end off so far. She likes her work. I asked her when she would get her cap and she said Feb. We are to go to Clarence’s for dinner tomorrow, then start home soon after dinner. I want to stop in Brazil on the way & see Dave & Marie. So far we have visited all the relatives (except Clarences & them tomorrow). Everyone thinks David is quite the boy. I saw several people in town – I thought I would see more but we were too early today & it was raining.

[page 2] Dot Salter Hoffman had a roll of 116 film she sold me so now I can take some more pictures of David & the rest of us. Ruthie said she would try & get me some so maybe I can manage pictures once a month now for a while.

David is in the baby bed playing with two sauce pans grandma gave him, having quite a time & jabbering like he really is saying things.

I must get this finished and get busy – Have to get David’s milk boiled for supper,
Love Mother

YEG1940 - Sam, Esther, Earl, Paul & Leanna

Samuel Yegerlehner with his wife, Esther, their sons, Earl and Paul, and Paul’s wife Leanna, circa 1940 (Photograph courtesy of Don Yegerlehner)

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/04/30/thirteenth-month-gladys/

My Birthday Present (Gladys)

5 Replies

[Editor’s note: It appears that this letter was ripped when it was removed from the envelope. I have attempted to fill in the missing words.]

: October 22, 1943 envelope

: October 22, 1943, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Clay City Ind.
10-22-43

Dear Daddy –

Writing from Faye’s. She asked us to come for dinner and we just arrived & I am trying to get this written so the mail man will pick it up. Glendon’s dog is very much annoyed at all the strange people around and is carrying on so Glendon had to hold her while we came in.

We went to town yesterday afternoon and I got a suit & top coat. I had been wanting a suit and top coat to match so found just what I wanted at Robinson’s. Don’t have to do any altering to anything. Also got a pr. of pjs. They are red and think you would like the colors. The suit & coat are brown. Looks like cocoa. I told your Mother I would count that my birthday present from you – that may be stretching things a little but that gave me a good excuse. (If I needed any)

J. & M. are out playing football with Glendon. They are teaching G. & D. the mysteries of football. Mark has a new football I got for him early in the fall. He took it to school with him almost every day. John even likes to play. Everyone here has a spell over how much John is growing. He is taller than your mother & almost as tall as I am but not quite. We think he will be taller than you if he keeps growing. Now won’t that be something to come home to a son as tall or taller than you.

We are invited to Sam’s tomorrow & are to see Linda Louise. I must get this into the box.

Love – Mother

The Yegerlehner cousins in the mid 1930s. The first row of row of boys is: John, Dwayne, Glendon and Mark.

Appreciation (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: October 21, 1943 envelope

: October 21, 1943, p, 1

: October 21, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60
F.P.O. San Fran. Cal.
Oct. 21, 1943

Dear Mother,

I wrote John & Mark each a letter last night – not much of a letter but I thought possibly they might get a kick out of it and they probably appreciate getting a letter addressed directly to them.

And while writing of appreciation – It’s a word we often use but frequently think of what it means. We possibly never appreciate the things we have until we are removed from them. How much did we appreciate the morning paper? If it were a few hours or even minutes late we had plenty to say. What was our reaction when we couldn’t get a drink of cold water? Was that appreciated then? Understand you don’t have to answer these questions. I’m just trying to point how much we didn’t think of those things. A number of others can be enumerated – pushing the button on the radio and there is the station wanted. Want a strawberry sundae? How about a coke & a hamburger – What are those things? A good warm shower or even

[page 2] a tub bath could be had. And to be sure many varieties of foods. There is always a possibility of too much starch in the finished shirt or a few wrinkles now and then. What a button off a shirt! And yes that light over this chair is not correct and what kind of a chair were you thinking about? That mattress and those springs are a little too hard.

All those things and numerous others could be mentioned – commented upon – the necessity of each questioned and many wasted words of praise or sympathy depending upon the whether here or there, but possibly the greatest thing we didn’t appreciate was the well round society we were living in – In other words a “co-Ed” society, plus kiddes and also the old folk. And last but not least one very definite and outstanding thing – That glass of water before each meal!

The above all sounds crazy I know and I really did and still do appreciate you and your care of me –
Love Daddy

Russell Islands
Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)

In Clay City (Gladys)

1 Reply

: October 21, 1943 envelope

: October 21, 1943, p. 1

: October 21, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Clay City, Ind.
10-21-1943

Dear Daddy –

You will note from the heading I am in C.C. We went thru T.H. yesterday & left J. T. at Mayroses. We left Kent about 2 PM & started for C.C. about 5 – then I happened to think I wanted to see Ethel W. It was a good thing I did because Wayne was at Teachers Convention and Ethel was going to take Mark & go home today. I didn’t have time to visit long because all three boys were anxious to get going but at least I saw her a few minutes. We got almost here & had to detour past Dietz – they are oiling 59 and all the traffic has to come this way. Your mother certainly is getting the dust when the wind is from the south. She is hoping it will change so the people on the south side of the road will get part of it – or that she won’t get it all. She & Dad slept upstairs last nite. I had to sleep down because of the baby’s bed so she thought I wouldn’t rest well on the davenport. I slept pretty good until 3 a.m. then was awake off & on until time to get up. I still feel tired but I think I will for a while.

We are going to town this afternoon and do some visiting. Faye asked us down to dinner tomorrow – then the next day will be Sat. & Sun. we go back. Time soon flies. It was cloudy this a.m. early & we had a shower but it’s cleared off now and seems very pleasant out. John is with Dwane & Mark with Glendon. Glendon was going nut hunting and of course that suited Mark but not John. John got his report card yesterday. He had 3 – A+’s, 2- A’s, 1 – B+ and two S’s. S is for satisfactory and Phy. Ed & Citizenship have just two grades – satisfactory or D which is below passing. John, Angus, Ina M. Walkup

[page 2] and Evelyn Mingle in the 8^th grade were on the honor roll.

David is taking a nap. He has been having a good time this morning. I brought the Taylor Tot along & he can get around in it. The pen is too big to fit in the back of the car & is a nuisance to take along – anyway he doesn’t like to stay in it so the Taylor Tot was the best to bring, then when we go to town we can put him in it while we shop. He can’t walk along & is too heavy to carry. Besides he doesn’t like to be carried – squirms down when he takes a notion he would rather walk.

J. & T. will start back Fri. for Norfolk. He may be there for a while yet or may be sent to another shipyard if he gets changed to Chief steam fitter.

Mom is mashing potatoes, so must go help.
Love,
Mother