Tag Archives: John Henry Yegerlehner

Lovina

[Editor’s note: This is the last letter in the World War II collection, and the last from the 1940s. There are many, many hundreds of letters from the 1960s and beyond. I am currently working to finish the next volume of World War II letters titled Lots of Love, Daddy. This volume covers the letters written during the fall of 1942. I will currently be taking a short break from daily blog posts in order to finish the book. Stay tuned for more information regarding the book’s release and the next batch of letters from the family archive.]

May 1946, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Monday morning [undated likely Spring 1946]

Dear Gladys and all,

Well it is raining again this morning. Rained about all day yesterday, the ground is awful wet[?] don’t know when the men will get their crop out. The river was out last Sunday over everything. Mary Hixon came down on Friday was going home on Sunday afternoon. She stayed till Tuesday afternoon. She said she didn’t want to drive through water. She said it was the first time she saw the water out. I was so sick on Friday and Saturday while she was here. My back and side hurt so awful I went to the Dr. Saturday afternoon. His medicine look just about like what Roscoe gave me I’ll have

May 1946, p. 2

[page 2] to go back today. I just hate to go, always have to wait so long I waited from 1 to 4. I thought I’d growed fast to the chair I was so tired.

Pop is taking the ashes out of the furnace. It looks like we have to have fire all summer.

The strawberries are rotting in the patch didn’t have very many yet. Verna Zurcher was operated on last Tuesday. She nearly died before they took her out of the room they give her too much dope. She is getting along all right now. Clarence and Clara were to see her yesterday they were in Terre Haute, attended the Baccalaureate service of the nurses of the Union Hospital. Verna Z. is at the Union. Clarence wants us to go with them to the commencement Friday evening. I told him I didn’t know till the time came to see how I felt. Wilma will have

May 1946, p. 3

[page 3] to go till this fall sometime she was off so much when she had that itch on her feet and hands we didn’t wash it’s too rainy. Is Mark’s arm all right? – I hope it is I must get to work get the house cleaned up and get dinner I haven’t cleaned any house yet. Maybe I will sometime if I get to feeling better and Pop will help some.

Hope your all well everybody is well and wadding mud
Love Mom

Pop got his medicine. He wants to know how much it was.

© 2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/08/01/lovina/

Purses and Cokes (Roscoe)

4 Replies

October 1, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

October 1, 1945, p. 1

1 Oct. 45

Dear Mother,

Monday a.m. and things going along the same as usual. Yesterday p.m. I intended to listen to the football game here but it wasn’t on the radio, so I read another E. Stanley Gardner book – very educational. I also finished another office plan and if I didn’t leave it at the room I’ll include it in this letter. I have it so I’ll send it along.

No news on the point system nor on the draft so far today. We haven’t gotten too many patients in so the draft to Chi. May not be as soon as I expected. I guess I shouldn’t write so much about that but after all it is one of the major things in life right now.

I looked the purses over and I’m afraid to make my own selection at that price. I also priced and looked them over at Klamath Falls and the price was the same there and the selection about the same.

Just stopped to get a cold coke. There is a big machine right outside our door but it is empty most of the time. It is filled three

October 1, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] times each day but still it is practically always empty. It holds about 10 cases and I don’t think the coke ever gets cold only the extra supply in the top which is put in at the time of filling.

I’ve just finished writing a letter to the folks – It had been some time since I had written. Mom said if they had known when I was coming before they would have come up but it is too uncertain about how much time I’ll have off. It would be alright for them to come but if I didn’t get much time then you would be in Chi. Also. The priorities going off on air travel may make a difference in our time off. They may get them directly from here and if they do it may mean only a few hours off but that remains to be discussed later.

Look this last plan over and see what you think. After I had it finished I saw some things I didn’t like but that will be true of any.

Well, Dear I’ll sure like to see and be with you – We hope it won’t be too long.
Love Daddy

P.S. 3 letters just came.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/06/21/purses-and-cokes-roscoe/

A Letter From Mom (Lovina)

1 Reply

September 22, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 22, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 22

Dear Roscoe,

Well how are you? Hope you [are] well and can come home soon. I baked a cake this morning to take to the church tomorrow. They have the homecoming. I don’t feel very much like working. I’ve not felt very good for a while. I had rheumatism or something in my right ankle about all week. I could hardly walk but is better now. Pop is out fixing fence.

September 22, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] They round Doyle Cordell. They say he is alright and well. Willis is with him. I don’t know where he was but he is Manilla now. You might get to see him when he comes through there and Hershel Steiner is on his way home. He was in Okinawa. He wrote the 5^th of this month he would leave the 7. He is in the 34 Batt. Minnie told me yesterday evening his folks didn’t know where he was till now. Don Kirkling was gone so long before Minnie heard from him. He was in Norway and Scotland.

September 22, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] He thought he would soon be back over here. Ralph is laying the brick for his hen house. Clarence has some of his soybean down. It’s been so cloudy and rainy can’t put them up. If we know you were at Kentland last Sunday some of us would of come up. I have my canning all done. We haven’t had any frost yet but it’s been pretty cool. I must get my dinner ready, want to go to town this after

September 22, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] noon. We had our dinner for town.
Love Mom

[Editor’s note: Doyle Cordell was reported missing in March 1943 while serving in the Philippines.]

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/31/a-letter-from-mom-lovina/

No Radio (Roscoe)

2 Replies

September 3, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 3, 1945, p. 1

Sept. 3, 1945

Dear Mother,

I’m on the ward but wouldn’t have to be since it is Labor Day but in order to get breakfast one has to be there by 0830. It is now about 1000 but I want this to be sure and get off in the mail which I suppose leaves around 12 as it does on Sun.

In one of your letters you mentioned the fact that I heard all of the discharge stuff over the radio. I haven’t heard a radio since I left home. They have them on the wards but my room is too far from it and anyway they don’t listen to much news.

I see by this AM paper the army is cutting down on the points and lowering the age. I just don’t know how or when the navy is going to start but they will have to before long if they intend to get rid of all they plan on in the

September 3, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] next few months. I do get very discouraged at times but it just can’t last indefinitely since the “shootin’” has stopped and these new boys just coming in certainly will have a tour of duty. We have right here at this station about 8-10 brand new. There are also several fellows just like me who have been out before and are wondering what is coming next.

The show last night was “Bedside Manners” – pretty good. Tonight – “Ten Men from Westpoint.” I saw it on the Islands – again in N.Z. so I hardly think I’ll see it again because in the first place it wasn’t good. I didn’t recognize the name the second time in N.Z. so just stayed thru for lack of something else to do.

September 3, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] So far today there has been no mail but I’m hoping it arrives by 1030 as it does on other days.

I think in a few days I’ll be able to send some dough home but I’m not sure when the travel money will come and I still don’t have that watch. The ship store officer is a Jewish Dr. and I’m not certain. Their watches are two prices – one around $30.00 and the next up to $77.00. That seems a little high. I think before I pay that I’ll use the old N.Z. one I now have.

I wrote the folks yesterday – wishing Mom a happy birthday also. I haven’t been off the place to buy a card. It seems that

September 3, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] was about all the letters I could scrape up in one PM.

I’d keep reminding Chet once in a while about that burner. He should know all about that type furnace since it is practically the same as Nick’s down to the controls, etc. He claims he is going to reduce the heat bill for Nick. I believe I’d try to get the fuel oil from either Standard of Schub – unless you could work out a 3 way deal. I’ve thought of the burner because it is so cold here, seems like the dead of winter only without snow.

Well, lots of love
Daddy

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/05/05/no-radio-roscoe/

A Petition (Gladys)

2 Replies

August 25, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

August 25, 1945, p. 1

Aug. 25 – 1945

Dear Daddy –

Yours of Aug. 21 & 23 came this a.m. – so the air mail really gets here the quickest. I went over to Lucille’s last night to watch the wedding – Doris Wilson & Goog Marvin were married at the church at 8 PM. It was a very pretty affair. Bethel was bridesmaid & wore blue – Doris in white, of course. Jimmy Ed has hay fever & asthma too (at least he sounds like Glen does) and was so stopped up he could hardly breathe. All Dr. M. had given him was Phenobarbital – ¼ of 1½ gr. every three or four hrs. He got to coughing and threw up one dose – Ed called the Dr. and he said to repeat. I didn’t stay long – Ed had Jimmy on the glider and after he had the last pill acted like he was going to quiet down. I haven’t talked to Lucile today so far so don’t know how they got thru the night. I went over to Mildred Gerricks to class party about 9 o’clock. After the party I talked to Pauline Hiestand. She said Mary Childress came to her and asked her if she would be willing to sign a petition. She said she would be more than glad to. However, I am not so sure of thinks. Lucile told me some things Dr. M. said to her, that he claimed he said to you while you were here and I told Lucile he had not said anything at all to you of the kind. The only time I know of that he talked to you was in front of the barber shop the day Dorothy was with us.

August 25, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] Well he told Lucile that he told you to come and see him and he would see what he could do for you. All I can remember hearing him say was, “Sorry you have to go back to San F.” He also told Lucile if you got back now, it would have to be thru him. I think he meant a petition would have to go thru him. So I don’t know what to do if anything. I think I’ll go talk to him and ask him if he has any “info” from the Amer. Med. Assn. – I suppose they will have something if there is anything out on the situation.

Link took Irene to Chicago yesterday. Atkinson said she had a blood clot – he put her right in the hospital and elevated her leg and applied heat. She has to take penicillin too for “phlolitis.” (incorrect spelling) I don’t know how long she will be in the hospital. I wonder why her Dr. at Sheldon couldn’t diagnose her case?

It is very cool here. I have washed and now have corn to put in the locker. It isn’t such a job tho. Just cut is off the cob and put it in the boxes – It has to be dipped in boiling water then cold before its cut off. It will be easier than cooking it tho.

Miss Smith was here yesterday and thinks John should attend a conservatory in Chicago Saturdays for piano lessons this winter. She is going to Chicago soon and said she would go to the conservatory and see about making arrangements. The place she has in mind is close to the bus station, so he could go up on the bus.

A letter came from your Mother this a.m. She says she isn’t feeling so well – I’ll enclose the letter. She sent us some red points.

Our magazines came to Kentland, so the change of address is in effect now.

I’ll send the gold braid & shirt & pants.
Love Mother

Letter from Lovina, dated August 23, 1945, p. 1

Aug. 23

Dear Gladys and boys

Received your letter. Glad you got back in your home again. I guess you have heard from Roscoe since he got out to San F. Hope he won’t have to stay long. It’s real chilly this morning, raining all morning. I canned some peaches yesterday not doing anything but cleaning up the house this morning. I’m not feeling very good (Haven’t felt good for nearly two weeks.) I’m going to the Dr. this

Letter from Lovina, dated August 23, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] afternoon. My hearts been bothering me so then I have the headache so in the back of my head. Pop wanted to finish digging potatoes today but it rained him out. We haven’t washed this week yet. We had to take the wash machine to town to get it worked on. Hope we can get it this week yet so I can wash some things. I’ll send you a few red points. I don’t have any news now to tell you. Hope your all well. Etta Campbell came out Tuesday, brought her cooker. We canned 24 pts. of corn. That’s all I want to can. Will have more in a few days. It’s no use to can so much. We don’t eat much corn.

Love Mom

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/04/17/a-petition-gladys/

A Family Tragedy

1 Reply

After May 2nd, 1944, the letters go silent for a week. While Roscoe and Gladys were writing letters to each other further north, in Clay City, Indiana, a family tragedy was taking place. During the day, Roscoe’s oldest brother Sam fell off the back of a truck while working on his farm. He fractured his skull during the fall and died several hours later. At this point, it is unknown whether or not Roscoe, Gladys & the children traveled to Clay City for the funeral. Romaine, the daughter of Ruth (Yegerlehner) Mutchler, does not recall attending the funeral, although she does remember the sadness which accompanied the tragedy. With gas rationing and other travel limitations in effect during WWII, it is hard to say whether or not the family did go. However, the lack of letters would indicate that Roscoe and Gladys were together.

SAMUEL A. YEGERLEHNER

CLAY CITY, Ind., May 3. – -(Special)- – Samuel A. Yegerlehner, 53 years old, died at 8:30 last night at the Clay County Hospital from a fractured skull sustained Tuesday morning when he fell from a truck two miles east of Clay city. Mr. Yegerlehner is survived by the widow, Esther; the parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Yegerlehner of clay City; two sons, Paul and Earl of Clay city; one sister, Mrs. Ruth Hutchler of Wilmington, Ill.; four brothers, Clarence and Ralph of Clay City, Roscoe of the United States Navy at Great Lakes, Ill., and Floyd of Bluffton, and one grandchild. The boys was brought to the Schoppenhorst Funeral Home and will be returned to the residence in Clay City Wednesday afternoon. Short funeral services will be held at the residence at 1:30 o’clock Thurdsay afternoon followed by services at St. Peters Reformed Chruch at 2 o’clock with Rev. Bredeweg officiating. Burial will be in St. Peter’s Reformed cemetery.

YEG1940 - Sam, Esther, Earl, Paul & Leanna

Samuel, Earl, Esther, Leanna and Paul Yegerlehner, c1940s

Romaine’s Commencement (Ruth)

2 Replies

April 30, 1944, p. 1

[Gladys included this letter from Ruth Mutchler in her May 2nd letter. Ruth was Roscoe’s sister.]

Letter transcription:

Wilmington Ill.
April 30, 1944

Dear folks,

Just a line before I go downtown this morning. I am sewing & must go down to get some thread. It is raining again this morning as usual.

We have been anxious to know what has become of you. In your last letter you said you had been apartment hunting & we have been wondering if you have found one. It will be nice if you can be near Jake while he is stationed there. Romaine & I were in Chicago, all day on Saturday, two weeks ago. We eyed every Naval officer that we saw. Thinking just perhaps

April 30, 1944, p. 2

[page 2] Jake may have been downtown, but – no see –

We went up for her formal. Had a hard time finding one, but finally found one which we think is quite pretty. It is yellow marquisette. She is getting all excited now, the Senior activities are “stepping up.” Had the Senior play Fri. & Sat. nights. She had so hoped grandpa & grandma would come up for commencement, but Mom wrote & said that it wouldn’t be possible for them to come now. She is still counting on you to be here.

Earl & Chuck are trying hard to get their garden in but so much rain keeps

[page 3] them from it. They now have their potatoes, peas & early stuff such as lettuce carrots & onions in. Earl went fishing

April 30, 1944, p. 3

for a little while yesterday after-noon, but too cold for that, got two I think he said. He is so busy at the mine, he hasn’t much time for fishing & gardening.

Must run along now. Let us hear from you, haven’t Jake’s address so can’t write to him, so send it along when you write again. Hope you are all well

Love Ruth

Come for commencement if you can. It is May 26.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/02/15/romaines-commencement-ruth/

Ice Cream for Supper (Gladys)

1 Reply

April 27, 1944 envelope

April 27, 1944, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
4-27-44

Dear Daddy –

No letter this morning – I suppose the train was late or for some reason or other it didn’t make connections. It is very windy and I hung drapes out to air. I am not sure I will hang them again. I should have washed those other woolen blankets. The sun has been shining but the wind is very sharp. Lucile walked out with Jimmy but didn’t stay long. Then David & I walked down to the highway, then back to Mrs. Krull’s. Louise is here this week with her children. Mrs. Krull is sewing for Louise so can’t make a suit for me for some time. I looked at B & B for a suit for John

April 27, 1944, p. 2

[page 2] this morning, but they haven’t much selection. I took David to the Dr. this a.m. – he said to bring him back today. He said it looked good (that is as good as it could after what it had been thru – the lip of course). He said to bring him back in two days to have stitches out.

Dorothy is going to Laf. tomorrow and I plan to go. I am going to take David along. I don’t want to leave him with anyone with such a lip. He may get it bumped with me but I don’t want that to happen for anyone else.

Had a letter from your Mother. Eel river is out and the road north is under water. I suppose by now it is going down. Uncle Geo. had a stroke and Dad and the boys went up to see him. He is better now.

April 27, 1944, p. 3

[page 3] John is at a wiener roast at school. He came home to get cokes out of the refrigerator and said it was so windy they were going inside to have their party. They had intended having it out on the grounds. I told him they should come over and use our fireplace and he reminded me that it is full of clinkers.

Mark wants us to have something “extra special” for supper since John is having a picnic supper. He suggested ice cream and make sodas. We have some cokes but I told him he could have the soda. I have had one coke today and I believe that is enough. Arlene had Donnie & Bobby in the wagon – had been to the filling station for cokes – and David and I were walking along and she asked me in for a coke.

April 27, 1944, p. 4

[page 4] David wanted a taste but that was all. He kept saying words and they thought he was progressing very well in his talking. He closed the nursery door and Donnie said, “You’re bad.” They said he says that to everyone about everything. David made a puddle on the nursery floor (at home) and took me to see it. He has seen me mop up his puddles and thought that was what should be done.

Mark is wanting to go to town to get his ice cream so will let him go and mail this and get the paper.

Hope you have found us a place to live. Wish I could be up there to look around but you & Joe together should be able to find something –

Love Mother

Ten Letters (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: February 12, 1944 envelope

: February 12, 1944, p. 1

: February 12, 1944, p. 2

: February 12, 1944, p. 3

: February 12, 1944, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Feb. 12, 1943 [sic]

Dear Mother,

I wrote in yesterday’s letter that I would add a P.S. in case any mail came – well it came but I got so interested in reading I forgot to add the P.S. There were ten letters from you, 2 from the folks and one from Ruth M. Yours ranged all the way from Jan. 7 to Jan. 29 with the Valentine from the boys included. That was what I call a real mail call. There was also a Christmas package from the Brewers for which I’ll have to write and thank them – It was a mixture of things: tooth brush, tooth paste, peanuts, cheese tidbits, English walnut kernels, two hankies and a pocket comb. Everything was in

[page 2] pretty good condition. The cheese tidbits were a little crushed but not bad and there was also two packages of cigarettes which were pretty badly crushed.

Now to your letters. I’m sure D. must have a slight throat irritation which probably won’t amount to much and so long as his temp. stays near normal I wouldn’t worry too much although it pays to be careful with those things in kids. The pictures were good but the one of D. has not arrived as yet. The clipping did however and I wouldn’t say that it was very good of him, but paper pictures are generally not too good. Chet V.’s picture was good but Art. K. looks like he was messed up like a dog’s breakfast.

The comments and the condition of Irene was a foregone conclusion even before I left there as I look

[page 3] back on the situation now. Maybe the Funks, the Statons and the Yegerlehners should take another vacation in Wisconsin. I’m sure it would help the Yegerlehners. It’s almost fate that another member of that group should need the benefit of a mental psycho analysis. I still feel that interest in family over and above finances. That applies of course to the latter. The former seemed to be a case of religion running away with family and I’m not being irreligious when I write that.

Watch your knitting – I don’t refer to the last paragraph. I mean actual. You wrote of how much you were planning on making and I’m afraid that might cause a few of your headaches especially at that certain period. If your breast is worse at that time I’m not so much

[page 4] worried but don’t let size be a factor in treatment. Have it checked on rather frequently and another biopsy if the Dr. thinks necessary.

I’m writing this letter later than usual because I had the duty and couldn’t write until I was off the desk. That makes me have the duty 3 times in one week. Twice for myself and once for Bob the bridegroom. Tomorrow I’ll try to reread your letters and write some further comment on them.

This being Lincoln’s birthday we had some little extra for noon chow. Grapes and nuts and I’m still cracking a nut now and then.

Well Dear your letters sure are a very good builder upper and I’m so tickled to get them –
Lots of Love
Daddy

Wiggle Worm (Gladys)

1 Reply

: February 7, 1944 envelope front

: February 7, 1944 envelope back

: February 7, 1944, p. 1

: February 7, 1944, p. 2-3

: February 7, 1944, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
2-7-44

Dear Daddy –

Yours of 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 & 28 came today. Also a letter from Pauline and Aileen. Aileen sent a picture of herself. She looked very good, but said she has a cold. She always writes interesting letters. I would love to visit her sometime. I had sent her some pictures and she said I looked as young as I did 18 years ago. I was thinking the same thing about her. She said growing up with a family must be my answer. However I don’t agree with her about me. I can see what the mirror reflects, but that doesn’t worry me.

It was fairly warm (32°) this morning and sun was shining and I hung some white

[page 2] things out on the line. They must be dry by now. I hate to dry white things in the basement when there is any sunshine. It is cloudy now. I wanted to take D. out for a walk but it doesn’t look very inviting now. We started showing him picture books and he seems to enjoy them. I don’t know whether we will be able to get him to sit still long enough to read to him. Martha Jane says he is a wiggle worm. She likes to come over and play with him when Bobby or Jimmy aren’t around. I told Mrs. Zell I had often wondered what you would think of D. He is so very different from J. & M. in his constant urge to move about. J. & M. weren’t lazy or not normal but we could hold them and entertain them without being on the move all the time. You might call it

[page 3] perpetual motion. Maybe it isn’t as bad as that – He does pretty good in church or when we are in the car but when he is home wants to be moving about most of the time. When J. & M. were this age I don’t remember that we had to particularly watch them, but D. needs someone on guard most of the time and added to all the foregoing he has all the charm one little fellow needs to make us all pushovers for him.

I expected Lucile out this afternoon. I am to give Jimmy a haircut. She doesn’t want to take him to the barber shop with so many colds around. I have given him one haircut. His hair is so blond it doesn’t show so much when he needs a hair cut like David’s does. David’s hair is a very pretty shade of brown and still curls when it is washed but the curls flatten when he has a cap on.

[page 4] Glad you have a watch. Did your old one fall apart? Hope this one will do until you can get back and get a better one. I still have the watch you gave me before we were married. I have thought about getting it repaired, but think maybe it would be better to put that much on a new one and I won’t do that now. I don’t want one that much.

I can see Bobby out playing. He is certainly the out-of-door type. He hasn’t a playmate just now but seems busy in their garden. I think Jimmy must be away and Martha for some reason isn’t out with Bobby.

I have to write Ruth M. & your folks, so must get this finished
Love
Mother

P.S. The card you rec’d from Cinda – she was visiting her brother near Bern, until Christmas.