Tag Archives: Letters from children

Meet at Grandma’s

Letter transcription:

August 2, 1945

Evanston Aug. 2

Dear Mother,

Just a line or two to tell you I think I’ll meet you at Grandma’s. Since you’re not coming till Tuesday that will give me plenty of time to plan things out. I’ll go to Wilmington Saturday. The Mutchlers know the transportation situation and can help me plan how to get to C.C.

Mrs. S. is going to help me send my stuff by express.

So I’ll be seeing you Tuesday –

Love John

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/04/03/meet-at-grandmas/

Mairzy Doats (John)

1 Reply

: January 22, 1944, p. 1

: January 22, 1944, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland, Indiana
Jan. 22, 1944

Dear Daddy,

I have not yet used all the money that you sent me for Christmas. With the stamps I had and with the money I got for Christmas I lack just a dime of having enough to by a bond so that’s what I’m going to use the money you sent me for.

I got exempted in all my exams but Mr. Schurtter made everybody take his exam any [way]. It was in arithmetic. Arithmetic is my favorite subject. We have had some algebra and geometry in our studies. These are what I liked best.

About that song, “Maredoats and doesedoats.” I don’t understand why you can’t understand it. All you do is say “Mares eat oats and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy, A kid will eat ivy, too, Wouldn’t you?” but you just sluss the words together and it’ll sound like “littlelams edivy a kidill edivy too, etc.” The song says, If the words seem funny, kinda jumbled and corny, say, “Mares eat oats and does eat oats” kinda H.V. Katlenborny. I guess I’ve written a lot of nothing but I want to thank you for the money

[page 2] you sent me.
Love John

P.S. By next Tuesday I’ve got to have a report on some kind of animal such as skunk or weasel. By next Wednesday I have got to have a book read and have a two page review on it, this is Saturday, and less than two weeks from now I have to have an essay written on “Pioneer Pattern for the nation of tomorrow.” I just wanted you to know I was busy

Again, John

[Editor’s note: A further explanation of the song Mairzy Doats can be found on wikipedia. In January 1944, the song was about it reach its height in popularity.]

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/24/mairzy-doats-john/ ‎

Stintson Reliant (Mark)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Kentland, Ind.
Jan. 22, 1944

Dear Daddy,

I want to just drop a word or two. In my exams I got 4 A’s, 2 B’s and one C in arithmetic. I am working on a plane called a “Stintson” Reliant & it has moveable controls but that is too hard for me. It has “17 in.” wing span. I have been skating lately, and have had one bad spill, the way it happened was my skate string came loose and I went over to the bank to tie it. I was about there when I slipped in the air and about turned a figure eigt and came down on a rib and just about nocked the wind out of me.

Mark

P.S. thanks for the money

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/23/stintson-reliant-mark/

Joan Manning Candy (John)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

John YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
12-6-43

Dear Daddy:

I haven’t written you for so long that I thought it was time I did.

This evening I accompanied Lucile Woods on her baritone at Rotary. The piano was terrible and it was sour. Helen Hoover played too. Mr. Cast said that there were no piano players in the club right now but that there was one coming on. The dinner was good (Steak) and mashed potatoes. The club gave each of us who played a bag of Joan Maning candy as a token of the appreciation. Those candies are not what they used to be. I’ve been eating some chocol – oops – I’m not supposed to eat that stuff. Mother just told me I’ve eaten enough.

I’ve been getting along fine in school. It doesn’t seem that the first semester is over 2/3 over.

David is doing so many cute things. He wrestles with his stuffed kitten.

For Christmas I am getting a Monopoly board (that is I’ve already gotten it). We got a Christmas tree yesterday. There is a tree shortage so we got ours early. Since it’s still 3 weeks to Christmas we have [not] decorated it yet.

Your son,
John

1935 newspaper advertisement (Image courtesy of Google newspapers online)

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/07/20/joan-manning-candy-john/

Uncle Roscoe (Duane)

1 Reply

[Editor’s note: Duane was Roscoe’s nephew, son of his brother Clarence. In 1943, Duane was 12 years old. He makes a statement which made me cringe as it is clearly racist to the modern, 21st century ear. However, in 1943, remarks such as these were commonplace. We cannot rewrite history but accept it for what it was. This letter was included with one that Clarence wrote on November 18th.]

: November 7, 1943, p. 1

: November 7, 1943, p. 2

: November 7, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Clay City, Indiana
November 7, 1943

Dear Uncle Roscoe,

Mark never had such a time in his life when he was here about 2 weeks ago. We went shucking corn. He started to shuck an ear. It was emp There wann’t any there & he said “Aw shucks an empty one.” He was at Uncle Ralph’s the day before & they gathered pumpkins. Mark said he wanted this one, theyed come to another & Mark said he wanted that one until had had about a dozen. I guess (over)

[page 2] he finally got one picked out.

Say, did you ever hear the tale of the frog. – He didn’t have any. You probably aren’t up to date on this one. Why don’t Hitler have a Suit Case. – He lost his “grip” in Russia. The only bags he’s got are under his eyes.

We don’t have such a good basketball team this year. I don’t know so much about it yet cause we have just played 1 game. We lost 18-31 to Switz City.

Boy it’s raining pitchforks & negro babies here. It’s been raining about all day today & yesterday. Carolyn don’t feel very well. She has sore throat. Daddy says she ought to

[page 3] have her tonsils taken out. I think she’ll have them taken out next summer. This

This fountain pen writes better after it was filled.

I am collecting post cards. I have from 15 different states including from District of Columbis. 37 post cards all together. I would like very much if you could send me one. I have just started this lately.

As ever
Duane Y.

P.S. If it isn’t to much trouble.
P.S. I didn’t get my this letter mailed. It’s Mon. evening & there is a snow blizzard. Over the radio they said 2 people had fro died in the northern part of state.

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/06/21/uncle-roscoe-duane/

Happy Father’s Day (John)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

JOHN YEGERLEHNER
E. DUNLAP ST.
KENTLAND IND.
6-19-43

Dear Daddy,

Since tomorrow is Father’s Day I am writing you a letter. I am sorry I didn’t think about getting a gretting off to you in time for you to get it tomorrow. I have had to mow the lawn quite a lot this spring because it has been hot and wet. Mother had David’s picture taken by a photographer. He had his mouth open and maybe his two teeth will show. David can pull up to sitting position and he can take a few steps when somebody is holding on to him. David woke before his map was finished and he is kind of cross. He’s just had dinner so maybe will take a nap.

Your loving son,
John

John (January 1943)

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/08/20/happy-fathers-day-john/

Valentine’s Day (John)

2 Replies

Letter transcription:

John YEGERLEHNER
E. DUNLAP ST.
KENTLAND, INDIANA
2-14-43

Dear Daddy,

Today is valentine’s day and it was about 4 below & I don’t enjoy the cold but you would probably like some of it.

At school I entered an essay contest. I’ve written mine but I haven’t gone over it and copied it.

Last Sunday we heard that shoes are rationed. Three pair per person per year. I don’t think that will affect me very much.

We kind of kid Mother about her war dinners but they’re allright. They don’t occur every day either. Just a couple or three times a week. Mother got a package ready to send out to you. We took it to the post office but they wouldn’t take it because it weighed 12 lbs. and they are supposed to weigh no more than 5 lbs. David A. weighs 15 lbs 5 oz. He looks like little stuffed pig.

Everything thing is allright at home.

Your loving son,
John

P.S. Be my VALENTINE

______________________

Shoe rationing began on February 7, 1943.

Shoe ration cards from the National WWII Museum http://www.nww2m.com/2013/02/featured-artifact-shoe-rationing/

News Audio Clips from early 1943, including February 7th. https://archive.org/details/1943RadioNews

“Shoe Rationing,” Tipton Tribune (Tipton, Indiana), 8 February 1943, p. 3, col. 3.

A word from Mark (Mark)

5 Replies

Letter transcription:

MARK YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND, IND
Jan. 18, 1943

Dear Daddy, everything is just fine. But we have all been sick. Today I was playing with Davie and he hit me in the nose, as hard as he could. It was so funny that I laid down on the floor and laughed till I cried. In my grades at school I made A+ In spelling, A+ A+ A+ I band C+ in Arithmetic, b+ in English. That is all I can think of

Mark

A Special Treat, Part II

3 Replies

Letter from John – January 3, 1943

Letter transcription:

Jan. 3, 1943

Dear Daddy,

The letter you wrote to Mr. Bartlett was published in the paper and we all read it. They left out the New Caledonia part of your address and said you were stationed on an island west of San Francisco.

We went to LaFayette yesterday because Mother wanted to see Dr. Ade about her throat and I wanted to see about the records which were to be my Christmas present but which didn’t come. The girl said they might not get there for a month yet and maybe not even then. She said wouldn’t be obligated to take them because they were meant to be a Christmas present. So I decided to take a Beethoven Symphony instead.

When we got home Uncle Floyd and Aunt Ruth were there. Uncle Floyd showed us the movies he took and today he took some pictures of David, Mother, Mark and I.

Christmas vacation ends today. I want to go back to school and I don’t

Your son
John