Tag Archives: Mark A. Yegerlehner

Taj Mahal

Letter transcription:

Jaipur, India
Feb. 29 – 1964

Dear David: Your letter was here when we arrived at about 12:30 or a little later. This hotel used to be palace of a Maharajah. I haven’t heard the history of place, but it is fabulous. I have just washed and pin curled my hair and I am sitting in a breezeway however I don’t know what the proper name is for it. There is a courtyard to my left and our room opens from court yard. We came here by car – a tortuous journey lasting 5 hrs. In Agra yesterday when we started our tour to see Taj Mahal and after points of interest our guide wanted to know if we could understand him. In our conversation we discovered he belongs to Methodist Church. There is a Methodist school is Agra and although that wasn’t on our tour he took us to the school – it is Holman Institute. I had prayer calendar in my purse so knew there was an institution in Agra. I looked up the name – he had said Miss Schaffer was head of school. When we stopped – we were in a pretty good tour car – when you consider standard car here – and caused quite a flurry in the courtyard. There was an old man who evidently works for the school and he went in and told Miss Schaffer the Bishop had come. When Miss S. came to the door we told her who we are and then she explained what had happened. Dad assured her he wasn’t the Bishop. We didn’t stay very long but she seemed very pleased to have us stop. I asked her if she had may Methodists stop. She said she has a lot of tourists stop but not so many Methodists. There are 800 students enrolled in Holman. There is also a Baptist Church & school – an Episcopal – a Catholic & Seven Day Advent, so the missionaries have been here a long time and judging from observation there is much yet to be done. It is very dry here and much like Arizona. There is much marble in this palace, but it is gritty. The grounds here are kept watered so are very beautiful with green lawns and flower beds. We will be here yet tomorrow and then go back to N. Delhi Monday. Last night we went back to look at the Taj in the moonlight. It is lovely in either day light or moonlight. When we first looked up at the stars directly over the Taj saw one moving so we watched and it was a satellite – either U.S. or R. While we were looking at the Taj in the moonlight we saw a couple with two children who had come on same plane. The man was taking a time exposure. We were talking to them – something we have found is usually easy to do with other Americans. They are living in Pakistan and were on a little holiday and were going back to Delhi last night. The man is working on a huge dam project and they told us about their American city – walled that is – in Pakistan. It is completely modern with supermarket and frozen foods – something unheard of for people who live in this part of the world. Bonnie will know what I am writing about because her mother’s cook goes to market every day. The missionaries told us their cooks go to market twice a day. They think freezing good spoils the taste. It was hard for us to tell people how I buy groceries, that is make them understand it could be done by the week or two weeks. Incidentally I had read about that dam project in Pakistan in the book I read recently about the World Bank. I was very happy to learn about your good grades and hope you will make honor roll. I think that will be a good way for you to graduate. Mrs. McGraw said Bonnie had written that you tow were not going to graduation since she will be travelling half way around the world to see Bonnie graduate and since you are our last one too, I think it would be cheating us for you not to attend. Think it over. I hear a plane going over. There is an airport here and had I known what a drive we were in for, we would have come by plane.

[page 2] The roads are very narrow and not too smooth and there is everything besides cars on the road. We saw a truck that had lost a wheel and had turned over this morning. Our driver is a Sikh – pronounced Seek. He wears a turban and has long hair – however his hair is braided and wound around his head under the turban. He also has a beard all over his face except above and below his eyes. He is a very good driver and is very well informed. He has been working for tourist bureau since 1956. He speaks very good English. He calls me Madam and Dad Sir. He wants to take us for a drive around the city at 4:30. We are to have our tour tomorrow. I am still looking for a letter from you about why you aren’t driving the Chevrolet. Mark just wrote and said the Ins. Co. had run an investigation on us and that you weren’t driving the car. Mark has had trouble with the Cadillac. I wrote to him to take it to Tub in Kentland. I had a letter from Mary K. Anslett and she said she thought sure she had seen Chuck Tuberty driving our Cadillac down the street. We checked with Mark’s letter and when she wrote would be the date the Cadillac would be in Kentland for repairs. I hope Tub was able to get it in order. I wrote Mark we didn’t intend to leave a dud for them. We receive letters at every stop. We have written to the hospital all along and groups and individuals keep writing to us and tell us how much they enjoy getting our cards and letters. The Ansletts have adopted a little girl and her letter had the announcement. We knew they were trying to adopt a child but didn’t think it would take so long. M.K. said Marge Janssen is working temporarily at Sears since the girl to replace M.K. wasn’t satisfactory.

Love Mother.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/12/16/taj-mahal/

One Night in Bangkok

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Feb. 19, 1964

Dear David –

We had a letter from Mark waiting for us here in Bangkok. He told us about car and we don’t know quite what to think about the situation. Of course there isn’t much we can do about it from here, but I rather think our agent in Kentland will hear about this when we get home. I can’t understand why you couldn’t you our car if all the other students from our town such as Julie and others drive cars to school. I hope that won’t alter your plans to meet us when we get home. I am enclosing a photo copy of bill for you to use to get your suit. I didn’t quite know all I should have known about regulations before we mailed packages amounting to more than $10.00. I had to have a photo copy made of bill for pearls I purchased and sent home. Customs office in Chicago is holding Mark informed me in letter I received today. Since it was the middle of morning when we arrived we didn’t do much but loaf around. We had a very smooth fast flight from Djakarta and were we glad to shake the dust of that place off our feet. I am glad John is coming home. Everyone we talked to was pretty much of same opinion. We haven’t planned anything for this evening but will have a tour tomorrow and one Friday. Will go to see performance of Thai dancing tomorrow evening. This is the hotel where John stayed and we had a coke & ginger ale by the swimming pool we have pictures of. I am not sure where your suit will be sent but I think there is a customs office in Indianapolis. It shouldn’t take more than 6 weeks for it to reach you. There is a Rotary meeting at this hotel tomorrow noon. I don’t know whether Dad will be back in time from our tour. We have our flight to Cambodia confirmed so will go there Sat. as far as we know now.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/12/13/one-night-in-bangkok/

The Grand Tour

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Itinerary, p. 1

In January 1964, Dr. and Mrs. Yegerlehner left Kentland for a three-month tour of the world. While Roscoe served during WWII, he often wrote of his desire to enjoy the exotic places with Gladys; the beauty surrounding him was wasted on a bunch of stag men. It took a couple of decades, but Roscoe and Gladys did eventually see the world. Avid travelers in their later years, they ventured to every continent, I believe, except Antarctica. A few mementos of their travels still remain in my possession. Roscoe and Gladys took many photographs during their journey. As I continue to scan and organize their collection of slides, look for the occasional photograph to illustrate their letters.

According to their itinerary, Roscoe and Gladys began the tour by flying out of Chicago to Los Angeles, then headed first to Hawaii. What a warm treat for the Indiana couple, escaping the throes of winter!

As part of the trip, Roscoe and Gladys would travel to Indonesia where they would spend almost two weeks visiting John. The travel agency prepared a list of stops and addresses for Mark and David so they could write letters to their parents.

Gladys sent David a postcard after they arrived in Hawaii:

Dear David –
We had a smooth flight. Received traditional welcome of leis and kisses. At hotel a mistake had been made about our room, so manager put us in a Penthouse on top floor with view of Pacific – Diamond Head and about half of Honolulu. Could see a show around swimming pool from our balcony. Had to move to own room this a.m. – nice while it lasted. We are taking tour of Oahu today. Will visit Shirley’s brother & family tomorrow. Nothing planned for Mon. but take outer Island tour. Tues.-Wed.-Thurs.-Fri.-Sat. then start for Tokyo. We are really relaxing and enjoying this 76 temp.
Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/11/23/the-grand-tour/

A Small Christmas Tree

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

December 9, 1963

Dear David:

I am sending the pants. I mended them with a small patch and stick on mending tape underneath. I hope you can still get some wear out of them, but the patch is very obvious. Maybe you can wear them to loaf around in. I also found a pair of black sox which I have included in the package. Did you by any change get a pair of Dad’s long sox? I can’t find one pair.

We had the girls from the office come to dinner last night – that is, we met them at the Nu-Joy and had dinner, then came home and talked about things that we needed to talk about before we leave. I left it up to them as to when they will take their vacations. Just so they take a vacation each before we return. I don’t know whether they like the idea of a winter vacation, but they will have to get used to the idea because after this I think we will take a month or two each winter and that is when they will have to take their vacations.

Saturday was like spring and today we have real winter. A little blizzard hit here yesterday but didn’t leave too much snow. I t seems awfully cold after all those warm breezes Saturday.

We plan to go to Chicago Thursday to pay for our trip. If we have time we will go on out to Mark’s and while there I will try to buy you another pair of pants at the R. Hall store where Mark works.

We made a small Christmas tree. We took branches and wired them onto the white candelabra (the one Kreslers gave us for Christmas two years ago) and made a tree for the coffee table. I think it is not bad for two amateurs (decorators, that is). I decorated it this morning with little things and have the gifts I have wrapped for Kirk and Becky stacked around it, so it looks a little like Christmas around here.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/11/20/a-small-christmas-tree/

Shots and Vaccinations

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
10-11-63

Dear David:

For your information I deposited
9-16 $300.00
9-25 $50.00
9-26 $35.00
9-27 $30.00 (and gave you $40.00 in cash while you were still here – besides the $5.00 for birthday)

You had better try and get your bank account up to date. My adding machine totals the above amount at $455.00. The last time I asked you had a bal. of $88.

I wrote Bonnie a note this morning. I think she left a scarf here. If it is hers I will send it to her. A record came for Gary today. Dad asked me what I was going to do with it and I said just leave it on David’s desk until he comes home Thanksgiving time. If Gary wants it, it will cost 14½ postage to get it down to Bloomington. I thought I was through forwarding things to him.

We had the childrens’ pictures taken Saturday. Red Harris and Marge took them, and I think they did a very good job. We plan to go to Chicago next Thursday to get our Yellow Fever shots (have to go to a Center to get those shots) and after Mark and Shirley see the pictures and take the ones they want I will send you one of each.

I have had a typhoid and paratyphoid shot and a smallpox vacc. I have to get two more typhoid, a cholera, typhus and the Y.F.

I have to stop at Sears and get a seat cover for the Chevrolet. I got one and part of it was missing so had to send it back.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/11/16/shots-and-vaccinations/

Draft Board Letter

5 Replies

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]

Dr. R.S. Yegerlehner
Physician and Surgeon
103 North Second Street
Kentland, Indiana

Sept. 20, 1963

Dear David –

A letter came for you from Draft Board. We opened it – just in case it was of an urgent nature. It is just a form, but you had better take care of it at once.

I sent you a note and $5.00 for your birthday. Hope you received it OK.

The weather has cooled of some. I hope it is nice tomorrow for the movers (Mark & Shirley).

Did you see Sperry closing for Thurs.? Just in case you didn’t it was over 17 (17 3/8) so that should make you feel a little more wealthy. Do you want to sell?

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/11/14/draft-board-letter/

Mother’s Day 1963

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
Monday the 13^th (May 1963)

Dear David:

Your Mother’s Day gift received Saturday afternoon. I listened to two records Sunday morning before I went to Sunday school, then in the afternoon I listened to the rest of the opera. I think the music is just beautiful. According to the information with the album that opera is considered the composer’s best. Thanks, you couldn’t have given me anything I enjoyed more. Dad had the Goodland florist make me a corsage. One orchid with three pink rose buds. I just should have some place to wear it, since I just had a chance to show it off once. Mark and his family remembered me with a card and I doubt that brother John even knew it was Mother’s day. I think he has probably forgotten most of the things like that. I still haven’t had an answer from my letters asking him to let me know if he is going to be home and when. I finally gave the girls their vacation dates. One is to be gone June 9 thru 23. The other August 18 thru 31. Edna had a dental appointment this past week and was told she should have her teeth pulled. She plan[s] to have that done while she is on vacation. Not a very pleasant thing to look forward to for vacation. Dad has been having some teeth trouble. He is going to see Dr. Logan tonight. I talked to Geo. Dye last week and he said he knew you were planning to be home this summer and he plans to let you take the Sunday school class. He said Rev. Fields was going to write you about it. Rev. Fields has been having some very informative sermons about John Wesley. I think most of the congregation have been impressed. Of course, there is always the element that can’t be pleased. I have a meeting to attend at the hospital today. I went out last Wednesday and Dr. Gery burned the wart off my little finger. Left quite a hole. It is looking better, but is not entirely healed yet. Week before last, Garnett Janssen’s brother passed away and last week Marge’s father passed away. We attended Mr. Cobb’s funeral yesterday. Dad set out the tuberous begonias and then the weather turned cold. We were fooled by that very warm weather the early part of last week. It is supposed to get into the 70’s today, so maybe the little cold spell hasn’t hurt them. I had to have a new tire put on the car. I just got the car back from the garage and the window in the front door dropped down into the door and I had to have that taken care of. The body man at the garage told me I should have the spots touched up with paint, so one day this week I am going to have that taken care of. I am also going to get a new cover put on the front seat, so my car should take on a new look (for you to wear off this summer). Finally got the new typewriter. I am using it here at home. We kept the old typewriter so when it is necessary to use two typewriters at the office we will have the old one.

Love Mother

© 2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/11/10/mothers-day-1963/

Jealous of Kirk

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Sat. the 9^th, 1963

Dear David:

Just finished writing to John so thought I had better dash off a line to you.

We went to Chicago Thursday to visit some more travel agencies. I think Dad thought last night when we were spending the second night of going over travel folders that we had too much and it was beginning to get a little confusing, but I think we will be able to get something on paper before long. We found a travel agent we think is pretty good, so I think I will call her – she said to call her collect any time – and tell her what we want and have her fix a trip for us. Dad would like to go part way by ship. Except for the relaxation, I would rather go by air all the way, but since he likes sea travel I think we should go part way by sea.

We stopped to see Shirley and the children. You won’t know Kirk the next time you see him. We hardly knew him ourselves he has grown so much in the past month. Becky definitely does not want grandma to have anything to do with Kirk. When I would hold him she would insist that either her mother or poppa hold him, but not grandma. I don’t want her to be jealous of Kirk so it looks like I may have a problem on my hands until she gets a little older. She had a puzzle that she worked in a flash. Of course it was the most elementary kind, but she knew exactly where every piece belonged.

I presume you have heard from Dr. Bailey about a meeting you will have to attend to get your preaching permit – or whatever it is you have to attend the meeting for. I haven’t talked to Rev. Fields recently about you, but will try to see him tomorrow about when you will have to come home for the Board Meeting.

We are still in the grip of winter. The two days of balmy weather just served to melt some of the snow down and now we not only have snow, but ice and snow on our driveway and on most of the streets around town. Chicago was the dirtiest place I think I have seen this winter. There were still piles of snow, but it looked more like piles of coal. Kentland looked so clean when we got back here late in the afternoon. We had intended to make our trip to Chicago a little vacation outing, but one of Dad’s baby cases didn’t cooperate, so we hurried up there and back. We did stop at Tiebels long enough to eat on the way home.

Love Mother

Shirley’s Grandmother

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
Wed. Mar. 13, 1963

Dear David –

I am at my desk today trying to get a few things done that have accumulated in the past 9 days. Shirley’s grandmother passed away Sat. a.m. Mark had come Friday night to help with the children. He took Becky to Indpls. Sun. a.m. after I went to Sunday school (I didn’t stay for church, so he could get on his way). I kept Kirk and they came back yesterday afternoon to get him. Shirley was getting a sore throat, etc., so they stopped at the office for a shot of penicillin. I hope it stopped her ailment. She was probably tired from helping with her grandmother’s care. They plan to come the weekend of Apr. 5 which will be before your spring vacation begins. We have taxes to finish before the middle of April so thought they had better come the 5^th. You won’t know Kirk. He is growing very fast and is quite an “eater.” Whereas Becky didn’t always want to eat when 4 hours toll around Kirk is ready for his food and no monkey business. It seems a little quiet around here today after having company for more than a week. I will go to the office today – I had a vacation from that while the children were here.

Dad was on emergency duty yesterday and was in the hospital most of the day and after coming home for three hours went back to help on bone surgery until nearly midnight. He took care of three accident patients – two of the three requiring bone surgery.

[page 2] The DePauw Choir will be in Kentland for a performance tomorrow evening. I was asked to buy tickets but I think I won’t make the effort to go. The Tri Kappas are sponsoring the event and since I don’t belong to said organization feel no obligation to go.

I have much work awaiting me on my desk so should get this finished.

I bought a new Bible Dictionary thru the Bookshelf. It is the first good one I have had. It has a lot of interesting information in it. I used one of the circulars that had come to you to order. J. Kain wanted a commentary, so got that also besides the dictionary.

The weather today is about as uninteresting as possible, but at least we are rid of the snow and ice and Dad says he can see a little green showing on the roses. We thought the roses were probably killed, due to the severe winter.

I put a $2.00 dividend check from GM in your account.

Love Mother

Snow Drifts

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

January 24, 1963

Dear David:

Right now it is a chilly 13 below just outside our window. It did get down to 16 below just before we went to bed last nite. My car got stuck in the driveway yesterday, so when Dad came home from the office he was able to get it out and into the garage where it is going to sit today. Bill Williams (next door) has a large earth moving machine he has been running up and down this street and cleaning out driveways. The wind blew all day yesterday so the driveway kept getting full of drifts and when I tried to get out just before 5 o’clock got stuck in one of those drifts. According to all the weather men this is the coldest we have had in a number of years.

I talked to Rev. Fields about you and Quarterly Conference. He said it wouldn’t be necessary for you to come then, but some Sunday when you could be home, he would call a special Board Meeting after Church and take care of the matter. I will let you know when you need to come.

Bill Corbin went to Mrs. Shoaf’s yesterday and got your shirts. I have them all packed and ready to go. I want to talk to him about how he plans to get our package from the train station to the Quad. I think he shouldn’t try to carry it all that distance. I thanked him for running the errand for me, but you might thank him again.

I was supposed to attend a meeting (Legislative Seminar) in Indianapolis this week (Tuesday), but Dad thought it wasn’t necessary for me to go and the more I thought about it the more I agreed with him, and I certainly was glad I didn’t go. The weather was rather disagreeable that day and I was glad I had stayed home. Since we are planning such a large vacation next Jan. and Feb. I intend to save all the unnecessary trips this year possible.

I finally got the taxes (Federal) finished. That is such a large job. When Mark was here we didn’t have time to finish, but next year I hope Mark will be able to take care of the entire job himself. He plans to come the first weekend in February to do book work. The weekend of Feb. 22 (Washington’s Birthday) Mark gets a long weekend, so they plan to go see Shirley’s family. I don’t know whether they will stop here or not, but they will have been here Feb. 2 & 3. I forgot to tell you Quarterly Conference here at our Church will be March 18^th, which you can see will be on a Monday and not a day you would be out of school.

Take care of yourself and take your vitamins.

Love Mother