Tag Archives: Ralph J. Yegerlehner

Surprise Visitors (Gladys)

: 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/

Back in Kentland (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
10-24-43

Dear Daddy – Just home from C.C. about 2 hours. Four letters were here of Oct. 13-14-15-16. As soon as we got home had to feed David & put him to bed. He wouldn’t stop crying so I went up to see about him. I brought him down to let him eat some toast while we ate supper. I found the reason he wouldn’t go to sleep – he couldn’t get his thumb for his long sleeper sleeve. I took him back up & he went to sleep. We stopped to see Dave & Marie on the way home. Dave isn’t very well. Goes to the Clinic in T.H. for treatments. They found a spot on his back that was causing neuritis. He will have to write you the details. I think he doesn’t look very strong. When we got home Mr. Zell had our fire going so the house was warm. He told me we had lost three citizens since Wed. Judge Cummings, Willard Sprawl and Shorty Virgin. Floyd showed all his movies last night. The ones he took in Apr. were in Technicolor. They were fine. The colors were splendid in all of them. The pond across the road from Ralph’s house made good background for the pictures taken there. They were going to take pictures of David Sat. or Sun. but they said it wasn’t light enough Sat. & today we left before they came out and it was pouring down rain. We had dinner at Clarence’s today and left as soon as we could after dinner. I wanted to get an early start for home.

Love – Mother

© 2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/05/02/back-in-kentland-gladys/

The Day After the Funeral (Gladys)

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: October 18, 1943 envelope

: October 18, 1943, p. 1

: October 18, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland, Ind.
Oct. 18 – 1943

Dear Daddy,

Yours of Oct. 5, 8, 9 & 10 came today – one picture – Thanks and reminds me to tell you I haven’t any film and can’t get any for our camera. I will keep trying. Maybe I can find a roll in time for Oct. 23 – (13^th month). David is now sitting in his high chair chewing on a crust of bread – he seems to like to eat just plain bread. I cut his hair today and I like it very much. He jabbers like John used to do. Lucile kept him yesterday until after the funeral and she said he was very good. Slept from 1 pm till 3 – Floyd & Ruth brought him home after we came back to the house for all the family to see. Your Dad, Ralph, Faye, Glendon & Clara came yesterday. Your Mother went back – She had intended to stay but J. & T. stayed so she went home. I am to take them to T.H. Wed and go on to C.C. The boys will be out of school from Wed. noon (teachers convention). Which reminds me – Mark brought his card home with 3 A’s, 1 A-, 5 B’s, 1 B+. John didn’t get his card today. The band teacher had to resign due to a heart condition.

[page 2] As yet I haven’t received the autopsy report but know there was carcinoma of Pancreas & gall stones. I’ll send it as soon as I get it. I asked the Red Cross to get a message to you so hope you got it. I haven’t talked to Dr. Cole since last Thurs. I thought he might be able to explain things fully after the O.M. but the report will no doubt do that.

Jim addressed cards to people who sent flowers, pallbearers, Mrs. Knowlton & Rathburn & Rev. Servies. We both signed – I got a wire for $10⁰⁰ from Glen this a.m. for flowers. Of course I had taken care of the flowers for all the children. Jim had a pd. up pol. for $100⁰⁰ and one for $315⁰⁰ I have here. I paid the hospital bill in full Fri. – The total was $248⁰⁰ but I had kept it paid every week. If I figure correctly I have a bal. of $23 – now in the bank but have no outstanding bills except the drug store and it isn’t much. There isn’t anything I can think of I’ll need to pay before the first. The Ins. is taken care of now until Dec. J. & T. are out right now. Mark is in the yard – John is trying to entertain D. and I must get this finished so it will get mailed. I still think you could write a book. I have your letters to prove it when you come back.

Love Mother

John and Lovina (Schiele) Yegerlehner (Roscoe’s parents, c1946)

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/04/18/the-day-after-the-funeral-gladys/

Wordless Wednesday – Siblings

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Left to Right: Floyd, Clarence, Ruth, Roscoe, Ralph

The Yegerlehner Siblings – 1970, Family reunion at Earl Bell’s farm, Clay County, Indiana

Photograph from the personal collection of Deborah Sweeney.

©Deborah Sweeney, 2014.

Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/05/28/wordless-wednesday-siblings/

7 months old (Gladys)

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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:

: 6th Month – March 23, 1943

: David – 7 months old

: 7th Month – April 23, 1943

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

Genealogy Crowd Sourcing (with family)

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One of the tasks in my quest to organize and scan all the hundreds of photographs in my personal collection is to label the photographs as much as I am able. Many of the photographs from the Yegerlehner collection are labeled. Between my father and my grandmother, they did a great job overall. However, there are still hundreds of unlabeled photographs. This is where my genealogy crowd sourcing comes into the equation.

The Yegerlehner family was very good at staying in touch. They regularly had family functions and reunions. They were great about taking group photographs and not necessarily great at labeling all the individuals in the pictures. I have dozens of pictures from family reunions over the decades. Many of the individuals in the photographs are no longer living. There are children and grandchildren still living who can still identify them. While I don’t know many of my Yegerlehner second and third cousins, I am trying to connect with them. Facebook has been a great tool for finding long lost cousins and I have been relatively successful with this strategy.

After scanning the original photographs for preservation, I made a second copy in which I numbered all the people. Since I had two pictures from differing viewpoints, I numbered the people the same between them. People shifted and moved around (or left the photo). In one picture, it was easier to see an individual and in the other not.

This weekend I posted a few photographs on Facebook in an effort to start identifying the people in the photographs. It was great to see the various family members agreeing as to “who was who.” To reach a broader audience, I am going to share some of the pictures here as well.

These four photographs were taken in November 1940 when Roscoe and Gladys celebrated their housewarming party for the house on E. Dunlop street in Kentland. All of the Yegerlehner siblings came with their families.

: Group pose #1

: Group pose #2

: Roscoe and Gladys (with an unknown girl in window)

: The house on E. Dunlop Street, 1940

For those readers who have been following along with the letters, here are some of the faces that go with the familiar names.

#1 – Caroline Mary Yegerlehner
#2 – Mark Yegerlehner
#3 –
#4 –
#5 – John Yegerlehner
#6 –
#7 –
#8 – Ruth Yegerlehner (Floyd’s wife)
#9 – Dolores Yegerlehner?
#10 – Silvester Schiele
#11 –
#12 –
#13 –
#14 –
#15 –
#16 – John Henry Yegerlehner
#17 –
#18 – Jesse Schiele
#19 – Emma Foster
#20 – Floyd Yegerlehner
#21 – Romaine Mutchler
#22 – Gladys Yegerlehner
#23 – Clarence Yegerlehner
#24 – Ruth Mutchler
#25 – Earl Mutchler
#26 – Lovina Yegerlehner
#27 – Ralph Yegerlehner
#28 – Samuel Yegerlehner
#29 – Roscoe Yegerlehner

Photographs from the private collection of Deborah Sweeney.

© Deborah Sweeney, 2014.
Post originally found: http://genealogylady.net/2014/04/28/genealogy-crowd-sourcing-with-family/‎

Diphtheria Shots (Gladys)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
4-12-43

Dear Daddy – I wrote one letter today telling you I had your of Mar 16-17-22 – Uncle W & Aunt J stopped at noon a while. Ralph is better so evidently the adjustment helped his back – or something did because he was working again. John played 2 numbers at Music Club this afternoon and got a lot of compliments – however he insists he didn’t play well. Arlene had a good picture of she & Bill & boys and is sending you one. Donnie now weighs over 21 and D. is about 18 – so considering their starts D. is going all right. Rosemary has gone to Laf. to stay with her mother until time for her to go to the hospital. Jimmy Funk fell off the bed and broke his shoulder – but is getting along very good. I heard today Nick has joined the Army but I didn’t get the information from D. She wasn’t at Music Club today. He has been talking about it for some time. John is in Fla. at present and Gladys has gone down there for a visit. Sure looks funny to see Kent Café boarded up and all the filling stations closed at night. The filling St. men can catch up on their home life now – or make victory gardens. Mrs. Williams asked me today if you gave Darlene (the little girl you & Dr. Cole operated on when 6 wks old) Diphtheria shots. They thought that was what she had – but has a bad throat now and didn’t know if it could be diphtheria or strep. They were to bring her back for whooping cough shots then for smallpox so I told her it must have been diphtheria shots.

Love – Mother

Garden Progress (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
4-11-43

Dear Daddy – Sunday and J. & M. are in Church. Mother is in T.H. for a visit so D. & I are alone. I just finished bathing & feeding D. and he is having a good kick in his bed. He has a play pen now (Mrs. Shirk loaned it to me). and likes to roll around in it. You wouldn’t recognize the den – (now nursery) – what with all the baby furnishings. I am glad we have that room where it is. It is ideal for a nursery – with all the sunlite it gets. I took David with us (Mark & I) to the garden yesterday and he took a nap in the sunshine. We put out some onion set – sowed carrot seed, spinach & some lettuce – We now have all those & peas. We are going to plant about 30 lbs of potatoes in our garden & several rows of beans. Potatoes are .75 pack & up now. It is a grand day and this afternoon I want to take David for a nice long walk. After all the shut in this winter I can’t be outside too much to suit me. I was so tired when we came in last nite but feel fine today. John stayed in and listened to the Opera yesterday but it will soon be over for the summer. He is to play for Music Club tomorrow. He has been working very hard on the pieces he is playing. I saw two news items I thought might interest you – Datzman’s have a new baby boy. Betty Beaver had a baby boy premature but it died. I haven’t heard from your Mother this week so don’t know how Ralph’s back is – They had Shorer give him an adjustment last Sat but we left Sun so don’t know the results (if any). I thought the adjustment business would interest you. Your Mother will give the details when she writes.Three letters this week.

Love – Mother

Yegerlehner home, E. Dunlop Street, Kentland, circa 1943

Home Again (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

MRS. R. S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
4-5-43

Dear Daddy – Monday and home again. We stopped in Brazil on the way home to see Dave & Marie. It was a grand day – we were home about 6:30. We can’t drive so fast now so can’t make it in 2 hrs. Ruth & Romaine stayed here last night then took a bus into Chi [Chicago] this a.m. Romaine wanted to shop in the Loop today. They can get a train out of Chi this evening. We had a very nice visit but no family dinner. Faye having just come home from the hospital and then Fri Ralph had a back injury and was unable to be up so we just visited with everyone and dispensed with the usual dinner. Ruth & Floyd were down for the week-end and they were with us for Sunday dinner, but none of the rest. We went into Town. Sat and saw several people. Everyone was anxious to see David and he had a nap just before we started out and was at his best. He stood the trip fine and seems none the worse for the long ride today. So far John hasn’t taken measles so will hope he won’t. Was afraid he would take them before we could go to C.C. or while there. Mr. Zell told us when we came home we missed a show – a troop of colored soldiers camped Sat. nite in the pasture across the road – I said I was glad I was away but I know Mark would have enjoyed seeing them. It is very sunny today but windy. Mother is going to visit in T. H. a while then come back to stay. We got to see Dolores while home. She goes back Thurs this week. No mail from you today.

Love – Mother

2 letters came Fri.

Yegerlehner home, E. Dunlop Street, Kentland, circa 1943

Clay City (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

MRS. R. S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
4-3-43

Dear Daddy – Writing from your old home town. We are getting ready to go to town – Ruth, Romaine & I. The two grandma’s are going to stay with David. We stopped in Brazil yesterday & saw Marie but David was down at his mother’s farm working so I intend to go back past their place tomorrow so they can see David A. Ralph hurt his back yesterday and is down in bed, unable to move. Faye is just getting over her operation, but Dolores is home and that is a help. Haven’t seen all the family yet but intend to before we go back. Clarence & Duane came last night – Wilma & Clara came today – Wilma had to attend the high school banquet last night. The boys are with Duane today. Your Mother had Carolyn’s baby bed set up for David. We brought one along but didn’t have to set it up. Floyd & Ruth are here this week-end too. They showed the pictures they took of us in Jan. The baby took [?] are good. They are going to take more tomorrow. By the way the uniform Mark had on is supposed to be a Navy uniform – so if it doesn’t look like it I can’t help it. I must get this finished so we can go to town.

Love – Mother