Tag Archives: Rev. J. Robert Fields

Moles

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
April 1, 1963

Dear David:

We received the pink slip. I hope you will be able to overcome your difficulties in the course.

The grass is getting so green, we feel winter must be about over. Dad was figuring yesterday how to apply the chemical that eliminates the grubs and other things that attract moles. Dad said he saw signs of moles across the street, so is anxious to keep them from ruining our lawn again. We both took most of yesterday to rest. I was having a slight infection, so took a long nap in the afternoon. I had made statements on Saturday and didn’t quite finish, so after my nap I finished the statements and mailed 307. That should help the finances toward all the expenses we will have this month, like meeting the last installment for 1962 taxes and the first installment for 1963. March 26 I deposited $40.00, March 27 $30.00, March 28 $60.00, and March 30 $85.00 to your account which makes a total of $215.00. Will that be enough to hold you for a while? You are going to have to learn to budget very closely next year, because I will deposit three months allowance for you in January and it will be too bad if you run out before we return from our trip. I am going to do some work on planning the things I have to get done before we go. There will be quite a few things I will have to attend to before January 10.

Janet Miller has another girl and she has red hair. Esta is keeping Julie while Janet is in the hospital. I haven’t talked to Janet since the baby arrived, so don’t know whether she is disappointed at not having had a boy.

We had another Lenten service last night. Jo Wenger went with me. We didn’t stay for the social hour – there has been a committee every Sunday to serve coffee and cookies after service – I was anxious to get home and didn’t care to be sociable. Jo said she would rather go home, because they have to get up every morning at 5 o’clock, since they both have to be at work (she works at the hospital and Russell works in Brook) at 7 o’clock. The guest speaker was the minister from Otterbein. I still say we have the best speaker. I think Bob is a deep thinker and his sermons are probably too deep for some people, but I think it certainly show he puts a lot of work into his sermons. Yesterday we honored members of 50 years or more. Quite a number were present for the morning worship service.

I have noticed the time and it is almost 10, so must get this finished and get on my way to pick up the mail. I will be glad when you get home so you can take care of a few little chores for me – in addition to a few large ones. We will be glad for you to be home aside from the help you will give us.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/11/06/moles/

Sunday School Materials

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – Handwritten by David]
Wednesday March 20 1963

Dear David:

Yours received this AM. You can do it Louie, so keep those grades up there. You will have to concentrate on the French a little more, eh?

I checked with the bank this morning and according to their account you had a balance of $58.49. According to my figures the deposits have been as follows: Dec. 3 – $200.00; Jan. 30 – $225.00; Feb. 11 – $75.00; March 1 – $100.00 and $2.00 from GM in March.

You seem to [be] concentrating on Bonnie. I hope you both enjoyed the opera. Wish I could have been there to hear it also. Since I couldn’t I will enjoy my records. I have Fidelio playing now.

There is some work being done at the Church in the way of painting, etc. The dining rooms have been paneled and painted and the vestibule on the east side of the basement is to be painted next. We are getting ready for the big District meeting we will be entertaining next week (the 28^th). I have been conducting a study class on Wed. a.m.’s at the Church, so was there this morning. Rev. Fields had a woman from a Lafayette church come up Monday night to talk to the Primary Dept. workers about the material being used in that Dept. I don’t want to sound unprogressive, but I think I could have told her a few things on my own. You know there is nothing like experience to learn a thing and since I had had more than 12 years working in that Dept. I think I know a few things. If the teachers in that Dept. didn’t have anything to do but prepare material for their classes on Sunday morning, they might like the material she was trying to promote, but they have a few other to do – like helping make a living. I think the people in the Department of Education in the Methodist Church could learn a few things from other churches.

Today is typically March, blowing, snowing, and cold. First the sun shines, then it is cloudy, but thru everything the wind keeps blowing like a storm is either coming or going.

I hope the above figures helps you to straighten your bank account.
Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/11/04/sunday-school-materials/

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

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/10/31/snow-drifts/

Mackinac Bridge

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

[Memorial Hall I.U. – Handwritten by David]
Thurs. July 19, 1962

Dear David –

I went to Lafayette yesterday and while in the hospital had a chance to see Dr. Ferguson. He wants me to continue therapy two more weeks – or until I have normal motion with my right arm. I am to go again tomorrow. I think I had too much therapy yesterday – my arm is a little sore today.

I asked Rev. Fields about the book you wrote about but he didn’t know anything about it. He was to give me a list of books he does know about. He is at camp this week and I didn’t get the list from him. While the Fields are away this week the painting is being done.

Well, what do you think about the defeat of the little Kennedy boy’s legislation? If he can learn from anything I think it is time for him to take a hint. I think the Dri strike in Canada possibly had some effect on the way the voting went.

While Mark, Shirley & Becky were here Bob & Lea stopped for a little while on Saturday. Sunday afternoon Virginia (Zell) Gale and her family came. I don’t know when Mark’s will be back. We couldn’t figure out a date while they were

[page 2] here. Shirley is going to visit her family for a week after she quits work August 1. She will stop here for a little while. We are planning to go to Chicago September 1 for a week’s vacation. We thought we would go up and see the Mackinac bridge one day. I hope you plan to be home all the time when you get back from summer school, until you return to school in September. We are counting on leaving you here to look after things while we are away. And of course you have to be here to help me during Arvella’s vacation.

The work on the building is at a standstill. Mr. K. says the windows haven’t come and that he can’t do anything more until he gets them.

Dad has been so very busy, I will be glad when he can get away for a vacation. Dr. Brady is gone from Morocco and the people in Morocco have no hopes of getting another Dr. That just makes more work on Dad all the time.

Marge Cheek had to have an emergency operation Monday evening. Appendicitis and complications. I was at the hospital Tuesday but didn’t try to see her because she wasn’t able to have company.

I have to write to John and do a few other things today – I will be traveling tomorrow so won’t get much done at home.

Love Mother

Mackinac bridge (Image by Jeffness Wikipedia Creative Commons license)

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/10/21/mackinac-bridge/

Letter from Ira Dixon

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Memorial Hall IU]
July 4-1962

Dear David –

This letter came and was addressed to Mark. When I saw it was from Federal Home Loan Bank Board I thought I had better call Mark. He said for me to open it and immediately I saw it was for you and was from Ira.

I think the Fields moved today. I didn’t even have the car out of the garage so didn’t get away from home, so can’t say for sure.

Uncle Mutch and Aunt Ruth were here today after having been to Clay City for a reunion. Uncle Mutch had been sick while they were visiting. Daddy gave him a shot of penicillin and after they visited a while went on home. We asked them to stay for dinner but Aunt Ruth said she thought they had better get on home.

Mark’s are coming the week-end of the 13-14-15. Mark seemed to think they wouldn’t be coming down many more times before the baby comes.

[page 2] Dad did a lot of work in the yard – mowed and trimmed. He had to cut the Russian Olive (west one) off – it looks like a post – the blight had ruined all the leaves.

I checked your bank balance and it was down to $6.00. I will put $50.00 in for you tomorrow.

Love Mother

Federal Home Loan Bank Board
Washington 25, D.C.

June 29, 1962

Mr. Mark Yegerlehner
Kentland
Indiana

Dear Mark:

Under separate cover I am sending, by parcel post, the Eisenhower pictures which I mentioned.

You might show one of them to Greta and ask her if she would like to have it. Otherwise, you may use them as you see fit.

Haven’t seen President Eisenhower recently, but everyone tells me that he is really enjoying live and campaigning harder and more effectively than he did when he was serving as our President.

Kindest regards to yourself and family.

Sincerely,
Ira Dixon
Member of the Board

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/10/19/letter-from-ira-dixon/

News from John

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Memorial Hall I.U. – handwritten by David]
Tues. July 3 1962

Dear David –

I had a therapy treatment yesterday and will get another Thurs. Since the 4^th is a holiday won’t go tomorrow. Marge Janssen is going to drive for me Thurs. Joan drove yesterday. The Fields are in the process of moving today and will finish tomorrow. The Bowers moved yesterday.

Rec’d a letter from John this a.m. He hasn’t been getting any fresh news from U.S. – says all the papers there are full of news of New Guinea and he was wondering about the stock market. He said he hadn’t been able to get any U.S. news magazines recently. This letter had been mailed from Singapore by a friend so he was able to say a few things he wouldn’t have said otherwise. He is afraid letters mailed from there (Malang) might be censored.

We have had lots of rain in the past two days and the atmosphere is very oppressive today. Makes my arm ache. I am trying to get myself into the mood to take therapy. Sometimes I have to force myself.

[page 2] I rather expect Mark & Shirley to come for the week-end.

Love Mother

P.S. a pair of gray pants came back from cleaner. Do you want me to send them? Let me know.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/10/18/news-from-john/

Election Day

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
Wednesday May 9, 1962

Dear David:

We had election-day yesterday, but I haven’t been to town yet, so don’t know the results. It has turned a little cool. Dad was afraid it might get too cold for his geraniums, but I think they were safe. They look OK this AM. Dad got the lawn mowed with the walking mower – the reel type – last night after we came home from the office. It just took him 1½ hours. He didn’t get the edges, but plans to do that tonight or tomorrow.

The Fields are looking forward to moving into the new house. I talked to Bob Morgan – head of Pastoral Relations Committee – and he said he hadn’t heard any complaints about Rev. Fields and he himself thinks he should come back, so it looks like from this point that he will come back. I am afraid they would be awfully disappointed if they didn’t get to come. I know they would like to live in the house at least a year. As soon as the Bowers move we (parsonage committee) have painters engaged, also someone to finish the little bathroom next to the kitchen. One group is making money to have the yard landscaped.

Dad will attend a meeting at the hospital this noon and I won’t have to prepare lunch, so hope to get some more cleaning done. I sorted all the literature we have from companies in which we own stock yesterday.

Mr. Kitterman assures us he will be ready to work on the office in about two weeks. I think it will be nearer four weeks. I told Edna he would probably start work at about the time she goes on vacation. She seemed to think that would be a good time for her to go.

[page 2] The town is slowing picking up the pieces, but there is still a lot of work to be done to get all the fallen trees hauled to the dump. Our office still looks like it did after the storm, but there is no use to try to do anything since the remodeling work should soon be starting. Nothing has been done around the grade school building. I hope it is still the same way when you come home because I want you to see how it looks now. I was talking to the workers at the voting place yesterday. They were asking me to get Dr. Y. to condemn the voting booths (they want machines and we used paper and pencils yesterday). I pointed in the direction of the school building and said “there is a building down the street I would like to see condemned” – one old residenter who had gone to school there probably fifty or sixty years ago said, “Oh no, I have many pleasant memories of that building,” – I said, “I don’t imagine the children in there last Monday have pleasant memories.” Why anyone would want to keep that old grim looking building is more than I can understand. If it was good looking I might excuse anyone for wanting to hang on to it, but it certainly doesn’t even possess the looks to justify its existence.

I have been taking diathermy on my arm every day this week and it is about time for me to go get a treatment.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/10/14/election-day-2/

Local News

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
Kentland, Indiana
April 7, 1962

Dear David:

A letter from Republican National Committee came for you and I am forwarding it. We have something new (besides the washing machine) in the family room. We have louvered shutters at the windows. Dad hung them to see if they fit and so far that is all that has been done – they need a coat of varnish.

The neighbors (Howard Good’s) are cleaning up the yard next door. It was needing a little attention. Several organizations, headed by the Woman’s Club, are planning a clean-up campaign for our town this month. We are going to try and get the littler off the streets and try to get people to put trash in the trash barrels, instead of on the streets.

The Mingles moved to Harry Dodd’s place south of Brook – you remember where you used to go skating? Dodds moved to the Mingle place. The Dodds have a short wave radio set and have put the extension on the tv aerial. When Mrs. Dodd was in the hospital recently she could talk to her family on the set she had with her.

Bill Corbin sr. is going to have an operation for hernia Tuesday.

Mr. Rinard is in the hospital – (the second time). He isn’t very strong and doesn’t seem to be able to improve much.

Dr. Kresler is away on vacation – is in New Jersey to play golf. We turned on TV Saturday evening to get the news and a golf tournament was being televised. Dad said that it where Dr. K. and Dr. Gery are. I thought he meant they were in the tournament, but he said no, just playing golf there. Dad is taking Dr. K.’s emergency duty while he is away. He was at the hospital last night taking the duty and Mrs. Omer Taylor called and said her husband was having another attack (he had been in the hospital recently). I told her to call Dad at the hospital. He had Mr. T. sent over in the ambulance, but he died shortly after reaching the hospital. His daughter Rozanne Sanders is in my S. S. class.

Rev. Fields announced this morning he is taking the membership classes into Church next Sunday, also having baptisms. Joan and Mark were both sick yesterday, so they didn’t get to Church this morning. Joan called last night after Dad went to the hospital. They were having stomach flu, so I told her to send out here and get some medicine – the old standby for that sort of thing. Rev. Fields said this morning they were both better.

Dad unearthed the rose tree yesterday. He was a little afraid it was too early. I am hoping we don’t have any severe weather for a few days, to give it a chance to get used to the atmosphere.

We have a new janitor at the office – the woman who cleans at the hotel. She helped me here at the house a couple of times. She is really digging out the corners at the office. The last janitor just spent an hour each evening and sometimes only 15 minutes. Her first night took six hours, and the place looks better.

W. Olson said he went campaigning in Rensselaer Saturday – said he called at every house and gave his cards out to anyone and everyone. He said Betty accompanied him. We are of the same opinion you were, why? I can’t see much future in that kind of job.

Dad has sprayed the trees twice. After the first time, we had a hard rain, so last Thurs. he thought he had better give them another treatment. He said last year he didn’t get started soon enough. He has the lawn mower all ready and has gone over the yard once. He had worked on the motor himself, but finally decided to have the repair man from Sears come out and go over it once. In spite of the cool weather, it is moving time again.

With our last water bills we received the Kentland Sewer System report. There is a meeting tomorrow night concerning the matter. The total cost will be about $610,000.00. It will be financed by 30 year Revenue Bonds. That is one thing I am glad to see progress being made on (bad grammar) and I suppose there will be some people opposed to it, but I am sure it is something that has to be done. When will you be coming home?

Love Mother

Esta Herriman

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
Kentland, Indiana
April 2, 1962

Dear David:

Altho this is Apr. 2^nd, we had a heavy frost last night. The sun is shining and there is a promise of higher temperature this afternoon. Dad finally got the mower over the east lawn and one mowing took care of the long dead grass from last fall. He is having a little trouble with the mower. Seems the repair man from Sears put on a part that didn’t quite fit. Things are beginning to look more like spring, but the trees are still bare. It has been so cool that the early, early things are still without bud (like the forsythia and a few other early comers). I suppose one of these days it will be warm enough to turn off the heat.

I bought a New English Bible. I heard Rev. Fields say (and I should have known this) it is a new translation, not a revision. I sent to Melton and it only cost $3.96. I haven’t had time to do much reading in it yet. I was a little tired yesterday from too much activity during the week – attended an ex comm. Meeting at Linden Friday. I drove as far as Oxford and went there with three others. It was an all day affair and I was awfully tired Saturday and still a little tired Sunday, so I didn’t attend the special Lenten service Sunday night. The minister from Raub was the speaker. I talked to Marge Janssen last night and they didn’t go either and she said they were probably on their preacher’s “list.”

I am depositing $150 for you today. I haven’t checked on your balance lately, but since this is the first of the month, I will get your statement today. I have told the girls at the bank not to let your account be overdrawn, so I am trusting nothing like that has happened.

We have quit taking the daily papers, except the Wall Street Journal. I was not reading the papers all the time and there were so many to burn, we decided with the news we get on TV and from the journal, we don’t need the others. I am also going to quit taking some other publications I do not have time to read.

It has been several weeks since Mark’s have been here, but I expect to see them in the near future. Mark is learning my book work and this is the month tax forms (social security & withholding, and gross) have to be sent in. We haven’t heard from them since I talked to them on Shirley’s birthday, so I presume everything is AOK. Mark seemed to think his new job was an improvement over anything he has had so far. I hope he continues to be satisfied. Dad had B. Batton check on the Beck Oil Co.’s rating and Bob says it is a very good firm and he thinks Mark made a wise choice in going there to work. At the same time Mark had his application in there, he also had made application for a bank job downtown. He was hoping he would get the Oil Co. job.

– Yours received. I checked with the bank and your bal. as of this AM before the $150 deposit was $58.23, if that means anything to you. I shouldn’t have put any in for a while now.

When I told the girls you had seen Faye Emerson, Arvella said “she is a democrat” – as if you couldn’t talk to one.

I just talked to Esta on the phone (lights were out for a while and she called me as to whether lights were out here also). She said she had someone looking at the Motel yesterday – prospective buyer. She is trying to get out of the business. She had a dinner for the Carlsons last night. They (the Carlsons) celebrated their silver wedding anniversary yesterday with Open House and Esta had a dinner for the family at her place. She also took care of Janet’s baby, so she said she was pretty tired last night when everything was over. Janet’s baby is very cute and her hair is really something to talk about – so much of it and the shade of red. I told Janet that she is almost as cute as Becky, but that her mother would probably say Becky is almost as cute as Julie Jo.

I have a lot of work to clear off my desk, so think I had better get this finished and get busy.
Love Mother

New Cleaning Help

4 Replies

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
Kentland, Indiana
March 26, 1962

Dear David:

Yours received today. Glad you have received Becky’s picture. We talked to Mark and Shirley Saturday (Shirley’s birthday). Mark likes his new position with the Beck Oil Company. He sounded much happier than when he was down here. I think he has really found a good place to work now and since he is doing something he likes to do should get along first rate.

I sent the polio slip to you last week – also the proxy from Bankers. At least your Bankers stock is up from what we paid for it. The National Homes should take a swing upward in the near future.

A park board meeting was called this evening and Dad is attending it – they couldn’t meet until after the bowlers finished, so he didn’t leave here until after 9 o’clock.

The Ungers (Sue and Bill) have twins – a boy and a girl – born Saturday. I went to the hospital yesterday afternoon with Dad. He was called on an emergency, and I went along to check stock. Since I was in the hospital I took the liberty of visiting the new mother and looking at the twins.

Dad rolled the yard Thursday afternoon and couldn’t resist using the mower a round or two. He is getting things ready for spring. We can’t find the information on when to dig the rose tree and get it set. Since this is so near April 1 I think it could be dug up any time, but Dad isn’t so sure.

Rev. Fields got 16 MYF’ers to go to a meeting at Klondike Saturday. He had nine in his instruction class (for church membership Palm Sunday) Sunday. Part of those are for membership and part are just taking a refresher course. Three members of my class are taking instructions for membership.

There is a meeting at Attica tomorrow night – a Bishop Amstutz is the speaker. Several from here are planning to go. I am going, but Ruth Ford is going to drive for me.

Joyce Yegerlehner FitzRandolph (Dad’s cousin) is going to Switzerland in April for a visit with the cousins still living there. We have a round robin letter last week which we had to return to Clarence. I made a copy of each (there were three) so when you come home you can read them. One from Joyce and two from the Switz cousins. She also sent some pictures she had received from the, which we returned with the letters, of the birthplace of David Yegerlehner, also some pictures of the cousins she will visit.

We haven’t heard from the man who is to do the work on the office. Dad gave him the plans several weeks ago. I would like to see the work get started, but may have to wait a while until the weather is a little warmer. The waiting room floor doesn’t improve with age. It needs a new covering. Joe gave us notice he is going to quite the last of this week, but we have another janitor engaged. The woman who works at the hotel. She came out here Saturday and cleaned and waxed the kitchen floor. She is coming this afternoon to do the family room. I intend to have her help me every week – more or less. I have a few errands to take care of. I am buying intangible stamps this morning. I discovered that we hadn’t been buying stamps for your GE stock, so thought I had better get them and it is costing $2.25 to bring your 4 shares up to date (15 stamps at .15₵ ea).

Love Mother