Tag Archives: Ruth E. (Yegerlehner) Mutchler

Guessing is out (Roscoe)

2 Replies

Mar 3, 1943

Lt (jg) Yegerlehner (MC) USNR
A.P.O. 43
% Postmaster
San Francisco, Calif

Dear Mother,

Probably I have done a foolish thing for I have written the folk and Sis and it sure cuts down on the stationery supplies – we did get a chance to buy some stamps but writing paper and envelopes aren’t as easily obtained. So if other people mention that I haven’t written – there is a reason. If you have time you might drop a line to Uncle Wess giving him my address and a few others but I just don’t feel like using the supplies and then won’t be able to write you.

This place is different in many respects than where I was located before and has more of the South Sea atmosphere than New Caledonia. Guessing as to the location is out

[page 2] because of necessity and you can also see that description of places and things is also prohibited. All I can say is listen to the radio and watch the newspapers.

We have had plenty to eat (out of cans) and we get plenty of sleep (from the beginning of darkness to daylight) if you get what I mean.

My last mail from you was Jan 25 and I have no idea how long it will be before more catches up – probably not so long. I hope.

Really I think I like it better here than at the last location but can’t tell you why. I sorta feel sorry for Dr. P. & W all by themselves with all their modern conveniences of life. Maybe that is sadistic – well can’t use any more paper this time –

Lots of Love
Daddy

©2014 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/24/guessing-is-out-roscoe/

Point rationing begins (Gladys)

4 Replies

1943-03-01Letter transcription:

MRS R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
IND
3-1-43

Dear Daddy – We have passed thru Jan & Feb with a lot of cold weather, snow, wind, blizzards etc. and today is Mar. one and still the same kind of weather. I was going to write a long letter yesterday but Floyd and Ruth were here and after they left Clarice & Bob came and I didn’t get around to writing so will try and write two today. We are allowed 3 V-mail daily. Ruth M. wants to go to C.C. with us if we get to go so may over and get her. Earl can’t get enough gas only for driving to work. The ration board over there checks on the mileage, but in an area like that I suppose they have to be pretty strict. Floyd & Ruth are to be in Blufton the first of this week. They don’t know yet about Georgia. They have never found out why he was rejected. Today we can start buying on point rationing. 48 points per person for March and we have 5 persons to buy for so I think we can manage. We were allowed 25 cans when we got our books – I didn’t have quite that many but have at least 15. Canned fruits, juices, vegetables and dried and dehydrated are the rationed foods so far. We are going to have a garden I think we can get a plot by Links. You know he had a place by Bill’s garden. Mark is to take care of the garden and John is to take care of the lawn. I think that will be a fair division of the work. If we have as much rain as last summer I know John will have plenty to do. They could hardly keep the grass cut with both working on it. With a little help I think we can get a garden planted and with a little supervision I think Mark can take care of it. I didn’t get a bond for Jan & Feb so will have to double up for Mar & Apr. Haven’t seen any of Statons to talk to them for some time but see them go to work every day. Mrs. James isn’t very well. Has a cold and coughs some. David is asleep since his bath & feeding. Ruth thought he had grown a lot. Weighs just about 16 lbs now.

Love – Mother

©2014 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/20/point-rationing-begins-gladys/

Yet another winter storm (Gladys)

5 Replies

1943-02-26Letter transcription:

MRS. R. S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
2-26-43

Dear Daddy – Today is Mark’s big day – 10 years old. I gave him a dollar and his new finger-tip over coat. – John gave him 25¢ for stamp & Mother gave him a pr of mittens she knitted. I will bake a cake for him this morning. He wrote you a v-mail last night thanking you again for the dollar you sent and gave his grades. John also wrote. It is cold today and a small blizzard is on. The air is full of snow. Not much on the ground yet. Hope this finishes off winter weather. The tulips are up and I didn’t get them covered so they might get nipped. I told you in yesterdays I think the tax will be around 200⁰⁰ but the rate is higher this yr and exemptions lower. However I won’t have to pay it now and have enough bonds to cover it and last half of ’41. Didn’t get my (our) Jan bond bought so will have to get two before the end of this month (by tomorrow). So far have 14 – $25 and 6 – $50’s. Couldn’t rent a safety box – they are all taken. I think Ruth & Floyd will be here sometime Sunday. They are at Ruth M’s now. The papers just came but haven’t had time to read them – I hear the stork is going to fly over the Bartlett’s – don’t know when but probably be a few months yet. Soon be time to bathe David. He slept from his 6 P.M. bottle til 7:15 this morning. The pictures we took of he & Jimmy Ed were fair – will send them in next bunch of pictures. The storm has let up some but the wind still blows.

Love Mother

©2014 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/15/yet-another-wi…r-storm-gladys/

Five months old (Gladys)

1 Reply

1943-02-23Letter transcription:

MRS. R. S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
2-23-43

Dear Daddy – David is 5 months old today and weighs 15 ½ lbs. He has slept thru the past three nights without a 10 PM bottle – so he now eats just 4 times a day. I have been taking him out every afternoon in his buggy. It has been so nice the past week. It is about time to start his shots and I don’t anticipate that However Donnie F. didn’t cry when he had his first one. I wrote to Mrs Evans last week and had an answer today. Mr. Ferneau is the only one left of the group there last summer. They (Mrs E. & Mr F) send you their regards. Ruth & Floyd were at Ruth M’s over the week-end and F. is in Chi this week so Ruthie is staying at Ruth M’s this week. Had a card from her this a.m. – I wrote you a long letter last nite and told you about all my new red clothes, dress, hat, purse & jacket. That would be something to have my picture taken in and have it tinted. I am afraid tinting wouldn’t be strong enough. I fixed enough baked beans for us & Zells – Mrs. Z made a green salad for both of us. We just finished lunch and John has gone back to school Mark is waiting to take this to the P.O. He is taking the empty shells to school to show off again. Said some of the kids didn’t see them. He certainly enjoys looking at those. They are entirely his because John isn’t much interested in such things. He looked at them and turned his over to Mark. I must go to the school today and get our new ration books. The boys are anxious for me to get them. Have all this week but think I’ll go today. No uniform money yet. Wish it would come soon.

Love Mother

Baby Book, p. 9

Baby book entry – 5 months

“February 23 – 1943 – Five months for David and now weighs 15 lbs 14 oz and measures 26″ in height. Sleeps from 6 P.M. bottle until 6 a.m. bottle – Now I can get a full nights sleep. Sits propped up now. At 5 1/2 months had Immune Globulin due to exposure to measles by Mark.”

Emma with John, Mark & David, February 1943

Emma with John, Mark & David, February 1943

 

©2014 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/10/five-months-old-gladys/

Scanning the news (Gladys)

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1943-02-19 #1Letter transcription:

MRS. R. S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
2-19-43

Dear Daddy – It was so nice and warm today we took the baby out for an airing – went over to Lucile’s and took some pictures of Jimmy Ed and David. The pictures L. had taken of Jimmy when he was a month old weren’t good. He is better – that is the rash is leaving. She didn’t give him lactic acid as Dr. M. prescribed and hope she won’t have to. She didn’t want to take him out in air today – was afraid it would make his rash worse. We have been listening to “Joey Brewster.” Mark went to the show, wanted to see “Arabian Nights.” I wanted him to wait until tomorrow evening but you know when he gets an idea about going anything or going any place and since this is Fri – I let him go. John is composing again. When Glen wired us about their baby we sent them a boxes – a sweater set and blanket – and today we rec’d a box from him with two suits for D. and a silver dollar for each boy. Also a baby pillow. Gretchen Dixon Wilson has a baby boy – Feb 17 – “Donald Scott” 5-15 not as big as D. was. Seems like the new babies are mostly boys. Tom Murphy has been in the hospital since Tues but Mrs. M. told me today he is coming home tomorrow. The operations noted in the paper this week are Marj Cast at Methodist, John Simons St. E. & F. Troup – the last was a kidney removal but don’t know what the first two were. The court news has the Dye divorce listed. No dates given. The grain elevator at Brook burned last Sunday – Most grain lost. Have been scanning the paper for news items as you can tell. Finally bought a baby buggy for D. It’s a used but was glad to get it – they are hard to find. Not many new ones to be had. I think Dolores is coming home in April and we will try to go down then for a visit. Will take Ruth M. along if she can go then.

Love Mother

©2014 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2014/01/06/scanning-the-news-gladys/

Sunburned (Roscoe)

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

2/11/43

Dear Mother,

Probably surprised to get this letter – That is if the letter I wrote this A.M. should come first. At any rate I’ll just repeat a little. My mail to you may be a little spotty and even scarce for several days or even months – so don’t worry just keep writing to the same address.

I’ve been working in the sun practically all day and like a dunce wore that over seas cap and my face is just a little redder than usual. In a day or two I think I’ll start rubbing off because I believe the outer layer is a little more than cooked.

[page 2] The only mail that came today was Ruth Y letter of Sept. 28 telling me about David and his Mother after the arrival. Not much late news but never the less welcome.

While in town today saw several things unusual – seems as if one can see new things every time. The thing that really stuck today was a couple of natives carrying wood from a truck. Of course they were bunching it up and putting it on their heads but before doing that they placed a small square of burlap over their caps. Don’t know if it was to protect the head from pressure

[page 3] or dirt. The railroads here would make you laugh the engines are about the size of a good sized tractor – run on steam with a big smoke stack and a shrill little whistle. The tracks are narrow gauge – only about ½ as wide as ours in the states. Really I believe the boys would get a kick out of such as a play thing of course it’s a little larger than the boys electric.

You may get letters from Mrs. Porterfield thru Dr. P. which may help when you aren’t able to get letters from me. So maybe we can keep up a three way correspondence. You will probably get notes now and then as time goes along.

[page 4]I think I’ll have to get some sun burn lotion on my face before bed time so that I can sleep. Makes me feel like I have a fever of the face – Just like you had once or twice upon a time – once when we were swimming camping and once when we lived on 2nd and Carroll street.

Well, I’ll get another letter out as soon as possible – so again don’t worry –

Lots of Love
Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at:

The Weekly Letter (Gladys)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Feb 11 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Will write my weekly “letter.” Have been using v-mail but about once a week – We were told over the radio and by other means that after Jan 15 not to send air mail letters – but use v-mail so that is the reason you are getting so many v-mail. However Tony told me to continue to use air mail – that it would get to the coast quicker even if it didn’t travel by air the rest of the way. I am sitting by the fireplace with my hair rolled up – and with the idea of getting it dry but the fire seems to be going out. Mark brought in a wet log and it won’t burn. The dryer is in our bedroom but D. is asleep and I was afraid it arouse him before time of his 10 P. M. lunch. He sleeps right thru horn & piano practicing & radio but turn the light on and bang around close to him and he sometimes wakes up – so we stay away from the bedroom after he is tucked in. I looked over your letter again to answer your three questions. The house payments are around 48.33 – sometimes the cents vary. The interest on your pol. Is 14.22 so that makes the loan around $233. Those dividends were taken off when we had the policies changed when you were home – remember?

[page 2] Since paying up the insurances and a few other bills our bank acc’t is getting a little weak. We have a bal of 330⁰⁰ now but I haven’t pd for my coat yet – isn’t due till Mar 10 – and I had more coal put in. Just had the bin filled and what I had put in in Dec. – altogether $60⁰⁰ so when I pay those two will have around 145⁰⁰ Bal. and there will be something turning up all the time. I haven’t been getting any collections in and with all the insurance we have to pay cuts in on the reserve. The house payment takes ¼ of the 200⁰⁰ and groceries are so high – milk can’t be sold for 10¢ qt now so that stepped up our milk bill – but now that the big bills are taken care of for a while maybe we can get enough ahead to buy more bonds. If your uniform money comes I’ll pay the Hancock loan off. Besides the 6 – 37⁵⁰ that took 225⁰⁰ out of the big balance we had last fall. I have the 1943 car license pd for. I had Ellsworth write a policy for D. and it is $22.57 annually. I thought that pretty high but it is a 20 yr endowment and will have a higher pd up value that the ones of J & M. – Well don’t worry about our finances – I can manage on what we get and keep all the bills paid. I am so glad we have our home

[page 3] and can keep our payments up on it. I really should have some painting done on a few places inside this spring but I doubt if I can get a painter. Now don’t be alarmed about my having things done – it is those window sills the sun & rain ruined. If I had the time and energy would give the walls some paint like you had put in the office – but I have about all I can do with David. Mother takes care of the cooking & dish washing and I don’t try to do much but keep D. fed & comfortable. I got some unicaps yesterday and thought I would follow your prescription. I do feel a little low after all that sinus trouble. Now that it is over – that was without question the worse infection I have ever had in my sinus. The drainage was the foulest I have ever had. When Dr. Ade first washed it out there seemed to be about a cup – maybe there wasn’t that much – but it seemed to be – and it was brown. Well that is all over now and I can get along with a box of Kleenex in every room. I feel a little sleepy this morning. D. was sound asleep at 10 – so I didn’t take him up – thought he would sleep through – but he began to fuss

[page 4] about 1:30 – so I got up & fed him – I would have saved myself that if I had fed him at 10 – but he has slept thru several times and I thought he had established the habit – but not last night. It is about time for the mail to come and Mother is looking for the mail man to come. I may get a letter or two myself this morning since I didn’t get any yesterday.

There is Band Mothers’ meeting this afternoon so think I’ll go – just to let them know if nothing else that I am not interested in doing any work. Let the butterflys’ do that sort of thing. I have enough to do (that I can’t get done) at home. I suppose you have heard of “them Gremlins” – in case you haven’t, they are a distant kin of youhedi – well its “them gremlins” that get blamed for everything around here – especially concerning Mark. He doused his hair with kreml last nite and I couldn’t have him near me for a while. His latest is a weighing complex – It is so funny – he gets on the scale and he will say, “I’ve gained” – and he hasn’t. John always checks on him – and you know practical John will say – “You have not” – Then John will explain to me how Mark weighs the same or even less than the last time.

[page 5] John is so logical – he wants things right and of course Mark always get correction if he is wrong about anything – (which happens often). Of course Mark can take care of himself and John doesn’t make much impression on him if Mark doesn’t want to be impressed. So much for family life. They both agree about David – that he is the – well all the adjectives you can think of to describe the perfect baby.

Mrs. Mullen called me to read me your letter. They were so pleased to get it, and thought I would like to hear it. I told her I had 5 this morning – Jan 27-28-31 & Feb 3 & 4. I had two Feb letters before the last of Jan’s. I was glad to get those stragglers because they had some news I would have missed. None of your letters have been lost – I am sure I have every one. The next time I am in Laf. I will talk to Helen. We will have lots to talk about. I see J & M coming up the driveway now – making a beeline for the door – running a race – as they usually do.

Lunch over and trying to get this ready for Mark to take back with him

[page 6] Sorry I haven’t any pictures to put in this time but I sent the Hubertz pictures last week and will have some ready to send in my regular letter next week.

Had a letter from your Mother & one from Ruthie. Your Mother said Ruth M. & Earl have had the flu. I wrote to Ruth M. this week but haven’t had time for an answer. I must write to your Mother today. I get one out to her once a week.

Just glanced at the local paper and saw an item that more winter is ahead. Well we have had winter since Thanksgiving – and are used to it so won’t mind so much if it last till Easter.

Lois Wittenkellar is in the hospital – had a ruptured blood vessel and there was a qt of blood in her abdomen. Mrs. Merrit Wood is in the hospital at Laf. recovering from an abdominal operation.

Mark is waiting so much hurry.

Love
Mother

©2013 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/26/the-weekly-letter-gladys/

Wordless Wednesday – Family Reunion

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Yegerlehner family reunion - c1936

Click to enlarge

The original photograph is quite tiny so it is hard to make out some of the faces, but I do recognize many of them. The photograph was taken circa 1935-36.

John and Mark are standing together front left. Gladys is third from the left next to Lovina, Roscoe’s mother. Ruth, Roscoe’s sister, is first woman on the left. The other women are mostly Roscoe’s sisters-in-law. I think Roscoe is the male in the middle, the fifth from the right. John Henry, Roscoe’s father, is probably one of the men in the top left corner, wearing a hat. The other hat wearing male is probably Ruth’s husband, Earl.

©2013 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at:  https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/10/wordless-wedne…family-reunion/

David’s arrival (Roscoe)

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

2/3/43

Dear Mother,

The only letter so far today was Dorothy K. letter of Sept 23 telling me of D. arrival. A little late but as innocent looking as any other letter that comes along. I answered it and told her I hope that you and Nick would excuse the correspondence between the two of us. I never did know if you went in a car or ambulance but she remarked the screaming siren so it must have been the ambulance. It’s funny why those letters never came. The one I really wanted at that time and then doesn’t get here until today. If there was long distant telephone service D. could almost have told me himself quicker than the letter. Well I’m

[page 2] glad things got along so well then and hope that you both are better now. Our weather is still very hot and I suppose yours is very cold and as I said before the weather sure takes a beating when there isn’t anything else to write about. I heard this A.M. that only v-mail could be written from there – hope that isn’t true because that would rule out pictures and they mean lots.

Guess Floyd can settle down for some time now and take his trip to Georgia for the spring as planned – but how will he get around? Ruth didn’t say how much gas etc they were allowed. As far as pleasure driving is concerned that could be curbed 100% because after all this is an al out war and goodness only knows we don’t get 3 gal. (that is short for gallon) per week for pleasure. Our pleasures are fe very simple indeed and it won’t

[page 3] bother people at home with jobs and families to do without some of the pleasures here to fore enjoyed. Well, I got that off my chest.

Ruth mentioned Floyd sending me another box – hope it isn’t soft candy because that sure is a mess around here – one of the fellows who works in the ships store gave us a box of candy bars yesterday. Really I think it was because they were all soft and sticky. He said it was because we had been so good to him. I think we have eaten one box so far – candy just doesn’t seem to go so good in hot weather.

Later – shows over – got your letter of Sept. 22 – with 4 air mail stamps – Uncle W. letter of Sept 23 telling of D arrival and a letter from Ruth M. dated Sept. 22 with 12 three cent stamps Uncle W. letter had 4 stamps so

[page 4] after all I didn’t fare so badly – also got a letter from mom dated Jan 7 and a Christmas greeting from Geo Sondergrath.

We hear – that only v-mail will come air mail – and ordinary mail will come by ship – however still write your letters air mail for they will come to the coast quicker, and I don’t know what to tell you to write – Just write for a while write both each day if possible and when they get here I’ll tell you which to stop – Just give me the high point in the v-mail and the others can be more complete – That’s all for now

Love Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/09/davids-arrival-roscoe/

Helen Kline’s husband (Roscoe)

1 Reply

Letter transcription:
2/2/43
Dear Mother,
It seems my prophecy about v-mail has come true because Today I received your letters of Jan 17, 18 & 19 that is v-mail. Now I don’t know whether you are writing regular air mail or not but don’t discontinue it altogether. I said last night to write it at least once each week but with it coming the way it does maybe once each week won’t be enough. I know it’s asking a lot to write so much so often but you’ll never know how much those letters mean and I can’t see why you should say my letters are interesting because about all I do is fill up space while yours are very interesting to me as well as being filled with things I want to know.
This surely has been a

[page 2] winter for you and I’m sorry I missed it for I would have enjoyed it so much.
This is ground hog day and if there are any of those animals here they could have seen their shadows OK, but it has started raining again so don’t know what the remainder of the day will be like. Hope it doesn’t rain out our show tonite.
All morning long there was a haze hanging around over the mountains and the atmosphere seemed very sticky so we more or less expected rain. Even our view of the ocean wasn’t clear – seemed to remind one a little of Indian summer at home.
I ran into a navy man yesterday and we got to talking about eggs and informed me he could get us a doz. cold storage eggs for nothing so we had a

[page 3] little egg fry after the show we got a hot plate some butter and the bottom of a mess container and were those egg sandwitches with sunny side up good. They were even good to look at. Don’t misunderstand me we have enough to eat etc but it’s the way it’s cooked.
I hope by now you got the word I sent about the taxes. Just pay enough to keep me out of Jail and keep the property in our name.
I’m going to send Mark a letter and one dollar for his birthday – I wrote that yesterday so just repeating. I have had no word on the uniform money so let me know once in a while if you have heard from it.

Later – no show it is raining. This eve after chow Helen Kline’s husband came to see me of course I didn’t know him because as near as I

[page 4] can remember I had only seen him once and that was when we were living in Elmer D. property. We had quite a long conflab. He can’t disclose where he is but he is pretty sure his wife knows. In case you go to Lafayette you might call the folk and tell them he was here. Of course he probably will write them tonight also.
Got a letter from Ruth Y. and from Mom, both dated Jan 15. They gave me the low down on things around C.C.
Well, hope your sinus is better – Lots of Love Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and/or written by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/12/06/helen-klines-husband-roscoe/