Tag Archives: Watseka

Very Quiet After Sunday

Letter transcription:

Sept. 4 – 1964

Dear David & Bonnie –

The suit coat arrived – I took it to the cleaner & Dad wore the suit last night. We went to Watseka to give a program for the Nurse Assn. Dr. & Mrs. Roberts also attended. The group thanked us and invited us to give another program next month since we just got as far as Bali with the program last night.

Mark and Shirley went home this a.m. They were going to stop and visit with Aunt Ruth. I talked to her over the phone before they started. She said Romaine and Tye had been with her until yesterday. I have promised to go get her sometime and bring her over here for a few days. I hope she gets to the place she can drive her car. I think all she needs is a little confidence in herself.

Mark and Shirley waxed my car yesterday. However, since we are having a long dry period I am afraid it won’t do much good.

John took a load of things to Champaign Tues. He is

[page 2] coming back today to spend weekend and take rest of his things back Sunday.

This place will seem very quiet after Sunday – after all the company we have had this summer.

Alma has stopped several times this summer. She has recently been to visit her sister in Missouri. We received a letter from her this week and she was getting ready to return to Crown Point.

I have a basket of work waiting for me on my desk so I think it would be a good idea for me to get to work.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/01/10/very-quiet-after-sunday/

Warmer Than Usual (Gladys)

1 Reply

: January 15, 1944 envelope

: January 15, 1944, p. 1

: January 15, 1944, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland, Ind.
1-15-44

Dear Daddy –

Sat. evening – have been busy all day – It was warmer than usual or I mean it is unusually warm and I got started washing windows on the outside and couldn’t stop – I washed the car and Mark watered the evergreens. It has been so dry this winter and now that the ground isn’t frozen I thought it would be a good idea to give the shrubbery some water, especially the new tree. We had David out in the yard this morning a while and again this afternoon. He does enjoy being out in the open spaces. Jimmy Ed is still recuperating from the flu and hasn’t been out in the spring-like weather. Lucile went with me to see Clarice in the Watseka Hospital and she said she wasn’t going to take him out for a few days. They got a sun lamp just for Jimmy and he had sun baths every day. I felt a little badly about not having one for us to use but David seems to get along just as well. However I still wish we had one. Do you think they are of any value? Ed just happened to find the one they have – they can’t be bought just anywhere now. Like so many other things – none for the duration – unless you are lucky enough to find one someone doesn’t want.

The hospital is full and they had a

[page 2] bed in the hall. Clarice was in a double room. She was feeling fine except for her breasts. She is one of rate persons capable of feeding an infant. The new boy is named John F. He weighed 8-9 – quite a sizeable baby. Clarice is coming home Mon. They still have the 8 day rule. After see [saw] C., we went to see Mrs. R. There is an artist at Joe’s station and he made a portrait of Joe and painted a snap shot and made a greeting folder with it for Christmas. Joe is still hoping to come home at the end of 18 mo. I hope that ruling holds for you too.

Do you remember Dick Simons? He is in the Merchant Marines and is home for a 30 day leave. He just returned from the Pacific. Said they were in N.Z., N.C., and Island north. Said they unloaded gas in the Russells and Florida. He was in Tulagi. He seemed to know quite a bit about Wellington, N.Z. I asked him if he knew you and he said he did. He is Johnny Simon’s brother (Elsaleah’s boyfriend).

Yours of Jan. 3 & 4 came today. So glad you rec’d the pictures. I had another roll I’ll start taking with now. You should receive two more groups of pictures I sent out in Dec. The one (3) is of David in a folder. I do want you to get it.

This warm spell has about ruined the skating at the pond. I told Mark he couldn’t go now because it’s too warm to be safe.

It’s about time to get supper started and I am hungry, after all the day’s activity.
Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/09/warmer-than-usual-gladys/

Local News (Gladys)

1 Reply

: January 14, 1944 envelope

: January 14, 1944, p. 1

: January 14, 1944, p. 2

: January 14, 1944, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Kentland, Ind.
1-14-44

Dear Daddy –

No mail today but two letters yesterday. Rec’d a letter from Jewell with a picture of Dot’s baby Janey – she is about a month younger than D. Jewell and Uncle Geo. had been to Roscoe Snedeker’s funeral. They had seen mom & dad. Jewell said she thought mom didn’t look so good but mom had the flu pretty hard so I imagine she doesn’t look so good as she did last fall. I wish we have gone there for Christmas but I was afraid to risk the trip at this time of the year.

No school today due to exams being over and teachers grading papers. J. & M. have been steel wooling the floors today. Buddy was here to spend the night and at breakfast Mark began to make plans for the day when I told him what I had planned. In “nothing flat” Buddy decided he must go see his mother and off he went to the restaurant. After he left Mark said, “Did you notice how quickly he decided to go when you mentioned working on the floors?” We have been doing the house today. After changing the beds, I cleaned the upstairs and John started the washing and after doing the lunch dishes I decided I needed a little rest so am writing to catch up so I can clean up the mess on the floors the steel wool makes. This job is pretty monotonous but seems to be necessary ever so often. – – Pause. I stopped writing to help with the floor work – we have stopped cleaning for the day. David woke up so I wrapped him up and put him out in his buggy – It has turned so much warmer. Mark is out in the yard entertaining David with his football. Bobby

[page 2] is out there now so David should be well entertained. It is so much warmer today I didn’t have to wrap David up so much. He have has a large blanket that was given to him last year that I kept nice and when I take him out on very cold days I wrap the blanket all around him up to his chin. – Mark just brought him in – Mark saw the others going to the pond to skate and couldn’t stand it. It’s much warmer but not warm enough yet to melt the ice yet. However if this keeps up it won’t take long.

I was looking over the Newton Co. E. for news items to include but see none I think would interest you. However I heard that Harold Portteus had an operation for hernia this week. I suppose he is in the hospital at Watseka. Clarice is there and I had thought about driving over to see her. Have to go to Sheldon for meat and it wouldn’t take much longer to run on over to Watseka.

I have never thought to mention about Bair’s niece Mary Eldeen, the girl they raised. She had a new baby last Oct. and is just now out of the hospital. Had to have a few blood transfusions. She has a baby about two years old and her trouble this time dates back to the first birth. I don’t know just what the trouble was but for a while she didn’t improve and Bair’s were awfully worried about her. Her husband is in Service and she is living with Bairs.

You wondered about Dr. Van. I mentioned him a time or two but you must have not rec’d those letters. I don’t know whether he knows me or not but I know him when I see him. One day I was downtown and saw Laura Milligan. She and John were in town visiting – John was enroute to the West Coast and I understand he is now in the Pacific someplace, but that is beside the story. I was chatting with Laura – I had been to the P.O. and she was going

[page 3] toward the highway and we happened to meet in front of Dr. V. office – While we were talking he came out and when he saw Laura he spoke to her – he gave her the once over and said something about her figure. – It rather amused me – I just thought he evidently is just like the stories depict him to be. Always an eye open for a good looking woman. I do think Laura is attractive. She seemed so glad to see me and asked about you. I asked what John’s work is and I understand he is boss of the ground crews – mechanics, or whatever they are called. I think that is the same work Harlan Parr does. The Parrs spent the summer in Fla. Were sent to Michigan in Dec. and now are in N.Y. – or were. I really couldn’t say where they are now.

Maybelle Towers wondered if you might be near Emery – however they aren’t sure of his location – except in the S.W. Pacific. She said they thought he was in Samoa.

Bill Schuh had pneumonia and now has rheumatic fever. Babe is taking care of him at her home in Brook. He & Tony were in the hospital at the same time. Tony had a gall bladder operation.

Here I sit and write when I should be out of doors – should do my writing at night. I have been having headaches again. I think it’s partly due to being inside so much. I still like warmer weather best. At least I can get out for a breath of fresh air without chilling in warmer weather. Well I think I would like the winter here if you were home, but I seem to tire of winter this year more than usual. So much for the weather, as you used to say, took a good beating.

“Love Mother”

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/07/local-news-gladys-2/ ‎

Greetings (Gladys)

2 Replies

: November 10, 1943 envelope

: November 10, 1943, p. 1

: November 10, 1943, p. 2-3

: November 10, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
11-10-43

Dear Daddy –

No letters today – but I believe there was no mail delivered due to this being the Marines Birthday. However I rec’d your “greetings” last night. Bess read it to me over the phone but I am going to get a copy of it today. The message really made me feel very good, tho it didn’t contain but the one word.

David is walking now, discovered yesterday he could go on his own power and has been having a grand time covering the house. Goes into the “powder room” and shuts the door, then I have to go carefully open it to keep from bumping him

[page 2] because he always stands right there waiting for me to come & open the door for him. I just put him in his bed for a nap but he is standing up looking out the window now. I was so proud of my success with him this a.m. – didn’t have a diaper all morning, but got him on the toidy – then he spoiled his record, but he can’t talk yet so can hardly expect much yet.

Mrs. Zell asked me to go with her to a Tea at Hiestands – It is a Christian Church affair. I see a few snow flakes falling but that shouldn’t keep us home. I like to get David out every day if possible. He has learned to go in the car and gets so excited about going. One day I backed the car out of the garage just to sweep out – he was in his Taylor Tot in the yard and when he saw me backing the car out without him he began to cry.

[page 3] J. & M. are so thrilled about his walking alone. He still does a lot of jabbering but few words. He certainly is determined about things he wants to do. Is a little difficult at meal times, sometimes, especially so if he is pretty tired, but on the whole not too spoiled. He will walk around and clap his hands. John wondered why he did that & I said because he was happy about walking. There is a photographer at the Arcade Hotel today, sponsored by the Democrat. I think I’ll take David down for a picture – if I get a good one will send you one for Christmas. I haven’t had a photographer’s picture taken since he was 9 mo. old & he is almost 14 now.

You may get Christmas greetings from some of the school children. Two different ones called me this a.m. for your address.

[page 4] Mrs. R. called me last nite just to chat & see if there was any news. I told her I might see her Thurs. Dorothy said she may go to Watseka & if so I could go along & visit Mrs. R. You can imagine her surprise when Ii told her you were wearing your blues. It’s a good thing you didn’t send your clothes back.

I can look out the dining room window & see the clothes Mrs. Zell hung out & it looks like they won’t get dry – the snow is coming down fast & the wind is blowing. Just a regular winter day.

Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/06/03/greetings-gladys/

Grand Piano (Gladys)

1 Reply

: July 30, 1943 envelope

: July 30, 1943, p. 1

: July 30, 1943, p. 2

: July 30, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
July 30 – 1943

Dear Daddy,

Fri. and no letters – but had several earlier this week and won’ be disappointed about none today & yesterday. Ruth & Romaine went home – Wilma, Dad, John & Mark went along – Wilma driving our car – otherwise Ruth & Romaine would have had to go to Chi. On the bus then down to Wilmington from there on the train – I talked to Ruth M. about getting the piano – she thought it was the thing to do so I had it brought up today – and they took the old piano back so you won’t need to worry about the old piano being in the garage when you come home. It is sitting in front of the French doors and looks very “grand.” I paid 100⁰⁰ down – got $15 for the old piano and had to pay half the hauling which cost me 6⁰⁰ – so I still have 185⁰⁰ to pay – I am going to pay the Ins. loan off when I get a reply to my letter and if I have enough

[page 2] left will finish paying the piano now. Your Mother stayed with David & I while the others went to Ruth’s. I fed David and thought he would go to sleep but he is still awake. We all agree he is very good to be in a cast. He just about manages to sit up and I imagine he will manage to stand before the cast is off. With all the rubber protectors taped on around the edges he is “smelling.” There was a little skunk in the movie “Bambi” called Flower – That was what Ruth said we would be called David before he got the cast off. Dad sat out in the yard with him this morning and would blow smoke to entertain him. David would laugh every time. Dad says he is the best baby he ever saw. He gave him his bottle last night. Mom, Dad, Wilma & John are going home in the morning. I don’t know yet how John will come home but they can take him to T.H. and he can go to either Laf. or Watseka.

Helen Washburn is home for a few days. She lives in Omaha, Neb. Now. I promised to take the baby down to see her tomorrow afternoon She wanted to know if you had seen Hickey.

[page 3] Funks have a camp at the Fair Grounds for the detasslers. Nick is managing the meals. The cooks are from the Frat houses in Laf. (By the way I think most if not all the Frat houses at Purdue have been taken over for Military.) There was a broadcast from the Fairgrounds today – Al Cast, Bill & Carl Funk & Mr. Zell all had talks to give – I don’t know what else I was too busy to know anything of the kind was going on and after it was over John said he knew about it. It was on the Dinner Bell hour. Nick just keeps their restaurant open certain hours now – so he can run the cooking out there. Bill wanted Krulls to go on a vacation with them. Dorothy said if they did they would just close up while they were gone, but so far they haven’t taken said trip.

I hear David still singing – He can reach up and get the bottom of the venetian blind and swing it. I wish he would go to sleep so I could catch a nap but he seems to be wide awake.

After the first of Aug. will give you a financial report.

Love – Mother

Black Seal Coat (Gladys)

3 Replies

: January 4, 1943 Envelope front

: January 4, 1943 Envelope back

: January 4, 1943, p. 1

: January 4, 1943, p. 2

: January 4, 1943, p. 3

: January 4, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Jan 4 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Will dash off a line and try to get it off on the night mail. This has been a busy day. Went to Laf. this morning – Had an appointment with Dr. Cole at 11:45 and Dr. Ade 3 P.M. and was to go to the Rotary meeting tonight. Dr. Ade didn’t get to me until quite a while past 3 and it was 6 PM when we got home. Clarice came to get me and I was giving the baby his bottle, so she took the job while I cleaned up a little. After making the baby comfortable (burp & dry pants) I went with Clarice to the dinner. Dr. Phillips or maybe it is Prof.

[page 2] from Purdue gave a talk on the geography of the War. He had some hugs maps and it was a very interesting talk. Ira said he was glad I could attend the meeting and wanted me to tell you they are still going strong. The banquet room was about full, of course that was due to Rotary Anns being present, but the meeting was well attended. Mr. Byrnes, Homberg (Nu Joy manager) & Mr. Zell were taken into Rotary. Bob was looking around for Ed Johnson and when he couldn’t find him wondered if he was by any chance in Watseka – D. White was also a guest tonight, so Bob asked her and she said Ed was probably in Watseka, that Dr. M. was called down to Johnsons about 5 P.M.

[page 3] Maybe in my next letter I can give you a report.

After I saw Dr. Cole I had to park the baby some place until after I could see Dr. Ade so went to Algoods and left him there. They were getting a V-mail ready to send to you when I was there. Showed me the greeting you sent them. Myron Keith looks like he did when they were here last summer. I took him a little suit. I didn’t get my Christmas shopping all done and didn’t send them any greetings so got the suit for Keith today.

Since school was dismissed before Christmas the children didn’t get to have their gift exchange until today. Jimmy Sammons had Mark’s name and gave him a sailor pin.

Gladys modeling the black seal coat & new hat - January 1943

Gladys in new coat & hat

[page 4] I almost forgot – I at least got me a coat – I had time between Doctors to do a little shopping. It is black seal – I am afraid you won’t like it but after looking over everything I decided it was what I liked better than anything else for what I wanted to spend – (110⁰⁰) And a new hat – It is rose colored and hard to describe as hats are but it will last thru till spring so I won’t have to worry about a hat later on.

Gladys holding David

It is about time to feed David & I had had such a rushing day will be glad to get to bed and get a little relaxation. I’ll have a picture taken with my new things and send you one so you can get a fair idea what they look like. Will try to write better tomorrow.

Love
Mother

P.S. Your first letter came Sept 22 – However I had rec’d 6 before it came.