Letter from Truman, Minnesota in 1916

Caption: Helen Van Amber

This quirky letter really needs no introduction from me.

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Truman, Minnesota
November 17, 1916

Dear Mary:

We have just had supper, and so will write some. I suppose Aunt Hell [think this is the right name] told you all about the kids. I go in to see Florence every day. She is right at home. George and Floyd was in to see her the other day. Mrs. Hadley asked George if their baby wasn't better than his. George says that's our baby. Everything is all right here. Don't worry any.

Say Mary, maybe I hadn't better come even if you have an operation. I couldn't do you any good only for company. You will have the best of care, and if you shouldn't happen to get along just as good as you ought, they would phone and I could be there in short order. I would like to come. It will be lonesome for you, but we can afford to be lonesome a week or two for $12 or $15. That amount would get you a pretty good washing machine and then some. But I will come if you think you can't stand it. Well, we will see what you say in your next letter. Have to get the eggs sold. We are trying to follow directions, just as you told us to. I even lock the door, because I am always thinking you will say, "Did you lock the door?"

Will close now and wait for your next letter. With lots of love, from Ray.

Long letter from Elma, Washington from 1926

No caption on the back of this one,
but that little dog sure seems unhappy!

This is a really long letter, and since it includes information about Christmas and is dated in June, I'm assuming a long time had passed between letters. Sadly, this is a photocopy of a letter and it's been creased and refolded multiple times. As a result, there are a lot of illegible words. The letter is worth a read, however, as the writer provides a lot of historical information, and a lot of that is really interesting. For example, she predicts that Elma, Washington, will never get very big. As of the last census, there were about 3,000 people! She was right!

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Oak Lanes Farm
Elma, Washington

June 22, 1926

Dear Brother and All:

I usually destroy letters as soon as they are answered, but I find I have 4 of yours and don't know now when I wrote or what I wrote, so I will answer them all. And first, I want to thank you for the pretty gift. The older I grow, the better I like bright, pretty things [rest of the sentence is illegible]. I did not put a "do not open" sticker on the package, as I thought you could do as you liked, but we never open anything until Christmas. The box was not as nice this year as I could have wished it, but it is much more difficult to get things in a little place like this. I like to send the package early before the mails are so crowded. I am a great hand to do things, yesterday anyway. I certainly think you did well to remember anyone outside your family, and Beth would not think of your sending them anything. Emma wrote me what you send her, and she was greatly pleased. I send her things every little while, and money when I can. It seems so hard for elderly, helpless people not to have a cent to use and when they are so richly deserving. Emma has a comfortable little home, and Herbert and Myrtle pay her bills, and it seems as though the rest might furnish her with a little money, but they never think of it. She cried about it and said if she could have just a little money to use, she would be so glad. She is staying with Myrtle this winter. I packed a box and sent it to them. 1 dressed chicken, 2 pounds butter, 2 dozen eggs, jar of cranberry jelly, for Christmas dinner. Myrtle is a fine woman, but was married at 18 to a kid like herself, and he was absolutely worthless so they are divorced, but she has a fine boy in high school, so he is quite a comfort and will soon be able to help.

You spoke of snow at Raymond, Washington. There is snow in the mountains all around us, and there can be a wonderful change of climate within a few miles, but I have seen no snow for 2 years. I think it would look good to me. In Spokane, I never saw anything more beautiful than the pine trees with branches laden with snow and the sun shining on them. We have a flurry of snow here once in awhile and some mornings we look out and the whole country has the appearance of being a lake and the [light?] comes up to 10 miles away and has been known to come up to the Chehalis River clear to the Elma School house. In a few hours, the water drains off and is borne on its way to the sea. We are only 40 feet above sea level. You are 1,000. Spokane, 2,200. Last week, the men plowed the big field. Having no winter, we have no [illegible -- zest? rest?]. Our rains are like April, and I just love to be out in the rain. And as you say, I feel fine. The meadowlarks sing their sweetest when it is raining.

Centralia is a nice town. Chehalis also. We live in the Chehalis Valley, but I think Elma is the prettiest town I have seen yet, and some lovely homes here. It probably will never be very large, but is building right along, and one thing I enjoy about this country is the vast undeveloped possibilities and resources. It hasn't been scratched.

We are [raising? working?] 9 cows, but own only 3. The others we get to keep until the first of May. We have been selling $70 worth of eggs a week, but they are a little cheaper now. The climate of England is almost exactly like this, and I have sent there for some choice flower seeds. Food will take time to grow. Flowers I shall start them in a hot bed. Things grow here like weeks, and weeds grow like mushrooms. The day before Christmas, Beth and I went down in the woods and gathered ferns and greens and red berries and snow berries and made wreaths and we had a tree in the corner of the living room and spread moss over the floor and planted ferns and even added some moss-covered legs to make it look like the woods.

Dick was over 2 weeks and is coming again in August. Beth is taking an extension course in poultry husbandry from the Washington State College at Pullman and will go over for a week February 1 to get practical training. If Beth was only strong, she would be a wonder, but she can only endure so much. While I am so healthy as to be vulgar. Juanita is 12 and just entered the 7th grade. She is a campfire girl and is almost as tall as I. Junior is 8 and he was 18 months when I took him. He still calls me "Mama."

Beth's husband is a big, strong fellow 5 years older than Beth. Quick as a cat and there is nothing that he cannot do. He can repair [illegible] all kinds of machinery, and if he hasn't a tool, he will make one. And he is fine with animals. He is also a natural-born salesman and can make more money to work at that and keep a man on the farm. We attend to the chickens and the light work. Gather the eggs 3 times a day and feed the kale and grain, look after the mash hoppers, sour milk and water. In fact, we couldn't trust it to him to keep, for on these seemingly little things depend the profit. All of the spoiled eggs have to be cleaned with steel wool or washed. This takes 2 half-days a week.

I got a Kodak for Christmas, so will have some pictures to send. The one I am enclosing was the first one taken with it. The children can see just how Aunt Edna looks. Beth says it could not look more like me. This summer, I will take some and send you. Did I send you a picture of the house?

Ray, what farm do you live on? Who owned it 2 years ago? I do not dare to hope that I can go to Minnesota and see you all next fall, but if we have good help and Beth is really well and nothing comes up to prevent it, I think I will take a chance. However, it is too early yet to bank on it. I certainly should like to see the children. Emma wrote how fine-looking they were.

We just had the news of the death of Edwin Thatcher's wife in Jamesville. She died of that dreaded disease, cancer.

We entertained a house full of church ladies Wednesday. Yes, Ray, I am glad you went to church even once, as I think churches are for men as well as women and children and how fine it is for the whole family to go.

A neighbor came in last night and asked Betty whose girl she was. She said, "Daddy's." He said, "Won't you be my girl?" She said, "I can't love two men, and I must love my Daddy."

Chicken feeding time. Good bye. Write soon.

Edna

Letter from Dawson, Minnesota, December of 1916

Helen Van Amber, Helen Crandall, Florence Van Amber, Clarence Sieberg, Edna Van Amber

This is a letter from Rena, otherwise known as Katherine, originally born to Anton and Eliza Jane Udelhofen. If my math is right, she would have been about 21 years old when she wrote this, and it sounds like she was working as a housekeeper for a family, perhaps living with them as well as working for them. She may have been lucky to find any work at all, since the economy was so tight due to the ongoing war, and she sounds grateful for the opportunity in this letter.

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Dawson, Minnesota
December 10, 1916

Dear Sister:

I received both letters and also the card from you. Am well and hope you are all well. Was glad to hear you didn't have to have an operation. You will have to be careful when you have your tonsils out not to take cold.

Mrs. Hadly was good to care for the baby while you were away. I'll bet she is cute. Is she as good looking as your big daughter? I'll bet Helen is a little talker. Is Georgie getting to be a man now? No questions need be asked about Floyd, for we know he is a good little boy. Mrs. Sage says George perhaps is as nice as the rest, but she says Floyd was hers and she didn't care.

Well, Thanksgiving is over and will soon be Christmas again. We had a nice Thanksgiving dinner. Teddy was home. He is some guy.

I had a letter from Clara. She told me Michael Cahillo was dead. It's too bad. I feel sorry for them. The only boy and was getting big, too, but it was the Lord's wish, so it must be for the best.

I had a letter from Catherine the other day. She said Mrs. Champlin was sick in bed and has been for a month. I feel sorry for her, but am glad I am not there.

I am sending you my [illegible -- "comona" is what this word looks like]. I suppose you will laugh at me, but I never touched it since I was at your place. I thought you could make a nightgown or something for the children.

I am going home a week from Thursday. We are going to have a big dinner here next Saturday night, and a card party in the evening. The dinner will be given at 6 o'clock. Mrs. Sage doesn't go home anymore at Christmas time, so I won't have to keep house for Mister. He just loves to tease me and says I have been wearing his shoes this morning. And he teases about every old man around here, but you bet I get back at him.

I had just one tooth filled about a week ago and it cost me $3. Everything is so high and I don't know what we are all coming to. I hope we have better crops next year, and the war over too so it would seem as it used to.

Well, I will close for this time. If you write before the 20th, send it here but will be home after that.

Love to all from,
Rena  

Letter from Spokane, July of 1919

Regina and Roy Van Amber

This unusually long letter has some interesting details about some sort of impromptu adoption in the household. Sounds like this was part of the war effort, but I'm not sure how long these little ones ended up living in Spokane with the Thatchers, away from their blood relatives.

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Dear Brother and Sister:

Your card bearing a birthday greeting came today, and was the only one I have received. In fact, I had almost forgotten that I had a birthday or that 8 other members of the family have one this month. You know they say it is policy to forget our birthdays after reaching a certain age. I certainly should not know by my feelings that I was more than a kid, but my glass tells me that my hair is getting a little grey, a few wrinkles are coming and I am too fat to be taken for a 16 year old.

I am doing YWCA work for a couple of weeks, so have a little time to write between trains. I leave home at 5:30 and get to bed at 12 at night. We have had two of the hottest days for years, and I thought I should become a beautiful grease spot before I could get to the car.

Beth is home for vacation and is caring for the children when I am down here. You may have heard of my new family. I wrote about Isa, Geraldine age 8, Juanita age 5 1/2, Junior almost 20 months. Their names are Erdman and their mother died last February with influenza. I have had them since April 7. They had been only a year from Decatur, Illinois, and have no relatives. Were perfect strangers to me. I don't know just how they happened to come to my door, but they did and I took them in. This is part of the reconstruction work following the war, and I have the conveniences of health and a reasonable disposition for managing children and someone must do it. Why not I? With only 2 days notice and never dreaming of doing any such thing, of course it made me hustle to finish a baby bed and find a highchair, etc. But I am getting on fine and the father seems to appreciate the home he has found for them. The boy is so sweet, and good as can be, just learning to talk.

Roy, our soldier boy, landed in New York yesterday and will soon be home. Dick is coming up and we are all going camping for 2 weeks at Newman Lake. Went out last Sunday and rented a cottage with five beds in it, as there will be 9 of us and I am going to take the children. We want the baby for a plaything. I got him a little bathing suit and he looks too cute.

I owe everybody a letter, so am not getting any. Isa wrote how bad off Willie Harlot was. How terrible. I have not seen Emma for an age. I can't get up there very well with the children, and she does not get over. Herbert has a Ford, so he can take his mother out, and I am so glad. They are so comfortable and cozy. Herbert is good to his mother, unusually so, and gets good pay. He works for the RR Co. Claude lives near them.

Did you move from Will Hadley's farm, and where are you living? How much does Edna Beth weigh now?

Beth will teach at Hartline this year. It is 9 miles from Almira, where she taught last year. She has learned to drive an overland this summer and is in her glory. (The ink ran out of my pen so I had to use another).

My last train has just been marked up for an hour, so I shall not get home until morning. I just put two little girls on the train going from Portland to Ohio. Took a woman from Iowa to the W.Y., and have an Indian boy to look after. A lady was in just now who, with her husband and 3 children, had just arrived from Brainard, Minn., in a Chevrolet. Had quite a visit with her. The soldier boys that Beth has been playing big sister to are beginning to show up. [Illegible] was here and stayed a week, and a few days ago, another one Thomas Edward Drummod telegraphed that he had just landed in NY and would be in Spokane soon. So, you see Ray, what you are coming to with girls?

Well, Ray, this is your birthday letter, and I wish you many happy returns and must close for this time with much love to you all.

Sister, EMT

Letter from Spokane, March 1917

Mary Udelhofen

This is a pretty short little note dashed on the back of an embossed postcard with the letter "T" in golf leaf, surrounded by a little ring of blue flowers. Quite a treasure, and certainly nothing any modern person would put through the mail without the protection of an envelope!

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Spokane
Wednesday, March 21, 1917

Dear brother and sister:

The dainty curls from dainty heads came today. So nice of you to send them. I still have curls from Alfred and Lottie's heads. Have had for 25 years and treasure them greatly. I often think of your little flock and the dears they are, but children are flowers that it pays to cultivate, and I hope you may both be {illegible... spared?} to raise them.

Dick has been home a month sick with yellow jaundice, and has been dead sick but is so much better and thinks he can go to work soon. In fact, he's been ordering goods today. I am back at the depot again for awhile and expect to be at the Union Street and here the most of the summer. I just love this work.

Beth is at home again for awhile.

Our spring is very late.

I will write an answer to your nice, long letter soon.

Yours with love, EMT

School photo from 1925

This photo deserves to stand alone, mainly because it has so many faces showing, and because someone took the time to write down the names of each and every person in this photo. The caption is below.
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Girl in the front is Bessie Emerton.

First row: Arnold Grant, Jean Walker, Gladys Doolittle, Rose Scarke, Margaret Szarke

Second row: Gayle Walker, Andrew Szarke (lost on ship in WWII), Cecil Doolittle, Edna Van Amber

Back row: Della Shepardson, George Van Amber, Floyd Van Amber, Raymond Doolittle, Helen Van Amber and Florence Van Amber

Picture taken in 1925

Letter from Lyle, Georgia, in 1898

Caption on the back: This picture is of Rena Udelhofen

According to research conducted by my great-aunt Florence, the letter below was written when my great-grandfather Ray was serving in the Spanish-American War. Two days before this letter was written, the research suggests, Ray was injured in the line of duty, and he doesn't seem much interested in describing the problem here. Instead, he spends a significant amount of time asking his sister to rustle up some letters for him.

Many years later, Ray would marry a Mary Udelhofen. The woman shown in the photograph above is a sister, perhaps?

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July 27, 1898
Lyle, Georgia
Company D

Dear Sister:

Well, I will answer your letter that I received some time ago. This leaves me well and thinking of home. It has been raining down here for a couple of days, and such rains as we have just comes down in torrents.

I wish I was there to help you harvest and thresh. If I should sit right down and think about it for half an hour it would make me homesick, but I will make up for lost time when I do get home.

Well, how is everybody, and what is Jim doing and when does he go back? I just got a letter from Dorsey tonight. He doesn't write too much, but I am glad to get it just the same.

Well my birthday was yesterday. I bought 5 cents of milk for a present. The first I have had since I have been here. Milk is awful down here.

Robinson is in the hospital. Tell [illegible... Mama?] to write when she has time and not to wait for me to answer, for I don't have much time and Homer and Glen and Floy can write in the same letter. Tell Floy I am thinking of the talking-to she gave me the morning I left, and wish I was there so she could jaw me some more. Tell the boys I would like to have a good quarrel with them and to be sure and take care of that kitten. Tell Merrit to write again and not wait for me to answer because I am busy the most of the time.

Well, I guess I will have to close for this time. Hoping this will find you all well. Love to all from Ray to Isa.