Showing posts with label Family Letters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family Letters. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Steve's Correspondence circa 1953-54
Monday, August 20, 2012
Letter To Dad's Uncle Roy and Aunt Eva October 1941
Ralston Wyo.
October 23, 1941
Mr. and Mrs. Roy O. Blood
Box 626
Wheatridge Colorado
Dear Aunt Eva and Uncle Roy,
We live 1 mile west of Ralston on a 100 acre farm. I am in the fifth grade and so is Louise. Elizabeth is just starting this year and is in the first grade. Elizabeth is just learning how to read. She can print her name. We go to school in Powell Wyo., and ride 8 miles on a schoolbus. I have been out of school for 4 days and have spare time to be onery. My glands were swollen up a little bit but thats all. Judith says nu-nu for milk and will yell any time she wants milk. She can say kitty, flowers, dolly, daddy, oh, dog, and a few other words. Her birthday was last April 23d. She is about 17 months old now. Whenever she is mad, we get the mercurochrome and paint her dignity.
Lucinda married Norman Sorensen last winter. I don't know what else you would be interested in and my pen is so scratchy.
Yours truly
Dwight and Louise and Elizabeth
Comment; After Dad lost both of his parents, he was sent to Denver to live with his father's brother, Roy, and his aunt Eva. This time was an extremely unhappy time for Dad, and soon after he was sent to stay with Dewey and Elsie Riddle at their ranch in Sunlight basin above Cody which ultimately led, of course, to his meeting my mother when she came to the ranch to work one summer. October 1941 was the last brief peaceful time before December 7 1941. My time out of school then was nothing compared to what soon happened, as I contracted mumps in early December and then, along with everyone else, came down with Chicken pox on Christmas 1941. I did not return to school until late March. Liz reminded me the other day that she also was out of school for six weeks during this time. Mother rode herd over my schoolwork and my sisters brought my homework and reading assignments home from school. I earned all "1's (A's) thanks to Mother's teaching skills. I probably would have learned a lot more if she would have continued to teach me since I never did learn whether the sun revolves around the earth or vice versa in 7th grade science. Meanwhile, I read a stack of Life magazines over and over. I can still see some of the war photos in my memory. I also had resurrected an old Monkey Ward radio which Dad was going to throw out and tinkered with it a bit and, lo and behold, it worked. This radio became my lifeline during those lonely days in bed as I remember Edward R. Murrow on the rooftops of London, the Lone Ranger (rides again), Jack Armstrong the All American Boy, Dr. Brent (call surgery), Jack Benny, Phil Harris, Fibber McGee and Molly, Dr. IQ the Mental Banker, Phil Spitalney and his All Girl Orchestra (we must be diligent, we must be diligent, American patrol, with arms for the army, ships (I substituted "legs") for the Navy, let this be our goal). I had one jigsaw puzzle of the fife, drum and flag bearer in the Revolutionary War which I put together so many times I had it memorized and could start with any piece and finish it practically blindfolded. Later that spring I won our 5th grade class spelling contest and got to go to the county contest in Cody where I promptly lost. I do remember the fried egg sandwiches our teacher got for us, never having had such a wonderful sandwich.
I remember these days a half century ago more clearly than I do the television program I saw last night. (I don't think I ever posted this before, but, if so, here it is again.)
October 23, 1941
Mr. and Mrs. Roy O. Blood
Box 626
Wheatridge Colorado
Dear Aunt Eva and Uncle Roy,
We live 1 mile west of Ralston on a 100 acre farm. I am in the fifth grade and so is Louise. Elizabeth is just starting this year and is in the first grade. Elizabeth is just learning how to read. She can print her name. We go to school in Powell Wyo., and ride 8 miles on a schoolbus. I have been out of school for 4 days and have spare time to be onery. My glands were swollen up a little bit but thats all. Judith says nu-nu for milk and will yell any time she wants milk. She can say kitty, flowers, dolly, daddy, oh, dog, and a few other words. Her birthday was last April 23d. She is about 17 months old now. Whenever she is mad, we get the mercurochrome and paint her dignity.
Lucinda married Norman Sorensen last winter. I don't know what else you would be interested in and my pen is so scratchy.
Yours truly
Dwight and Louise and Elizabeth
Comment; After Dad lost both of his parents, he was sent to Denver to live with his father's brother, Roy, and his aunt Eva. This time was an extremely unhappy time for Dad, and soon after he was sent to stay with Dewey and Elsie Riddle at their ranch in Sunlight basin above Cody which ultimately led, of course, to his meeting my mother when she came to the ranch to work one summer. October 1941 was the last brief peaceful time before December 7 1941. My time out of school then was nothing compared to what soon happened, as I contracted mumps in early December and then, along with everyone else, came down with Chicken pox on Christmas 1941. I did not return to school until late March. Liz reminded me the other day that she also was out of school for six weeks during this time. Mother rode herd over my schoolwork and my sisters brought my homework and reading assignments home from school. I earned all "1's (A's) thanks to Mother's teaching skills. I probably would have learned a lot more if she would have continued to teach me since I never did learn whether the sun revolves around the earth or vice versa in 7th grade science. Meanwhile, I read a stack of Life magazines over and over. I can still see some of the war photos in my memory. I also had resurrected an old Monkey Ward radio which Dad was going to throw out and tinkered with it a bit and, lo and behold, it worked. This radio became my lifeline during those lonely days in bed as I remember Edward R. Murrow on the rooftops of London, the Lone Ranger (rides again), Jack Armstrong the All American Boy, Dr. Brent (call surgery), Jack Benny, Phil Harris, Fibber McGee and Molly, Dr. IQ the Mental Banker, Phil Spitalney and his All Girl Orchestra (we must be diligent, we must be diligent, American patrol, with arms for the army, ships (I substituted "legs") for the Navy, let this be our goal). I had one jigsaw puzzle of the fife, drum and flag bearer in the Revolutionary War which I put together so many times I had it memorized and could start with any piece and finish it practically blindfolded. Later that spring I won our 5th grade class spelling contest and got to go to the county contest in Cody where I promptly lost. I do remember the fried egg sandwiches our teacher got for us, never having had such a wonderful sandwich.
I remember these days a half century ago more clearly than I do the television program I saw last night. (I don't think I ever posted this before, but, if so, here it is again.)
Letter to Dad March 23, 1943
Ralston Wyo.
March 23, 1943
Mr. Russell M. Blood
c/o Metcalf Hamilton & K.C. Bridge Company
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Dear Daddy,
Last Sunday we went to Sunday School in the morning and went to see Bambi in the afternoon. The other show was All American Co-ed and it was about a man who dressed like a woman.
We filled our War Stamp booklets and we are going to get our bond tomorrow. I have 50 cents in another book. I am saving my money to get the Open Road for Boys. It costs $1.60 a year and I have 60 cents saved toward it.
Mother took our pictures tonight. Two of them were of us on the haystack. At school we are playing marbles and I have lost a lot of mine, as usual. I haven't had to stand in the corner any more but I got a red 5. I did manage to get on the honor roll for this week though.
With love, Dwight
P.S. Mother forgot to mail our letters in with hers, so we sent ours in another envelope. Dwight
Comment: Dad went to Edmonton with Les Utter to do war-related construction work, I believe on an air terminal facility, riding the train. When he left, we kids knew nothing until Mom and Dad came to school and got us out of class to say goodby. I think Louise and I would have been in the 7th grade. Our grades were "1,2,3,4,5", and not ABC, etc. Red 5's were marked in red ink. I can't remember what was so egregious as to merit a red 5 and I don't remember standing in the corner. The system we had of going to church or Sunday School in the morning and going to the movies in the afternoon was an absolutely wonderful system. This system came to a screeching halt when Mother became a Sunday School teacher and I guess she didn't want to be setting a bad example. Sadly, we saw very few, if any, movies after that. I thought Bambi was a stupid movie for killing off his poor mother in the fire. Dad's stay in Canada was short-lived, however, as one day we came home from school and he jumped out from behind the door in our bedroom with a big "boo". He had contracted pneumonia and had to come home to get well. Thus ended another in his perennial, and often unsuccessful, efforts to make a little extra money. But he and Mother never gave up. My penmanship in this letter was remarkably good for an 11 year old. In the first grade, there wasn't much to do so I kept practicing the Parker Penmanship script on the top of the blackboard until I got all the letters right. I didn't know until just a few years ago that my classmate and ultimate fellow annual editor Dolores had done the same. thing. To this day, the handwriting for each of us is virtually indistinguishable. I ultimately ended up with enough money to subscribe to the Open Road for Boys, which I loved.
March 23, 1943
Mr. Russell M. Blood
c/o Metcalf Hamilton & K.C. Bridge Company
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Dear Daddy,
Last Sunday we went to Sunday School in the morning and went to see Bambi in the afternoon. The other show was All American Co-ed and it was about a man who dressed like a woman.
We filled our War Stamp booklets and we are going to get our bond tomorrow. I have 50 cents in another book. I am saving my money to get the Open Road for Boys. It costs $1.60 a year and I have 60 cents saved toward it.
Mother took our pictures tonight. Two of them were of us on the haystack. At school we are playing marbles and I have lost a lot of mine, as usual. I haven't had to stand in the corner any more but I got a red 5. I did manage to get on the honor roll for this week though.
With love, Dwight
P.S. Mother forgot to mail our letters in with hers, so we sent ours in another envelope. Dwight
Comment: Dad went to Edmonton with Les Utter to do war-related construction work, I believe on an air terminal facility, riding the train. When he left, we kids knew nothing until Mom and Dad came to school and got us out of class to say goodby. I think Louise and I would have been in the 7th grade. Our grades were "1,2,3,4,5", and not ABC, etc. Red 5's were marked in red ink. I can't remember what was so egregious as to merit a red 5 and I don't remember standing in the corner. The system we had of going to church or Sunday School in the morning and going to the movies in the afternoon was an absolutely wonderful system. This system came to a screeching halt when Mother became a Sunday School teacher and I guess she didn't want to be setting a bad example. Sadly, we saw very few, if any, movies after that. I thought Bambi was a stupid movie for killing off his poor mother in the fire. Dad's stay in Canada was short-lived, however, as one day we came home from school and he jumped out from behind the door in our bedroom with a big "boo". He had contracted pneumonia and had to come home to get well. Thus ended another in his perennial, and often unsuccessful, efforts to make a little extra money. But he and Mother never gave up. My penmanship in this letter was remarkably good for an 11 year old. In the first grade, there wasn't much to do so I kept practicing the Parker Penmanship script on the top of the blackboard until I got all the letters right. I didn't know until just a few years ago that my classmate and ultimate fellow annual editor Dolores had done the same. thing. To this day, the handwriting for each of us is virtually indistinguishable. I ultimately ended up with enough money to subscribe to the Open Road for Boys, which I loved.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Letter from Mom January 7, 1950
January 7, 1950
Hi, Dwite!
Of all the weeks you have been gone from home I bet there has never been another like this. Yes? No? What's for supper? It's bound to be good.
Maybe from down there it didn't look like you'd gained much by leaving Sunday, but from up here it sure did. Sunday afternoon it started to turn cold. By Monday morning it was really cold and by Tuesday morning it was cold enough to read 20 degrees below 0 and never even got up to 0 degrees that day. Yesterday was better tho, and this morning was all of 5 degrees above zero. Clear and beautiful all week. Weather report-Finis.
Hogs up to $16--looks better. Louise sure likes it at Thompson's (Louise and I had been staying at home for fall quarter at Northwest (Junior) College in Powell, but when I took the car to Laramie she found a room at the home of my high school vocational agriculture teacher in Powell). Ann and Steve have ended up sleeping in your bedroom and Judy and Liz are together. That way there are plenty of covers. Steve thinks he should save all the funnies for you till you come home.
How is schedule and work and all shaping around? So many have said they were sorry to see you go but were glad you did--even Biddle (Miss Biddle, my high school English teacher and our annual sponsor our senior year). Love, Mother
Note: This letter was written January 7. I left January 1, so it was likely about January 10 before I heard from home in that era without telephones. Miss Biddle, I am told is, of this date in 2012, about 102 years old and still alive.)
Hi, Dwite!
Of all the weeks you have been gone from home I bet there has never been another like this. Yes? No? What's for supper? It's bound to be good.
Maybe from down there it didn't look like you'd gained much by leaving Sunday, but from up here it sure did. Sunday afternoon it started to turn cold. By Monday morning it was really cold and by Tuesday morning it was cold enough to read 20 degrees below 0 and never even got up to 0 degrees that day. Yesterday was better tho, and this morning was all of 5 degrees above zero. Clear and beautiful all week. Weather report-Finis.
Hogs up to $16--looks better. Louise sure likes it at Thompson's (Louise and I had been staying at home for fall quarter at Northwest (Junior) College in Powell, but when I took the car to Laramie she found a room at the home of my high school vocational agriculture teacher in Powell). Ann and Steve have ended up sleeping in your bedroom and Judy and Liz are together. That way there are plenty of covers. Steve thinks he should save all the funnies for you till you come home.
How is schedule and work and all shaping around? So many have said they were sorry to see you go but were glad you did--even Biddle (Miss Biddle, my high school English teacher and our annual sponsor our senior year). Love, Mother
Note: This letter was written January 7. I left January 1, so it was likely about January 10 before I heard from home in that era without telephones. Miss Biddle, I am told is, of this date in 2012, about 102 years old and still alive.)
Friday, April 6, 2012
Epistle from Dwight January 1, 1950
I'm not sure everyone is interested in this round of correspondence, but I thought I'd try a few and see what you think. Considering that these letters give us a window on our lives 62 years ago, I find myself going back in time as if these days were only yesterday. It is true: I had two boxes of treasures when I left college. One was a collection of FFA memorabilia and high school stuff, one was a box containing all the letters I got from home for the years 1949-1953. These letters were my lifeline. I left home having barely turned 17, no money, no job, 2 FFA jackets, 2 pair of jeans, some tee-shirts, and that was about it. I hauled these two boxes with me from Laramie to Bozeman, then to Fort Collins, then to Ann Arbor MI, then to Fort Collins, then to Cheyenne, then to Washington, D.C., then to Ann Arbor, then to Penn State, then to Laramie, then to Fort Collins, then to Provo, then to Riverton UT. I never looked at these letters all of those years. It seemed sufficient to know they were there. Then, when getting ready for my 50th anniversary of graduating from the University of Wyoming, I got them out, sorted them in chronological order, and typed every one of them to put in my memoir of my UW years. Talk about reliving every moment of the past. Then, as now, I realize what treasured artifacts these letters are. I hope no one throws them away when I am gone. I don't know where I got the courage to think I could make it when I left home under these circumstances. On second thought, I do know.
Rooftop Penthouse
Horse and Sheep Barn
Laramie, Wyoming
January 1, 1950
Dear Folks,
Arrived safely. Hungry.
We dragged in a little after 5:00 tonight. I drove to Thermop, then Felix drove to Casper, I drove to Wheatland, then Felix drove on into Laramie. We made it in good time just stopping to change drivers, and then didn't have to hurry. We probably met over 2 doz. cars all the way down and there was no snow or ice at all on the road. Those sandwiches came in handy for dinner for both of us today and saved a half hour stop or more for something to eat. We fought a terrific wind all the way down which was the only trouble we had. The sun was shining when we got to Wheatland; it is clear tonight. Averaged about 18 miles per gallon in spite of the wind, which wasn't too bad, but it took a quart of oil.
Love, Dwight
Note: about 15 miles north of Laramie, Felix (Felix Bessler, my high school classmate) told me that his friend had a cute blonde girl friend named Velna that I should call when we got to Laramie. Who knew that 62 years later she is still in the other room watching All My Children. My door is closed so I don't have to listen to it. Note also that this letter took probably 4 or 5 days to get back to Penrose, so my parents and family had to wait for days to know that I arrived safely. At that point, we had no telephone at home.
Rooftop Penthouse
Horse and Sheep Barn
Laramie, Wyoming
January 1, 1950
Dear Folks,
Arrived safely. Hungry.
We dragged in a little after 5:00 tonight. I drove to Thermop, then Felix drove to Casper, I drove to Wheatland, then Felix drove on into Laramie. We made it in good time just stopping to change drivers, and then didn't have to hurry. We probably met over 2 doz. cars all the way down and there was no snow or ice at all on the road. Those sandwiches came in handy for dinner for both of us today and saved a half hour stop or more for something to eat. We fought a terrific wind all the way down which was the only trouble we had. The sun was shining when we got to Wheatland; it is clear tonight. Averaged about 18 miles per gallon in spite of the wind, which wasn't too bad, but it took a quart of oil.
Love, Dwight
Note: about 15 miles north of Laramie, Felix (Felix Bessler, my high school classmate) told me that his friend had a cute blonde girl friend named Velna that I should call when we got to Laramie. Who knew that 62 years later she is still in the other room watching All My Children. My door is closed so I don't have to listen to it. Note also that this letter took probably 4 or 5 days to get back to Penrose, so my parents and family had to wait for days to know that I arrived safely. At that point, we had no telephone at home.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Epistle from Judy January 8, 1950
Garland, Wyo.
January 8, 1950
Dear Old Bubbie Dwight,
I miss you a lot. I can't even be ornery. Oh! Yes. Art wrote Louise a letter. Today we started the game of Pit. We didn't get very far. We played with the bull and the bear. It's fun, but there isn't much excitement in the game. The scores are Daddy 5, Louise 210, Elizabeth 270, and I got 155. That's all the farther we got.
The other night I dreamed that you couldn't find a job and only 5 people are going to school so they weren't going to have school so you came home.
Mr. Harris's plow got stold. See he left it over at Rosie's place. He went to get it and it wasn't there. Your children (pigs) are still here and o.k. so you don't have to worry about them.
Your old Bubbie,
Judy Blood
January 8, 1950
Dear Old Bubbie Dwight,
I miss you a lot. I can't even be ornery. Oh! Yes. Art wrote Louise a letter. Today we started the game of Pit. We didn't get very far. We played with the bull and the bear. It's fun, but there isn't much excitement in the game. The scores are Daddy 5, Louise 210, Elizabeth 270, and I got 155. That's all the farther we got.
The other night I dreamed that you couldn't find a job and only 5 people are going to school so they weren't going to have school so you came home.
Mr. Harris's plow got stold. See he left it over at Rosie's place. He went to get it and it wasn't there. Your children (pigs) are still here and o.k. so you don't have to worry about them.
Your old Bubbie,
Judy Blood
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Epistle from Ann Nov. 25 1950
Sat. Nov. 25, 1950
Dear Dwight,
How are you? I'm fine. We miss you. I never got to say goodby to you [in September when I left home to go back to school]. I had a good Thanksgiving, how about you? I really like school. Now we get more work done now that you are gone. Judy is bad now that your gone. Are you going to come home for Christmas?
Ann Blood
Dear Dwight,
How are you? I'm fine. We miss you. I never got to say goodby to you [in September when I left home to go back to school]. I had a good Thanksgiving, how about you? I really like school. Now we get more work done now that you are gone. Judy is bad now that your gone. Are you going to come home for Christmas?
Ann Blood
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Another Epistle from Ole Judy
Garland , Wyo.
May 9, 1950
Der Dwight,
Well this is the first time this quarter I've written. Last Friday I was in a May Fete. I was in the chourse and I was a May Pole Dancer. Mary Kranz and I sang a sole. I got to wear a blue formal.
Now! About Louise's love affairs! She is still going with H.L.() I guess it's pretty thick. School lets out on the 19th this year so I won't have to suffer from my ole' teacher very much longer. For my birthday Leona B stayed with me. I got 36 cents, two pr. barrettes, and a comb. No more junk so I'll close.
An ole' buddie,
Judy
Note from DMB: In the era of texting and cell phones, we no longer have treasures like these. More is the pity.
May 9, 1950
Der Dwight,
Well this is the first time this quarter I've written. Last Friday I was in a May Fete. I was in the chourse and I was a May Pole Dancer. Mary Kranz and I sang a sole. I got to wear a blue formal.
Now! About Louise's love affairs! She is still going with H.L.() I guess it's pretty thick. School lets out on the 19th this year so I won't have to suffer from my ole' teacher very much longer. For my birthday Leona B stayed with me. I got 36 cents, two pr. barrettes, and a comb. No more junk so I'll close.
An ole' buddie,
Judy
Note from DMB: In the era of texting and cell phones, we no longer have treasures like these. More is the pity.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Echoes from the Past: January 27 1950
Garland, Wyo.
Jan 27, 1950
Dear ole Dwight,
Guess what! Well Louise never did go skating with Lover Boy. I guess he got mad and they haven't gone out yet. That I know of. I don't have very much to tease Louise about now. Well what redhead have you ran into?
Ann was out of school for about a week with tonisle ides. Well not much dirt has come up yet.
Your ole sister,
Judy
P.S. Well it's Feb. and I don't have it mailed yet. Oh! Guess What! You could guess a hundred times and still would be unable to guess so I'll have to tell you. Well Mon. night we were waiting for Ma and Pa to come home because we were going to the concert. Finally a car drove up. We wonder who it could be. Well it was Ma and Pa. Well, Well, Well. Guess What! It was a new car. It's a '50 Ford and tan. Oh boy it's nice.
Jan 27, 1950
Dear ole Dwight,
Guess what! Well Louise never did go skating with Lover Boy. I guess he got mad and they haven't gone out yet. That I know of. I don't have very much to tease Louise about now. Well what redhead have you ran into?
Ann was out of school for about a week with tonisle ides. Well not much dirt has come up yet.
Your ole sister,
Judy
P.S. Well it's Feb. and I don't have it mailed yet. Oh! Guess What! You could guess a hundred times and still would be unable to guess so I'll have to tell you. Well Mon. night we were waiting for Ma and Pa to come home because we were going to the concert. Finally a car drove up. We wonder who it could be. Well it was Ma and Pa. Well, Well, Well. Guess What! It was a new car. It's a '50 Ford and tan. Oh boy it's nice.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Concern for Living on the River
As Dwight has posted the photos depicting the personalities of the river, I recalled the letter written by Aunt Elsie to our parents. She does voice her concern of living on the river with the children.
There are other treasures of this letter:
1. That she truly did love her nephew, Russell Blood.
2. That the ranch suffered the fallout of the depression, and they were short on business and money. This could be why Dad did not get paid his expected wages.
3. She mentions getting the "watch" fixed in Billings. (Grandma Louise's watch?)
4. Dwight had colic
5. That she was considerate of mother and her circumstances.
6. And there is probably more that you will determine as you read this letter.
There are other treasures of this letter:
1. That she truly did love her nephew, Russell Blood.
2. That the ranch suffered the fallout of the depression, and they were short on business and money. This could be why Dad did not get paid his expected wages.
3. She mentions getting the "watch" fixed in Billings. (Grandma Louise's watch?)
4. Dwight had colic
5. That she was considerate of mother and her circumstances.
6. And there is probably more that you will determine as you read this letter.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Letter from Uncle Orvil to Grandpa and Grandma Wasden 1932
Garland, August 29
Dear Dad & Mother,
It sounds as though you are pretty busy with church work, harvesting and entertaining relatives.
We've been pretty busy too. Russ has been a carpenter and a farmer. I've been shocking and stacking oats for over a week now. Minnie is canning and drying apples.
They have created some road work in this state for the unemployed and the out-of -work men in each county are to make application. The money was let on Aug. 23. Board will be no more than 75(cents) a day. Skilled labor will draw 60 (cents) per hour and unskilled labor 40 (cents). They're using as little machinery as possible to give jobs to single hands and horses. Russ and I applied about a week ago. of course we're both skilled laborers. Russell at cooking and I at fresnoing. I told the secretary I'd done done everything on the road. I'd really rather be a flunkey than fresno hand because it's not so monotonous and a flunkey works every day, rain or shine. I'll take what I can get tho.
We went down to Conference yesterday. You should have seen the crowd that was turned away. Apostle Ballard, Sisters Hogan and Hart were here, besides some people from Denver. I expect the old skinflints who refused to donate on the stake tabernacle were joyous to see people turned and a lot of them held down the softest seats in the hall. Last nite was the Mutual session. The Gleaner chorus sang and did a real job of it. Golden Welch was conducting.
Hattie or Charlie manage everything around here but the dances. Old Man alcohol sometimes manages them. "The Way to Perfection" is used here.
The Penrose Branch Relief Socity exhibit was highly complimented after Russ had made most of the things. It was an ideal reading center.
Take care of yourselves and maybe Santa Claus will come son (soon). Good luck,
Orvil
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