Ships, trains, and automobiles! Dave, Francis, Ruth, and Bill all experience (more) car trouble. Dave and Francis each still have a good paying job, making it easier to deal with the repairs. Bill is back home and seems to try his best at making repairs around the house, but takes another licensing exam and prepares to ship out again. The mechanic job that Hermann and Ruth wanted for Dave has so far not worked out.
September 15, 1936
Hello Hon,
I just remembered that I am all out of paper. Good time to think of it isn’t it? I probably won’t think of it again until the next time I write.
Gee, hon, I received a swell letter from my wife tonight. If cold feet can inspire you to write as much as you did Sunday night, I’ll furnish you with a cake of ice for the next letter.
Too bad you had such weather when you went after Bill. How long is he staying?
I was surprised to hear about Doris’s arm. I guess you have to hand it to Dr. Alden after all. What I am wondering is what will happen next up there. Seems like there is always something going wrong.
Next Sunday is supposed to be the time for the picnic. I guess it will be at Slingerland’s again and is supposed to be for Ralph’s birthday. Everyone is supposed to bring him something funny. It has been a long time since we went anywhere together hasn’t it, dear? Never mind, hon, someday the dream will come true and we will have each other all the while. We can’t go on like this forever. It is getting harder all the time it seems.
You are a fine one to talk about me working hard. I never work hard enough to get me a backache and you do. In fact there are lots of days that I do my share of shirking. The last few days haven’t been so hard anyway. Fran and I have been working downstairs where we are out of Nelson’s sight part of the time. I think about Thursday we will start the roof and I suppose it will be all rush again for a while.
When you say you haven’t done much for me, honey, I want to spank you. You have made me the happiest husband in the world and you are always doing something for me. No one could do any more than you have, hon, and I love you, my sweet wife.
I hadn’t thought about the piece in the paper until you spoke of it so I looked it up. It was just luck the paper hadn’t been destroyed. There was also a picture of the antique in the Schenectady paper tonight. Now you can have a good laugh.1
This morning when I was going to work there was a Borden’s Milk truck cracked up in a field on Windy Ridge Hill. The driver said two cars were stopped on the hill and their drivers were talking. He had to take to the ditch to avoid them. The trailer smashed his cab quite a bit but he had only a cut over the eye.
Sunday there was another large truck smashed into a tree not twenty feet from there. The driver of that is in the hospital quite badly hurt.
I will probably only work 4 hours tomorrow. At least that will make me 40 hours for the week and that is all we are supposed to work. That will be $35 coming Friday night, the first full pay either Fran or I have had. I certainly hope nothing prevents me sending some of that to you. Tomorrow will also make me 89 hours for the month and 41 to go. If that is all they let us work this month, I should be thru by next Thursday anyway.
Lydia hasn’t said anything about coming up to stay yet. I would like to bring her up next time I come but I don’t know what she is planning and I don’t like to ask her. Maybe if I just let it ride, she will mention it herself. I do know, however, she won’t come up to stay while Bill is there.
Sunday I was worrying about my dime saver. It had one lonely dime in it but in the last two days I have collected eight more. Seems like they come in flocks. I think before the thing is full I’ll throw it away and keep them in the old sock. I feel like swearing every time I try to put one in. The new one you got can’t be any worse than these things.
I haven’t heard anything from Turcott yet. Maybe I will tomorrow and then again he may not even bother to answer. I put a stamped envelope in the last letter I wrote so it seems like he might at least write no on a piece of paper and put it in.
I can’t tell much about the car yet as I am driving it so slow and it makes so much noise you wouldn’t hear a knock in it anyway. The new muffler should be here Thursday or Friday. I’ll be glad when I get it on. Fran broke the starter spring on his car Monday and he sent for a new one along with my order. That’s where I got stuck for two dimes. It was $.22 and he gave me two dimes and two pennies. Kinda mean don’t you think?
Well, honey, I haven’t done quite as well as you but I’m all out of words so I’ll just have to say goodnight.
I love you, darling, always and forever.
Your loving hubby,
Dave
September 15, 1936
Adams Center, N.Y.
Hello Honey,
I thought for a few minutes tonight that you wouldn’t get any letter. I felt just like I did the night I had the stomach spell before we made the trip down there. I feel a little better now so maybe I’ll be alright. I managed to get supper ready but I’m not eating any. Seems like I’m always having something to groan about.
We went to Watertown this forenoon and this afternoon I did the ironing. Bill fixed the clothes press in the bedroom so there was a lot of moving around to be done. I have taken most of my junk upstairs.
William Sedgemore. “Looks like he will continue to sail for a few years” – Ruth Coffin
Glenn took Bill to Oswego yesterday and he passed his examination. Looks like he will continue to sail for a few years yet anyway. He is going to try and get a license in a different line. He has both a pilot’s and master’s license.
I haven’t said anything to him about staying home. He will do just as he pleases anyway. Guess I haven’t said as much about it as the rest have. He can do as he pleases about staying home next year but I won’t be backward about telling him that he has to make some arrangement for running the house here next year. One year of my life is all I feel like giving up to do what is his duty. In fact it is more than I had intended to give up. If I have a home, I intend to be in it. Not that what I do for Mom isn’t done willingly, but I wouldn’t feel it was treating you right. I feel bad enough that I haven’t done more for you as it is.
It is too bad the car had to cost so much but it will be worth a lot to know it isn’t going to fall to pieces on the road. You just have to have it or you couldn’t work at all, so I guess we shouldn’t feel badly about it. I only hope it doesn’t cost quite so much to operate and won’t need any more done to it for a long time.
What days in the week are you supposed to work anyway? It makes me dizzy just trying to figure out when you are working.
Bill has gone to Adams tonight after medicine for Mom. I hope he asks Dr. Alden about her condition.
I haven’t done any canning so far this week. Mom got us another dozen of jelly glasses like the other ones we have. Did I tell you I bought us three dozen quart cans last week? I still have eight of them to fill. I made some mincemeat. There were eight quarts in all. Mom thought when I first started it she didn’t care for it, but when I got it done, she liked it so she has half. I never made it before but it seemed to be o.k. but it is quite rich.
Glenn was over a while last night. He offered to borrow one little radio to try it out at his house. I wasn’t very crazy about the idea and I guess he gathered as much. After all it is as easy for them to buy a radio as it is for us. Guess I’m getting to be Scotch along with the rest. Anyway, I told him I would need it back soon as I was going to let you take it home when you come up again.
We had a letter from Grace today. She will be in Fayetteville for a week or so before she goes to Manlin’s. She says she is still very weak. We are very lucky that she is still alive.
Mom has been feeling pretty good lately and doing quite a lot of work. In fact I think she has been doing a little too much as she doesn’t feel so well tonight.
I had a letter from Loretta yesterday. Evidently she is still going with Ed but they are waiting until he is transferred to another city before they get married. I have heard that line so long it is an old story. He has been going to make a change ever since I have known him. I must say I prefer our life to theirs even if Ed does spend a lot of money on her and they go to all the swell places.
During Ed’s vacation he took Loretta and Helen to Atlantic City for a week. Loretta tells me Cliff is as sweet as ever. His mother must have given up all hopes that he will ever get wise to himself.
I’m not in a very good mood tonight which you no doubt have noticed as you read this letter. Guess I get to be more of a crank every day.
I haven’t been sleeping very good nights of late. I don’t know if it is the change in beds or what. Maybe I’m afraid a big bad rat will jump out and grab me.
I’m glad you were at home last week so you could see Florence and Walt. Maybe it was the cause of you spending one weekend without being so lonesome. We had a letter from Lydia today which I should answer, but I guess I won’t do it tonight. She says she hears all the news anyway.
This is the last sheet of paper in the pad so I guess I had better call it a day and go to bed.
How long do you have to drive the car slow? I think I’ll ask Percy where he got his seat covers and try and get some for your car.
Well, sweet, there isn’t anything more to write about so take care of yourself and don’t work too hard.
I love you, honey.
Good night,
“Me”
P.S. Don’t worry about me as I will be alright even if I do have to work, it won’t hurt me any.
Yours always,
Ruth
September 16, 1936
Adams Center, N.Y.
Hello Darling,
There really isn’t anything to write about but I’m feeling sort of lonesome so the best I can do is start a letter to my beloved hubby.
Except for a slight headache I am feeling better than I was when I wrote to you last night. I intended to write a P.S. on your letter this morning saying I was o.k. so you wouldn’t worry but didn’t get time.
I have been busy most of the day making jelly. I made more grape and some pineapple jelly, also a few cans of conserve. I was figuring up tonight and I have made at least eighty-two cans of jelly and jam this year. Not bad for an amateur.
Gee, it has been raining hard here. I wish my honey was here tonight so I could wake him up to see if the rain kept him awake.
We have had a lot of rain lately but our well is still dry. The well down to the other place is nearly empty and there are four families depending on it for water.
Gee, I sure am glad you are getting a new muffler for the flivver. I don’t know of anything that you could get that would please me any more. I suppose the car will run so quiet since it is all fixed up that Pat won’t know when you come up again.
I am anxious to know whether or not you hear from Turcott. Hermann said if you come up to go and see him whether he answers your letter or not. Bob leaves September 28th which is a week from next Monday.
O.k., by the way, I forgot to tell you that I let the old hen out Monday. She has decided to stop setting for a while. Maybe she got tired of going without food or water.
Mr. Chinbunny still lives on. The next time you come up if you should be going near Preston Hollow, you might bring up another rabbit. Winnie said she would give Billy one. Be sure it is the same sex as this one. I don’t know what this is but maybe Snyder’s do.
Percy’s throat is still sore. Janie said the other night after he argued so long she thought she would have to call the Dr.
Well, sweetheart, everyone else has retired so I guess I might as well. Don’t work too hard, darling, and take care of you for me.
Oodles of hugs and kisses to my very own husband.
Yours forever,
Ruth
P.S. Don’t forget I love you, darling boy.
September 17, 1936
Middleburg, N.Y.
Hello Honey,
I received your letter tonight, dear, and I was awfully sorry to hear you weren’t feeling well. I hope it didn’t last and you are all right by now. I’ll be waiting anxiously for you next letter to hear how you are. I think a little less work and worry would be good for you but I don’t know how you would go about getting that prescription filled.
We worked an hour and a half overtime again tonight so it was 7:30 when I got home. We also have to be at work at seven in the morning. I don’t wonder you go crazy trying to figure out my hours. We never know from one minute to the next when we will work. Yesterday we only worked until noon as we had our 40 hours for the week in. Tomorrow the eagle pays his weekly visit and I expect to draw that full week’s pay. If nothing happens between now and the time I get to a P.O. tomorrow night, I hope to be able to send you a money order. I’m almost afraid to plan on it though because every time I do something happens so I can’t do it.
Didn’t I tell you I would forget to get any paper? I’ll have to tie a string on my finger.
I haven’t heard from Turcott yet. Doesn’t look as though he is going to answer.
The new muffler for the car came today but I don’t know when I’ll get a chance to put it on.
If Bill intends to continue sailing, there isn’t much use of trying to talk him out of it, but he should be made to understand that Mother will need someone with her all the time. I don’t regret the time you have given to her so far, dear. If I can have you with me this winter, I know we will be happy enough to forget all of this.
I think you are doing pretty good with the canning, dear. Don’t try to do too much though. You have work enough as it is.
If you get any seat covers for the car, it would have to be something we could take off and put on easily. I wouldn’t want to put them on and carry tools and everything. But they would be all right to put on and cover up some of the dirt when we have good clothes on.
I didn’t see anything in your letter to indicate you were crabby when you wrote it. It was just as nice as usual, dear. Just because you aren’t feeling well doesn’t mean that you are crabby. To me you are just a sweet and adorable wife.
I started to listen to Major Bowes tonight but I soon abandoned the idea as it was getting late and I knew by the time I had this letter finished I would be sleepy.
I haven’t made this very long but there isn’t much to say except I love you so I guess I’ll sign off and go to sleep. I have to get up again in seven and a half hours.
I hope you are able to sleep tonight, dearest, and are feeling all right. If you aren’t, I want you to tell me and also see that wonderful Dr. If you don’t, I’ll come up and spank you, then you’ll have something to go to the Dr. for.
Goodnight, darling. Remember I love my sweet wife.
A million hugs and kisses,
Dave
September 17, 1936
Adams Center, N.Y.
Hello Honey,
It is cold enough tonight but I doubt if it will inspire me to write a very long letter. There isn’t a heck of a lot to write about.
The most exciting thing I can think of to tell is that the Essex refuses to run these last two days. She was working swell when I drove to Oswego Saturday but Bill suddenly took it upon himself to clean the points or some darn thing and she hasn’t worked since. He even had a guy come down from Adams today to fix it. It worked while they were here but hasn’t since. Bill has busted nearly everything he has touched since he got home.
Bill expects to leave Sunday night for Buffalo. He is going to try and ship out from there. Here’s hoping he gets a good job.
Do you mean that if you have all of your time in by Thursday night you will come up for the rest of the month? That would be swell. Lydia hasn’t mentioned anything to me about coming up. Maybe she has changed her mind about it.
Mom seems to be feeling good and does quite a little work. She says I can leave her any time and she will stay alone with the kids.
This letter will be a mixed up mess or I will lose my guess. Bill is reading aloud in the front room, Billy is whistling and June is at my elbow asking how to spell words.
“That was quite a piece about the M&S you sent. The picture added the finishing touch.” – Ruth Coffin, 1936. SV No. 5 in Middleburgh. Joseph A. Smith Collection
That was quite a piece about the M&S you sent. The picture added the finishing touch. That sure is something to feel puffed up about. I’m glad to hear that you aren’t working quite as hard. However, I know that if you hadn’t been working pretty hard you wouldn’t still be on the job. How much longer do you expect the job to last or haven’t you any idea? I think you are lucky to have worked as long as you have and I am very thankful that you have earned enough to pay for the work on the car.2
I think you are doing very well with the dimes. You have done better than I have. I don’t believe I have but five. If Fran gave you two dimes, it can’t be Lydia is still saving them or maybe he hadn’t taken them home yet.
So you don’t like your dime saver. Can’t say I blame you much. The one I had was a pain in the neck and this one is still worse. It is just like an envelope with a little slit in it and you can’t even see how many dimes there are in it.
The kids have gone to bed and Bill has stopped reading but they have the radio on so loud you can’t tell what it is all about. I have our radio upstairs. It sure was good last night. I listened to a “Community Sing” last night. I was only sorry my hubby wasn’t here to help me listen.
Seems like an awfully long time since I saw you, dear, but I’ll try and struggle along until you think it best to come up.
Major Bowes is just coming on. Did you know he was still going to be on the Chrysler Hour? I suppose if I don’t think it is any good, I’ll have to go upstairs.3
We think Billy’s rooster was killed tonight. I saw him fly when a car went by but we can’t find him anywhere.
You should see me sitting here with a blanket around my legs. Something tells me the sock season is about over until next July. Gee, hon, wait until you have to finance the purchase of a winter’s supply of stockings for your wife. You will decide your troubles have just started. I guess it is a good thing we haven’t many cats around like Fluffy was, you are bad enough.
Well, I guess I’ll go upstairs and listen to the amateurs after I get in bed. I think I can keep warmer there. Gee, I sure am glad we are going to be together this winter. Something tells me I am going to have cold feet and please don’t take me wrong.
We haven’t heard from Lynn and June only once since they brought the girls home. We didn’t know if they were still in Poughkeepsie or not. June said he might be changed after Labor Day.
How is the weather down there? It has been hot up here lately until it rained last night but I have been cold all day. Guess it must be more of those “old maid chills” I told you about.
Your wife just has to sign off and go to bed.
Good night, my darling.
Oodles of love and kisses.
Yours always,
“Me”
Friday 8 a.m.
Better give me a long credit mark cause I got up at 6:45 and have even had my breakfast. Do you ever have to get up as early as you did before and do you work late nights?
Bill had the Essex towed to Adams Center this morning. I just hope they get it to working decent before I have to drive it much.
Billy’s rooster just showed up this morning. Except for being minus a few feathers, he appears to be o.k.
We didn’t have a frost yet but it was cold enough for one last night.
I have some cleaning to do upstairs this morning so I guess I had better close and get at it. Maybe we will go to H20 town this afternoon.
More love.
Your wife,
Ruth
September 18, 1936
Adams Center, N.Y.
Hello Sweet,
It is Saturday night so I think I’ll get my darling’s letter started. Believe it or not, dear, this is one night that I feel o.k. and I’m not even tired. Isn’t that something?
James Henry, Alice (seated), William, and Harriet Paver
I will try and give you a brief summary of what has happened since I finished your letter yesterday morning. First of all, Bill succeeded in getting the Essex fixed at Clayton’s yesterday. Yesterday afternoon we went over to Belleville and called on Paver’s. Mrs. Paver could only spare us a few minutes as she was going out to a Missionary meeting. However, I was there long enough to have her give me a kitten. Hope he turns out better than the other cats I have adopted this year.4
From Paver’s we went up to Kent’s. Ethel said if I would stay over for supper, Kent would bring me home after supper. I stayed and we went to see Florence Hicks. Gee, it was great to see her again. I think it was the second time I had seen her since she graduated in 1932 and we used to live together. We lived at Paver’s together about three years. She hasn’t changed at all except for increasing in weight a little. She has one child, a police pup that runs the house and makes more work than six kids. She seems to be very happy in spite of the fact that she has been married nearly three years. Anyway, I succeeded in getting caught up on most of the choice morsels of gossip for the last two years. Gee, honey, I believe I really am growing old. It seems funny to think of all the little kids being grown up. Oh yes, I even saw “Dizzy”.
When Kent was coming over last night we saw a truck burn. It was a new Dodge last spring. It belonged to a guy who lives in Smithville. We went all over looking for fire extinguishers. Maybe Kent didn’t give us a swift ride. They managed to put the fire out so nothing but the cab burned. He had just filled the gas tank so it didn’t explode. The fellow that owned the truck rode home with us.
About 11:20 last night I hadn’t gone to sleep yet and I heard a mouse playing around on the floor. I heard him jump into my waste basket and keep trying to jump out. I ran downstairs and had Bill come up and get the basket. He took it down and dumped it on the kitchen floor and the kitten grabbed him. I was so darn scared I didn’t get to sleep until quite late. Didn’t I tell you the darn mice were playing around in this room?
The guy that was fixing Bill’s old Essex coupe finally brought it home today. It doesn’t run yet and he has a bill against it for $40. Looks like another piece of junk to fall to pieces around here.
Eva, Hermann and family came down this afternoon and for supper. Hermann has had to buy all the stock in his station and he has to take it on his own responsibility. He says he will hire a man part-time but he can’t pay but fifteen a week and after the licenses expire in January he won’t need a man. However, he says if you want the job, you can have it. I told him I would explain it as best I could to you, but I thought you would prefer to take your chances down there. I don’t know what you think but I don’t see much of a future in a proposition like that. There certainly would be no opportunity for advancement there and you could never depend on it to be steady. I certainly would hate to see you quit your present job for anything as uncertain as the job Hermann has to offer. Even though this job isn’t steady you are getting experience and good pay while it lasts.
We had a letter from Grace today. She is back in Manlin’s but can’t do any work. They may have moved by now. It seems the man where Niles was working got peeved because he stayed in the city the week Grace was so bad. He had another man hired and all ready to move into their house and didn’t even give them any notice. Niles heard about it through a neighbor. Guess they will move into Syracuse as Niles has his old job back in the shop. Maybe it will prove to be better in the long run but it seems like a rather lousy trick for that guy to pull. The house I guess was in terrible shape when they moved there and Grace has spent all summer cleaning the place up. I don’t imagine she felt much like it either.5
Lydia said in the letter we received today that Lula’s cat got his face smashed. What happened to him anyway?
Guess I’ll let you get the seat covers ‘cause probably you know more about whether they are easy to put on or not. I’ll take a good look at Percy’s.
I am upstairs writing this in my pajamas and bathrobe. As per usual my feet are cold as ice. The radio isn’t very good tonight or maybe I’m not in the mood to listen.
I hope I sleep late in the morning because tomorrow is the longest day of the week. I don’t know if the folks are going to church or not. I don’t believe I will.
Seems like I have a pretty good start made on this letter so I had better go me to sleep.
Don’t forget to take care of my Sweetie Pie cause I love him.
Good night, honey.
Yours always,
Ruth
Sunday 8:45
It is a good thing I didn’t wait until tonight to start your letter. I fear it would have been rather short if I had.
The folks went to church this morning but I was awake by the time they left as there were a half dozen lost articles and they asked me where everything was. I finally got up at nine.
The greater part of the afternoon I spent reading and we went down to Percy’s a few minutes.
We took Bill up to Adams Center to catch the 6:30 train for Buffalo.
We were only home a few minutes when Glenn and family came. They just left a few minutes ago.
The kitten caught another mouse right here in the dining room today. He has made a pretty good start already.
I finally succeeded in washing my hair this forenoon. I have intended to wash it ever since the last time you were up.
I think I have covered all the events of the day so will retire before I fall asleep writing. I’m an awful sleepy head lately, seems like I can’t get enough sleep.
Goodnight, my darling.
Oodles of love to my sweet hubby,
“Me”
September 20, 1936
Middleburg, N.Y.
Hello Honey Darling,
I guess I haven’t done justice by my sweet wife in the matter of writing letters. You have written more and longer letters than I but I just don’t seem to be capable of writing much lately. You know I love you just as much as ever though, don’t you, honey?
This has been a long, lonesome Sunday but there is no use telling you about the lonesome part because I know it has been the same for you. I was awake at daylight as usual but I managed to stay in bed until 7:30 when I got up and started breakfast. After breakfast I took me a long walk in the woods all by my lonesome. When I got back I trimmed berries until dinnertime. After dinner I laid on the couch on the porch and read until 5 o’clock. Then I went down to Lula’s for a half hour or so and now here I am trying to write a decent letter to my darling wife.
Fran and Lydia went down to Slingerland’s last night and I suppose they had the picnic today. I could have gone but I couldn’t see the sense of driving sixty miles to be lonesome in a crowd when I could get the same effect by staying home. Maybe if the truth were known I’m getting scotch myself and just didn’t want to spend the money for gas.
I intended to write Friday night so you would get a letter and the M.O. Monday but we didn’t work again Friday afternoon so we had to wait until Saturday for our money. There wasn’t anything new to write about and I was so disgusted about not working all day that I just let it slide. You will forgive me, won’t you, honey? Anyway we did get paid Saturday and I went right to the P.O. and got this money order. It does me good to be able to send you a little money. I only wish it were more. If I can get in another full week and nothing goes wrong, it will be more next time. I paid the balance of the garage bill and had the muffler put on and the car greased so we are once more out of debt and a few dollars to the good. I also added five more dimes to the collection.
Lula and Claude finally have their floors sanded and are starting to varnish them tonight. Claude got a few day’s work on a bridge job and prosperity must have gone to their heads because they went right to Albany and ordered a living room suite, a rug and an innerspring mattress. The stuff hasn’t been delivered yet and they are thinking of backing out on it. After she told me the price of the living room suite, I told her she had better back out and do some shopping around. It was $159. I don’t know what the rest came to but it looks like a lot of money to me.
I don’t know what to tell you about coming up, honey, because it is so uncertain when I will work. If I should work right thru, I would be all thru sometime Thursday morning but you can’t figure it that way because it is quite apt to rain or even if it doesn’t, they may make me split the time up. All I can be sure of is that I should at least have the weekend and the first three days of next week off. If Lydia has decided not to come up, do you think Mother is well enough to be left alone for a week either when I come up this time or in a couple of weeks?
It has been thirteen days since I saw my honey and I know by the time this week rolls by I’ll be at the end of my endurance again. Time goes awfully slow when we are apart, doesn’t it, darling?
Mom isn’t feeling so well tonight. She has a cold and headache but of course she will wash tomorrow. However, Lula will be here and she will probably do most of it.
It is quite chilly here tonight. One day it is warm and the next cold. One night last week it was so hot I slept with no pajamas and nothing over me and the next night I nearly froze under all the blankets. Maybe you had better take this money order and buy that supply of stockings. If you wait until winter is here we might not have the money and you would go barefooted.
What sort of a chill is an “old maid’s chill”? I don’t remember you telling me about that. Whatever it is, I’ll bet you didn’t have any the first week we were married. How about it?
So Bill’s rooster lost some feathers. Lula’s cat got hit last week, also.
I interrupted this letter to go down and listen to Eddie Cantor’s new program. He was pretty good. I always did like him and tonight is the first I have heard him in a long time.
It is only eight o’clock but I can’t think of anything more so I’ll go to bed and start another week, the end of which will once more find me with my darling wife in my arms. I love you, my sweet, and I’ll count the hours until I see you.
Always your hubby,
Dave
P.S. I haven’t heard anything from Turcott.
Footnotes
- As noted later, Dave had included a newspaper article with this letter. It did not survive the 70+ years the letters were hidden, but the article he might have sent was found online. It is far too large to include here, but really is quite a well-written story about the Middleburg and Schoharie Railroad (the “M&S”). To view and download the article, follow the link here. The link will take you to a separate page (tab) that I set up and includes a jpg file of the article. It was from the Schenectady Gazette, September 15, 1936.
- See the previous footnote for a link to the newspaper piece about the M&S. The railroad was bankrupt and set to close. It was used for delivering both passengers and cargo and ran 3 times a day. The photo was lifted from here. More about the M&S is described in Wikipedia here. Although there is mention that the M&S line stopped running in 1936, the news blurb below indicates that the M&S closed on September 15, 1942.
Schenectady Gazette, Sept 1, 1942
- Both Dave and Ruth seemed to be fans of this radio show. She talked about going to a live show in this letter from 1935.
- Mrs. Paver was Bill Sedgemore’s Aunt Alice (shown in the photo). She was the wife of James Henry Paver, who was the brother of Bill’s mother. While still in England, they had two children, William and Harriet, and came to the US in 1914. The portrait photo must have been taken shortly before they left. James Paver died in 1950, and Alice lived until 1963:
Alice Paver obituary, Watertown Daily Times, 30 Sept, 1963
- Employees now have the right to return to their jobs after taking leave for medical reasons, thanks to the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA). This covers the birth or adoption of a child, and also includes leave due to a serious illness of a family member. The time off is unpaid. Although an important benefit to everyone, it’s remarkable that it took so long for this to become law.