Dave and Frances each have a nice-paying but difficult job. Unfortunately, both their salaries are immediately sunk into car repairs! Dave is pressured by Hermann and Ruth to apply for a mechanic job in Watertown, which he tries to do. Grace seems to be getting better. Glenn and Dot’s daughter, Doris, is taken to the hospital for a broken arm. This post is the first we hear of Percy’s illness.
September 8, 1936
Tuesday, 12:30
Adams Center, N.Y.
Hello Honey Boy,
We didn’t get a telephone call last night so I trust you arrived safely. Hope the car works better the next time you come up. I also hope it doesn’t bankrupt you to get the buggy fixed.
I did the washing this forenoon and right now it looks like it might get dry before it rains again. However, I am keeping my fingers crossed.
We had a letter from Eva this morning and I will send it on to you so you can see what she has to say about the job. Seems as though a married man might stand more of a chance. If you decide to write to Turcott, why don’t you tell him that your present home is in Adams Center and that you are only working down there for a while. If he should answer, you might come up and see him some weekend. You can do what you think best about writing. The way work looks right now, it seems as though it is a pretty good chance. Of course the wages aren’t awfully large but it would be something steady and that means a lot. As for advancement, I don’t know why you couldn’t be as good as Hermann. At present he has a steady income of $22 a week plus a bonus and I don’t know just how much that is. Seems as though the two of us should be able to make out pretty well on that much. I don’t believe rent is very high in Gouverneur. I wish you had known about it when you were up Saturday.
Bill’s check came so we are going to Watertown this afternoon and get the rest of the kids’ clothes. I’m going to put twelve dollars back in the bank. Guess I’ll keep four dollars of what you gave me for things to can.
Well, sweet, your wife squandered $.25 for a ticket on the car last night. We didn’t win the car and neither did Sprague’s so be sure and tell Lydia when you see her.
You didn’t catch the rat but he has given up working in the front room and has started in the kitchen. The darn thing has me about nuts. If he ever manages to get up in the house, I’ll die. I’m going to get some rat poison up town.
My throat isn’t sore at all today thanks to my husband. I think the cold in my head is a little better but is still with me.
Guess I forgot to tell you that the car was won by a woman from Watertown.
Mom had a letter from Bill but he didn’t say anything about coming home. I hope he stays where he is.
We will go around by Adams Center and I’ll mail this then so you will get it Wednesday instead of Thursday. That will give you more of a chance to write to that group if you want to.
Well, sweetheart, we have to go and get back before the kids get home so I had better call it a day.
Yours always,
Ruth
P.S. Don’t work too hard, Honey. I love my darling boy.
All my love and kisses,
“Me”
[From Eva]
Saturday Morning
Dear Aunt J. and Ruth,
Maybe I can sandwich this in between dishes and mopping. Miss Margaret is standing behind me dancing. The pen scratches so I guess I can make better time as well as more readable with pencil.
I thought we were going to get down there this week and planned to Thursday but Bob wasn’t any too willing to loan his car. He wants Hermann to take two days off so he can get in more time before he goes, but I can’t see much object nothing to go away with (sic). Herman said we’d come down and stay all nite if we had had a car. Darn having to depend on someone else. He also told me to tell you that if Dave was up and wanted to try for the job, he could go to see Mr. W. J. Turcott at 26 Haley Street, Watertown, or he could write. He’s the supervisor but not to mention any relationship or say too much about living way down there. If he could only be up here and see him sometime, but we never know when he is coming. So far there hasn’t been any married men applied. Bob is going the 28th of September. I wish Dave could get it because it’s a steady $17 the year around and a little more in the summer. Haley Street is somewhere across from the hospital on Washington. Turcott is on the right-hand side.
Ruth and Dave with Billy, Pat (dog), June, and Niebuhr children, Margaret, Ed, and Fred. Photo taken 1935 or ’36.
Margaret has had a terrible cold but is better now. I’m going down tonite and get Frederick’s things. Wished I could have gotten to Watertown and gotten him suits like Billy. I’m going to try to see the teacher first and then send him with another little boy alone. I think he would make less fuss.
I bought ½ bushel of peaches this morning. $1.30 quite high but I guess they are going higher. Last week were $2.25 a bushel and this week $2.50. I guess pears are cheaper but I’m not going to can any. I wish you had some of my cucumbers. I bet I’ve given a ½ bushel away. I’m going to let some of them get bigger and make some bread and butter pickles and give you part.
How is Grace? I wrote her a letter last week but haven’t heard anything. Is Bill home or when do you expect him?
Must close and get to work.
Love,
Eva
September 9, 1936
Middleburg, N.Y.
My Darling Wife,
I’m not in much of a letter writing mood but I’ll try and scribble off a few lines. It has been hotter than blazes here today and we had to work pretty hard so I’m about done up. When 4:30 came I thought I would lay right down on the floor and rest I was so tired, and then Nelson came around and told Fran and I to work another hour.
It wasn’t so bad though because we didn’t do much. Tomorrow will probably be another humdinger for me because I’ll be all alone. All the other carpenters have their hours in for the week. By working Saturday and Monday Fran only had a half day Monday but he only lacks 1½ hours of the 40 so he isn’t going up tomorrow. If I get thru tomorrow all right, I’ll begin to think I may know a little about what is going on.
Fran had some tough luck with his tires Saturday. Coming home from work he had a flat. The new tire you got from Hermann. He had no spare and you know how that car wrecks a tire and tube when it goes flat. He finally got it patched and by a miracle it got him home about 7:30 but the new tire is a wreck. He had to buy two new ones that set him back $15.00. I guess we don’t have all the tough luck.
My or rather our car is in the garage and I am driving the red-wheeled Ford. I almost changed my mind about letting it go to the garage it worked so good after fixing it in L.F. However, it had to be done sometime so I guess now is the best. I stopped to look at it tonight and it needs a new set of valves and one valve spring was broken.
Well, honey darling, this is a short letter but I know you will excuse me for being tired. No need to tell you how much I miss you or how much I love you because you already know, so it’s goodnight, sweetheart.
Love and kisses from your hubby,
Dave
September 9, 1936
Adams Center, N.Y.
Hello Darling,
So you did finally arrive home Monday night. I was afraid you would have trouble when I watched you going up the hill. I knew you should have kept that money you gave me.
This has been rather a busy day. After the kids left for school I did the ironing. About 11:00 Mom and I started out to find some tomatoes. We went around by Smithville and stopped at four different places. The tomatoes were a dollar per bushel for the best but they wouldn’t have any until next week. We finally went up to Dudley’s (the place Janie told us about). Their best tomatoes are $.80 a bushel and the seconds are $.50. All we could get today was a bushel of seconds. They are picking again tomorrow so we are going up after a couple bushels of the best ones. I think there is more than thirty cents difference in the two grades. The ones we got today take much longer to prepare and there is a lot of waste to them. We managed to get thirteen quarts from them. I hope to can about two dozen quarts in all. I don’t know if we will have as good luck finding corn to can or not. I bought the stuff to make the green tomato mincemeat yesterday. I also got some pineapple to see if I can make some sort of jelly.
While we were gone today Eva and Hermann came, finding nobody at home, they went over to Glenn’s. They were all here for supper.
Hermann says he thinks if you care about that job, it will help to write to Turcott and if you are up in a week or so, to go and see him but not to make a special trip. He says he doesn’t dare act too anxious to have you as they probably wouldn’t hire you anyway if he did. However, he says he will tell them that he prefers a married man. He says they don’t hire anyone under twenty or over thirty years of age. Eva said she made a mistake in Turcott’s address it is 126 Haley Street instead of twenty-six.
Percy Parker
Janie stopped in tonight and let us know about Percy. He had his operation this morning. She said he was awful sick this afternoon. I knew he would be and I imagine he won’t put in a very comfortable night. She seemed quite worried about him but I think he will be alright. He has a private room and she was going to hire a nurse for tonight.1
Well, dearest, I’m kind of tired and it is 8:35 so I’ll turn off the oil stove and go to bed.
Good night, darling.
All my love to the sweetest husband on earth.
Yours always,
Ruth
September 10, 1936
Middleburg, N.Y.
Hello Hon,
I received your letter yesterday and wrote to Mr. Turcott last night. I guess that is why I didn’t write to my honey. Two letters in one night is a little too much for me these days. Anyway I wrote the other one and spread quite a line. I told him I wouldn’t be interested in it if it didn’t pay enough to support a man and wife or if there wasn’t good chances for advancement. I should have sent a stamped envelope for him to reply but forgot it. Maybe he won’t even answer. I didn’t mention Hermann’s name and told him I lived in Adams Center.
I’m still on the job, hon, and what I mean we earn our money. I was sure busy yesterday when I was there alone. We do more hard labor than actual carpenter work. Maybe that is why I am lucky enough to stay on. Anyway tomorrow is payday again and if their time corresponds with mine, I have $30.63 coming. I don’t know know much the car will cost, but I’m in hopes it won’t be over $20.00. If it isn’t, I should be able to send my honey another $5.00. The car probably won’t be ready before Saturday. The rings came and they were the wrong size so they had to send them back.
Ward stopped at the house for about five minutes last night. He had just returned that morning from N.Y. and was on his way to Syracuse taking some people to the fair. He is coming back tomorrow night.
I told Lydia this morning that she didn’t win the car. She didn’t seem very disappointed. Fran says he is going to shoot you for giving Lydia that dime saver. He says every time he goes to get some change he finds himself short about 20 or 30 cents. I have one lonely little dime in mine and I spent the pennies for gas last night. I had to borrow money from Fran for a stamp tonight. How is that for being flat?
Florence and Walt are coming out this weekend instead of last so I won’t miss them after all. Norma came here last night and is staying until they come. She didn’t do so bad for herself in two months. She got $.60 wages with room and board and $.83 in tips.
I’m glad your throat is better, honey. Don’t neglect it now until you are over your cold.
I suppose by this time Percy has quite a sore throat and is glad it is all over.
Well, darling, I can’t think of anything more so I’ll say goodnight and bye bye until Sunday.
I love my precious wife and think she is the most adorable creature on earth.
Love and kisses from your devoted hubby,
Dave
September 10, 1936
Adams Center, N.Y.
Hello Honey,
I sure was glad to receive your letter today but sorry you wrote when you were so tired, sweet. I guess I can forgive my poor, tired hubby when my letters are short. I’m thankful to receive them no matter how short they are. I’m anxious to know how you made out alone yesterday. I hope it wasn’t too hard for my honey.
I’m glad you are getting the Ford fixed up. Probably when you start driving it again it won’t cost half as much to run. Gee, I can just imagine all the dimes you will save then.
Tuesday when we were in Watertown the bank was closed so I couldn’t deposit the money until today. I finished filling the dime saver so I put fourteen dollars in the bank. They gave me another dime saver and I don’t think I’m going to like it very much.
We got two bushels of tomatoes at Dudley’s today. We canned twenty-six quarts this afternoon and have more to can tomorrow. He only charged $.60 a bushel but they aren’t very good. All of his tomatoes have cracked just like those we have in the garden. We still have more to can tomorrow. We have already filled our twenty-four quarts.
We had a letter from Bill today and he says he will be home either Saturday night or Sunday morning. As you already know, I was overjoyed to hear he was coming and I’m sure Lydia will be.
We had a letter from Grace yesterday. She said she was sitting in a chair and expected to go home last night (Wednesday).
June says Percy came home tonight. I don’t know if he did or not. I hope so because tomorrow he has a birthday. He will be forty-three. Seems like we are all getting old.
Speaking of getting old, I feel like I’m about ninety-nine tonight. My back aches like the deuce. Guess I’m getting where I can’t take it anymore, when night comes I’m always tired.
Well, sweetness, I feel the need of some shut eye so I’ll take me to bed.
Good night, darling.
Oodles of love and kisses,
“Me”
Friday 8 a.m.
Your last letter I noticed was post-marked at 7 a.m. so it looks like my hubby must get up before breakfast.
Guess I forgot to tell you Mom bought us a new tea kettle the other day.
Last night after we got done canning tomatoes I went out and tried to teach the chickens to roost but didn’t have much success. Guess I’ll wait and let you show them how when you are up again.
My cold is a lot better. Working must have done me good.
Kent and Ethel went to the fair Monday and Glenn and Dot went Tuesday. Kent and Ethel went to see Grace.
The house is in need of my attention and there are more tomatoes to can so I had better sign off and get to work.
I love you, dear.
Yours,
Ruth
September 11, 1936
Middleburg, N.Y.
My Darling Wife,
I nearly forgot this is a new month and I started to label it August.
So you think I’m putting more love-making in my letters than I used to. You know why this is don’t you, dear. It is because I love my wife so much more than I did my girlfriend. According to the way I feel when you are not with me, it must still be growing, too, because I feel worse every time we say goodbye. We’ve got to be together before long, honey. My endurance is almost at an end.
I thought I would write to you last night then decided not to. There wasn’t anything special to write about but I felt so darn miserable I didn’t know what to do. I finally decided against it because I didn’t want to fill a letter full of sob stuff and make you feel bad, too.
What do you think happened this morning, hon? Just as I woke up I came to the realization I was kissing the pillow thinking it was you. How’s that for the first signs of a loose screw? Guess I had better watch myself if I sleep with anyone besides you.
Lydia and Fran are coming up with me but I don’t know anything about Lydia planning to stay. I wouldn’t be afraid of living out of the county for a little while. They just went to M. tonight to stay. I have the silver up here.
Well, hon, just in case you are figuring all the money I am making, let me put you right before you get it too high. Monday we made exactly nothing. In fact I lost a dollar because I drove up there and got rained out. Today we only worked seven hours. $6.12½. You can have the half cent.
The car is just about on its last legs, hon. If I can make it go this week and stand the trip up there, it will have to go back to the hospital next week. I think it has a case of acute enginiitis. About 45 mph is top speed and it absolutely refuses to climb hills in high.
I can’t say for sure if we will work Saturday or not but probably yes. We did last Saturday and this is starting a new month so they will probably let us get a little time in ahead in case of rain later. Anyway don’t look for us before Saturday midnight, then if we should get there before that, you can be surprised.
I could probably write more, honey but all I can think about is coming to see you so I guess I’ll quit and try to sleep some of the time away.
Love and kisses to my darling wife forever and ever your husband,
Dave
P.S. I just addressed another envelope to you at M.
September 12, 1936
Middleburg, N.Y.
Hello Darling,
It is 10:30 now but I guess I will start this letter to my sweet wife. There is plenty to write about I guess but I’ll probably forget half of it. To begin with we only worked a half day yesterday and all day today. That means we will get another half day the first part of next week. This mixing up the hours gets my goat. They seem determined that we won’t get more than one day off at once. I also get gypped one hour’s pay if my figures are right. I only got $29.75. If I can get in two and a half days before next Wednesday night, I’ll get a full pay next Friday $35.00. That seems like a lot of money but it will fade into nothing when I tell you about the car.
First of all they were supposed to have had it done Thursday and it wasn’t finished until just before I got home from work today. My battery was so low and the car so stiff they couldn’t start it and I had to have a rental battery put in. I finally got it home, however, and have had it running a couple of hours. I’ll have to let it idle half a day tomorrow before I dare drive it on the road and then not over thirty miles an hour.
I nearly fell over when I got the bill and I know you will, too. It sure put a crimp in my plans for sending you money. The grand total was $34.80 and I still have to get a new muffler. The old one is broke more yet now and makes more noise. It will probably cost about $3.50. Now that I have been free of debt for a couple of weeks it is about time I got back in the red. I still owe $12.00 on it to be paid next week. Not only that but I got stuck for gas and oil to go to work this week because I was driving Fran’s car and next week it is my turn anyway.
That should be enough trouble to spill in one letter. I guess we just have to grin and bear it. At least I’m thankful for having the work and to be able to pay for it.
It was seven-thirty when I got home to supper and read your nice letter. Florence and Walt were already here. They left all the kids at home and have just gone to bed. Norma has gone to the dance with LaVere. Walt hasn’t been quite so bad with his kidding this time.
Well, darling, I’ve got a good start on this letter and unburdened the biggest share of my troubles so I think I’ll say goodnight and write some more tomorrow night.
A million hugs and kisses to you, honey.
From
“Me”
Sunday evening
Hello Honey,
I just finished listening to Major Bowe’s hour and all the while I was wondering if my darling wife heard it. It was a little better than last Sunday I thought but it made me sort of lonesome to listen to it and think of you so far away.
Florence, Walt and Norma left here for home about five o’clock. Walt is collecting stones for a rock garden and he had me chasing all over the country with him looking for queer rocks. He only found two or three that suited him at that. He sure does like to kid me about everything in general. Wait until you see him. I’ll bet the first thing he tells you is how I was chased by some cows once on a fishing trip. I’ve heard him tell it nine million times. He gets a big kick out of it. I showed Florence our silver and she thought it was pretty swell.
Gee, hon, you are doing pretty swell with your canning I would say. Don’t work too hard though, dear. I don’t like to hear about you having back aches and so forth. I know it comes from too much work.
I suppose Bill is home now isn’t he, honey? I wasn’t so well pleased to hear it but maybe he will learn enough while he is home this winter to convince him he should stay home for good.
I’m glad to hear Grace is still improving. I’ll bet it will be a relief for her to get home.
When I received your letter Friday night saying Eva had sent the wrong address for Mr. Turcott I didn’t know just what to do. I finally decided, however, to be on the safe side and write another. Maybe he will get them both. If he does, he will know I am interested in getting the job anyway.
Lynn went by here this morning. He blew his horn on the way back about 10 o’clock. I was up here in my room and only had a glimpse of him.
Well, sweetheart, I guess I have lengthened this letter out a little. It is about time I wrote my honey a decent letter. Don’t always be so sure that I am tired out though when you get a short letter. It might just be a streak of laziness. Oh gee, I nearly forgot to say thanks to Mother for the tea kettle. Seems to me she is doing an awful lot for us.
I’m going to make out an order now to Monkey Wards for a muffler for our Lizzie. By that time I’ll be ready for bed. I’ll have to start a little earlier now mornings in order to keep under 30 M.P.H.
I love you, honey, and always will.
Yours forever and ever,
Dave
P.S. Am I mad. I just addressed another envelope to you at M.
September 13, 1936
Adams Center, N.Y.
My Very Own Husband,
It is seven o’clock and another lonesome Sunday is nearly gone. It has seemed about ten times as long as last Sunday. I guess I did get up a little earlier this morning.
Yesterday forenoon Bill called from Oswego and wanted someone to come and get him. We got down there about 12:30. It just poured all the way down and back so you can imagine what kind of a trip we had.
Guess I’ll sign off a while so I can listen to the Amateur Hour.
Well it is 7:30 but I decided I had better get this letter written and get to bed as I have to get up early in the morning. The amateurs aren’t very good anyway. I am writing upstairs with my pajamas and bathrobe on. It is rather cool since the rain. Some different than a week ago tonight.
Bill took the big radio uptown last night and bought three new tubes for it. It sounds good for a change. I have to do all the driving as Bill didn’t get his operator’s license renewed yet. Must be sort of tough on him.
He has to be in Oswego in the morning at nine to try his examination. Mom thought at first we would take him down and go on down to see Grace but I wasn’t too keen on going and besides the trip would be too much for her. It is a hundred miles to Oswego and back, not to mention going to Syracuse. I want to get the washing done the first of the week anyway.
Glenn says he will take Bill down so I will have to get up early and get him over to Glenn’s by 7:30. Bill feels quite confident he will get his license. As long as he intends to continue sailing, I hope he does.
Just after we got home yesterday Glenn and Dot came. They had been up to the hospital to see Doris. Nine days after they had the x-ray taken up at the hospital Dr. Alden received a report saying he had been mistaken about her arm being fractured. The x-ray didn’t show any. Dr. Alden wasn’t satisfied with the report and called Glenn and had them bring Doris. He sent them back to the hospital for another picture. This time they found a fracture just below the shoulder. They gave Doris a general anesthesia and broke the bone and set it over. They kept her at the hospital since Thursday until this morning. They have a cast around her body and her arm. She has to be on her back most of the time. I guess I would just as soon take a chance on Alden as I would on some of their good surgeons. I think he usually knows what he is talking about.
Howard was here a little while this forenoon. He hasn’t been here before since that day he came when you were here. We asked him to stay for dinner but he went over to Sanford’s instead. He must have found a grievance somewhere or other, but we should worry.
Mrs. Parker was up to see her brother today so she called Janie. She says Grace left the hospital Thursday and is feeling fine. She and the girls are staying in Fayetteville at Roger’s. The girls are in school there and the boys are with their father. I sure do hope she continues to get along good.
I hope the family has had enough tough luck for a spell. That is the way things have always gone in this family.
This afternoon we went to a funeral in Smithville. It was a man Lydia knows, so you can tell her. His name is Arthur Richmond. After the funeral we went over to Glenn’s to see Doris. She doesn’t seem to be having too bad a time, but this is only the beginning.
After we got back from Glenn’s we went to Percy’s for a while. He isn’t himself yet. His throat is still awfully sore which I suppose doesn’t help his disposition much. While we were there Chester Overton (a cousin) and family came. Somehow or other they got started on the future president. Guess I don’t need to tell you what the argument was like. If you thought Percy was a hard one last week, he is just about ten times as bad in his present condition. Mom and I had headaches when we got out of there. Mom said she wished they were more like you.
Percy says he can’t see how the deuce you ever ate a chicken dinner so soon after your tonsils were out. He can’t eat anything but soft stuff yet and that nearly kills him. It must be hard on him cause he does love to eat.2, 3
I have been wondering what you were doing all day. I suppose if Walt has been there you have been busy dodging wise cracks. No doubt this time he has succeeded in giving you the pointers he spoke of before. He had better be careful what he tells my hubby.
Wasn’t today supposed to be the time for the gang to get together? I suppose Florence staged another fight for you. Gee, if the time ever comes when we can go someplace together, I won’t even know how to act. Sometimes I feel like our ever being together all the time is only a dream. However, maybe in two more months we can make it a reality.
Gee, sweetness, my feet are like ice tonight. I only wish my honey was here to warm them for me. Last night was the first I have slept alone since we were married. I sure was lonesome for my darling boy. I was tired and couldn’t get to sleep so I read for about two hours.
I’m awfully sorry you have to work so hard, dear. It seems like my hubby always has to work just as hard no matter where you are. I think you have done very, very well to keep that job as long as you have but I know you have worked a lot harder than you should have to do it. I live in hopes that things won’t always be so hard for my darling.
I love you, honey boy, and sincerely hope I can always make you happy. I’m afraid I haven’t done very much for you so far but maybe it will be different when we are together all of the time. I know you have more than done your part so don’t ever worry about letting me down.
Well, seems like I have written a lot but haven’t said very much so I guess it is time I draw this to a close. My feet are getting no warmer fast so I’ll hop in bed and try to get warm.
I love you more than I can say, sweetheart.
Good night,
Ruth
Footnotes
- It is never mentioned here in these letters, but Percy had cancer and had probably been aware of it for a few months at this point. According to his death certificate, he died from “general carcinomatosis”, cancer that had originated in the prostate, metastasized, and spread to the peritoneum, including the liver and intestines, which must have caused him extreme pain as described later. Though Ruth doesn’t say what this surgery was, it’s later hinted that it may have been a tonsillectomy. Chemotherapy did not become available until the 1940’s.
- This line and the comment that his throat was sore suggests that Percy’s surgery was a tonsillectomy. Tonsils are lymph nodes, so one guess as to why he had this may have been to stage the cancer, or the thinking may have been that inflamed tonsils were contributing to his discomfort. This “treatment” would never be used today in a patient with prostate cancer. More on tonsillectomies in the next note.
- Since tonsillectomies have come up frequently in these letters, this is a note about the history of this procedure. One of the earliest documented tonsillectomies was around 50 A.D., which is remarkable considering general anesthesia was not in use for surgery until 1846. By the 1930’s, nearly 60% of children were subjected to tonsillectomy in New York state, and this remains one of the most common surgical procedures in children to date. Tonsillectomies were performed to treat recurring sore throats or infection. The tonsil is a lymph node, produces white blood cells, and serves as first line protection against bacteria or other pathogens from entering through the nose or mouth. The number of tonsillectomies started to decline in 1945, and their benefit remains controversial. In fact, President Obama noted in 2009 that surgeons were more likely to carry out this procedure if they were paid by service instead of salaried, suggesting that many or most of these procedures were unnecessary. Death from the procedure was rare (from one in ~2300-56,000 cases). These days, tonisllectomies are performed in cases of severe sleep apnea (difficulty breathing) in children or to treat sore throat that recurs >7 times/year. The same is true for adult patients, but may also be used as part of treatment for cancer that has spread from the head or neck region. Percy should never have had this procedure.