Cousin Walter Walin; Sept. 13, 1920 Chicago

Dear Friends,
It's me again. I hope you had a good week. Mine has been uneventful. Things outside are finally green. In the past week the leaves on the trees have finally popped out. I love seeing green.
I know enough about green, you want to see the next letter from Walter. So here it is.

It is a little hard to read so here is what I think it all says.

                    Chicago, Ill.

                    Sept. 13, 1920

Dear Howard:

      Read your

letter a few days ago and

was glad to get it. We have

been busy moving now the

last few days. Almost all thru

now. Seams good to be back home

again anyway.

   So you haven't seen

Alfred N. since July 5. Wonder

 where he is at. Maybe went

west again.

   Am starting work

tomorrow Autonlic Electric co.

working on "          " telephones. Am

going to try an office or something

later on but work any place

to get some doe. Isn't very

much money for a fellow

with no experience.

   Well I haven't had many

auto rides in Chicago as yet

4 or 5. I know a couple of

fellows around the corner with

fords. But now we've moved

out of that neighborhood so I

 suppose I'll have to find new 

friends out here.

   Wonder how Williams

like it up there. Are

Bloomstroms still there do you

know?

   Well news is scarce so

must close.

 Your Cousin,

Walley

Write soon.

1724 Belmont Ave.

Not a whole lot here. I tried to look up the place he got a job at but the closest I came to when I put in the Autonlic was a mention of auto-nalic electric circuit breakers. I don't think it's made any more.
Like he says news is scarce.
So here a few pictures I picked out for you to look at.

In honor of the beginning of field work time, here are a couple of scenes of past crop seasons.
In the first picture it looks like they are getting a new field ready for planting.
I think in the second picture the one on the tractor could be Grandpa. Because when I was growing up he was the one that always drove the tractor that pulled the baler. But I could be wrong.

I think this might be a picture of smoke from a fire or some very ominous storm clouds. What do you think?

Well that's about it for now. 

So till next time.

Your friend,

Sandy 

Katheryn Clary: Sept 14, 1920 Chicago

Dear Friends,
I hope you all have a very good Memorial Weekend. Mine was quite and a hotter then I was expecting. Just the way I like it.
Well here is the next letter. As you see it is from Katheryn. The post mark on the envelope was Sept. 14 but the letter is dated Sept. 11. It must have taken her a few days to get it in the mail.

As always if it is hard to read, this is what I made out.

                            Chicago Ill.
                             Sept. 11, 1920
Dear Howard:-
            Well I
received your letter
and was very glad
to hear from you.
    Gee if I had
my vacation now
I'd come up and
have you teach me
how to drive your
"Henry".
    So Elmer has
a steady eh?
 Well
that must be
exciting and you

haven't, how funny.
   Why don't you
get a steady? Do
you go to many
shows out there?
I live in them
here. Theresa didn't
go to Hayward, as Lucy
drove back to Chi. so
 it's all of with "Ogema'
this year. I don't
suppose I'll see you
again as I am not
expecting to go up
there this year or
next, because next
year I want to go

To Baltimore Maryland
next year.
   Do you take
many trips in
 your Henry? Gee
I wish we could
have a machine.
would I go some,
"Oh man"!  I'd knock
telegraph poles and
everything down.
What do you say?
Lamberts came home
a week ago Sunday,
Lucy drove home.
Well I guess its
time I'm closing

as I've got to get to
bed.
  Answer soon and
send me some pretty
scenery pictures of
Wisconsin.
   Your friend
   K. Shirley Clary
P.S. please address my
letters
Miss K. Shirley Clary
3818 N. Ashland Av.
Chicago Ill.
 and oblgo (Thanks)

Well at least Elmer finally had a steady. I wonder who his steady was and if anything ever came of it.
She wanted some pictures of Wisconsin. So going through the pictures and postcards I picked a few for you to see.

This one is I think from the 1960's. It's a greetings from Ogema Wis.

This one is of Rib Lake, Wis. It might be from the 1920's or 1930's.

I think this is one Grandpa might have taken in the 1920's. It might be from Copper Falls, Wis. There are a number of pictures from there with a few with words written on the back.

Here is one more from about the same time.I wonder who the people are sitting along the bank?

I wonder if she made it to Baltimore Maryland. 

I did find a postcard from that time.

Well that's about all I have for now.
So till next time.
Your friend,
Sandy

Cousin Walter Walin; Sept. 3, 1920 Chicago

Dear Friends,
I hope this post finds you in good health and spirits.
Here the next letter from Cousin Walter.

It's a little hard to make out sometimes so this is how I made it out.

                                 Chicago, Ill.
                                   Sept. 3, 1920
Dear Cousin Howard:
     Read your
letter a couple days ago and
had almost given up hopes of
hearing for a while
     Well we
got everything straightened out
now about the house we bought. You
see I quit my job when paw
came here from Grand Rapids, so
that I could help him make the
deal and show him around some
The deal was closed last week
and now I'm looking for a job
They are quite scarce now.
Alfred T hoop quit his job so
we were out together for a week
looking for a job. He got one where

I used to work (Western Electric)
cheapest place in the city.
  It's nothing for me to find my
way here. I can go any place I
want to. Pick out ads in the paper
and then go down there and answer
them. Later I might go out
and work for Fred. You
know there is more money
in that than in working
in a factory.
   Do you still work 10 hr
a day up there? The most
places here its 48 hr a week.
  No i haven't seen those
girls. have you heard from
any of them since? I got a
pretty nice girl that I go out
with once in a while. It costs
a whole lot to take them
out $7 or$8 a night.(Ha)
  Hows the folks & Thomas?
Greet them from me.

Ma said she had a letter from
someone up there and they said
there was forest fires around your
place all the time. Pretty dry
I suppose.
   have you seen Alfred N.
lately. I haven't heard from him
for 2 months. To hell with him.
   Well news is pretty scarce
so must close.
write soon           Your cousin
                           Walter
We have been planning on
moving into the house next week
but the people aren't out of there yet.
I didn't want to go to work until
we'd cleaned up and everything
as there is a lot to do, but time
is too long with nothing to do.

I wonder how long it took him to find a job he liked? I also wonder how many people Western Electric went through if they were the cheapest in town.I also wonder what kind of work Fred did?

Wouldn't it be great if it only cost 7 or 8 dollars to take someone out on a date?

I was trying to see if I could find see if I could find any info on forest fires that happened in the area near where grandpa lived but, I could not find what I was looking for. There was mention of a fire that happened near Peshtigo Wis. on Oct. 8, 1871. The same day as the Great Chicago Fire. It was the deadliest with an estimation death toll of between 1500 to 2500 people losing their lives. To this day they are not sure what exactly started it.

Now here a few random pictures.

I choose this one in honor of all the graduations that are going on this weekend. It says "Class of 1897". It was taken in Phillips Wis.

 Not sure anyone is or who's place this was.

Well that's all I have for you today. I hope everyone has a enjoyable and safe Memorial Weekend
Your friend,
Sandy

Cousin Walter Walin: Aug. 5, 1920 Chicago

Dear Friends,
 It's me again. I hope you had a good weekend. Mine was good. Nice and sunny, for a change. Well here is the next letter from Walter.

It's a little hard to decipher in parts, so here is what I deciphered.

                                        Chicago Ill.
                                         Aug. 5, 1920
Dear Howard:
          Read your
welcome letter a couple of
days ago and as I'm not very
busy I may as well write
now or else I might
forget and let it go a couple
weeks.
      So your ford has
run 600 miles already. Any
smashups yet. Hows Nels R
coming with his car. Suppose
he broke his neck a couple
of times before he learned
how to run it.
        Are you going
 for the harvest? make a

steak this year I guess.
Work is plentiful.
   Don't know if we ever
told you people of not but
Selma run into Thorp once
last winter. (You remember
Thorps don't you.) Saw them
several times since I came
down.
   You know those ads. that
you gave me. Well the one
is just 4 blocks from where
we bot a house. The other is
about 6 or 3/4 of a mile. Saw the
one of the houses the other day as
I walked past there. A cool dealer
I think. well news is pretty scarce
so must end. Greet all. Hows
Tom?
Your cousin
Walter
4648 Warwick Ave.


He said something about grandpa's Ford. I wonder if this is what he was talking about. Plus I wonder how long Grandpa had it to put on 600 miles.

I think that this car might be from the right time, the early 1920's I'm not sure who the girl is in the second picture but I know that is Grandpa sitting at the bottom.

He also said something about Nels. I think he might be talking about Grandpa's brother, Nels Albert. Plus he mentioned something about a Selma. I think Selma was Nels  wife or wife to be. If so here is a picture of the two of them.

I don't know what year this was taken in.
In 1963 they were killed in an accident along with two other people. I've got a number of clippings from that time plus a number of obits of them. If anyone in the family would like to see them just let me know.

He also said something about Thorp. I wonder if he was talking about Thorp Wis.


See the red dot? That's where Thorp is. I wonder what happened there that was so exciting. Maybe it's like they say about Vegas. What happen's in Thorp, stays in Thorp. Then again maybe it's a person.

Well that's all I have time for now. I hope that this post finds all in good heath.
Till next time.
Your friend,
Sandy

Cousin Walter Walin; Jul 25, 1920 Chicago

Dear Friends,
I hope this letter fines everyone in good health.
I've got for you the first letter from Grandpa's cousin Walter.I'm still trying to figure out his last name but I'm not sure what is, can you? My dad does not know the name.

I'm not sure if it starts with an H or a W. I could use a little help here.
Anyway here is what he had to say for himself.

It can be a little hard to read so this is what I'm pretty sure it says.

                                    Chicago, Ill.
                                    July 24, 1920
Dear Howard:
                 Well hows the
boy now aday. Fine I suppose.
Well I'm feeling pretty good
myself. Meant to write
to you a long time ago
but kept putting it off
until today. I made up
my mind to write. Hows
the old Ford suppose you worn
it out already. Heard R seen
had one too. Well it's a lot
cheaper riding the street cars
here.
   Suppose ma
told your ma that we are
buying a house here.

but don't know when we
can move in.
   What are you doing
now. Working at Mackey
spur yet?
   I worked for the
Western Electric a month and
a half but quit when pa got
the house as you see I
had to help him because he
couldn't find his way around.
   Do you ever hear from
those girls in Chi. If so give
me their addresses I lose
it. One of them live a
about a mile from here
but I don't know just where.
If you hear from them
tell them to call Kildare 5057
& ask for me. I'll take

'em out. Been out with
a couple Jazzy babes since
I came here But not many.
  Well news is pretty scarce
so must close. Write some
time & I'll answer right away
     Your cousin
     Walter
      4648 Warwick Ave.


Well Walter must have recently moved to Chicago. I wonder it he was from around here too.
He said he worked at Western Electric for about a month.

 
I wonder if this is where he worked?
he asked Grandpa if he was still working at Makey Spur. If you want to know what Mackey Spur is, here is a picture.

It was where they brought logs to pilled on to a train. It's not to far from the home place. There is still logging around that area to this day.

I wonder if his jazzy babes looked anything like this.


How about that phone number Kildare 5057?


I wonder if he passed the info on to Theresa or Katheryn.

Here is just a random picture.

This was taken at Drake Studio in Medford, Wis.

Well that's all I have time for now.
Have a great weekend.
Your friend,
Sandy

p.s. My dad says his last name is Walin.

Theresa Lambert: Feb. 14, 1920 Chicago

Dear Friends,
I hope you enjoyed your weekend. Mine was good. Nice and warm for a change. I was even able to get my husband NOT to kill a snake we found under some wood we were moving on Saturday.  He hates snakes. What a wuss.
Any way here is the next letter from Theresa. (It was mixed in with the random bunch of letters and she signed it Billy)

Here is what is says plus a few spelling corrections.

Dear Friend;
     I received your letter several days
ago and was very glad to hear from you.
Nothing very exciting has happened since
the last time except that I have met a new
boy that I like pretty well. I just got
this typewriter and am trying it out. My
music teacher is giving a big concert March
6, 1920, and I want you to come too. Oh do
tell. it skipped, again well for heavens
sake is that all this machine can do. Please
excuse my hand writing please as I can't
help it. Ha, Ha, it's time to laugh really it
is. Well let us get down to business and
talk sense, what do you think. I am going
to a masquerade this Saturday with my new
friend ahem. I am going to have the whole
bunch up Sunday evening and we are all going
to dance oh boy. This new boy plays a
concertina and can he play I'll say he can.
Have you heard the new song Venetian Moon.
It is simply wonderful I am crazy about it.
Well I guess I will close for this time
hoping to hear from you soon.
Your Friend
Billy.

I found this recording of Venetian  Moon. I'm hoping it works so you can hear what she enjoyed so much.
If you can't play it you can go to YouTube it's there.
Here is a picture of the cover from the sheet music.
 

As for a concertina, for those of you who don't know what it looks like, here is a picture of one from about 1920.


Looking through the old pictures I found this one.

I'm not sure who they all are but the guy is holding a concertina so I thought it was just right for this post.

Here is a random picture of a couple of my uncles when they were younger.

Well that's about all I have for now.

I do hope this post did find you in good health.

So till next time.

Your friend,

Sandy

Nellie Peterson: May 12, 1918 Paxton Ill.

Dear Friends,
I hope this post finds you all well. As you notice I have a new name. Nellie Peterson. I still have more letters of Theresa and Katheryn but I decided I should do all the letters in chronological order. I went through all the letters and divided them into years. So I have to do a little back tracking time wise. This is the oldest letter I have. There are a few more letters from another person before I get back on track where I left off with the first two girls. This way if a number of people mention something it will create a story that can be followed from different points of opinion.
So here is the letter from Nellie.

  If it is hard to read, here is what is says:
                                                    Paxton Ill.
                                                    May 12 1918
Halow Howard:
Suppose you think I was never going to
answer your letter. But you bet I am, I
have been so busy that I haven't had
time to write before, but hope you will
excuse me this time for not answering
any soon.
Today it is Sunday and it is just
pouring down rain. We expect my brother
and his wife home today if it hadn't
of rain.
Say Howard you ought to see the
air plans go, hars here. One evening
there went five and another evening
there went one so low down you could
read the number on the air plan,
Have you flok's got any of your
garden planted yet. We got all of our
planted and we got 47 little chicken
beside.
We are going to plant corn
next week if the weather stay nice.
                      2
I have been to two parties since I
got down here.
What's going on up in Ogema.
Suppose you are having all kinds
of good times since I left.
Say Howard does Thomas have
to go to war.
Sure enjoyed your stick of gum
me and my aunt devited it. It tasted
good cause it came from Ogema.
How's your mother? Greet her
from my mother.
News is short so will ring off.
Thaursting to hear from you soon and
tell me all the news.
Greet all your floks from us be sure
and keep some for your self.
with love
your friend
Nellie Peterson
Paxton Ill.
write soon

There might be more letters from her later on but I'm not sure.
I kept some of the misspellings and fixed others.
She mentioned Thomas and maybe going to war. He did not have to go fight over seas. He got as far as Florida. He was in the cavalry.

 For those of you who don't know what war, it was the first world war.
She said something about air planes flying real low where she was.
Here is a picture of what could have been from that time.


I wonder what made gum from Ogema so good that she and her aunt enjoy it so much?

In honor of Mother's Day this weekend, I found a picture from a Mother's Day gone by.

Aren't you glad it's not 1960?

Now that spring is here I'll show you a picture of breaking land from a time gone by.

I'm thinking this picture is from the 19 teens.

The other day one of my brother-in-laws saw a family of bears(mother and four cubs), run through his yard to a woods that is not there any more. Once they saw it was gone they ran back to the woods they came from. With bears around I will not be putting up a bird feeder again. I do not want to give a bear a reason to come into my yard.
So in honor of this event here is a picture that just might amaze you.

I asked my dad who Me is and he was not sure. He thought it could have been his cousin Lois Marie, maybe. Looking at it now it's hard to believe people really did this. Times have certainly changed.
Well that's all the news I have for you this time.
Till next time, enjoy the weekend.
Your friend,
Sandy