Anna Raseens: June 26, 1923 Ironwood Mich.

Dear friends,
I hope this post finds you all well and looking forward to the weekend. I know I am. This week was not to bad. My husband and I went to Farm Technology Days down by Stevens Point. Compared to things from the past we have come a long way in a lot of different ways.
Anyway here is the next letter from Anna Raseens.

 As always here is what I can figure out.

            Ironwood Mich.
            June 26, 1923
Dear friend:- Received your
letter but I thot I was
coming home this week I
didn't answer it. But
my aunt and cousin
went to Washburn to
pick strawberries
and they asked me
to stay here with the
kids. I have to milk
one cow every morning
and evening(haha) they
only have one & nobody

knows how to milk it
while aunties is away.
I just figure on coming
5th or the 6th home
they want me to
stay here for the
4th of July. We
walked to Hurley last
nite one girl had
some business there
so we went along &
I tell you Hurley sure
is worth its name you
must have heard about

it. The guys are worst
than wild cats squealing
at the girls (haha) What
you think if I get
my hair bobbed
everybody else are
having their hair
bobbed now a days
How is weather around
Ogema now It is awful
cold here and we have
to get up before 6 because
my uncle has to go
work his got a nite
job he goes work 8 hours
leave 5 and makes

seven bucks a day.
What did Edna go to
Chicago for? To work
I suppose? Er why?
I got a letter from Ella
yesterday and my
cousin. Say you
said you couldn't burn
my letter well I hope
the goodness all the
other kids were not
reading them My letters
are only Humbug
guess I'll close answer
soon as I get it before I have
        From Anna

It sounds like she was stuck in Ironwood for a while longer while her aunt and cousins went strawberry picking in Washburn.
Washburn is north of Ashland. Here is a map that shows you where it is.


Now Ironwood Mich. is here.

It is a bit of a ride just to go pick strawberries.
To bad she couldn't go instead she got to milk a cow by hand twice a day till they got back.


I can remember Grandpa and my uncles doing that.

As for her and her friend walking to Hurley.


It's right across from Ironwood so it was not a real long walk.
As for the guys acting like wildcats well, talking to a few people I work with about it they said that Hurley had a reputation of being a very wild place. Lots of bars. That area is known for mining, I think.

She mentioned an Edna and Ella. I think I have pictures of Edna and Letters which I will share with you when I get to them. Right now I'm not sure of Ella but you never know.

I'm a little surprised he told her he would not burn the letters. That was one thing about Grandpa, he saved a lot of things. I was just fortunate to get these letters and I am now able to share them with you.

Now here are a few random pictures.

Here is what I want to call, "Some of the boys from up north."

Grandma, her sister-in-law Selma ( Married to grandpa's brother) her daughter.

The six Johnson kids.

Well that's all I have time for now.
Till next time, take care.
Your friend,
Sandy

Anna Roseen: June 19, 1923 Ironwood Mich.

Dear Friends,
I hope you had a good weekend I did. No real drama.Except for a little tractor trouble the husband had. If I would have had a camera with me I could have showed you a push me pull me tractor.
Anyway here is the next letter from Anna Raseen. it was sent from Ironwood Mich. but at the head of the letter it says Ogema, Wis. That tells me she wrote it while in Ogema but did not send it out till she got back to Ironwood.

It's another long one. So here goes.

           Ogema, Wis
           June 15, 1923
Dear friend, I just came
home and received your
letter for which many
thanks, You haven't
told any body I've
written to you have
you? Well I wonder
if I still could trust
you I always did before
so I hope I can now
also. Well I got a job
at St. James Hotel but
please don't let it out
I don't want nobody
to know I'm working

I told my folks I might
go and get a job but I'll
not tell them I am
working they probly
wouldn't like it.
But still don't worry
I'll come back soon
probly next weekend
how my plans turn
out. Haha how did you
think that I forget
Swedes? not so bad (haha)
Last nite I laughed that
I almost croaked you
see we were to the
new memorial Hall

there was church on
the Holy Hoppers side
but I wouldn't stay very
long and a couple
little kids introduced
themselves to us
they only were young
youngsters (haha) and
we went carnival
with them. Don't
think I'm crazy yet
but still I'm going
friends coarse some
say less friends the
better but I think
a friend need is a friend

indeed. Isn't that rite.
Oh my I'm tired guess
I'll have to go bed
early after this. I
must work from 7.00 am.
to 5.00 P.M and don't
get out only Sunday
at 2.00 P.M. They
pay $25.00 a mo.
not very good is it.
How would you like
a flower not very good
tho I haven't any
better ones. It's got a
good odor (haha)

My cousin bought
a new record for
his phonograph today
title is "The Burning
Sand" and "Falling."
That dosen't mean
me I'm sure. well
Hows Viala Loeson
just as jolly I suppose
and Lila your S.H.
(haha) You know my
aunt guessed that
your letter was from
a boy because I
smiled when I saw

it. You don't think
I'm a musical
instument do you?
Tell hello to Edna
& Julia but not the
Finns they probly
wouldn't care for
them. Your friend
            Anna
P.S. I have to eat
only vegetables & fruit
and have a cold
bath every morning
Please burn this

guess you remembered
the song record you
played for me last
when your gone I
won't forget you

but guess
your the only
one just the
     same
Answer
soon

Boy she like to write. Badly, but she writes.I tried to spell things the way she did. At least I hope I got the words right.
The first thing she talks about is where she found a job. St. James Hotel. Would you believe I found a picture of it from that time on the internet.

I wonder why her parents didn't want her to work? I think she said she was getting $25.00 a month. I wonder what the job was? I wonder why she didn't want anyone to know why they were  writing to each other?
This letter is a little bit of a challenge to figure out so that it makes sense.

She said her cousin bought a record of the song The Burning Sand. I think I found the song. Here it is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPWjcpiOzbE

I tried to copy the video of this song but it would not do it but I think if you click on the link you will be able to listen to it. Just look for it on YouTube.

I wonder if the chiropractor told her to only eat veggies and fruit and to take a cold bath every morning? i wonder if it helped her? So many questions and never any answers.
As for asking grandpa to burn the letter after reading it, didn't work did it.

Here is another picture I found that has her in it.

She is the one in the front middle.

Well now I would like to share with you a couple of random pictures.

I have no idea who this is. it was taken at Mattbes Studio.

I think my dad told me once where this was taken but I forget. My uncle Kenny is the one on the right.

Well this was a long post so I will close for now.
Enjoy the rest of your week and I'll see you on Friday.
Take care.
Your friend,
Sandy

Anna Raseens: June 13, 1923 Ironwood Mich.

Dear Friends,
I hope this letter finds you all well. I'm fine and looking forward to the weekend which for me is starting a day early. No work for me today.
This next letter is from a new girl. Her name is Anna Raseens. This letter as you see is six pages long. It's written in pencil and has faded a bit. So here it is.

I'll do my best to write what she wrote the way she wrote it. If you notice written in the upper left corner upside down is her name and address.
address
Anna Raseens
237 E. Pine st.
Ironwood
Mich.
Then it is written right side up in the other corner.
                 237 E. Pine St.
                 Ironwoood, Mich.
                 June 13, 1923
Dear friend:- I thought
I would write a few
lines and let you know
I remember you still
and that I yet have
not croaked. I am
very sorry I didn't
see you that nite
but I suppose you
was busy Wednesday
and Thursday I was
I'm not very good
in writing but hope
          2
you can make out.
I have been twice
to show at the theater
and one nite I was
to the Hall to a play
it lasted from 8 oclock
to 12.00. It certainly
was good I'm sorry
you missed it. I
went church yesterday
but couldn't stay
I felt kind of bum
so I went to a
Chiropracter and
         3
He asked me to stay
longer in Ironwood
and He'd cure me
he told me to get a
job. I might working
a Hotel at a Cigar
Stand don't know
for sure yet. I might
go there today and
see. I might come
home for 4th of
July don't know
for sure yet but
always remember
          4
last 4th.I suppose
you think I'd make
a fool of myself
but not as for yet
I haven't the other
day I and another
girl were walking
along the sidewalk
a car came and 2
guys looked us for
a ride but we wouldn't
go we thanked them
and they got mad they
said they'd take us for
a long ride some day (haha)
           5
Say if you care to
write to me any
more I'd be very
glad to receive a
letter from you.
How are the Finn
girls and boys thow
we the Swede
and I don't know any
germans. haha
Please don't show
this letter to any
body course there
isn't anything
        6
out of the way but
just the same.
don't tell my brother
I have written (haha
I'm going to the
Carnival tonite
a Special train
came here from
Milwaukee and
lots of men dressed
in white a band
was along their dressed
in blue uniforms.
your friend Anna

Well it looks like she likes to write long letters.
I do have a picture of her.

I do have at least one more picture of her and a few others including her brother. I'll show you that one next time.
I wonder why she was seeing a chiropractor? I checked when chiropractic started. It started in 1895 by Danial David Palmer after he help an almost deaf janitor hear a little better. Two years later he opened a school.



She mentioned the Finns again so, I thought I would show you the other picture of the Finish girls.

I wonder if the blond little girl always made a face when she had her picture taken.

She also said something about a train that came from Milwaukee that carried a carnival. I wonder if it had anything to do with the circus that eventually settled in Baraboo Wisc. If you like circus's you should stop there sometime. I like to see all of the restored circus wagons.


I wonder if she ever got the job she wanted while she was in Ironwood? Plus I wonder if she stayed there very long and where she was originally from? So many questions that will never get answered.
Anyway here are a couple more random pictures I choose for you to see.

This picture was put on to a postcard. I wonder who these guys were.

This picture was taken at H.J. Wagner in Kaukauna Wis. I think it might have been one of my Grandma's relatives or friend.
Anyway news is scarce so I'll close for now.
Till next time.
Your friend,
Sandy