April 1, 1940 Ernest Birge

Okay, I'm a little confused about this relationship - I BELIEVE Ernest and Sarah are half siblings. Why he keeps calling her "Mrs. Johnson" is beyond me. I do know they were working on the family history way back then. 

Seymour Manufacturing Company

Cythe Snaths, Grain Cradles

Post Hole Diggers, Etc.

Established 1872

Seymour, Indiana

April 1, 1940

Mrs. Sarah Johnson,

1506 Y. Ave.,

La Grande, Ore.

Dear Mrs. Johnson:

I am returning to you the letter addressed to your husband with reference to the death of his sister. I am also returning the slip with reference to the death of Charles Birge, and thank you for sending both of these items to me. I think you are quite right about Elijah’s wife was named Pamelia as a cousin of my father’s wrote a letter in 1860 giving his wife’s name as Millie Sommers, which is probably the short for Pamelia.

I am inclosing to you a couple of pictures showing myself, my wife, and some of our grandchildren. This was taken at our summer home in Michigan. I trustthat you have recovered from your fall.

Sincerely yours,

(signed: Ernest N. Birge)

Ernest N. BIRGE

ENB:DF

Nov 16 1981 - H Turn

I realized it had been a month since I posted any letters - so I am posting as many as I can today. I have added some that I had already copied. I would love to post the photo of the letters, but I am unable to scan and post on the blog. I will see about taking photos of the letters so you can see what I'm having to go through on handwriting. I hope you are getting something from these letters, as I know I am. 

Nov. 16, 1981

H. Turn
2310 Rio Grande

San Angels, TX 76901

Dear Mable,

Thank you for those kind words about the book. I met a lot of great people while gathering all of the data. So I really reaped the most benefit.

Thank you for sending order for Maurice, and please thank him for ordering, for me. Orders are coming in now that more people have heard about the book or have seen one. But it was the ones like you who ordered “sight unseen” who made the book possible.

There were 300 oks printed and I mailed out a little over 200 the first mailing. I think it is possible that I may run out of books. Of course I would hate that, you know how that goes. But I could print more, but would need at least 150 standing orders before the printer would mess with it.

What rattles me is, everyone writes such nice letters and no one tells me about the errors! I’m sure they’re just being kind. People call by phone all the time – Of course that is exciting, too. (And people wonder why anyon would mess with doing something like this. ha They should just try it and see how mnay nice people they have in their “family.”)

I mailed the book to Maurice today as I had to go to P.O. and mail other orders that came in today. Since it takes so long for BOOKRATE mail to get to where it’s going, I like to get them right on out.

I really missed out on a large group of people by not doing the contacting for material myself. I’m speaking of the Mathesons. But if Wilda had not gathered that data, we would be still waiting for a book while I completed that part. She’s really a super person to have working on ones side in doing something.

I thought maybe the Rooks book would put a damper on this one because so many people are also in that Rooks book. But doesn’t seem to bother a thing. And I am glad that Rooks book did finally get delivered. I know it was in the “making” fr an awfully long time even after going to the printer. Wilda put in a lot of time, and Raymond, gathering stories for that book.

I didn’t realize how mear Thanksgiving is until our Daughter and fam. said they’d come for Thanksgiving and I looked at the calendar. Ha

Both guest rooms are piled high with boxes of books, mailing cartons and all the files etc that accumulated while “doing” the book. I just moed everything out of the den when I took the book to the publisher last April and haven’t gone through everything and thrown out the million pieces of paper. Now I’ll need to get going and clear away the “mess.” I can remember how thrilled I was when each “piece of paper” was received in the mail in the form of data for the book. ha

I had no room to save the letters but kept only pages with data. The trash man will think I’m fixing to move when he sees Friday’s pick up. ha

I think it will be nice for a change to be able to see the floor and top of furniture. Be like a new house. ha And Wayne tolerated the the whole thing – 3 years of it.

You wrote a very interesting letter. I wish the record of dates and places you had lived had gotten into the book. You know how it is when someone in years to come will wonder about these people like we wondered about the “ancestors” and had to find out about some of them in researching old courthouse records. ha

And we will be ancestors someday. ha

I must stop rattling and get started on this house. I don’t really know where to start.

Hope you have a nice holiday Season and a really great 1982.

I’ll probably never know it’s come and gone as I usually can’t keep up with the way time flies these days. But enjoy hearing from you.

Love, Helen

Jan 24, 1950 - A B Whilhite

Hardtner, Kans

Jan 24, ‘50

Mr. Archie Wineland,

Yours of the 9 of Dic rec’d. Sorry I mislaid your letter, just found it last night. Got that outfit rote me for reference hope you made it ok. No I am not married as yet. Sure is cold, sleeping by myself though. Clara is just fine. Pages have a nice Liquor Store where they run the restaurant now. Doing a nice business. Just got a letter from Robert Tyson this A.M. he is in Detroit Michigan now but not located as yet it is snowing here this a.m. 15 above Zero. Not nutch wind. I am living up stairs I say living just staying. Archie after we left Holdrege, went straight to my wheat 50 to 75 per cent hail, got 4 bn per acre. Just paid little over expenses, but cut some more for my neighbors then came home Bob got sick went to Hospital at Mitchell S.D. have not saw him since. Yes I had your drivers Lisence will send it to you, am thinking of going cutting wheat again this year. Brought case home left other 2 up there aim to sell them

Well Arch not mutch new down this way. All I do is haul a little sand go to dances, try enjoy my self, Clara & myself go to most all dances. A card party billed for to night. Don’t think of any news just now is still snowing. Will hang up for this time.

As ever, A.B. Whilhite

Will tell all hello for you.

1940 - Albert Birge

Calcord Oka

Feb 1-40

Dear Sister rec your letter a few days ago I was so glad to hear from you once more it had been so long I was afraid you had left this old world of trouble. Me and wife is as well as old people can be expected to be. Sure would love to see you Harve is in Drunright Oka and was well the last I heard from him we had had the coldest winter than many years I do hope there will be good crops this year the crops hasnt been good for so long a time. Sarah how old are you I will be 70 years old the 2^nd of August do you get a Pension me and my wife both get a Pension I dont know how we would live if we didnt get it for we are not able to do any hard work I have High Blood Prishor and it make it hard for me to do any work dont wait so long to write for we cant be here very much longer our time on earth will soon be over and I want to be ready to go when the Lord call for me. Well good by Dear sister be good and god bless and keep you from your old Brother Albert.

1935 - Hogan's (friends of the family)

Natoma Kansas

Dec 19, 1935

Thursday

My Dear Mabel – Will you are still on the road but I wanted you to have your usual Christmas greeting so I guess I better be sending it. No doubt you are at Bob & Matties this evening if  your plans worked out as you thought they would. Hope you are getting along O.K. I am sure little Shirley will be glad to get to the end of the journey not to mention the rest of you.

We cleaned our kitchen up today. It really needed it – as you know.

Hope you get along O.K. – and that you wont eat to much Christmas.

Will write more some other time –

Lovingly, Jo

The girl dressed in red on this Xmas card is you – you like red so well.

NOTE: This letter is from Mr & Mrs. W. P. Hogan, Natoma Ks R.R.1

Hogan’s were very close friends to my grandparents. 

Dec 13, 1961 - Irvin Wineland

524 Wooerest Lane

Fallbrook, Calif

December 13, 1961

Dear Mabel and Archie,

Must get a letter started to you or Irvin never will getaround to it. He is busy picking avocados today and getting wood.

He did finally get into our own house but not until Thanksgiving day so we are still getting straightened out.

We like it here fine, its quiet and we are on a sort of a private street surrounded by avocado trees. Its been a little cold the last week and we have been burning our fireplace most of the day. Lots of old orchards and wood in these parts just for the getting. We do like our palce very much and everything is new. Had to get some secondhand furniture but we are very comfortable.

Hope Archie and you Mable are not working too hard as we are all getting old and can’t go it quite so hard. I’ll let Irvin go on with this. It seems as tho Shirley has been overseas a long time and should be coming home soon. I don’t think I have an address for them but will search my books. We can walk to town very quickly from here tho it seems like the country too. I will have to get out my knitting again as Irvin likes wool socks this weather. Its been so long since I have knitted don’t know if I still know how.

Aloho – well we finally got moved in our new home its rather small, but is about the best built house Ive ever seen – we have a foundation 18” deep 1 ft wide of steel & concrete and 34 cement pillars under the floor joists they are 4 by 8 – all 2 x 6 raftus, the code in Calif on new homes is certainly strick all copper pipes through out the house, 4 electrical circuts with 1000 aurps, its all add on the cost but I guess in the long run is worth it. I picked 6 boxes of avacados yesterday they are 11 c a lb very low – but in Jan will be up again I’ll pick some more then – then in April & May we have 4 Hass trees that will be ripe they should bring around 40 c a bl, we only have 25 all together on our place. I planted some beans and artichoke plants the other day, will be planting lettuce & carrots and peas between now and first of year.

Well have a nice Xmas and arrange to come down here next summer – best wishes for a happy holiday – Marion & Irv-

June 2, 1959 - Irvin Wineland

I realize I've been behind on these letters and I apologize - life does get busy - and even back then it did too.

Box 65 Hauula
Oshu, T. H.

June 2, 1959

Dear Mabel and Archie:

I'm jut start this letter as Irvin has been telling me to remind him to write to you folks for several days now. I reminded him when he was too busy I guess.

So glad Shirley had such a nice baby girl. Irvin sent a package in the mail for her about a week ago so Shirley should be getting it soon or maybe has it now as sometimes a boat leaves right away and packages get there quickly.

We are getting more and more in the egg business like you Mabel. Have over 100 chickens but some of them pullets yet. Everybody wants eggs so will have plenty of customers.

It is warmer here now and I sure enjoy my daily swim in the ocean. By this time you should be getting some warm days and hope your garden is doing well.

I do quite a bit of sewing. Made my two sisters in Seattle a housecoat for their birthdays and make most of my own dreses, and some of Irvin's shirts. Took a course in Ukelale playing at the rural school in Hauula but it is over ow. I enjoy playing for my own pleasure if noone alea's. Anyway it is something that is not irritating to the nerves of other people, not like a horn.

We have 6 cats including two kittens which we will be selling soon. I'll let Irvin tell you about his orchids, etc. I hope Shirley and baby are doing fine and I bet Chris is a proud brother. I like -----(note)---- for a name.

Hi all!

Well it is in the afternoon now and I'm poopled. I mowed our lawn this morn and just came back from an old lady about a block away. I trim some trees and burn a lot of rubbish for her. She's been in the hospital and I do some odd jobs for her to help her out. Our plants including Orchids are sure blooming nicely now as well as our roses, anthuriums we always have about a doz orchid plants in bloom through out the year. I guess I have a few over 60: plants now of all most popular species. I want to inter some in a show in aug and then have a larger show in Oct, which I am pointing for.

I wrote Aunt Bess a couple of weeks back in ans to her letter to us she is keeping house for Harold is well and she was going to Kansas for Memorial Day.  The sun is straight over hd the last day or so as noon then till about July 15 our shadow will be to our south around noon time.
We got a day or so pullets and when they began laying the neighbors wanted eggs so we got about 30 more and still more people wanted eggs - now we will have around 110 or 120 when they get to laying, we got 65 (cents sign) a doz as is - wouldn't grade them and that was the price we get in the year round - large AA grade retails at 80 to 85 (cent sign) in the stores. Mainland eggs retail as 60 to 65 here. We feed an all egg mash made here in the Islands. I believe is a little better feed than Albers - which they sell here also & we pay 5.30 to 5.45 for 85 lbs sack - we've had 75 to 90% production through ut the year, so thats not too bad. We had to go into Honolulu tomorrow. We do our shopping in Kaneshe here on the wind ward side as we can do better with food prices than in Honolulu.
Marion always shops some in Kresses or Woolworths and at thrifty or Long's ding stoes alike the thrifty drug store in Seattle only these are about twice it's size - Wig warm has a large dept store here and is doing OK. they sell everything from wash machines T.V.'s, clothing and about anything you can think of.
Sears is opening a large Swanky new store here in Aug - about twice the size of their present store. A new Steel mill, 2 new cement plants a standard oil refinery is going up also. Dupoint Chemical is going to build a large factory about 10 mins from us about half way to Kasche - which means in Hawaiian slim man.
Write when you can and send us all the news.
Tell Shirley to take good care of the babe,

Love to all,

Marion and Irvin


NOTE: the name of the child is my name. I keep my middle name to myself for safety reasons, even though I'm sure you can find it on the internet somewhere else.

Irvin was big into his orchid plants, and he has several registered in England that he named.