Two Grandma's and a Mom, Early Thoughts for Mother's Day

Forty-two years ago this month my maternal grandmother Kathryn, who was born a Vandervort (with roots back to very  early New Amsterdam), passed away.  She died on April 4, 1973 at 70 years of age.  After being notified, my paternal grandmother Susan twelve days later began to pen a letter to my mother.  She was reaching out to comfort her, but it is obvious she was at a loss for words, as all of us are at a time like that.  I enjoy the letter not only for its intent, but also for the descriptions of daily life in the transition months from winter to spring in Wisconsin -- on the old family farm.

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee:  because He trusteth in Thee.”  Isa. 26:3.  “The God of all Comfort:  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any need, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” II Cor. 1:4

The Old Wisconsin Farm

April 16, 1973

South Porch

Temperature 60 degrees F – Calm

Cloudy-Misty, 5:45 PM

 Dear Precious Little Daughter and All,
            My thoughts and prayers have been with you much during these days since you telephoned me of your Mother’s passing and, as I said, I have so wished I could take you in my arms and comfort you.  (Breeze is starting up and guess it is going to rain again as it did this morning and all during the church and Sunday School hours – Yes, here it comes so will have to move to east porch as the wind is from the west or south west.  The water is starting to drop off the eaves and the birds are singing spring songs in the rain.)

Here is Grandma, the writer of this missive, in the yard of their farm with the porches she is describing behind her.  This photo was taken many years prior to this letter before Grandpa died, but as all in our family, she had pure white hair very early. in life.  She continues:

 

           Thought to write last Sunday but your newspapers, radio and television have told you of our “spring blizzard” and “winter again” starting last Sunday noon and it kept me busy trying to get food out for the birds and also preparing food for dog, cat and myself as I had to “start at scratch” as the saying is and grind corn and wheat since I had used up most of flour and it takes about an hour to grind enough in my hand grinder for a loaf of “quick bread.”  (It is getting “breezy and cool here on the east porch so will have to go in). 

 

            Temperature 50 degrees F, West Wind, Sunny April 17, 1973

            It is a perfectly lovely, sunny day now at 9:00 but since I have not been up long don’t know whether sun rose under a cloud or in a clear sky, so can’t make any predictions as to the rest of the day.  Am glad it looks to be a good day (except for some roads) as there is a district (or possibly State) Baptist Convention of some kind at the Kendall Federated Church so it will be a busy day for the Woman’s Society who will be serving the meals.  This convention was scheduled for last Tuesday but although it was a lovely sunny day a week ago also, snow drifts were so high, roads closed over most of the state, so that school and everything requiring travel was “at a standstill” not only during the blizzard Monday, but Tuesday as well, as the snow was so wet and heavy and packed so that the snow plows had trouble getting through and it was  harder than usual to push out of the road.

            Well, if the telephone rings many more times this letter won’t get off today either.  It rang several times during the paragraph above.  Anyhow I can not give the excuse of going to sleep today even though that has been a big part of the reason the last twenty four hours before this morning. One of the calls was from some one who knew I was having trouble getting some Social Security information necessary to apply for “Homestead Tax Relief” for low income elderly people.  Had saved a little over $100 last year and should receive a little less this year since taxes are less this year, but so far have not been able to make application because of not receiving answer from Soc Sec office concerning one question on the application form. Listened to the program this person told me was on Tomah radio but that did not help me so now it is nearly time for the mail carrier so will have to send this without writing the things which I had hoped to be able to write in this letter.

            The Milton and Janesville Webers will be up after their early church service Easter according to present plans and Selma Hutson has invited me over to her home and have accepted unless something of weather or otherwise interferes.  Big drift in driveway to house here yet but probably will be gone by then.

            Nearly time for carrier – will try to write soon the things I had hoped to send now. So much love and  prayers with you and for you.            

                                                                                         Grandmother-Mother

This letter was written so many years ago to my mother, who  has also been gone now for almost five years, along with both her mother and her mother-in-law.  Looking ahead toward Mother's Day, I am so thankful for Godly grandparents and parents who have passed on their values from one generation to the next. 

1952 Salt Lake City Flood

This letter below was written by my Great Aunt and Uncle, George and Atha (Farnham) Sherwood and sent to my Grandparents, Herman and Susan Sherwood Weber who lived in Kendall, Wisconsin.  The letter mostly talks about the Salt Lake City Flood of 1952.  The letter describes their first-hand experiences and observations.  This is a public domain photo of the Jordan River that was the route of the flood waters. It's not too relevant, but it's always nice to have a photo on a blog post : -).   The scattered references to Orry (Orion), Homer, Richard and Georgie, are regarding their sons.  Great Uncle George worked for the post office and, although it is likely obvious to most, his reference to ship is aircraft. 

Salt Lake City, UT;
May 15, 1952

[Begins with Atha’s handwriting]

Dear Susan:-

Just got back this evening about 6 o’clock from W.S.C.S. convention in Montrose, Colorado and was glad to find a letter from you but sorry not to have written you sooner about the floods etc. Hadn’t found time to write Orry and Barbara much so asked Hattie if she would call them as she went through Chicago and relieve their minds until I could get a letter off to them.

Have been trying so hard to get a few things done which have been hanging on so long and been a big worry since I just couldn’t seem to ever get at them to get them out of the way. Will tell you all about them when I get back there as it’s easier to talk than write and I’ll probably have more time then. Have two more projects I’d like to complete so very much before our vacation and the one at the Church just about must be done before I leave.

We have all been so very fortunate in that none of us have been damaged by the floods though it came within a block north of us and the neighbors, including George, worked until late into the night damming it off with sandbags and turning it back into the river still raging about 3 ft deep and about the width of the street down 13th South. They have now built a bridge across 13th South and Main street so the traffic can get through without going so far around as they had to do for several weeks. They have also made banks of sand about 5 feet high all along 13th South now in hopes it will take care of anything coming down from now on.  Have also had a few cold days and nights which have slowed up the thawing of snow in some places and helped a great deal.

They have dredged the Jordan river (and also the surplus canal) to lower the bottom and piled it along the banks to raise the height of the banks so they will carry all the water possible and have the situation pretty well under control now so we are hoping it will not spread to damage any more than it already has. It really is just too bad for the many homes and places who are flooded and evacuated and I feel so sorry for them but am so glad that all of the evacuees places did not get it as was feared when they were ordered to evacuate.

One night it came up into Richard’s front yard but not bad and their neighborhood was able to sandbag it off and now it isn’t bothering in that neighborhood.

Homer was fortunate enough to be a block north of the district evauated so he hasn’t had any flood trouble and only trouble with the water table rising so that it raised through the floor in his basement but again he was very fortunate as he and Dad hadn’t had time to pour a cement floor in his basement yet so they made a sump and put in an automatic sump pump and it is taking care of it very nicely.

Will explain in more details about it all when we see you. But unless something unexpected happens things seem to be under control now so that it is hoped it will not spread farther to do more damage.

As to how things are going to work out for Georgie so we can plan accordingly we will not know yet for a few days.

[Switches to George’s handwriting]

Dear Susan, Herman and all. On my lunch time at the airport and must hurry if get this off on trip 134. If this is pretty disconnected forgive as the boys have radio on pretty loud and it ain’t music either.

Anyhow, we still plan to leave here for Wisconsin June 7 as early as possible. Sort of expect to come through via Casper Wyo and through Sparta, but may decide to reverse and come in via Chicago and go back that or some other way. Will depend on how much time – if any – George has to be with us and when. Orion & Babs can come up to Kendall for a weekend if at all. So far not at all sure that there will be more than the old folks -- Dora, Guy, Atha & I. And reason I have not written sooner is partly uncertainly of my own position. An order forbidding further extension of annual leave privileges during June and rest of May came out, but our office expects to be able to accommodate me since I made verbal application over 2 months ago and posted probable dates of absence on the sheet at the Airport. This may still not work out if conditions of finances for balance of fiscal year becomes tighter.

As ship will soon be here must hurry on. We expect to have funds available for trip east so suggest you wait until we arrive then if we run into difficulty we can perhaps borrow what we need for return trip. Ha! Ha! Sounds ominous for you, if you are ever to get rid of us. That that way we can better gauge requirements and will not be carrying all eggs in one basket. Thanks for offer of loan – may have to after we arrive in Kendall, but hold until we see.

Bye - bye - ship here

Lovingly,

George, Atha and Family

Congrats Graduate Grandma -- A Century Ago -- from KENDALL HIGH SCHOOL

One hundred years ago (and a couple of weeks added because I did not think of this early enough), my grandmother Susan Rosina Sherwood graduated from Kendall High School in Kendall, Wisconsin.   I believe this is her graduation photo and I know this is her diploma, as I photographed the original. It is much to large to scan at home.  The diploma lists all the things in which the student had shown proficiency.  I'm impressed!  And not only does her diploma state that she was proficient, but Grandma spent her life attempting to influence her family, friends and political leaders of what was necessary for them to do the very best for themselves, their families and their country.   She loved the old farm known by various names over the decades - Spring Brook Farm; Pine Terraces; The Old Home Farm; The Old Weber Farm - and I do wonder how her life might have been different had she spread her little wings and flown away.  Since I inherited her penchant for nostalgia, I can hardly complain and I can't thank her enough for being the hoarder of family letters and history that she was.  Susan was the daughter of William and Ella Jane (Stevens (Atwater)) Sherwood.  She was born February 1, 1894 and went to meet her Maker on August 14, 1987.  She was mother to four children, William, Mary, Robert, all of whom have followed her there as well.  A century ago she had just reached this educational rite of passage and like all other graduates was looking toward what her future might hold.    She never went to college but she was very articulate and well able to communicate in writing.