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a.
Alice’s Letters
[Alice May Garretson was born in 1877 and had a
twin sister named Elsie. Her first
husband was Gustav. Gustafsson. The
text of the letters has been abbreviated to eliminate standard opening and
closing lines, etc. The correspondents often enclosed snippets of material for
their dresses.]
Well
Alice we cant come down this week unless it rains for France is making
hay. We will come just as soon as we
can. I am not very well. I was up to town and had a tooth pulled
out. I wanted him to pull all of my
upper teeth but he wouldn’t pull them out.
Ida
to Alice
[No
date]
Wednesday
morn
Mrs
Gustafson
As
Oscar and I are going down to see Nancy next Sunday I thought I would let you
know do you want to go with us we will go if the roads are fit and it is a nice
day. I don’t suppose I will get to see
you before Sunday we will start pretty early he will let you know Sunday
morning I guess whether we go or not.
Letta
[No
date]
Miss
Alice Garretson -,
It
will be impossible for me to take my music lesson Wednesday so Fannie and I
wont be down. Will you please tell the
music teacher? Will see you Sun. as we
expect to go to Johnsons.
Elsa
Mentzer
Bridgewater,
Ia
July
7 – 92
Dear
Cousin
…….I
was at Bridgewater to the celebration the fourth of July but I didn’t have a
good time, there were lots of folks there but not much going on. I expect that Frank Ditch took you to the
celebration didn’t he? Write and tell
me if he did, Mary McCreary told who your fellow was so you write and tell me
who her and Alice Mc. fellows are. They
wont tell me……. We had a mess of new potatoes for supper last night……… Who is
Elsie’s fellow? How much do you weigh? I weigh 110 pounds, Mother weighs 111, Nora
70, George 73………..
Ella
Timmons
In
after years when this you see
I
wonder what your name will be
(I
expect it will be Mrs Ditch.)
Central
City, Iowa
July
18, 1892
Dear
Alice,
…..
I had a piece partly written about Elsie’s death, but the evening after the
funeral I went to Snyders to stay all night and Kurtz wrote a notice of her
death, and mailed it the following morning.
I was very much disappointed. I
expect that notice will be in our next Messenger. You send me Elsie’s age, when and where born. I am going to put an account of Flo’s death
in our City paper, and will put that in too if you send it to me and I will
then send you a copy of the paper. I
write for the paper regularly.
Lizzie
M. Rogers
Bridgewater,
Iowa
July
28 ‘92
Dear
Cousin,
………………..
I was sorry to hear of Elsie’s death. We
are all well at present……… We have had to water all of the cattle and horses
out of the well for a long time but I guess there will be enough water in the
branch for a while ………. I have had to do the most of it myself for the men
folks have been away making hay they would go in the morning and stay until
late at night. We have 18 head of
cattle and 9 head of horses to water ourselves. Butter is 11 cts a pound, eggs are 11 cts a dozen, we milk 7 cows
and have 2 little calves to feed……… Pa and John are cutting Hiram McFarlands
grain today we have not got our harvest done yet……we have 6 little guineas,
they are awful little and pretty….. I have got the tooth ache and it don’t feel
very nice ……..
Ella
Timmons
Bridgewater
Iowa
Aug
4th 1892
Dear
Cousin
I
will write you a few lines to let you know I am well and hope you are the
same. I was sorry to hear of Elsie’s
death. We have 6 little guineas, we
have not commenced cutting our grain yet, we have 17 stands of bees and have
taken up some honey……….
Nora
Timmons
Central
City, Iowa
Aug
4, 1892
Dear
Cousin Alice,
…………..
I wrote a piece about Elsie’s death and sent it to the Gazette. Was it printed? I do not take that paper.
I had Flo’s printed in the News-Letter …………
Lizzie
M. Rogers
Riverside Iowa
Sept. 18, 1892
Dear
friend Alice,
…..
I was very .. to hear of your sad affliction and you have my sincere sympathy
in your great loss of a dear sister and you must try and bear up under your sad
affliction and think of him that doeth all things well. I did not think when we parted at annual
meeting I would hear such sad news so soon, have you any pictures of
Elsie?
Annie
Heck
Toddville
Iowa
Oct
13, 1892
Mr.
W. M. Cook
Cedar
Rapids
Linn
Co
Dear
Sir
I
cannot take the book I subscribed for as we told you when you was here we did
not know wheather we could or not I
hope it will be all right and you will not look for us to take the book I thought I would write and tell you and you
can sell it to some one.
Yours
respectfuly
Miss
Alice Garretson
[This
letter was returned to Alice from the Post Office Dead Letter Office on Dec. 2,
1892]
Bridgewater,
Ia
Nov
2, 1892
…………
Our winter term of school will commence the first of December, I guess I will
go. I suppose you go to town to school
now. Who does Alice McCreary and Mary
go with, tell me please. Alice Mc. said
that Frank D. had a new top buggie, I expect he takes you a buggie riding quite
often. I was at the Greenfield fair one
day, I had a nice time. You and Aunt
Rebecca had better come out here and stay this winter with us. Diphtheria is pretty thick in Fontanelle
now….. The men are plastering the upstairs today. I guess they will get the house all plastered this week.
Ella
Riverside,
Iowa
Nov
6th 1892
Dear
friend
……………….
They had a big time in Riverside on Columbus day but I did not go, where did
you go on Columbus day? I did not know
of anybody that had the measles at annual meeting……. Mr and Mrs Tisdale and the
children were here at the Dunkark lovefeast…..
Annie
Heck
The
older the tree
The
tougher the bark
The
younger the girl
The
better to spark
Cessna,
Bedford Co [Pennsylvania]
November
20th, 1892
[addressed
to Mrs Rebecca A. Garretson, Alice’s mother]
Dear
Sister,
………
Sarah was here on a visit from McKeesport ….. She likes it there very
well. She has poor health. She sews for a living……… you wanted to know
about my boys. They are both farmers,
they both own farms. John owns a farm
in Bedford Township, Albert owns a farm near Mowery Mills. John has no children. Albert has four – three girls and one
boy. The daughters - Ada Catharine,
Mary Jane, June and Alberta; the boy Bruce Enos….. Peggy Miller is still living
yet. She has to take care of her
Mother, they say she is near a hundred years old. She is just like a child and is still crazy at times. There has been a great many changes since
you left here. Caroline Ring is very
----- at this time. Ann Hiner is dead,
Betsy Hull is dead, David Hull, John Hull is dead and a great many others. You say your health is very poor, I hope you
will get better, none of us has very good health. I had the grip last winter …… have such a cough …….. [Note:
Jane, the writer, lived another 12 years, to age 74 and Rebecca lived to 1915
at age 75]………… I think I have a brother living out there somewhere, do you
know where he lives? I don’t know
anything about him, I guess he don’t know he has an old sister back here. I have enough to live on. He might write to me once and tell me about
his family. I am the oldest, he is the
youngest………….
My
love to all
Write
soon
Jane
E. Ellis
What
are the Stoudenhours doing? June wrote
to me that Albert was to send her June’s measurements and she would send her a dress. She never sent it. He thinks it was a mean trick of her. She needn’t wrote if she didn’t intend send it, he says she …….
……..
She
had no need to write such thing as that if she wasn’t agoing to do so.
Traer,
Tama Co.
Dec
7, 1892
……………….
I want you to practice up pretty well because I will want you to make my
wedding dress, won’t that be nice? I am
coming home by Christmas, don’t you tell any of my folks if you see any of them
………
Angie
Cress
Bridgewater,
Ia
Jan
14 – 93
Dear
Cousin,
……….
I came home last night, John came after me, we are going to have a dance at our
house tonight. I wish you and Frank was
here. …………
Ella
Riverside
Iowa
Jan
16 1893
Dear
friend
I
wish you was here to go with me to ringing tomorrow night we meet at the
neighbors ever Tuesday evening you must try and not feel so bad about Elsie it
is very hard to part with our Dear ones but we must try to meet them in that
place where there is no more sorry and trouble
we have had meeting at our church
Mr Cakerice and Mr Wheeler preached for us do you Remember them they was at annual meeting perhaps you will
be surprised to hear that I have joined the dunkard church but I think it is
right and we all have work to do I wish
thair was more that would follow the Lord
where did you go on new year I
went to church and after church I went home with Libbie Seibert where is Daisy Crerr and what is she doing
and where is Mamie Crews
Annie
Heck
When
you get old and can not see
put
on your specks and write to me
………. I think I will go to Fontanelle next Wednesday
if it is a good day………. They elected sub director at our school house last
Monday and they elected Pap for Director ………. I have been to 4 dances, 2
exhibitions and to 2 ciphering matches …….. I expect when I hear from you again
your name will be Mrs Alice Ditch instead of Miss Alice Garretson. Eggs are 13 cents a dozen. Butter is 15 cents a pound. Scarlet fever is coming around here pretty
thick. …….. You and Frank get your pictures taken together and send me one of
them………….
Ella
Timmons
[2
letters enclosed]
“Bridgewater
Iowa”
Dear
Cousin
………
we have got 50 sheep, 32 old ones and 18 lambs. Pa is director………. We get over a dozen eggs a day……… we don’t
make any butter to sell…….. Eli Sullivans youngest child died of Scarlet fever
and the other one has it now.
Your
ever true cousin,
Nora
Timmons
Mar
20 1893
Miss
Alice Garretson
Toddville
– Iowa
My
Dear Friend
……..I
hope your little nephew has got well………Sunday is our preaching Sunday Bro Seibert is going away and we are going
to have a new minister to preach for us……I poisoned my face the other day by
putting poison ivy in the stool it is no fun to have your face poison did you
ever have your face poisoned? are you
going to the worlds fair or at the annual meeting I would like to go …………..
Annie
Heck
Sun
eve May 14th / 93
Cedar
Rapids Ia
Dear
friend,
I
suppose you are to church tonight. I
will be glad when I get home so I can go.
We had a good time today, I popped corn and made candy this forenoon and
we walked all over every where this afternoon.
Did the band play up there Tuesday night? I hear the band down here quite often….. We looked for you down
that night. We went over to the depot
and there was quite a lot come down that night from Toddville. I saw you the next day….. I suppose you like
it in your new house……..
Yours
truly,
Marrie
Hoff
Address
me to 395 F Ave West – Cedar Rapids
Riverside,
Iowa
May
17, 1893
………
I would like to ask you if there is many young people in Toddville, there are
not many around here, but we live two miles from Riverside and there is lots of
young people there……… Guy Hardy had killed a big wolf and he tried to make me
believe it was a big dog and he also got four little wolfs……… It was very nice
of your fellow to get a surprise party up for you.
Annie
Heck
Riverside,
Iowa
July
19, 1893
Dear
friend Alice,
……………
I would like to have been at the dunkard love feast but we have so much work to
do that I could not leave home. If you
have a dunkard love feast next fall I think I will get to come……… we also had
harvest hands. Oh it’s so hot to cook
for harvest hands…… there is a basket meeting across the Iowa River today two
miles east of here….. Mr. Hardy got hurt on the corn plow and we had to go for
the Doc………. There was two boys drowned in the Iowa River 4 miles from here,
they lived in Iowa City.
Annie
Heck
Dear
Friend, remember times are hard and boys are plenty
so
don’t get married until you’re 20.
Laramie
Wyo
July
30/’93
Dear
friend,
…………
I don’t like it a tall here. This is a
nice town but I don’t like it. I have
wished more than one time that I would almost give my eyes to be back in that
dear old home in Iowa. I suppose you
are busy sewing and your Mother busy weaving……….. How do you like dress
making?………. I suppose you and Gustav will go to meeting tonight….. Freddie has
growed like everything, he knowed all of us…. Pa is working in the Bakery until
he can get a better job. He delivers
all of the bread and cakes and helps the man make bread and wash and grease the
pans ………..
Clara
Laramie Wyo
Aug 13/’93
……….
This is Sunday morning. The train is
just going out now. Anna Pool started
for Iowa last night and will get to Cedar Rapids Monday morning and is going to
stay a few days and then go to the worlds fair ………. How I wished I was in her
place. You wanted to know how I like
sewing I have not begun yet I am going
in the first class dress making shop and sew so I can learn all of the extra
sewing and fancy sewing. The woman
wants me just as soon as I can but I can’t go now until September some time
next month. The woman is a fine dress
maker and she takes girls and learns them to sew or to learn them to cut
too. They help her sew and it don’t
cost me nothing, haft to board myself.
The woman where I am going she mad 13 hundred dollars in one year, she
keeps four and five girls all of the time, they sew while she cuts and shows
and learns them…………. I suppose you are taking in the camp meeting today. Are the apples ripe? My how I wish for one from home…… there is
nineteen saloons here, isnt there enough , eleven years ago there was 42, isn’t
that awful?
Clara Mason
Laramie, Wyo, Sept 15, 1893
Dear
friend Alice
………….
Well Alice I heard that you was Auntie once more I suppose Momma and Papa think
lots of the baby….. for George and Anna I would like to see them the first time
they go out with it, I suppose down to Grandmas will be the first place that is
always the first place to Grandmas……….. Pa has bought the bakery out and we run
it ourselves only we have a girl and we will only keep her long enough to learn
all of the things and we will run it ourselves, we all like it pretty
well. Pa gets lots better bread than
the fellow did that run it, he got wreckless and didn’t care. How are you getting along sewing? I began and sew one week and then I had to
stop but I liked it awful well what little I did sew…………..
Clara
Mason
River
Side Iowa
Oct
6 93
…………..
We had our love feast two weeks ago there was five girls and four boys here
from Kinross they came here fryday evening and they were with us fryday and
Sunday night they came to the love
feast Brot Wheeler and daughter from
Rockton Marshall Co Iowa was here to attend our love feast Brot Dessenberg from Ohio was here and preached for us
a week. Golda and Guy
Hardy and I went to see one of our neighbors boil molasses Tuesday evening we
had lots of fun. I went with Mellie and
Amy Cline and their father to English River Church to attend a love feast we
went in a spring wagon it is 32 miles from here don’t you think we had a good
time…….. Sunday is our preaching Sunday…….. I am going to RiverSide next week a
visiting…………
from
your true friend
Annie
Heck
October
the 7 [1893?]
Palo,
Linn Co Iowa
……….
I wish that you would send for that Pollean stuff for me as soon as possible
and send it to Palo. And I started baby
a hood over to Mary Johnsons and if you will finish it I will pay you for
it. Well I been canning apples and
making apples butter. I am in a hurry
for Steve is going to Center Point today ……
from
Anna Vanfossen
Laramie
Wyo
Oct
21 1893
Dear
friend Alice
………..I
am not going to meeting tonight – there is no fun in going to meeting
here. This is Sunday evening. I suppose you will go to meeting at
Toddville tonight……. When are you going to send me one of your pictures? ……….. I would like to have one of you and
Gus ……….. The boys go to school they are learning awful well more than in the
country schools. But when they get to
thinking about home they about cry, they said the other day that they wished
they was home to play with Bob Hagerman and the Gott boys…………..
Clara
Mason
Oct
23 93
…..
I could not tell if I was coming or not till I saw Bro Seiberts they are going
in a spring wagon and wanted me to go with them well Alice if nothing hapin I
will be to Dry Creek Church next saturday now be sure
and be there don’t forget I don’t know what I would do if you was not there
……..
you
Friend in a hurry
Annie
Heck
Robins,
Iowa
Nov
22, 1893
Miss
Alice Garretson,
Dear
Friend
Inclosed
please find $1.50 the price of the making of my dress. I beg your most humble pardon for this long
delay ………………
Delia
E. Gorton
Laramie,
Wyo, Dec 3/’93
Dear
friend Alice
……..The
mail train was awful late that come from the east ……… I suppose you are awful
lonesome since Gus has left ………. Oh my we had beans for dinner and you know how
fine they are…… I will send you a piece of my hair, I will show you how the
light air affects the hair, I have got white hair and green eyes and the people
say I am the prettiest girl in Laramie but I don’t know how true it is (ha ha
ha)
Nell Mason
Laramie Wyo
Dec
17/’93
Dear
friend
…….
This is a beautiful evening. Fred is
laying over my letter so that I cant hardly.
My he is a case to deal with he is just as full of meanness as he can. I would love to see Mary Hagerman I dream about her awful often. Well it is almost Santa Clause time wonder
if the old fellow will stop for us. It
is to bad that your fellow is gone and you have not got no way to go anywhere. I wished you was here this evening Gertie and I are going up town to night
almost every store has pictures in front and it work by machinery we are going
I wished you was here to go along. It
is like summer here the roads is dusty and we can leave our kitchen door open
in the day time. It takes spells here
but it is lovely now. ……..
Clara
Mason
River
Side Iowa
Dec
21 93
…………
we had a fine day today just like spring
the sleighing is all spoilt. Did
you have a sleighride yet? I had two or
three. I have been in Lonetree the past
five weeks in a Restaurant the work was awful hard and I did not like it………. I
suppose your fellow will be at home on Christmas………. I suppose you have got
lots of letters from your fellow by
this time…………
Annie
Toddville
Iowa
Dec
24, 1893
Mr
& Mrs. Gustavison,
I
wish you a happy life, and all the enjoyments there is in it for you, but you
little realise what you are doing, or the vows to holly to be broken, that you
are takeing upon yourselves, but I will close wishing you all the good luck,
you gus in your studdies and alice at home alone,
Good
bye & God Bless you,
From
Nancy
Laramie
Wyo
Jan
7/’94
Dear
friend
…….
This is a very cold day to day. I have
had the grip and is getting over it.
Fred is pretty sick boy. Ina
wanted to write to Grandma and let her know it. I am trying to work out this winter I get $15.00 a month ……….I
heard you was gowing to get married when we heard about your mother gowing to
get married. I was expecting it. You was married in the same house that Ma
and Pa was and Mr Synder married them………
Clara
Laramie
Wyo
Jan
27-‘94
Dear
friend
…………
We are all pretty well and awful lonesome……… I suppose you are at home
yet. I bet you will get awful home sick
when you haft to go. I hope you will
stra—a better place than this and then it will not be so bad for you. Isent that awful about Burris neighbor
gowing to get married that goes to show how much he thought of uniata dosent
it……..They was a man gowing to California and was gowing through here and he
died on the top of the mountain he could not stand the raise he was gowing there
for his health he was a laundry man and he was a chinimen………..Pa is helping a
baker today I guess he got on a
drunk I never seen such a place for
drinking almost ever women in town drinks it is nothing for a women to
drink. I am gowing to have company this
after noon. We are gowing to have corn
bread for dinner. I will be awful glad
when we can go home and I hope it will be before long I cant bear the place
since poor little Freddie is gone my it is awful lone some with out him I want to get out of here as quick as I can
now I don’t believe I could make my
home any where but in Iowa since Freddie is gone………
Clara
M.
River
Side Iowa
Jan
28 1894
Dear
friend Alice
…………..I
suppose you are busy cooking for someone else, well Alice I was very much surprised
when I read your letter to learn that you was married, when I was there last
fall I thought you and Gust would be married in the near future but not so soon
, it was quite a surprise. Well Alice
what little I have saw of Gust I think you have got a good man. I think your wedding dress is awful nice and
your wedding presents I think are all very nice and useful……
Annie
Heck
Bridgewater,
Iowa
Jan
31 – 94
Dear
Cousin
………..
was not very much surprised about you getting married for I expected it for quite
a while. Well I wish you a long and
happy life.
Ella
Mar
4 1894
Dear
friend Alice
……..
I suppose your husband will be home soon, I know you will be awful glad to see
him. You must be lonesome without
him. Your Mother will be awful lonesome
when you go away, is she going to live by herself? Tell her I said for her to catch on some rich widower and I will
come and see her…….. Guy and Golda Hardy are exposed to the measles. I am glad
I had them when I was little……
Annie Heck
Laramie Wyo
March
13, 1894
…………
I suppose it wont be long until you will leave Toddville ……….. There is a good
many tramps out here this spring. Do
you still sew? You wanted to know if I
had a piece of your wedding dress I have not
I want you to be sure to send me a piece and I will put it in my
cushion send me a piece of some of your dresses…… Is there many parties
out there? There is no parties here a
tall, all the people thinks of is to have card parties. I don’t think there is a woman in town that
what can play cards. There has been
several wanted me to play and ask me if I could play. They could not hire me to play cards with them. I would like to have a buggy ride. I have not had a ride since I left home…….
Clara
Mason
River
Side
May
1894
………… A Methodist preacher preached in our church
this forenoon but I did not go …… Well Alice I hope you like your new home …….
Annie
Rio
July 20 1894
My
Dear friends
…….
I have often thought of you and of our very pleasant visits together during
your short stay here in Rio. No I must
say that I don’t blame your dear Mother for wanting you both nearer home……
Mrs
Delos Curtis
Rio
Wisconsin
River
Side Iowa Aug 5, 1894
Mrs
Alice Gustafsson
………………
Oh Alice I was so sorry to hear that your health so poor but I do hope your
health is better by this time soon……….. I went to see a big baseball game
played between RiverSide and south English boys. There was 500 people to see them play. ….. Where did you go on the forth of July I went to Iowa City a
town 11 miles north of here …….. I suppose you was awful glad to get home and
see your Mother and sisters.
Annie
Heck
Rio
August 17/894
….
I was sorry to hear that you were so poorley
you were looking so well when you left Rio I must say that wisconsin is a healthy state. I wish you had staid one year or more. Mrs Goodwin is not at home so I told Mr
Goodwin that you and your husband wished to be remembered ….. Mr Goodwin said
that when I wrote you to tell your husband that if he wanted to come back and
finish learning telegraphing that he would take him and he would do all he could to help your husband in the future so
your husband can do as he likes……… The merchant near the depot he was buried
one week last Wednesday died of consumption he was an old Bach[?} he
leaves about thirty thousand to his brothers and sisters……….
Yours
in true friendship and love
Mrs
Delos Curtis
Rio
Wisconsin
Dec
24, 1895
[postmarked Dec 27, Toddville Iowa, addressed to
Mrs. Alice G. Gustafsson at 129 F Ave West, Cedar Rapids]
Dear
children
I
will drop you a few lines to let you know how we are …………… [the rest of the
letter is almost illegible] …………
……
this from your Mother.
Lonetree
Iowa
Dec
28, 1895
[The envelope was
post marked Dec 26, 1895 in Shoo fly, Iowa, then Lonetree Dec 26, then
Toddville Dec 27, and finally on an unreadable date in Cedar Rapids. The address for Alice had been changed in
different ink from Toddville to 129 F Ave. West, Cedar Rapids]
Dear
Friend Alice
…..
We had a sale the 18 of Sep. we thought we was going to Arkansas but I guess we
are not agoing my husband and his brotherinlaw went to Arkansas the 28 of Aug
to see the country, they stayed two weeks but they did not like it there. My fatherinlaw and brotherinlaw went to
Missouri about two weeks ago, they came back last Tuesday. They like the country. I don’t know if we will go there or not but
I think we will….. I got your picture all right. I was very glad to get it.
I think it is a good picture of you and your husband. I think you have got a nice big baby. He looks so bright in his picture he must be
quite a big baby now. I wish I could
see him. I know he must be awful sweet,
he looked so in his picture. Some of my
friends in his picture they thought he was a big bright baby for his age…… Are
you still staying with your Mother? How
is your Mother? Is she well?
From
your true friend
As
ever
Annie [Heck] Rhodes
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