All My Ancestors

I found this letter my granddad wrote in 1918 among all the “stuff” we moved after his death in 1998. Based on the date of the letter, he would have been 9 when he wrote it. I don’t know who Ray was that he was writing it to, nor do I know if this was a common occurrence–his letter-writing, that is. I do know that his signature at age 9 looks just like I remember it looking 70 years later.

He mentions his parents going to Beaver. Beaver is the county seat of the county where the were living, also named Beaver. I wonder if they were doing some sort of official business there–much of their trading and shopping was done across the state line in Perryton, Texas–it was half the distance and a larger town. He also references his older sisters who were washing dishes–they were just older than him at 12 and 10.  Even when all three of these folks were in their 70s and 80s, Aunt Lorene and Aunt Edna were still referred to as “the girls.”

You can see that it’s written on that old cheap paper that turns acidic almost as soon as it is made. It’s probably pre-Big Chief tablet days, but the paper is similar. It doesn’t have a ragged edge at the top like it was torn from a tablet.

Here’s the text in case you can’t read the original:

Balko, OK.

Jan 9, 1918

Deare school mate Ray:

Are you coming to the party next Saturday night. I dont know if I will come nor not. How do you like to go to school I like to go to school all right How do ytou like your teacher. I like my teacher fine. Are you sitting in a seat by your self. My papa and mamma went to Beaver to day. They stayed till we had the chures done and the girls was washing dishes. Well I must go to bed. Yours truly

Elmer Unruh