Letter from Will to Kathleen: 10/12/1919
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A letter from Will, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to his wife Kathleen, who with the children is visiting her family in Savannah, Georgia. Content warning: racism and intolerance.
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510, Bolton St East,
Savannah, Ga.
Sunday
Dear Will,
Big tease!! But I am very glad you have found a house. I should like to know some more about it. I suppose you are quite proud to have found a house all by yourself. I hope it is not too large + that it is in good condition. It ought to be at that price. I expect I shall come back about the first week of Nov now that we have a house to come to. I should like you to get the house cleaned. There is a colored man named Tom that Mrs. Ross + other people on Nelson Ave employ, whom I think you might get to clean it. The floors probably will need washing, windows cleaning, + walls + ceilings dusted down. It would be much more convenient if you could get that done while the house is empty. Then if you got the furniture moved into the clean house there would be some place for us to sleep when we come back + it would not take so long for me to get straight. You might find out whether the people who are leaving have a servant + if she is a good one perhaps we could get her. If not you might ask John at the office. I would prefer a white servant but I suppose cannot be too particular, only please don’t get me a R. Catholic. Please tell me some more about the house + whether you can get it cleaned before we come. If you cannot get Tom you might be able to get a man that Mrs. Gere was getting to clean her house.
I return the milk bill. I think you had better pay the bill just so. I can explain it when I see you. Those bills of Pogues should be $16.50 + of Shillito $11.50 I believe. I spoke of them before.
The children are bonny. It is hot here and it is just like the summer.
I am sorry you were disappointed about the third game. Am glad Cincinnati won. I expect there was plenty of excitement.
I have just remembered we have no gas stove and of course I should need one right away on account of the babies. I suppose the house does not bring a gas stove along with it? I liked the stove at Mrs. Morrison’s better than any I have ever seen or used. It was “Estate” I believe. You might find out how much it cost. How about Coal!
Maybe it would be better for us to board a few days until I get the house fixed up. Please write what you think we had better do. The family is migrating to bed so I had better go along.
Much love to you.
Wed.
I did not get this mailed so will add a little more. I am going to get coats made for the children here from some goods Mother has given me. I had to buy the linings and they’re three times as much as they used to, so you had better fix my allowance before I come back or I shall be thinking I need more when things are so high. By the way I shall need some money to get our tickets with to come home, but shall not need it until the end of the month. I have been very economical while here, the fact of the matter being that Mother will not let me spend any money while I am staying here. I hope you have not forgotten all the birthday presents I want when we move in. How would you like a gas stove + fireless cooker or some such useful article for your birthday. We might even bring Margaret’s birthday in and give her a chair for the nursery! I have been thinking that we had better get a bureau for our room as we shall need the drawer space. I have gotten to the point where I want what I want when I want it so you may prepare yourself. Most of all at present I want YOU.
Margaret is at school - enjoys it very much. Kathleen is in her pen on the front porch + Billy playing beside her. Kathleen has 5 teeth now.
Please send the money to Mrs. Jervey. The enclosed came this morning.
I have written a letter to Eva this morning. Had a letter from grandmother yesterday.
Hope you had a good trip and I hope to have a letter from you soon. Am sorry I have been so long sending this.
Much love to my dear boy,
Kathleen.
Ruth says thank you very much for sending her drawings on. Mr. Harris also sent on the negatives of the pictures you took.
I have been looking at the milk bills. In the one Oct. 1 they have charged us for certified milk 24 cents a qt. We never had any. We had inspected at 20 cents but in the previous bill they sent us inspected milk sometimes and charged us cheaper rate. It's a muddle anyway + when I get back we will get milk from another company. I have had enough of this ones with the flies.
Love, Kathleen
Savannah, Ga.
Sunday
Dear Will,
Big tease!! But I am very glad you have found a house. I should like to know some more about it. I suppose you are quite proud to have found a house all by yourself. I hope it is not too large + that it is in good condition. It ought to be at that price. I expect I shall come back about the first week of Nov now that we have a house to come to. I should like you to get the house cleaned. There is a colored man named Tom that Mrs. Ross + other people on Nelson Ave employ, whom I think you might get to clean it. The floors probably will need washing, windows cleaning, + walls + ceilings dusted down. It would be much more convenient if you could get that done while the house is empty. Then if you got the furniture moved into the clean house there would be some place for us to sleep when we come back + it would not take so long for me to get straight. You might find out whether the people who are leaving have a servant + if she is a good one perhaps we could get her. If not you might ask John at the office. I would prefer a white servant but I suppose cannot be too particular, only please don’t get me a R. Catholic. Please tell me some more about the house + whether you can get it cleaned before we come. If you cannot get Tom you might be able to get a man that Mrs. Gere was getting to clean her house.
I return the milk bill. I think you had better pay the bill just so. I can explain it when I see you. Those bills of Pogues should be $16.50 + of Shillito $11.50 I believe. I spoke of them before.
The children are bonny. It is hot here and it is just like the summer.
I am sorry you were disappointed about the third game. Am glad Cincinnati won. I expect there was plenty of excitement.
I have just remembered we have no gas stove and of course I should need one right away on account of the babies. I suppose the house does not bring a gas stove along with it? I liked the stove at Mrs. Morrison’s better than any I have ever seen or used. It was “Estate” I believe. You might find out how much it cost. How about Coal!
Maybe it would be better for us to board a few days until I get the house fixed up. Please write what you think we had better do. The family is migrating to bed so I had better go along.
Much love to you.
Wed.
I did not get this mailed so will add a little more. I am going to get coats made for the children here from some goods Mother has given me. I had to buy the linings and they’re three times as much as they used to, so you had better fix my allowance before I come back or I shall be thinking I need more when things are so high. By the way I shall need some money to get our tickets with to come home, but shall not need it until the end of the month. I have been very economical while here, the fact of the matter being that Mother will not let me spend any money while I am staying here. I hope you have not forgotten all the birthday presents I want when we move in. How would you like a gas stove + fireless cooker or some such useful article for your birthday. We might even bring Margaret’s birthday in and give her a chair for the nursery! I have been thinking that we had better get a bureau for our room as we shall need the drawer space. I have gotten to the point where I want what I want when I want it so you may prepare yourself. Most of all at present I want YOU.
Margaret is at school - enjoys it very much. Kathleen is in her pen on the front porch + Billy playing beside her. Kathleen has 5 teeth now.
Please send the money to Mrs. Jervey. The enclosed came this morning.
I have written a letter to Eva this morning. Had a letter from grandmother yesterday.
Hope you had a good trip and I hope to have a letter from you soon. Am sorry I have been so long sending this.
Much love to my dear boy,
Kathleen.
Ruth says thank you very much for sending her drawings on. Mr. Harris also sent on the negatives of the pictures you took.
I have been looking at the milk bills. In the one Oct. 1 they have charged us for certified milk 24 cents a qt. We never had any. We had inspected at 20 cents but in the previous bill they sent us inspected milk sometimes and charged us cheaper rate. It's a muddle anyway + when I get back we will get milk from another company. I have had enough of this ones with the flies.
Love, Kathleen
1919-10-12: tour stops---images---audio---transcript---~NOTES~---links---site navigation
1.
510, Bolton St East,
Savannah, Ga.
Sunday
No date is given, and the postmark date isn’t all there, but it’s Sunday and Kathleen has just learned about the house in So I’m making it Sunday October 12.
2.
Big tease!!
Yes, Will had fun saying in the beginning of his letter that he had given up on house-hunting, and then casually mentioning at the end that he had found a house.
3.
There is a colored man named Tom that Mrs. Ross + other people on Nelson Ave employ, whom I think you might get to clean it.
Kathleen added “colored” in later. It mattered to her.
4.
I would prefer a white servant but I suppose cannot be too particular, only please don’t get me a R. Catholic.
Will surely already knows by this time that Kathleen doesn't like blacks or Catholics.
5.
Those bills of Pogues should be $16.50 + of Shillito $11.50 I believe. I spoke of them before.
Yes, Kathleen spoke of them in:
6.
I am sorry you were disappointed about the third game. Am glad Cincinnati won.
The last game of the 1919 World Series was played on October 9.
7.
I liked the stove at Mrs. Morrison’s better than any I have ever seen or used. It was “Estate” I believe.
The Estate brand is currently owned by Whirlpool.
8.
I have written a letter to Eva this morning. Had a letter from grandmother yesterday.
Grandmother was Mama Margaret.
9.
Ruth says thank you very much for sending her drawings on.
Will mentioned in his letter to Maggie that he had sent the drawings.
10.
I have been looking at the milk bills. In the one Oct. 1 they have charged us for certified milk 24 cents a qt. We never had any. We had inspected at 20 cents but in the previous bill they sent us inspected milk sometimes and charged us cheaper rate. It's a muddle anyway + when I get back we will get milk from another company. I have had enough of this ones with the flies.
This is in answer to Will in I am inclosing two bills from the dairy. You will notice that they have a balance of 34¢ carried forward from August. I think that was deducted for two bottles with flies in them.
When I read the bit from Will, I thought, "Hmph, flies in the milk, the good old days weren't that good." I'm glad to see that Kathleen wasn't putting up with it.
I tried to find out the difference between certified milk and inspected milk, and found only certified milk. This was in the middle the era when there was a push to have better milk. Wikipedia says that the first state law requiring pasteurization of milk wasn't enacted until 1947.
510, Bolton St East,
Savannah, Ga.
Sunday
No date is given, and the postmark date isn’t all there, but it’s Sunday and Kathleen has just learned about the house in So I’m making it Sunday October 12.
2.
Big tease!!
Yes, Will had fun saying in the beginning of his letter that he had given up on house-hunting, and then casually mentioning at the end that he had found a house.
3.
There is a colored man named Tom that Mrs. Ross + other people on Nelson Ave employ, whom I think you might get to clean it.
Kathleen added “colored” in later. It mattered to her.
4.
I would prefer a white servant but I suppose cannot be too particular, only please don’t get me a R. Catholic.
Will surely already knows by this time that Kathleen doesn't like blacks or Catholics.
5.
Those bills of Pogues should be $16.50 + of Shillito $11.50 I believe. I spoke of them before.
Yes, Kathleen spoke of them in:
6.
I am sorry you were disappointed about the third game. Am glad Cincinnati won.
The last game of the 1919 World Series was played on October 9.
7.
I liked the stove at Mrs. Morrison’s better than any I have ever seen or used. It was “Estate” I believe.
The Estate brand is currently owned by Whirlpool.
8.
I have written a letter to Eva this morning. Had a letter from grandmother yesterday.
Grandmother was Mama Margaret.
9.
Ruth says thank you very much for sending her drawings on.
Will mentioned in his letter to Maggie that he had sent the drawings.
10.
I have been looking at the milk bills. In the one Oct. 1 they have charged us for certified milk 24 cents a qt. We never had any. We had inspected at 20 cents but in the previous bill they sent us inspected milk sometimes and charged us cheaper rate. It's a muddle anyway + when I get back we will get milk from another company. I have had enough of this ones with the flies.
This is in answer to Will in I am inclosing two bills from the dairy. You will notice that they have a balance of 34¢ carried forward from August. I think that was deducted for two bottles with flies in them.
When I read the bit from Will, I thought, "Hmph, flies in the milk, the good old days weren't that good." I'm glad to see that Kathleen wasn't putting up with it.
I tried to find out the difference between certified milk and inspected milk, and found only certified milk. This was in the middle the era when there was a push to have better milk. Wikipedia says that the first state law requiring pasteurization of milk wasn't enacted until 1947.
1919-10-12: tour stops---images---audio---transcript---notes---~LINKS~---site navigation
DOCUMENT LISTS FOR PEOPLE:
- WILL: DOCUMENTS ----- Incoming
- EVA: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- MAMA MARGARET: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- KATHLEEN: DOCUMENTS ----- Outgoing
- THE NEXT GENERATION: DOCUMENTS ----- Maggie, Billy, Kay
- FARMERS & GRAYS: DOCUMENTS ----- Annie, Ruth
GENERAL DOCUMENT LISTS:
OTHER RELATED DOCUMENTS/PAGES:
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