So people often ask me, “how many letters are there?” and I let them know there are well over 300. I think I need to do an FAQ to explain all of this.
Anyway, today’s letter comes from my favorite, great-uncle, Oscar Nunning. If you are new here, Oscar married Marie, my grandma’s younger and only sister, in 1932. In these letters, Oscar is courting Marie and telling us all about life during that time. I ran into Oscar’s son, David, last weekend at my mom’s 80th birthday party. I told him that his dad was quite a character and he said that his mother knocked it out of him. I had a chuckle.
Howell, IN
Feb 22, 1931
Dear Friend Al,
I received your letter Friday and was glad to hear from you, so I am writing you a few lines to let you know that I am still alive, last week I worked 3 days and made 4 loads to your old town Rockport, IN at the corner of Fifth and Sycamore. Only a few blocks from your old loading house. Ted was at Rockport yesterday and came back in 48 minutes. All of us were at John Kern’s birthday party last Sunday night and had a hot time plenty of you know what? But this week the bootleggers are catching hell. My friend’s Bill Schauss and George Grim of St. Wendel are in the storm. Bill is under $2500 and George $5000 so that is tough for the bootleggers, but they didn’t get 1% of the boge and didn’t find all for it was buried in the ground by the barrels.
The negro and I were to Sking Watterman’s house to deliver some cement and boy we got some HEIMGEMACHT and plenty of it. We now have lent so we will have to play cards and carry beams instead of dancing but we can still have our homebrew we also can drink peanuts and eat brew and go to church twice a week. We have had lots of rain now it sprinkles every once in a while.
Well Al, Oscar was very selfish with the other letter he wrote to you he had it all ready to mail didn’t give us a chance to put a word in but this is the time I tell you Al don’t worry about Elma. I taken good care of her at the birthday party last Sunday I won’t let another fellow look at her less dance or give her a sweet kiss that is all for you. Mr. Nunning says hello hoping you are having a hot time while you are away. Theodore isn’t home but I will just say hello for him too.
So that was a word from mom, pop, and Ted. All are well and hope this finds you the same.
From your old friend,
Oscar
My comments:
Oscar is at it again. First of all, Rockport. Just for context, 5th street in Rockport is now the Ohio River Scenic Byway. I couldn’t really find more info about what was there before. I did realize that these letters were written during Prohibition, which was very much alive and well. It seems like all of my relatives were making alcohol, trying to get alcohol or drinking alcohol. He used a slang word,”boge”, to refer to the bootlegged alcohol. That word now, Norwegian in origin, literally means bow, but is used to refer to THC cigarettes or joints.
The top of Oscar’s letter was marked Howell, IN. Howell was a city/village, separate from Evansville in the southwest part of town, delineated by the railroads, Louisville and Nashville or L and N. It was named after the local freight agent, Lee Howell. Mainly, the railroad workers lived there. It was annexed by the city of Evansville in 1915. Prior to that it was known as a Sundown City, in which African-Americans were not allowed after dark. This designation was popularized in the movie “Green Book”. Growing up, I knew Howell as the place where my dad’s side of the family, Hickses and Burdettes, lived. I always thought of Howell as a low-lying place near the railroad tracks.
Oscar refers to Ted. Who was that? Theodore Nunning or Ted was Oscar’s older brother by three years.
I was going to gloss over “the negro” comment, but I think I need to address it. I am sure that in 1930 this seemed like a perfectly reasonable thing to call an African-American, but today that seems appalling. As it turns out, the Ku Klux Klan or the Klan came to Indiana by way of Evansville. The west side of Evansville, where Bassemiers and Weinzapfels lived, was almost 100% German Catholic at this point and although African Americans could have lived there, they likely did not.
Again with the heimgemacht! I’m convinced this is their German slang for homebrew. The direct translation is homemade but in this context I am certain they are referring to homebrew.
Lastly, in this letter, we hear from Oscar’s parents, Henry and Anne. I like how everyone was making sure that no one else even looks at Elma. They were a tight-knit group.
Well Elma about that staying here in this town, I don’t know anything about that in fact, I aint going to worry about anything no more, but nevertheless just come ahead and I will have plenty room in my bed for you too. All you have to do is hop the train or bus and come to Kokomo and I will be at 620 Union Street the same as always just look it up and you can’t miss finding me there and plenty room to sleep in that big bed of mine. Elma I do wish you were here with me it would make things a whole lot nicer for both of us like that victrola record you have “you can do the cooking and I will chop the wood” so come ahead there is lots of things here in this town and if not enough here we will go to another town and so on aint that hot.
Elma I just received your dear letter this dinner as I came home, but you weren’t there to surprise me, so after I read that in the letter it made me feel blue, to think you could just as well be here to surprise me as I came home Elma why wasn’t you here to do that. I would feel a lot happier than this way all by myself and nobody that I even care to talk to that’s the way I feel a lot of times. Well Elma you want to be careful when you are driving the car it is all alright to let the insurance company fix the car but how are they going to fix you when you get tore up or probably knocked the insurance company can’t bring you back to life so be careful Elma and don’t get hurt anyway. Well I guess that P.D.Q. will be good to drink by the time you get this letter and they won’t be able to tell the difference who made the beer so I guess the beer will be alright don’t you think so Elma. I just wish I could be there and drink a few quarts of that beer Elma I had some homebrew the other night our supervisor told me to go with him, he just lives a block away from where I stay, so he gave me some to drink but it was not much good they put some kind of in it and that makes it taste funny, I don’t like that junk, I rather have yours any day and how.
Well Elma I think that I will have to take a bath soon otherwise it will be supper and I ain’t cleaned up yet the same as I come home from work first I ate dinner then I read your letter and then a letter from Mother then I read yours over and went and put $30.83 in the Citizens Nath. Bank here in Kokomo, and bought some more writing paper so I can write the blues away then I came home and sharpened my razor for it was pulling the hell out of my face, I guess you know how hell feels it burns something terrible that’s what it does so after I had my razor sharp I laid it down and read your letter the third time then I started to write the blues once more to send them to you , so that is what I am doing right now. It is 4:15 now and not much done not even this letter, but I guess I will get it done and get shaved and a bath before supper if I hurry a little, last night I went to church like everyone should during lent, so you know what I will be doing every Friday night during lent, that is 7:30 pm I will be in church praying for you and me for I do think we need it bad enough.
Today our storeroom was moved up right beside the new office building and that is only two blocks from where I stay so I won’t have far to go anymore only two blocks, o boy that is real life, but we won’t have school on Monday and Thursdays anymore, everybody is supposed to go to school on Tuesday nights at 7:00 o’clock back at the new building so that’s that. Elma I will have to close this letter and seal all the love and kisses that I can possibly dig up and put out so with an extra kiss I will close this and write and send you some more kisses tomorrow sometime so
Just came home from church and the rest are going to bed, Marie asked if I was coming too. I told her I’d be there in a few minutes for I know I wasn’t going before I sent a few sweet kisses and just a few words far away to you Al. Far away as far as the distance is concerned yet Al no matter how many miles between us you always seem closer and really are closer to my heart than anyone right here with me. Telling the truth Al I don’t see how I can do what I am doing around here with my mind and all my thoughts right with you. I go around all day, half in a dream feeling like something terrible has happened when I wake up and realize Al is gone and I won’t get to see or be with him for a long, long time. Better cut this out before I make you too homesick Al for we’re going to brace up and stick it out for we ought pray that you still have and will keep your job. We’ll be together again someday and it might not be so long. Really Al it’s two weeks today you came in from Rockport seems like two years and yet it passed in a hurry. A few more of those blue Sundays and you might be coming closer home. I’ll pray harder every day.
I almost gave up getting a letter today though the mailman had passed already, was looking for a long one tomorrow when here he came at 1:30 and whenever I’m close around I don’t give anyone else a chance. I get there first to see if I got a letter from Al and gosh Al I’m always glad to hear that you’re still among the living even if I don’t know just where Al I never knew you could write such wonderful letters and Al If I would have known you were going so many kisses. To think anything about Roy Marx at Kerns I might not have told you as I never even gave such a thing a thought and I’m not going to let Ed nor anyone else think I did. Yes Al I’m going to tell you all but don’t you worry about anything like that I’m not worrying about him or a dozen like him I’m waiting for you.
Had wash day today and market tomorrow and still feeling plenty tough so I guess I’ll make this short well otherwise and sweet. I don’t know when you’ll get this letter but if not sooner maybe it’ll help out on blue Monday. All the rest are well. Sure hope you’re still ok. If not be sure to tell me Al.
Goodnight with love and kisses,
Elma
My commentary:
They were so in love and it’s obvious from this letter. I was thinking about what I would have said/written to my husband before we were married and I don’t think I would be as passionate as Elma and Al were. I was almost the same age as Elma when I got married. I was 27 when I got married. Elma was 25–almost–and Al was 31. I just now realized that there is a 6.5-year gap in age between them. That gap didn’t stop them, though.
You might be wondering who Roy Marx was. According to the letter, he was pursuing my grandma, and she wrote that she is committed to Al. I wondered also so I asked my mom, but she didn’t know. I did a little bit of research and it turns out that Roy founded Marx BBQ in 1955, before barbecue was even a thing. Growing up we would eat Marx’s or Wolf’s whenever there was a family gathering. Little did I know that Roy Marx could have been my grandpa or technically someone’s grandpa. I like barbecue as much as the next person, maybe more, but I have to say “thank you Grandma for staying with and marrying Grandpa”. Life wouldn’t be the same if you hadn’t.
I’m realizing now a couple of things. Al wrote Elma a lot more than Elma wrote Al. It seems like he wrote almost every day while Elma wrote every other or every third day. After all she was pretty busy making that quilt : ). Also, sorry Grandpa, Elma’s handwriting is better and easier to read. Growing up, I remember my Grandpa’s hands as tough, almost leathery, and I can’t imagine those same hands writing a heartfelt letter. Those hands were well-suited for holding a scythe to cut the long grass in the side field, speaking from the experience of seeing him do it. Anyway, I digress. So in today’s post I thought I would feature two letters, one from each of them written on the same day.
Elma first:
page 1page 2
Evansville, IN
Feb 19, 1931
Dear Al,
I guess you missed my skipping last night for I know how I feel when the mailman goes on passed. But Al I can hardly tell you what a job it really is for me to write to the one that’s always been so near and dear to me, the one that I need to wait and whisper just everything to, things that my heart and mind are loaded with, things that I couldn’t tell and wouldn’t interest anyone else. Al these few days have already seemed like a few years to me, how much longer will it last? Al in that letter I got today you surely didn’t mean you were going to stay there when you spoke of having to go to the meetings with the regular men and me coming and staying there with you, did you? If I knew anything like that was going to take place I believe I’d tell you to move over in that big bed of yours and make room for a kicking partner right away. Still there aint much use to worry I guess just wait and see.
So here goes for a few of the happenings. Yesterday morning up at Reitz some fellow cut in front of me so short my only choice was to get over or get hit. I cut over to the curb and bent up my back fender on the bumper of a parked car. Caught the bumper above the running board. It wasn’t so bad, but I let the insurance company fix it. Took it up to Stockens this morning at about 10:30 and they said I would have to wait until 1:30 so I went uptown and looked around window shopping. Bought three bath towels that were on sale 3 for $1.00. Al they’re real pretty and we might want to take a bath some day. Also got some gingham I want to use for aprons. Every cook needs an apron. I then went to get the machine and the paint was dry enough so I didn’t have to wait when I got down in the west end. It was ten til two already and not much use in going home and coming right back, so I was real good and went to church and prayed the rosary and Al, I never forgot you. After I came from church I went over to your home and spent the rest of my time with your mom and dad. Your mother was sewing and your dad asked if I got a letter from Al today. They’re both well. After coming home more tired than if I worked all day and nothing done anyhow, I mixed up two batches of your P.D.Q ??. Been out for a while so you didn’t miss that part.
This evening Oscar is over to see Marie and mom and dad went to John Kerns. Tony Folz is there and they’re going to have music. I had to help Harold with his lessons and put him to bed. If you could make out anything of his letter write him a few lines of his own. He makes plenty over it when he gets a letter from Al. but one thing I know he won’t get my pen to write with anymore as he about shot it already. All the rest are well and told me to say hello from them.
It’s getting late again so I’m going to quit for this time but I believe its harder to stop than it is to start. Anyhow, when I happened to think you’ll get all this junk Saturday afternoon when you’ll be home from work. Al you know how I wish I could be with it if it were only on Saturday and Sunday. How I would like to surprise you by being right there with all my love and kisses to greet you when you stepped into your room. And what a greeting that would be. They all tell me absence makes the heart grow fonder so if we’re apart much longer hard telling how I will act when we meet again Al. Until then all I can send on paper is coming right from my lips to yours.
Goodnight Al with more love and kisses than ever before
Elma
My comments:
After I read this one I felt bad because then my grandma wrote a 4-pager. She obviously really missed him too. So my grandma had a wreck down by Reitz-the public high school on the westside of town. I’ve already told you about how she didn’t have a driver’s license…
Other things that happened were that she said Nick and Sophie went over to Kern’s to dance and listen to music. Kern’s lived down Harmony Way, where the Y is with New Harmony Rd. My mom said that often people would visit other people and put a canvas on the grass as a dance floor. It was February, so I’m assuming they stayed inside.
Now Al’s letter. which he wrote on the same day, but she didn’t get until a few days later.
Kokomo, IN
Feb. 19, 1931
Dear Elma,
I have just received your request and you don’t have to be worried about anything Elma for in no time I think your trouble is too much worries and your system is rundown and weak, so please take care of yourself and don’t worry so much get plenty of rest or if you think you have to keep worrying so much, I will quit the job down here and come home before I see you get down sick with a nervous breakdown so Elma please be careful with yourself please do if for my sake. I want you to get all the sleep and rest you possibly can because you need it very bad Elma your nerves are just about shot now. I know that from myself if I could let everything worry me like that I would be as bad as you are Elma, but I get plenty of sleep and rest all the time and am getting fat. I weighed today and weigh 185 pounds so that is gaining plenty since the last time I weighed at Evansville I weighed about 175 pounds so you can do the same Elma take good care of your system and be healthy and strong for your sweet daddy is wanting you to be in good health, we have school tonight and I want to mail this early so you will get it as soon as possible with love and many sweet kisses and lots of kisses for the days you don’t get a letter so goodbye Elma and a kiss goodnight on your sweet lips.
Al
My comments:
Wow, he sure was worried about her! It cracks me up because if you read this in isolation you might think that my grandma was a nervous person that needed consoling which couldn’t be farther from the truth. I remember her as a strong person although she was a worrier, I think that goes with the time and territory. She lived a lot of life between this letter and when I knew her 40-60 years later. She would go on to marry my grandpa later this same year. She had four children and each of them married and had children. And so much more happened in the world: WWII, the Korean War, Vietnam. As they say…life happened. But it all started here with the letters.
With these letters, it’s hard to keep them in order because Al writes so darn much. He just missed Elma and his family so much.
page 1
Kokomo IN
Feb. 15, 1931
Dear Elma,
Here I am back again after going to church and communion. This morning, feeling pretty good or you might say about as good as can be expected being out in the world all by yourself. You might say nomans land. I went to a show this afternoon, but I don’t think I will go to anymore I guess this year. There isn’t a darn thing to them anyway about like at Rockport, I gave them one donation too so I gave Kokomo a donation of 40 cents and I guess it will be the only 40 cents Kokomo will get from me.
I believe I would feel a hundred percent better now if I had not gone to the show for all that junk merely gives a person the blues or I guess I won’t go to any others. The other day, I mean, Friday PM I worked on a telephone in the colonial theater. It is 15 cents a show but ain’t worth it. You might say Hello from Al, the one I went to this PM is the Indiana it sounded better but I don’t think it is worth you might say a damn, so that’s that. No more shows for a while anyway til after Easter and God only knows where I will be by that time. I hope at home in Evansville. Oh boy wouldn’t that be real Elma what do you say about all that junk.
Well Elma you can tell all mine and your friends and also enemies if you have any, for I haven’t any, hello from Al. The old soul at Kokomo and tell Harold I would die if I held my breath til he wrote me a letter, but nevertheless I will forgive him this time for he has to go to school and has to get all his confounded lessons, like Harold thinks these confounded lessons. Tell Harold I am still at Kokomo and he should try and see if he can’t get here so fast as he can push his finger on the map, well I have to say something once in a while or you might think I am rich, which I aint so don’t worry.
Well Elma, I am feeling a whole lot better now I just had supper had potatoes, steak, eggs, corn, pumpkin pie, cake, bananas sliced, bread, butter, jelly, coffee, and water and I got my fill of it too. Well it is now six o’clock and in another hour Oscar will be there to see Marie that is if he was not there all day. Elma, I wish I was there tonight and could spend only a few minutes with you Elma. I would feel a whole lot better than I do this way so far away from you tonight, but I guess I will have to live over this too. Elma I want to write mom a German letter tonight so I will discontinue any hooks and scratches for tonight to you with lots of love and many kisses.
Al
The Indiana Theater in Kokomo, formerly known as the Victory. I chose this picture, because I thought it showed Kokomo in that time and how bustling it was. This view is obviously a parade downtown. The picture was taken in 1954, when Dragnet came out in theaters.The Colonial
My comments;
My grandpa was obviously very lonely and so he wrote almost every day. 2/15/31 was a Sunday so of course he went to church. He went to see a movie, although he claimed that it wasn’t that good.
The top ten movies released in 1931, in order of their popularity were
M
Frankenstein
Dracula
City Lights
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
The Public Enemy
The Maltese Falcon
Night Nurse
The Easiest Way
Little Caesar
There were plenty of good ones that year. Maltese Falcon was my favorite.
I do wonder what movie he saw that day. And he said it wasn’t worth it…hmm. He said that he wasn’t going to any movies until after Easter. My guess is that he wouldn’t go because of Lent.
I sure didn’t have to tell Harold twice that you were waiting for a letter from him he got busy right now and never left very much for me to tell either but if you get half the laugh that we all did when I had to read it out loud it sure will be well worth his trying so hard to make a good job. I sure felt lots better this morning when I got two letters than I did yesterday morning when I found the mailbox empty. He must carry them over sometimes. If I would have got that special before I wrote last night I’d thought it caused me to feel so blue. But somehow or other the more I read it the letter I feel to know that you were honest enough to tell me just how you felt. We’ll stick it through this time Al but if you get to come back home and they send you that far away again I don’t think I’ll let you go by yourself. Then I guess we’ll get homesick together.
Your mother was feeling and looking fine we were there about an hour. Al they had your letter laying on the table and they sure appreciate it. Your dad couldn’t wait until he got to tell me he was so proud of it. They were only wishing it was longer. Try and write more to them it does them so much good. They paid the telephone bill the day after they got it. Have you got the rest or will they get that back?
That quilt sure is pretty Al and I only wish you could have seen it when I held it up and thought you had to be looking at it. Glad it’s done so I can get at something else.
Well tomorrow Lent starts going to church will be a little pastime. Hope you get to go for we both have enough to pray for.
Al I wish I could keep on writing but as you said when you don’t know German its pretty hard to keep talking and I’m going to try and get more sleep tonight so I’ll make it short and sweet.
Love and kisses goodnight Al
-Elma
P.S. Oscar is hauling blocks to Rockport and if you were still there you would have had company again for we’d sure been there by this time.
pages 1 and 4Harold’s letter 2.17.1931 pages 2 and 3
Evansville, IN
Feb. 17, 1931
Dear Al,
I just thought of you when I was playing and I thought I would send you a letter so I will tell you what I know about some things. First, we was at your house today after school your father said that the bill had come for the telephone and that he had paid it already and that did not say anything about it. And your mother was making some shirts for your father and she thought I was hungry so she gave me a piece of jelly bread and I ate it so quick that she gave me another piece of jelly bread and she filled my book satchal with all kinds of good nuts she was so nice and good to us and we could hardly get away when I came home I found out that Elma had her quilt done that is all but binded and started to line it when she had found that Aunt Josephine had been sewing with the machine and she does not know much about the sewing machine and she had the bobbin halfway in and she blunted the needle and Henry was here with his sharpener and he sharpened the needles so now she is binding it.
Well Al, my hair are getting long so with the next letter send a haircut so I can put it on my head, ha! Ha! Isn’t that funny? And Elma said I should tell you that Oscar and Marie are sit on the davenport and she wishes you were here too so you could see what she is doing. Pheen said I should tell you she is still a toothless line and Aunt Katy said I should tell you to let her know when you are coming so she could make a peach pie for you, ha! Ha! Aint that hot and said he should let them know if he wants his gravy hot or cold. Mr. Lintzenich was buried today he had a big funeral. That’s Mr. Pete Lintzenich, and he had a big funeral.
Mother, Zachery, Henry and Ray are playing cards together. Elma believes that she will use the towel prints as the mark of ***.Marie said she will not write you a letter because you owe her a letter she said gents go first. Daddy went and bought six pigs for four dollars and one pig without a tail which cost three dollars so altogether there were seven pigs. The seven pigs cost all together twenty seven dollars. I want to ask a foolish question, we have dollar day down here, have you dollar day up there? If you’re not dead from holding your breath you will be dead from age by the time you are through reading this letter.
We had a little rain and were in hopes to get more this weather is warm down here, how is it up there? Marie said I should say hello for her. Henry is going home and he said he was going to Florida.
Oscar is now sitting out in the kitchen with Marie. Now that Henry has gone home Elma is sitting in his place holding his hand of cards.
They are all sleepy Indiana *** oversuit suet sleeping.
I just reread your letter this dinner when I came home. As you know we don’t work on Saturday afternoon. I read your letter twice this dinner and just got done reading it the third time for Elma you know I love to hear from you and I can’t keep from thinking about you and home all the time. Every time I hear from you it puts a new spirit in my feelings and makes me feel like I could stand it a little bit longer again, so whenever you have a chance I will appreciate it very much every time you drop me a few lines even if it is only “Hello and Goodbye” the idea of getting the piece of paper you wrote on and to think this piece of paper Elma sent to me and sealed it with a sweet kiss before she mailed it at Evansville.
Well Elma I was surely surprised to see that paper clipping that you sent me. I was like you said, seeing is believing. Johnny sure has my sympathy. I sure feel sorry for John the shape he is left in. Elma, next time you see John give him my wishes, I am just sorry I couldn’t be there at the time of the funeral, well I guess she was well taken care of before she died, so she is better off this way, she is out of the troubles and misery of this world.
Elma I guess the next time I will get to see you, you will have a lot of pretty things for you and me, to show me about you Elma? Getting that pretty quilt done and a few more things, but don’t get foolish and stay up day and night to do these things. I would rather you wouldn’t make so much and get your regular and more rest, and if it has to be when you take time to write to me, rest yourself and write some other time. I will overlook it once in a while not to get so many letters. I guess I will look over this spell too.
Elma you asked whether I am in a private home, I thought I mentioned in a letter before already but if I didn’t I meant to tell you that I was in a private home and the people are very nice they try to please you every way. I never did ask them whether they have any more children than the one boy here at home. I guess these people are about fifty years or more old. The old lady bakes pies for restaurants and lunch rooms. I guess she bakes on average about 20 or more pies a day now. She told me that when times were good she used to bake as many as 90 pies a day. I get pretty good eating, She also has two other men that come in for breakfast, dinner, and supper but stay some other place. The one of the two men has been taking his meals here with these people for about eight years.
I think the old mans name here is John Buente. He can talk a little German, he is also a German descent the way he said. Every evening when we eat supper they turn the radio on and set it on for Amos and Andy from Cincinatti. The other two fellows generally stay til Amos and Andy are through with their broadcast then they leave here and I generally go to my room and write you a letter or one to mom.
Elma this has been an awful long afternoon. After I ate dinner I read your letter and a letter I got from mom and then a letter I got from a member of the Foresters from Indianapolis and then I taken a good bath from head to foot, put on clean underwear and dressed up and went to church and cleaned up and taken a good bath by going to confession. Boy they make it plenty short here they don’t even say anything after you are through. The priest says you are sorry for your sins and then he says pray to our father and to hail mary and sends you off, boy he hears them in a hurry. The name of the church is St. Patrick’s It is about five or six blocks I have to go to church and I think I will go to 6:30 o’clock mass in the morning to go to communion.
Well after I went to confession this afternoon I went to the post office and got me a dollar worth of stamps so I can write some more letters and send them to my sweet baby Elma, aint that hot. Then after I had the stamps I came home and read a little in the Kokomo paper. I don’t thin they will have a Sunday paper because they had a funny paper with the paper tonight. I believe it is the same funny sheet the press of Evansville had last Sunday. It is the same features as the Evansville press, Major Harold, High Pressure and I forget what the other is now.
Elma I guess you think I am crazy or something is wrong with him, writing all such junk and so often but as you know that is about the only way I have to pass my time, to read and write and while I am writing now I am also listening to the radio. Out in the other room it is been going since I came back from church. The old lady told me it sounds like there could be something wrong with the radio it was awfully noisy all the time so I just looked at it a little bit and checked the wiring and found that the aerial was hooked on the ground and ground on the aerial. When I changed the wires it sounded very good and she was well pleased so it is still going now.
Well Elma today you missed getting your Valentine from me, as you generally get a box of candy and a sweet kiss but this time you didn’t even get a scratch on a piece of paper from me but Elma you will have to overlook it this time for I had the blues so darn bad once in a while this week that I didn’t know should I go farther or stay so I guess I stuck it out pretty well if it don’t get any worse this week.
Elma I thought I would write this letter tonight so it gets on the road tonight and tomorrow night Marie will have company and you will most probably have the blue and Monday I guess you will get this letter and that will help you over your blues a little more and if nothing happens I will write another letter or might write only a few lines so you will get them Tuesday then you will be ahead of Marie you will get the letter about noon and Oscar will first come about 7:00 pm Tuesday evening to see Marie. Elma I will also send you all the true love and countless kisses in each letter more than Marie gets from Oscar Ha Ha that is another one. Elma tell Pa that I paid the telephone bill for February before I left home $1.38 and .50 total $1.88 so they won’t have to worry about it. The bill was sent in yet from so they made record of it at the office. Best wishes to your dad and mother and all the rest.
Elma I will close the few lines with the wishes of all the good luck in the world to you this letter bearing me in the best of spirit and hope it will find you the same, so good night Elma with a hug and lots of kisses.
Good night Sleep good Elma -from Al
My comments:
There is so much here. I’ll go in chronological order with the letter.
Once again, dinner is not dinner in the midwest. My aide, who does most of the transcribing, was bewildered about the dinner/supper thing. I cleared that up for her.
I really held on to this letter, and you may be wondering why. Well, the death of Mrs. Meser really shook me up–even more so, because I figured out a couple of things that no one else who is alive right now knew or could remember. First of all, she was only 40 in 1931 when she died and she had five kids. That’s enough to make anyone’s head turn. Then I found her death certificate, pictured below:
Let me know when you notice it…yep…that’s right. She died of eclampsia and puerperal fever. Again, you might be wondering what are those and how did she get it???? I thought the same thing, but I recognized the word eclampsia and remembered preeclampsia so I headed over to Dr. Google. Eclampsia is what preeclampsia turns into if not treated. It presents as severe high blood pressure AFTER a baby is delivered and it is fatal. Purpueral fever results from a Streptococcus A infection and today would be treated with antibiotics, but 90 years ago women died after childbirth. So…was Christine pregnant? Did she have a stillbirth? Either way I couldn’t find any records of either. If anyone here knows the story, please share. Her death must have been quite tragic, leaving five children ages 17, 13, 11, 6, and 2. John Meser never remarried and died in 1953 at a fairly young age. Their youngest was Paul, two at the time of her death, and he died at 29 from cirrhosis of the liver. I found her picture, below. I think you will agree–she was beautiful.
It makes me sad to look at her.
As it turns out, we are related to the Mesers as well. And no one knew that either. So here it goes. My 3rd great grandfathe, Caspar Bassemier, on my Grandma Elma’s side, married Anna Kron in Germany. They had three children: Elizabeth, John and Nick. Elizabeth married Valentine Gauer. They had several children, one of whom was named Anna. Anna Gauer married Fred Meser. One of their sons was John F. Meser and he marrried Christina Reis. On the other side, John Bassemier was my 2nd great grandfather and he married Christina Behme and they had four children: Nick, Cecilia, Kate and Josephine. Nick was Elma’s father and my great grandfather.
3. The quilt that Al is referring to has to be the wedding ring quilt which makes me wonder if they were already engaged. Hmm…I need to do some research.
4. I didn’t do any research on the home Al is living in. I do find it curious that the old woman went from making 90 to 20 pies a day. I was reminded that the Great Depression started in late 1930. Grandpa was probably happy to have a job. Along these same lines I couldn’t believe the Bassemier’s phone bill was so inexpensive.
I would write more, but I think that’s all for today.
I am having a tough time for kisses for two, for honey stuff don’t work with girls anyway baby.
Sunday Elma and Marie and all were wondering where you were and the tears were plentiful, but they have dried up, but still thinking of you. When I came in the house Sunday night they said I looked lonesome without you. Evansville is the same as usual, dead as a door nail. I worked three days this week. Tonight I am going to sit up at Mesers. I guess you know of the death of Mrs. Meser Thursday morning. I stayed in bed this morning til ten o’clock and am all set for this morning.
Boy that heimgemacht sure am good. Every time I take one I take another one for you, but don’t it taste good so don’t get drunk reading this Al, for it is not intoxicating. So this will be all of my literature for this time, but Elma says vinegar is sour, sugar is sweet Homebrew is good but Al has them all beat.
Signing off with one more quart
Yours truly
Oscar E. Nunning
P.S. Don’t forget to send Elma a bushel of kisses
My comments:
So who were Oscar and Marie? As I said before Marie was my grandma’s younger and only sister. In 1932 she would marry Oscar. I am not sure how they met, but Oscar was clearly “one of the family”. While they were dating, Oscar would come over to the Bassmier house every night at 7:00 pm.
Oscar’s family was also of German heritage–his grandparent’s were born in Germany. He referred to heimgemacht which directly translated from German means “homemade”. I’m sure that he used that word to refer to some kind of familiar food, but I’m not sure what that was. It is probably similar to my grandma making a yeasted coffee cake and calling it “kuchen”. At one point it was German, but present day Germans would not recognize it.
I asked my mother to share what she remembers about Oscar and Marie. She said that Marie was her godmother, but she doesn’t remember a lot. She did remember that Oscar belonged to St. Vincent de Paul Society and he was at church with a hat on. St. Vincent de Paul Society has the Top Hat Ball, but I’m not sure if this was the same thing.
My mom shared some pictures of Marie and guess what? My mom looks like Marie!! Go figure. See the pics below. I think that one of them might have been taken on her wedding day. I love these pics because they were taken at my grandma and grandpa’s house–where my mom lives now–and the trees are small.
Finally, he mentions Mrs. Meser’s death. The Mesers lived across from the backside of St. Joe Cemetary .
Marie Bassemier—on her wedding day?Marie Bassemier
You don’t know how good I felt this morning when I came home from work and got in my room there was a letter from my best of all friends, my most dearest friend Elma. Really you don’t know how good that made me feel. I didn’t have time to read it before supper because I was a little late coming in tonight and supper was ready when I got in but I felt just so good without eating supper tonight when I seen that letter on my dresser.
This morning when I got up or even before, while I was lying awake in bed I was thinking about you and thought for myself that I surely ought to get a letter from you today. Elma you don’t know how alive I felt all day until tonight. Elma I was talking to a fellow today he thinks he knows a whole lot once in a while, but I don’t doubt but what he finds out a whole lot of that stuff because he has a pull some way or another I don’t know, but the way he was talking I will most probably go to New Albany before long, if that is then I will be closer to home before long. The way he said it would be over time in March but I don’t know anything about it otherwise and am not going to worry the least, because if I would make some kind of other arrangement it would all be wrong anyway so don’t you worry about it or anything else either.
Here is some real news. Something that never has happened before. I bet you wouldn’t guess in a year. Just think I got a hair cut in Kokomo for the first time in my life. Oh my ain’t that something.
Elma I think Oscar is over to see his sweet baby Marie tonight. He is just about getting there now, It is now five minutes til seven o’clock. Just about time for Oscar to arrive to see Marie and to make you feel blue and me bluest of all to think there they are all together and having a real time quilting and cutting up cracking jokes and all such things and just think your old Al in Kokomo sitting in his room with his pen propped up on the dresser with his stationary box on his lap and a piece of paper on top of this box and writing these very words you are reading now, a letter to the most beloved friend in the world, Elma.
Well we were to have school tonight, but we got word this evening that we wouldn’t have school tonight. I thought there is where I will have another chance to write a letter to you Elma and after I get through this letter I might read a little in my specification and then go to bed and sleep a little and dream a while and then get up and mail and kiss this letter goodbye which is Evansville bound after it leaves me to greet you with a hug and kiss from me.
I wrote Oscar a letter last night. I guess he has got it by now I don’t know but he will let you read it tonight.
Elma did you know that my dad was 75 years old yesterday Feb. 11 the day you wrote your first letter to me at Kokomo. Elma, it seems to me while I have to keep on writing, but the trouble is you don’t hear me say it and I can’t ask you anything I won’t say. I will close this letter with lots of love and many kisses.
Al
Goobye Elma and sleep good.
My comments
It is evident that my grandpa “had it pretty bad”. He was so infatuated with my grandma that he couldn’t wait to get her letter. Remember that he was 30, soon to be 31. He wasn’t a lovesick teenager, although at times he sounds like one.
Who were Oscar and Marie? Marie was my grandma’s younger sister. She was 5 years younger than my grandma, so she would have been 20 years old here. She would go on to marry Oscar Nunning a year after my grandparents in 1932. Oscar was born in 1906, so he was the same age as my grandma. Here he was 25. Apparently, Oscar visited Marie every evening at 7 pm, and my grandpa was jealous that he wasn’t there to join in the fun. He felt like he was missing out on everything.
He commented about my great grandpa Frank Weinzapfel’s birthday. He woul∂ live to be 90.
Technically Al wrote this letter the day before Elma wrote #4, but I think she wrote that one before she received this one. Does that make sense? Anyway, here is #5.
page 1page 2page 3page 4
The transcript:
620 N. Union St.
Kokomo, Ind.
February 10, 1931
Dear Elma
Well Elma here I am back with a few words for I have nothing else to do but sit here in my room and pass my time away somehow, it seems like I have been here for a month or more already but if everything is like the fellows say I won’t be here very long, if I am lucky enough I might get out of Kokomo by the first of March but whether I don’t know all I know is that three fellows out of the gang are going to get transferred by the first of March but I don’t know where they go to, so don’t go to worrying about that I will be home the first day of March. O boy wouldn’t that be great, they also say that this job should be completed by the first of April or so and the use of the Dial is supposed to start the first day of June, so I guess we will have to trust luck and not make assignments and pray a whole lot so we might see each other real soon again, I feel like I couldn’t wait or like I had to see you tonight Elma, but it is too far to see you tonight. So I guess I will be going to bed tonight with a busting head and dream all night about being there to see you and how.
Elma I guess you can read my scribbling I don’t know, like you said whether you are any good on working crossword puzzles, but that is just the way I feel the way the scribbling, scratches and hooks look to you.
Elma tell me something, I haven’t heard you say anything since Sunday morning when I kissed you goodby at the buss station. I am doing all the talking all the time and don’t hear you at all, so if you can’t say anything please Elma write a few words for I feel like I fell off, off a cliff and nobody knows where I fell to, so I am looking for a few words even if it is no letter, just a few words will be enough to tell me that you are still alive down at Evansville.
Well Elma I am catching myself getting too darn homesick I will have to change my subject and try to think and write about something else Elma I don’t know whether you can make heads or tails out of my writing or not if not let me know and I will try and study my letters before I start writing. study it like a German and then preach ha, ha sent that hot.
Well Elma I am getting good at writing and making funny hooks on a piece of paper, I am going to tell you a little something about my room, it is very nice and clean. I have a large bed for two to sleep, but I have no bed partner and haven’t seen any bed partners either, I have a great big dresser in one corner and a wardrobe in another corner and at the foot of my bed is a door to the side into the bathroom, hot and cold water and a gray rug on the floor it looks pretty good, one door leading into the living room and one door to the front porch and one window in the front, it is nice and warm furnace heated and also have a drop light in the center of the ceiling, nice and white lace curtains on the window and door. Oh I guessI will have to draw you a sketch of my room for positive it won’t be anything extra, so here goes, ***** well here it is I guess you see the little grid on top of the W.R. that is where I put it haha laugh a wile.
Well Elma I guess I have spread whole lot of stuff tonight enough to make anybody sick so I guess I will have to close for this time and write you some other time and tell you some more when I feel more like writing again. I don’t mean that I ain’t feeling good, for I am feeling pretty good about as good as can be expected from anyone being away from home, I wrote mom a German letter tonight, Elma you go and see mom sometime I know it will make her feel better and let me know how she is getting along.
It is now about nine O’clock and I will close this letter and go to bed and dream a **** with Love and kisses from Al.
My comments:
My first thought was that my grandpa spoke very little in the 25 years that I knew him, so reading this four page letter was both eye-opening and bewildering. I asked my mother if he spoke a lot when she was growing up and she said, no, that he would come inside from cleaning the ditches, run cold water over his wrists and sit down at the table to eat–all without saying a word. I wish I had spoken to him more to learn more about him. I don’t feel like I knew him well at all.
It is clear from this letter that my grandpa loved or was smitten by my grandma. I am very thankful for his persistence, because without that I wouldn’t be here. When I read this letter my grandpa’s homesickness was palpable.
I have always been curious about the cultural influence of my great great grandparent’s German heritage. Both of my grandparent’s grandparents were born and grew up in Germany and clearly they still clung to that culture, frozen in 1850. I find it interesting that my grandfather refers to his handwriting and tells my grandma to “study it like a German”. Only he can interpret that for us, but my stab at it is that culturally Grandpa perceived Germans as being highly critical and scrutinizing.I guess I know where I got it from ; ) I also found it interesting that my grandpa wrote a German letter, which I can only assume is a letter in German. I had no idea that my grandpa knew German well enough to write it. He did have kind of an accent when he spoke English, but I never thought about where that came from.
