For this year’s April A-Z Challenge I am blogging everyday using items taken from the letters written by my grandfather to my grandmother from 1907 to 1912, starting with “A” and moving right through the alphabet to “Z” during April.

“May 27, 1910

My dear Sweetheart:

…This letter I am sure will prove disconnected and uninteresting due to my perturbed condition of mind – This is a time you know where the most important material questions of my life must be met and settled and when I realize that to a very large degree my success in life depends upon the wisdom of my choice it makes me over anxious and perhaps a bit worried – the great question is: – where shall I locate and where does the greatest success await me? And what makes the situation so perplexing, it seems that everyone I meet has a different piece of advice – of course in the end I shall make my own choice praying that mine will also be God’s. I expect to see you Sabbath, your Albert”

For this year’s April A-Z Challenge I am blogging everyday using items taken from the letters written by my grandfather to my grandmother from 1907 to 1912, starting with “A” and moving right through the alphabet to “Z” during April.

My grandmother, Pearl Doris Reed, was born in Lebanon, Kentucky in 1886.  She was the youngest of the eight children of Anna Allen Reed.  The older children had a different father, Palmer Reed. The four youngest, including Pearl, were the children of Buford Averitt, a white physician.  By 1888 Pearl’s oldest brother, George, had moved to Indianapolis Indiana to work at Van Camps cannery. The rest of the family soon followed. She attended school, graduating from high school and took piano lessons.

Albert and Pearl met at church.  They both signed the petition to organize a United Presbyterian Church on April 30, 1907.   Pearl sang in the church choir and also at community and church events.  By the time I heard her sing she had a frail, old voice.  I wish I could have heard her back in her prime.  In 1907 Pearl was 21. Three years later, when this letter was written, she was 24.  On September 21 he and Pearl Doris Reed were married at her home.

In 1911 Pearl’s mother died and the first of their 7 children was born – Albert B. Cleage Jr, my father.  In 1912 the family moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan where my grandfather set up in private practice.  And that takes us to the end of the time covered in these letters.

7/21/10

My dear Sweetheart-

I hope that ere this your aches and pains etc., are now only a memory and you again your sweet normal self.  You can’t know how much I enjoy those little walks and how much I appreciate the sacrifice you have to make in order to be with me.  They are sweet memories that I shall never forget.-

The difficulties that we have had to overcome have but added a tinge of sweetness to our courtship which in name shall end soon but in reality I trust shall never, never end.  If marriage offered anything other than greater opportunities for love and loving – I would have no desire to change our present relationship. Would you?

Whatever my disappointment in life have been and what ever my sorrows are, they are forgotten and lost in the sweet anticipation that I shall soon have you with me and can see you when I choose.  Do you think you will not get tired of me?

I must confess that to me it is not altogether a pleasant thought that I can’t be with you nights but was awful glad you were willing for it to be so, although I didn’t want you to appear too willing.

The questions you asked the other evening were very proper ones and as I told you saved me from the job.  You now must think and think hard for a lot more might be asked. 

I shall see your mother soon, perhaps Sabbath. How do you think you could get along with Gertrude and how would you like to stay there? Since I am to be away I had thought it would be best for you to be there.

I now must leave you for I expect many patients are waiting to see the Dr. Shall I see you at church on Sabbath?  If you do not feel well I shall expect to hear from you again soon.

Your Albert

For this year’s April A-Z Challenge I am blogging everyday using items taken from the letters written by my grandfather to my grandmother from 1907 to 1912, starting with “A” and moving right through the alphabet to “Z” during April.

3/22/10

My dear Sweetheart:-

Your letter which was especially nice, received yesterday afternoon.  I remember now, that the college visit was the substitute.  I had my dates a little mixed, didn’t I? You bet I will be glad of the opportunity of spending a whole big day with you.  Think of some place you would like to go.  After Friday my time is at your disposal.  your letters instead of being an annoyance will be an inspiration – write me another long sweet one. 

I suppose ere this you have learned of the result of the operation on Mrs. White. – The physicians say that unexpected and incurable conditions were met with and recovery is impossible.  She was reported to be dying this P.M. about 5 o’clock, but rallied.  The end is expected any moment. The family are at the hospital now awaiting the result and I fear that ere this reaches you she will be dead.  It is too sad.  I shall try to let you know as soon as possible.

Wed. Morn. 4:30

Mrs. White died this morning about 1 AM

——————-

The pastor of United Witherspoon Presbyterian Church was Rev. David F. White. I wondered if this was his wife. Rev. White came to Witherspoon in 1908 from Athens, TN, according to an article in The Freeman An Illustrated Colored Newspaper.  I found several mentions of him, but none of a wife. On Ancestry.com, I found that he had been born in Kentucky in 1873 and that he lived next door to my grandfather and his brothers at 912 Fayette Street. In the 1910 Census, taken in April, over a month after the death described in the letter above, he is described as a widower.  Unfortunately without a first name for the wife, I cannot be sure that this is her.

After more research I found that the Mrs. White my grandfather writes about was indeed the wife of the pastor.

 For this year’s April A-Z Challenge I am blogging everyday using items taken from the letters written by my grandfather to my grandmother from 1907 to 1912, starting with “A” and moving right through the alphabet to “Z” during April.

10/18/’09 
910 Fayette Indianapolis
Monday night 10:15

Dear Pearl:-

This note is to inform you that Henry and I arrived here last night at about 12 o’clock.  We left our brother much better and I think well on the road to recovery.  Am anxious to see you.  Hope you are well and happy.

As ever, Albert

After my grandfather Albert came back from his summer on the Steamer Eastern States, he and his brother Henry went to Athens, TN to visit their brother Edward. Edward suffered from rheumatoid arthritis most of his life. He was the only one of the 5 siblings who remained in Athens. He married Mattie Dotson and they had 5 daughters, although all of them might not have been born at the time of this visit.  Edward died from ‘Tuberculosis and Rheumatism” in 1926, when he was 47 years old.  Curing his brother’s arthritis was something my grandfather mentions several times in his letters. It must have been a great disappointment that he was unable to do so.

I have been so overjoyed at finding the house where my grandparents started their married life and my father was born that I never went to any site that showed the date it was built. While looking for a good photo on google, I looked at several real estate sites. One of them was the one above. I saw that this house was not built until 1930.  How disappointing. The period I am writing about was 20 years earlier. There must have been an older house there that was torn down and this new one built.

I looked for some older houses and found this one built in 1870. The house my family lived in was probably not a newly built home. Maybe the house they lived in looked more like this, without two bathrooms and the ongoing renovations.

For the 2014 April A-Z Challenge, I am blogging everyday using items taken from the letters written by my grandfather to my grandmother from 1907 to 1912, starting with “A” and moving right through the alphabet to “Z” during April. Click on any image to enlarge.

2/10/’10

My dear Sweetheart:-

You perhaps were a little disappointed in not seeing me this afternoon as I promised you should, but I trust that the disappointment caused you no worry.  Henry and I were on our way out to your home and decided that this being Sabbath it was likely that you were over run with visitors and it would be best for us not to swell the number which already might be an annoyance to you mother

Pearl I am sorry that in this hour of your sorrow, that I can’t be in closer touch and relationship with you and I assure you that I will be glad to be of any service to you that I can. If you need my services (I don’t mean professional services) at any time don’t fail to call upon me. You don’t know how much I miss you and long to see you and be with you.

It has been a bad old day – very much in accord with my feelings.  Attendance at church has been rather small all day. Will be out again Tuesday evening, very probably. Received the card Sat. morning.

That your mother will soon be restored to health and strength is the prayer of your devoted

Albert:-

It seems that my great grandmother, Anna Reed, has been taken seriously ill.  I wonder if it were a small stroke.  She died of a cerebral hemorrhage the following February.  It must have been very serious for my grandfather and his brother to even consider a visit.

For this year’s April A-Z Challenge I am blogging everyday using items taken from the letters written by my grandfather to my grandmother from 1907 to 1912, starting with “A” and moving right through the alphabet to “Z” during April.  At one point, this letter refers back to a letter from a year ago.  You can read it here at K is for Kenwood.

3/18/10

My dear Sweetheart:-

How did you spend St. Patrick’s day? It was a lovely day sure and also has today been beautiful.  How are you? Have you gotten entirely well. I hope that pains and aches with you are now “past history.”Does your mother seem to be improving?

These are busy days with me. Examinations for the close of the winter term begin Monday and will last one week after which comes a ten or twelve day’s vacation.- What can I do with so much time all by my lone self. 

Do you remember that last year we planned a day’s outing in the country and I thinking the day appointed, too bad did not show up?  And also how you got angry with me?  See how well I remember. That has been one year ago but it to me certainly does not seem so long.  You did go to Brookside with me, which was the beginning of several very pleasant trips which will always be sweet sweet memories to me.  My vacation is about 10 days off and it may be yet that you will be able to take that trip which we planned last year.

Mrs. White, I believe goes to Lincoln Hospital tomorrow to be operated upon Monday.  Mrs. Brady – Little Marcum Mitchell’s grandmother died at the City Hospital this morning. 

Of course I selected that negative which you liked better, others whose opinion I asked were about equally divided.  I send you the other which is fast fading.

Be careful for yourself.  The things you said in your last letter were surely the product of a melancholie mind – such moods are not good for you. Cheer up!!  Of course, God in His wise providence might call your mother home, and ’tis he alone who can cause me to cease loving you.  So wake up from your dream – you shall nurse, not patients for someone else, but (__?__) for yourself – Won’t you like that better.  Yes, I believe you will – Ha! ha!

Your Albert

{Had better burn this letter up}

For this year’s April A-Z Challenge I am blogging everyday using items taken from the letters written by my grandfather to my grandmother from 1907 to 1912, starting with “A” and moving right through the alphabet to “Z” during April.

Postmark – June 20, 1909.  Somehow I had overlooked this postcard, but I felt I had to post it, even though I had to dig pretty deep to find a “J” connection.  I wonder what my grandmother thought when she received this card?

Written in Toledo, mailed Buffalo C-

6/19/09

I left Indianapolis last night at 7:25. Stayed all night in Hamilton O. Am now in Toledo at 10 a.m. will leave for Detroit 2:14.

A.B.C.