Carolyn Gay Taft Farm Letter - March 1, 1926

2020.1.89 03011926.pdf

Dublin Core

Title

Carolyn Gay Taft Farm Letter - March 1, 1926

Subject

Old Mission Peninsula (Mich.)
Agriculture
Farmers
Crops and climate

Description

Carolyn Gay Taft (1873-1952), was the owner of a small cherry farm on Old Mission Peninsula in the early 1900’s. While she spent her summers on the Peninsula, her primary job as a teacher at the Illinois State School for the Deaf required hired hands to run the farm in her absence. These farmers, and their families, lived on the farm and sent frequent written reports to Ms. Taft. Most letters are written by the farmer’s wives, and provide a record of both agricultural and social history.

Creator

Ralph Kitchen, Joseph Kitchen, Essie Kitchen, Max Gilmore, Hazel Gilmore

Source

Collection donated to Peninsula Community Library by the surviving members of the Taft family.

Publisher

Peninsula Community Library

Date

1926-03-01

Contributor

Mary T Morgan

Rights

This document is protected by copyright law. Contact the Peninsula Community Library for permission to reproduce, display, or transmit this document.

Relation

None

Format

PDF

Language

English

Type

Document

Identifier

LHC 010

Coverage

Traverse City, Peninsula Township, Grand Traverse County, Michigan

Scripto

Transcription

Old Mission, Mich. Mar 1st 1926.

My Dear Miss. Taft:-

Received your letter in today's mail we missunderstood you. We thot' we would have to sell the farm in order to receive the 3 months pay as it is we would be well protected of course if some one would have bought in the winter time we would have been let down. Jos. says he is willing to stay on those terms. Sorry we didn't understand it right in the first place.

When a fellow has a family to provide for it is a proposition of having a steady job or doing without proper food. If it was just Joe and I we could manage on very little but with two children it is different.

Please don't worry about our leaving you in a mess like that. We will always try & be fair and square. I know how you would feel about having strangers come onto the farm. They could destroy in a few months what it has taken you many years to earn and build up. That thing has happened around here.

The bay is frozen over solid & ice roars and rumbles like thunder on very cold mornings. Has snowed all day but not cold out. The ice has been gone for several days that froze on the trees last Thurs. morning so guess it didn't do much damage if any.

We will need about 5 cords of wood to last us from Spring until next fall. Jos. has cleaned the woods good and clean [of] all the down poles and dead stuff. How can we get enough to carry us thru'? We could have picked up a lot of small wood from Stutsman's if we had of known in time about their going to sell so soon. But wouldn't think of asking Pratt or Holmes about any.thing. Winter started so early and going to last for so long or we would have had plenty to carry us thru the Spring at least. Would you please mention in your next letter what to do about it. I should have said something before but forgot to do it.

Will be well pleased when the day arrives for a sight of you and your car. It seems ages since you went away.

I hope this Summer your health will be better so you can relax and have a perfect vacation. I will be only too glad to do my share towards it. Altho' I never have a real vacation am at least where I can get a breath of fresh air even if I do have to work like a nailer every minute at one thing or other. You being closed up in a tight school room most of the time is enough to break any ones heath. When it is from one year to the other.

Can't think of more to write so must go to bed. Now please don't worry about us leaving your place. Thanks for check & funnies. Your's with love Bessie

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  1. 2020.1.89 03011926.pdf