Carolyn Gay Taft Farm Letter - May 26, 1931

Dublin Core

Title

Carolyn Gay Taft Farm Letter - May 26, 1931

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

1931-05-26

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

May 26th 1931

Dear Miss. Taft: -

Just a few lines this morning to let you know how every thing is coming along here. Miss. Taft I have always felt as tho' you were a big sister or mother to me as I have never had any of my own people to depnd upon like some have. And remember you are always welcome to come and even stay at our home any time you care to. I'm so glad you are going to live down there this Summer. Would you like to have us stay with you until you return from Canada. I want to try and make our plans its hard for me to get every thing done as I'm not feeling at all well. My old trouble returns as soon as I'm on my feet a lot. I wish I could sleep late just one morning without a bushel of work waiting Its 10 minutes of six now and breakfast is over.

Those Wheats that wrote you are some of Ernests friends and beware of them they are trying hard to get some one here like that Many truck loads leave our neighbors farm in the Fall and they don't like us to see it. I'll be so glad to get Hazel away from those girls they are not nice to have about. Mrs. Wheat runs to dances + is very rough and coarse. There is a family of Fosters too that would like to get in but please don't try such as you would only be sorry would be all right while you was about. We will be glad to do all we can to help you just ask as we know quite a little about the working class about here.

Have had lots of rain and several frosts it has hurt some low cherries Hope yours are all right they look pretty good so far. Hay fields look quite well. Especially the old meadow.

JOs. had Mr. Allen leave the well and send for a 5 ft. screen + see if we couldn't draw pipe up farther + set the screen because as it is no telling what it would cost to go on We bought 2# dynamite from Helfrich so far and now he got onto a large rock so will have to wait as he has to have this screen come from Chicago or G. Rapids. This has been a big worry to us as its hard to know what the other fellow wants when you are so far apart.

The Kauer cow is sick this morning It may be a cold Roger will drive down to Old Mission + get salts + linseed [old?] so we can doctor her up if she isn't better by night we may have to get a doctor. Lardies have had a sick cow too.

I wish I could like Mrs. Lardie but I can't much as I try she says such nastly little things all the time always trying to pick us and sneaking so many of the neighbors are turning her cold. Well I must hurry so Roger can mail this and get cow medicine

Tom Richard paid $2.20 freight on the tank and charged $1.00 for hauling so you owe him $3.20 I didn't pay this bill. Thought perhaps you would rather pay by check.

Much love Essie K

Jos. won't leave your things down there yet we brought them here some one stole onions + pie plant + was about our building so moved things up stairs here so all is safe.

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