Orofino,
Idaho
Nov.
8, 1940
Dear
Cousins,
I
got our second round robin letter yesterday. I got the first round robin letter
about the tenth of Oct. ’38 and answered it Jan. 17, 1939. The first round
robin letters are at June’s waiting for him to answer it.
Glad
to get to read all of the letters. I visited Emma Smith at Salem, Oregon, in
February 1911 and went from there and visited Uncle Ben and Aunt Teen. I stayed
all night at Matter Keith’s in Toledo, Oregon, and he and I crossed the bay
next morning and went to Uncle Ben’s. I stayed at Uncle’s about one week, and
we stayed up every night til late talking over old times. When I came out from
uncle’s, I visited Irwin Keith’s overnight. Uncle and Aunt lived in a log cabin
with a puncheon floor. Their granddaughter lived with them. June and I are
still farming and had good crops this year. We will be 76 years old the 9 of
next April. So I will close for all good wishes to my cousins.
Julian
Dobson
P.S.
Ina says I had better tell where all the children are. Pearl is in Alberta,
Canada, on a big farm. Myrtle in Portland, Oregon, working in a studio. Earle
teaching school in Idaho Falls. Vance, in Raymond, Wash., teaching music, and
Ethel in New York. Her husband is a federal officer. Shirley left in September
for Seattle. Her husband is working in Boeing Aircraft Co. This leaves us all
alone but live only a quarter of a mile from June’s. (Julian)[In the first photo, Bertha Dobson (left) stands behind her husband, Junius, while Ina stands behind Julian. Date unknown -- probably the '30s.
The second photo was taken in 1939 in the same time frame as Julian's letter to the cousins. From left: Myrtle Dobson; Bernice Dryden Dobson (Earle's wife); Julian; Ina; Shirley Dobson Shockley; Vance and Earle Dobson. On the back, Myrtle has written to Vance: "Very poor print and just for the laugh you will get out of it. You remember he [Earle] took two just to be sure and a good thing!" I'm not sure I have the better print.] KW
4 comments:
I loved the P.S. where he says Ina said to tell about the kids. :-) Julian wrote well and it sounds like writing wasn't something June chose to do. I wonder if he ever sent round one on?
Again, you are so fortunate to have these wonderful letters.
And it's pretty good info about the kids, too. I was especially glad to have the date that Shirley moved to Seattle. I love that Julian acknowledges that the children are gone but June and Bertha are just a quarter mile distant.
Oh, we'll get to June's letter soon.
I would like to know more about Ethel and New York. Was she in New York City or just the state? Did she ever come back to Idaho?
I like the fun photo. Where do you suppose they're standing? It looks like the orchard in the background, which I believe would put them at the south west side of the yard, but the pine tree is unfamiliar. Perhaps the tree was removed at some point?
I believe Ethel and Ernest lived in Patchogue, NY, which is a village on Long Island 60 miles east of Manhattan, according to Wikipedia. I think Uncle Ernest worked for the FBI. Yes, they did come back to Orofino in the early '50s, but we should cover Aunt Ethel just as we did Uncle Earle.
I think the picture was taken in the southeast corner of the yard about where the spirea bush is/was. There was a big pine tree there. Also, at that time the orchard was south of the house. You can see fruit trees behind them.
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