Letter from Grandma Ellsworth, May 8, 1935
Dear Children, Terrance, and Katherine,
We congratulate you and wish you much happiness in your married life. We would like very much to see you both. Send us a snapshot picture of you taken together, if not convenient to get a photo now. We rec'd Terry's letter Monday and were surprised for he said in May you would get married. But like most young people I suppose, you did not want to wait. Tell us how you are situated. What you have in your cabin. Do they furnish your bedding and etc that you need, and you eat at the cook house, or dining room. Tell us just how things are for we are interested in you and how you are situated. Im sending you a little spray of orange blossoms as they are in bloom now. The air is full of the sweet perfume all around the orchards. I wasn't shocked at your wanting to get married, but at the thought of your marrying so soon for you hadn't hardly mentioned it till you said you thought you would be in May. It's very natural for young people to think of marrying and planning for their future life which is all right but it was so new to us that we hadnt thought it would be so soon, but it's all right with us. We wish you well in all things. Hope you get the manager's job. OK. We are praying you will. Suppose you won't know till the camps open, tell us about it. Trust God in all these things. He controls the minds of men and works for us when we ask and trust him to do it. Are you near to any church so you could go sometimes. Tell us what you do on Sunday if you have a chance to get away. Where do your people live Katherine? Do you get a chance to see them very often. Now I'll close. We have been very busy today but I wanted to write before I went to bed. We stayed home tonite so we could write you . When Terry writes I wish you to write too Katherine. Lots of love to you both. From Mother Ellsworth. I'm enclolsing a spray of orange blossom. Hope it will stay fresh enough to smell good.
Letter from Grandpa Ellsworth, May 8, 1935
Dear son Terrance and Katherine.
Dear Children. We were so glad to get your letter as we began to pray you would write as it seemed long between letters. Now that you are married I send congratulations and wish you a good and peaceful voyage on life's journey May God keep you in his care and ever provide for you and bless you with children to his glory We thought it would be better if you waited till you were older to get married but now that you are married we wish to help you in any way we can. Marriage is a big responsibility and many cares will fall upon you but if you take it to the Lord in prayer He will guide and bless you over the dark and hard places. Live for God and your life will be better and filled with happiness. Please send a picture of you both.
This has been a late spring here and where you are too. Yes, I have the distalate burner going now. Just a little fire to take off the chill. It is a dandy. Besides our meetings and pastoral work I have been doing those 101 things that accumulate such as cutting weeds in backyard, the grass in front and care of flowers the car and trapping gophers. I got one in trap and drowned another out and killed him with a shovel Have two traps set now hoping to get the others if there is more. Must grind valves in car as soon as possible. Glad you have learned to drive. Yes, the Master 6 Chev is lovely but I am so full of Chev. I hope to get something else when I get prospered I have had lots of grief with this 1928 Chev. Please do not wait so long but write soon. With lots of love to you and Katherine. God bless you. from daddy E.
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They lived in a tent for a few years. M
Friday, October 22, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
1935
March 29, 1935 (Letter to Dad from his mother)
218 Alvarado St.
Chula Vista, Calif.
Dear Son Terrance.
Your letter and pictures came today so glad to hear from you and that you keep well was interested in the pictures some of them sure look cold with snow all around. We are also glad for your chance of promotion. God is good to you. These things come in answer to prayer. Daddy and I pray for you every day and are anxious for you to do well in every way and now I want to talk to you real earnestly about your future. We only want the best for you and it sure gave me a shock when you said you might get married. Listen to mother, Terry. I wish I could talk to you face to face abot this very important matter. I don't know this dear girl so can't judge her. Perhaps she is all you think her to be and in everyway worthy to be your wife. That's not the point. Daddy and I both think you are too young yet to marry, also you're right to have an assured job. And more money to begin on than you have. The condition government Affairs are in you have no assurance that your job will last definitely. $120 per month looks big and it is for these times but suppose it only lasts a few weeks or months and is shut off. I'm not speaking from my point of view or the thought that if you marry you possibly couldn't help us. Not that at all. God will take care of us if you couldn't help us, but we think it very unwise, put it off for a while till you are sure, a wise man don't rush into anything. No doubt she is a nice girl and we will like her. How long have you known her. You say her people are religious. What church do they belong to? Are they Catholic. If they are its too serious to consider at all. I'm glad you confide in us. For we can help you if you will listen to use. We only wish your happiness but after people are married if they have made a mistake it's hard and a divorce don't put you back where you were before. And the bible don't give you the privilege to marry again. I know lots of professed christians do but it bans them from heaven. Dear Terry, you are young and rather immature to know fully your own mind on this important subject. I mean that your judgment is perhaps not as settled as it will be a year or months even from now. Somehow I feel you should wait a while. We both feel like you should. This is it, wait till your job is assured. Wait till you know that Katherine is the one girl above all others that you love and will be satisfied with as a wife. A wise man waits till he is sure then he can safely proceed. A worldly wise man does that. A christian can do no less . Have you asked God if she is the one for you? He knows what your judgment and desires in this matter will be 5 years or longer will be. He knows whether she will be all you will need in a wife for all time. Perhaps you haven't thought of it in this way but it's for till death do you part, through trials, hardships, sunshine and rain. Daddy and Mother know it was God's will for them to marry so that settles all things, stop and think. Consider all these things, talk these things over with her, see if you agree. If your natures blend together, above all your religious views must harmonize. O what sorrow I've seen in homes where one was a Catholic, the other a Protestant in such cases everything is out of harmony. Mother only wants to help you, so consider Jesus, surender yourself to Him. Then He can guide you, natural things can't be depended on to the exclusion of our souls' welfare. Send us a picture of her. We will love the girl you pick out. Our only wish is that you wait till all things are sure for your future happiness. Worldly conditions are bad with no prospect of getting better. Our people here are doing the best they can but it's hard to make a living. There isn't much doing, so little work and poor wages. We hardly even get over $20 per month and last month it was less than $20. So what you help us every month will be a great blessing to us. I'm glad you feel a responsibility to help us. Now I've written quite an epistle. Perhaps you think its quite a lecture but Mother knows the way and she only wants to help you I know you didn't mean you were going to marry right away but don't be in a hurry. God bless you and let us hear from you soon. Lots of love from Mother Ellsworth.
Tell us all that's in your heart. We want to help. Tell it all now. and then you can know better how to proceed. We love you and want to help. Mother.
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Letter from his father. March 31, 1935
Dear son Terrance. Your good letter received OK and glad to hear from you again as we always are. We enjoy your nice letters and the pictures very much. I did not know you until I read on the back. I suppose the bright sun made you squint so bad. Yes, Terry, we are interested in all the pictures you send. So glad you are progressing and working up Hope you get the Camp Manager's position that will be just lovely and such a large salary, too. But don't let it turn your head or puff you up. Just be wise and quiet. Be careful of your money and save. Practice being courteous to those under you and you will find it easy to be courteous to those over you. How is Mr. Ryan and Mr. Tourney?
We are having high fog and the days are cool. We wish it would warm up some. I borrowed a wood saw made of a Ford Model T and sawed wood for some of my friends but it was a poor business. As wood costs $16.00 a cord I thought I could save some but it did not turn out good. Hope to get finished this week and no more of that.
I saw a distalate stove made of an old oil drum that is a real success. I am going to make one this week. We need lots of heat in the house and wood is expensive so I will try the distalate. I hope to make it work. It is cheap heat if you can get it to work. Of course, I was surprised to hear you were thinking of getting married. The mating instinct is holy and is God's plan. Marriage being a life contract should never be entered into lightly or hurriedly. Just stop and consider that when you marry, you will be tied to her and must support and cherish and care for her as long as she lives and raise children and care for them also. And don't you ever let a Catholic priest marry you. Well, anyway, Terry, you better take some time to think of this step. We were in hopes you would wait until you had more experience before marrying. Four or five years more would let your mind mature more so you would be fitted better. Short engagements are not so good. You better be engaged a year so you will know what you are getting. Be nice to her as fornication is damnation to the soul. Please do not be carried away with emotion. Good bye, must go to meeting. Yours with lots of love. Your daddy, E.
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Dad and Mom married on April 9, 1935. I wish I could tell the folks that Terry and Catherine were married for almost 67 years; I think he chose well, they both chose well! Thanks mom and dad. Mavis
218 Alvarado St.
Chula Vista, Calif.
Dear Son Terrance.
Your letter and pictures came today so glad to hear from you and that you keep well was interested in the pictures some of them sure look cold with snow all around. We are also glad for your chance of promotion. God is good to you. These things come in answer to prayer. Daddy and I pray for you every day and are anxious for you to do well in every way and now I want to talk to you real earnestly about your future. We only want the best for you and it sure gave me a shock when you said you might get married. Listen to mother, Terry. I wish I could talk to you face to face abot this very important matter. I don't know this dear girl so can't judge her. Perhaps she is all you think her to be and in everyway worthy to be your wife. That's not the point. Daddy and I both think you are too young yet to marry, also you're right to have an assured job. And more money to begin on than you have. The condition government Affairs are in you have no assurance that your job will last definitely. $120 per month looks big and it is for these times but suppose it only lasts a few weeks or months and is shut off. I'm not speaking from my point of view or the thought that if you marry you possibly couldn't help us. Not that at all. God will take care of us if you couldn't help us, but we think it very unwise, put it off for a while till you are sure, a wise man don't rush into anything. No doubt she is a nice girl and we will like her. How long have you known her. You say her people are religious. What church do they belong to? Are they Catholic. If they are its too serious to consider at all. I'm glad you confide in us. For we can help you if you will listen to use. We only wish your happiness but after people are married if they have made a mistake it's hard and a divorce don't put you back where you were before. And the bible don't give you the privilege to marry again. I know lots of professed christians do but it bans them from heaven. Dear Terry, you are young and rather immature to know fully your own mind on this important subject. I mean that your judgment is perhaps not as settled as it will be a year or months even from now. Somehow I feel you should wait a while. We both feel like you should. This is it, wait till your job is assured. Wait till you know that Katherine is the one girl above all others that you love and will be satisfied with as a wife. A wise man waits till he is sure then he can safely proceed. A worldly wise man does that. A christian can do no less . Have you asked God if she is the one for you? He knows what your judgment and desires in this matter will be 5 years or longer will be. He knows whether she will be all you will need in a wife for all time. Perhaps you haven't thought of it in this way but it's for till death do you part, through trials, hardships, sunshine and rain. Daddy and Mother know it was God's will for them to marry so that settles all things, stop and think. Consider all these things, talk these things over with her, see if you agree. If your natures blend together, above all your religious views must harmonize. O what sorrow I've seen in homes where one was a Catholic, the other a Protestant in such cases everything is out of harmony. Mother only wants to help you, so consider Jesus, surender yourself to Him. Then He can guide you, natural things can't be depended on to the exclusion of our souls' welfare. Send us a picture of her. We will love the girl you pick out. Our only wish is that you wait till all things are sure for your future happiness. Worldly conditions are bad with no prospect of getting better. Our people here are doing the best they can but it's hard to make a living. There isn't much doing, so little work and poor wages. We hardly even get over $20 per month and last month it was less than $20. So what you help us every month will be a great blessing to us. I'm glad you feel a responsibility to help us. Now I've written quite an epistle. Perhaps you think its quite a lecture but Mother knows the way and she only wants to help you I know you didn't mean you were going to marry right away but don't be in a hurry. God bless you and let us hear from you soon. Lots of love from Mother Ellsworth.
Tell us all that's in your heart. We want to help. Tell it all now. and then you can know better how to proceed. We love you and want to help. Mother.
-----
Letter from his father. March 31, 1935
Dear son Terrance. Your good letter received OK and glad to hear from you again as we always are. We enjoy your nice letters and the pictures very much. I did not know you until I read on the back. I suppose the bright sun made you squint so bad. Yes, Terry, we are interested in all the pictures you send. So glad you are progressing and working up Hope you get the Camp Manager's position that will be just lovely and such a large salary, too. But don't let it turn your head or puff you up. Just be wise and quiet. Be careful of your money and save. Practice being courteous to those under you and you will find it easy to be courteous to those over you. How is Mr. Ryan and Mr. Tourney?
We are having high fog and the days are cool. We wish it would warm up some. I borrowed a wood saw made of a Ford Model T and sawed wood for some of my friends but it was a poor business. As wood costs $16.00 a cord I thought I could save some but it did not turn out good. Hope to get finished this week and no more of that.
I saw a distalate stove made of an old oil drum that is a real success. I am going to make one this week. We need lots of heat in the house and wood is expensive so I will try the distalate. I hope to make it work. It is cheap heat if you can get it to work. Of course, I was surprised to hear you were thinking of getting married. The mating instinct is holy and is God's plan. Marriage being a life contract should never be entered into lightly or hurriedly. Just stop and consider that when you marry, you will be tied to her and must support and cherish and care for her as long as she lives and raise children and care for them also. And don't you ever let a Catholic priest marry you. Well, anyway, Terry, you better take some time to think of this step. We were in hopes you would wait until you had more experience before marrying. Four or five years more would let your mind mature more so you would be fitted better. Short engagements are not so good. You better be engaged a year so you will know what you are getting. Be nice to her as fornication is damnation to the soul. Please do not be carried away with emotion. Good bye, must go to meeting. Yours with lots of love. Your daddy, E.
-----
Dad and Mom married on April 9, 1935. I wish I could tell the folks that Terry and Catherine were married for almost 67 years; I think he chose well, they both chose well! Thanks mom and dad. Mavis
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