April 23, 2013 - Family Letters

I have a copy of a letter sent July 26, 1977, written to Edna Place Pesicka from Leland Daugherty Tibbets.  The letterhead says "Tibbetts Repair Shop, 204 West 9th Ave., Telephone 472-2066, Redfield, South Dakota, 57469.  Edna was the daughter of Richard Daugherty, Mom's great uncle.  Her mother was Zoa Marsh. Lee has a very interesting life story.  This letter is rather ordinary, but it helps making my visualizations of her more clear.  I have shared the family tree that she mentions written in 1910 a long time ago in this site.  I might share it again.  It helps to re-think papers that have been in my files for some time. 

"Dear Cousin Edna,
 Finally I'm getting around to writing to you.  I was going to call but Dupree (SD) isn't in our book this year.

Verle died January 20 this year.  He had been in the Sioux Falls Vets Hospital over three weeks - was home just four days before he went.  I was planning to retire last spring but decided I'd feel better if I kept on working for awhile - not so lonesome.

This summer I've been cleaning and sorting papers and files.  Yesterday I found a paper, a written story, by our grandfather on May 4, 1910 - with additions by other people.  And another sheet written by my mother many years ago of some additional information.

Now for my question - hasn't Mabel McGirr's daughter been compiling a family history?  Do you suppose she would be interested in this paper - plus also the one of our grandmother's.  I think this paper should be given to some one of the family who might use it constructively.  However I don't know Mabel's daughter's name and address.  I seem to think she is a MacNeil and at Rapid City, but that is too indefinite to contact her.  So maybe you have her name and address and would send it to me.  Unless you have a better idea.

Our grandfather starts his story telling that his grandparents emigrated, at the beginning of the 19th century, from Ireland to Hampshire Co., Virginia and tells of their six children, etc.  It is very interesting.  Part of the papers, in my mother's writing don't give last names and maybe they are Peppers.  I can't know for sure. 

All summer I've been thinking of driving to Dupree some Sunday.  But the summer is over half over and I've been too busy to take the day off yet.  Maybe before snow.  You  are such a gad-about that it might be difficult to find you home.  I guess it would be a nice drive anyhow.

You know me and letter writing - I've been planning to write to Edna Veal and Howard and Anne.  (the children of Fred R. Daugherty).  But when I'm all sad and depressed I don't want to write a dreary sorry-for-myself letter.  And when I perk up I get busy doing the hundreds of things I have to do and get too tired to write.

There are a lot of widows here in town and we get together and keep each other company.  Friends surely a blessing at a time like this.
I hope you and all your family are all well.  Write and let me know what you've been doing since Verle and I last visited you.  When some of my friends, younger than I am, start getting (poor copy) ???? my cousin Edna who can be ready to go anyplace in 10 minutes!  They just don't have the right attitude.  They complain too much.  Love, Lee.

Dupree, South Dakota