My dearly loved Ernest
April 1, 1924 – Letter from Mary Jane Bateman to her son Ernest Bateman
Transcript:
– transcription by Colleen McCann on March 7, 2005; original in Bateman Letters Binder
Choteau, April 1st
My dearly loved Ernest,
Your letter of March 28 came all right and I will try to answer it. Howard is some better but not well he fears for himself, intends to go to Great to see a specialist. He is still working at the Hospital ought not to be but tries so hard to keep up and be cheerful – Oh my dear boy his case is still a sad one he understands his own case so well it makes him afraid for himself – wish I could see you and talk over old times. It seems worse than I can bear to be so seperated from my own dear children and for sickness and hard times to get hold of you – but very glad you have a good job, but sorry you have to be so far from home and your own dear ones – so glad your little girls wrote to me, how I would love to come and see you all. Howard said a short time before he was sick he was coming to see you but now we cant tell what will happen. Let us all pray that God will cure him, and restore him in every way. Arthur was here when Howard was sick staid about a week- he is still working at Philipsburg for a saw mill. Stanley and Cora live in Helena. His brother is Attorney General and Stanley works for him. I am going over there soon – would love to come over and see you and Mabel and the dear children – but it seems impossible. Give my love to them. You surely did not mean that you had lost your own little home and piece of land when you wrote you had. Lost all you had – Howard said it would have been better if the old mortgage had taken it all long ago. You have spent so many years of your life in work and worry over it – only trouble. Surely our family have come to grief and no one to blame.
If only we could live where we could see each other frequently we need not care. Glad Mabel is brave and true and some time I hope and pray that good times may come to you all.
Love to you all from
Mother
June 4th, 1925 – Letter from Mary Jane Bateman to her son Ernest Bateman
For reading: Start on right column, then the bottom page, then back up to upper left column.
Transcript:
Helena, June 4th
My dear Ernest,It has been a long time since I heard from you dear one, but I think of you very often and wish I could see you. Time is passing so fast hope you all are well and prospering better than when you wrote last — time is hard on us too — makes us feel blue enough — don’t know what will become of us yet — though Stanley has income enough to keep his family yet — and that is something to be thankful for. I hope you dear ones keep well these hard times — girls must be getting large enough to help a lot — and little ones a good size too — how I should love to see you all — but as you say it does not seem to be Gods will for us to meet — and we are so dear to each other too. I am not well at all — not able to do much to help Cora — and she has a plenty to do — Alma has written me to come over to her house and I think I will go pretty soon. Hope the climate will agree with me better over there, but I surely feel at home here and all are so good to me. Helena is a nice city but I have not yet been able to go anywhere — Cora’s children are very nice — I love and enjoy them.
You see Dear Ernest my writing is so very poor — I broke my glasses this morn and cant see much so you will do well if you can read this at all. However do your best and write to me soon — give my love to Mabel and the girls and yourself, and don’t forget to write to me at Alma’s house at Alden, Minn — Good bye dear boy it seems as if I must see you again soon, but I dont know when or where
love from Mother —
hope you can read this but dont know how
transcription by Colleen McCann on March 7, 2005; original in Bateman Letters Binder
1925 – Letter from Mary Jane Bateman to her son Ernest
Transcript:
Transcribed by Colleen McCann on Feb 27, 2003, original letter in Bateman Letters binder.
Love from Mother (written across the top)
Dear Ernest — will you and Mabel and the girls please write to me. I love to hear from you – how are your crops this year – is your garden nice – please write about all the folks – I have been sick a long time really not able to write been in bed most of the time but am some better – don’t really know what has been the trouble. A kind of a nervous breakdown I guess. Well will say good bye, will watch the post office.
Our address is
(letter ends at bottom of page, but Love from Mother is squeezed in at the top)
July 31, 1925 – Letter from Cora Foot to her brother Ernest Bateman
Transcript:
1001 - 6th Ave. Helena. Mont.
July 31-1925
Dear Ernest;-
I thot I’d better write a little to send with mother’s letter.
You can see by it how rapidly she is failing – both physically and mentally – It makes me feel badly to see it – & of course it was a shock to Arthur when he was here over the Fourth. He said with tears rolling down his face “it’s tragedy!” – and that is true. I think her bad fall a few years ago was very hard on her -& recently Howard’s stroke was a terrible shock to her nervous system. Shes so absent minded & forgets so easily.
She has trouble with her circulation – hands & feet so cold & numb & shes so very dizzy –
She talks of going to Alma’s but can not go alone- & is scarcely well enough to go anyway – so I doubt if she will go.
I had Howard come down lately but he doesn’t think there is anything to do-
I’m writing you all this Ernest so you will realize that she is in very poor health – & so you may be prepared for anything that happens.
We shall take the best of care of her – but I do wish you would write to her once in a while whether you hear from her or not – she thinks & talks about you so much.
We like Helena very much – Have a very pleasant home near Capitol which makes it handy for S. We have some lovely neighbors here – & I already know many folks here.
Is near enough Choteau & Philipsburg – where Art is – so we can see the folks once in a while.
Love to you all
Cora
Transcribed by Colleen McCann on March 7, 2003, original letter in Bateman Letters binder.
August 4, 1925 – Letter from Alma Rose Hazel to her brother Ernest Bateman
Transcript:
Alden, Minn.
Aug. 4th, 1925
Dear Brother,
I am wondering if you are still in Chicago of whether you went back to Stone Lake. It must be hard to be away from home and it must be lonely for your folks to have you away.
Have the people out West written you how Mother is. I feel quite alarmed about her from what Cora writes. She is failing so fast in mind and body. I do want to go out there so badly, but I do not see how I can.
I suppose they wrote you about Howard’s queer attack this spring. I am wondering if Mother does not worry about him all the time. I guess she does not write much. Her last letter to me was in May. She complains so much of her head, and Cora says she is dizzy so much of the time. I cannot understand what can cause her to fail so fast. The doctor says she has no disease.
Well your girls must be getting quite grown up. How old are they now, I really have forgotten when their birthdays were.
I do hope you can manage to have your family with you. But we have to give up our wishes sometimes for the time being.
Bert is home very little. He has to be night operator now. He is at the office from 9 P.M. to 7:30 A.M. His father used to do the night work, but he is getting very feeble and so Bert has to do it until he can find some body.
The summer has seemed so short. It will soon be school again. Alberta will graduate this next year from High School. How time flies!
Write when you can I get anxious to know how you are getting on.
Love to all
Alma.
Transcribed by Colleen McCann on March 7, 2003, original letter in Bateman Letters binder.
Sadly, Mary Jane Moore Bateman died September 2, 1925.
October 29, 1925 – Letter from Cora Foot to her brother Ernest Bateman
Transcript:
1001 – 6th Ave. Helena, Mont.
October 29-1925-
Dear Ernest;-
I was so glad to have your letter – I have planned to write to you ever since I came back from Choteau – but I wasn’t very well for a while – & then Loren had another severe attack of asthma & that kept us busy & worried – & Marion has bad tonsils & has been fretful at night & not especially sweet tempered by day.
As you say children are surely a responsibility – & there are so many things to worry about with them – but its wonderful to have them just the same. Contagious diseases are beginning & as Loren is in school now I worry all the time for fear of scarlet fever etc. – but you have to take your chances along with other folks. One of the other deputies in the att. gens. {Attorney Generals} office is quarantined in with his family for scarlet fever.
Alma also felt badly because she could not come out for Mother’s funeral – but after all it wouldn’t do mother any good – tho of course you both wanted to do it – and one has to think of expenses in these days of struggle for existence. The dollars go such a little way.
I miss mother so much – She has only been away a week – but her passing was so easy & peaceful & life was not pleasant for her while she was here. She got so she could not sew or read or get around at all – had been so feeble all summer.
I’m so glad you all wrote her such nice letters – I wrote the rest as I wrote you that I was afraid mothers’ time was short – but that did not seem to make them understand how feeble was her hold on life. She was so glad to get your cheerful letter – & it did her a lot of good. She talked about you so much. She did not realize her condition at all – & even when she was confined to her bed her last month here she was making plans as to what she would do when over her illness. But we knew & I was so afraid she would slip away without Howard seeing her. It was so hard for him anyway – I really don’t know what he would have done – for he could not seem to recognize her condition & her death seemed such a shock to him – He’s not as strong since his illness & we were worried about him.
He called me up at 8 a.m. & I took the 10 o’clock train – got in Choteau at six o’clock & mother passed away at 8:30. Of course she wasn’t conscious after I reached there – altho she had been that morning – Howard had gone for Effe & the head nurse & I were alone with her. She passed away so quietly – just stopped breathing – that I could hardly believe she was gone.
We had her taken to Howards – & I helped dress her – it was hard but I felt as if I wanted to do it.
Arthur came late Sat. Eve – I had written him twice but he had received neither of my letters so it was a blow to him – He was out too far to get mail but of course the wires were ‘phoned to him.
The funeral was Sun. at 2.30 – One of Howard’s best friends managed everything – & there were so many such beautiful flowers. Everyone knew mother & loved her. As the minister said she was always called “Mother Bateman” – The music was “Beautiful Ilse of Somewhere” – which you remember was sung at father’s funeral & “Flee As a Bird”.
We thot it best to bury her in Choteau – but Howard bought a steel vault so we can move her if we decide best.
Its hard to have her gone – but if anyone ever earned a rest she did & I fully believe she is happy now & she never could have been that on earth – as she would never have been well.
Howard & family may be down for Xmas & Arthur said he would come over too. It’s too bad we are so far away from you & Alma & your families.
I must write to Arthur today too so will say goodbye. Let us hear from you often Ernest. I’ll always answer as soon as possible.Lots of love – Cora
Transcribed by Colleen McCann on March 7, 2003, original letter in Bateman Letters binder.