The Siblings continue on
December 17, 1928
to Ernest Bateman at 1208 S. Michigan Ave, Chicago, Ill, December 17, 1928
Transcript:
Write me Ernest & we will try & not lose each other for so long again – I wrote to you just lately.
Transcribed by Colleen McCann June 18, 1998, original card in Bateman Letters binder.
We have all had the flu – Marion almost had pneumonia & I’ve been having a relapse with sore lungs & everything!
It’s lots of fun – quite a national epidemic – I’ll wager Howard is busy.
Love – Cora
December 19, 1928 – Letter from Alma Hazel to her brother Ernest Bateman
Transcript:
Alden Minn
Dec. 19 1928
Dear Brother,
I was so glad to get your nice letter. I really thought I would answer it long before this but I am like the rest of the Batemans about writing. Cora always used to write often but she is even getting as bad as I am. Guess perhaps its my fault.
Too bad you have to be away from home so much, but I guess you are fortunate to have a steady job.
We have been quite undecided about what to do since we sold the telephone exchange. We still live in the office and take care of the switchboard nights and part of the Sundays. We do not pay any rent and have our lights and part of fuel furnished, so it helps a lot in living expense to stay here. We probably will until Alberta gets through school. She will graduate from Mankato Teacher College next June.
Bert is getting started in Insurance business. He likes it pretty well and thinks it will be a good thing. It is slow business getting started
It surely must keep Mabel busy to keep house and teach. I do some substitute work here, and know how it takes one’s time and energy.
I always write to you at Christmas and am sure I have ‘between times’ too. I may have had your address wrong.
Uncle Will’s folks are all well. I hear from Ida once in a while. Uncle Will is still janitor in the school house. Two of the girls are married, Ida does marcelling at home, and the rest teach school.
We are all real well and are that way most of the time. Hope your folks are all O.K., lots of the “Flu” around here.
I would like to send you all nice Christmas presents. But I guess I will just have to send lots of love and best wishes.Lovingly Alma
Transcribed by Colleen McCann March 7, 2003, original in Bateman Letters binder.
July 2, 1929 – Letter from Cora Foot to her brother Ernest Bateman
October 25, 1929 – Letter from Cora Foot to her brother Ernest Bateman
Letter written by Cora Bateman Foot to brother Ernest Bateman on October 25, 1929. Original in Bateman Letters Binder
December 18, 1930 Letter from Howard Bateman, M.D. to his brother Ernest Bateman
Transcript:
December 18, 1930
Dear Ernest: Surely I was glad to get your letter; I haven’t heard from you for a long time. I was east a few years ago and got your address from Alma and was coming on to Chicago to see you but never got any farther than Iowa City.
I am alone in the hospital business this winter so I won’t be able to go anywhere. The winter has been fine here so far. We have played golf almost every Sunday so it is not so bad you see.
I haven’t seen you nor any of your family since you were married.
On Dec. 4th I was thinking of writting [sic] you a birthday letter but didn’t know your address. Quite often men go from here to Chicago on the stock trains: I am going to have some of them look you up when they are there. I will be shipping 1600 lambs to the Chicago market about Jan. 10th but I guess no one will go with them. The sheep business has been pretty low this year, our wool and lambs were way down in price and wheat still worse. I guess everyone is hit pretty hard around Minn and Wisconsin from what I can hear.
Billie is on the ranch during the past year. He was 21 this fall and is quite grown up for him. He seems to like the ranch very well. Helen is taller that I am and is senior in high school this year. She goes to Missoulo to University of Montana next year. Billie was in Minn at Shattuck two years. He wasn’t much of a student however.
I have too much to do and too much to think about: I am going to try and bunch it all the next time things are at the top again I am going to (rail?) and take a touring trip through Minn and N Wisconsin just to see how the old places look. Things are apt to look small after being in Montana so long where things are so big and so far apart.
My ranch is 26 miles from town and that doesn’t seem far any more.
Arthur is here in Choteau but he is never going to be able to do much work again. He has a job checking in a small hotel. Doesn’t quite make enough to go on. I have helped him some almost every year since the war. I think he really is doing some better since he has taken up the hotel job. Cora lives at Helena and we see her once in a while. She was over a couple of winters ago and I operated on her for appendicitis. I took her little girls tonsils out also. Marion look a lot like Alma did when she was a baby. Two years ago when I was in California for a few months I had my pictures taken. I will send you one. I cant make myself believe that I am past 50 years old and will soon be in the discard but I guess it doesn’t matter much there is always someone who is anxious to take our place and things move on same as ever.
My best friend in Choteau and just my age died just a few weeks ago. Choteau doesn’t seem the same. I never did have very many intimate friends any way and at our age when we lose one it makes a big hole as we are past the time when we make new friends easily.
Business is fair but collections much slower that usual this fall. The men who are lucky these times are the ones on a salary job even if it isn’t big one.Transcribed by Colleen McCann on August 14, 2004. Original in Bateman Letters binder.
Much love to you all from us all, Howard.