1914, poem by Caroline Julin Peterson

For My Descendants

by

Caroline Julin Peterson

To all of you, my forbearers

Here I give thanks while there yet remains

the time

for giving—

Thanks for the fact that

through you

Now I live,

and

know the boundless

JOY

there is in living.

05-31-1915 CJ Peterson to Grace Peterson

Miss Grace L. Peterson                        [Postmarked from Malad City, Idaho]

Logan City

Utah

care of Royal Bakery

                                                Arbon Idaho May 31—1915

My Dear Dear Dadie   How are you to day Annie just went for a bucket of water Avery is to Franks place and I am all alone in the house it is 6 in the evening by the clock I have wrote to your Pa and to Minnie this morning and I shall write this letter to you and one to Lovis and to Ellen before I go to bed for I like to have it ready for to be mailed in the morning for if it not rain we shall walk up to Franklins in the morning

                                                June the 1^st

Thanks for your letter wich was written May 20 and also for the little note you sent in with your Pas letter. I guess you heard or will hear that I been to Jenens a working for over a week and I am migthy tired to day I feel like my legs are twisted and my arms to and there is something the matter with my head but I dont know what it is there is no name for that desiace [disease] only crazyness I guess. Annie was mad when I promised to go up there but I thaugth a week or 10 days will sure go and it is past I got along fine only I got so tired Mrs Jenson had me do lots of work while she had me there Annie done the washing.

            Thanks for all the news. soon Annie Adolph has the honer to take the two Miss Petersons to dance well well what about Professor Nilson and other hum hum. Well dear Grace have a good time but beware of the belly ache helpers is Bertha working in the Bakery yet. Last sarturday evening Frank came down to Annies and so Mrs Jenson said if Frank will he can take Jensons budlow [or ludlow] and their möres and we will all go to meeting so Mrs Jenson and her children Frank and all of us went in Jensons budlow [or ludlow] it was a big but grand load. but Don could not find the möres so we had two others of Jensons horses the meeting was over to Will Ferguson we had a real good Sunday school and meeting to the next meeting will be at Joe Bensons but I do not know if we can go we been thinking of going to Arthur next Sunday it is his birthday the 6 of June. I saw Arthur to Fergusons last Sunday he came down here to see me but he went home when the meeting started Vance Walker and Barret spoke the spoke about Decoration of our deads graves but not only strew flowers after we are dead but strew flowers while we yet live.

            I am so thankfull you are all well and that you live is spared for I consider your life was in danger when that fire broke out in the Drugstore I heard of it a couple of days after it hapened I belive Brother King told it and I thaugth then Oh dear I hope Grace was alrigth but I bet if Grace was to her room she had a scare, but I have not heard any more about it untill you mentioned it in your letter and was glad you got away with only a scare

            Well Grace your Pa has ordered me home in the Middle of June but I do not know if I will come that soon but I want to come home so to take care of the raspberrys it is affell how time fly in this country I have not seen your sweethart yet but I like to seen him I guess I will have to walk over to Numleys a purpose to see Him before I go back to Logan, Do you ever see Jennie Olney and Mary Nilson or Anna Nora.

            Joe Swenson and Albert the got a new bugge the come pass here real often Joe is on studie with Mrs Hardman he even comes and takes her to meeting he did last Sunday.

            Do you hear from Mr Gust Johnson and how he is getting along with his land I bet he will find it is a little harder to handel than the dough. How is Mors Ohlin hope she is better by now tell Mase halloo from me and John Ohlin and my little måg Adolph.

            Well I guess I will close asking you to write soon let Pa and Minn and Lovis read this letter and you read them the gel from me Love to all but most to yourself from your Mother

Tell the Gunmarson hallo for me and Bertha to Grace I dont understand Alfonso or Alfoursoosoi tell me what it means 

Hope Max dont care if I adrass Joesphs letter in there box but I do that so he is more sure to get it [?] the little dear Joe and Hay for me

[A little note included in the envelope with the above letter.]

            It is now Tuesday the 1^st of June I would like to stayed in bed and slept but this bed is so hard I gets up verry earley acking all over Annie she is asleep she can sleep more than any body I have seen yet.

            I bet little Verna is cute I am so glad you gave her a nice dress and how good Ada is getting better.

            Will Ferguson had bougth him an Automobile I saw it it is a nice car you bet the went to Buce [Boise] last sarturday nigth to a dance in the new Auto. Franklin and Annie and Avey sends their best regard to you so long  by—by  x—x

                                    Mamma.

[On the other side of small note is the following:]

Dear Grace I can’t imagen what is thes matter out here this year I have not seen Jim yet. well I guess its be cause I have been sick and [?] been away from home evey much. I have only been to Franks once since I came out here and it will soon be two month. well Brace every body say jim is getting silley so I guess I better not see him. there was a piice in the paper about him comiting sucide just a little joke becauce he acks so funny I guess . well Grace I wonder if you place do one thing for me. will you buy me a tittie surpoter and mail it to me and I settle with you in the year 20,00 Ha. Ha. size 42

05-1918 F.O. Peterson to CJ Peterson

[No envelope for this Mother’s Day card from F.O. to his mother, Caroline J. Peterson, 1918.]

Dear mother.

                        i am going to write line with this card.

and tell you that i am thinking of my old mother. and how dear to us this day is. if we only knew what it would be with out a mother. we would not for get the one we have so soon, i have the flowers white on my coat today. and every body looks at it. May the Lord bless my dear old mother and many more days of joy and happiness be her lot.

            your. Dear Son. FO Peterson

05-01-1919 CJ Peterson to LC Peterson

From C J. Peterson
Arbon Idaho

Miss Louise C. Peterson

North Logan

Utah
R#2  Box 17.

            Arbon Idaho May 1^st 1919

Dearest Lovis, Recived your letter at noon to day wich you wrote last Sunday evening Apr 27 I was sure glad to hear from you. Our mailman do not come now untill next Sarturday but I will begin writing a letter to you this after noon and ask you a few questions wich I like for you to answer.

            Who is Mrs B. and Ma E. that you heard from?

            Did Joe came up to Logan Easter? Does he write now? And what is the new subject? Did you attend Auntie Blandas funerel? Did she got manny flowers? Did you get after Bjornason as you said you would for given you such low marks?

            What did your cousins and relations looked like by now and What did Auntie Ida have to say by now? How is Tom? I dreamed he was dead from the Flu.

            How goes it in the store now? chambarts I mean. have the allotments come? Does Ella works in the store yet and how goes it to and from the car. have you had time to plant a flower garden and have Pa moved the roses out. how much vegetable garden have you got in?

            has Pa had time to fix anything on the cellar, and how do you have it fixed in the house do you use the new door. I wished had never done that change now. How is Ellen Ashlim. have her new baby come?

            Do you have to go to summerschool this summer, or have you found out about them hours you spoke about you had to have if you have them or not?

            Well I guess this is enough questions for this time but I know you just to like to answer questions so I know you dont care but Lovis I would like for you to answer these questions dont you know I get lonesome and have not dropped you or anything else of interest behind me but I wants to know things is and how it goes now days.

            It seems verry funny that you have not heard from us by last Sunday we have wrote both F.O.P. and myself. and I mailed a letter to you last Tuesday to. and I can not remember what I wrote so if I write about the same in this letter I like for you to excuse me. Do you know that us having so manny deaths I am just bout kollrie [couldn’t find a translation for this] in my head yeas kollerie is rigth with no joking. how are you? Do you feel any better I hope you do and now Dear Loui I been thinking that we can be thankfull that our folks died an honest death for when I heard about Bp Hyers I recived some consolation in our trials. Oh dear me what an awful thing for that man to do it almost looks as he did knew what he was a doing by caryeyng his shoes and walk quietly so no one should hear him I pray that the Lord will help his family and proteckt us all from all such evil and at other evils now if Reenie comes you just be careful for he migth not just play or fool so dont you encourage him in any thing that you dont mean and he dont mean any one can not be to carefull. Mebe you and him will come up here but I guess you can not get away. I am glad you have seen R.b. Larson and have hope or promise to get a school in Cache Co. and I hope it will be at hime even if you have 3 classes I think you can manage alrigth if you keep well. how funny that the sun dont shine in N. Logan I guess it is a mourning when theere is so manny people a dying and crying theere. The sun been warm and shinnie here every thing is verry dry the wind is a blowing almost all the time.

May 3^rd—1919

Dearest Loui How are you to day I like to know but I hope you & Pa is all well. F.O.P. and Avery is gone down to Annies to work I send them their dinner so here I am alone home for the day well it goes pretty good I am not a bit nerveous and the blues I would take where ever I be now. Franklin wants me to go down with him he says that Mrs Jenson stands on the porch a waiting for me every morning when F. comes down but I have not been any place yet visiting only to Bessie and to meeting last Sunday. I went over to Bessie at 3 pm yesterday and sweed 6 pillow cases for us on her machine from floursacks that I brougth with me from home Bessie give me coffee & pie. I went home at 6 pm so I had time to get warm supper for the boys comming from work. I am going to air the quilts to day and scrub in under the beds to the wind blowed so verry hard yesterday and so the dust came in an inch tick in the floor and al over but I thaugth I get this letter ready first to mail you can not tell just what time the mail man comes foe he comes sometime at 9 am and some times at 12 noon and sometime at 1 pm. I see that the leafs are out on the trees down in Utah well the grass is green here and the hills look pretty and the Sabbaths berry bushes looks pretty and green and the lands where our breadstuff is on looks veryy nuce now.

            I have walked all over F.O. Ps land and it looks even and nice. Avery and I have planted a little garden way up in a holler north east on Franks land and we shall plant butter beans and potatoes in a few days from now if we live. It is to bed bad about Deasies baby dying will it seemes as nearly every family in our ward is a mourning but the worst case is our dear Bishops family. I dont remember if I have wrote and asked about the schoolbooks that we have home from our school that Joe & Avery used. to please gather them up and take up to school I think some of them are laying on top of the bookcase.

            I will now close take good care of ourself and be wise like Salomon of old pray for wisdom and you will get it.

            This is all I guess I will hear from Pa to day it is to bad him standing by the mailbox a waiting well if he waits for something good he can never wait to long so I hope the good will come with Love to Pa and you Loui it is lots of fresh air here. ha ha  [it ends here at the very end of page]

08-29-1920 CJ Peterson to LC Peterson

From

Mrs C.J. Peterson

Malad Idaho                             [Written in pencil which is faded and difficult to read!!]

   Box 75

To
Miss Louise C. Peterson
Logan
Utah
R.F.S. #2 Box 17.

                                                                            Sunday Morning Aug 29—1920

            Dear folks at home I thought for sure we would get a few lines from you yesterday but No Sir! We hope that you are all upp and around this morning. Dear Lovis I dont want you to think but what I felt like all hell when Pa Phoned and said you was sick and if he had Phoned earlier in the Morning so I had time to get the train I rather went home to see you than to not see you and feel the way I or we did but as our dear Angel sister Grace called you upp and we found out that you felt better we felt better and could better pay attension to some work I know you was not feeling well when I went but mebe you was well enouph to go to the pool on the next Monday eve and that what made you worse.

            We are all well now Grace is so much better than she was when I came we have made one quilt this last week and we will make some more this comming week I gueess I vont have time to come home untill Sept 6^th & all things goes and is the way we have now counted out. I do not remember if theere is our Relif Sosity meeting next Tuesday and if we teachers report but if so if you plaese will call up sister King and ask her to excuse me you can find out to morrow so she can find some one to visit my beat in time for tuesday My teachers book is in the book case on top of the Relif Sosity Magazines I wonder if you have heard from Audrey or her Mother since Audrey went home Jennie exspeckted Audrey a week ago to day Audrey have wrote and told her mother she be home the 22 and so Jennie been to every train that day so Jennie called up Grace and told her and so I bet Audrey got a whipping when she got home. I never knew Audrey had wrote before she did saying she leave Logan on Wednesday Aug 25 at 10 a m.

            Now it is no use for Pa to worry over F.O’s car but I know that is the last trip I will take on Sunday and I have thanked the Lord for His mercy and have asked Him to forgive me and us all. Franklins car was not in any ditch but the front wheels of the other mans car was. The man that took us back to Malad said that this is as the third time this Beckstead have had an accident with his car I dont know how long he had owned it. My toe got stott [?] and that was all that got hurt but that is getting better I have not had a shoe on yet but I am going to put one on today I am going to Meeting this afternoon.

            I wonder how the weather is down home and if you are able to get any tomatoes out of our patch. We have had rain for 2 days & nights to and fro and it has been real chilly but this morning it feel warmer and it is not raining. but the sun is shining. I guess I shall say a little more about FOs car

            it is in the garage getting repaired and Beckstead is to pay for it, it was just one wheel broke on it just the spookes got broke but the outside and the tire was not broke at all that is in this ice box here now the[y] borrowed a wheel and put on Franks car so to be able to get it in the shop I guess I vont go out to Bannock before I go home I hope F.O.s car will be reapaired  so I can come home in it I guess this is all plaese forward the mail to me if theere is any. Darold is fine he runns around and moves his lips and lauphs and says Grandpa.

            Will close with much Love from us all

                                    We are as ever

                                                your loving

                                    sister and Mother and all

                                                Caroline J. Peterson

08-15-1922 CJ Peterson to Grace Johnson

From R.F.D. #2 Box 17
Logan Utah

Mrs Grace Johnson
Box 75 Royal Bakery
Malad Idaho

                        N. Logan Ut. R #2 Box 17 Aug 15—1922

My dearest folks at Malad Idaho your welcome letters was recived yesterday and I thank you for them I can assure you it was welcome I am a verry lonesome woman but I guess it is best for me to be here when theere is such an confusion and strike and strive outside our homes, I am sorry you were dissapointed when I was not with Lovis Well I can tell you I was dissapointed to but off such is the world full of.

            I see you are still missing Joe well it is to bad but I know you will fell better when Lovis tells you all about him how did you like the picture he sent you we or F.O. got a letter from Joe yesterday he said he was no wearing a blue suit and was buissier than ever now since he moved out off the

quarantine he worte as if he was lonesome and be talking off a furlough and a letter every day would be welcome, I guess we better arange it so we have each ceartain days to write so he will get one letter from us eveyr day and not all in one day and then not any for some time I wrote to him yesterday and FO is writting this evening and so it is your turn to write next Thursday and then we will keep it upp if the train should stop altogather I think the airplanes will carry the mail.

            soo Dr White is lonesome well if he waits for something good he can afford to wait and be lonesome to all you can do is to write and comfort him but what about yourself how are you, Every body I have seen and have talked to since I got home wishes you to come home and are hoping you will teach here in N. Logan, I mailed thoose papers to you yesterday and I hope the will come to you all O.K. I have wrote to Petersons to day for the first time and I will give you their addrass on the other side off this paper so you can write to them and be sure to write or else the will be offended.

            It has been very warm here to day I feel as if I were cooked, We have put upp F.O.s stove in the schanty and so we can bake bread theere and also make pickles out in the schanty Annie have put upp a lot of nice fruit but no jelly Annie had the currants picked but Pa would not bay any sugar so the currants got all spoiled and had to be thrown away mebe I can get some apples to make some jelly from I hope so anyway.

            Now Lovis I want you to quitt kidding me and Grace dont you belive Lovis when she says I put on well mebe I tried to act so Lovis did not needed to be to much ashamed off me but any one can easely see it was all home made and not genuine, well it is not hard to smile when the all smile first at you but it is different some places.

            I recived a card from Jennie yesterday she was sorry she did not get to see us before we left Berkeley Audrey and Jennie is now at Long Beach Cal and are having a loveley time will return to San Diego in about a week and will write a letter to us in a few days if you will why write a few lines to Jennie, I am glad your children are all well I am carzy to see them you ought to see Lewis he is a darn cute kid he keeps his Mother buissy watching him Now what about Elvira I have told Pa I dont want to have her leave us and as you got more now then your share having Avery to it be rigth for Elvira to come here with you when you come to see us I have not heard from F.G. yet I shall soon write to him see if he answers me and what he got to say.

            F.O. is working here and theere and earns a little monny and is waiting to hear from the Goverment and what about it. I will now close with Love your Pa is as usual and always glad to hear from you how is your legs my leg is on a strike, give my love to Gust and Avey tell Avey he is owning Grandma a letter so long with Love Love Love Love Love     

                                                            your Mother and Grandma

                                                                        C J Peterson.

 Petersons addrass is

Mrs S.J. Peterson.

R.F.D. #1 Box 201

Ogden Ut.

_________________

Jennies addrass is

Box 1369 San Diego

     Calif

10-05-1922 CJ Peterson to LC Peterson

From Mrs Caroline J. Petersen

R #2 Box 17 N. Logan.

            Logan Ut.

Miss Louise C. Petersen
Lewiston Utah
% J. W. Bowman.

                        N. Logan Ut Oct 5^th 1922

            Dear Loui   Here is is again 2 15 pm and as I had some more to write to you about last Tuesday but as I was in an awful hurry I forgot it so I shall write again so you get it to morrow. Louis is getting better slowly Pher was here this morning and left some different medecine saying we could not exspeckt him to get better all at onece when being so verry sick. We are all as usual. I made some nice soap yesterday I had good luck with it.

            Well Louise as you noticed I bougth a new oilcloth and Love Storie Magazine I told the folks you bougth it and send it home so if you will not let on that I bougth it, you know I saved upp eggs for it, but did not let on I had so manny eggs with me to town.

            Grace called upp the nigth before last and told us Irene was verry sick with stomack troubble she had passed blood in her diper Grace have had the Dr come Oh dear what a lot off troubble.

            I have seen Mrs Nelson, Muriels Mother, Mrs Pearl Mrs Bromason, Sadie Nyman, and Kate Wurstien and the all asked me to remember them to you Well I gues this is all and I will close and go to work, bake bread and so on and so fort. I hope you are well.

            With a lot off Love from your Mumsie

                                                C J. Peterson

Please remember about the oil cloth and the Love Storie book