Anna Bell Barnhart Calhoun continued to receive letters from her husband James Calhoun from France where he was serving in the U.S. Army. As with almost all his letters from France, the information they contain mainly reflect the news he is hear from home, since he is severely restricted as to what he can write. The fact that the letters came sporadically and out of sequence had to be a bit of a challenge for my grandmother. His June letters arrived mainly in July but not even in sequence.
James first letter in June wasn't received until almost the end of the month, June 29. He references the fire that destroyed Anna's Uncle John Miller's barn in this and some of the following letters.
June 4, 1918
My dear Anna;
Three letters from you have come
to me within the past few days. I know
that you should like to know that I am O.K.
There is not much that I can write but am happy to send you the news
that I am O.K. Your letters were most
thoroughly enjoyed. I cannot tell you
how much I enjoyed them. It is very true
that you do not get so many letters as you did but you know that it is not my
fault.
The loss of the barn is very
hard for Uncle John. It is fine that you
can help them at this time. Maybe they
can feel different towards us now. Such
things are for a purpose, I think.
You wrote so many news[?] that I
can scarcely thank you enough. I am
sorry that you have a cold and that you have been troubled with the Liberty
measles.
I will write another note as
soon as I can. I will [write] more
soon.
I must stop now and send
this. Please write as often as you
can. Your letters are indeed
appreciated. Let mother know how I am by
card.
Your most loving husband, James
James wrote another letter the next day, but it took until
July 20 to be received by Anna.
Somewhere in France
June 5, 1918
My dear Anna;
I will take this opportunity to send you as good a letter
as I possibly can under the circumstances.
I must confess that the few letters I have written have been very meager
indeed but would gladly do better if I could.
I have gotten three letters from you recently and they each contained a
world of news from home.
This leaves me in good health
and am O.K. in all things. I regret to
hear that you have all had colds and hope you may be better before now. I sympathize with Wilford in his measle deal.
Cousin Raymond [Barnhart] is fortunate
indeed in getting the work he has.
Perhaps he will remain there permanently. I am glad Edith sent him candy because I know
how much he will appreciate it; I surely did.
Grandmother B is surely working faithful to do her bit at this
time. You are all doing so much. In fact you cannot realize the true value of
the work you are doing as fully as I can when viewed from my standpoint.
It was fine that Davison’s
people said for the car. I hope they get
good service from it and get in good in operating it. I should be very glad if they would drop me a
letter. So Fletcher has his head shaved
and so do I (or very nearly so).
Ralph and Wilford will be glad
indeed to finish hauling wood. It is a
tedious, tiresome piece of work to get logs from such a place as they hauled
those. Your work will be very heavy
especially now that you have so many cows.
It was fine though that you could help Uncle John as you did. Perhaps they will feel better towards us
now. It is good sometimes to get a
chance to return good for evil. It is
just as well I think that you did not bother with the chickens; if we need them
we can get them later. I almost wonder
at Chas. McPherson doing as he did in the horse deal. I surely used him white [??] the proposition.
The burning of the barn no doubt
gave you a great scare. It must have
been a great scare to mother B. Aunt
Bertha is usually calm enough but such an event is very liable to give the
calmest person quite a scare. I should
not have been surprised if Uncle John had been excited as he seems so
frail.
I wish you could go and see
Oliver’s people. From what mother wrote
I believe that cousin Margaret will not live very long. It was very good of cousin Kathryn to write
to you.
A letter came from mother and
Mae and I will try and answer it in a few days.
I wish you might send them a card when you get this so they will rest
that I am O.K. at this date. I was
mighty glad to get the clippings. There
is no need to send papers; ten chances to one they would not reach me. It is just as well that what you said of Cora
has proved false.
I will close for this time. Hoping you are all well and O.K. Your most loving husband, James.
Raymond Barnhart was grandma's first cousin on her father's side. Raymond was in the Army but did not go overseas for his service. [Note: I am named for this cousin.]
James next letter came to Anna on July 20, the same day as
the June 5 letter.
June 11, 1918
Somewhere in France
My dear Anna;
This leaves me O.K. and feeling fine. I have had no letters from you since I sent
you my last one. I expect to receive two
or three at one time soon. I expect to
mail a letter to mother C. when this one is mailed.
We are having beautiful weather
and the country looks very pretty indeed.
I am wondering if everything is as beautiful at home. I expect your crops are nearly all in the
soil.
I often think of you and wonder
what you are doing these days. It will
soon be a year since I helped in the hay field.
How will i remember that day. Do
y\the young people have as many parties as they did last autumn. If not they probably will renew sociabilities
this autumn.
The school year will soon be
finished. Ruth had such hard luck with
her school that I expect she will be late in closing her work. How many weeks was her school closed because
of scarlet fever etc? Lois should have
her work nearly finished by now.
I am afraid that you and I will
be unable to help Uncle Will and Aunt Mary this year. I wish we might; it would be a great pleasure
indeed. I presume the Ward farm is
practically idle this year; there will be no land under cultivation at
all. Marshall’s are using the pastures;
are Will’s going to cut the hay themselves?
This is but a note to let you
know all is well. There is but little
news to write so will send this. I would
gladly write more but this will suffice for now. When I get a letter from you I shall answer
more fully. I often think of you all.
Give my best regards to all of
my people and please write often.
Your most loving husband, James.
James wrote again 5 days letter, but this letter came to
Anna 8 days before the letters of June 5 and 11, arriving July 12.
Somewhere in France
June 16, 1918
My dear Anna;
I am very glad to have the
opportunity to answer your excellent letters of May 12 and 16.
I am very glad to know that you
were quite well at that time. I hope you
have taken proper care of yourself while you have had the “Liberty”
measles. They are not dangerous as a
rule unless one catches cold with them; they are not pleasant to have however
and I surely am sorry for you if you felt as uncomfortable as I when I had
them. Scarletina also made me feel very disagreeable;
almost as much so as when I had the genuine fever. You said for me not to worry but it is pretty
hard to follow your instructions when I know that you will keep working when
you are sick. For God’s sake don’t get
down sick when I am away here.
You say Uncle J’s are just the
same as ever. Please do not let that
fact bother you in the least. They only
hurt themselves not us. I think they
might show themselves grateful for what you have helped them but some people
know naught but jealousy and selfishness.
I am glad my letters reach you
O.K. and you must know by this time that I am getting yours O.K. They come in bunches of two and three but I
think I am getting all of them. Mail
coming this way is not censored at least the letters you have sent have not
been opened. You will see that I date my
letters now although I sent a few without dates. I am same in rank as Fletcher. You seem to consider my letters very
unsatisfactory and indeed they are but perhaps I can learn to do better in
time. I am sorry that Wilford does not
care to write to me and sincerely hope that he is not angry. I appreciated his letters and sincerely hope
he will change his mind about writing me.
It was awfully good of you
people to get the wagon and hope it is not much in the way. Wilford’s joke about the wagon was cute and
it made me think of old times as also what you said about the story in the “Christain
Herald.” I hope your dreams come true
and I still want you to build air castles.
Perhaps they will become real one of these fine days. Nothing can keep a person’s courage up like
good old hope. I will remember the
[sell?] picture and hope and pray that all that the picture stands for may be
brought to pass.
I am not afraid of you becoming
a heathen for I know you are doing all that circumstances permit. My religious privileges are not the best here
but I am making the best of the situation I think. They will be better some day.
This is indeed a pretty country
but I am not in love with it enough to want to remain here permanently. I can find no fault with my native land.
The Reynold’s case was a very
sad one. It is hard to understand why
such things are permitted to come about but they must be for some good purpose.
Expect that Anna would be real
sick with the measles. William is at the
proper age to have them. Is Wilford the
only one left in our family to go through the disease. If so it is better that he have them while he
is young. I anxiously await to know how
Anna came thru measles.
I wish you might have gone to
the war show. I know it would have done
you good and am sure those who have gone were benefitted and experienced some
real pleasure from it.
I am both surprised and amused
that you bought tobacco. You must feel
that since I am not there to use the weed that you will sprinkle a little in my
old clothes anyway. I must write and
scold mother for teaching my wife the tobacco habit. I am not using it myself but many of the boys
need it very badly so please save all you can for them - Ha!
The enclosed clippings were
fine. It is better to send them that
way. Papers rarely reach us when sent in
wrappers.
I should like much to be enjoying
the fine weather there. Weather has been
pleasant here although warm at times.
I am glad you are with the Red
Cross. I know now the really great work they are doing.
Please write often and do send
one of those pictures because I know it will be alright.
Your most loving husband - James
James’s next letter was written 8 days later, but not
received until August 5.
Somewhere in France
June 24, 1918
My dear Anna;
I am sending you a few lines to
let you know that I am well and O.K. I
have been unable to write for a week past so I expect you will wonder if I have
not stopped writing. I have had no
letters from you for a while but there no doubt will be two or three of them
when they come.
We have had some cool weather
for this season of the year. Everything
is very beautiful here now. There are
many flowers in this country and especially roses.
As I have no letter to answer I
scarcely know what to write. I have been
thinking of you a great deal and should like to see you very much indeed.
It is hard to realize that
summer will soon be half past. It seems
as though it should be about May 1.
This will tell you I am O.K. and
am writing Cora & Mother. Please
pray for the day to come when I can see you and tell you all. Write often.
Your most loving husband, James.
James wrote the following letter 4 days later - it was
received the same day as the June 24 letter.
Somewhere in France
June 28, 1918
My dear Anna;
A recent mail brought me six
letters, four from you, one from mother and one from Archie and Florence. You can imagine that they were received with
joy and their contents devoured several times over. I am attempting to answer your messages of
love in my humble way.
I am relieved to know that you
are entirely well of measles and that those who had measles or were otherwise
ailing are again well. I can not but
feel slightly worried over your welfare at times, you know when I am so far
from you. Regarding myself, I am glad to
say that I am indeed quite well.
How pleasant it must be in good
old Delaware Co. and the season must be advanced. I longed very much to be with you when I read
your letters telling of all the fine things you are doing over there. It would be a genuine pleasure to enjoy home
life once more in those places so dear to my heart and the thoughts of which
call forth many fond memories. God grant
that our hopes and prayers may soon be realized.
It is well that Uncle J. is able
to care for his surplus stock now and it must mean a great relief to you
all. The burning of the barn was all for
a purpose and after reading your letters I am satisfied that Uncle J’s people
now will all feel different towards us.
They have a hard task before them but no doubt the new structure will be
modern in every respect when complete. I
take it for granted that Mike remains with them when Andrew Worden takes up his
duties. You spoke of the lack of help; I
wish I might furnish a small amount and commence at once.
I am glad to know that your work
is progressing fine. Wilford surely came
out fortunate from what might have been a serious accident.
You no doubt know what the
surplus valuables are that I sent you as they must have reached you. By way of explanation will say that on or
about May 1 I sent you $15.00 (saved from Feb & Mar pay) and again on May
23 I sent $15.00 both amounts being sent in care of the YMCA. I have receipts for full amount in case you
fail to receive them. I am surprised
that you had not received allotment for April.
I do not think my change of station made a difference in the time you
would receive your money. I do not think
any policies are forwarded but sufficient records are kept so insurance is a
safe proposition. Your letter of Memorial day was most interesting of all. You must know by now how I spent that day but
I cannot help but think of the better way in which I could have spent it in the
place and environment which I desired so much.
I feel very sorry for James B. and indeed there should be a deep bond of
sympathy between us. I rested assured
that father’s grave was heaped with flowers because I know that Cora and the
others would see well to that.
I can scarcely imagine “Jerusha”
as being so unruly as to jump the fence after always behaving so well. I thought perhaps it would be difficult for
Mr. Davison to learn driving at his age.
It was indeed fortunate that nothing worse than a twisted axle and a
broken windshield resulted although I am sorry that even that happened.
I believe I know what you meant
by Gene Storie waiting so long. I am
rejoiced to know that you think it impossible for me to have to wait for so
long a time. I believe it quite certain
about Hazel as I think Frank knew what he spoke of.
I just noted in your last letter
that Edith has the Liberty measles. I
hope indeed that she is better and all is well.
Your letters contained so many news that I can scarcely answer them in
full. I expect you would like to hear
about what I am doing but I must wait until I can see you then I will tell
all. My best regards to you all. Your most loving husband, James.
James’ next letter was received on August 3, two days before
the letters of June 24 & 28.
June 30, 1918
My dear Anna;
Perhaps this letter will appear
funny to you but I am “Hooverizing” on paper.
Your excellent letter written just after the Walton conference came to
me very recently and was thoroughly enjoyed.
Letters also came from Cora & cousin Wm O at Dubois PA. Cousin Will’s letter was very good
indeed. He wants me to visit the home of
our ancestors and tell him all I can hear and see.
I am glad to know that you saw
Mrs. Chambers and Mrs. Bryce. It would
be fine if Mrs. Bryce can come to see you.
Cora writes that she expects to pay you a visit soon and that you had
written her.
I am relieved to know the money
reached you. You need not be so saving
of it as that. I sent it for you to use
as you see fit. I really feel sorry that
Chauncey has felt compelled to join the service. I can sympathize thoroughly with his family
and himself. I had hoped that in his
position he might get excused. Clark
Miller’s death is indeed a blow to his people.
He is the first of the Bovina boys to fall.
We are having beautiful weather
now and has been most all the time since for a month. Today has been fairly warm but weather never
has been oppressively warm.
When I was reading your letter I
told the boys what you said about making short cake and they almost mobbed me
for speaking of it. I guess their mouths
were watering for a taste themselves.
Lloyd Irvine may be near here
but I have not found him. I do not know
where any of the boys that I used to know.
No doubt some of them are near me if I only could locate them.Mr.
Davison and Rev Galloway surely did come out lucky. I am glad you keep me posted on Rev Galloway’s
sermons. It seems more as though I still
can enjoy a few of the religious privileges I used to know. I was pleased that you were chosen to attend
the conference at Walton. One gets
considerable benefit from such as a rule as there is always many talks worth
hearing.
I expect you will have a
celebration on the 4th. I do
not know where we will hold out at that time but there are plenty of
celebrations of that nature.
Please write real often. Your most loving husband, James
No comments:
Post a Comment