Reo

I found this photo here Tampa's Oldest Automobile - Sticks of Fire

This is a 1908 Reo, which is probably very similar to the one Matthew Nelson had. I imagine his had more seats, because I can't see how half a dozen or more people could fit in that seat.

Here's some fun trivia from the article. Reo was actually an accronym that stood for Ransom Eli Olds. He founded Oldsmobile and lived in Oldsmar. Something tells me he was part of the founding family. The cars were built in Lansing, MI. 

Half of a Letter by Matthew

This is the last letter I have from the envelope my dad and I found, and it's only a fragment of a letter. Considering only one side of the page is used, this is probably one third of a letter. But I hope that someone has the other page. If you do, here's the rest of that letter. Do you think you could tell me what the first part is about?

Seeing as how this is the last part of the letter, I don't know when it was written. It's still centers around Annie and Jack possibly moving to the States. My guess is this letter was written specifically to Jack, since Matthew mentions spitting. Maybe I'm wrong, but it's still pretty funny.

It's kind of sad seeing this story come to an end, but it was interesting. I do know Annie and Jack finally did make it out here, as the Nelson Genealogy has a picture of her (sadly, at Matthew's funeral in 1943). There could be more letters and more pictures, even though Matthew suggests to them that they shouldn't bring any.

Matthew and Amy went on to have four more children, one of which was my grandmother, Wilma. She is the lovely toddler gracing the top of this blog.

I do have some pictures that we found. I'll post them as soon as I can.

...are not any dearer here than in England. Amy bought fur muffs for Nancy and Nellie on Saturday and she paid 65 cents each for the real french coney (maybe?) skin, woolen singlets 10 cents, mens under shirts & pants 19 cents each, ladies the same, so you see we can buy as cheap here as you can of course if you come bring all your good bed clothes such as blankets & sheets etc and your cutlery. I would not advise you to bring any dishes or pictures or anything breakable. Shoes are cheap enough here so there is no use getting any extra and if you go out waiting and cooking you will get lots of things given you as my Aunt goes out sometimes and she gets all sorts of things and she never gets less than 2 Dollars a day and all her food. So I think I have told you nearly all I can think of at present. We are having lovely weather here just now, plenty of snow and frost Friday morning. When I went to work it was 12 degrees below zero and Saturday it was 15 below so you see it gets a little bit chilly sometimes. When you try to spit on the ground it falls in a little icecicle but it don't seem to be very cold as the air is drier of course if you stood out it would soon freeze you to death. I will now conclude. Hoping this will give you an idea of how things are here and hoping to see you all very soon.

I remain your ever loving brother

Matthew Nelson  

The next segment on this blog will feature letters we found from my grandfather to my grandmother. Thanks for reading this segment and I hope you enjoy the next one!  

November 10th, 1912

This is the only letter I have from Louise, another sister of Amy. I don't know how many sisters Amy had, but it sounds like three, possibly: Annie, Ethel and Louise. From the tone of this letter, I would guess that Louise is the oldest sister, or at least older than Annie. From what I understand, this is not the "Aunt Louise" that Dick Martin spoke of on Laugh-In.

I love the way Louise writes in her letters!

17. Hicks Road

Seaforth
Nov. 10 - 1912

Sunday

My Dearest Annie

I would have written you last night, but it would have been too late for this to be delivered this morning. I think you need not worry about the tickets, & George thinks you will be able to make an arrangement with the agent in Grange as to when you can be ready to sail. So do not hurry your sale too quickly as your lovely furniture will have no chance of fetching a fair price for you. George will try & come for a couple of days & help, if he can possibly manage it, & you will let him know when it is to be as soon as you can. He has a few days due to him yet of his summer holidays. The travelling skips George hunted L.pool for yesterday but could get none second-hand. The new ones are 30X20X30 16/6, 33X21X21 18/16. Of course they are well worth the money being so strong. Just what the steam Laundries and Large Dryers use. But it is a lot of money when one has it not. Do not get anything yourself because George will certainly get secondhand ones if there are any to be had in or about Lpool. He is a regular ferret.

Yes dear, I should much like the baby things and any old pieces you find you cannot pack up. About the pans. The carriage would not be much by goods train (carr. form) & really I have a very small supply. Have broken two lately by dropping. They have lasted you & I daresay would be in as good condition as any I might pick up at a sale here. They are such a price now. Your bedlinen & blankets etc you will need to take with you, but if you find any too many or too thin to pack for so long a journey, just make a parcel of them & George can bring them & I will give you whatever you think you would get there for them. 

Yes, Aunt Lizzie has Amy's watch still I believe. If you reflect, Amy pawned it & Aunt L gave her the money & interest (£1-0-0) to redeem it, & told her she could have it back any time she had the money to pay for it. I have not seen Aunt Lizzie since about June. No, I think it was May. So I do not see much of her. She generally comes when I least expect it. I will drop her a p.e (?) & let her know you are going away.

Lots of love dear & do not overtax yourself.

Your loving sister 

Louise.     

September 25th, 1912

Well, this is quite a jump. In the previous letter, 1911 was just about to end and already we're over half way through 1912. One plus is that Amy sends her sister a recipe for ginger cookies! Annie's fortune is our fortune, too! There are no actual baking instructions, but I'm sure it can't be too difficult. If you make them, please post in the comments how they were. I'm sure everyone has lard in their cabinets, nowadays. (Also, I'm guessing that the little scribble she writes for some of the measurements are indicative of being the same as above. If you've read my other blog, you know that baking is more of an aspiration of mine than a hobby.)

Finally, Annie and Jack are coming to the states. Amy is so happy, and she and Matt are making sure they get their tickets as soon as possible. Though I'm sure it weighed on everyone's minds, given the year, I find their reason pretty cool.

Sept 25th 1912

Union St

Marshall Mich

U.S.A.

(Get as many stocking for yourselves. They don't wear such thick ones here. They wear union suits that come to their feet and thin stockings.

Write by return.)

Ginger Cookies

1 Cup White Sugar

1 Cup melted Lard

1 Cup Treacle

2 Cups beaten Eggs

1 Teaspoonfull Cinoman

2 Teaspoons ginger rocks

1/2 Cup boiling Water

Flour to make a stiff dough

Roll out with paste

and cut with a tin lid

Try them

My darling sister

I expect you will be happy when you read this. I can hardly sit down and write it, I feel so happy. We are going to send your tickets before xmas. Because we would sooner you come when there is no danger of ice burgs, as they always come in the spring. Get to know how much it is from Liverpool to Marshall, Michigan. We have forgotten and we will see how much cheaper it is to get them in Liverpool than it is here. Maggie (is) under 12 years, if you tell them she is over you will have to pay full fare. It will cost more for you than it did for us because we did not have to pay railway fare for the children. If Herbert is small, we won't have to get a ticket for him for the train, so let me know how big he is. People take the children on the trains here when they are 8 and without paying for them, but they are supposed to be under 5 years. I can take all mine and just get a ticket for myself.

I would not get a lot of new clothes because they wear different stiles here. You can get them cheap enough here if you go about the right way. You will have quite a lot given you when you start out to work. I have five dresses given to me last week and I don't go out to work. I had a kitchen cabinet given to me today. A lady that was moving 15 miles out to a farm and did not want to take it with her, because 1 of the legs was broken, but Matt can fix it. 

Dear, I would start and sell as soon as the visitors stop coming, so as you will be ready to come as soon as we send for you. I would keep a pillow or cushions each, for you will need them on the boat and train. For the pillows in the boat are made of straw and they are pretty hard. I would get a box of health salts for the boat if you felt a bit sick. It will be good for you. I would have given a dollar if I had have brought one with me.

I am sending a paper with this mail. I get those 2 every day for 10¢ a week. I guess Matt will be starting out to work in Nov so he will get Jack work either 1-75 or 2 dollars a day. They can't get women to go out working here. Aunt had 3 ladies come after her on Monday to cook and clean for them so you need not be (a)fraid (that) you won't get enough to do.

Write soon, from your ever loving sister Amy XX

(Try and get my watch)

I have a feeling that if Annie doesn't have the watch by now, she probably won't get it in time. But I could be wrong.

Another thing that I didn't really think much of before is Amy's comments about Annie's "visitors". Do you think she ran a bed and breakfast or let out rooms?

Letter Fragment from Amy

This is the last half of a letter from Amy to Annie. It's some time after Christmas, but before New Year's. Either Annie definitely wants to come to Marshall but Jack is still unsure, or Amy has simply convinced herself that they're coming.

It's amazing what you learn when you read. Not only does Amy write of arriving to the U.S. by way of Canada, but she gives exact times of the day. She also laments that she is not sea-worthy, but Matt's sister very much is.

Their oldest daughter, Ellen, is referred to in the letter as "Nellie". She was six years oldat the time of this letter.

 

...childrens boots are perhaps a little dearer but not mens. Matt can get boots 1/2 up his leg for 4 dollars*. Good ones too. He goes to work in them (and) can put his trousers inside for this cold weather.
My dear, I hope you have got Matt's letter by this but he has not got to know how much it will cost to bring you out yet. He has not managed to see the agent yet. He is going again tonight. Matt goes to work to early in the morning to see him. Dear, I do wish you were here without the trouble of coming. Sorry all your bills have come in all together like that, but cheer up, dear. There is better times for you if Jack would only look the same way. I wish I could send you your money all at once but I will do the best I can. Matt has to pay 12 dollars* a month out of his wages for his garage and he has a phone at the garage to pay for every month and water taxes the water he uses for cleaning the motors. He has as good bit in the garage. He says he has about 600 dollars* invested in it. His car broke down so he has that to repair but he won't repair it before the spring.
I did not send any cards out this year, only a few post cards, for I think it is just a waste of money. We got those ships at a second hand store. I think they cost about 8/- for the two. Of course you can bring tin boxes, but ships would be the best if you could get them. You can sleep in the train we were in Saturday night from 6 till about 12 at night and stayed in Montreal all night. Got (on the) train Sunday morning and got to Detroit at about 2, Monday morning. Left Detroit about 8, got to Marshall about 10 O'clock. So you are not in the train so very long. I think we we(re) on the water 7 days but it was fine. You do have some fun but I did not have much fun. I was in bed nearly all the time, was sick. I don't think (if) I had been sick I had have been all right. I went to bed the night I got on the boat and got up on the next Thursday and did not have anything to eat all the time till I got up. I could not eat I was so ill, and Matt's sister, Sarah, did not miss a meal.
I would not advise you to get a lot of clothes. Girls wear all light dresses all the year round and so do little boys. You can get childrens under neath wear at 50 cents* the suit. I buy a lot of remnants for our kiddies. I got some Elitrope stuff for myself for next summer for to make a dress for 60 cents*, but I have started to make it up for the children, for I let Nellie go to school nice. There is always sales w(h)ere get things cheap. 
Dear Annie, I must close now as I want to catch the post so you will get & write to me and say you will come. I will be broken hearted if you say you can't come for I have made up (my) mind I am going to see you soon. You don't know how I want to see you. I must wish you all a happy new year. 
From your loving sister Amy XXXXX  

*$4 in 1911 would be about $91, today.
*$12 in 1911 would be about $273, today.
*$600 in 1911 would be about $13,650, today.
*$.50 in 1911 would be about $11.40, today.
*$.60 in 1911 would be about $13.65, today.