Some spelling and grammar may change as I transcribe. The locations are Laurens and Oneonta, both are cities in Otsego County, New York.
I have a number of letters written to and from my grandmother during the time that she and my father were hospitalized with
typhoid. They have no dates and I will post and transcribe them together. A few have dates and I will transcribe them together in the next post.
I was told by my mother that, unbeknownst to him, a laborer hired to work on my grandparents' small farm was a carrier of typhoid. It's my understanding that after the family became ill with typhoid, that the 'government' paid this laborer to not work on a farm ever again. I have no proof of this, and I don't know the man's name; it is simply something my mother told me.
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| Unsourced newspaper clipping found in my family memorabilia collection. |
'Mrs. Walter Schnack' was my grandmother, Olive Letha
Rose
Schnack. My grandfather was Jochim "Walter" Schnack, also known as
'Walt'. My father was Walter J. Schnack, known as 'Junior' or 'Jr' in
the letters. His sister was Vivian Eleanor
Schnack Cope and his brother was Edward Alexander Schnack. Amongst others caring for the family at home was, 'Aunt H', or 'Aunt Hattie', Olive's aunt, Harriet
More Burgett.
Monday
Dear Mother,
How are you feeling? Miltie is down and we asked how Harriet was? He said, "She dirtied all her ditties." We worked Jr.'s puzzle; it's awful nice when it's finished. Well, Strong's are in California. They sent up 8 comic books. Our meals are good. How are yours? Eddy and I are swell. Jr.'s improving every day. Christine asked him if he wanted to borrow her ____. Dad says he does not feel too bad. His temperature runs from 99 to 102. Ask Dr. Clark about him, and you'll find out a lot more. (She means he can tell you better than she can...added Harriet) Thanks for the melon and candy. Do you know how high your temperature is? We got a nice bouquet that Eddy picked of wild flowers.
Well, I must close. It's 9 o'clock. Sam just left so I'm too late to send it but I'll send it somehow. Lots and lots of love.
Your children,
Vivian
Eddy
Walter Jr.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
P.S.
If you can possibly write a letter home to us or have one of the nurses write it, we would love to get it. (Maybe that short nurse that's so nice to you would do it.)
xxxxxxxxxxxx
To Junior
From
Eddy
Vivian
This little dog was sorry
To hear that you were sick
And comes today
So he can say
"Sure hope you will get well quick!"
Thursday
Dear Honies!
I thought you would be interested in whom I've had cards since I've been here.
Florence
Carrie and Harvey
Helen and Russell
Aunt Daisy
Clif and Lena
Mildred Burgess (Aunt Hattie will tell you who she is.)
Emilee and Granny
Mr & Mrs _. M. Hopkins
Ella and Charles
And then best of all, Uncle Clif came up to see me. We talked and talked. He told Jr
to keep his hands away from his mouth and his nose and he would give him a hive of bees when he gets better.
Have Daddy bring some envelopes.
Must close.
Love,
Mother
Saturday
Hello honies,
Mother will have to learn to write all over.
Do you suppose, Vivian, I will get up and walk like you?
Why don't you write to me and tell me what you do to pass away the time.
Junior is still real sick.
Love,
Mother
Friday p.m.
Hello kids,
Well, Dr. Clark says I can come home the middle of next week. That probably means Wednesday. Won't that be grand? I sat up in a chair today and it didn't go bad at all. Of course, my feet and legs didn't work too well. Jr. is feeling so good that I'll have to ask the doctor when he can sit up. Dr. Clark put him on the house diet today, too, so he gets more to eat. The doctors give all credit for his getting better so fast to a new drug just on the market. I think it is especially
fortified. It is called sulpha quadragine or something like that. He is the first ever to take it in this hospital.
Had a nice letter from Auntie Bea. She has had Harriet. She said she was so tiny she was scared of her. All the clothes she gets will be way too big for her. But, by the time Harriet leaves the hospital she won't be so tiny. Tell Aunt H. my bathrobe looked lovely. Daddy got me a pair of pretty blue slippers. Well, must close now. Maybe will write more after supper. xxxxxx
Love,
Mother
Monday
Dear Vivian and Ed and Aunt H,
Well, Jr and I got some nice get well cards from all of you. It's fun to get them when there isn't anything to do.
Mr. Loyer was here this p.m. with a nice bouquet. I think he was going up to Auntie Bea's. Did he stop and see you, too?
I was up this a.m. and walked to the bathroom but this p.m. I had a temperature so stayed in bed. Dr. Clark said we could come home Wednesday and I'm so afraid
something will happen so I can't come. I don't think the temperature is serious. Aunt H, Vivian said you were planning what we are to wear home. If you have them ready, send them tomorrow. If not, Wednesday will be o.k. Anything you send will be o.k. Oh, how I hope nothing interferes with our coming home.
Be good. xxxxxxxx
Love,
Mother
Monday
Dear Vivian, Eddy, and Aunt Hattie,
Well, we have just had dinner and I think you have better things to eat than we do. Today for dinner we had mashed potatoes, finely chopped beets, bread and butter, and a dish with three hunks of pineapple in, also tea. You mustn't plan on my being home any special day or you may be disappointed. My temp stays down but I guess it doesn't stay so normal all day yet so Dr. Clark won't let me sit in a chair or get
up.
Yes, Jr. has been real sick; delirious most of the time. This a.m. his temp was normal but will probably go up this p.m.
2:45
His temp is down yet. I don't know just how much. And, I guess mine is still normal. Last night, after Walt was here, somebody left a bouquet of snapdragons for me; no card so I don't know who sent them. They are very pretty. This p.m. there arrived a lovely big bouquet from Ella and the Schnack family. There is everything in it, even bachelor buttons and carnations.
Must close. Be good.
Love,
Mother
2nd Installment
I haven't said anything about the bedroom. I'll bet it looks like a different place and I know just how hard Aunt Hattie had to work to get it that way. I'll be so glad to have it done.
Vivian, you might as well plant all the David Harum flower seeds. They are yours and Jr.'s, you know. I am glad you planted mine or they never would have had flowers this year.
Poor Jr. just wet the bed. The nurses that can come in here were downstairs to supper and nobody to get him the bottle. So, he has to have his bed changed. He has been crying because he wants to come home today.
I must close for this time. So glad to hear Eddie is getting along so good.
Be good kids.
Love,
Mother
Hello Everybody,
Well, Jr and I are getting better everyday, Dr. Clark says. About tomorrow, I am going to ask him if I can send for my bathrobe and slippers so I can sit in a chair. Maye that way I will gradually get some strength so that when I do come home I won't be too helpless.
I had the nurse pull the screen back this p.m. It's the first I've seen Jr in 3 or 4 days. He looks sick but not crazy like he did.
xxxx for Eddie
For supper tonight we had asparagus on toast, bread and butter, and a half peach. I had tea and Jr. had cocoa. It doesn't sound like much but my tummy feels full. At least I got a letter from Auntie Bea. I will send it over with this.
Has the wind blown hard over there? Out of my window it looks as if the wind had been blowing hard. Every night, Daddy tells me how good you are getting along. It makes me feel real good. Of course, I know you have the best of care and that makes all the difference in the world. Be good.
Love,
Mother
Monday
Dear Mother,
We don't have to take Milk of Magnesia any more. I eat out in the kitchen most of the time. Eddy is getting so he can walk pretty but, he has not been off the porch yet.
How do you like your forget-me-nots? Did Dad tell you I rode in the car over to West Laurens? Miltie has got his hair cut way off. Dad got a letter from Aggie. Milt brought down the sickle and I cut the grass a little bit. I planted 4 hills of squash that I'm going to raise. Well, you and Auntie Bea and Jr. are pretty popular getting your name in the paper most every
day. I guess I'd better close. We're all swell.
Love from all,
Viv and Ed
P.S.
I've planted my David Harum seeds and I'm going to plant Junior's. I'll plant yours tomorrow. Sorry you misunderstood me. I had orange juice, chocolate milk, and poached egg on toast for dinner. We had chocolate milk, tomato soup, bread and butter, and pudding with bananas on. We had mashed potatoes with gravy, carrots, cake, and bread and butter.
Shirley went back to school today. School ends one week from Friday. What do you think about me taking my Geography regents up here? Please tell me what you think.
Viv
Sunday p.m.
Dear Mother,
I guess you will have to write all over again. I suppose you know that Auntie Bea has a daughter. Eddy and I get up every day. I'm getting so now anytime I want to get out of bed all I have to do is get up and walk out to the chair. Dr. Benedict was here yesterday and says Jr.'s cough is getting along fine. This A.M. at 6 o'clock I was awake. Eddy was already awake. I got out my book and began reading in sets of an hour and had eaten my breakfast. Harold stopped in so see how we were. After breakfast I fiddled around and read my book for awhile. After that I listened to the radio and looked at some magazines. For dinner I had spaghetti, (with tomato sauce) and carrots put through the sieve, chocolate milk, and chocolate cake. After that I rested a while and read the post. Then I jumped
out of bed and wrote you this letter. That is, what I've done up to 20 minutes after 3. Is that all right for telling you what I do to pass away the time?
They put Auntie Bea's baby in the incubator. Uncle Len says it yells just as loud as the rest of them. He says it acts all right. I wonder what Auntie Bea will name it? Uncle Len just came in and he says she is going to name it Harriet Julia. When Aunt Hattie heard about it she said, "What does she want, to kill it?" Well, my letter is getting long; my writing is getting bad so I'll have to close. Keep on getting better. We want you home soon. Don't worry about your garden. It's getting planted. Write another letter to me very soon. Don't forget us. Get better soon.
Your children,
Vivian and Eddy
Dear Junior,
I'm glad you're able to write. I had my regents today. I'm quite sure I passed. I think it's swell you sit up and are able to come home with mom. Well, I must close. xxxx
Love,
Vivian
Wed.
Mom,
How are you? Yesterday, I got my clothes on and had a lot of fun playing outdoors. I saw my calf and she's grown like everything since I last saw her. After dinner, Dean brought her up and tied her to the lilac bush. Dean had all he could do to hang on to her. They mowed some of the new seeding yesterday and will probably rake it today. That flower I got you for Mother's Day has 3 nice big leaves. Well, I got to go cut some weeds for Aunt Hattie now so don't get lonesome.
Junior
Vivian,
I sat up for about 2 hours and ate my dinner on a chair in front of our lazy chair. Tonight, I sat up about 2 hours and had my supper up. I teased Mom that I'd crank her head up and her feet up.
I hope you can read this.
Jr.
