Howard and ruby stoner letters and memories

April 15, 2015

Howard and Ruby Stoner Letters and memories Photo above: Howard and

Letter to James from Howard - Sept. 25, 1934

Ruby with grandchildren Justin and Tiffany

Everly, Iowa Dear Brother: Received your letter and am glad you like it. You should be able to handle your roommate. How do you like your work? Yeah, we got here without any trouble about 4:30. I guess Ralph was glad to get home. I went down Sunday.

Dad came down to the sale but everything sold too high so he didn’t buy any. We have been plowing a little since silo filling. Bill is going to start on our place Wednesday.

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There’s a dance in Hartley Wednesday night and Ralph and the boys wanted to go but I don’t know yet whether I will or not. It’s only about 15 miles from here.

I was invited to go roller skating Sat. night but I went to Spencer with Bill instead.

As far as I know I’m going to pick corn for Bill. He said he’d pay up to 5 cents but no more. I don’t know for sure what picking will be tho, he wants me to pick 40 acres.

I don’t know any more news so I close and go to bed.

Your brother, Howard Note: James was in Brookings, South Dakota - home of South Dakota State University

Everly school house

Letter to James from Howard - Oct. 7, 1934

Everly, Iowa Dear Brother: I received your letter and am sorry I didn’t answer sooner, but I have been away most of the time helping neighbors. I went to a dance in Midford last Wednesday night (a free one), too big a crowd to dance very much. I went to Van Horns last night.

Marvin Christopherson and his cousin came down 2

April 15, 2015

there. He said he was in your camp. We went to a dance there but it wasn’t so hot. When I got home last night Dad was here with the cows. He was going to stay ’til tomorrow but the trucker had to get back so they left this p.m. I didn’t get to visit with him much.

I’m glad you like your work and school so good. If there’s anything I had you can use, have the folks bring it. Hobo Roy, I guess they’re coming.

I suppose you use the bicycle a lot since the tire is fixed.

Yeah, I know Swanson’s and Thatcher’s pretty well, and Lovejoy, but not the Woodruff girl.

I hear Art and Adam and Dale Biggerstaff are going to school there soon. Bill has a day and a half or so plowing at the other place yet. We’re about done here now. I suppose we’ll start to pick corn before long.

The boy here has a birthday tomorrow and a party tomorrow night. There’ll be lots of girls here, oh boy!

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April 15, 2015

There is no news so I sign off and sleep so I can stay awake tomorrow night and do things.

Your brother, Howard

Letter to James from Howard - Oct. 21, 1934

Everly, Iowa Dear Brother: Received your letter but was too busy to answer it until today. We have all the plowing done and I started to pick corn on Thursday.

It rained Friday p.m. and all day Sat. but will be alright to pick tomorrow. The corn isn’t as good as people thought it was; awful wormy and lots of small ears. All I’ve picked so far is around the fields and broke through some lands for the pickers. The most I picked so far was 67 bushels. I got 39 bushels one a.m. and thought I could get enough to make 80 bushels that day, but had to go and open another field and only got 28 bushels off of 10 rows 80 yards long.

I was down to Ralph’s 2 weeks ago today. He was on too many sprees and was sick. Yeah, I saw Lloyd and Chet too. Lloyd has a fair ’28 Chevy Coupe now. The girls at Sutherland aren’t so good but they aren’t snotty. We went to the dance that Sat. night and every one I asked to dance did.

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I suppose you know of a lot of keen dames there?

Have you seen Cara? Is Art and the others there yet?

I suppose you have a real beard by now, and glad to have the initiation over.

How do you like your work and studies? Marvin Christopherson and his cousin Morris were working around Sutherland. I took them up to Primghar to see about jobs that Sun. Don Knetchner was at Primghar too.

The colts are fat as hogs. I guess the cows are doing good now too. Dad hasn’t bought the rest yet or the team either that I know of. I haven’t heard from them this last week. I’m anxious to know what’s wrong. I suppose you have smart platoon leaders and majors in military. I suppose you love that marching 5

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and so on. I suppose you know everything that’s wrong with you by now.

I went to a dance in Everly last night but didn’t know anyone so I didn’t go in. They’re talking of having a Halloween party around here so I suppose they do plenty by then.

How do you like to eat at the cafeteria?

Well I better close and go to bed so I can see how much corn I can toss tomorrow.

Your brother, Howard

Letter to James from Howard - April 25, 1935

Everly, Iowa Dear James: I got your letter the other day but haven’t had time to write before. It has rained every night since Sunday and this a.m. it poured down. Things sure will grow now.

No, I haven’t got the small grain harrowed yet, I was going to do it today but it rained too much. By the time it dries off it will be sprouted so I can’t harrow it - so I’m going to get Bill’s packer and roll it to smooth it down.

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We seeded this little field south of the barn to oats for hay but it isn’t disked in yet.I just got the colts home Sun. and it hasn’t been fit to disk since. It sure is hard not to have horses you can use when you need them, but I’m going to disk it as soon as its half way fit because it should be in, though there’s some others that aren’t done.

Yeah, I got the harness and like it fine so far, though I’ve only used it a few times.

It was awful nice here Sun. but I was busy all day.

Gene was here as it was his Sun. off. He slept and practiced on his guitar.

I went over yesterday and helped Bill plant 200 trees. and fix some fence. Last night Bud to Bill and me to Lake Park. We’ve only been to one dance so far. We go to sp. every Sat. night but don’t get much done by the time I get my shopping done.

The hogs and sheep aren’t any bother.

The sheep have plenty of grass so I don’t bother with them, and the hogs just get ilk and what they find in the manure but they are doing good. It won’t be long before they’ll have pigs.

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I guess Gene was going to get a radio like Ralph’s but he hasn’t said anything about it lately.

No, I haven’t found out any more about a body for the Ford.

Dad didn’t bring that drawing of the [bridle?]

Ferguson wanted me to plow 20 acres for him but I told him I didn’t have time. They got the colts shoulder pretty well banged up, but I guess they’ll be alright if I’m careful with them. They wanted to buy dolly for $125 and an old horse and Mr. Bean offered $140 cash. I’m going to keep her unless I can’t handle her. Ferguson doesn’t think I can drive her but I’m sure going to try it. I did before so I guess I can now.

I got Tony so he neck reins and jump over the end of a culvert sticking out. He sure would be a peach if I had him trained good.

My little dog sure is funny too.

Well, I got a letter from sis so I better stop now and write to her.

Your brother, Howard

Letter to James from Howard - Feb. 24, 1936 8

April 15, 2015

Everly, Iowa Dear Brother: Well, I guess this will be quite a surprise. We’ve had 3 days of nice, warm weather and the snow is settling pretty fast. The roads are a long ways from open yet but a few more days like this and they should be passable.

“Warm” is relative - Howard’s three days of “warm” weather were 26, 43, and 39 degrees F. Compare that to previous days of 3, 5 and 12 degrees F with overnight temperatures dropping to -20 degrees, according to historical weather data.

They sure have been a fright. Two weeks ago Thurs. about 40 men and 14 sleds went to town. We shoveled the road out ahead of the teams. It was about 2:30 when we went to Everly and I got home at 8:15. I had 4 horses strung out and I froze my hands, face and feet coming home and it was dark.

Ruschs and I went to town last Fri. with 4 horses but it wasn’t so cold then.

Everything has been snowed under and I can’t do anything or find anything I want.

It was real nice yesterday so I got a little sled and tied it on the saddle and took Sis over to Ruschs, she fell of a hundred times I guess. One runner would go over the snow and the other one go through and she’d upset.

There’s only two stacks of hay left. The little one way over in the corner and the one by the grove, real green one we put up first. I’ve fed about 6 loads of straw and going to get some more in the barn as 9

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soon as I can. We’ll have feed enough I guess. Got most of the cane left yet. There’s lots of feed in east corn field but the snow’s as high as the corn stalks so the cattle can’t get any of the feed now.

I guess I can’t find the disks until spring but there will be plenty of rainy days I can work on then.

Howard’s Ruby in a

I got a letter from Gene Ryan last week and he’s snowed in out in the hills. He sure is rarin’ to get down here. I haven’t seen first mention of your honey but I guess she’s ok. Sis letter to James. talked to her over the phone. They didn’t have school last week so Ruby went up to her folks. I’ve seen her once in the last month. She writes often so it isn’t so bad. I’ll sure be glad when the roads are open. I’ve only seen two shows this year.

I ground feed Sat. Bill gave me an old canvass belt.

It works pretty good. I haven’t moved the tractor since I got it lined up to the grinder so I haven’t busted the gear shift lever again. I had to heat the pulley gears a week ago Sat. so I covered get it in gear and I just hook the clutch down and left it in gear. I have to get corn out of the corn crib now. I can find the corn outside.

I have to take Sis back to school tomorrow.

Did you have a good time at Huron? There’s no news so I better close.

Happy Birthday and many of them.

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Your brother, Howard P.S. When you come home bring some of those flat connections for the radio, those that go under the window. I don’t like to have to keep the window stuffed full of rags.

Letter to James from Howard - Dec. 11, 1936

Everly, Iowa Dear James: Well, I am really going to write now. Thanks an awful lot for the dollar. I haven’t been to town to get anything yet.

I took Ned to Ferguson’s sale today but couldn’t get over $40 for him so I brought him home.

The sale didn’t go as good as most of them have been going.

Chevrolet garage in Spencer, Iowa today. It opened in 1928.

We put the fenders on the Ford and took the trailer home that p.m., boy it sure was cold. The curtains weren’t so tight. I send the window shield in last Sat. I got the body all cleaned up to paint but it got too cold to paint it.

I took the Chrysler to the Chevy garage at Spencer and put it on the alignment rack. The front axle is twisted. We’re going down Friday and get it 11

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straightened. You can hardly stay on a section at 20 miles but around 30 or 35 it’s a little better. It sure drives awful.

Gene and I put 6 loads of straw over the sides in the haw mow and put a stack of hay in the mow. Gene is helping Bill this week. He’s going to stay till after Christmas so he can see his little tootsy wootsy again so he’ll be home to help you. I have to help Bill saw wood tomorrow.

I don’t know anything else to write so will close.

Your brother, Howard

Letter James from Howard & Ruby - Aug. 16, 1938

Everly, Iowa Dear James: Thanks for Twylla’s gift. They are both just darling.

Of course, she wanted to pull the duck’s head off. It won’t be long until she’ll use the fork and spoon as well, or perhaps better than do the First letter written by Ruby; no grown people of the household. At any rate, we are keeping her napkin holder other letters written by out of her reach for a couple of years.

Howard She still just has the four teeth. Last Friday I gave her, her first haircut so you know every little bit of her is growing. She really was well behaved Saturday when we had thrashers 12

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and it surely helped a lot. Twyla says “Mama” just all the time, and “Bye” and “Daddy” some but most of the time it is “Bah bah.”

We have some giggle-add here and does she ever drink it. Perhaps it is that, that gives her such a healthy chuckle. ( Did I say I weighed baby - a week ago she weighed 18 lb 12 3/4 oz) Have I used a page and just written about Twylla, really have gobs more to tell about her but we’ll stop for this time.

Mr. and Mrs. Klett have a baby girl, and Mr. and Mrs. Lester Dyke have a baby boy.

Everyone was glad when last Saturday night came. The thrashing for this season was finished. Were we ever tired. Cleone Klett helped your mother and I. You see Marjorie had gone to Storm Lake on Wednesday nigh and didn’t get home until Saturday night or really Sunday morning. We served roasting ears and sliced peaches - the only thing different from what the other ladies served.

From what they say we came very dangerously near having a fire. The wind was in the South and Howard thrashed south and a little west of the wind mill in the alfalfa field. Now Bill Cogdill smokes a pipe, I guess just to add to his beauty, of course. Then he carries a tobacco can with matches in it and Larengen’s hired man found the tobacco can under the feeder and 13

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the matches were spilt. We really were lucky.

Everyone wanted to sleep late Sun. but Twylla awakens at the usual hour, six. We got up and did the work and went back to bed in the morning. A good thing we rested then because just as we were eating dinner, Nelson’s came over. I believe it’s the first time they’ve been over since January.

Cogdills are taking a trip. They are to leave Thursday morning. Lester Wilcox is going to do their chores. Ned Larengen was suppose to get 600 head of sheep today. Howard said he is going to shear them, figures he’ll get $1 a head.

Howard cleaned up around the stack some today. I had the privilege of driving the tractor on the hay rope. The chicken houses are clean once more and tomorrow we’d like to wash and grind feed. We’ve been canning pickles and beans this week.

Thanks from Twylla, Daddy and I for the little things.

Lovingly, The Family

Letter to James from Howard & Ruby, Oct. 21, 1938

Everly, Iowa Dear James:

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