June 17, 1920 letter to Nancy Brown from Kate Crawford

(This post was updated on 01-12-2023)

June 17, 1920

To: Nancy Brown, Kalamazoo, MI

From: Kate Crawford, Chicago, IL

Kate writes that they are a good ways off from being settled. The bottom fell out of the money bag, so she and Hiram must wait. Tomorrow is Taylor’s & Helen’s 15^th birthday and next Thursday night they graduate. She expects to witness the ceremony and then the aunts and uncles and cousins will repair to the house and all talk at once and eat ice cream and cake. They are going to give Taylor a watch and Nell had given Harry a diamond stick pin before they were married and they have had it set in a ring for Helen. Hiram bought Taylor a real leather belt with monogramed sterling buckle. All these various things coming along is the reason they cannot get settled. Writes also about how nice it was where they lived in Lake Mills, Wisconsin, compared to how it is living in Chicago.

Scan of 1920-06-17 Kate Crawford to Nancy Brown

5412 Underwood Ave

6-17-20

Dear Nan

I am sitting in the gloaming and thought I would draft you a line or two to let you know we were here as yet. I hardly need tell you about the weather. I fancy there is not much difference between this place & yours. It was so in L.M.[1] What ever we were there, I knew it was about the same here. There was a radical change last night and today it has been uncomfortably cold. Papa[2] started for down town & he was so cold he came back and changed his underwear. Jessie[3] went to work yesterday and that leaves Papa and I alone and I find the work exceeds the cottage. I am so glad I had three quiet years. I wish I had enjoyed them even more. Jessie has to leave at half past six & I get up and help her and about the time she is gone, K[4] comes on the scene so I am up about an hour. Then I lie down but seldom sleep. I am almost as much of a stranger as if I had never lived here. I do not go out much. I have been down town twice, to a funeral in Rogers Park, a lady 70 years old I knew when she was a girl, and out to Mr Dewey’s in R.P. one evening. We are a good ways off from being settled. The bottom kind of fell out of the money bag, so we must wait. Tomorrow is Taylor & Helen’s 15^th birthday[5] and next Thursday night they graduate. We are expected to witness the ceremony and then the Aunts & Uncles & cousins will repair to the house and all talk at once and eat ice cream and cake. They are going to give Taylor a watch & Nell had given Harry a diamond stick pin before they were married and they have had it set in a ring for Helen. Papa bought Taylor a real leather belt with monogram sterling buckle. All these various things coming along is the reason we cannot get settled. We thought we would get H[elen] a camasole, so Papa said, Now Jessie, Saturday aft– you go and get the carousal for Helen. We had quite a laugh over it. We have not seen or heard from Lela.[6] We have no phone service as yet. The landlady is real good. Anyone who has her number calls there for us. She touches our bell and then they can use this phone, but no one can call us here. The man emptied the box this morning of the last tenant’s nickles and he said they were up against it every where.

The prospect for canning is very poor. We had to stop buying berries they were so poor & so high. Potatoes way out of sight. We used to say to people we invited to dine with us (they would say don’t do a lot of work for us) & we would reply – oh we will just drop two or three extra potatoes in the pot. But now, nothing doing. I hope Hannah[7] is feeling better now you are there. I tell you it is lovely for anyone who has a garden. Oh how I miss L.M. Plenty of everything. Milk & cream 12 cts instead of 15 & 16, ice box filled to overflowing, plenty of eggs. We got 12 doz four weeks ago from Leroy’s. Almost gone now. We could get lots of fruit & fresh vegetables. When you are enjoying all these luxuries, just think of us.

I had a nice letter from Laura[8] a few days ago. She is very lonely. Mays husband[9] sprained his ankle just after L.P.[10] passed away and was confined to the house about three weeks. Did you know Leo & his wife[11] were separated?

You can hardly imagine how different it is here from L.M. Last Saturday I listened to pianos of all grades, victrolas, Auto horns, babies crying and sundry other sounds. Not agreable to any ears, but who am I in this motley crowd. If you get the Chicago news, you must be startled with the killings going on and 9 out of 10, a woman at the bottom of it. The last time I heard from M[12] she was getting along. She had to have two or three stitches. Baby was a fine healthy fellow.[13] She had plenty of milk, which is a great blessing. When she was in the hospital, she wrote to her mother[14] & it did not reach her, but was returned. She wrote on the envelope, see what Jack[15] did, directed it wrong. He wrote under it, could not help it, so excited at being a father, Jack.

I am sorry you are going to be gone all summer. I am very lame at times. It is with difficulty I can get around and to add to my joy, the middle finger of my right hand has been crippled with rheumatism, but is so now I can use my hand. Now I have told you all my ills. And it seems by the way my eyes feel it is bed time so I will close by sending love to all from all and hoping to hear from you soon.

Aunt Kate

Got muddled with the paper

——-

[1] Lake Mills, Wisconsin, where Kate and Hiram had had a summer cottage

[2] Her husband, Hiram Crawford Jr.

[3] Jessie (Crawford) Eck, Kate’s daughter

[4] Katherine Louesa Eck, Kate’s granddaughter

[5] The twin children of Harry and Nellie (Sullivan) Crawford, and Kate’s grandchildren

[6] Lela (Brown) Mueller, Nancy’s daughter

[7] Hannah (Keith) Towne, Nancy’s sister

[8] Laura (Hands) Blake Crawford, the second wife of Lucius Prosper Crawford, Hiram’s brother

[9] Believe she is referring to James MacDermott, the husband of Laura’s daughter, Laura May (Blake) MacDermott

[10] Lucius Prosper “Pros” Crawford, who died in Berkeley, California on March 4, 1920

[11] Pros’ son, Leo Crawford, and Ella (Drew) Crawford

[12] Kate’s granddaughter, Marian (Eck) Meiss

[13] Jack Meiss, Marian’s son, who was born May 9, 1920

[14] Jessie (Crawford) Eck

[15] Charles “Jack” Meiss, Marian’s husband

Spring 1877 letter to Sarah Keith from Nancy Brown

Spring 1877  

To: Sarah Keith

From: Nancy Brown, Chicago, IL

Haven’t seen much of Hiram and Kate, who appear to be rather unfriendly lately. Uncle Hi did stop in to see Nancy a couple of times while she was sick. Aunt Kate kept Louese out of school and now if she goes back in the fall she will have to repeat the year. Lou does not want to go back to the country as she likes city life. Uncle Pros stopped in and read some of Aunt Bell’s letters to Nancy. he will send for his family in a couple of months. 

Undated[1]

Ma I haint a going to write any more to you about Ant Kate[2] for I think you have enough to worry about. Will answer your questions in this. I have not seen her since the night we were there in Febuary. We both[3] asked them to come & see us. She did not say any thing. Uncle Hi[4] said they would. I think it is her more than him. Hank[5] says he is friendly at the office.[6] He has only been in four or five times never to have his over coat off. Was in twice when I was sick. Have not seen him since only to pass. They dont say any thing to Lou[7] about going home but Ant Kate tells Hary[8] evry day or two she is going to send him in the country this sumer for he is so ugly she cant stand it with him. Lou dont want him to go with her and I pitty you if he does. Louese does not go to school. Dont think she will any more before fall. Ant Kate did not keep her out on accont of scarlet fever. It was only so she could gad about. That was only an excuse. Lou dont never want to go any more. She is so behind she will have to go one class lower than when she came. That is in with small scholars. She said to day if she thought she should have to go back in the contry to live she could not stand it. She likes city life better than I. Mr Brown lives near them. He is going to New Orleans to spend the sumer. Starts tomorrow night. He has relatives living in Canada. He told her if she would go home he would wait till Mondy for her and pay her fair and then he would go to Canada in stead of south. I am glad he is going for she is hot foot after him and he stands right up to her but probly he only goes with her just to have some one to go with. I guess she takes petty well but of course he can get a girl that has a very diffrent chance in society from her. He is only 17. Lou gets in some petty big words once in a while and a little French and German. She can put on more style than all the rest of us put to gether. Hannah[9] Mrs Coffren wants you to send that wrap pattern. She did not offer to pay for it. She knows the least of any one I ever saw than any one that calls them selves smart. Send it to me.

Uncle Pross[10] was down here the other day. He read me Aunt Bells[11] letters. She writes a good letter. It seems as if I would like her. She wants to come here awful bad. As soon as he thinks out for certain that he is going to keep that place he will send for them[12] so if he stayes where he is they will probly be here in a couple of months at any rate and I shall be glad. They will be about five miles from here but I can go with Hank to the _________ and then with Uncle Pross so it wont cost any thing and only takes about three quarters of an hour to go out so you see the distance wont be much. Tell Hannah I have not seen those shawls as this advertisement came out Saturday. Of course the more she can pay the nicer the shawl. I will do the best I can. If she wants it now have her send as soon as possible & I can get before they are ______ silk like my hat.

[unsigned, but the handwriting is that of Nancy Keith Brown]

——-

[1] Believe this letter was written in the spring of 1877 as it refers to Louese not going to school. Louese stayed with Hiram and Kate while attending school in Chicago

[2] Katherine (Atcheson) Crawford, wife of Nancy’s Uncle Hiram Crawford Jr.

[3] Nancy and her husband, Henry Brown

[4] Nancy’s uncle, Hiram Crawford Jr.

[5] Nancy’s husband, Henry Brown

[6] Both Henry and Hiram worked on the Chicago streetcars

[7] Nancy’s sister, Louese Keith

[8] Hiram and Kate’s son, Harry Crawford

[9] Nancy’s sister, Hannah Keith

[10] Nancy’s uncle, Lucius Prosper Crawford

[11] Pros’ wife, Isabella (Steele) Crawford

[12] Belle and their four sons, Leo, Byron, Ernest and Albert