1928 Letter to Ray REEDER

This is a letter was written and postmarked 16 May 1928, from Stockton, Kansas. Addressed to Mr. Ray Reeder, Dubois, Idaho, his loving mother, Lula, writes to let him know she received his Mother's Day greeting and tells of the news from home. I tried to transcribe the letter just as she wrote it, but I highlighted the names of the people she tells about. --Gale Whitworth

5-16-28
Dear Ray Edna & Children
received your mothers day Greeting sure thought it lovely. it came through in good shape. we are having lots of rain and everything is lovely have onions lettuce and radishes and my peas are in bloom. what wheat did not winter kill looks lovely. Everett & Vivian is still in Cal working in the Fairbank Pickford Studio. got a letter and Box of Chocolates from them said they were coming home on a visit next Sep. Forest has a good job in the Dodge Fac he went up there the first of last Jan. he started in a $6.50 but has a responsible place he is making $10.00 for 8 hour. they like it fine they have 2 children. Ralph is still at Plainville he has a gargage and is doing well comes home every week since they boys left thinks I and dad get lonesome & of course we do. I have brights disease and am not very well but am able to be around and for that I am sure thankful no pain but just weak had to lay in bed last winter for several weeks I have leakage of the heart but am better now it was caused from the flue Dad just got through Sessing (assessing) he is road Boss so will be busy all Summer he gets $5.00 a day Everett wanted us to come out there but we will just stay here Dad just got our house painted and papered & we are all spice & span Many thanks for the xmas presents. this is late but better late than never. did you fix the flower it is sure beautiful is Kenneth at home. how is Aunt Nan just got a letter from Alpha dads girl she wanted us to come up there & stay all summer & winter said she had a 13 room house Dad said he guessed they though he didn't have anything to do but visit but he is just as well and active as he ever was and he would die if he could not work School will be out Friday Ruth and Maxine have stayed with us this winter Ruth is the very image of her mother they are both good in their studies Duane graduated last year. Dwight & Ruth will graduate next year. Mr & Mrs Russ are still living lost all they had when Coolbaughs Bank failed. Scott Reeder have bought a home in town and will move in this fall. he hasn't but just 200 acres left that is the home place mortgaged the rest and lost it! Old lady Turner lost about 9000 dollars in the bank when it failed and Abe Schinder 900 thousand. Tom Kinkaid died last winter of lockjaw he was living a lone on a farm down by beloit him and his wife was parted stampers are still living his children are all grown Goldie is teaching. the Lawer that Myrtle was working for died a bout a month ago but it was a firm so she goes on just the same She went to live with his wife they have a lovely home. well I will have to close for this time
your loving Mother Lula VanHorn

Ray is Lula's son by her 1st husband Sherman Reeder. Clarence Thomas "Ray" REEDER was born in 1888 in Rooks County, Kansas, to Sherman and Lula P. (HALL) REEDER. He wasn't quite 10 years old when his father died of cancer. His mother, Lula, remarried in 1901 to Howard B. Vanhorn and had two more sons, Forest who married Veda Randle and Everett who married Vivian Foster. Ray had two older sisters Minnie who married Ira Hazen and Myrtle; and a younger brother Ralph who married Edna Benedick. Ray married Edna Coldiron in 1909 and they moved to Lidy Hot Springs, Idaho to homestead in about 1914 with their three children, Kenneth, William, and Valeria; and Edna's mother Nancy, brother Ralph, and sister Ollie.
Edna is Lula's daughter-in-law, daughter of John G. Coldiron and Nancy Alice Barnes
Everett is Everett VanHorn Lula's son by her 2nd husband Howard B. VanHorn
Vivian is Vivian Foster wife of Everett VanHorn
Forest is Forest VanHorn Lula's son by her 2nd husband Howard B. VanHorn
Ralph is Ralph Reeder Lula's son by her 1st husband Sherman Reeder
Dad is Howard B. VanHorn
Kenneth is Lula's grandson by Ray and Edna Reeder
Aunt Nan is Nancy Alice Barnes Coldiron
Alpha is Alpha VanHorn Stanley Lula's stepdaughter by Howard Vanhorn's 1st marriage to Martha Elizabeth Jones
Ruth and Maxine Hazen are Lula's granddaughter's by Ira Hazen and Minnie Reeder
Duane and Dwight Hazen are Lula's grandson by Ira Hazen and Minnie Reeder
Mr. and Mrs. Russ as far as I know are no relationship to Lula
Scott Reeder is Lula's brother-in-law
Old Lady Turner as far as I know is no relationship to Lula
Abe Schinder [should be Schindler] is Lula's brother-in-law, he married Sallie Reeder
Tom Kinkaid and Goldie Stampers as far as I know are no relationship to Lula
Myrtle Reeder is Lula's daughter by her 1st husband Sherman Reeder

Submitted by Gale Whitworth, son of Valeria Reeder