June 21, 2009

Postcard to my Dad, 1936

This old postcard was included in a box of family photos and genealogy information that my Aunt Clarice gave me. It was written by my grandfather Charles Leslie Suiter, a message to his son John, who later became my dad. I'll type in a few highlights below.

1601 Ohio Ave., Flint, Mich.
Sept. 3, 1936

Dear John:

Mother and I got your card...
Take care of yourself, especially the places where infection might set in.... Kenneth picked the plums, what were left after the gang got through after I had gone to bed the night you left, over 3 bushels.
Got the wiring for the stove in yesterday... There is a nice pile of wood in the basement for you to pile up when you get back.
I don't suppose Susan is there. I thought after you went you should have invited her to be there. Mother and I, Clarice and Jake are well, at least fairly so.
Dad

The card is addressed to my father care of Methodist Young People's Council at Berea College in Kentucky. I don't know who Kenneth, Susan, or Jake were.

After I read the card, I wondered why my aunt saved it all those years. Then I checked the date. Grandfather Suiter died in March 1937. Probably this was the last card he wrote that the family had in their possession.

2 comments:

  1. Thanks so much, dear sister, for posting this, and all the old family stuff! I especially like the Summer of 37 photo -- it's neat to see our dad at age 21, before he even met our mother.
    I'm curious as to why he was at the Methodist Young People's council Berea in Sept.1936. I know he was very active as a Methodist Youth -- maybe they had a meeting/summer camp-type event before the college year started, which was later in September in those days. He graduated from junior college before going off to Chicago -- would he have started at the Univ of Chicago in fall of 36, or 37?
    And who the heck was Susan?

    ReplyDelete
  2. My guess is that it was something like a summer camp, perhaps a training session and retreat.
    I wonder if Susan was a cousin. Charles Leslie's mother was named Susan (Davenport), so a cousin could have been named after her.

    ReplyDelete

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