Lydick Stories & Letters

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3. "Our First Set of Wheels" -- by Arlie D. Lydick, reminiscing about childhood in turn of the century Marshall Co., West Virginia.

4. "School Yard Games" -- by Arlie D. Lydick. Terrill School and other 1-room schoolhouses around 1900 in rural West Virginia.

5. "Chestnuts and Popcorn" -- by Arlie D. Lydick, explaining popular snacks for rural people around the turn of the century.

6. "The Horn" -- by Etta H. Lydick. Having fun in rural West Virginia, around 1910-1915.

7. "Lyle and the Cider" -- by Etta H. Lydick. About hard cider and rural life around 1910-1915.

8. "Bread Dough" -- by Arlie D. Lydick. Fun, inventive use of raw bread dough for children trying to entertain themselves.

10. "Your Great Grandmother Lydick" -- by Etta H. Lydick. The everyday life of Allie Lydick and other early 20th century homemakers.

"A Sleigh Ride"

THE HANNAH LEIDIG DUNLAP LETTERS

This is a collection of fifteen letters written by Hannah Leidig Dunlap to her nieces in Ohio, covering a period from August, 1880 through April, 1887, which was shortly before Hannah's death. These letters appear as originally written, transcribed without any grammatical or spelling changes. Hannah & Thomas Dunlap

Hannah was born July 11th or 12th, 1811, the ninth of eleven children born to Joseph Leidig, Jr. and Hannah Griesing Leidig. She married a farmer, Thomas W. Dunlap August 18, 1826 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. By 1830 they were living in West Bedford Village, Coshocton County, Ohio and within a few years relocated to Hardin County, Ohio. Sometime in the 1850s they headed west with the youngest of their children, to Story County, Iowa. This is where they stayed until their deaths (Thomas on August 18, 1882, and Hannah on June 8, 1887, not quite 2 months after the date of the last letter printed here).

Hannah's children, in date order, were Caroline, Sylvinia Louise, Mary Jane, Rachel, George H., Elizabeth, Hiram James, Hannah, John Thomas, Druscilla, Samuel T. (died in 1849), Sara Ellen (died 1852) and Cordelia.

These letters and information appear courtesy of May S. and Virginia P., both of them Hannah's descendants and long time Leidig researchers. May retrieved these letters years ago; they later found their way to Virginia who transcribed the content and furnished copies for the website. We also have Virginia to thank for the tintype picture here of Hannah and Thomas Dunlap, date unknown. (go the Lydick Photo Album page for a copy of this picture that can be enlarged).

Virginia tells us the reference to "road" and "cars" in some of the letters is to the railroad and rail cars. Also, May stated, from personal knowledge, that Hannah did not speak English at the time of her marriage but learned to read and write it (which tells us that Joseph Leidig, Jr.'s family spoke German at home, at least until the mid-1820s).

After so long a time i wil answer yours that came to hand so long ago. i thought i would answer it rite away and here it is so long ago we got. we are all well and hope this wil find all well for health is a great blessing to us all for which we ought to be very thankful to our heavenly father. i have sad news to write. i suppose you heard it before this. Dear brother Jonathan is no more. i wrote to sister Betsy when i got your leter to know how he was and wrote some to him to but never got a word til Druse wrote of his death and dident say when he died. she thought Betsy had wrote to us and i wrote rite back to her to write me and tel me all (about) him and when he died but not a word yet but alas he is gone. i still thought he would come out and se us. i youst to look so much for him but we needent look anymore. we must try and be submisive to gods will. he knows whats best for us all. onley one dear good brother left. i dont expect to ever get to se him or eny of our folks back theyr. it seems hard when we get scaterd far from each other but i do hope we wil all meet whear parting never comes nor sickness nor soro nor pain or death. theyr we wil meet around our fathers throne and be forever blest. we have had such a nice sumer. such good crops. everything so plenty. so much fruit of every kind allmost for which we feel very thankful to our heavenly father. we had such good showers this week. the waters was geting pretty loe. now this is a nice clear day. we got our threshing done when it was dry and nice. Loty and i have just been out gethering in some plums. we have so meny large nice ones. i have been pealing and preserving some. i want plenty of plum butter and other butters. we have so meny tame grapes. they make good buter. we have a good meny apples. Mary is out in Nebraska this summer. her brother and sister are both maried. John was maried on the 17 of May the day Mary left here and Jane was maried after she got out theyr. they both have good homes. we hant had a leter from Liby Sage this sumer. i wrote last. Dear neice excuse me for not writeing sooner. it seems like its been a busy sumer and so meny to write to. we want to hear so bad from you. now dont do as i have done. write as soon as you get this. we send our love to dear aunt Lany if she is living yet. oh i would like to se her once more and all the rest of you. i think you could come out and se us as wel as not. i wrote a letter yesterday to our oldest daughter in Jones Co. our oldest and youngest girls live theyr and one in Washington teratory and one is Mosure. oh yes dear little Clarence i was glad you was so thoughtful about me. i know you are a good boy. you have a namesake out here. our Rachels boy your cousen. you must come out and se him and all the rest of us. i am glad you have a nice colt and go to school to learn. pretty soon you can write letters to aunt Hannah. our love to you all and to Hannahs. may the lord bles you. from your Aunt Hannah. write soon.

(note: Joseph Leydig, Jr.'s 4th child is the "brother Jonathan" referred to here as recently deceased. He was probably living in Hardin Co., Ohio at the time of his death. Hannah mentioned in the letter that "onley one dear good brother" was still alive after Jonathan's death, which had to be a reference to brother George. Brother William Allen Lydick died in 1847, Elias died in 1849, and Samuel in early 1850. The reference to "Druse" is to Joseph's 8th child, Druscilla, or Drusannah. And "sister Betsy" is Joseph's 10th child Elizabeth. Jonathan, Druse and Betsy all moved from Somerset County, PA to Coshocton County, Ohio with their mother (Hannah Griesing Leydig) about the time of her second marriage, to George Harrier. The reference to John, Mary and Jane are three of Hannah Dunlap's children. Jane and Mary apparently moved to Nebraska. Her reference to "our oldest daughter" is to Carolyn Dunlap and "our youngest girl" refers to Cordelia Dunlap. One of Hannah's daughters had moved to Washington territory and one to "Mosure" (Missouri). "Liby Sage" was a niece, the daughter of William Allen Lydick. I'm not sure who "Loty" or "aunt Lany" were. Nor do I know which niece she was writing to, although it's clear it was a niece with a son named Clarence -- if anyone can solve these mysteries, please email me so I can update the website.)

(note: one of Hannah Dunlap's brothers, William Allen Lydick, moved from Somerset Co., Pennsylvania to Knox Co., Ohio in the early 1800s, and in 1845 moved his family to a farm near Fairfield, Iowa. William died in 1847 and his son Hiram C. Lydick relocated to Tekamah, Burt County, Nebraska about 1856. It is my guess that the members of Hannah Dunlap's family who went to Nebraska probably went to Burt County also.)

Dear neice and to all. we recieved your very good and welcome letter over a week ago. we was so glad to hear from you again but sory to hear of your poor health. hope you are better. we are always pleasd to get a letter from you. it almost seems as though i had a good talk and a viset with you. your uncle and me was cald of very suden to our youngest daugter in Jones co. we got the dispatch on the 2 day of Jan. that she was very bad and we started rite of and took the midnight train and the next day noon we got to Dilys (note: Cordelia, their youngest daughter). she was some beter but very week. theyr babe was buried on new years day. it was seven weeks old. a little girl. They have three children. the oldest a girl a going on nine and the youngest boy on five year. they all thought so much of the babe. our daughter gaind very slow. she was up and around part of the time. she has toothache and neuralgia so much it keeps her so week. we staid over five weeks. we got home on the 14 of Feb. we stopt with our children between here and the station a few days. found all wel to home. your uncle wasent very wel while we was out theyr nor since we came home til now he feels beter. he is taking medicine now that helps him. we have had a long cold winter and plenty of snow. nice winter weather now. it dont seem much like spring yet. we havent had a leter from ohio yet only yours. i dont se what the trouble is. i gues i can wait as long as they can. i told sister Druse to go and se you folks. i told her if i lived that close i would go. she said in that leter she was sory she hadent went and seen dear brother Jonathan. now dont give up coming out here. i think it wil do you good. bring Hannah with you and as meny more as can come. we want to se you all so much. write to us and we wil meet you at the station. that is Nevada story co. iowa. we mist the protracted meting. it was just comenct when we left. they had a pretty good meting today. prayer meting here in our room twice while we was away. we was glad of that. we are glad some of your children have chosen that beter part like Mary that can not be taken from them. we trust our love to Aunt Lanacon and children and hope she is well. oh yes your cousen John Hains is he Leonards son and whear does he live. we stil hear from the folks in Neb. they was well the last account we had. Mary is out theyr yet but we think she wil be home soon. i hope this wil find you all well. we are all able to be around. one of Hirams little boys had the croup very bad friday night but is about wel now.

we have some aples yet and plenty of petatoes. it dident frees in our celer. the snow is a going of graduley. a goodeal of moveing around now. our love to you all and to Hannahs. i think some of them could write to us. now write soon. I hope your stepmother is beter. our love to all inquring friends. may the good lord bless you all is my prayer. yours as ever. goodby from your aunt to our dear neice and nephew and all. Hannah Dunlap

(reference to "Hiram" is Hiram C. Lydick, who lived in Tekamah, Burt Co., Nebraska.)

after so long a time i wil write you a few lines to let you know we havent forgot you yet. no indeed. my mind often wanders back theyr. i dident think i would put of writing so long when i got your good leter but times flies a way very fast. we are all well as comon except your uncle. he had a hard spel of sickness in the spring but through the mercy of god and a good doctor got up and around again and has been pretty wel all sumer til last friday. he got up with diseness in his head. he is better now. my health is very good. i was to meting sunday and heard a man preach that came from ohio muskingum. his name is bradford. he preacht a very good sermon. we have some rainy weather now. we had a dredful flood here this sumer. done a great deal of damage to crops on lowland. i seen some fields all destroid. fruit not so plenty this year as last. we have about enough to do us. mary was home this sumer from nebraska on a visit. we expect to se the cars a running by here pretty soon. they have been a working on this road all sumer. it is a quarter of a mile from us. its rite close to our Hannahs. you can shurley come then and se us. we had a letter from sister druse and brother george some time ago. they was well. oh yes i remember george lewis so well. we send our respects to hime and famley and to aunt lanacon and children and to all inquiring friends. i will send you our georges picture. we got it enlarged. he got this taken when he went to war. when he got to dubuque. i had to take it out of the case. he was named for your father. his wife is stil a widow and theyr son is a young man. you can have this inlarged. this is all the small one that we have or i would send hannah one. our love to you all and to hannahs. i hope this wil find you all well. yours as ever. write soon for it seems so long since we heard from you but i needent blame enyone onley myself.

We are all well and do hope this wil find you all in good health for that is a great blesing to us. all the cars just now went past. they comenced runing by here before Christmas. we had five and six boarders at that time. i got along very wel. they pay four dolars a week here. they are a good ways west of here now. we have nice winter weather here now. pretty cold though. not much snow yet. we are haveing good protracted meting a going on now. Bro. Bradford and his wife preaches. had prayer meting here Tuesday afternoon and yesterday at one at Hannahs and at 3 she had a childrens meting at the schoolhous. they have been staying here with us this week til last night. she is a very good speaker. they are Methodist. i do hope they may do much good for we need a great revival here. we dont know whear the prayer meting is this afternoon. theyr was none of us up last night. Pa cant go of a night and i wont go and leave him alone. Dear neice i dident mean to make you wait so long this time when i got your good and welcome letter. your so good to answer always. Fredy Axford is home now on a viset from Nebraska. they was all well but Dallas Lydick the youngest boy. he was down with rheumatisem. your Aunt Eve is stil theyr at Jonathans doing the work. she wanted to come out here but they was afraid to let her come so far. i hant heard from our people in Ohio since i wrote you before. we heard from our children in Jones Co. they said the smallpox was all around them theyr. our Johns is in a Dangeres place. they live at the station a little over two mile west from here and the cars stops theyr. yes George was a good boy. he always wrote such good leters home and when the lord cald him he was ready to go home where theyr is no war nor sicknes nor death. a young man wrote to us after he died. said he spoke to George at midnight when he had to go and take his rest. he had been sick to. he said George you seem wors. yes i wil soon be with Jesus. and at 3 oclock he died. in the morning of the 24 of May 1864. his wife is stil a widow. theyr son and her keep hous. he is a nice young man. now dear neice you get that picture inlarged then you can se him plainer. it onley cost us 3 dolars. it may not cost you half that much theyr. it got soil some when they had it away but the large one is very good. we have non of our to send you now but as soon as we can we wil. your Aunt Hannah. goodby. write soon. our love to all.

(note: this letter speaks of George Haines Dunlap, the fifth child of Hannah and Thomas Dunlap. On August 22, 1862 the 26 year old George enlisted in the Union Army, Company K, 32nd Infantry Regiment, Iowa. He died of disease on May 24, 1864 in Memphis, Tennessee. Click here to see more about his military record.)

("Aunt Eve" must be a reference to Hannah Dunlap's brother William Allen Lydick's wife

We recieved your welcome letter last week. was glad that you was all well. was sory to hear of Aunt Lanas death. oh how lonesome you wil all be. it seems i can se her the way she lookt when i was staying theyr with your father and mother. they often came to se us. i was allways so glad to se them come. we often went to se them. i went alone sometimes. she was always so kind and good. he was such a good man. i think they onley had one child when i came out theyr. but she has gone to live with Jesus. by and by we will se her and all our kindred dear wher theyr wil be no parting with loved ones. Bro. Bradford was here monday night. he said his wife preacht in Eville about that time. they have held 2 protracted metings since this one here. they got one member here. we had 4 prayer metings here. Theyr have been protracted metings all around us. had a good time. some conversions. we trust much good done. i thank you for the picture. it is pretty. Dear Clarence i am glad you have so meny calvs to feed. Hiram has a good meny big ones to feed but we have no little ones now. i milkt 3 cows part of the winter. i milk one now. buter was 22c. sold 2 hundred pound last sumer and winter til the holadays. since i hant sold much. about 20 pound. This is a nice spring day. Feb. was nice til last week a little snow and mud. i am happy to say no smallpox. it was a mistake about them being out in Jones wheare our children live. Clarence Axford and Frank Hall our grandsons was out theyr on a visit since i wrote you. Rachel was over the other day. i read your letter. she said to ask you if you remember sending her such a pretty little dol when your ma and pa came out to se us to Harden Co. she sends her love to you and would like to se you and do you remember that little silk hat i made you when we lived in West Bedford. after diner i put out my close. i washt Monday but it was cloudy yet yesterday morning but it cleard of in the afternoon but i thought i would wait til this morning and then i mopt the floor and tended to my ash hoper and now i have my soap a boiling. this has been a blesed winter on short crops for stock. oh yes Raches children her oldest daughter had theyr hous burnt down two weeks ago Sunday. they saved the most of theyr things. it was awful dry and windy and she was alone when it first caught. she had got a good meny things out before he came or enyone els. he was out in the field driving cattle of his rye. they live about 7 miles from here. i dident get this done yesterday. Hannah came up. she sends her love to you. this is another nice warm day. i had good luck with my soap. dear neice i am afraid we cant make you that good long viset. oh it would be joy and a great treat for us but i dont think your uncle could stand it to go so far. he wil be 78 now the 12 day of this month. he is so week in his back. he seems wel in other ways. i wil be 71 12 day of July but i am real stout yet. i do all my hous work. i wish you folks would come out here. you and Hannah mite come if non of the rest will. dear Hannah my dear neice i never forgot the last time i seen her theyr at my dear mothers. the last time i ever seen her to. and your father. they had been up to Knox Co. our love to Hannah and hers and our best wishes to Aunt Lanas children and to Grandma Hains and to all inquiring friends theyr. I hant quilted eny this winter. i wintered over some of my hous plants this far. have 4 little orenge trees a growing nice. i planted some seed last sumer in a box. i have been sewing carpet rags. i want to make one in the spring. enough of this. we are all as well as comen and hope this wil find you all well. write soon. dear Clarence we are glad you dont forget us. come and se us and be a good boy but i know you are. our love to you all. your Aunt Hannah Dunlap.

we received your welcome letter on the 13 of june. i thought i would answer it rite away but i got something in one of my eyes then and both got sore and i was nearly blind sometimes. theyr better now. we are as well as comon and hope this wil find you all wel.. we had never heard a word of sisters death. it seems strange that some of them dident write about it. on the day that she died one of our sonanlaws was buryd. he died on the 8. Smith Goodin. Elisebeths husband. she is very sad and lonely. 2 children. a boy and a girl. Edy Goodin is out among our folks. he rented Dal Lydicks place. he is married and in nebraska. went before his father died. Lulu is to home. she is 17. Lib been sick since. she is about wel again. she was down on a viset. staid a week. been such awful storms and tornatos around us she wanted to get home to Lulu. they live ten mile away. i suppose you have seen in the papers about the storms in iowa on saturday evening the 17. i never seen such clouds in my life. they was all colars. the storm past through north of us about 8 mile. just a half a mile from our children. our seckent daughters Lise had got theyr that far on her way down here. they brought her next day. sunday. and told us about it. they have a good house and a good seler. they all went to the seler but theyr was nothing hurt theyr and they dident hear about it til sunday morning. they was ready to start down here they heard what was done. both theyr schoolhouses took up and gone. theyr oldest girl went to one. the youngest to the other. she had been theyr that day but they had all gone home. theyr was a man seen that schoolhous took up and go. theyr was lots of farm houses blown away in the same track. Mr. Mathew our sonanlaw had bought 40 acres of land a half mile from his. it had an old hous on it and a good orchard. all blown down but 4 trees. the hous all gone and it took the wire fence. theyr was no one living in the house. Pa and me was down to Hannahs yesterday and took dinner. Rachel and Henry was theyr to. we got sad news since one of Rachels grandchildren died last saturday in nebraska. your Aunt Eve hant well but still around. Hiram Lydick was here in the spring. he had been to chicago with 4 car load of cattle and hogs. we have had a very wet spring and sumer. corn small. wheat and flax looks well. we are sory John Hains is so poorly. hope he is better. i remember him so well. when he was a smal boy. Poly, George and him came over often and i would go to se them. we was all children then. i send my love to all of them. we have prayer meting here every two weeks. Pa hant able to go to meting much and the road has been bad most of the time. Dear nieces and nephews oh how i wish i could go and se you all but i feel thankful that i can write and that we can hear from each other and that we are yet spared to write. the good lord has favord us as a people through here not onley now but heretofore for which we feel thankful. part of a town was swept away. Grinel. o what sufring and so meny lives lost east of us. Lib Sage is out theyr viseting. Kate Axford sais she has faild so since we seen her. i would like to se her. these are the bleading heart. give one to Hannah. so nice this sumer. the frost hurt ours. i cant hardly se now again. i have allways had such good eyes til now. cant red much now. Clara is read so well. our love to all. write soon for i feel lonesome when i dont hear from you often. our love to Hannahs. goodby. the lord bles us all. H. Dunlap.

with a sad and soryfull heart i write you this morning. my Dear companion is no more on earth. he died the 18 of august. he was poorley all sumer but stil around most of the time. he got wors very suden and onley lived 4 days. he dident complain of anything. he wanted to sleep most all the time. his work was all done. he was ready to go to that good home he spoke of the last sunday he was here. we had prayer meting here. he went around and shuck hands with all of us and said maby this may be the last time i may have a chance to speak in meting. then before meting closd he got up and spoke and said it wont be long til i will go to that good home whear congregations ner brake up and sabaths never end and the gold paved streets of the new Jeruselem. but we dident think he was so near theyr. he seemd so smart that day. we stil had prayer meting this sumer evry 2 weeks here for he couldent get out much but oh dear neice it is so lonely now since pa is gone. evry place seems so but it wont be long til we meet again. he past away so easy it seemd he just went to sleep. i got your leter last week. i was sory your health is so poor. it brought sad news to. i feel to simpathise with Mrs. Hains and famley in theyr bereavment. i got a leter from Liby Sage. she wanted your post ofice adress. i wrote her last week and Br. George. we have had 2 from him lately. we think he will come out here soon. very nice weather but dry. crops pretty good. corn beter than was expected. petatoes good. we have plenty of aples and grapes and other small fruit. Rachels got a leter from theyr son in nebraska. your Aunt Eve is failing this sumer. i had a hard spel of sicknes the week after father died. i am about as wel as comon again for which i feel very thankful to our Heavenly father for his goodnes to us all. i was a looking for a leter from you. i told our children i would get one soon. i cant hardly wait til i get one. i wish your children had a come out here. i wish you and Hannah and all the rest could come and se us. this is to Hannahs and all your cousens send theyr love to you all. and my love to you all. your uncle took sick that same sunday night and died friday morning at 2 oclock 18. the dear children was all here but 2. Mary J. Mood in washington terytory. Cordelia Hay in Jones co. iowa. our oldest children came in the afternoon before he died next morning he got so he couldent speak when came in Caroline. just plead for him to say one work to her but couldent. she went in the room. merritt her husband came in and spoke to him. he said father you are sick and said father do you know me. he said yes. out loud. then he told her to come in. she said Father do you know me. it is your Caroline. he said yes to her. was the last he ever said. just a word to each of them. they had just come on a viset. oh it was so hard. they hadent word he was sick til they got to our Johns. they live in maxwell whear they got off the cars. they live in jones. write soon. your lonesome Aunt. goodby. may the good lord bless you all and us here. Direct to Maxwell Story Co iowa.

i will answer your good letter after so long a time. and i do thank you dear Clara for your nice picture. it came all right and is a welcome viseter with us. my dear brother George was out here to se us. staid two weeks. oh what a hapy meting. we hadent seen each other for over forty year. he thinks he will come back in the spring. i got a letter from him. he got home all right. Wolfords are coming to iowa. then i hope i will se dear Druse again. seen her the same i seen George last and you father and your sister Hannah at Mothers. meny changes since then. meny sorows trials and trouble and yet we have our joy and hapynes when we put our trust in the blesed savour. he knows how to pity us. i feel very lonely. i viset around among the children. i am at Druses now. her husbands name is Joseph Wells. i was here when Bro cam and when he started i went with him to Maxwell staid a week at our Johns and came back here New Years day. i will stay here awhile yet. it is so lonesome to home. we are having cold weather and plenty of snow. i hope this will find you all well and injoying yourselves. we are all well now. i had a very bad cold. about over it now. Dear Clarence and Nina and all the rest of you i would like to se you so well. come and make us a good long viset. you have lots of cousens here. you would injoy yourselves and get aquinted with us all. excuse me for not writing sooner. i cant think of much more. my love to you all. write soon for i love to get letters from you. your Aunt Hannah Dunlap.

A nice morning but very cold. nice sleighing now. protracted metings going in the neighborhood. you uncle said he would go and se you. i told him to do so. them was such nice flowers of yours. the children join with me in love to you all and to Hannahs. good morning. write soon. may the lord bles you.

after so long a time i wil try and answer your very welcome letter. i was sory to hear of your husbands poor health. i hope he is well now and all the rest of you for health is a great blesing to all of us. i have been very well this sumer. i have been in nebraska. i was theyr when i got your leter and just got home a few days ago. yesterday morning i got this leter dated and in stept some company. i had a very good viset out theyr. i met with Joseph Lydick brother Jonathans son. he lives in Souix City and before i started home here come Peter Gomer. he just stayd a few days. was at Jonathans on the 4 with us. Joe was back again before the 4. him and Peter met theyr. oh i was so glad to meet with them once more. when i seen them last they was young men. now they are old. Bro George was theyr the next day after i got theyr. they are all well out theyr. your aunt is well. her and Jonathan live together. he spoke of you and so did she. sends theyr love to you all. they got a letter from Lib Sage. she got your leter. Our Johns moved out theyr this spring. he went on the fraight with his stock and goods and when he got seteld down he wrote for her. they have four children and one was a baby so i went with them. they live pretty close to the Lydicks and 4 famleys of our grandchildren. we started from here the 7 of May. it was very wet theyr. and here to then. crops look pretty well for a late spring. not much fruit. garden stuf does wel. Bro George has gone to Ohio again. our oldest daughter is very poorley. this is a nice cool day. we have had some very warm weather. Harvest is comencing now. i found our children all pretty well. Henry Axford is better then when we left. Rachels man. i hope some of you will come out soon. it would do you good to come. it done me good to go out theyr. we are all well and hope this wil find you all well. love to you all and to Hannahs. and to all excuse me for not writeing sooner. i have so meny to write to now. yours as ever. Hannah Dunlap.

after so long a time i will write to you and tel you why i havent writen before. i took a bad cold the midel of October and then it run into lung fever and i was under the doctors care for a long time. They give me up. our 2 girls came from Jones Co to se me. John came from Nebraska but through the mercy of god i got up again though i am very week yet and i have such a dreadful cough. yet i can stay up all day and feel very thankful to our heavenly father for his goodnes. i have had the best of care. our Lisy left her home and has been here doing the work and taken care of me. her son and wife lives in with her and they se to her things. she onley has two children a boy and a girl and she was maried in the Fall to a man from Vermont and took her away theyr. but she has got letters from her evry week til last week. we have had a very nice winter here. some snow and some cold days not blustry. Bro George is still out in the new country. he stopt of here and stayd one night. he likes it out theyr so well. the rest of our folks are reasonable well. this is my first letter. thought last week i would write but dident get it done. now i do hope this may find you all well and pleas answer this rite away for i want to hear so bad from you all and Hannahs. i must close. my love to all. yours as ever. from your aunt Hannah Dunlap. write soon goodby. may the lord bless you all.

i recievd your very good and welcome letter last evening. i was so glad to hear from you and i was ashamed of myself to for being so careles. now dear you must excuse me this time. i was going to write today. i told Loty before they started to town i must write to you. we are all well and do hope this will find you all beter. we had a long cold winter. a goodeal of snow. pretty nice spring weather now. i got a letter from Bro George last week. he was well and i got one from Hannah Crown 2 weeks ago. i answered it riteaway. she said Alen was very poorly. i have had 2 letters from sister Kates younest girl. since she died she is maried and lives in ft Wain ind. our folks in Nebraska are well or was the last we heard from theyr. we are making maple molasas. we have a nice grove. Hirams tapt some trees. they have made consideable. i made some. they sent me some juice. i am boiling down some now. it makes very good molasas. your Aunt Eve and Jonathan makes evry Spring. i dont know enything about Liby Sage eny more. 2 year ago when i was out theyr her ma got a letter from her and i answered it for her. that is the last i think. they had a good protracted meting in Maxwell. i dident go but one night. it was so cold. been theyr on Sunday. theyr was 17 joind one sunday. mostly young folks. Nely Hall Hannahs girl was one of them. theyr is prayer meting at our school hous evry satureday night now. dear Nina i hant forgot your nice good letter. oh you dont know how much good it done me theyr. i could se your nice good home and evry thing so handy and nice around. i would read it and look at it. i have it yet. i have all your Mas letters yet. write again Nina. i wont put of writeing so long next time. i have 2 hens set. wil be 3 weeks since Tuesday i set the first one. the others this week. egs 11 cents buter 14. i have sold 57 pound from my cow this winter. eggs and buter has come down now. i was so surprised to hear of your step sisters a living here in iowa. Madison isent very far from here. i know i must of seen the Yost girl but cant remember now. Mother and me eat super with Mary in the Fall before your pa maried in the spring. i had went home on a viset. is the other one her girl to and your fathers. how meny had they. Sina is she grandmothers daughter and your last stepmother. give her my love and my dear niece and nephew the children and Sina and all have my love and tel Hannah to write to me. you dear nieces you are near and dear to me. when i get a leter from you it seems allmost like a viset from you. oh i wish i could go and se you all. i think you mite come and se me and all your cousens out here. it would do you all good to take a trip out here. i am sory for Mr. G Lewes. he must be very old now. i dont know much about Bro Jonathans. Seen Joe in Neb. 2 years ago. He lived in Soux City then. he said he would write to me but dident. Rachel and her sister was in Ohio in Worthington. him and Jonathan was speaking about being to your place on a viset. Henry Axford is poorly again. he was beter. i heard our Liby wasent very well. i havent seen her since in the Fall. i want to se her so bad. she wants to go and se her children in Vermont this spring. This is Monday now. i went to se a sick child this fornoon. one of our neighbors. it is pretty bad. they live close to Hannahs. this is such a nice day. very little rain this spring. my love and best wishes to you all from your most efectinate aunt. Hannah Dunlap. write soon. my love to Hannahs and to all and to Grandma Hains and Sina. i hant heard from Lib Sage since i was in Neb last sumer. hope this wil find you all well. i would like to se all your pretty lambs. i dont se eny here eny more. yours as ever. love to all.

this blesed good thanksgiving day i thought i would write to you and i feel very thankful to the giver of all good for his meny mercys to us. we have no reason to complain. crops very good. fruit plenty. my health good for me. the children reasonable well. Henry Axford has a bad cough. he has poor health. Dear niece i am answering your letter though i never got to read it. Lise and i went to Jones Co this fall. we left here on the 3 of October. was gone 4 weeks. Hiram sent your letter out theyr to me. put it in his letter but i never got them. i stil thought if they got them they would send yours back here. Loty said she read yours. i told her i was glad she read it. it done me a little good for i wanted to hear from you. i was looking for one for a long time before we went away. i would say i dont know why niece dont write. she is always so good to answer. now i want you to write as soon as you get this. we had a good viset out theyr. found them reasonable well and it done me a great deal of good. i wanted to go and se my dear children once more.

two of our grandsons was maried this fall. Clarence Axford and Frank Hall. Hannahs son Frank was maried 2 weeks today and Clarence while we was gone. his wifes name is Edeeth May John. i comence again. and Franks wifes name is Clara John. theyr cousens. winter comencd last Satureday evening. it raind all day then at dark it comencd snowing. was cold Sunday. nice winter weather now. we had a nice fall and sumer. i havent heard from brother George for some time. i supose he is out west yet. our folks was well the last i heard from them out theyr. i am keeping hous alone. Mary stays with me of nights. Hirams girl. they live close here. they have 2 girls and 4 boys. theyr lots of company to me. i milk one cow. she is fresh now. Buter was only 15 cent last week. egs 18. Hannah Dunlap. well dear Clarence and Nina aunty wont forget you. i supose you are going to school now. i hope you will write me a good long letter and send me your picture to. my dear nieces and nephews oh how i would love to step in now and take dinner with you. oh why cant it be so. but then i always try to be content. i am so thankful we can write to each other. the pasenger just went by. 11 oclock. this is Friday. i dident get this finisht yesterday. i must get my diner. come over and eat with me. Clara i think you and your brother George could come and se me or some of you dear niece. Caroline said she rememerd you. well write soon hope this wil find you all well. love to all. may the good lord bless you all.

i recieved your welcome letter last evening though sad news indeed. you are both left lonely like myself and Alens wife. Hannah wrote to me. she said she was so lonesome without him but so it is. we must try and submit to gods will though it seems hard. he wil care for the widows and the orphans. i have trouble on every side. our dauthterinlaw fell on the ice on the 1 day of March and broke on bone above the ankle and put the ankle out of place too. i was to se her saturday. she is doing as well as could be expected. they live 2 mile away. its Betty Dunlap our Georges wife. she is stil a was widow. And our oldest daughter is sick in Jones co. i got a letter from Dily and one of the granddaughtters her health has been poor for a long time. we have had a very snowy winter and snowing now as fast it can. well it wil be sumer some time. our Liby has gone out to her daughters. got theyr safe. i got a card last evening but they had a smashup. one car broke all up and a good meny of the track but not one hurt. it was the frait and the pasenger hicht on behind. her sonenlaw met her in Montreal. she got theyr last Thursday. she was down here on a viset before she went. she thought she would stay a year. oh i will miss her so much. she is so good. she started the 1 of March. our children and grandchildren are going to start west soon. some gone now. our Hirams talk of going. he rented the place to our grandson. they have moved in 2 weeks ago. i have my rooms to myself. they have one baby girl 7 month old. they call it Blanch. his name is Frank Hall and her name is Clara. was Clara John. Henrys children some of them have gone and they are going too. all too Nebraska away west. they are going to take them homes. our close neighbor is going and a young widow with 3 children and some of her sisters. we have a good protracted meting going in maxwell now. it is a woman preacher belongs to the M E church. such a good meting. i havent been theyr yet. her name is Liby. i dont go out much of nights now. it has about quit snowing. i must hury this up now for the boys are going to town this afternoon and will send this of. this leaves us all well and i do hope it will find you all well and Hannahs. i send my heartfelt simpythis and love and best wishes to one and all. dear Clarence and Nina write to me. oh yes. i wrote to your Aunt Eve about your husband and Alens deaths. write soon. to my dear nieces and to dear grandma and all. love to you from your loveing aunt. H. Dunlap. goodby. may the lord bless you all.

i recieved your good welcome letter last week but i went aviseting 2 days. i thought it a long time to hear from you and glad you was all well. we are all well. we have had a nice winter so far. prety cold now and some snow. we havent had eny bad storms yet. out dauthter staid 2 month. she got home all right. her name is Mary Jane Mood. her son came on a viset. him and his cousin Nelie Hall went to Jones co on a viset. staid most 4 weeks. he will stay a while yet. our youngest girl was home when Mary was here. Dilie. sad news now. our oldest sonanlaw died on the 1st day of december. he was the first settler in Jones co and she is our oldest child. they both been maried before. he put me in mind of your father a good ...... I am glad Clara is haveing such a good viset in Coshocton. i wish i was with them then i would soon be to your house but i am thankful to the good lord that we can write to each other. i do love to get letters from you and Hannah. It seems like hearing from home. Clara mite come out here and se us. tel her to write to me when she gets home. our Liby Mrs Goodin is coming home in March from Vt. i am glad you got a letter from Rachel. i wish she would write to me. was that James Hardman a son of your Uncle Joe Hardmans. what in the world did she leave him for or what is she a going to do out theyr. Bro. George told she was out theyr in his letter in the sumer and another one left. I do think poor dear Bro George has trouble enough in his old days. i havent had a letter from him this winter. I havent wrote to Lib Sage for so long. i want to but you write to her. Jonathans health is poor now. I dont have to work much. our dauthteranlaw does about all and the children. i have been a pieceing some quilts. i pieced enough blocks for a quilt since Mary went home. I will put them in Georges trunk when he goes home for Mary and i have another one half done. we quilted mine in the fall while she was here. they like it out theyr. it hant so cold. the spring is earlyr and the falls later. Henrys likes it where they are. it hadent been very cold out theyr. our aples are gone. we have dried aples and cand fruit plenty yet. our children are well as far as i know. our Druses girl got maried the 16 of December. All she had. we had a good protracted meting in Peoria City. 33 joind the church. i dident go. i dont like to go out nights. well Nina and Clarence. May and Bertha and Tomy go to school. hant mist eny only May 2 days. it is over half out. 4 month a school.

Tuesday morning. I will finish this. we are all well and do hope this will find you all well. nice weather. it wil bee spring now. the birds will soon come back home again. they are so much company. tel Hannah to write and for her and one of your girls to come out and se us and as meny more that can come. you come to. it will do you good dear niece. oh it seems hard we cant get to se each other. write soon. love to all. Hannah Dunlap

after so long a time i will answer your good and welcome letter. i was so glad you had such a good visit with your cousins. i wish i could have been theyr with you. i am glad you went to Dear mothers grave. oh how scaterd we all are in this world but we will meet each other again and then we will never part again in that blesed good home. I wish the newly maried couple much joy and hapines. i am sory that non of you can come and se us. i hope you will sometime. I think you sewd enough for all of them. we have nice weather now. we have been making garden. they have the mesels (note: measles) in maxwell and in the country. we are all well and do hope this will find you all well. write again. from your loveing aunt to Clara.

i will answer your good letter. i should of wrote sooner but stil put it of. and yet I love to get letters from you folks so well and to hear from you. it does me so much good. we was makeing garden yesterday and this morning. Ida and May comencd gleaning hous. Up stares first. we had chicken and nudle soup for diner. George Mood is here now. Marys son. oh yes she had a good long viset with us. poor child i dont think i will ever se her again. Lise hasent come home. Lulu wanted her to stay til august then she would come with her and come through ohio and viset in Harden co and go to our old place. i got a letter from her saturday. she said if Lulu gives up coming she will come sooner. we got a letter from Rachel since diner. they are well and like it so well. Henry pict me some prarie flowers. i will send you some. they have built a large pine log hous and are living in it. they have a hundred and sixty acres of land. they have sixty acres fencd for paster. theyr other children here hant gone out. they dident sell out. Jonathan Lydick was very bad yet last we heard from him with rheumatisem. it looks so nice and green out now. the grass grows so fast. good pasture now. we had frost now yesterday morning and this. my health has been very good for some time and i am thankful to god for it. our children are well as far as i know. I got a good letter from your sister Hannah not long ago that i ought to answer but she can se this then when i write to her you will hear from me. poor thing said she would have to be alone. I know how lonesome she is and the rest of us but so it is and we all have to do the best we can and trust in the good lord. he knows best for us. the girls is puting the carpet down up stares. we are makeing a new one, it is most ready to go to the weavers. Ida has a little more colering to do. wensday morning a man died in town. this morning we heard the bell toling. he was sick some time. we are all well and hope this will find you all well. we had a nice little shower last night. Dear Nina. May was going to write to you but she had to go and stay with a girl last night. her mother went to se the sick man and i have a chance to send this. write soon girls. you write. love to all. your loveing auntie H Dunlap. love to all and Hannahs.

Note from Virginia P.: this was the last of Hannah Dunlap's letters. She died not quite two months after this was written, on June 7, 1887.

STORIES, TALES & INCIDENTS FROM THE EARLY 1900'S

IN MARSHALL COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA

"Our First Set of Wheels"

My older brother Lyle and I wanted a set of wheels and we got them. Now, it didn't have a one-hundred horsepower engine, radio, television, windshield wipers, heater, etc., but it did run.... downhill that is. Neither did it have over-stuffed seats with leather cushions, but the seats consisted of a board about twelve inches wide and maybe six feet long. Our wheels was made from an old steel tired buggy someone gave us to get it out of their way. We removed the broken body and top, but the springs were left on the axle then we bolted the board to the springs. The steering apparatus consisted of a piece of 1/2" rope tied in the fixtures where the buggy shaft had fit and long enough to reach the driver.

Our hay barn had a ramp built up to the front door which was about four or five feet higher than the highway. Starting at the barn doors which gave us a good start by going west we could coast for almost a half mile down past our neighbor's home. Then we'd push it up the next slope, turn around and coast back. This way we could get a mile ride with less than a half mile pushing. We had a lot of fun giving rides to the neighborhood boys and girls. There was a lot of flying hair, flying skirts, laughing, screaming and great enjoyment for all. We also used it to haul things and carry things from neighbor to neighbor. The going down was fun, but coming up was different.

One ride in particular impressed the whole neighborhood. About three quarters of a mile to the west of us the road passed across a hilltop which was at least a hundred feet above the lowest part of the road. On this particular ride we went to meet our father who had gone to town with a neighbor and would have to walk from the top of the hill home because the neighbor turned off on another road. We knew he wouldn't be home until after dark, so we fastened an old metal tub on the front end to put my father's packages in and hung a couple lanterns (one in front and one behind) and went to meet our father. When we saw the neighbor's wagon coming we lit the lanterns and waited. When Dad got off the wagon we put his packages in the tub but I'm not sure my father was anxious to get on the cart. But we all got on and started down hill which was a gentle slope but the next one was steep and by the time we got to the bottom of it we were going at a pretty good speed which was enough to run us almost to the top of the grade near home. A hundred yards or less to push it home.

My brother and I did this so Dad wouldn't have to walk and carry his packages; when we got home Dad took one of the lanterns and went to the outdoor toilet. I think that was from the long two hour ride on the wagon from Moundsville home (to Fork Ridge Road, near the Glen Easton turn-off), but maybe the last three quarters did help as when he got off he said, "Whee, that is one of the wildest rides I've ever had, but once was enough."

For fifty years afterwards the young women who rode with us laughed at the rides we gave them on that set of wheels. One woman in particular said she enjoyed coming to our home because there was always something exciting going on. And as I recall she was so right.

"School Yard Games"

A first-grader who started school this year (1994) came home one day and told her Mother, "This school is something else!" That's what children today might say about the one-room schools of 75 years ago.

You would find a one-room classroom of all eight grades and 20 to 50 students. The beginning teachers of today will tell you it is impossible to teach eight grades in one room and have as many as 30 to 35 classes in a seven to eight hour day, but from these schools came the men and women which kept this country of ours going and made it great. A teacher had to be able to organize their time, combine classes and use their imagination to provide the necessary tools and equipment to keep the school in a learning situation operation.

The students books may be family hand-downs or second hand books because many parents were unable to buy the new textbooks as required. There were no telephones, radios, VCRs, TVs, adding machines or calculators, as we learned to use the skills God gave us when born.

Large maps or charts of any kind were very rare. Those that might be present were so old, tattered and outdated as to be practically useless. Chalkboards were much in use for writing test questions, first grade writing practice, math problems and similar uses by both students and teacher. As you walked into the classroom you would see across the front of the room an American flag and pictures of presidents, mostly Washington and Lincoln, and rows of seats on both sides of the room. Usually single seats. The seats were various sizes to accommodate grades one through eight. This made it very difficult for every student to have a comfortable seat as some would have their knees up against the desk while others with feet that couldn't touch the floor or mostly folded back under their seats. The heating plant was usually a Burnside coal and wood-fired stove that required constant attention to keep the room reasonably warm. Ventilation came from opening the windows on one side of the building and these could only be opened at the bottom. At the back of the room was a small bench to sit a wash pan and water bucket, also a bucket to pour the waste water when it became thick to use. Above this along the wall were hooks for towels and outdoors clothing. The lights were oil lamps on brackets hung from the wall, even a lantern or two at times.

In the school I attended there was an entry room, beyond that a washroom and cloak room where we had a water cooler and a place to hang clothing on three sides making more room for children to put outdoor clothing, boots, and playground equipment.

In the winter time a teacher soon learned that many children even to the 4th and 5th grades were unable to dress themselves. Shoes had to be tied and boots put on the proper feet. Right overshoe on right foot and left one on the left foot, then buckle.

In spite of all these physical difficulties these schools turned out teachers, doctors, lawyers, ministers and various community leaders. At these schools were held social functions for the community such as debates, spelling matches, literaries and socials of various kinds, dinners and picnics. The children had a big day giving speeches and playing softball the last day of school.

Ed. note: The author of this piece, Arlie Lydick, was born in 1905 and resided on Fork Ridge Road in Marshall County, West Virginia until 1920. The school he has described is the Terrill School which was next to the Fork Ridge Universalist Church, near the Glen Easton Road and across the street from where the Lydicks lived. Arlie's father, Skelton (S.R.) Lydick was his first teacher at the Terrill School. Arlie's sister, Lillie Lydick Kimmins, wrote, "My father was my first teacher and he taught school 45 consecutive years in Marshall County. He received $28.00 per month the first term he taught. Some of the schools he taught was Nauvoo, Bethel, Lower Bane, Terrill, Lowe, Walnut Grove, Dallas and others."

"Chestnuts and Popcorn"

Chestnuts and popcorn, when I was a child took the place of crackerjacks, potato chips and various other snack foods common in our lives today. We didn't buy it at the store, nor did it come in bags but we raised and gathered our own. The popcorn we grew was usually yellow or white grains. One variety known as rice corn produced an ear about three or four inches long and about twice as big around as the other corn we grew while it had a small clear looking grain which popped into a large, delicious, hull-less morsel. The problem we had with it was that it wouldn't keep... being the best popcorn it was consumed first. The longer eared yellow corn was also good to eat on a cold snowy evening. Often times we popped a dishpan full of popcorn and coated it with a thick syrup made from brown sugar or sorghum cane molasses. The hot syrup was poured over the popcorn and we'd roll it quickly into balls with anxious buttery hands while it was still warm. It would be placed on plates and set to cool and then they were ready to eat. A dishpan full of popcorn sounds like a lot, but in a family of six children plus some neighbor children who frequented our home, I'd say few popcorn balls made it through the night.

Chestnuts were another delicacy for country kids. In the fall after the frost came we would go into the woods and fields where the chestnut trees grew. The nuts grew in burs about two to three inches across and the inside was two to four nuts which would open on the tree after a hard frost or freeze. The nuts would fall out or the whole bur would come down and the brown coated nuts would bounce out on the ground and be covered by leaves. Nuts remaining in the bur could be pulled out with a stick or tramped out. Often on Sunday afternoon our parents would go along with two or three of us for our annual chestnut gathering. Sometimes we would fill two 25 pound flour bags as well as all we could get in our pockets for our winter supply. At times we would put them in baking pans and slide them in the oven of the coal-fired cook stove to heat for a few minutes. The purpose of this was to kill the unhatched insect eggs in the nuts. The kernels of the nuts could be eaten raw or a handful put into a popcorn popper and shaken over a hot fire until they would pop open. They could also be boiled in water until they burst. However you prepared them they tasted sweet and good and we thought a real treat. Chestnuts were also cooked as food. Chopped and added to stews or meat dressing.

Chestnut trees were native American trees and the nuts were enjoyed by many American children. In about 1915 to 1920, a Chestnut Blight struck the trees on the East Coast and within twenty years practically wiped out all native American trees. This was a highly expensive loss to the American Lumber industry because the lumber was used for so many different purposes. Some of its uses was split rails, fence boards, furniture and building material and nothing has ever quite replaced it. To me as a young boy I'll never forget the pleasant memories of many evenings spent around the fireplace and kitchen stove with popcorn balls and roasted chestnuts.

"The Horn"

Lyle and Arlie found a bent piece of pipe. After cleaning it up they blew through it and found it sounded something like an auto horn. After much blowing practice, lip twisting and changing their hands it sounded more and more like a car horn. They would blow it and people started looking for cars. An old maid who lived down the road was coming home in her horse drawn buggy. The boys blew the horn real loud and she whipped the horse to go faster, pulled into the schoolyard and waited. Of course this tickled the boys so they watched to see her waiting for the car to pass. After a while she gingerly moved down the road toward home.

"Lyle and the Cider"

Arlie's dad had all those boys to help with the crops. Often some of the Parks or Standifords would call for someone to help harvest hay or hoe corn for a day. At one such time Lyle was helping Aunt Della and Uncle Linze Standiford hoe and clean out his corn field so he stayed at their house for a few days. One day after supper a fellow Lyle knew came along and, seeing Lyle, asked him if Linze had any more of his hard cider. Lyle said, "I'll have to see." So he went to Linze and told him about the fellow wanting hard cider and asked for a jug to put it in. Instead of cider, Lyle filled the jug with rainwater and added a little vinegar. Shook it up real good and took it to the fellow who uncorked the jug, took a big mouthful and said it sure was good cider. He moved on down the road and Lyle told Linze.... and they had a big laugh. I often wonder if they actually fooled him or if he was too drunk to tell the difference.

"Bread Dough"

Did you ever wonder where the idea of play-dough came from? I don't know, but I know where I first used it. One summer day my parents and other children had driven into Moundsville to do their shopping leaving my brother Lyle and me at home and a pan full of bread dough in the oven to rise. Mother was sure they'd be home before noon.

About 2:00 pm Mrs. Annie Richmond, a neighbor, came walking into the house. She told us Mother had called and asked her to come over to check the bread. When she opened the oven door she found that the pan of dough had almost filled the entire oven, looking like a giant white mushroom. A portion of it ran over the edge of the pan and hit the floor of the oven. Annie took a knife and cut that part off for fear it might be dirty. She gave it to us and told us we could have it to play with.

The piece was about the size of two softballs. Lyle and I sat on the porch floor and played "pass" with it, then shaped it into animal forms and various other things. Then we found the longer we played with it the tougher it got. We stood up and began to spin it and that's when we found it would stretch clear up to the ceiling, so we tried bouncing it on the ceiling and on the floor until we had dirty white marks on both ceiling and floor. It finally got so dry and tough it was no longer fun to play with, so we called the dog and pinched off a ball about the size of a walnut and tossed it to him. Since it still smelled good he immediately picked it up and tried to chew it and it stuck to his upper and lower teeth; he had a hard time chewing it up so he could swallow it. He must have liked it, he came back for more. The rest of it we threw into the barn lot where the chickens were running and watched them peck and pull trying to tear it apart. After a few trials some left disgusted while others stayed on until it was practically all eaten.

I think this little incident shows the friendliness and willingness of neighbors in the community to help. Also how inventive and how much fun a piece of bread dough can be.

"The Biggest Snowstorm I Remember"

On the way out of the drive my lunch box strap broke and I had to get off the horse to pick up my lunchbox. As I was getting back on the horse it started snowing. By the time I got to Viola School, six miles away and a 45 minute ride, there was over sixteen inches of snow on the ground. That evening as I rode home the roads on Sand Hill Ridge were drifted full. A row of hedge trees along the right of the road made a wind break and the snow drifted in the road. The road was impossible so I rode into the field following other people. On the side road where I turned to go home we rode through drifts breast high to the horse much of the remaining way home.

On Saturday morning by brother took my mother and father into Wheeling. Instead of following the usual ridge road he turned east thinking he could go down Middle Wheeling Creek where there would be less snow, but as he started up a little grade he ran into three feet of snow. They had to call a neighbor to bring a team of horses to pull him out. Drove on into Elm Grove with snow piled on hood, front fenders and running boards. People passing by stopped and looked at the car wondering where they found so much snow as the lawns in Elm Grove were bright green and the sun was shining. All day Saturday and Sunday people drove out from Elm Grove, Wheeling and Valley towns to see the snow on the hilltop.

"Your Great Grandmother Lydick"

I wish you could have had the privilege of knowing your great grandmother better as she was a Queen if ever one lived that didn't wear a crown. Some day I think God will put the rightful crown in place as he will be a better judge than man ever was. Maybe he saw some of the little things she did, as filling her apron full of newly hatched baby chicks to keep them warm by the fire all night while the mother finished her hatching. Feeding the lambs who were not able to do for themselves or tenderly planting a tulip bulb to bloom in the kitchen window before the ones planted outside would dare to peep out of the ground.... perhaps it would find its way to a bedside table for a sick friend.

When I first knew Grandma Lydick I was a girl about your age. We happened to attend the same church, she was always there with her boys and girls, seven or less every Sunday. It wasn't til somewhat later that I learned to know her as a mother. You see they had a big farm and after we was married we would go there and spend our vacations. Grandpa Arlie would do chores, help with the crops, fill silo etc. while I made a pretence to help with the housework. I say this with all honesty as I always felt so uncomfortable working with one who seemed to know so much and do so much with such little effort. When I see these teenagers doing homework, listening to records and eating popcorn all at one time it makes me think of the things that would go on at one time in the big family kitchen.

This could be a story all of its own but no story of Grandma would be complete without saying something about her kitchen where she ruled supreme. It was a large room. Stove, sink and doors at one end, cupboard and pantry at the other. In between was a rocking chair and a huge table. The rocking chair was used, when I knew her, to nurse the grandchildren as they came with their parents anytime during the day or night to visit. No matter how busy she was there was always time to sit down and listen to the patter with a big hug and kiss. Oh yes, I almost forgot the flowers, they were lined up along the windows and something was always blooming. special ones were shared with friends as she believed that flowers grew better if they were shared as that was what they were intended for. Along this wall stood her kitchen cabinet with a sack of candy on top. This belonged to Granddad and everyone knew he always had a piece for a good girl or boy.

The things that went on in that kitchen from day to day are hard to believe. It was a marvel just to see her wash dishes. No one could do them quite like she wanted them done. The teakettle was always boiling at the back of the stove. The dishes were piled on one end of the table, the tablecloth shaken and neatly folded, always there was a tablecloth, and the big pan taken from the hooks in back of the stove. you see the sink was used for hand washing only and the dishes were washed on the table. At breakfast the milk strainer, strainer cloth, crocks and buckets went through the soapy suds first. Then on order the dishes ... They had to be scalded and dried shiny bright, then put in the cupboard for the next meal. I say meal 'cause there was never any snacking, always a full meal. You see, before breakfast the chores were done so their breakfast usually consisted of meat, eggs, cereal - the cooked kind, also a few boxes of the other kind, and big thick slices of homemade bread. Now the jelly and jam jars, butter (big pats of the homemade kind) and a big bowl of cookies were the staples and were always found on the table. Often there would be fruit, cooked or fresh, and the pitchers were filled with milk and cream right off the top of the crock.

Their meals were family affairs with Granddad making everyone laugh and Grandma sitting on the edge of her chair so she could get up real fast to fill the empty bowls. The table was pulled out from the wall to make room for everyone and Grandma sat right by the stove to the back side. There always seemed to be an extra chair and plate so no one left the house at meal time without getting their feet under the table and a good meal under their belt.

You can guess the preparing that would go on to keep this table stocked three times a day. Canning, butchering, churning, gardening and baking. I'm going to take the last one to tell about first as it seemed to be the one thing that I can't think about without my mouth watering. Now the baking would be started the day before. A few potatoes would be saved from the supper dish, mashed carefully and added to the water they were cooked in and set back till supper things were put away. Before going to bed Grandma would add yeast, sugar and salt and flour to the potatoes, set them by the fireplace, on a pillow (in the winter) all covered over with a big thick towel and in the summer she would set the starter on the kitchen table, covered with a big white feed sack. The next morning after the chickens were fed, milk put away, breakfast and dishes were over the real baking would begin. By this time the starter was all foamy and frothy and smelled so good that you wondered how you could wait till the big loaves were turned out on the table. The big pans were brought out along with the sack of flour and giant sized sifter. The mixing and kneading would begin. she always knew just the right amount of flour to make the dough nice and elastic. Large bubbles would appear on the top and then she would grease it good with a piece of butter paper, set it aside for the first raising. At lunch or dinner time there was always the light rolls -- these were made from the first raising and looked like miniature loaves of bread. These were the real treats with fresh, homemade butter, salted just right and soft enough to run all over the hot bread without too much spreading. You see, they used lots of butter and when you started to take a bite, the pungent flavor of the yeast mingled with the fresh sweet taste of the butter made them worthy of the name 'light rolls'. For supper the fresh loaves would be sliced and then before going to bed every loaf would be wrapped in a fresh towel and stored in a covered can. The loaves were from the second raising of the dough and kept fresh longer than the rolls. Each loaf was carefully worked and folded in loaf pans, set aside in a warm place to double in bulk before baking and came out of the oven in plenty of time for supper.

Now as all this was going on Grandma would be washing or churning or cleaning. Special days were set aside for these tasks and tasks had to be taken care of so there would be time for the family mending, sewing, quilt making, yard work, gardening and the canning which always seemed to be on hand. In the winter was the supply of meat to be put away and the vegetables and fruit in the summer.

As I was saying, the baking usually was worked in with other duties. On Mondays it would be wash day. Now bright and early someone would lay a fire in the big fireplace in the wash-house and fill the iron kettle that hung on a swinging crane. This was put in place to heat while the other jobs were being taken care of. In the spring would be baby chicks, little lambs, calves, etc. that needed the special attention of her expert hands. The washing would begin, clothes soaking in one tub, hot suds in the old gasoline driven washer, starting the motor, filling the rinse tubs, watching the clock checking to see if the churning would be ready for this afternoon and preparing a slow cooking vegetable for lunch would be some of the activities that went on while those delicious loaves of bread were baking.

Somehow the wash shining like jewels would go on the clothesline before it was too late to dry everything in the bright sunshine. Now the washing demanded special attention too as Grandma gave every spot her most careful attention. She had dissolvents, bleaches, javlin water, lard, hot water and a remedy for every spot. Collars and cuffs were rubbed with lye soap - hankies were checked for spots, socks and pillowcases were turned in the rinse tub and nothing was left undone.

On Friday the baking was mixed with the general cleaning day. She would tie a scarf around her head and as quick as a flash have the beds changed, sweeping and cleaning done in the upstairs, go over the parlor and leave the mopping for Saturday. Her house was always clean, not too tidy, but clean. The large family had different interests and their things were never bothered if put in a certain place for work after supper. Granddad's fiddle case in the corner with a gun or two. Magazines and books on the stand and tables, workbasket of woolen pieces for quilts, a dress ripped apart for future altering were a few of the many things kept in the sitting room. Her curtains were crisp and clean all the time, windows were polished as part of the daily work if needed. Nothing ever seemed to be in need of cleaning, but the ritual went on just the same.

Things were done on Friday in time for the special baking such as pies and cakes, the kind made from scratch and iced with boiled icing. Cookies was a must and never a weekend came without filling the big cans full of cookies. These were not the ordinary kind but great big ones, so tender and flakey all flavored with lemon, nutmeg, molasses, raisins and spices. Baked with butter, cream and real thick sour buttermilk with butter floating on the top. These cookies were always rolled and cut with a huge cutter. The ginger and lemon cookies had little scallops all around the edges and ever so often there would be a gingerbread boy to please the hearts of the little ones. Sprinkled with sugar and baked to a done crisp, no one resisted the cookies Grandma baked. Those were the days when the house seemed the most popular place on the farm and chores required frequent trips to the kitchen timed somehow just as the hot cookies came from the oven. Perhaps that is why your mommie never grew any bigger. She just ate too many cookies!

Saturday was town day and Grandma usually went with her baskets of sweet churned butter and clean eggs. These paid for the groceries that were needed and the extras for the house. Always some candy or special items came home in the shopping baskets.

Sunday was church, Grandma was the pusher there and everything was in order in time for the church going folks to get ready. Often the Sunday meat roasting in the oven and vegetables prepared ahead were ready when they returned from church for Sunday dinner.

Sometimes after everyone had gone to bed she would get out the churning to do before retiring as it was just right and may bet too sour if it set overnight. The big barrel churn would go slosh, slosh, slosh till the butter came to the top and then she lifted it out with a wooden paddle, worked the milk out and set it in the cellar till morning. Then it was salted carefully worked and made into prints which were weighed on scales and were wrapped in butter paper and kept till market day in a big stone crock.

Often she would take a few moments to mend and sew after the fires were made ready for the night. Her hair was always combed and brushed, then braided into a long braid before going to bed. Sometimes the little children would crawl up behind her in the chair and take her hair down then count the gray hairs. Often she used these quiet moments after everyone went to bed to read her Bible and study her Sunday school lesson. Sometimes to read a special story she had laid aside to read. <<end of transcribed letter>>

Afterword, by Susan Lydick: I am one of the many great grandchildren of Alcinda "Allie" Lydick, although not the one for whom this piece was written. I don't have many memories of my great grandmother -- we lived quite far away so visits were infrequent and she was elderly and bedridden by the time I was really old enough to remember her -- but I specifically recall watching one of my great aunts, either Wilma or Lillie, combing and braiding Grandma's long silver hair one day. After her hair was braided, a single loose hair was pulled from the hairbrush and wound completely around the bottom end of her braid. I asked my aunt what she was doing, and why she wasn't using a rubber band to secure the braid (this was around 1960.... we used plain old rubber bands -- necessity required it because scrunchies and coated rubber bands were unheard of then); she told me that the long piece of hair was far gentler than a rubber band, held the hair just as well but cost nothing to use, and had the added bonus of matching the hair color perfectly. And guess what? They were right...... as I found out for myself during the long-hair days of the late 60s and early 70s.

"For Members of the Lydick Families

Whose People Came to

Burt County (Nebraska) in Early Days"

In my file of information on Clement Lambert, a trader who was an employee of Peter Sarpy, and helped establish a trading post at the site of Decatur, prior to the establishment of any kind of settlement at Tekamah (Nebraska) -- there was a note which the Lydicks would find interesting.

"In about 1900, H.C. Lydick was quoted in the Tekamah newspaper as saying that he had warm memories of the trader, Clement Lambert, at Decatur. When H.C. Lydick arrived at Decatur when he first came to Nebraska, he had no money at all. He said that the kindly trader Lambert gave him a blanket or two and let him sleep on the floor of the store, then on the following morning, invited him to have breakfast with the Lambert family, which was a very welcome meal."

Clement Lambert had remained at Decatur, so was one of its earliest people, if not the earliest one who remained there.

Sam Lydick was one of the Bertha-area friends and neighbors of my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Orrin Smith, and of my grandmother, Mrs. W.L. Smith, widowed, who lived on the farm which my Grandfather had purchased and reared her family there.

Sam lived at a little distance from Dad, so they did not exchange work except at threshing time. Sam operated the threshing rig which threshed our neighborhood "run", as it was called, for several years. My sister, Marjorie, and I helped our mother with cooking for those crews of 20 to 24 men when we were so young! Today's kids probably would not be expected to cook any meal from scratch, if they were the age we were.

It was an exciting time, with so very much work to get done. There were no baking mixes or any other shortcuts in the work, and all the cooking was done on and in the oven of a cob and wood-fueled stove, for which we girls brought fuel to the house. Dinner -- lunch -- and part of the time -- supper for all!

Sam Lydick was not a large man, but he had a most memorable voice -- a kind of resonant, booming voice -- and I loved to hear that big voice in all the good-natured banter that took place among all the neighbor men as they sat at the table.

(note: H.C., or Hiram C., Lydick was the son of William Allen Lydick. William was one of Joseph Leydig, Jr.'s sons. Hiram C. Lydick pioneered in Burt County, Nebraska, moving there in 1856 after leaving Jefferson County, Iowa. "Sam Lydick" was one of the sons of Hiram C. Lydick.)

LYDICK & CHANCE FAMILIES

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LETTERS, TALES, POEMS

and various other prose written by Lydicks

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