Family Letters 2

Following up on yesterday’s discussion of Maria’s letter to Sara (here), this post presents a postcard that Anna wrote to her sister six days later, on 2 April 1927. As before, the correspondence contains no important information or surprising revelations; however, it does provide us a glimpse into the family’s activities on this particular Saturday.

April 2, 1927

Dear sister,

Hello! I hope you are well yet. We arrived home at 9 o’clock and Johnnie and Alice were here, their folks had gone to Lushton. We had no trouble while going back. But we stopped at Friend to get gasoline but we didn’t need it. Roads were lots better in [the] evening.

How do you like it out there? I think I would like it there. When I am bigger I think I will work there too.

With best regards from

Anna Buller*

It is remarkable how so few words can prompt so many questions. First, when and where had the family driven? It sounds as though the trip took place on the Saturday when the letter was written, although that is not certain. It also seems that Sara knew about the long drive, since Anna did not see any need to tell here where they had been. Did Sara know because the drive had been to Beatrice to see her? The route through Friend, Nebraska, which is roughly halfway between the Buller-Epp farm and Beatrice, lends plausibility to the thought that the family had taken a Saturday drive to see Sara. However, Anna asking how Sara “like[s] it there” sounds odd, if they had just seen each other. In the end, we must leave this question unanswered. 

Perhaps some reader can answer a second question: Who were Johnnie and Alice? It seems clear that they were brother and sister, since their parents had gone to Lushton. Presumably they were neighbors, otherwise their folks would not have left them at the Buller-Epp farm. Or did they perhaps wander over on their own after they parents had gone to town? Finally, had one or another of the family stayed behind so that Johnnie and Alice had some company at that late hour? Inquiring minds want to know.

Not to be lost among all the questions is an important observation: by 1927 Peter P and Margaretha had their own automobile. One wonders what model and year it was and when they first bought it. Beyond that, I begin to wonder how many automobiles were in York County by that year. So many questions, so few answers!

Finally, a closing observation: in spite of her stated wish, Anna did not follow Sara to the Mennonite Deaconess Home and Hospital in Beatrice. However, another family member did—but that is a story for another post.

*spelling corrected throughout