January 16, 1917 - Another of George's Cousins Gets Drafted

1918-0116 – Bertha Page Richardson to William R & Ella Jane Stevens Sherwood

 

West Topsham, VT

Jan 16 – 18

 

Dear Cousin,

            Your card that you sent to Uncle Robert[1] was sent to us today. It has been lying in the post office at Groton.  Our daughter is working over near there and they sent it to her and she sent it to us. We will get to Uncle.  Aunt Rosettie[2] has been very bad this winter, is so she does not sit up.  I was up there and stayed a few days, she is very poor in fleshy.  Uncle is quite smart for a man of his years.  Wish Aunt Eva[3] could see them.  We have a very hard snow storm, it has been very cold here this winter.  Our boy has been drafted but has not gone yet but expect to go any time.  We have only one boy[4] and five girls and are all big now.  Youngest is 14 years old.  Will is better than he has been for quite a number of years. I am to one of the neighbor taking care of a sick one.  It is quite warm out doors today and it seems good for we have had it so cold.  Uncle Robert address is Washington, Vermont instead of Groton.  Should like to hear from you.

            Lovingly yours.

                    Mrs. W. C. Richardson[5]
                 R. D # 1  West Topsham Vt
                       

 This photo is Robert Fletcher Richardson II on the occasion of his 80th birthday.  He was born in 1832 and lived until 1922.

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Attached to this letter is a little sheet of paper.  At the top it says “Wills” in the corner, and in the center says 1911. Six year previously.

Eva Olive – 10

Isabelle Christia 16

Robert Henry – 14

Lydia Marie – 12

Berdena B B – 10

Agnes – 8

 

[This is a list of the children in the family, but was obviously done years before and attached to this letter at some point.  On the back of the little paper it says “Will’s Children” right down at the bottom.  Pink highlighter on letter and note are done by Robert and Bernadine Tangen Weber when they were beginning to read these letters and trying to sort them and make sense of who all these people were.  They probably attached the little note to the letter once they found them both.]

 

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[1] Robert Fletcher Richardson II

[2] Rosetta Dexter Richardson

[3] Evalina (Nellie) Richardson Thompson, sister of Robert Fletcher Richardson II

[4] Robert Henry Richardson, being drafted for WWI

[5] Bertha Page Richardson

Aside - all the participants in the 1907 50th Anniversary of Robert & Rosetta Richardson

This is the 50th anniversary photo of the Robert Fletcher Richardson II family taken on July 4, 1907. Robert and Rosetta are in the center.  "Charley" Henry (who was mostly known as Henry in his family, and who is the Assistant Professor at Syracuse University is next to his father with his wife behind him and daughter sitting crossed legged on the ground in front of him and not looking at the photographer.  According to a letter from Rosetta it was a very bright day and it was hard to keep everyone looking in the right direction and not squinting over much

Dear Sister Eva,
 

            I will write a few lines to enclose in Robert’s letter.  I fully realize that we have neglected writing to you to long already, and will now try to answer some of the questions you asked in the letter you wrote to us last Aug.

            No, Nathaniel and Julia were not here to our celebration. Julie wrote us that they would like to have been here but Nat did not think that they could come.  They are very busy with their work.

            Brother Henry was here, also his sons Willie, and George with their families. Also she that was Annie Whitell with her husband and two daughters.

            Yes: you were right about Herbert and Rosina sitting on my side, also Henry and Flossie on Robert’s, the husbands and wives back of them. Lillian Scott and her oldest brother Herbert Harold stand back of Robert and I. Robert Scott sits in front of his grandfather and Royal sits in front of Herbert.  Henry’s Evelyn sits in front of her father.  She is their only child.  Herbert and Ella have lost all of their children.

            Flossie’s oldest Child, Lelia May, is sitting at my feet. Robert and William are in Flossie’s lap and George Wallace is in his father’s arms.

            The sun was shining directly in our faces when the picture was taken, and we got more scowls and wrinkles than rightly belonged to us.  The children could not look up, the sun was so bright in their eyes.  The dress I had on, also the collar were the ones that I was married in, without any change in them.

                                                Yours with many good wishes.
                                                                             Rosetta

PS – My brother Servis was here. In the post card he is the first an standing near the corner of the house at the other end of the card George Richardson is the fifth man from the end of the card directly back of the lady sitting in the chair. He is holding his little boy.   His wife stands by his side, she has her hat on, and stands in front of a gray haired lady near the corner of the shed.  Being acquainted with the guests I can pick them nearly all out with the naked eye.   [Do not currently have a copy of the post card to which she refers.]

           

January 9, 1917 - News from Distant Family in Vermont and Cousin Also Involved in the War Effort

 This is the 50th anniversary photo of the Robert Fletcher Richardson II (author of this missive)  family taken on July 4, 1907. Robert and Rosetta are in the center.  "Charley" Henry (who was mostly known as Henry in his family, and who is referenced in this letter is sitting next to his father with his wife behind him and daughter sitting crossed legged on the ground in front of him.   According to a letter from Rosetta it was a very bright day and it was hard to keep everyone looking in the right direction and not squinting over much.

Washington, Vt, January 9^th, 1918

 Dear Sister[1],

            I expect you will scold some for your letter not being answered but I have been drove with work for this last six months – cannot get any help [probably because of so many young men going off to war] so have to do what I can and let the rest go.

            Mother[2] began to fail some ten weeks ago and the last four weeks very faint is not able to sit up much. Suffers terribly with pain of her limbs as well as all over.  It is the general breaking down of the whole system due to old age and hard work.  Her case is one that cannot be cured.

            The last we heard from Julia [author’s widowed sister-in-law, wife of his late brother Nathaniel] she lived with her children in Worchester, Mass.  Arthur [Julia’s son]  has gone to California to reside.  Eva [Olive, niece of author] Richardson still lives at Waite’s River [Vermont].  Brother Henry’s widow [Lilla M Keyes] has secured a pension [from Henry’s Civil War Service] of twenty five dollars per month and some back. Hope you have secured yours [Eva, recipient of this letter, was also a widow of a Civil War Veteran].  Will’s [Henry’s son] children and family about as usual.  Our children quite well.  The last we heard from them Charley Henry [author’s son] enlisted the first of the war as a chemical and mineral expert but does not expect to be called to go to France.[3]

            Will Richardson’s wife is helping us now. Expect Bertha Tillotson to help us for a while. Cold hard winter, the worst known for 40 years.  Take extra good care of yourself and write us as often as you can.

                                                            With love,

                                                                        Your loving Brother[4]

[While this letter can be confusing with all of his quick references, it is fabulous first-hand knowledge of their individual situations at this time and is verification of family members and events.  Charles Henry referenced here was a graduate of Dartmouth and at this time an assistant professor at Syracuse University teaching geology and mineralogy.]

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[1] This letter is written from Robert Fletcher Richardson II, George’s Great-Uncle, to his youngest sister, Evalina Irene Richardson.  Eva was known as Nellie outside the family and was widowed of George Thompson a Civil War Veteran

[2] He is talking about his wife, Rosetta Dexter Richardson.  She passed away February 2, 1918. 

[3] Charley Henry, Charles Henry Richardson, had achieved a Ph. D at Dartmouth College and was an Associate Professor of Geology and Mineralogy at Syracuse University in 1910

[4] Robert A Richardson and Rosina Healy Richardson, were parents of, Robert Fletcher Richardson II, and of a total of 8 children, six of whom grew to adulthood and had children of their own.  Two died very young.