With Introduction and Comments by
\nLarry Pearce
\n7\/9\/03<\/p>\n
My wife\u2019s grandfather, Howard Pearson Miller<\/a> (1885-1969), married Sarah Jane Baer (1891-1972) and took over her family\u2019s farm overlooking the beautiful Quemahoning Reservoir. For background information on the family and farm, read “Introduction: Miller”<\/a> and “The Lost Civilizations of the Quemahoning.”<\/a>\u00a0Family tradition and a personal letter written in 1917 says that he paid the estate of her late father, Franklin Baer<\/a> (1862-1916), $7,150 for the hilltop property. You can read a report on some of the research done on that correspondence and see the actual letter in the article, “A Letter Between Miller Brothers: Pennsylvania to Iowa.”<\/a> Meanwhile, Mary Miller<\/a>, Howard\u2019s only sister, married Austin “Aus” E. Thomas, and they began farming just below the Baer-Miller farm in the rich soil on the western shore of the lake. What follows is the transcript of a letter written in 1906 by Mary [Mrs. Austin E.] Thomas to her Brother Earl Miller and sister-in-law Ruth [Hall], who had moved to Iowa to farm. Earl\u2019s daughter-in-law, Marjorie, provided us a copy of the letter. She calls it \u201cpriceless,\u201d and we agree. Ruth and Earl had been married in September, a few months before the wedding of Mary and Austin, which was in the late fall. This letter was written just after the holidays, and there are many things we could say and ask about the communiqu\u00e9. The eight pages are small, but Mary uses every inch in comparing the two weddings and, in doing so, giving us a glimpse of rural Somerset County life of nearly 100 years ago. Many of the sentences are grammatically incomplete or run-on, typical of handwritten letter style. There are misspellings and missing punctuation, again understandable for someone writing quickly to get her thoughts down on paper before she forgets. I have taken the liberty to correct these errors and add paragraphs to make reading the letter easier. Where there is a question, and the placement of punctuation would change the meaning, I have placed the punctuation in brackets. Here is Mary\u2019s century-old letter to her brother and sister-in-law in Iowa: addressed to:<\/p>\n Mr. & Mrs. Earl E. Miller Hollsopple, Pa. R. 1<\/em> Dear Brother and Sister,<\/em> We are not going to housekeeping this winter. I\u2019m staying with Mama for a while. Can tell you later where we will make our home. I think we will take up farming. Ain\u2019t sure yet. We better take the farm if we get it or may be another chance won\u2019t be as good. Of most interest to me are the verbal expressions, which I believe must have been typical of that era: \u201cTurkey roast,\u201d \u201cGoing to housekeeping,\u201d and \u201cTestament,\u201d to name a few. Today, if my translations are correct, we would say, \u201cWe\u2019re going to have roasted turkey,\u201d \u201cWe are going to set up housekeeping, \u201c and \u201cWe received a Bible.\u201d Today, in my family, we have a custom of pulling one\u2019s ear once for each year of age on one\u2019s birthday, but then, apparently, ear pulling was associated with Christmas.<\/p>\n Mary is very self-conscious about her pictures: \u201cMy picture is not very good.\u201d She says that her new groom \u201cmade me put my head back so far I could hardly see.\u201d She had her \u201cover check\u201d on. Is that some type of cape or veil? In any event, Mary closes the matter of the pictures by remarking, \u201cI\u2019m glad we have them.\u201d In a note accompanying the photocopy of the letter, concerning the ceremony, Marjorie says, \u201cWeddings were much simpler [back then]!\u201d For example, in those days, usually only professional photographers had reliable cameras: large stationary ones in studios with chemical flashes. The couple would have their pictures taken right after the wedding by driving to some remote location. Having them taken before was usually out of the question because of the superstition concerning the groom seeing the bride. My parents, married the day after Christmas, 1938, in a church parsonage with only the preacher, Dad\u2019s brother, and Mom\u2019s sister as official and witnesses, drove nearly 15 miles to a studio right after the ceremony to have their picture taken. Afterwards, as with Mary and Austin, they returned home to a big meal, prepared by the family who worked all day preparing it rather than attend the ceremony.<\/p>\n Things are certainly different today. In this case, being married at 5:00 and then moving to the dining room, it sounds like everything took place at home. Many of the two dozen dishes were made with ingredients grown on the farm, but pineapples, celery, oranges, bananas, and peaches were no doubt imported from other parts of the country for this special ocassion. Lemonade that late in the year must have been very special.<\/p>\n We believe that the term \u201cdrove,\u201d used several times by Mary, refers to horse and buggy. The automobile was only several years in the making when this letter was written, and transportation was rather limited at that time. It\u2019s easy to understand why she says, \u201cWintertime is not so pleasant to travel.\u201d<\/p>\n Howard Miller, Mary\u2019s brother, would have been just 21 when he and his younger brother Charles traveled halfway across the country for the wedding. Either “Charley” didn\u2019t like shots or the family didn\u2019t want to pay for his vaccination, but Mary believes that the reason he is staying with \u201cGrandpa\u201d [probably Frank Baer (1862-1916) or Benjamin \u00a0Bowman (1816-1908) because Grandpas Miller and Zimmerman were long dead] is for a medical reason. Small pox was a killer in those days. In fact many of the towns near the Miller farm, Jennerstown, Jenners, and Jenners Crossroads, are named in honor of Dr. Edward Jenner who developed the vaccine and saved many lives.<\/p>\n What a glimpse into rural life and customs in early 20th century America! Thanks to Marjorie for making this available, and we\u2019re glad to share it with the world via the Internet. Your comments and insights are always welcome.<\/p>\n Last revised 3\/1\/18<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With Introduction and Comments by Larry Pearce 7\/9\/03 My wife\u2019s grandfather, Howard Pearson Miller (1885-1969), married Sarah Jane Baer (1891-1972) and took over her family\u2019s farm overlooking the beautiful Quemahoning Reservoir. For background information on the family and farm, read … Continue reading
\nR.F.D. No. 3
\nIowa City, Iowa
\n[with 2-cent George Washington stamp postmarked Hollsopple, PA 1\/3\/06]<\/p>\n
\nJan. 3, 1906<\/em><\/p>\n
\n While we are having such a rainy forenoon I will write you a letter. Yes, the wedding is over and I\u2019m well satisfied. Hope will always be. We didn\u2019t have such a big time like you did. We thought it would be too much work for there would be too many to ask. The following were here:<\/em>
\n Mr. & Mrs. J.J. Keim<\/em>
\n Mrs. Thomas, Jennie Thomas<\/em>
\n Howard and Charles Miller<\/em>
\n Aunt Martha Bowman<\/em>
\n Nathaniel Hamer and Rev. Flots (They came together. Mr. Hamer was not invited, only by the preacher I suppose but was all right.)<\/em>
\n And last, Mr. Thomas and myself (You know we were in the crowd too.)
\n<\/em>
\n We were married at five o\u2019clock Sunday eve. After that we went to the dining room for a fine supper.
\n<\/em>
\n We did not take a trip like you did. On Xmas we drove to Mr. Thomas\u2019 home for a turkey roast. Mama and Mr. Keim went along.
\n<\/em>
\n My dress was white silk trimmed with lace, insertion, tucks, and shirring. Mr. wore a black suit. I don\u2019t know whether you care to know what we had for supper or not. I\u2019ll tell you:<\/em>
\n Roast chicken Chocolate cake<\/em>
\n Sweet potatoes Bride\u2019s cake<\/em>
\n Cold slaw Lemonade<\/em>
\n Potato salad Custard<\/em>
\n Pineapple Peaches<\/em>
\n Chipped beef and a few other little things like<\/em>
\n Celery spiced & pickled dishes<\/em>
\n Oranges<\/em>
\n Bananas<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>
\n Howard is staying with Grandpa\u2019s for a few months yet anyway. Charley is over there going to school. Don\u2019t know how long he will stay. I guess he will get homesick. He can go there and don\u2019t need to be vaccinated is the reason he went over there.
\n<\/em>
\n I think we will put off our wedding trip till later then come and visit you. Wintertime is not so pleasant to travel.
\n<\/em>
\n Well, we received a few presents but not as many as you unless we get some yet. But we didn\u2019t have so many people around us like you. But these are very pretty. Austin\u2019s sister made us such a pretty cushion. Is the prettiest I ever saw. She can make such pretty things. His mother gave us a bedspread. Mama gave us teaspoons, tablespoons, butter knife and sugar shell [?]. And the ones you sent are so pretty and we thank you many, many times for them. Then we got some dishes, books, testament, and such things.
\n<\/em>
\n We got those pictures of you and Ruth. Think they are good and if you want to [,] send two. Send the light colored card. Both light. You seem to think your picture and Mama\u2019s ain\u2019t as good as the rest. I think they are. My picture is not so very good. He made me put my head back so far I could hardly see. I had the over check [?] on but I\u2019m glad we have them.<\/em>
\n Mr. and me want to go to Johnstown any nice day and have our pictures taken. Will send you one when we get them if they are worth sending.
\n<\/em>
\n Ruth, did you pull Earl\u2019s ears on Christmas? I wish I could have pulled them. I thought of you people so often.<\/em>
\n Mama sent you a bureau scarf. Did you get it?
\n<\/em>
\n Last Sunday afternoon Austin and me drove to Grandpa\u2019s and spent New Years with them on Monday. Came back here that eve. Grandpa was glad to see us or seemed to be [.] Well, they all were. Grandpa is not very well. He said he is nearly played out. And he looks that way.
\n<\/em>
\n Next Sunday we have Communion at the Lutheran Church, Hooversville. On New Years evening they began protracted meeting.
\n<\/em>
\n Well, I believe I had better quit or you will begin to think this has no end. Tell Aunt Mary I will write to her soon. How are all friends? This leaves us all real well. Please answer soon.<\/em>
\n Oh, I forgot. We had such a nice entertainment at the L. church on Xmas eve. We were there. The church looked fine.
\n<\/em>
\n Your sister,<\/em>
\n Mrs. A.E. Thomas<\/em><\/p>\n