Charlie letters

August 22, 1918

(From Richvale, California)
(To Camp Lewis, Washington)

My Dear Soldier Brother,

I will again try to write you a few lines, received from your postal.  Every Body is fine only Marie and Madaline have the whooping cough, they came home last Monday from Wheatland.  Did you get my other letters you never said whether you received them or not.

We got some pictures of Hilda yesterday they sure are real good, the boys say that she looks like me so no wonder but what they are good ha, she sure looks big she wears her dresses clear to her shoe tops so it makes her look like 18 yrs instead of 15.

Aunt Emma lefted yesterday for Richmond she was here a week & at harvest she & Axel are going to try and come to help us.  She said she would do the cooking so then I can do whatever I want to, don't know wether I will be able to work in the rice fields or not but shall try.  Hope you can get off for harvest Albin & Mr. Erickson are going to try and see what good they will do to see if they can get you & Walt off.

Mabel Peterson & Erickson's were here Sunday to see your soldier picture.  Nearly every person in R. has been here to see it.

In the Dyer Cafe in Chico is the picture of Art P., Metzger, John K.(?), and Albert H.  They all look very sad except Art, there isnt more than about a hundred boys on there picture.

Rick is helping Oscar haul hay today. Albin is irrigating M'tains.  Dad is patching sacks.  I guess you know just about what I am doing.

Mabel P. has left the hotel now and is staying with Rosie P. in Chico, from what I here she is going to work for Dahlstroms this winter.

Swimming is nearly over now the water is rather cold.

You ought to be in R. now, several pretty girls dropped in, a sister to Pete Swenson and Mrs. H. Rystroms has to sister here, and all of Jeps(?) relatives are on the way here.  There is 2 or 3 girls there, they are coming in Fords so there must be several coming.

Dear Brother I must close.

With love to you from your Dear Little Sis. Esther

Hope this letter will find you well & happy and as strong as ever.

Ans. soon

October 14, 1918

(From Richvale, California)
(To Camp Lewis, Washington)

Dear Brother,

I thought I would write you a few lines this evening as we are going to start harvesting tomorrow and I will be to busy to write very much, we are feeling first rate now.

We got a card totday from the Exemption Board saying that your furlough has been denied, the reason being Interference with military training.  We sure were disipointed as we were almost expecting to see you roll in and surprise us one of these days.  It has been about 2 weeks since we sent in our application.

I got a letter from Axel a few days ago saying that he would come some time this week and help us in the harvest but(?) were sure glad to have him come, we are expecting him every day now.  Oscar has hired Urisley(?) you know Culvers vegetable man he has not started work for him yet.  Oscar started cutting rice today.

I was over to see him this afternoon, he was on the second check then so it is going pretty good.

Lofgrens started this morning and Grells(?) started on Saturday 12th. Say how did you get that insurance policy fixed up.

We were going to Chico the same day as we got your letter about it so we thought it a good idea to let Harry Davids fix it up but he said he culd not do anything without the policy, and this happened to be a Holiday so we could not get in the bank so daddie went to Chico the next day and brought the policy, to his office, but he was not at home that day, we did not find out whether we should send any money or not.  Adolph Samuelson has been called for the 21th Oct. I do not know which camp he is going to but it will be one back east I think.

How is Walter making it now, glad to hear he can get around on crutches already.

We are well fixed for drains at home now. The dredger what started in that canal west of Rystroms has passed our land on the south now and is at the corner south of Paul Lofgrens.

They are going to make a ditch north of our land to out to Joe Lundbergs. Well that is all I can think of for this time so I will close.

With greetings from us all,
Albin L. Peterson
(Charlie's brother)

August 25, 1915

(From Funk, Nebraska)
(To Richvale, California)

Dear friend Charlie,

I had intended to answer your letter soon this time, so I guess I'll have to do that tonight, because if I wait to do it come Sunday afternoon I'm afraid it will take a long time till you get it, because on Sundays it is most generly warm weather so I have to go down by the drink(?) and swim.  The water is so deep over the grade that at first it nearly went up in the buggy when we drove across, but now it just goes up to the hubs, so it make fine swimming in the ditch, water even with the shoulders. 

Since April 1st weve had around 36 inches of rain.  There's lots of ducks over here so just what I'm waiting for is for the season to open.  We are not done stacking yet, a couple days left.  The corn grows like sixty(?) when its dry and warm weather.  Weve traded our old gas engine off for an 8-16 Mogul, with which we intend to plow, it pulls three plows.  I've plowed 1/2 day with it, it was fun and it worked fine.

Im glad to hear you can throw some fancy curves when you try to.  We didnt have any rain through harvest, but as soon as we got done we got 4 inch in about 35 minutes, thats what filled the ponds.  I suppose you will soon start to cut rice now.  Martin and Family have been house visiting a few weeks, but he left yesterday again he made the trip in auto, from Elbow Lake Minn.

Just a few lines to let you know we are alive and with good health.

Greeting from us all.  Duzinia says greet him from me.

Your pal,
Emil G.

Write soon.

August 8, 1918

(From Richvale, California)
(To Camp Lewis, Washington)

Sunday P.M.

My Dear Brother Chas.

I will answer your letter which was received the day I left for the mountains, we -- Chas Fish(?), Lucina(?), Rick, and myself just came home a few minutes ago, it seems rather hot here for it sure was cool in Coutolenc, nearly all the people are leaving Coutolenc Today and Tomorrow so it sure will be a lonesome place.

Dad is still up to the Springs, don't know when he intends to come home.

Monday P.M.

The boys desided to go to Chico last night so I will try and finish your letter now.

I have such a terrible cold I can hardly talk.  I caught it the first night in Coutolenc. 

I sure would like to see you in your uniform, hurry and have your picture taken, I am still waiting for a picture to put in my locket, How's the watch?

Today is Lucina's birthday, so I suppose I ought to get over and see her a while.

Madaline came home the next Monday after you left, Mr. Stephens went to Hayward the same day as you left and made them come home with him, but I haven't saw Madaline since I came home from Coutolenc.  Albin and Rick went after peaches today, wish you were here to eat peaches and cream for supper.  ha, ha

Chas Fish(?) bought a camera and took a picture of the Ford as it was packed to leave Coutolenc and us four kids were beside the Ford and we tried to get the star-flag on the picture too, and if the pictures are any good I will try and get you one.  We got a beautiful Star flag for the front door it is larger than the one you got, and has fringes and has a picture on it which means something about the artillery (I don't know what).

Oh, yes!  The watermelons are ripe now, shall I throw you one?  and they are very good.

Tomorrow Chas F(?) and maybe Roy are going to help the boys pull watergrass, Oscar went to Chico today and is going to get some little boys to help him, hope they are good looking ha, ha,

I suppose I ought to end this letter for you will have more than one to read - by the rate you said you were writing.

Hope you are feeling fine, take good care of yourself.

With Love, from all,
Esther

Be sure you write soon for would be glad to here from you every day. 

Oscar's brother Victor, the one who was supposed to come to Richvale left for training camp the 26th July in Iowa.

Bye Bye.

haven't seen anybody since I came home but shall tell all Hello from you.

October 26, 1918

(From Richvale, California)
(To Camp Lewis, Washington)

My Dear Soldier Brother.

Read your card, & letter which Oscar ans'd.  Rather looks like my pen is no good so I have try lead pencil.

Its sure nice to get letters from you more than any one else (only write often or if possible).  We just got a letter from Victor last evening he says he will be moved soon to some eastern camp he thinks.  Lots of boys from Camp Dodge from Overton(?) that are to be moved to Camp Kearny he says.  he only wishes he could go there too so we could come & see him then. 

Oscar is cutting rice everyday.  He started out west Wed. and finished at home first.  Albin and Rick started (Thurs.) today.  Axel(?) is shucking for them.  We have an old fellow He's awful slow thats what O. says.  he's tried to get one more with no luck. 

Oct. 24  We are having just lovely rice weather here now which is sure a blessing.  had three days of wind from the north so it drying fine.

I am still patching sack between times we sure get up early now.  They leave for the field at 6 o clock & get home at 7 o clock.

Is your Camp still under quarantine?  Hope you are as well as we are.  Only 2 cases (of Spanish influenza) here I think.  Mrs. Meredith & some people at the Experiment(?) Station.  I think it must be pretty well checked by this time. 

The school in Biggs closed up and all picture shows in Chico.  I heard there 29 cases in Bigg and 100 cases in Chico.  I sure spread it seem only a short time ago we first heard of it in some eastern camp I think it was.

If we save this crop it might be possible to take a trip to Nebr this winter.  Oscar sure loves to go and of course I can't help but like it.  Having a home like he has and folks, its no wonder, we don't know what it means at all the way were brot up.

There are Nebr people here visiting Joe Kumberg's(?) Mother and Sister Esther.  Don't know if I told you before.  Say how is Walt & what is his address.  You must write & tell me things of course I read some of the folks letters.  I seen the little pin you sent & sure a beaut. most made me jealous of her things but I guess it no danger.  I'm quite used to that.

From Mabel.

How did them pictures turn out I sure like to see them

January 24, 1916

(From Funk, Nebraska)
(To Richvale, California)

(Letterhead of Scandinavian Mutual Insurance Company of Kearney, Phelps, Dawson and Harlan Counties)

Friend Charlie:

I am going to write you a few lines tonight, So you will know that I'm still alive.  How are you out there.  I suppose you have lots of rain now days.  I've read in the paper of floods in southern Cal. but they maby dont reach as far north as Richvale, I hope not.  Now is when you ought be out here, and skate, we've had dandy ice, but now its been warm weather a few days, so the ice was not hard enough to skate on in the evenings or afternoons, but it seems like it will be colder weather tomorrow.  We are done picking corn now.  How did it go with your threshing this year, did you get done in time for the rain.  How much does it make per acre?  The best wheat out here is worth $1.02 now.  The Elevator men cant get cars enough so people can haul as much as they want to.  We have been shelling some corn but it is too warm weather now, so the corn gets tough and wet.  and people cant get rid of the corn because the Elevators are all filled up.  We have been working with shoeing horses today so we can haul wheat on the ranch(?) roads.  last Wednesday we were on funeral, Alberts little boy was buried, he was around 1 1/2 years old.  Tomorrow Edolf Carlsons baby is to be buried.  Theres people sick pretty near all over around here this winter.  Measels and Lagrippe mostly.  Havent had much time to hunt rabbits this winter yet, been out three times.  There seems to be more coyotes around here than it used to so I think people could have great sport if they'd put up a (?).  Do you have may Geese and ducks out there now.  We had quiet a few out here this fall, I didnt have much time to hunt but I shot 13.  I'm running out of news now and I might as well quit for this time.  Write me a line as soon as you have a chance.  Greet the rest from Your Friend
Emil Gustafson