I have one more out-of-sequence letter before we get back on track. This one was written in January 1919 by Rae Johnson, Melven’s wife (Melven was the author of the letter in the previous post). Melven (or is it Melvin? I’ve seen it spelled both ways) mentioned in his previous letter that Clara might remember […]
Melven Johnson to Pearson family, 1912
This letter from 1912 was out of order in my notebook, so let’s rewind eight years. By 1912, P.W. and Clara have been farming for seven years. J.W. Johnson, Clara’s uncle, is a successful businessman in Laramie. His oldest daughter Tillie (by his first wife) is married and probably living elsewhere. His three children by […]
Pastor Granlund to Pearson Family, 1920
This letter was written in February, 1920 by Pastor C. O. Granlund of the Lutheran Church in Ceresco. The envelope has a note, probably made by Clara, that says “From Granlund when we were quarantined with Smallpox.” Sometime during 1919, P.W. “Will” had been diagnosed with a cancer that first developed on his tongue and […]
J.W. Johnson to Will and Clara, 1916
Here is a letter from J.W. Johnson to P.W. “Will” Pearson and Clara. It is typed on the letterhead of the Albany County National Bank, where J.W. is listed as the Vice-President. Just to refresh everyone’s memory, J.W. Johnson was Clara’s uncle. He came to America in 1869 , had many “wild west” adventures, and […]
Johanna Pearson to “Beloved Son and Daughter”, 1905
My Aunt Jane gave me this stash of Pearson and Brodd letters several years ago. I put all the letters into acid-free page protectors, sorted them by date, and put them into 3-ring binders. As I was doing so, I read through the letters briefly to get a sense of what they were about. There […]
