Erma West's Journal - About 40 years later

Mary finally left her husband and moved to my place April 29, 1974.

Mary my sister and I moved to 2611 Wren Rd, Holladay, Utah to be near my son Melvin and family.

June 20, 1974 almost two months later my sister died. She was buried in Marysville, California near my brother Frank. Phyllis came the day before she died. Mel, Phyllis and I drove to California where she was buried. That left me alone again, which has been very lonely. I miss her and all of my friends in California. I feel so alone here – not knowing anyone. I go up to Mel’s every day, but they are too busy to come down very much.

Patricia Sonntag is the only real friend I have here. In Feb 1975 I went to California for a couple of weeks to visit my friends and Nephew and family in Anaheim. Rosalie was in the Rio Hondo Convalescent Home. We had been friends since 1936 when we worked at Sears on Vermont and Slauson L.A. She died in Feb 1976. I miss her greatly. While I was living in Huntington Park, I use to go see her real often, do things for her and take her places, before she had to go to the home. She was nearly blind.

Angie Davis, my dear friend, was 103 Sept 9, 1975 when I was in L.A. – she was my landlady in 1927.

In Sept 7, 1975 I went to Phyllis’s in Virginia – stayed with her 3 months – came back home after Thanksgiving. It had snowed and was so cold, I was snowed in so much, and hated it here.

That winter I fell backward off the bathtub, injuring my tail bone – and suffered for two or three months, before that healed. (Page 17) I fell on the ice on my driveway and cracked my head – which I can still feel in Oct 1976.

In March 1976 I made another trip to California to see Angie and Donna Koontz in Santa Monica and other friends in Huntington Park – also Ann and Bob in Anaheim. Angie passed away Aug 28, 1976. She would have been 104 Sept 9th. There have been about 7 of my friends gone since I moved from there – H.P. [Huntington Park].

Sept 3, 1976 I made a trip to Iowa and Minnesota to visit my 3 nephews – the Newman boys. Also stayed overnight in Sioux Falls, So. Dakota with Jean and Paul Kogel. I have had a very busy summer helping in the garden, this fall canning fruit and vegetables, and drying some. Fall of 1976 I met Laura Delts. She has turned out to be a very good friend. I enjoy her very much.

Dec 11, 1976 I flew to my dear daughter’s home in Charlottesville, Virginia to spend three months with her. It turned into four months and very enjoyable. I did hate so much to leave her, as she was alone and I worry about her very much. We were snowed in during the winter, but I kept busy sewing and making quilts for Phyllis. We bought a lot of wood to keep the fireplace going to keep warm.

The last of March and first of April we planted strawberrys and a vegetable garden – which were growing nicely when I left – April 10th 1977 on Easter to come home to a cold bleak weather, nothing green or blooming like it was in Virginia, the dogwood and all the other trees were blooming. I have now planted garden and flowers. They are growing nicely, makes it fell like spring.

May 3, 1977 was my 78th birthday. I received a number of cards and letters from friends, a card and note file from Pat, a plant from Laura, a $10 check from Ester, a phone call from Phyllis and $15.00, a happy birthday wish from Mel and dinner with cake and ice cream with Mel, Erminie, Debi, Steve, Dan, and Debi’s children.

Dad goes for a ride

 

Erma West's Journal - Post 10 - Phyllis to California

The winter of 1919 when the influenza was so bad so many people died. Elmer got it and had pneumonia. We got a nurse that stayed at the house, Dr. Templeton took Melvin then a baby into town to Uncle Charley’s and Aunt Ada’s home to take care of him so he wouldn’t get it. He did but they didn’t tell me at the time until later. As I was pregnant with Phyllis – everybody thought it was me, why the nurse was there for as so many pregnant women were dying.

That spring we moved to the Personus farm which was about 4 miles from there – into a 2 bedroom home which we needed as that summer Aug 14, 1919 our second baby was born. Arlene Phyllis West weighed 8 ½ lbs, she was a chubby happy baby. (Page 15) Dr Kidd delivered her. We lived on the Personus farm about 5 or 6 yrs. Oe’s, Dankeys and Neilsons and Tollefsons were our neighbors. One year we made hay with the Oe’s. We would pack our lunch and stay all day – as it was quite a jaunt from home. We took the 2 babies with us. We had a black horse named “Casey” which I rode a good deal – and fell off a few times , as he would shy when something scared him like a piece of paper or a dog would just [jump] out of the ditch or weeds.

In the winter Oe’s use to get together evenings once a week and play cards. The losing side had to furnish the oyster stew for refreshments. From there we moved to the Davis farm, 4 miles south of Woonsocket – still in the same neighborhood. Melvin and Phyllis went to school 1 mile distance to walk. Only, when it was snowing too hard their dad would take them in the bob sled. Melvin got measles and was real sick. I got them from him also was real sick. Phyllis had them very light.

I went to Marathon, Iowa one winter taking the children with me to visit the Newman family. Was there 2 weeks. I enjoyed her so much and the boys enjoyed Melvin and Phyllis.

A few years later Agnes died. She had a heart attack right in the Doctors office and dropped dead. She just worked too hard. They were in the midst of moving – from one farm to another. That was in March.

When the drought and dust storms hit the Dakotas we had an auction sale and went to Los Angeles – where my brother Frank and family were also. Mary and Ed and cousin Margaret and Joe. My brother Robert went just before we did.

Elmer worked in the oil field for a while then he got a job with Bekins Van and Storage where he worked (Page16) for a number of years.

In the summer time – Frank and Cynthia – Mary and Ed – Margaret and Joe and Harold Svoboda (cousins) use to rent a cabin at Seal Beach and stayed to swim over week ends or holidays – it was fun.

Erma West's Journal - Post 9 - Marriage then Melvin

I never went back there to the Hainy Place only just long enough for my sister to get her belongings. My brother Robert took us to his lady friend home who later became my sister-in-law, Barbara. The next day my sister Agnes went back to Hinckley Minnesota, to her family and I went to Woonsocket to work for Rose Kutil some of my mother’s friends.

There I met Elmer West when he was husking corn for them. That winter I went to work at a restaurant for Mrs. Pipe, waiting table – and washing dishes, for a while, then I went to the Merchant’s Hotel, where I waited table in the dining room for the Cannons. Their business was only transient trade in those days traveling salesman. (next page 14)[for Elmer]

(continued) While I was with Agnes in Letcher there was a mumps epidemic, the boys got them in school and I also got them. The day Agnes and Henry had their sale before leaving for Minn. I wasn’t quite over them, but I went out to watch the auction. It was in March and quite cold. I got a back set and thought I would die; I was so sick. (Page 14) I moved to Hinckley, Minnesota with them, but stopped off in St Paul, Minnesota, where Mary and Ed lived. I worked for a lady, “Mrs. Temple” on St Peters St. She kept roomers and boarders. I got $3.00 a week. While I was in Hinckley I worked for a while for a couple and got $2.00 a week. Did house work, milked a cow – tended the garden and chickens.

[Elmer](continued from page 13)
Later Elmer talked me into going out to his sisters Emma Marsh and April 4, 1917 we eloped to Aberdeen, So Dakota and were married – where another sister of his Louis Young lived.

The next day we came back, bought new furniture and set up housekeeping, on his father’s place (Nicholas West) in a small 3 room apt where we lived for 2 yrs. Melvin Elmer West our first baby was born Jan 15, 1918 on a stormy and blizzardy night. We were worried that Dr. Templeton would not be able to get there, although we lived only 1½ miles from town. Melvin weighed in at 9 lbs. a big boy, and was loved by all of his uncles and Grandpa West. The Dr. was worried. The cord was around his neck and he was turning blue, so had to be taken quickly. He was a colic baby. For 9 weeks he cried so much.

Erma West's Journal - Post 8 - Mother Marries "Hainy"

When I was about 7 yrs old my mother was introduced to a man from Wessington Springs. He talked her into marrying him and moving to his home.

I don’t think she realized what was before her – all of the work and unhappiness.

My mother was such a willing, kind person and was loved by every one.

This man, “Hainy” had about 8 children, mother had to cook sew and wash for all of them. She left him several times, but he always talked her into coming back. I attended another country school there, again walking a mile. I had to work very hard there and grew to dislike him very much. Robert and Frank didn’t stay very long – Robert less than a year and Frank a couple years. When I was 14 I ran away, stayed with some friends a couple of weeks, then went back to Letcher to live with my sister Agnes and family.

Again I went to the country school where I first started – as Agnes and Henry lived on Mother’s place. We use to go to dances on Sat night to people’s homes, sometimes in the house and sometimes in the barn hay loft. I enjoyed the company and one boy Walter Hurd.

Also enjoy my cousins, Agnes and Viola Ruml. I use to go to stay all night with them occasionally. My grandpa lived there with my Uncle Bart and family after grandma died. I also had 2 girl friends Anna and Rose Justra, whom I use to visit real often. When my sister Agnes and family moved to Hinckley, Minnesota – I stopped in St Paul, Minnesota and worked during the summer. I was about 15 yrs. I lived on the farm with them in the fall, we rented a light house keeping room in Hinckley, and I went to school, where I graduated from 8th grade. Went back to the farm – we use to go blueberry picking in the fall taking our lunch and staying all day – was real fun.

My mother left Hainy again and came to live with us. She was quite sick, while there, Hainy kept writing a begging her to come back, so again she did. Not long after she took to her bed with “dropsy.” Agnes and her baby Edward and I came to be with her. I went to work for a neighbor lady that was expecting a baby. I would ride horseback every evening to see my mother and stay with her until morning, to receive Agnes. Mother had to have someone as she could not lay down. She would fill up with water and couldn’t breath. We had to fan her. Then in the morning I would ride back to work, to do the chores as the lady’s husband was away from home.

Mother passed away in her sleep Sept 16, 1916 and was buried from the Methodist Church in Wessington Springs Cemetery.

Erma West's Journal - Post 7 - Childhood

I don’t remember anything about my real father, my mother was quite and never spoke about him. She seemed quite bitter after divorcing him.

My mother was very particular, a neat housekeeper. Every week the windows, woodwork, chairs had to be washed, the floors had to be scrubbed. She would do all the baking for Sunday and us kids did the cleaning. I can’t ever remember my mother spanking me –she scolded me if I was naughty.

I was born May 3, 1899, it was a Wednesday, in Junction City, Oregon. I was named Herminia Pohl. I always hated the name, when I was older I shortened it to Erma.

My mother was Catholic and 2 of my brothers and 2 sisters were baptized but my brother Frank and I were not baptized. So when I got older, they used to hold church in the school house, I would go there. It was Methodist.

About 1919 my husband, the children and I were baptized in the Methodist Church in Woonsocket, So Dakota. We had a nice minister Rev Shear.

(Page 10 was blank)
(Date: Feb 9, 1976, Page 11)
Some what a repeat of previous history. I will try to write a few things about my life, as I can remember it.

I was born in Junction City Oregon, May 3 1899. Christined by my mother Hermina Pohl. Living with my mother, father and 2 half sisters Mary and Agnes Hlavka, 1 half brother Robert Jelensky, and a full brother Frank Pohl.

While at that time I do not remember too much except a few incidents, like having a little red rocker. When I was rocking one day I fell forward one day and burned the palms of both hands. Also my brother and I and some playmates use to play that we were making medicine – by putting water and milk in bottles and shaking it.

When I was 2 yrs old my mother and father separated. Mother took us children and went back to So Dakota to live with my grandparents Bart and Theresa Ruml, where she lived before going to Oregon. We lived with them about 3 yrs.

My grandmother raised red turkeys, seems when I went out to play the old gobbler would chase me. I would run and climb in the wagon and scream to be rescued. My grandmother passed away Oct 16, 1904. She was 68 yrs and 1 day.

After that my mother with the help of relatives and neighbors, built a house, barn and granery on some land that she owned, left to her by her first husband Hlavka, about 5 miles from where my grandparents lived. Not too long after my sister Agnes (16 yrs) married Henry Newman. They had 3 boys Raymond, Harry and Edward. I often spent a few weeks with them, to help my sister with them, when they were babies, which I loved to do. I was not too much older than they were. They seem more like brothers instead of nephews. I started school one mile from home with my brother Frank. We lived on a farm enjoying it and were happy. I developed inflammatory rheumatism, so they called it then, when I was about 6 yrs old. I was bedfast for weeks. (Page 12) I couldn’t even walk. My mother made a bed on 4 chairs in the dining room, and would carry me out there day time and back to bed at night.

Erma West's Journal - Post 6 - Schools

My first school was in Letcher, So Dakota. I was 6 yrs when I started. I think it was called the Steckel School. All the grades were in the one room country school. When my mother married the old goat Hainy, we moved to Wessington springs to his home, and I went to another country school. There was no kindergarten. We started right in first grade or primary as it was called. One of my teachers was Zell Messerve. She roomed at our place. I had to walk a mile to school both places. I remember during recess we would play “Pom Pom Pull Away”, “Freeze Ball”, or “Fox and Geese” when there was snow. We use to have programs some times and the ladys would bring box lunches which were decorated (Page 8) with crepe paper and flowers on top and a yummy lunch inside. They were auctioned off. The men would buy them so who ever bought you’re basket would be your partner for the lunch. The money would go to the school to buy things which were needed.

When I made the trip to Dakota with Mel and the boys, Bonny Dankey, the boy that bought my basket said he was so bashful, that he didn’t dare say a word the whole time we were eating.

We use to have dances, usually they were in the house. They would clear out the dinning room. Every on had quite a large room and we would dance. In the summer time they would clean out the hay loft in the barn and there – that was fun. There were no dances at the schools – in the one room with all the desks there wasn’t any room to dance.

It was called grade school up to the 8th grade. I went through the 8th grade in Hinckley, Minnesota. I moved there with my sister Agnes and family and graduated there from the 8th grade.

I took a course in Cosmatology and was going to go to beauty school (This was after I was married) but my husband took ill and I had to go to work. I worked at the “Famous Department Store” on 5th and Main in L.A. then at Sears on Vermont and Uauson, so never did go to school. I even had my uniform and had enrolled.

Happy Birthday

Erma West's Journal - Post 5 - California

(New home in California)

The next home was California. Melvin was 9 and Phyllis 7 years. We lived with my brother a couple of weeks until we found and rented a place on Record St. and stayed there a few months. Then rented a house from Angie Davis (My brother Frank went to California when he was 16 yrs.). It had 2 bedrooms, living room, dining room and kitchen. Melvin slept on a cot in the living room. It was a regular house a few blocks from the one a Record St. It was on Alma St. Angie had built a small apt across the back of it where she lived. She used to take me for drives when the children were in school. We became real good friends – which continued until she died at age 104 yrs.

From there we moved downtown where my brother Frank bought the O’Henry Van & Storage. He wanted me to come up and keep books and tend the office. There was an apartment back of the office where we lived. My husband Elmer worked for Bekins Van and Storage.

From there we moved to a place on Crawford St. From there we moved to 114 94th St. still in Los Angeles to a small house. After a year we moved to 120 84th (Page 7) which was next door. [It was] a larger and better house and a nice double garage and big yard for the children. There was a sun room on the back of the house, which was Melvin's room. He went to Bret Hart Junior High and Fremont High school while we lived in those two houses. That is about the time that Elmer and I separated - I moved up to Gage Ave into a little court. Both the children were married so I was alone. I was about 35 years old then. After that I moved over to my cousins and rented a bedroom. I stored my furniture in their garage. I wasn't there too long, just a few months. From there I moved to 52nd St to a duplex. Mr. and Mrs. Pete Wilson were my land lords. When Chuck was sent to Korea, I moved to Downey to be with Phyllis and Children. When he came back I moved back to Huntington Park. I was working at Moran's Drapery Store. The land lord raised our rent from $55.00 a month to $70.00 a month so Ruth my next door neighbor and I both moved to a place on Broadway St. From there I moved back to Huntington Park on Templeton St. I quit Moran’s and went to work for Bruce Hill Drapery store in Glendale. While there I took 2 weeks off and flew to Hawaii to visit Phyllis and family.

Erma West's Journal - Post 4 - Marriage

(The picture was taken shortly after their marriage)

I met my husband Elmer West while I worked at Kutils – he came there to husk corn – him and his brother Art. That was in the fall and we were married April 4, 1917. We lived in a house, where his father and brother and Uncle lived. We shut off part off the house and had a large living and dining room, a small kitchen and a small bedroom. We lived there about 2 years. Melvin (Jan. 15, 1918) was born there. He was a small baby when we moved 10 or 12 miles to the Personous place we had a bigger home – 2 bedrooms, Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen. We bought more new furniture. I had a kitchen cabinet (Page 6) with a roll down front, a monarch cook range, a dresser and a bed – in the living room I had a du-o fold sofa of leather which could be let down to make a bed. I had a table and chairs, round oak table, the stove was a wood stove with oven and a warming oven on top and a reservoir at one end for keeping water hot.

Melvin was about 1 year when we moved there and Phyllis was born there Aug 14, 1919. There were 2 bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, a small kitchen and a basement like root cellar. We had a big red barn there and a pump house where the pump was. I did my washing out there.

(Picture - Melvin at 4 1/2 and Phyllis at 3)

Melvin was in school when we moved closer to town and rented another home about 3 miles from town. It was a bigger house – 2 bedrooms upstairs and a bedroom, living room, dining room and kitchen downstairs. It was a wood frame house. “The Davis farm”.

Erma West's Journal - Post 3 - Ran Away

(Page 5) My mother came over and gave me some money to get on the train to go to my sister Agnes place in Letcher. I lived there with them for quite a while a number of years. Now wait a minute I wasn't 15 when I ran away because I was 15 when they moved to Minnesota and I went with them. My sister Mary was living in St. Paul, Minnesota and they dropped me off there, and I lived with her and her husband Ed and worked my first job. I worked in a rooming house, cleaning and helping in the kitchen. Mrs. Temple kept roomers and boarders when school started in the fall. I went down to Hinckley, Minnesota to live with Agnes and family and went to school there. My nephews seemed more like brothers to me than nephews - because I lived with them so long - and raised with them, and I wasn't much older than them. When my mother took sick, I went back to So. Dakota. and took care of her – I didn't stay at the house much as there was a neighbor lady expecting a baby, I went to work for her – I was there when her baby was born her husband wasn't home. During that time my mother passed away – Sept. 16, 1916. After that I went to Woonsocket and lived with friends of hers by the name of Rude and Rose Kutil and worked in Woonsocket at the merchants Hotel waiting table. While my mother was sick I would go over each evening and sit with her – she could not lay down, had to sit up in bed so she could breathe. She had Dropsey and would fill up with water. Then also my sister Agnes and her youngest boy Edward came and stayed there also.