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.