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.