A letter from the farm to a brother at collegeIt is the winter of 1936. "Gone With the Wind" has been published. Hitler will soon enter the Rhineland. The first all-glass office building was finished in Ohio. FDR is president. Hoover Dam is complete. Depression. Dust bowl.
Agnes and Sidney Veeder were in a struggle on a farm some distance from Watford City on the wind-swept North Dakota prairie. Poor crops and low prices would force them off the farm within two years, selling everything for a net gain of $25. Agnes' younger sister, Hanna, lived with them and taught school nearby. Their mother, Rebecca Rolfsrud, had died a year earlier, in May of 1935. Their brother, Erling, was soon to graduate from Concordia College at Moorhead, thanks largely to money coming from his brother Halvor, Hanna, his Cousin Hilda, Sidney and Agnes.
The family faithfully wrote many letters to encourage and support their brother and recently Carolyn Veeder -- married to Larry Veeder, Agnes' second son, an artist in Red Wing, MN -- loaned the letters to Stan. We chose one at random and share it here. It is written by Agnes and Hanna. Agnes is pregnant with Larry at the time.February 8, 1936
Hello Erling,
Haven’t written this past week as there certainly hasn’t been any news at all. This continued cold weather is sure getting my goat. Fact is the mailman doesn’t get here only about once or so a week. He rides 35 miles on horseback, then loads his horse in the rear of his truck on the highway.
Finally got the radio going again. Nice to know other folks are suffering along with us. Several of the neighbors are nearly out of coal and there is so much snow, it is nearly impossible to use horses. Sidney is nearly out of feed. He has plenty but it is snowed in up on the Cleveland place. Our coal pile has certainly been sadly misued. However, radio promises better weather, slowly rising temperatures tomorrow.
Hanna has had school every day. Half day only once. She has some tough customers, as far as facing the weather is concerned. It was 40 below several mornings when she got to the school house. She bundles up like an Eskimo. I’m sure you wouldn’t hardly recognize her.
Well, we didn’t get any Chevrolet from Gurney [a contest they had entered]. Hanna got $2.00 so she wasn’t out anything, but it didn’t help much in money matters, but there were only 50 prizes, so I imagine there were 1000’s entries so it’s pretty good anyway.
I have to be chore boy more or less. Lug in coal and ashes out these days is no little job. We have 4 fresh cows. May presented me with another steer calf so now have 5 head expecting 2 more – should have had 10, but lost 3 in accidental ways. To make matters worse cows freeze their teats just taking them out to water.
I got 3 new music pieces “Little Man You’ve Had a Busy Day,” “Tiny Fingerprints,” “How Beautiful Heaven Must Be.” Like them all real well, but don’t sound so elegant on the organ.
Gerald [her nephew] will be 4 years old tomorrow and Sidney’s Dad was 71 years old yesterday. Time sure flies, the first thing we know we’ll all be old looking over our specs disapprovingly at our children.
No. They can live their own life. I guess each generation has its troubles. Just so I don’t have to send them into some horrid war to be butchered wholesale. Guess there isn’t much patriotism in me.
Listening to Al Duckmer at the piano – Mandan – his fingers sure fly. Radio sure is good, but too much blizzard at times.
Well I’m going to have a snack now – some stimulant in the form of coffee.
[Handwriting changes -- Hanna take over writing now, teasing her big brother-]
I know you always consider my letters most interesting and entertaining, but I’ll add a line anyway.
Yes, I have 2 whole dollars now and $2 worth of seeds to give to Rena [her older sister] so I figure I’m fortunate. Going to get some money some way. Maybe you can get to the Conservatory yet, Mr. ?
Am sewing an art smock to wear outside my dresses. Orange and brown. She’s too cold in here to sew right now. That’s the reason I’m doing this big favor, you see.
Agnes was mistaken about the weather so I’ll correct it. Was only 38 below one morning and 40 below once. So that’s only twice. Phew! It’s nothing to holler the head off about.
Agnes got an Edgar Guest Calendar yesterday. A big face picture of Guest with [the poem] “Home” written at length below. Boy, those eyes of his. That’s the sort of man I’m gonna have! Har!
Hello Erling,
Haven’t written this past week as there certainly hasn’t been any news at all. This continued cold weather is sure getting my goat. Fact is the mailman doesn’t get here only about once or so a week. He rides 35 miles on horseback, then loads his horse in the rear of his truck on the highway.
Finally got the radio going again. Nice to know other folks are suffering along with us. Several of the neighbors are nearly out of coal and there is so much snow, it is nearly impossible to use horses. Sidney is nearly out of feed. He has plenty but it is snowed in up on the Cleveland place. Our coal pile has certainly been sadly misued. However, radio promises better weather, slowly rising temperatures tomorrow.
Hanna has had school every day. Half day only once. She has some tough customers, as far as facing the weather is concerned. It was 40 below several mornings when she got to the school house. She bundles up like an Eskimo. I’m sure you wouldn’t hardly recognize her.Well, we didn’t get any Chevrolet from Gurney [a contest they had entered]. Hanna got $2.00 so she wasn’t out anything, but it didn’t help much in money matters, but there were only 50 prizes, so I imagine there were 1000’s entries so it’s pretty good anyway.
I have to be chore boy more or less. Lug in coal and ashes out these days is no little job. We have 4 fresh cows. May presented me with another steer calf so now have 5 head expecting 2 more – should have had 10, but lost 3 in accidental ways. To make matters worse cows freeze their teats just taking them out to water.
I got 3 new music pieces “Little Man You’ve Had a Busy Day,” “Tiny Fingerprints,” “How Beautiful Heaven Must Be.” Like them all real well, but don’t sound so elegant on the organ.
Gerald [her nephew] will be 4 years old tomorrow and Sidney’s Dad was 71 years old yesterday. Time sure flies, the first thing we know we’ll all be old looking over our specs disapprovingly at our children.
No. They can live their own life. I guess each generation has its troubles. Just so I don’t have to send them into some horrid war to be butchered wholesale. Guess there isn’t much patriotism in me.
Listening to Al Duckmer at the piano – Mandan – his fingers sure fly. Radio sure is good, but too much blizzard at times.
Well I’m going to have a snack now – some stimulant in the form of coffee.
[Handwriting changes -- Hanna take over writing now, teasing her big brother-]
I know you always consider my letters most interesting and entertaining, but I’ll add a line anyway.
Yes, I have 2 whole dollars now and $2 worth of seeds to give to Rena [her older sister] so I figure I’m fortunate. Going to get some money some way. Maybe you can get to the Conservatory yet, Mr. ?
Am sewing an art smock to wear outside my dresses. Orange and brown. She’s too cold in here to sew right now. That’s the reason I’m doing this big favor, you see.Agnes was mistaken about the weather so I’ll correct it. Was only 38 below one morning and 40 below once. So that’s only twice. Phew! It’s nothing to holler the head off about.
Agnes got an Edgar Guest Calendar yesterday. A big face picture of Guest with [the poem] “Home” written at length below. Boy, those eyes of his. That’s the sort of man I’m gonna have! Har! [Photo of Mr. Guest is at left. He bears a striking resemblance to her future husband, Theodore Weltzin]
Yah, I’ll “Har” all I want to, as far as the possibility is concerned. They don’t make that kind of men anymore.
Actually got a letter written to Hilda --- finally. She must have it tough working all day and schooling it besides.
‘S’pose by this time you have found some sort of a Santa Claus you figure on approaching for money. Boy, I don’t see where the money is gonna come from. Don’t see how I could borrow money on my credit. Halvor thought it was luck that I got those 30 dollars last fall at the bank. I still haven’t paid all of it so I suppose I’m not a desirable customer in that place anymore.
Well, I got my valentines, did you?
Hanna
[Agnes continues]
This is Sunday again – just had dinner, but the dishes are waiting. Hanna is going to soak her fingers, so that relieves me. Sure isn’t any warmer that I can notice. Got in at 11 a.m. from chores. Pretty good. Lucky nobody visits this joint anymore. There has only been 3 or 4 men visitors here all winter. Too much zero for women. Heard over radio it was 52 below in Black Hills, S.D. Next time I write I hope the water will be running down into the dam, so I’ll have something different to write about. LeRoy [her first son, about 5 years old] just came in. He has had his face thawed off a few times, but that doesn’t stop him. He is on the go all the time. He sure is much fatter this winter, so far we have been lucky, to have have any serious cold. This will have to do this time.
Love,
Yah, I’ll “Har” all I want to, as far as the possibility is concerned. They don’t make that kind of men anymore.
Actually got a letter written to Hilda --- finally. She must have it tough working all day and schooling it besides.
‘S’pose by this time you have found some sort of a Santa Claus you figure on approaching for money. Boy, I don’t see where the money is gonna come from. Don’t see how I could borrow money on my credit. Halvor thought it was luck that I got those 30 dollars last fall at the bank. I still haven’t paid all of it so I suppose I’m not a desirable customer in that place anymore.
Well, I got my valentines, did you?
Hanna
[Agnes continues]
This is Sunday again – just had dinner, but the dishes are waiting. Hanna is going to soak her fingers, so that relieves me. Sure isn’t any warmer that I can notice. Got in at 11 a.m. from chores. Pretty good. Lucky nobody visits this joint anymore. There has only been 3 or 4 men visitors here all winter. Too much zero for women. Heard over radio it was 52 below in Black Hills, S.D. Next time I write I hope the water will be running down into the dam, so I’ll have something different to write about. LeRoy [her first son, about 5 years old] just came in. He has had his face thawed off a few times, but that doesn’t stop him. He is on the go all the time. He sure is much fatter this winter, so far we have been lucky, to have have any serious cold. This will have to do this time.
Love,
Agnes
