31 May 1940 to Mrs Mary Adcock Pike City AR from Mrs A M Roland Spade, TX
Dear Mother, How are you? I don't hear from you at all. I haven't heard from you since March. I don't know what I wrote to make Ida mad at me, but she hasn't answered my last letter, Mother.Birt, J. T. , Nita owes me a letter, too. Looks like someone could afford 3c to mail a letter once a month.
We have a big family to feed, don't get much to eat, but I manage to get stamps some way. If they won't any of them write get Minnie to get a postcard and write. Well, if you are well and if you are sick write ill on it so I can hear, that won't take much to ask her to do for you and know she would do it for you. How is Mrs York? Nita said she was in hospital last time I heard from her. Hope she is back home and is feeling good. Mrs Roland is out of the hospital and able to me by herself and walk a little. She was in a car wreck May 10 (1940). She was on her way to Detroit to Clara's death bed, her baby sister. You know I told you she was like Dona Adcock. The wreck happened at Horse Creek Bridge, turned over in the ditch. 4 grown people and some kids was in the car, but Mrs Roland was hurt the worse(sic) of all. Her head, back and side was hurt. Her face and neck was cut but not so bad. Her sister (Clara) died May 11 (1940) We haven't heard from them this week. She wrote me a letter Friday, said it was her first letter to write since she got hurt. But Emily sent us a card everyday while she was in hospital.
Helen and Buddy said tell you they have been planting watermelons and cantalopes so you could come and help eat them when they get ripe. All the kids passed to a higher grade. They are happy over it. It has rained here for 4 weeks. Nearly everyone will have to plant cotton over. We have been gardening a little. It stays so wet and the weeds grow so fast. Helen does the milking now since school is out. We will have 2 more cows to milk soon. Only milking one now. Get about 2 gallons a day. That isn't enough for this bunch though. We haven't had any hot weather yet, but it looks it this month. Guess Birt has a good garden. I don't have anyway to work mine only with a hoe. All the kids said tell you hello for them. They have gone now after cows. Christie has to go everywhere they go. She wrote Birt a letter but I can't find it so will send it in next letter, So I must ring off. It is nearly 7 oclock now. Love to Mother from Artie
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in same envelope
Mr J. T. Adcock
Dear Brother, How are you by this time? We are all up, but I worry about Mother so much, it makes me sick. I haven't heard a word from you all since March. I know poor old blind Mother can't werite but you and Birt and Ida can unless you all have some kind of disease that has taken your right arm away from you. Sometime you all may be old and blind and would give anything to write a letter to someone and no one will write it for you. J. T. what do you think about the awful war that is going on. I am afraid we will be in it in less than a year. This may be the last war here on earth. I keep up with it in the newspapers. Sometimes I read and can't keep from crying at all. It's so sad. I hope and pray our boys won't have to fight, but I am afraid they will. But we must live a right life and meet again on high, after this old world is gone. J. T. whatever you do live a right life and please don't drink for your saviour may call you at any minute. We must be ready at all times. I wish Clifford and Curt didn't drink. Maybe they don't now. Hope they don't anyway..
Are you still working on the road? Hope so. How are the Hills and everyone there? Mary Louise wants to know if you still go to order blank. Mary Louise passed to the 3rd, Betty Jo to the 2nd, Buddy the 5th, Helen to the 6th. Zala Christeen says she is going to school next term and be in the high 4. She had 4 little kittens. One mamed Alice, one named Jemmie, one Baby Dumpling and one named Zero.Jemmie died night before last. She went down to the barn, we saw her with the dead kitty and run, before we could get there, she kissed it and threw it down and said, bye Jemmie you are dead. Then she ran as fast as she could. She is so mean, but everyone picks on her. She can talk as plain as the other kids. Yesterday, Mary Ruth Long was here. Christy came in and saw her. She ran back to the door and says I don't like that old woman. She goes rabbit hunting with her bulldog. Yesterday the dog run a rabbit in the hole and dug it out. She jumped up and down and clapped her hands and hollered. "Mother, Bobby did catch a rabbit." Well I must quit as it is getting late. So please write to me. Love to you Artie
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14 Oct 1940 to Mrs Mary Adcock Tokio AR from Mrs A M Roland Valley Gin Rte 2, Littlefield Tx
Oklahoma Flat Gin
Dear Mother, received your card this afternoon was so glad to to hear from you but sorry to hear you wasn't feeling good. But if it is as hot there up in the day as it is here and cool at night it is enough to make anyone feel bad.
I live in a 14 by 16 ft tent and it sure gets hot up in the day. I get dinner (ready) early and turn out the fire and take the babies out to the shop where it is cool. J. T. made about $25 last week. Only got 10 dollars of it though. He went to town, bought him a suit, changed clothes in the store, went to a cafe, eat supper, then went to the carnival. He went to buy his ticket, & his $5 bill was gone. He never found it, either. So he borrowed a dollar from a boy. Monday morning the kids let him have 2 dollars to get tobacco and gloves, so he won't make much this week. He aimed to send you some money so you could send his clothes out here. Buddy made $7.37 last week. Helen made $6.59, Louise made $3.39, Betty Jo $2.11. But they have been in sorry cotton this week. I made them some knee pads yesterday, we were here 2 weeks Sunday. There is only a store and a gin here, three houses. But cotton is good. The gin yard is crowded worse today than it has ever been. I guess they will run most of the night tonight. Ida wrote me that Bill's wife, Annie Ruth, was looking to be down before I got that way with Charles Lee. J. T. said they didn't have any baby so Ida must have guessed wrong, or else she misshaped it. Bet Mittie looks funny with a baby she was so little and slim. Well, J. T. said he might have us a house, don't know for sure yet, the man's cotton isn't ready yet. Well I must close. Guess J. T. will write tonight if he isn't too tired. So love to you from Artie
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in the same envelope, but written sometime after 22 Oct 1940
Littlefield Flat Gin TX
Dear Mother, received your letter after it had been over at the store for several days. They didn't know J. T.'s name. Everyone calls him Jay out here. J. T. went to Levelland yesterday and to Littlefield last night. He is asleep now. I just finished making a big white cake for his supper. He says he is leaving us in the morning. I sure hate to see him leave. We will be so lonesome after he is gone. But of course he has to, but he could have work here and might not there.He hasn't made much for he has only gotten to work part of each day on account of frost and the cold weather. We had 2 real bad northers, the first one blew our tent down and tore it up. We had to stay in the shop and it was awful in there. We were all black as blacksmiths. Guess J. T. will tell you all about it. If J. T. don't have to go to training camp he may come back out here. I sure hope he does for we enjoy having him with us. He has been a good boy and worked hard. I guess the kids will start to school Monday week. Boll pulling will be over in a week or two. I wish you could come if J. T. comes back. the baby has been teething and has been so ill and cross. One of neighbors from Spade came to see me last night. I was ready to go to bed when she came. I guess the kids will pick peas next week if they don't pull bolls. Christene is going to throw a fit when J. T. leaves. He told her today he was going home, she says I'll go home and bring you back to here. Her and the little girl across the road had a spat over a cat, both claimed the cat. Well I must close and get the baby cleaned up. So hoping to hear from you soon as J.T. gets there. Love Artie
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Sept 1940 To Granny Adcock from Artie Roland no envelope or date
Dear Mother,How are you this pretty night? I am Ok. I pulled 373 pounds of cotton today. I had a bone fellon (felon) in my right hand and went to the doctor last Saturday. He cut to the bone, but is nearly well now. I can write with it once more. (This was caused from getting a thorn in her hand. It was in the web between thumb and forefinger. She couldn't get it out, and it went deeper and lodged where the bones meet. It swelled and was very painful. She said the doctor took a knife and stuck between the bones and twisted it to let it drain. - Whatever he did the hand got better very quickly afer it was drained. And I was unaware of the danger until I looked it up just now.)
Betty Jo stayed at home today, kept Charles Lee and Christene. When I got home, she and Albert was cutting stake(sic) for supper, so you see, they helped me out lots.
All the kids have colds. Buddy and Betty have 4 days out of the cotton patch, and I lost whole last week. But we are all up and are able to eat all we can get. Mother, if you are able to come with J.T. you come and I will (pay) your fare out here. Just borrow the money and come on and I will send it right on as soon as you get here. So I must quit and get to bed so I can get up here in the morning at 4 o'clock to get to the boll patch at sunup. Love to you Mother, from Artie
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14 Qct 1940 to Granny Adcock from Mary Louise Roland. How are you by now? I hope you are ok. The baby is named Charles Lee. Zala Christeen is three years old and Charles Lee is three months old. We are all well. We live in a tent. Jolean and Alray live across the road from us and the store is about as far ????? from the ??? pace (place?) J.T. is out here. He has made a rocker for Chrisreen. I have wrote to Granny Roland. I wrote three pages and will write three pages to you. I pulled 28 pounds of cotton and Betty Jo 102 pounds of cotton and Christeen says she can (pull) more pounds of cotton than we can, but she cannot pull even 3 pounds of cotton. I bought a box of dominoes and Mother, Daddy, Helen, J.T., Daddy and Buddy plays sometimes. Betty and me play sometimes.Daddy has bought a tent and some land, and (is) buying a shop. We did have a white kitten but Blacky killed it and Christeen don't like him. Mary Louise Roland Littlefield, Texas rout 2 in ???? of B.A. routes. dear ?????? Adcock I love you
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20 Apr 1941 to Mrs Mary E Adcock no envelope from Artie Roland R2 Littlefield Texas
Dear Mother,Will answer your most welcome letter received some time ago, was so glad to hear from you, but sorry to hear you had been sick. We all have the flue again. Charles Lee has been awful sick. He still rattles awful bad. So does Christine and Louise, but none in bed. Charles Lee don't sleep day or night. His ears hurt him so much. Helen Ruth has gone to spend the night with the Collin girls and will go visit school tomorrow with them. Her, Buddy, Louise and Betty Jo have been down there all evening. Mr Collins came by for them at noon. We had a bad cloud night before last. So we all went to the shop, but the tent stayed up ok. We need rain, all we get is sandstorms. I have most of garden stuff planted but can't water it so it can't come up until it rains. Maybe we will all feel better when it rains. Hope so anyway. I sure like Mrs Collins and her daughter-in-law. I spent the day with her Easter Sunday. Kids all had a nice time. We had 13 kids down there. Christine found 5. (eggs) She wore her new slacks made out of a pink flour sack. She sure looked sweet. Her hair is long enough to curl again. She said today, I want 2 pennies to go to the store and buy me and Junny a soda pop. I said what kind will you get for a penny. She said that other kind. Yesterday I said Granny is blind and can't see. She said is it black for her all the time? She says it is black outside at night. One night we needed oil, she says, "I'll go get it". When she got to the door she said "no, it's black out there. Somebody has to go with me." (Oil - kerosene, we had lamps.)I had a letter from Jud a few days before I got your letter. They were all well then. Work isn't much here right now. It is so dry. Everyone's waiting for a rain, then they will plant cotton. Charles can stand alone for a few minutes when he feels like playing. But his leg is still blue and seems to be a little stiff.( Charles almost got run over. A man started to leave the shop and Charles was behind his car. WE ran for the baby, and everybody was pushing to keep the car off him. We finally got his attention, and he stopped. But the car had gotten on Charlie's leg enough to bruise it.) The other day the kids were trying to touch their nose with their chin. Louise said ,"well Granny can, looks like we could do what she does." What does Donnie think of his new brother? (Jimmie Hollis Aedcock). Ask him if he will send him to me in a little box. Tell him if he will I will send him a baked sweet tater. Well, it is so cold, I must ring off and get to bed under covers. So answer soon. With love to all. May God bless you all. Your daughter Artie
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23 Apr 1941 to Mrs Mary E Adcock, Tokio, AR from Mrs A. M. Roland Rt2 Littlefield, TX - the three letters in the envelope are not to Granny. One is to Uncle Hebe and Aunt Nita, one to Aunt Bert and Uncle Freddie, and the other to Uncle Curt and Aunt Ida
1. Mr & Mrs Heber Adcock Dear Brother, Sis, Kiddies,Received your welcome letter. Was glad to hear you and the boy were ok. ( This would have been when Jimmie Hollis was born.)You didn't say how much he weighed. If he is as large as Donny (Donald LaVon) was, he may be as large as my boy. My boy can stand alone now, he is so crazy about his daddy and his daddy is so crazy about him. He cries just like his little heart will break when his daddy goes out the door, and Albert just can't stand it. He come back and take him and play with him until he can slip out. If I don't take him to the shop 2 or 3 times a day, Albert sends word in to bring his boy out there. I never saw man so crazy about a baby. Albert never thought that much about any of the others.
Nita, old Buddy has grown so much you wouldn't know him. And he can work like a young man. He fixes flats and takes cars apart and puts them back together. He tells his Daddy what kind of bolt or tap he wants, just like his Daddy used to tell him. He works hard everyday, but enjoys it. He and Albert has 2 sleds to make so they will be busy for a few days. They fixed a flat that had 41 holes in the (inner)tube. They said they would starve to death fixing flats like that. Christine came just now and said "Mother, do you know who I favor?" I said no who, and she said "J. T., he's my brother, but he won't come home." It has been trying to rain the last three days. Maybe we will get one tonight. I have my garden seed planted, but it's too dry to come up, and I can't water it. We have jip water here. Well I must ring off as it is suppertime. Love to all Artie
2. Mr & Mrs Freddie Dean Dear Sis, Bro How are both of you? We are all up, but have colds and it has been so cold here the last 2 weeks, I haven't been able to get out. And the baby has ear ache and such a rattle in his side he can't hardly cry. He has such a cold. Looks like we can never get straight again. It is stormy tonight and Louise has gone to spend the night with the Collins girls. All the kids said tell you both hello and they would write when it wasn't so cold. Christine said tell you and Incle Fattie( A nickname for Uncle Fred Dean) hello for her. She is a sight,talks so silly and keeps everyone laughing.She calls Mr Noah Gilley Fat Stuff. Well, Birt, come and help me chop cotton this year. I must close and get busy. Love to all Artie
3. Mr & Mrs Curtis Adcock Dear Bro and Sis, Baby (would be Dewey Alton) I don't remember whether I owe you folks a letter or not, but it seems as if it's been a year since I last heard from you. We are all up. But not well, still having colds and ear ache. It has been awful cold here the last 2 weeks. We need rain so bad, but all we get is dust and hard winds. It is stormy tonight. Hope we get a rain . I have my garden seed in the ground but it is too dry for it to come up. And I can't water it. Well they have a new store and house combined, built on the corner. Guess they will move in tomorrow. They will start planting cotton as soon as it rains. They think cotton chopping will pay $2.50 a day this year. I sure hope so. If the baby gets ok I want to chop so I can pay Curtis and J. T. what we owe them, for I know you folks think we don't aim to pay it, but if we live and chop cotton it will be paid, Love to all, as ever Artie
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22 Jun 1941 no envelope to Hebe & Nita from Artie Rt 2 Littlefield Tx
Dear Hebe, Nita, and Children, Received your most welcome letter last week, was so glad to hear from you, and so happy to hear J. T. got there ok. Wish we had been able to pay his way on the bus. Oh, we just beat Littlefield 13 to 1. We had a free ice cream supper last night . Boys and girls played music. We will have another one next Saturday. Come and go with me and we will eat ice cream. A bad cloud came up while the ballgame was going on, but it went around us. They sure miss old J. T. playing croquet. Nita, you ought to see the hugging and kissing that goes on here by the young girls and boys. Girls 9 years old going with the boys. Oh, I will have green beans tomorrow for dinner. I only have one stalk of hot pepper left. My morning glories are blooming. Some are still planting cotton. We haven't got to chop any yet. I started your letter Friday, but got it misplaced somewhere. A little boy 3 years old going home from carrying his Daddy a drink of water, lay down and went to sleep. A fast car came by, the man got scared when he saw the boy, lost control of his car. Front wheels missed, back wheel ran over his head and killed him. Helen Ruth weighs 120 in mach (?). Helen Ruth is going after scales to weigh us now, so when she gets back I will write them down. Helen Ruth has 11 blocks for her quilt. Several has her pattern now. Nita, please write me just as soon as you can and tell me if J.T. and Clifford passes for the Army. I hope they don't pass. It looks like we are getting closer to war each day, but I am hoping and praying we keep out of it. Well, we had another rain today, just a big shower but it stopped all planting around here. Oh, yes, I cooked my beans today. They surely were good. I gathered a water bucket full off the vines, more still there to gather. Guess I will give Mrs Rhotes (not sure of the name here, Mother wrote what she heard and her hearing wasn't good - could be Rhodes or Roach.)a mess tomorrow. Albert and Buddy have a motor out of the car. Maybe they will fintsh it this week. I hope so, I want to get the girls some new slippes before next Saturday night. Tell old Velma (Valentine) to write me. I have written her 2 or 3 times and can't hear from her. I am glad all the kids passed. Helen will study 7 & 8 both together next year. Buddy 6 & 7. Louise 4; 5. Betty Jo 3 & 4, so is the Collins boy. (This is the little boy I claimed for a boy friend, and shocked the grown ups, when we spent the night, wanting to sleep with him.) Wish I was there to eat peaches with you folks. But don't guess I can. You find out how much it would cost to send a box of peaches and if it isn't too much, I will send you the money. I would love to see you. Boy, my boy can say necked, I'm necked. And he says kitty cat, and Daddy's shop, go bye bye, quit that, Bobby, sister, J.T.,Mama. Well I must quit and write the rest some. You all come out and pull boles this winter with us. Love to all from Artie
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17 May 1941 penny post card to Mrs Mary Adcock, Pike City, Ar from Artie Rt 2 Littlefield, TX
Dear Mother and all. Why don't you write to me? J. T. A. got here Tuesday morning asout 8 o'clock. He had good luck at catching rides out here. He went to Canyon yesterday . But Odessa has moved to California.(Odessa, Uncle Earl &Aunt Mimi (Adcock) Francis' daughter. Her husband, Frank Edwin Moore had died and Odessa moved to California to be nearer her Mom & Dad)
He got back here this morning about 9 o'clock. He is feeling fine. All the rest is well. Wish you could have come with him. He may get to plow some for someone out here. If he had knowed it, he could have gone to work for the man he rode out here with, the day he came. Love to all Artie
(Mother only wrote about half the card, and it went to Aunt Nita's. Like most folks the writing slanted up across the card. Aunt Nita wrote more before she sent it on to Granny.)
That's her card, so I'll write. All are doing fine, but Minnie Bell. She went to the doctor Sunday night. The depot agent took her. She feels better this morning. She said, this is, Tuesday, card came yesterday. I see I've a good slant on writing(haha) How's Mrs York? (Aunt Ida's mother) I took Jimmie to Nashville the Monday after you left & Don & me walked every step of the way home. He fared fine. Went by Velma's. Got to Sue's at dinner. Sue copied card on here. I don't have any envelopes right now, and want mail to go off. Bugs went to get Bert and me ??? tomato plants. Bert is thinking preacher goes on Morphew truck. Ten cents a day ride,
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no envelope 25 June 1941 to Mr J. T. ADcock from Artie Rt2 Littlefield Tx
Dear Brother, How are you? I am glad you got home ok. Write and tell me all about your trip home. I was so uneasy about you. We had a bad storm the next day after you left, and had several since. Some are still planting cotton. We haven't gotten to chop any yet. It rained again yesterday, I mean, it poured down. And rained most of the night. Looks like it might come another one today. I fixed the hole at the head of my bed where the water would run in to the shop, so we didn't have to dip up a drop of water yesterday. Charles Lee calls you all the time. Christine came in the other day and says, Mother, J. T. has come back. He's out at the shop fixing a flat. I went out there. The boy did look like you looking at his back. She still says "help, murder, police, J. T. fell in the grease, he fell so hard he turned to lard, help, murder, police. J. T. won't come back." J. T. I found your pictures in the floor by the table after you left, so am sending them in this letter. If you don't go to camp and I get to chop cotton, we will get a new shirt and a pair of shoes. Write and tell me your size in shoes. I must ring off. Yes, we had a ice cream supper Sat night and will have another one Sat night. The ice cream is free. You can eat all you want. Love to J. T. from Artie, Albert Buddy said hello.
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