I did not have any company to-day

April 27, 1952.

Dear Marie -

I received your welcome letter and the card enclosed also the $1.00. Thank you very much, Marie dear.

This is Sunday afternoon and the weather is pleasant here. I wish your father would come to visit but I did not have any company to-day. I wrote to your father last Sunday and also to Garfield. I am anxious to hear if the water came up to where my brother Garfield lives.

Marie it was nice of you to write in your letter dated April 14 for me to write as soon as I could. Now please I wish that you will also write to me as soon as you possibly can. Thank you for writing to your father for me.

When I wrote to your father I asked him in my letter if he had heard if you were coming to Nebraska for a vacation. I think I wrote and asked if he would call the Durands and see if they had heard. I certainly wish you would write and let me know your-self Marie. You know very well I have looked forward toward being dismissed for a long time. And some one of my family should come for me. Please answer me about coming to visit me this summer.

I attended services on Palm Sunday here at the hospital chapel and pictures were shown on a screen also. After services there was a program and afterwards refreshments were served by the Lutheran ladies.

Marie perhaps I have written about the glasses I have. They are too strong for my eyes and I would like some glasses like I had before. I mean to have my eyes tested first. So please Marie will you help me? I was thinking that if you wish to send me something for mother's day you could send me some money. And Marie could you spare about $5.00 and thank you?

I sent Elin a nice birthday card and hope you sent her 1 also. Let me know.

I wish to send you an organdie apron Marie but I am supposed to go down town with some one. I wish to mail a package to you my-self. Will you please let me know if you are coming here to visit me becahse then, I may as well keep it until you come and give it to you then. Now when you write to me would you write what I wish to hear?

Best wishes to you all.

With love.

From, Your Mother.

The Ration Books

June 21, 1943

Der Marie We are Sending The ration Books you forgot except min mine

this after noon we PLayed croquet

they wr. richard Marlene and Lois and BoB.

Martin has behaved very well - helped me carry grociers home from the store - ate all his dinner - ontime - and then helped with the dishes.

Bob  dand

Martin

I'm finishing up the res checked creepers this evening - and this darned button holer is acting up! Love & stuff - L

Grocery Shopping

1/3/47

Lux     15

Ivory     18

Beans     11

Syrup     16

Milk     18

Jam     37

Meat     43

Butter     21

Soup     16

12.52

16.10

12.52

3.58 Bal

1/7/47

Coffee     17

Milk     18

Canned Milk     07

1/4 Butter     21

Potatoes     08

Apples     26

???      09

13.87

1/11/47

13.87

Tissue     05

Matches     05

Syrup     18

Cabbage     05

Apples     21

14.41

16.10

14.44

Bal 1.69

Milk    18

Plum preserves     37

Light Bulb     11

Cream     19

Buter     18

Eggs     52

Soup     16

Cake     05

Potatoes     09

3.86

Eggs     41

Apples     21

Apple Juice     29

Cream     18

Soup     16

Carrots     5

Butter     19

Onion     1

6.99

7.25

Apples     16

Cream     19

Butter     22

Bread     13

7.95

2 Baby Boxes     1.50

Complex Soap     75

Butter Scotch pudding     55

Cosmetic Tax     30

3.10

Happy Birthday, Sweet Sister!

sorry...had to be done...

Will you send him a dicktionary

August 1, 1948.

Marie dear -

I received your letter dated July 2nd and I was glad to hear from you and that you arrived safely back to your home. Marie I wish very much that you had come this way on your return trip and why didn't you think of it? As it was I did not see your children at all. And when you were in Lincoln it was so hot. The main reason for your visit was to see about me being dismissed from this hospital was my impression. And so the different other things I wished to ask you I did not have tim to talk about. I wish you would have returned to Lincoln Marie and I can not help but feel deeply hurt because I only saw you 2 times. You wrote that you wish I were not in the hospital. I am very thankful for the dresses and at present I am wearing the white one. I have worn the shoes and they are a little tight across the toes but I hope I can have them stretched in the near future.

I surely appreciate the scarf and please buy yourself another to wear when necessary. And let your hair grow long as well as your daughter's hair.

I received the postal card from your father when he was out there. I thought that your father would be out to visit to-day, but Martin wrote that they wouldn't be here. And Marie Martin is a poor speller and please will you send him a dicktionary as soon as possible with large letters and plain ones yes please let me know as soon as you hear from that man and I told the nurse you were going to see him.

I received a letter from Lottie and Kodak pictures. That surely is not a good picture of Betty is it? Lottie also sent me 2 pairs of stockings and will you please send her a card and let her know what I have wrote that I have received also $2.00 enclosed and thank her. Marie would you please send Martin about $5.00 as soon as possible? And please send $5.00 to the Central Storage & Van Co., 814-16 South 14th Street. Ask them to send you a receipt and the balance which I owe. Thank you. Mother.

P.S. I am sending the clipping because I read that Miss King refused offers in order to take care of mother who was not very well.

It is your turn to write.

August 29, 1954.

Dear Marie -

It is your turn to write. I hope you received my letter and hope you write soon. I am so glad to hear as Lottie wrote that you were to Tacoma and visited with her and also Betty. For it is one of my wishes that you and your sisters and brother visit and be together from time to time.

It is my brother Garfield's birthday the 7th of September and please send him a card. Did you receive papers from me?

Mother.

Ak-Sar-Ben = Nebraska, spelled backwards

Lincoln, Nebr.

Nov. 1, 1953

Dear Marie -

I hope that you received the letter I sent by air mail a few days ago. I thought that I would write a few lines to let you know why I am sending a few pages of the Omaha paper. On the inside of the paper is an article about the new queen of the Ak-sar-ben.

You may remember me speaking about the place where the Millards lived and where I was employed. The men in the picture were boys when I was working for their mother. Mr. W.B. Millard is the queen's stepfather.

When the affair was held at the Ak-sar-ben pictures were taken for T.V. The lady I work for said she saw the show over the T.V. which they have here.

The first time the social worker was here she said that she had heard from you. That you wrote that it was all right for me to have a job.

When the social worker was here I asked her about the hospital paper as I would like to have one. Perhaps my name was in it since I have left there.

The social worker was here to see me last Thursday also.

I thought that you would surely write and let me know how you liked the handkerchief I sent you. The little safety pin in the corner is there so that you can pin it in your pocket on the left side of a dress.

I hope you will try and let Betty know that I have not yet received the return card from her.

Please, if you call Betty by telephone ask her if she has heard from Martin. And ok as soon as possible please find out what Martin's address is. This is my address -

Mrs. Ruth Jensen

1149 South 17th Street,

Lincoln, Nebraska

P.S. You may send the paper to Betty and then she san give it to Lottie to read. Perhaps they will be together at Thanksgiving time so sent it before then if you remember.

Thank you.

Mother.

If you want to go to college...

2507 Pierce St.

Omaha, Neb.

Sept. 20, 1936

Dear Marie,

I'm duly honoring you by sending the first letter I wrote on my new stationary to you. It sure is swell - a much better grade than my old stuff.

I just finished a letter to Jane Louise Dunkin, so it's pretty late now, but I just couldn't resist the temptation to try out this paper.

Miss Jelen says you were in the upper quarter of your class and out to apply for a scholarship. She said she didn't think you had to have taken the College Prep Course. I saw in the Tech News where Marion Wilke, Dick Percy and a bunch of others got scholarships. You were nearly as smart as Marion and you know it, so if you want to go to college, why in the Sam Hill don't you do something about it?

That was awfully nice of you to send me a piece of that cake you made, and I do appreciate it. I made some swell divinity tonight and I'll be so generous as to send you three pieces. Your cake tasted grand and I hope you think the candy tastes as well.

On second thought, I decided to send you eleven pieces instead, and even put some candied fruits in as well as some English walnuts and vanilla. That's more than we had in ours!

Mamma says for you to ask Garfield to please reconsider his verdict regarding the people upstairs. They are the noisiest bunch of hoodlums in seven counties, and take that from me! Mom took Garf's advice about taking a walk when then got too noisy and she even went up and sat in the bakckyard to get away from the din. The grasshoppers apparently, don't make as much noise. I wish, as does all concerned, that they would shove off.

Please consult Garf on the preceeding paragraph and answer accordingly.

I have, up to this time borrowed $3.90 from Betty to pay the dentist, etc. She is getting quite restless about the matter and I was wondering if you would loan me a little to pay her in part. If you do, I'll make it up to you doubly, sometime, in some way.

The dentist filled 11 cavities in my teeth and I had one so that makes 12. Talk about going to school, that guy went for 20 years and just graduated from Creighton last June. I paid him $7.50 altogether and I'm going back next Saturday for the last time to get the fillings polished off.

Have you heard from Elin since you sent her that little gift?

G'Bye

Lot -

I Really Should Write My Thank You Notes...

716 East 128 St

Tacoma 44, Wash

Dec. 28, 1957

Dear Durand cousin's

Thank you, for the jump rope, it work's real good. I got a whole lot of things I got a big doll and she's 30 inches long. I hope you had a merry Christmas.

your cousin

Jacqueline

716 E. 128 St.

Tacoma (44) Wash

Dec. 28, 1957

Dear Durand cousins

Thank you for the aluminum set. I have done two of the pictures. Here is a list of thing I got for Christmas

I got a hammer a ukelele the Alumincom set from you a belt a shirt a fun ball and a comb a bike basket a magnet and a Tresure Island book

Love

Mark

Dec. 28, 1957

Dear Aunt Marie & all,

I had a real nice Christmas, and I hope you had a nice one too.

Thanks for the pens, they're real neat. I got a bucket bag, a scatter pin, a pair of brown knee socks, a mystery book, a game, It's called "clue", a petticoat, a set of 3 ???, bubble bath, jakcs, a cutex set of nail polish, cuticle remover, polish remover, hand cream, & lipstick, and files.

Love,

Jill

Dec 28, 1957

716 East 128

Tacoma 44, Wn/

Dear Durands,

Thankyou for the three reversable belts. It was just what I wanted, and needed! All of the colors go with all my skirts and dresses.

Roxy and I got a typewriter for Christmas but I didn't get to write with it because I don't know how to use it very well.

Love,

Melody

December 31, 1957

Dear Durand Cousins,

Thank-you all so very much for the set of convertable belts! I have something to ear with each one of them. They're just what I needed.

I hope you had as nice a Christmas as I had. Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Roxy

(unknown) Graduation!

Not sure from what or to whom...but I'm guessing this card went to someone in Arizona...

Lottie Went to College

I love the variety of courses...

 Spring 1967: Modern Drama

Summer 1969: Principles of Counseling Students

Educational Measures & Evaluations

Summer 1969/70: Supervising School Publications

Realism

Comedy

Satire

Summer 1969: Human Values

Winter 1970: Teaching Workshop

Summer 1970: Photography

Spring 1971: Design Stitching

Summer 1971/72: Latin American Fiction

Modern American Humanities

Summer 1972/73: Social Dialogue

Stra Mot Urb (??)

Hemingway/Faulkner

Spring 1973: Current Trends in English

Her GPA: 3.65

my friend, Charlotte Jensen

Sometimes you come across an item that takes your breath away.

Lottie...Charlotte...here's the story...

Blair, Nebr.

January 28 (early 1930s)

Dear Marie,

It is now exactly 9:12 P.M. and I have just returned from Fremont where I debated in the Midland debates. My colleague was Clark O'Hanlon.

There were five of us that started out at noon today. Clark O'Hanlon, Paul Pederson, Bob Hunt, Mr. Allison, the coach, and myself. Going there I sat in the back seat between Bob and Paul. I really had a grand time because everyone was so nice to me. In fact, I didn't take off or put on my own coat once, didn't open one door for myself and only once did I turn on the faucet myself when I got a drink. Honestly those guys are so polite!

Clark and I debated three times today. I suppose we lost all of them, but of course we won't know until tomorrow. (Two times on the Affirmative and once on the Negative.) We met teams from Geneva, Wayne and North high. There are teams from Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Kansas represented at the tournament.

Garf just came in and brought the Blair Tribune which bore the accompanying article on the front page in this position. I was very shocked indeed. Marjorie Wheatley didn't go because she went to Omaha yesterday morning and didn't come back. Some kids say she got married. If she did it was probably to Kenneth Hatfield because she told me she was going steady with him. He went to Mason and Tech if you recall. If she doesn't debate anymore, it looks as if I am going to be the only girl in the whole debate forum. In Fremont we ate at the swellest joint! Modernistic and service plus! Everyone paid for his own order and then when the tournament is over, the school refunds 35 cents for each meal. Tomorrow night is the banquet, and the school already has bought the tickets. Sure is too bad about Dick Makee, he got an appendicitus attack and the last report stated that he was getting worse. He reminds me a lot of John McAndrews and he sure has a way with the girls.

Clark O'Hanlon is 6 ft tall and weighs about 175 or 200 pounds. He is a nice boy; very polite and lots of fun. Bob Hunt, along with Clark is pretty rich. He's nice too. Paul Pederson is good looking. I met him only last Tuesday and he asked to take me to a party held at church. I went with him Tuesday night and had a grand time.

The boys don't like the name "Lottie" so they thought up a new name for me. Clark's favorite name is Jeanette and Bob's is Ruth. Anyways they ended up by calling me Carlotta from the on. When Paul introduced me to his parents, he said, "- my friend, Charlotte Jensen. - "

I saw Roseanne and Bob Mills at Midland but I don't believe they saw me. That was my only disappointment because their seeing me there would have been the acme of my glory.

Anyway, I had a perfect time and came home safe and sound. Clark wanted to sit in the back seat coming home so I really kept warm sitting between he and Bob who took up 9/10 of the room.

Thanks for the heart-sister stuff!

Love,

L.

War Bonds

The Geneology Project

1997

Dearest Lottie -

I'm happy we've had several good "get-to-gethers." Seeing all the family has been great - you know you are so loved by every one.

Ruthie, Sock & Mark have been recruited as "point persons" for the geneology project. I'm going to enter all the data I have and then send each of them a packet to help fill in the gaps. I'm sure Mark will be talking with you.

I hope to see you before going to Ashland about April 16, but if that can't be worked out, we can get an extension on your tax and file before the end of April.

Katie is in Portland this week while Kayla has another week of tests and observations.

Lots of love

Bets & Ken

Notes from Ruth

Marie thank you for wanting to see my side and help me.

Now I want some help in helping me with sewing. I have some dresses which I have bough and some that have been given to me.

I will ask to talk to Mrs. Leopold again and then write more about my wages.

When your father went with me out to the hospital the 1st part of Aug. I wanted him to approve of what I said and send his support. We were still talking when Dora came in and then the conversation soon stopped. When I was leaving Mrs. Leopold said we all marvel how well you have done. And I said I can do better if you will let me.

A short time late Mrs. L. came to call and again I talked about how I wish to be released. She said I think may-be I can help you. And I said it should be soon.

I gave her your address and she said she was going to write to you.

(from Ruth)

Friday Photo: Three Sisters

Lottie Jensen Johnson
Betty Jensen Pritchett Light
Marie Jensen Durand

January 1950
Phoenix, Arizona

Week 'o Notes: Multonomah Falls

Friday Photo: Golden Spike Days

Golden Spike Days

April 1939

Omaha, Nebr.

Bob Johnson - Right Front

Friday Photo: Lars

Lars Jensen

Omaha, Nebraska

1952

A Book Report (I think)

click to enlarge

A Birthday-Time Greeting

She is well taken care of where she is

Blair Nebr

Oct 4th 1952

Dear Marie & all

I am writing a line in regards to your Mother. I know that she would like to be released from the hospital. That would certainly be wonderful. However with my wife in a State hospital and the fact that I cared for David for some time, I feel that one of her children should be responsible for her, in case she can leave. I really believe that she is well taken care of where she is and she should be satisfied. It sounds cruel I know but one must take a broad view of the matter.

As you may know, David left a small estate to be divided between Joe, Your Mother and myself. We each received one thousand one hundred twenty nine dollars and ninety cents ($1,129.90). A guardian was appointed by the court for your Mother. In case that you want to write to him at some time, his address is -

Frank Wolf

c/o Wesley M Johnson

Douglas County Welfare Dept

Court House

Omaha Nebr.

I have been summoned to serve on the Federal Petit Jury starting Oct. 6th. How long the court will be in season I dont know.

How are you doing? Good I hope. I was up to see Margaret a month ago. She is about the same.

I haven't made any long trip as yet. I would like to go West some time, when I don't know.

Greetings to all

& Good Luck

Your Uncle

Garfield