Note of editor Don Smith:

This web page is a three-page letter written by Elsie Elnora (Green) Self, wife of David Edgar Self, to her cousin Francis Edgar “Frank” Green in October 20, 1949. Elsie’s cousin Frank was the son of her uncle, Willard Davis “Will” Green. The letter was sent to me by Marilyn Kowalski, wife of Jerry Kowalsk. Jerry is the nephew of Francis Edgar “Frank” Green and grandson of Willard Davis “Will” Green. It has loads of information about those times.  It may be difficult to read the three page letter, so I have  endeavored to retype it below, hoping that I have correctly typed it in its entirety. Below this section you’ll be able to view the actual letter. Here and there, I felt the necessity of inserting a word or two to clarify the meaning. These insertions are in italics. Misspelled words which I have corrected are also in italics. Two places are in italics and blue font; at those spots I was purely guessing. I have done my best. If any of my relatives spots an error, please let me know. Don Smith.

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Dear Cousin Frank and family:

Read your nice letter and was really glad to hear from you. Aunt Ellis sent your address to me. Just to think we could have had letters from you all if I had just written them down. Did you know Uncle George’s children were all my Dad’s nieces and nephews? We once knew them when we were very small. Arthur Green, Uncle George’s boy, came to see me 3 years ago. He lived  in Houston. He died a short while ago. Alta lives in Topeka. She is married and has one son. Hazel lives in California. My Dad lives in Leesville, about 24 miles from me. I am like you and live in the country. We don’t farm but do have a garden every year. My oldest brother Hiram lives in Malvern, Arkansas. He lives alone on a small place. He married his wife but she died eight months after the marriage. Bert and Ralph live in Ogden, Utah. Ralph doesn’t have any children. Bert has 3 girls – all married – and each have 2 children each. Bert is a contractor on the road. Ralph works in an office for the railroad. They come to see Dad every year or so. Bert was here this summer. My sister Merle lives twelve miles from Leesville the other direction. She lives on a farm. She has six children. Two boys are grown, the others are in school. She looks a lot like Grandma Green who was short. Her husband is a barber. I have six children living. I guess my oldest are about your age. Edna is 36. She doesn’t have any children. Jack has a girl and a boy. The boy is five and the girl is 2 months. He is the manager of a wholesale feed & flour store in Donna, Tex. I have a daughter in California. She has 2 girls and 1 boy. They all are in school. Then, Floyd is in the Navy Air Corp. He has been since 1942. He is 28 and has a wife and 2 children. His wife was raised in Missouri. By the way she was a Wave and was in the service for 2 years. Then Gerald, Pete for short,

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is nineteen, finished school in 1947, and is working for an oil company, rough necking in the Rio Grande Valley. Eva, our youngest girl, lives here by us. She has 4 children, 3 girls - 2 in school - and a nine month old boy. Edna, Jack and Pete are all living in the Rio Grande Valley, all in different towns, but close by each other. We lived down there for years and it’s still home to us. We probably will spend this winter there. My husband isn’t too well. He is a contractor and carpenter. He is building a house now and has another to build, then I guess we’ll go south for the winter. We own fifty acres here and a small house. This is poor country here to work, but for sawmills, and they are all closed down now. We live 2 ½ miles from Hornbeck, seven miles to Florien. They are small towns. I was sorry to hear of Uncle Will’s death. The way I figure, he was 85. Your mother is a good bit younger, isn’t she? Do you know, I think I do remember when they were married. My age is 56 and don’t ask how much I weigh. I really don’t know, but it is plenty. I am tall and look like Dad. He is living with his third wife. She is 64. They get along fine. He gets his railroad pension, owns his home and is enjoying life. How I would have liked to have known you all. I never did think it was fair that we children never knew any of our mother and father’s people. I do remember grandma and I was about sixteen the last time we saw her. Are any of your mother’s people living in Missouri? How old are your children and what are their names. Also, your wife, is she from Wisconsin? How long have you been there in Missouri? We visited your Dad and Grandma and Uncle J. When they lived there, I was small. What do you raise on your farm? I guess that is good farming land. The winters aren’t so cold as there in Wisconsin. My husband and I are alone and we do get lonesome. It didn’t seem so bad until the last one left. They come home whenever they can. Then it is bad when (continue to Page 3...)

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the time comes for them to go. Two of my sons were in the service, one in the Army Air Corps, another in the Navy. They are all good boys. They don’t drink and are well liked. Well, Frank, guess you think this is a poor excuse for a letter. Wish you would find time sometime to write to Hiram. His address is H. G. Green, Malvern, Arkansas. Nights are so lonesome I try write him whenever I can. Well, we are alike in that you don’t get to see my people very often. It is raining here an awful lot now. I look for a cold spell any time now. Do you have any sawmills there? The boys are hunting…(3 illegible words)…will hope you can read some of this. I can’t read it myself. My children really do laugh about my writing. Give my best regards to your mother and all the rest. We went to see my Dad last Sunday and took Aunt Ellie’s letter so next time we’ll take yours. God Bless and keep you all.

Your Cousin Elsie

P.S. I am sending a picture of Dad and Gene. The other man is Bert’s son-in-law, James Wilson. This was taken in Ogden 2 years ago. Where the cross is located is in Bert’s back yard. I never have been out there. The picture of Pete looks just like him. His eyes are dark gray. He is a good kid. Be good all.

Click next to view a three-page letter written by Elsie Elnora Green, wife of David Edgar Self, to her cousin Francis Edgar “Frank” Green in October 20, 1949. It has loads of information about those times.