History in Our Home

Now that I am officially caught up on our blog, I realize that I never posted about this handwritten letter from 1931 we found in the ceiling of our Camas home, during our remodel.  Josh had been tearing down ceiling boards in our living room, when he came across this letter, still inside the envelope.  It must have fallen through the upstairs floorboards years ago and has been fairly well preserved.

I did some research on Ancestry.com and we believe is was written by Flossie Mae Gillock (wife of Curtis Eugene Earhart) to her 15 year old son Arthur, who was apparently staying with his Aunt Inez Earhart in Camas, Washington.  It is a little hard to read, so I have transcribed it here.  Below that you will find footnotes, from my research, as to the individuals mentioned in the letter:

July 30 – 1931

My Dear:  Well how are you by this time son?  Did you hear if the little girl died from the exposure Sunday?

We did not get home until 12:30 Sunday nite and talk about tired.  (Ok goodness)  Uncle Mahlon (1) and Matt taken turns riding in the seat with Dadie and I and I had to fold up considerable and try to hold little sister (2) with their assistance and I certainly was glad to get home and unfold.

I suppose you have already heard the bad news about Buddie and Aunt Birdie.  We did not until yesterday I got a special delivery letter from Aunt Lillie (3), then I called Uncle Fred (4) this morning and he said Buddie could see a little this morning and she was feeling better.  I guess they are both in the same room at the Portland Sanitarium if I understand everything right.  We would like to go see them awfuly well but I don’t see any chance with next Sunday a week away.

Dadie (5) and Alvin (6) came very nearly upsetting with a load of logs yesterday, Dadie jumped and Alvin did not come to until she was all over, so he did not need to jump.  Dadie told him to jump and he just sit there, so we told him he was unconscious Ha Ha. 

Fred (7) saw the Twillinger Boy this morning, he ask him for a job for his self but did not say a word about you and Alvin so I’ll write him.  He told Fred he’d give him a job so I guess you and Alvin are safe for a job. 

Well old honey bunch I hope you are not so sassy to Aunt Inez (8).  Arthur please if you can’t get along with not sassing, please come home because you will get every body to disliking you and Arthur your to big a boy to be sassy.  Please either be good or come home and then I know you’ll be good Ha Ha.

Please write I am looking forward to your letter Saturday.

         With lots of love and kisses from all.

                                             Mother (9)

11.     “Uncle Mahlon” – Mahlon S Gillock (1900-1967), younger brother of Flossie Mae Gillock, son to Alonzo Gillock (1857-1918) and Sarah Orilla Porter (1874-1936)

22.     “little sister” – Doris Mae Earhart (1928-2012), younger sister of Arthur and daughter of Curtis Eugene Earhart and Flossie Mae Gillock

33.     “Aunt Lillie” – Lillie Gertrude Porter (1883-1965), Flossie’s Aunt – Flossie’s Mother, Sarah Orilla Porter’s younger sister, daughter of Truman A Porter (1849-1922) and Condessa Louisa “Dessa” Richardson (1853-1939)

44.     “Uncle Fred” – Fred O Earhart (1887-1944), brother of Curtis Earhart

55.     “Dadie” – Curtis Eugene Earhart (20 July 1889 Appleton City, Missouri-6 Sep 1978 Tillamook, OR)

66.     Alvin Eugene Earhart (1 Nov 1913-21 Feb 1977), older brother of Arthur and son of Curtis Eugene Earhart and Flossie Mae Gillock

77.     “Fred” – Fredrich Curtis Earhart (1917-1982), younger brother of Arthur and son of Curtis Eugene Earhart and Flossie Mae Gillock

88.     “Aunt Inez” – Inez Elizabeth Earhart (1895- ), sister of Curtis Eugene Earhart and daughter of Alexander P. Earhart (According to the 1930 Census-Camas: Inez was single, age 35, working as a “Sales Lady” at the Grocery Store.)

99.     “Mother” – Flossie Mae Gillock, wife of Curtis Eugene Earhart and daughter to Alonzo Gillock (1857-1918) and Sarah Orilla Porter (1874-1936) – letter mailed from McMinnville, Oregon.

In my research, I found it is possible that we might be related to Flossie Mae Gillock, through Joshua's Mother's side.  His Mom's Mother was a Sweet and Flossie's Great Grandmother on her Mother's side was also a Sweet.  I have not found an exact relative yet that connects Josh's line to hers, but I can trace both lines of Sweets back to the same place: Rhode Island.  There is also a possible connection to  the Porter line in our ancestry, as Flossie's mother was a Porter.  So it's kind of neat to think that we are now living in a home that may be connected to our ancestors.

  

--I have looked into it briefly, but I have not found if these Earharts bear any relation to the famous Amelia Earhart.   

 This is the only picture I could find of Inez Earhart.

 This is Alexander Earhart, who is the father of Inez and father-in-law to Flossie, who wrote the letter.  In 1930, just over a year before the letter was written, Alexander was listed as owning the home and it was valued at $1,200.  Although Alexander was not mentioned specifically in the letter, he likely still lived in our home at that time.  As research shows he lived until February of 1940.

Here's what the 1930 US Census – Camas states:

Alexander P Earhart:               Head of House, Owned Home valued at $1200, age 74, Widowed, Born in Missouri, Unemployed

Inez E. Earhart:                        Daughter, age 35, Single, Born in Missouri, Saleslady at Grocery Store

Charles Francis:                      Lodger, age 35, Single, Born in Texas, Papermaker at Papermill

*Inez Earhart later married Charles Francis on 10 Jan 1932.

Our neighbor, Leslie shared with me "A History of the Vera Whitney Berney House" written by Bruce R Berney and Charles V Berney.  The section titled "Neighbors" talks about Inez and Charles living in our home back in 1940.  And after Inez and Charles moved out, they sold the home to the Lein family.  I've sent out some messages to relatives on Ancestry and I'm hoping that one day I may hear back or someone may have photos of what our home originally looked like. 

Along with the letter, we also found this pencil sketch of a girl in a flapper-style dress writing on a paper with a feather pen.  Although it is not in as good a condition as the letter, it's still a cool find.

That's all I have for now.  If I find anything further in my search of the history of our home or I ever come across any historical photos of our home, I will update them here.