Category Archives: Uncategorized

November 5, 1938 (from Elvira White)

Uvalde, Tex.
Nov 5 – 1938.

Mr. & Mrs. Dove,

I am just coming to my self after the shock of my sister Mada. Don’t seem like it is true. We are so sad. When you called over the phone Sunday morning and said she was sick, I knew she must have been low sick then, so I began to worry and cry. Sent my mother a telegram in New Mexico. Could not find her so the next day which was Monday, I sent a special to one of my friends asking for her to find Mother for me and tell her Mada was low sick. So just as I mailed the letter and come back home, the telegram boy came. I opened it and just saw the word died, and it like to killed me, just made me sick.

November 5, 1938 (from Elvira White)

November 5, 1938 (from Elvira White)

I prayed so hard for her to get well, but the Lord’s will was done. She was my sweet sister. I loved her so much, and my children was just crazy about her. Just don’t know what we are going to do without her. We are full of sorrow. Had letters from friends in San Antonio and said they were crying about Mada. Oh, she was so sweet we’ll never forget her. She will always cling in my heart as long as I live. When my mother did get the news, it made her sick, and she is not feeling so well now.

Mr. and Mrs. Dove, I want to let you know that we highly appreciate your kind deeds, and all the good you did for Mada, when she was sick. God will bless you some day, after we read your letter we understand that you done your best to save her. We feel like it is true. Oh, she could have been saved if she would let some one know her trouble. Poor child, maybe she didn’t know she was in that fix. I am sure.

I am sure you all were out of lots of money, if I was just able to pay some of that. She did not have any insurance in Uvalde. She did have at one time, but she got out of it. When she was in S.A. she joined the Tennessee insurance. It is found in the Travis Building in S.A. but if she didn’t keep it up, well she will not get any thing at all. Did you look in her room? Well, the Tennessee man will be in Uvalde next week and I will ask all about it. If there is any money in it, you will get it. We will be glad to do that. I will see what I can do about it and let you know at once. Mada looked so sweet, you had her fixed up so nice, and that made us feel so good. You and Dr. Dove have been highly praised by all, white and black, for the shipment of Mada’s body, and has been highly appreciated by the entire family. Her father took the bill over when the body arrived. Don’t know for sure just what it cost. Let me know what you all’s bill was in your next letter.

I will look for Mada’s clothes when you have time to get them together, and send to me. Did she have a trunk? She said she was paying on a coat, did she ever get it out? Mrs. Dove when you send the trunk charge on this end and I will pay it out. I feel like you all have done more than your part. I will always remember you and Dr. Dove, also pray that you will have good luck all your days. When you are in Uvalde let me know, I’ll come to see you.

Wish I could take Mada’s place with you all. Talk about me to your little boys so they will know me. Maybe that I can help you in some way. I always enjoy talking with your mother.

Answer soon,

Elvira White
267 N. Grove St.
Uvalde, Tex.

October 25, 1938

Sadly but unsurprisingly, Madie’s TB took a turn for the worse, and she died shortly after diagnosis. Walter and Ina covered her funeral expenses and arranged to have her body shipped home to Uvalde, TX. The document collage below tells the story.

October 25, 1938

October 25, 1938

October 24, 1938 (Elvira White)

Ina and the boys, and their longtime maid/nanny Madie Johnson, made it to Minneapolis just fine in June. The family settled into their new apartment on Fremont Ave. and the boys presumably attended the nearby elementary school. In October, however, Madie became ill with tuberculosis. Walter and Ina notified her family, as in those days the prognosis for this condition was grim.

Uvalde Tex.
Oct. 24 – 1938

Mrs. Dove,

Dear one, just a few lines to let you know that we got the news about our little sister Meda, and we are very sad, just don’t know what to do. But we know you are doing your best for her. That is the way we feel about it. O, we are praying for her to get well. Meda loves you and your little Boys. Please do your best for her that we may see her alive. May God bless you, and my sweet little sister. Please let us hear from you soon and just how she is getting along.

Meda’s sister
Elvira White
267 N. Grove St.
Uvalde Tex.

October 24, 1938 (Elvira White)

October 24, 1938 (Elvira White)

June 9, 1938

Western Union telegram.

1938 JUN 9 AM 8 22

MCALESTER OKLA 9 802A

DR W E DOVE
707 THORPE BLDG MPLS

EVERYTHING FINE MAY BE REACHED WESTERN UNION KANSAS CITY MISSOURI TODAY. LOVE

INA.

June 9, 1938

June 9, 1938

June 8, 1938

Western Union telegram.

1938 JUN 8 AM 6 41

UVALDE TEX 7

DR W E DOVE
707 THORPE BLDG MPLS

WILL LEAVE FOR MINNEAPOLIS WEDNESDAY MORNING BY WAY OF DALLAS MCALESTER MUSKOGEE KANSAS CITY DESMOINES AM TOLD THIS IS BETTER WAY THAN OMAHA PAPA CAN NOT GO WILL WIRE YOU EVERY DAY YOU NEED NOT MEET US WE ARE NOT AFRAID WILL TELEPHONE YOU ON ARRIVAL IN MINNEAPOLIS LOVE

INA.

June 8, 1938

June 8, 1938

June 5, 1938

707 Thorpe Bldg Sunday AM.

My dear Ina & Boys,

Enclosed herewith are two checks endorsed to you and I presume you will have no difficulty in getting them cashed at Uvalde. I am also sending a blank check on the Marquette National Bank which can be used if you need it. The two forms are to be completed and returned in the enclosed envelope. You should have about $100 in cash with you when you start out with the car and your group. If you wish to leave a balance at San Antonio National until you arrive here, I think it would be OK. Believe you would want to get everything from the safety deposit box and bring in the car with you. If I did not give you my key to the box, it is in my room and it will be mailed to them later.

June 5, 1938

June 5, 1938

The furniture left San Antonio Thursday night and may be here today or tomorrow. They were using a new truck and driving will not be fast.

I rented a place 1928 S. Fremont Ave. and you will want to give Mother Lewis the office phone number Bridgeport 7769. House phone can be given later when it is installed. When I say an apartment it will not sound good, but wait a minute. 3 bedrooms, & others 1st floor with two baths, an extra room in attic floor for Madie where there is another bath room. Basement with laundry & drying room. Price $75 covers janitor service and heating. Located 1 block from a real good grade school, & 3 blocks from two car lines. Is in walking distance from downtown when weather is nice. Garage is also brick with concrete drive. The yard is very small but there are parks close by where Madie could walk with LD & WW. The lake is 6 blocks from here. Mrs. Hastings saw most of the places with me and she thinks that you would choose this apt if you knew what we saw. We must keep in mind the deep snow next winter. I hope you will like it.

I had a letter from the Southland Mortgage Dallas & I am sending two payments. Will check with you when you get here.

I cannot be sure that I can get away from Mpls to meet you but will try to. Things are pretty hot in 24 big states and I am on the go here day & night & Sundays. If you could make Omaha Airport by Saturday 6 PM I could meet you there and drive to Mpls on Sunday. Wire me Saturday morn if you expect to be there. US 77 or 81 seem to be OK. Would like a wire every day after you start. Send collect.

With love,
Walter

May 29, 1938 (Walter White Dove)

222 W Mesquite
Uvalde, Texas
May 29, 1938

Dear Daddy

Have you selected a house for us to live in in Minneapolis? If you have, is it a good house?

May 29, 1938 (Walter White Dove)

May 29, 1938 (Walter White Dove)

I am not writing this in ink because all the pens here leak.

We hope we will see you soon, and don’t forget the tire chains,

Yours sincerely,
Walter White Dove

May 26, 1938

Paper with an illustration of Melanoplus bivittatus, the two-striped grasshopper, adult male.

707 Thorpe Bldg.
Minneapolis, Minn.
May 26, 1938

My dear Ina & Boys,

This sheet was not intended as a letter head but is a proof from Mr. Hills’s sketch on a duplicating machine. He is a young man with lots of courage in illustrating. He wants to illustrate the nymphs of different species of grasshoppers and the taxonomists are not sure of many of the species. I’d like to have Claudelle here but it looks like there isn’t much of a chance now. Mrs. H and Miss A. mention her quite often. Expect to get Mr. Hill to work with Prof. Severin at Brookings on some life cycle charts on grasshoppers and their parasites and predators.

May 26, 1938

May 26, 1938

Bids went out for the moving about a week ago & I presume you have had some callers to look at your furniture. As yet I have not arranged for a house. Mr. Butcher, my assistant has been looking for one of the same size as the one we will need and I thought he might be able to find two of them. He left last night for Amarillo then N. Mex. & Col., so I may try to find one next Sunday. Tell Reitha that Mr. & Mrs. Butcher have a daughter 15, Jr. in HS next year, who likes swimming, music & reads a great deal. Her name is Phyllis. They are to move here from Bozeman Mont. about June 15th.

I am holding a salary check also Mr. Chamberlains & I think we should start an account at a bank here. As yet I have not opened one but there is a bank in this building which would be convenient.

Will try to take a plane or a train part way & meet you. It is 1000 miles from Dallas here. Maybe I can meet you at Dallas or Kansas City. As soon as the bid is accepted I’ll wire you & you can turn the key over to the proper transfer Co.

With love,
Walter.

May 19, 1938

Thursday A.M.
May 19, 1938.

Dear Sweetheart:

It probably will surprise you to hear that the time for us to move is drawing near. Had you thought about it? We had planned on going soon after June 1. However, Claudelle telephoned from Little Rock Monday night to say that she had sprained her knee and would prefer waiting until May 27 to come to visit us. Previously she had planned to come tomorrow night. She will have 10 days leave. She ‘phoned to know if we would still be here. If it is just the same with you, and I know you will be glad for us to wait, we would like to remain in Texas until about June 5 or 6.

May 19, 1938

May 19, 1938

Mr. Leary of the San Antonio Storage Co. telephoned Monday to know if we had done anything about shipping our furniture. I think Mr. Townsend told him before he left that we would be moving. Walter White’s school closes May 27 and I have my history exam. Monday afternoon, May 30. I thought we would have a little visit at Uvalde with Claudelle some time after that. If you will notify me when you ask the storage companies to bid on the furniture I’ll be here to receive them. I realize that everything about your work is urgent but I would appreciate it if you would let me know if you still plan for us to move to Minneapolis. You never mention it. Claudelle did not ask if we could wait a few days on her account. It was my idea and I felt pretty sure you hadn’t planned for us to move that soon anyhow.

Lewis Dunbar was very much pleased with the sticker for his car.

Lots of love and best wishes from the 3 of us.

Ina.

P.S. Is Mr. Strong’s doctorate honorary?