This is fun... Aunt Em and Uncle Harry are Oliver Lee's brother and sister-in-law. Rob is their only child. Clearly he is working at Banker's Trust. I assume perhaps he is not Herb's favorite cousin, as Charles certainly must hold that estimable position. Hmmmmm. Charles and Robert are also first cousins.... but Charles is 12 years older than Robert. I think we can assume Robert did not serve in the military... Uncle Harry - Horace - is a butcher according to the 1905 NY Census. Charlie's father was also a butcher... I believe they worked together and perhaps that is how Charlie's father John met Oliver's sister, Ida.
I am having a bit of difficulty deciphering the handwriting in additional censuses, but I think by 1920 both Uncle Harry and Robert are working in a Can Company. By 1925 it seems Uncle Harry has passed and Robert is living at home and working as a Machine Switcher. By 1930 Robert is married and working as an engineer at New York Telephone; his mother Emma is still living with him. By 1940 Robert has two children, a son and a daughter, and he is working as an Engineer in the communications industry; presumably still at New York Telephone.
Interestingly, though, the 1930 census says that Robert did serve in the military. Hmmm. Better see if I can find a trail.
I love the idea that another story was told about Robert and he was 'practically the adopted son of a millionaire.' Too wonderful.
Is this 'Saving Private Ryan' stuff? Three brothers are already serving so the government won't require another son? What might "it" be? Draft? Death? Injury? I wish I knew.
Who are the Westwoods? I suppose I should be firing up Ancestry.com and doing some research in Troy, New York. Lord knows there is probably enough information to do some research on the White Family.
Oh, look at that, Herb mentions the discussion we just had about context.
May 11 (1918)
Dearest Mother,
What happens to my letters is certainly enough – but try not to worry when you don’t hear from me. No news is good news, you know and never more so that now.
Your letter of April 21st came to-day. Of course, I didn’t know about Harry when I wrote him at Effingham but I’ve had your letters explaining the situation. Much as I hate to say it I’ve an idea that you’re taking Chas. all wrong. I’m going to tell you quite frankly what I think of the situation because I think I can see both sides of it. You put him in a very awkward position when you ask him to do something which he honestly believes is a very unwise thing to do. Please don’t think that I’m lacking in a family spirit when I say that I think he is quite right in believing that Harry is better off out of New York. I’ve told you, myself, that I don’t think it would be a good thing and that is still my opinion. I’ve told Harry so as well. It’s all right to talk about starting in the bottom in New York, but I’m not ashamed to say that I wouldn’t tackle it. I think you make a mistake in quoting Rob as any shining example, of course, I don’t know what may have developed in the past five months, but the last time I was in Banker’s Trust I saw for myself + Chas told me as well that he didn’t expect anything of Rob. The only reason he was in the Bond Department at all was because he happened to be at the head of the page list at the time when the enlargement of the Bond Department made necessary a boy to post clippings – which is exactly what Rob is doing. If Aunt Em or Uncle Harry have been telling you any glowing tales, I’d sprinkle a bit of salt on them. It wasn’t so long ago, you know, that Rob was practically the adopted son of a millionaire.
So, under the circumstances, Chas’ position wasn’t very pleasant. He had either to do something he considered inadvisable or else to seem very ungrateful. But that’s enough destructive criticism. It’s Harry’s game, of course, but if I were he, I’d try for some manufacturing line. At any rate I’d keep away from the “Street’ and especially the bond business. I don’t think he has an analytical brain. My faith, I wish I were where I could talk instead of writing. I don’t mean that an analytic brain is better than the other kind but I do mean that if you haven’t got it, there’s no use trying to compete with those who have at their own game. With the passion that he’s consistently had for photography and such things it isn’t at all likely that he’d ever make a good statistician or inside worker, and I think he’d be flying in the face of Providence to try it. It’s like trying to make a lawyer out of a born engineer or chemist – it just can’t be done.
I do hope I haven’t hurt either your feelings or Harry’s – I’ve tried not to, at any rate I hope you’ll take what I’ve said with the spirit that I’ve written it. I feel sure you will. At any rate, I felt I had to say something, and, over here I can do nothing but offer the best advice I’m capable of.
I hope that you could get down to visit Mrs. White. She did catch it rather hard and I can well believe that she’s rather broken up about “it”. I hardly believe they’ll take Howard since Lester, Edwin and Raymond have already gone.
I think by now I’ve gotten practically all your letters that have come due, though some of them have taken a good long time in arriving.
What are the Westwoods going to do now. [sic]
It was nice of Mr. Blake to come up to tell you about me. I haven’t seen Herb since and I don’t know where he is now.
Besides your letter in to-day’s mail I had one from Karolyn and also one from Ren Fleming as Secretary of Mt. Zion lodge – a very nice letter.
The weather is rather better lately. Not too warm but warm enough to go without a coat most of the time. We got an indoor baseball and bat from the Y.M.C.A. and manage to have at least one game a day. With the daylight saving plan it’s bright enough to play until going on nice o’clock.
I dare say you know more about the military situation than I – English papers are never very lavish of details. It looks favorable to me, so long as the U.S.A. continues to rush man + food and supplies. That’s what counts. The sooner we can put an immense army in the field the sooner it will be over, with the Allies victorious. I rather think we won’t be found lacking.
Best love,
Herb
May 12
Dear Mother,
Today is Mother’s day, but it seems to have had a bad effect on the weather. I’d like to go to church but there isn’t any except the French Catholic one in the village. I shall be thinking of you, though I can’t go to church with you.
Your affectionate son,
Herb.
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