Everyday Love Letter

While searching through the binders Grandma Margaret O'Neil Johnson assembled, I found photos, applications for Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, and letters collected by Margaret's mother, my Great-Grandma Auretta Empey O'Neil. She was definitely the genealogist of the family. What can now be sent in an email or a message on Ancestry.com or familysearch.org used to require full hand-written letters to ascertain basic facts. Among those letters, I found one sent to Auretta from her fiancé-at-the-time, John Edgar O'Neil, whom everyone called "Ed." 

During his second marriage, Ed worked as Motorman and Conductor for Grand River Valley Railway Locomotive Engineer, and then with Union Pacific Railroad as Steam Engineer and Fireman. He and Verla lived in Grand Junction, Colorado; Vallejo, California; and Provo, Utah. He left Verla around 1934. She filed for divorce in 1936, and it was finalized on April 7th of 1937. 

Uncle Laurence, Auretta, Margaret, Ed,

and Bob in the mid-1950s

Eleven days later, he and Auretta married in Las Vegas. They had Margaret one year later, and Bob arrived five years after her. Ed and Auretta were married for thirty years before he passed away in 1967.

In January 1937 while they were engaged to be married, Ed wrote Auretta from Helper, Utah.

                                                        

                                                           Helper Utah.

                                                           Jan. 10, 1937

Dearest Auretta.-

Your fine letter received last night and was surly glad to get it. Was so tired last night that I just went to bed instead of writing.

We worked 16 hours and that is about 8 more than I like to work. However it is good money as the time over 8 hours pays time and a half. This is Sunday but had to work. Made 9 hour (?) 55 minutes. Am on what they call the National mine run and expect to hold it four or five days yet.

We usally get out about 5 a.m. It is too bad "dear," that your side bothers you. Hope soon that you get over that.

It does not look as if I could get off very soon as business is holding up fine. I may have more time off than I want after Feb. Would surly like to have a few days off now as I am getting tired of working long hours and what worries me more than that I want to see you.

Yes dear, the car is snowed in again. Maybe I can have it out by the 4th of July. May try to dig it out the first day I have off.

It has been so cold here that I have to wear two suits of underwear and two pair of socks to keep warm. Was a little warmer today.

I will be glad to meet your friends from Helper that you wrote about.

Am sorry that Mother has not been feeling so good and also Dale. He is young and in a few days he will be going strong and will not know he ever was sick.

Am enclosing a letter to Mother so you can deliver it to her.

Hope she feels better now. She has too much to do but don't suppose she would be content unless she has things to do for all her boys. Wonder if she wants one more?

Dear I am anxious to see you and find out what all you have to tell me. I am wondering what I have done now that you want an understanding. Hope that it is nothing serious.

Well Sweetheart I am going to have to get to bed. I don't seem to have any news to write about. Will try to write more next time when I am not so sleepy.

                                                                    Love + kisses to my Little Auretta

                                                                    As ever your Ed.

Auretta in 1962 [colorized]

Mom was pretty young when her grandpa died, so she doesn't remember them together as a couple, just seeing pictures. Aunt Brenda is Mom's senior, so I asked her how they were together. Brenda remembered Grandpa O'Neil's repeated line to his wife.

"I love you with all my heart and all your farts!"