Letters from Grandpa 12 December 1915

Box 162
Elko, Nevada

Miss Allene Kelley
Huntington Hall
South Pasadena
California

Allene Dear, of course I really and truly want a picture of you--and that's only half of it, --I've wanted one ever since I first saw you, altho' I tried not to show it then, so don't keep me waiting unnecessarily. I'll be watching every mail.

The advent of "your" burglar was exciting. He was a very rude fellow,~maybe he wasn't taught any of the common rules of etiquette.~ In fact, I don't think he was else he wouldn't have forced himself into ladies' apartments~and then to have helped himself to the ladies' valuables,~a terrible breach!! I'm sorry for Mrs. Coolidge and the others who were so unfortunate as to possess burglar enticing wealth. You must tell Mrs. C. that in case the Pasadena and Los Angeles police are unable to capture the culprit she should call on "K.C.B." of the San Francisco Examiner. He can do anything.

And talking of surprises,~would you be surprised if, after all the planning I've done, I didn't go to Los Angeles and into that business? Well I don't know for sure yet, but I've had four business propositions here put to me lately and one of them looks like a winner.

It's very apparent that some of my friends don't want me to leave Elko~~and some others do. Just think too I had all arrangements made for leaving today. I'll know whether I'm going to stay or not about the end of the week,~as soon as I can see a party who is leaving San Francisco, not "Frisco," today. He stops in Reno a day or two before coming here. And when I know you'll know.

I won't be able to see you before you go home for the holidays dear but I can think of you and that'll help some.

I hope you have the bestest time ever at your dance etc. the 16th and, if it wasn't asking too much, I'd request you to devote one number to me.

Yours,
Frank

Elko, Nevada
December 12th, 1915

Letters from Grandpa 6 December 1915

Return address on envelope:
F. H. Russell, C. E.
Surveyor and Draftsman
Wells, Nevada

Written on stationery from:
Commercial Hotel
W. M. Doyle, Prop.
Elko, Nevada

Say Little Girl, if I get lazy spells, as you call 'em, and forget to write, it won't be to you, 'cause, if necessary, I'll take a couple of days off to answer your letters. I "kind-a" like to have my compositions (first, or second grade) readable, but sometimes it's pretty hard to make 'em so. And if neglecting to write to you dear, might cause you to never speak to me again,~ and if that is the only thing that will cause it~well I'm resting very easy.

It looks as tho' I'll not be able to make Los Angeles in time for your dance, dear, and I'd give almost anything to be there. I think I can drive from here down in five or six days,~weather conditions being favorable,~so if we can start before the 10th or 12th I'll wire you. Of course it will be just bad luck if I miss you, that's all.

When you go home for the holidays how long will you stay? You'll be back the first week in January, won't you?

Well, that won't be such an awful long time tho' it may seem an eternity to me.

And if "Bon soir" means something nice, please say it in english (sic) dear~

Always sincerely

Frank
December 6th,~1915~

Letters from Grandpa 30 November 1915

Return address on envelope:
F. H. Russell, C. E.
Surveyor and Draftsman
Wells, Elko, Nevada

Written on stationery from:
Commercial Hotel
W. M. Doyle, Prop.
Elko, Nevada

Miss Allene S. Kelley
Huntington Hall
South Pasadena, California

Allene Dear:-

Every day since Thanksgiving I've tried to write to you and it seems as tho' I must have used up about all the stationery in town, but thanks for the fact there is still a fair sized stock of it still on hand here in the hotel. Do you know, dear, I'm the "funniest" fellow. There are times--days, weeks, even months--when I can't write to save my soul. I can't tell what causes it myself and it makes me so mad I just swear like sixty at myself. Well I guess I've just passed thru' one of those spells,--I'm in hopes it's passed away anyhow.

Your letter from Huntington Hall saying you were going to San Diego to be away five days wasn't received, dear, till Thanksgiving morning, and 'twas written on Monday so I didn't have time to reach you by letter there, even if I could have written. The postal was received yesterday. Day before yesterday I got a dandy letter from Mrs. Maze and of course I'll answer it as soon as I can. Gee, she's a dandy lady,~I "sure" like her.

Did you have your fill of Thanksgiving goodies? I certainly did and it took me about two days to "overcome my error"-(apologies to Mrs. M.)

You want to know if it really is so cold here. Well you bet it is,~there's snow and ice everywhere!! I'll be away from it tho' pretty soon. I'm going to leave Elko for good~and I hope it's for better, or rather, best.

Took my old Huiton [sp?-ed.] back a short time ago and as soon as I get my business straightened out here I'll drive it to Los Angeles. Expect to get started in a week or so.

Did you enjoy the San Diego fair? Beautiful buildings and grounds, but more like a park than a fair, I tho't.

I'm expecting a letter from you in the morning, dear, telling me you received the candy I expressed to H. Hall to so's to reach there and you Thanksgiving Day. Of course you didn't know it was coming so didn't stay "home" to receive it when it arrived.

Guess I'd better stop writing or I won't have anything to tell you when I answer that letter so, good night dear.

Sincerely yours
Frank


Elko-
November 30th ~1915~

Letters from Grandpa 4 December 1915

Commercial Hotel
W. M. Doyle, Prop.
Elko, Nevada

Miss Allene S. Kelley
Huntington Hall
South Pasadena, California

My dear Allene:--
Your letter didn't arrive the day I expected it. It was one day late. So negligent, or careless of you dear to disappoint me!!

The description of the riot has made me laugh--well, every time I think about it. That flight up those stairs, then the breathless bunch in suspense and then the relief which followed. You needn't ever mention "first year composition" to me again.

So you cry quits on the "eats,"--that is modified by "well not so often." Alright dear, you shall have your way--modified by for awhile.

As for the picture--I'm waiting for the one of you. You remember of me asking you,--don't you? As soon as I get where there us a photographer who I think is capable of doing justice to a subject such as I, I will comply with your request. In the meantime be patient dear--not like I, tho'.

I can't leave here for about ten days as one of the boys who is going with me-(he's an expert auto mechanic)-is sick and the doctor says he can't get out for at least a week. I'll start as soon as possible. I was up to Wells last week--Notice the position of prominence in which that paper makes note of it!! I am of course sending you a copy of that paper.--'Twill prove to you that Wells is not without a representative even tho' you did think it might be off the map. So I'm not someone from nowhere,--but no one from somewhere perhaps.

Love dear--to you.

Frank

Saturday-December 4th, 1915

Letters from Grandpa 19 November 1915

Commercial Hotel
W. M. Doyle, Prop.
Elko, Nevada

Miss Allene S. Kelley
Huntington Hall
South Pasadena, California

In all that long (?) letter I wrote you last night Dear--and with all the time I put in on it--I neglected to thank you for the picture taken at Mojave. You never fail to express your appreciation and thanks when I give you things, girlie, and really just an acknowledgement of the receipt would be sufficient, because I know you appreciate them. Of course I like to have you thank me and all that, but should you fail to do so I would consider it just a simple forgivable oversight,--and I expect the same forgiveness from you dear. That's not unreasonable, is it?

This morning I was agreeably welcomed at the post office by your letter.

Glad you enjoyed the candy and that Mrs. Coolidge likes the look of my back. You might tell her that I'm really very pleasant looking and am not at all ashamed of my face.--That is if you can tell it with a sincere look. Of course I wouldn't have her know we were joshing.

So you had your picture taken!! And am I to have one? I know that a thing worth having is worth asking for so I'm asking you, dear.

Will try and write to Mrs. Maze today. Received one letter from her but the one she addressed to Wells, for some reason or other, has failed to reach me. I have written the postmaster of that place regarding it and I may get it tomorrow. I'm hoping anyhow.

I would like to be in San Francisco when the folks arrive but then I'd not be satisfied even then. 'Twould be like a dinner without dessert;--seeing them without you.

In a few days you'll be in San Diego. I hope you have the dandiest time ever dear.

Sincerely yours
Frank
Friday, November 19th, 1915

Robert Boyer Sauls

Robert Boyer Sauls is my paternal grandfather. I never met him because he and my grandmother were divorced many years before I was born. I posted this to my Facebook account, to try to learn more from other family members. I have included some of their comments, but have removed their names.

Robert Boyer Sauls was born April 5, 1895 in Wynnewood, Indian Territory, which is now Oklahoma, the fourth child and third son of William David Sauls and Elizabeth Enice Aker Sauls. He was named Robert for his paternal grandfather Henry Robert Sauls, and Boyer for his maternal grandfather Johnson Boyer Aker. His siblings were Verta May, Quincy L., Roy Eugene, Neta L., and Helen Burdette. Robert was counted with his parents in the 1900 Census of the Chickasaw Nation in McClain County, where his father was working as a Methodist minister.

In 1910 Robert was in Wister, Oklahoma doing farm labor, and in 1920 when he was 25 years old, he was in Stanislaus County, California, workng as a hired man. Since the picture I have of him shows him in a military uniform, and he is buried in a national cemetery, I am sure he has military records, but so far I haven't seen them.

On 3 Nov 1920 Robert married Eunice Dale Broadwell, probably in Gila Bend, Arizona. She was 14 years old when they married, and a cousin shared that although her parents were against it, she agreed to meet him at the railway station and go to a nearby town to marry. Her father followed them, but by the time he arrived, the marriage had already taken place. A year later they had their first child, Robert Dale Sauls. My father Alva Fay was born in 1923, then Jack N. in 1929, and R. Glen in 1931. All the children were born in Stanislaus County, California. Robert and Eunice divorced after Glen was born, and she remarried in 1938.

Robert also remarried; his second wife was Esther A. Krenzler, and together they had 10 children, some of whom I have become acquainted with on Facebook. From them I have learned that he was not a tall man, that he had curly hair, and that he wore a fedora. Unfortunately, they don't know very much about him, either.

Robert died June 17, 1965 in Napa County, California according to the Social Security records. He is buried in Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California, in plot 14415F.

Some tidbits about Robert:

My grandmother told me once that Robert's mother was a twin, and that he was "brilliant." She also related a story about standing between him and one of the children with a gun when he was about to beat the child with a halter chain. This is not a "nice" thing, but I have learned that genealogy is not for anyone who wants to keep their fantasies about their ancestors; I hope those who read this are not offended.

Robert's eldest child, my uncle Robert, told me that his father used to tell the children that they were descended from Chief Big Toe (I think that was the name he used). This helped me understand the story my mother told us about being part American Indian. I have found no proof of this at all, and have discarded the idea as a misunderstanding which became a legend. My uncle also told me that his mother's family, the Broadwells, were in Arizona trying to raise cotton at the time Robert and Eunice married.

One of my newly found aunts related that Robert was uneducated and had health problems, and that their life was hard.

One of his grandnieces said, "That was an interesting story you told about Robert going to beat one of the children with a halter chain. My Father told me that his Father (Roy) said that William David was very harsh with his sons. Kicking them out as soon as he could so he would not have to feed them. He even sold the team of horses that my Grandfather had been using to work at his job of building a highway without telling him. He just work up one morning and they were gone."

One of Robert's daughters said, "Mom and [Dad] divorced when I was 12 around 1959. He died in June 1965 the year I graduated from high school.

Robert's youngest son said, "I remembered him as being about [one of my brother's] height but stupped over, but I only remember seeing him in person 2-3 times... and really by the time I came to be he was old....."

I suspect that Robert Boyer Sauls will always be something of a mystery to me!

• • 
    

Letters from Grandpa 18 Nov 1915

P.O. Box 162
Elko, Nevada

Miss Allene S. Kelley
Huntington Hall
South Pasadena, California

Allene Dear Your letter with the picture enclosed was here when I arrived and I've read it over and over because I didn't want to miss one single thing, either in the lines or "between" them--and I'm going to read it again soon. The picture is pasted in one of my cherished albums.

The other letter dear, the one in which you said you'd kept me waiting a week because I'd kept you waiting so long, was received day before yesterday, so I've received two which have made me very happy, since writing. I can hardly realize that such a short time ago I was there at the school with you and now I'm way out here--over a thousand miles away! And I want to go back!

Daily I've been expecting word from Salt Lake City in reference to that work I spoke of but nothing has come yet. Maybe I'll not get to do it after all.~I'm not worrying over that tho'.

It's the new venture that's taking up all my spare thinking moments. But no matter what happens dear I'm going to try and not be "flustered" or "fussed" like I was when you saw me last.  Will try and take things as they come and just be natural at all times.

As a rule I'm very negligent about answering questions asked in letters and there was one you asked which I will answer before I forget.
As to the address given on my stationery and cards--I was located in Wells for several years and I haven't used up all the old stationery and cards I had there. And no, dear, emphatically no, "C.E." does not stand for Christian Endeavor in that case.

Glad you liked "Frank". Of course he doesn't look like me~ he's cunning, you say.--!!

"Frank"

And you'll be saying something awful to me pretty soon I expect if I don't quit writing so I'll cease for tonight.

Buenos noches Allene,
Frank

Thursday, November 18th, 1915