Person:Anna Doran (1)

Watchers
Anna Belle Doran
Facts and Events
Name Anna Belle Doran
Gender Female
Birth[1] 19 Jun 1876 Muskegon, Muskegon, MI
Marriage 3 Dec 1894 Spring Lake, Ottawa, MIto George Henry Wardwell
Death[2] 5 Mar 1955 Cincinnati, Hamilton, OH

1910 census shows 6 children, all living.

Letters to her husband:

November 20, 1894 George:

I received your letter today and was glad to hear that your mother was better than you expected. Pa is going down to see the priest some night this week. He thinks he can fix it all right for us, but that won't make any difference any way. We went downtown Sunday and had a pretty good time but not as nice as it would have been if you were there. Monday night at lodge they told me that I was going to be married on the first of Dec. so I told them that you was not coming back this way and Bert helped me out.

Ma wants to know if you have found anybody to thaw out your moustash. If so 1 hope you will save a little for me. It is pretty lonesome without you so good night.

Yours truly Anna

A note on the back of the letter from Ellie Doran to George Wardwell Dear George:

Come back soon or Annie will break her pledge and take to drink.

Cincinnati, Mar. 19, 1900 Dear George:

Well, it is two days since I have written to you. We were so busy cleaning Saturday I didn't have time and there were so many of us Sunday, that I couldn't. We took dinner at Elsie yesterday. Hennie and John were here. Don't you know, George that baby is just like John. Father and all the rest of them say it is his. It has blue eyes with the same kind of lids that John has, and the man she claims it belongs to has dark eyes and hair and so has Jennie.Well, I don't know who's it is, but she don't seem to feel the least bit ashamed about it. I like Joe (Elsie Doran Olins' husband) but I don't like John much. Joe is 5 years younger than Elsie and is a good natured fellow. The children have adopbed him already. They are in Elsie's house half the time. Everyone here thinks lots of the children. Bert has Warren and Wayne on his lap nearly all the time. They are in the house. They have been good since we got here. Winslow is not well. He is breaking out in blotches all over. Father thinks it is the hives. I have given him castor oil and I got him some hive syrup if it don't turn out to be the hives, I will take him to a Dr. and see what it is. The other children are wel1. Wayne said Sunday he couldn't love Papa. He Just happened to think of your being so far away. Warren wants to know why you don't come. Joe, Elsie, and I went down town Saturday night. I saw everything that was good to eat, even to strawberries, but I done pretty well, I only spent 10 cents. I got 17 bananas for that. There is lots to see here but don't you know I don't half enjoy them without you. You must come just as soon as you can for I want you so much. Well, I thought I was going to get this finished and send it tonight, but it is too late now. Warren says Papa is way down South and Wayne says he has gone to the mill. Father thinks the children are just right and I nearly have to quarrel with mother every time I whip them. Well, I want to write to Aunty so I will stop now, with kisses from myself and the children. Write to me soon. 1 keep looking every day. You loving wife, Nannie.

Cincinnati, April 9, 1900 My Dear George: Well, it is night again and I have been going to write all day but I didn't get it done. I did not feel well all morning. I tripped on the sidewalk and fell and it hurt my back but I am alI right now. Bert took me around Cincinnati, today. We left home at 5 o'clock and it was after 8 when we got back and were riding on the cars all the time. So I had a pretty good time. I was glad to go out as I had been pretty blue all day. I want to see you so bad and I don't see how I can go there for a couple of weeks as they won't hear of my going before my month is out at the soonest. But if you decide to come here it won't be so long before you are here. Well, I won't write much tonight as it is late. Warren, Wayne, Elsie, Joe, and the boys all went out to the woods to get wild flowers today. Warren picked some and brought them home for me. Wayne picked the heads off of some and brought them home for Mother. You would laugh if you could see them, a handful of wilted heads all clubbed up in his hand. Warren has found out how to roll a hoop. I let him roll it up and down in front of the house. He is pretty proud of being ble to roll it. Winslow does all right again now I spanked him two or three times and made him drink his milk and that was all he needed. Well, I will stop writing now as it is time I was in bed. So goodby with lots of love your loving wife Nannie

Cincinnati, OhioApril 10, 1900 My Dear George:

Well, I got three letters today and one had the money in it for me to come on. I will try to get there by Sun. if I can get suits for the boys as cheap as I think. I have three dollars left yet of what I had when I came and that will pay for their clothes. Elsie will lend me some it I run short.

They all wanted to see you so bad they are disappointed at your not coming, and Father don't like to have me go back. He hates to have us so far away. He loves the children and is so proud of them. He will take Winslow and hold him and talk to him till Mother is most jealous of it. I am going to an entertainment at the shop where Father works. It is given by the firm for the hands. Elsie, Joe, and Bert are going so I think I will like it. Warren's face is all swollen up with the toothache. Well, the whistles are blowing and Father will be home to supper in a few minutes so I will close with lots of love and hoping to see you before long. Your loving Wife Narnie. P.S. Enclosed you will find a letter from Mother Your wife, Nannie.

(Letter from her mother) Dear George:

In return for the blast you gave me let me say I feel for you and within you - I can understand how lonely you have been, and how much you want your young wife, and I hope in God you will always feel the same to her and she appreciates it and returns all your Love. I thank God for such a good man for my girl and if called away will feel secure for Annie and also for Elsie - her husband is about to follow in your footsteps. Little John is also a good man in his own way. Now, where is the mother can say as much as I can in praise of 3 sons-in-law - but then the girls, two, at least, were as good and honest as you can find. Annie and I do not agree about whipping for I hold that constant whipping makes the child careless of it - or else hardened and spiteful. Your little fellows have no spite, neither are they hard now, but there are years to come when they will see the world and mix with other boys. However it is your plan to whip, and mine to punish only when other means fail. They say I cannot make the boys mind, but I fail to see any very serious faults in them that whipping will make better. They know if I say I will wnip, I will do so. Your little fellows promise to be noble boys in looks, and I hope they will make fine and noble men in disposition. Annie talked to Warren one day and he has minded ever since just as well as if whipped. Now, forgive me if I have meddled, and believe me, a respecting and loving Mother

Cincinnati, OhioApril 15, 1900 My Dear George:

I received two letters yesterday, the last one telling me when you were going to start. I am afraid it will take you a long time to come on your wheel and I want to see you so bad it don't seem like I can wait so long for you. If you should come by train, let us know so we can be at the station to meet you. But if you don't have time to send us word you take the depot cars and ask for a transfer to a Colerain Ave. car when you get off the depot car you will have to walk a couple of blocks to fifth street and then take the Colerain Ave. car and ask to be put off at Draper Street. You turn to the left (it is the end of a street so you can't make any mistake) and go 1 block and then turn to the right and on the left hand side of the street about half way up the block is where we live. If you come on your wheel ask to be directed to Cook Street, Camp Wasington. Cook Street is only two blocks long so you won't have any trouble finding the house. Winslow is lots better again and eats plenty. I was going to write you again last night but was out of paper and had forgot to send for it till it was too late. I have been disappointed ever since your letter came. I was so sure you would be here today. I am glad you are feeling better as I was very uneasy. I hope the money has got there all right. There is advertisements in the paper for turners again today if you were here perhaps you could get work right away. Don' t you think you could come right on and leave things to be shipped. Father said that the sewing machine Co. couldn't do any more than take the machine away if you do ship it here without settling with them first. Bert is going to take me to the theatre tonight. I will close, now with my fondest love to you. I am as ever Your loving Wife Nannie

From Cincinnati to Warsaw, Ky April 3, 1902 Dear Geo:

Your letter came this evening just after I had sent my letter. I am sorry to have troubled Bogardus with it, but I was just so uneasy I didn't know what to do. I didn't know if you had got there or been hurt some where or what to think. Well, I am glad you are all right. I most wish you hadn't liked it there and had come back here. It is so lonesome I don't know how I am going to get through two or three weeks of it. I expect I will have to get cloth and make the boys some clothes and a skirt for myself for my one is not fit to go in. It draws too tight across me. Let me know in your next letter if I should get them or not as it will take some time to make them. Tell me all about the place as soon as you can. I don't suppose you have seen round much yet. Wayne says he is going to write a note to you in the morning. My side has hurt me worse the last two days than it ever before. Well, I must stop and go to bed. It is nearly ten o'clock, no. With lots of love, From Nannie

Hamilton to Warsaw Nov. 2, 1902 Dear George:

Well, I expect you are thinking I ought to have written before but we were so busy trying to get ready to come here that I didn't get a chance. Joe took the boys to have their pictures taken Saturday afternoon. It costs me two and a half to get a doz. I would have waited till you came but we couldn' t have had another sitting if they were not good so I thoughht best to get them. I think I will stay here till Wednesday night. You need not worry about the boys here as Jen has a good yard and keeps the yard gate locked, so they can't get out. We went to the cemetary today to see Jennie's baby's grave. It was All Saints Day and the graves were all fixed up nice. I have caught a nice cold since I have been down here. You don' t say how you are doing, hope you haven't been so very lonesome. Well, there's only six grown folks talking in the kitchen here so you know I can write good. I will have to stop now. Elsie will mail this on her way to the car. I am going to keep all the boys here so there will be less chance of their getting hurt. I will close now with my best love to you, hoping you haven't been so very lonesome and also hoping for next Saturday night. Good night with lots of love From your wife, Nannie.

Eight letters from Annie in Warsaw, KY to George in Memphis Tennessee Oct. 12, 1904 Dear George:

I received your letter yesterday and the one with the money, today. I sold the spring chickens Tuesday, all but 10 of the smallest ones. I have them in a box trying to fatten them. only got 10 cents a lb. as prices are coming down. They brought $6.50 for all I sold. Mrs. Dorbore wants our old hens and will give 50 cents apiece for the Plymouth Rocks. She wanted them right away but I told her I would see what you said whether you wanted me to sell them now or not. She wants to get chickens right away so if we don't sell her ours she will try for some others. Let me know right away whether I should let her have them or not. I don't see that you are making any great thing out of your job. The payment will have to go over till you send me next week's money. If you send it on Monday it gets here Tuesday and that would only be one day overtime, so I guess that wouldn't matter much. I have got myself so discouraged I can't see my way through at all. There is so many things that must be bought right away. Warren must have shoes before long. His feet are on the ground and I just must get a couple of callico dresses as my dressing sizes fell off of me and leaves me with just one dress. Joe must have aprons and so it goes. Baby has a bad cold and her bowels are running off and so are Joes. I have been giving them oil but it hasn't done much good yet. Well, I will stop now with love from all. Your loving wife Nannie

Oct. 19, 1904 Dear George:

I received your letter and the money today. I don't see why you don't get letters. I answer all of yours and always write on Sunday so that makes one more than I get. Baby was sick again last night, her bowels are better but she seems to wheese up at night. She coughed so hard last night that she vomited. After that she felt better and went to sleep. She grits her teeth so bad that Mrs. Darboro thinks maybe it is worms. that is bothering her. She seems to feel all right during the day so I guess it is cold and the flem fills her throat after she goes to bed. I don't feel much like writing tonight. I was up so much with her last night and then washed today. Now I have the neuralgia so I hardly know what to do with it. Darboro got the hens last night. There was only 10 of the plymouth rocks. He gave me three dollars and will pay the other two next week. I am going to send the money to Brown tomorrow by using the money I got for the hens. I can manage to live till next pay day. The shops are both running. They have both lost one week's work since you left. I don't know what we will do if you come home and then can't get work here. I am so sick of Memphis I don't know what to do. I didn't have any faith in it before you went and you see it has turned out that there wasn't anything in it. If you can manage to get back here, the sooner the better, for I get so worried about the children I don't know what to do and think it would be better to have you at home. You ought to look around Louisville on your way home. Maybe you might find something there. I just don't like to have you have to ask work here but if you can stand it, I guess I can. Well, I must stop as I have plenty to do yet tonight and want to get to bed. Love from all, your loving Wife Nannie I don't get the paper. I don' t know where to get it.

October 26, 1904 Dear George:

I received your letter yesterday. I put off answering it till this morning as I was tired last night. I washed and ironed and had callers yesterday. Baby didn't rest good last night. Every time I scrub, she takes cold and wheeses up at night and has a bad spell of coughing. She coughs till she throws up the flem then she goes to sleep. She is all right any other time, now only when I wet the floor. So I think I will try and get carpet or matting for the front foom and take that carpet out here. Let me know what you think if I put carpet out here, I sent Brown the money and got $2.00 of coal and that used up the chicken money. I still have six small chickens, two hens and the rooster. I am going to sell them as soon I get a chance. Well, I may as well stop as they are making so much noise I can't think of anything else. I expect I will be crazy before spring. Well, it's a week overtime for me again and I am so sore across me that it hurts me to move. Your loving Wife, Nannie

October 28, 1904 Dear George:

Your letter received today so it got here a day sooner than you thought. Well, I have managed to get my comfort in the frames. Maybe I will get it done tomorrow. I would have stayed up and done it tonight, but forgot to get anything to tie it with. I must try and make 2 or 3 more so as not to have to keep fire nights like this winter. I think I will wean baby pretty soon. She is getting so she knows so much it will be hard to wean her. It maybe better if I did. I haven't come around yet and it is nearly six weeks again. Emma said she tried to send that box but couldn't find Warsaw so didn't send it. I wrote and told her to send it by way of Cincinnati and it would get here. I need the things so much I would be glad to have it come. Well, it's after nine and I didn't get to sleep last night till after one so I will stop. Baby is awake anyway and it will take me half the night, getting her to sleep again. Love from all, Nannie.

Nov. 3, 1904 Dear George:

Well, I said I would write again tonight so I expect I had better do it. But I don't feel much like it as Baby kept me up so much last night and I didn't get to sleep either Monday or Tuesday nights till past one. I never got my ironing done till this afternoon then I dug a bushel of sweet potatoes and got supper and have done my week's mending so it is getting pretty late. The red potatoes done better that the yellow. There was only one or two red ones to a hill but they were big where the yellow ones will have a dozen or more and none of them much bigger than my finger. Well, I have gone as close as I can but I can't save the payment money out of what I get. I am afraid I will have to use what little I have saved back to get some underclothes for Warren and Winslow and some shoes for myself as my feet are about out on the ground. I have studied every way to fix this floor but I guess I will have to go as it is but it worries me because every time I scrub it it gives baby more cold. She is so hoarse now she can hardly cry and coughs so bad she hasn't wheesed up so bad as she did the other time. I have been giving her the medicine you sent me. Maybe it will fix her up. Her teeth are bothering her pretty bad but I think they will be through in a day or two more now. Well, I hope you have settled what you are going to do by this time. I would like for you to try carpenter work there if there is as much in it as you say. Well, I must stop as it is nearly half past 10 now and baby will be awake by the time I get ready for bed. Goodby. With best love, Nannie

November 11, 1904 Dear George:

Your letter received today. I am glad you are doing better this week so if you are not coming home we will maybe be able to make the payment. I will only have $7.00 left. It is all I could manage to save back. I do the best I could. I suppose you will have heard from Mr. Bogardus by the time you get this, that is if you hear from him at all. Theboth factories are to shut down for two days the last of next week for the poultry show so if you are coming homeI expect you will want to wait till after that. We are all doing pretty well. Baby is all right. She sleeps pretty good some nights. I can't manage to sell the rooster. Mrs. Sherman thinks a dollar is too much for him and there is no one else I know of to sell him to unless I sell him to the Hurkster for 82 cts a lb., but if we are to stay here I will keep him and what chickens I have left. They would do to start with in the spring. There is six little pullets and two old hens. Well, maybe in the next few weeks we will know what you are going to do. If you are to be there over Christmas, I want to try to go to Elsie's for Christmas as it wili be too lonesome here, by .myself. I am nearly out of coal but I want to make it last next week if I can. That will be four weeks of $2.00 worth of coal. I will stop now as I will write again tomorrow. Your loving wife, Nannie

Nov. 21, 1904 Dear George:

Your letter came today and surprised me as I don't usually get any till Tuesday and so wasn't looking for any. l started in to wean baby today but I am afraid l will have a time with her tonight as she always nurses so much at night. She won't drink milk much so I fix her bread and milk. I haven' t nursed her any since I got up this morning. Well, I am glad to know that a couple of weeks more will tell us what we are going to do. The uncertainty is the worst part of it, if we just knew what we were going to do we could tellsomething of how this separation is to last. There is one thing that helps me, there is always so much to do that time goes pretty fast. It is nearly ten o'clock now and I haven't done hardly anything since supper. It takes nearly all my evening helping Warren with his arithmetic. He is in troy weight and I don't know much about it and have to figure them out myself before I can show him how to work the examples. How do you set the alarm On this clock? I wanted to set it for wash morning and couldn't tell how it was done so I am taking Wayne's advice and writing to you to find out how. I've got a beautiful! cold sore on my lip. I bit my lip the other day andd that started it. Well, I think I will stop and go to be or baby will be up before I get to bed. She always wakes about 10 o'clock. Warren is expecting an answer to the letter he wrote you. He always asks if there is anything in the letter for him.Love from your loving wife, Nannie.

Dec. 1, 1904 Dear George:

The letter you wrote Sunday came today the one with the money came yesterday. Well, I wouldn't care if we were all back where you and I was 10 years ago today. Tomorrow will be our wedding aniversary, the first I ever spent without you. Well, maybe there is better times ahead. I never know by your letter what you intend to do. In one, you will talk like you are coming home in another you will talk like I am to go there, so I never know what to plan for. I expect I will have about $10.00 left by the time your next money comes. I have something over sixteen now but must pay $3.75 for coal and get stocking all around. There is always something that must be got, still I get so worried I don't know what to do. Well, I do wish we knew what we were going to do. I am so tired of this uncertainty. I had about made up my mind that you would be home in a couple of weeks. Now I don't know when to think you will come. Well, I will stop as it is going on for ten o'clock and I didn't get much sleep last night. I rocked the buggie nearly all night. I don't know what's got into Ella. She don't rest good nights. She won't eat or drink milk during the night and I expect she gets hungry. I got crackers for her thinking she would like them but she won't touch them. I thought when I weaned her that it would put a stop to getting up nights but it only made it worse. I will close now with best love Your loving wife Nannie

Dec. 6, 1904 Dear George:

Your letter with money received today, I will try to remember to pay your dues by Monday. I guess Elsie will think I am Crazy as I had just wrote her we would be there some time before Christmas now I must write and say we are not coming yet. That is the second time I have told her I was coming since you left. Well, I will be glad when I know what we are going to do and how we are going to do it. It takes all I can get to get the things we need so I don't see much way to get clothes to go to Memphis or the money to pay our way there. Well, I expect you will have some way of manageing so I may as well quit worrying about it. I am glad anyway you are coming home and I don't care much which way the rest of it turns out. I can't hardly write or think as I am trying to rock Baby as well as write and I can't hardly do the both at once. Well, I am hoping Mr. Edwards will be able to raise the money to take the place so we can get out of here. We will loose it if we don't sell to him. We can't make the payments. Well, I will stop. Baby bothers me so much I can't write. Love from all your loving wife Nannie

An undated note Dear George:

I am sending your dinner and hope you will forgive me for getting so out of fix this morning. I think I have a plan so we will each know what we are doing and not get into such a mess again. We can't run this place without we put it on some kind of a business arrangement. Please don't worry till you come home. Your loving life Annie

Letter from Chicago

Friday Sept.23, 1910 Dear George:

Your letter came today will answer it now. We have decided to leave here Monday morning at 9:15 in the morning and if the train is on time we will get in there at 6:50 in the evening but that train is usually late so we expect to get there about 8 o'clock. Joe will meet us at the train and I will go home with Elsie and stay till morning and come out home on Tuesday morning. We are going over the C and O. Pa had been feeling very bad all day. I expect the rain has made him feel worse. He says to send his regards to you. I was at Bert's for supper tonight. Had some nice fish good fresh ones. I will close now so as to be sure to have this go tonight. Love to all the children. Your loving wife Nannie

April 3, 1909 Dear George

I am sorry you feel bad and wish I was there to make you feel better. But never mind, it's only a few days more and if Pa keeps on improving he will be able to help himself some when I go. Mother said today she didn't know what she would do when I went home. Bert went to town this afternoon to see if he could get a wheel chair for Father. It would make it so we could move him around a little. The Dr. seemed to be quite encouraged about him. He seems to think he will get the use of that side again. We rub it with alcohol and move it around. There is not much to write about so I will stop now and write again tomorrow unless something keeps me from it. Love to all the children your loving life Nannie

Chicago May 12, 1911 Dear George

I will try to write a few lines now before the folks come. I wanted to last night but couln't. There was always someone here. Mother is keeping up good. She says she don't feel like that is Dad. Elsie has had 3 or 4 bad spells. Just had one. I will try to write a letter tomorrow when everything is over. Your loving wife Nannie

May 17, 1904 Dear George:

We will leave here Thursday morning on the C.C. and L. Joe will meet us so you need not worry. Your loving Wife Nannie

Pleasant Ridge to Middleton, Mich July 19, 1911 Dear George:

I got your first card yesterday and the other today. I did not write before as I was afraid my letter might get there ahead of you and I didn't want to spoil your surprise. Wayne is getting along all right so far. Has only had one failure in starting the engine. Joe has had a bad time with his heel. He woke up soon after you left Saturday and didn't sleep anymore that night. Sun. and Monday nights it was the same thing so last night I sent for the Dr. and he lanced his heel but did not hit the right place. I opened it this morning about an inch from where it was lanced. The Dr. left some dope but still he did not sleep much. I am in hopes he will rest tonight. The children are all being good. Have not had to whip any of them so far. There was a man to come to look at the little engine and Mr. Carpenter tried to start it, cranked it up 13 times and then gave it up. The engine kick and yanked his arm pretty bad. Mr. Carpenter was mad and said he knew that man would come after George had left (once when they needed George). Well, I suppose you will have had your walk out and be ready to start back by the time you get this but you better not or you and I will fight. Tell Emma I said be sure and make lots of apple dumplings. Joe has kept me so busy I have not had time to get lonesome. I am glad Frank took you out in the boat. I did want you to get out on the lake. Well I must stop. Give my love to all and kiss the baby for me.

From your Loving Wife Nannie.

References
  1. jeanne andriot <jandriot@@erols.com>.
  2. Family Treemaker World Family Tree Vol 39 Tree 1713.