LETTER

3520 W. 12th. St., Indianapolis, Indiana

To Mr. Ray Jones, Surman, Indiana

I am in receipt of a few posters, covering your 1965 old
threshing rigs, powered by steam and other items. I received these
for quite a number of years from John J. Menchhofer of
Indianapolis, who at one time was an officer of your organization,
but, of course, is now so nearly blind that he would not be able to
function.

John, as well as Ben Schreoder. his brother-in-law, as partners
sawed lumber for me for several years from 1914 to 1919. They also
used one of my traction engines during the threshing season. Then,
too, Ben went with me to Alabama in 1919, where he was my sawyer
and filer on a band mill operation I operated there. Ben, of
course, has now gone over the hill.

The real purpose of this letter is to enclose a clipping of
letter to the editor of our local newspaper, entitled American
Scene That’s Vanished, written by a woman, Mary Louise Dersewch
of Ridgetop, Tennessee, a small village north of Nashville.

It occurred to me that this was written so beautifully, that no
one could have written it, only someone who went through it in
those times. She presents it in such a way that sort of puts a lump
in your throat when you read it. I am writing her that I am sending
you this clipping and also mailed her one of the posters that John
mailed to me.

My thoughts were that this was so nicely written and so true to
life as it was then, that you might like to have it reprinted on
your program at the show.

I am quite sure that many of the older people who went through
those times would very much enjoy reading it. I also mailed a copy
of this clipping to John J. Menchhofer. While he cannot see to
read, he can have someone read it to him.

H. W. Wiesham, Sr.

(Mr. Weisham was an Indiana boy buying and selling timber and
lumber near Sunman, Indiana. He left here in about 1919 to take up
sawmilling in Alabama.)

  • Published on Jul 1, 1966
Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-866-624-9388