A Journey Back Home - Maine 1947 - Part Four

Almost one month later, Billy Waning sent another short note to his daughter-in-law.

Letter - Page 1

"Pittsfield, ME

Oct 22/41

Dear folks

I will write a line to let you know that I still think of you.  I am at Maggie's(1) - she and I will go to Bangor tomorrow to see Nellie(2) she is in the hospital with a bad foot - gangreen they call it and the Dr want to take the foot off, but she says no.  So don't know what the outcome will be it is pretty bad anway.

Well it is awfully dry back here lotts(sic) of bad fires but it looks like rain this morning.  Lotts(sic) of wells going dry so everyone wants rain."   

Letter - Page 2

"I will be starting for Montana next week.  Will tell you more about it when I get home.  I hope everything is going along all right.  I am going with Will(3) this P.M. after some cattle.  Have you had much rain het.  Will say good by with lots of love to all.

dad Willard  

My address will be

414 W Front St

Livingstone, Montana

By By" 

1 Maggie - Margaret Fernald Coffin (1892-1975) - the daughter of Earnest Fernald and Hattie Coffin, she was Billy's niece. 

2 Nellie - I think this must be Billy's sister.  She married Fred Gray in 1897, and I'd always thought she died around 1902 as Fred remarried that year.  Now, however, I think Nellie and Fred divorced, and she went back to using her maiden name.  Nellie is listed in an old address book as Mrs Nellie S. Waning.  Another mystery...solved?

3 Will - probably William Coffin (1887-1966), Maggie's husband.