Not long ago I was looking through papers that my mother had saved and found a check from William Doyle, dated September 22, 1938, a week after Mom and Dad married.
It's clear that Pap signed the check but it was written by someone else. The check was folded inside this wedding card.
My mom recorded that she and dad together earned about $160.00 per month at the time
I agree with Mom and would call it a large sum of money, too. At the time of Mom and Dad's marriage, Pap, a farmer for most of his life, was 75 years old and had been a widower for two years. Dad's mother, Beulah (Gerner) Doyle, died soon after Dad's birth; his father, Gust Doyle, died in 1933, just six years earlier. Pap's gift of money may have been an attempt to offer the financial support he knew Dad's parents weren't there to offer or he may have realized how difficult it would be for a young couple starting life together during the Great Depression. Whatever his reasons for giving such a large sum of money, I think Pap was a generous man who gave a generous gift.
--Nancy.
Copyright ©2017 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.
.
That was indeed a generous gift. No wonder your mom saved the canceled check in the card.
ReplyDeleteUsually, we don't ever see the checks we've signed after we've received the money from the bank. It was an extra step for Dad to ask to have the check returned. I forgot to scan the back where my father signed the check. I'll have to do that. Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment, Wendy.
DeleteThat is so cool. A real keeper!
ReplyDeleteI agree. It was interesting to remember what Mom had said and then the see the check. Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment, Debby.
DeleteI would still consider $200 from one person a generous wedding gift! I was wondering how it was that your parents had the check since it didn't come from their account. It must have meant a lot to them to think of getting it back. And how cool for you!
ReplyDeleteYes, Laura, I would consider $200.00 a generous gift these days, too. I don't know how Dad came to have the check. He probably either asked for it (what a bit of trouble for both him and whoever was helping Pap with his finances at the time) or Pap saved it with his possessions and after he died whoever went through his papers found it and gave it back to my father. Either way, I'm thrilled to have it for both of the signatures that are one it. (I forgot to scan the back where my dad signed it but will add it to the post when I do.) Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment, Laua.
Delete