1942-47 Archive of An Older Brother’s Letters on Loss, Aging, Politics, Familial Relations, Evolution of the Community, Wartime Rationing, Local Gossip, and More in Hartstown, Pennsylvania

On offer is a collection of 32 lengthy, newsy, emotional letters written between 1942-1947 by a highly respected elderly Hartstown, Pennsylvania man to his younger brother. 

The letters in this archive are written by Myron Manson Miller (1859-1949) to his brother, Milo H. Miller (1863-1951). Myron and Milo were born to parents  Samuel K. Miller (1822-1896) and Silence Ford Ellis (1828-1899) near Hartstown, Crawford County, PA. Both made a significant impact on Hartstown. To learn about Myron and Milo Miller SEE BIO NOTES at the end of the listing.

Myron is living out his retirement in Hartstown, PA. Milo is first living in Pittsburgh and then moves to California. Myron’s first letter to Milo is dated August 26, 1942. At the time, Milo and Maude live in Pittsburgh. Maude would soon pass away on September 14, due to complications of diabetes. Myron’s early letters are mainly focused on Maude’s medical condition and death. The tone of the letters is brotherly, loving and helpful. An excerpt:

“...I have attended a lot of funerals in my time and looked at the dead but I never saw as beautiful a body as Maude’s she looked as though she was going to speak to you and the flowers and all arrangements was perfect…let us know when you will be up. You can leave Pitts at 11:05 am and get here at 258 PM…Our regards to Florence and Russ. Has Rob got home yet?” [Sept 28, 1942].

A few months later, Milo travels to California to be with his son, Ellis and family. Myron’s letters are absolutely packed with news. He shares updates from the community in Hartstown, his large family, his and Sarah’s declining health, his views on globally significant affairs such as impacts of the war on food supply and costs. Milo seems to be working on a new genealogy research project on the Martzall family [Nov 17, 1942 letter] but we do not learn much about it. The letters are all long, between two and seven pages, all packed with content. Some excerpts attempt to give the flavour of this impressive archive:

“...We are to have a big wedding in the UP church here Saturday Dec 19 at 3PM. Rev Haglett (the minister) is getting married and the community are invented and we expect it will be a swell affair…don’t know yet whether I will go or not…give Ellis’ family our love and best wishes…” [Dec 17, 1942].

“...we eat everything we can get our paws on. Have a hard time getting meat, have to go or send to Conneaut Lake or Greenville for it and then cannot get any bacon, which we miss for breakfast but we have eggs at 45 cents per…” [Jan 13, 1943].

“...We had a nice letter from Mark [Myron’s oldest living son, Samuel Marcus] this week and they are OK only Marrily [Marilyn, Myron’s granddaughter] has had a case of the German Measles and was out of school…not heard from any of James’s folks [Myron’s youngest son] since Xmas…Ken and Lyla [Myron’s grandson and his wife] come to see us about every 3 weeks which helps out the lonesome spells…” [Jan 13, 1943].

“...so sorry to hear of Ellis being call to the service. We thought he would surely be exempt this time…just paid my electric bill since dinner $3.68 some higher than last month…The war situation don’t look so good today but I supposed we can’t win all the battles and it is going to take a long time to clean the Germans out and get them out, and then the rats are going to be wiped up…” [Feb 18, 1943].

“...I get a big kick out of the letters you have sent me from our old school friends. It surely brings back our boyhood always…Are you afraid of the Japs coming to the west coast? I have noticed in the paper that they say they are coming over to pay California a visit…” [May 21, 1943].

“...it has been an awful wet spring very few of the farmers was able to get any oats in and lots of corn to plant yet…grass is a whopper of a crop and wheat is generally good…but tell me how we are supposed to stand the prices we have to pay for what we eat meat from 35 cents to 75 cents per # and everything else in proportion” [June 20, 1943].

“...we was glad to hear of the arrival of an other Miller child being born to Ellis and wife. They will catch up with James. He is one ahead of them yet….are you planning on coming East…Sade and I get very hungry to see our own flesh and blood. Our boys are so far away and can’t get gas to come home as often…” [July 6, 1943].

“I saw Shafer the other day and he says he has not been able to get the information about the old school property but is still working on it…” [July 6, 1943].

“Sade had a hemorrhage of the bowels…I called Dr. Collins at Adamsville and he responded at once…I phoned James and he phoned Mark…[James] and Adelaid would be up before night…Adelaid staid with us the week…Margaret McElhaney Clara’s daughter died in Madville Hospital August 30. Gave birth to a daughter Monday morning at 3AM and she died at 7PM…she was married about a year ago to Bob Simons and he has been in the service ever since she is buried here in Town…” [Sept 12, 1943].

“...Well Milo we do not have any of the Murray family left in Hartstown. The last one died Oct 19 our nearest neighbor Anna Palmanteer and do we miss her…the second wife Abe has lost…we are paying 42 cents for sliced bacon…sugar 7 cents, coffee from 28 to 40 cents…apples 3# for 25 cents…” [Nov 7, 1943].

There is only one letter from 1944, written from Myron to Milo in March, following Myron’s fall on the ice in Hartstown, and only one letter from 1945. Excerpts:

“...the boys called Dr. Ghost of Greenville to see me…he came 2 times a week and treated me. I am gaining slowly…suppose you have made up your mind that my Dr is not an MD. He his an osteopath…He has all the sore spots healed but one and that is in the right hip joint…the boys got a telephone installed so they can keep in touch with us. They come up to see us quite often…” [March 16, 1944].

“I want to congratulate you on being Great Grandfather. I had been hoping for the same title for some time…tell Bob and Betty to take good care of the young man and we hope his Father will get home to him soon…The Dept of Forest and Waters are transferring all the national parks in Pennsylvania…all the parks will be governed from Harrisburg. They claim that politics will play no part in the personnel…Mark has 11 years now under civil service…the longer he stays the larger his pension will be…” [Nov 20, 1945].

As the years go on, both Myron and Sarah begin declining in health and mobility, which Myron mentions in each letter, though he maintains a positive spirit. Excerpts:

“...Our postmaster had resigned - she is moving to San Francisco. Her husband and brother are there now working in a neon light plant…We think Mrs. Patterson the owner of the store across the street will be appointed we are hoping so as we don’t want the office taken any further away…” [Jan 9, 1946]. 

“...I suggest you hang on to Ellis until you get him to do just what you have planned. I want to spend a few hours on that old back porch smoking…[tobacco] and hash over old times. You will probably have a hard time getting your renter out but perhaps you can buy him off…” [April 1, 1946].

“...We are having a strike now of the coal miners don’t know how long it will last I had the good luck to get 27.00 coal this evening which last until May 1…we lost a good neighbor the 27 of March Abe Palmanteer left us and we are going to miss him a lot…Mrs. Fran Dickey has been keeping house for him since Anna died…” [April 1, 1946].

“It has been a busy summer in Hartstown. We have had a lot of changes in our population several deaths and real estate also. The lease property was sold to two different parties. The east side…which took the store and barn in was sold to a man by the name of Serfant and he has put in a red and white store so we have two stores now instead of one. The balance of the property was bought by a man who married Marie Ellis Thayer’s oldest daughter (June) by the name of Urey and they are living in the Case Homestead…” [Oct 21, 1946].

“[Sarah] has been crippled up all summer can hardly get around to do her work her feet brother all the time…wish Mother and I could have our home with one of the boys to look after us…we won’t freeze or starve but we get enough to eat by paying the Democratic prices. We pay 1.00 a pound for butter…hamburger steak 40 cents Beef steak 1.25 and for Bacon we have forgot what it looks like…” [Oct 21, 1946].

While these excerpts aim to give an overview of the content, they barely scratch the surface. Myron goes into depth about everything he discusses - his family’s personal and career changes, his life at home with Sarah, Hartstown’s many citizens and their life events, his views on the government and the war effort, and his fears for the future. Some of the many themes of these letters are the challenges of aging in a time of inconsistent communication and transportation, rural Pennsylvania daily life, the impact of wartime policy on rural Pennsylvania, and the many tragedies of loss in old age (friends, family and one’s former self) and many more.  

These letters are an absolute treasure trove of rural Pennsylvania and Crawford County history, and would make a tremendous addition to the collection of anyone interested in aging and survival in the mid 20th century. 

This archive contains a total of 32 letters: 1942 (11 letters), 1943 (10 letters), 1944 (1 letter), 1945 (1 letter), 1946 (8 letters) and 1947 (1 letter). The letters are all written in dark pencil with a legible hand. Some of the letters are hole punched and bound with string, some are unbound. All are in overall Good condition with only minimal signs of age and wear. Overall Good. 

BIO NOTES ON MYRON AND MILO MILLER: 

Myron trained under Joe Ellis and became a self-employed harness maker. He was a respected member of the Hartstown community, living his entire life there. In 1897, Myron became postmaster of Hartstown and served for 38 years. He also acted as the local school director, member of town council, tax collector and town clerk. Myron married Sarah Mitchell (1861-1949) in 1882. They had three children, Rollin, Samuel, and James. The younger two boys lived to adulthood and had children of their own. Myron was extremely proud of his children and grandchildren. In his retired years when he was writing to Milo, it was clear that Myron kept close track of their careers and lives, and remained politically and socially engaged.

Milo worked as an education professional and his hobby was genealogy. He spent his career in education after graduating from Allegheny College. He worked as a principal and head of schools in Girard and Knoxville. In 1894, Milo married Maude Moriarty (1870-1942). They had two children, Florence Imogen Miller (later Willison) and Ellis Miller. Milo devoted many years of his life to his genealogical research. He wrote a book on the Ellis family, tracing his mother’s lineage in Hartston, Pennsylvania. The book, History and Genealogy of the John Ellis Family 1797 - 1935, was published in 1936 in Pittsburgh for private distribution. It can be accessed online as of 2025. Milo retired in 1933. A few months after Maude died, Milo travelled to California to stay with Ellis and eventually made his own home in California.