Letter from Harriette Hogan Eveleth, a daughter of John and Bridget's son Patrick R. Hogan, to her cousin Mary T. Hogan, a daughter of John and Bridget's son Thomas S. Hogan:
January 7, 1970
Dear Mary,
It was nice to hear from you at Christmas time and I was so pleased to read the nice writeup about Uncle Tom -- both Giles and Gerald read it and were so pleased, especially Gerald.
The photograph of your father was good, although I think I couldn't have recognized him -- because when I saw him last his hair was dark. he was a brilliant man. I always admired him so much. I'm reminded of an occasion when he was here in Aberdeen. It was at our home. He and Papa were talking oil with a Mr. Friedlander in the living room. Along came Kathy Hogan's third husband -- Earle Jamison -- and entered the conversation. I happened to enter the room in time to hear Uncle Tom say, "Young man, your remarks are irrelevant, immaterial, and highly impertinent", and it amused me.
I wouldn't have known you from the picture because you were a tiny girl with blonde hair and it seems to me it was at a railroad station. How time flies! I'm beginning to feel old. I've been sick for two months -- had stomach flu and it took away my appetite so I'm having difficulty eating. I've lost a lot of weight -- which I need -- I now weigh less than 90 pounds. Normally I do get up to 105 once in awhile. I now have a sore throat, earache and slight fever, so I don't feel very pert and chipper.
I didn't know that only John and Jim remained of the Sheehy's -- although I suspected Mary and Joe were gone because I hadn't heard from Mary for three years. She was then in St. Benedict's Nursing Home. I sent xmas cards every year, but they were never returned to me. And Giles and Frances hadn't heard from Joe for several years. He and Inez came out here one year and Giles and Frances used to hear from Joe after that. The last time I heard from Mary she said Joe had been very sick -- but was getting better -- and Julia had died a few years before that.
My sisters Ima and Mildred live in Portland, Ore. Ima's husband Carl Schram died and (private information). She had three sons and two are married. She has recently acquired a lovely new home down at Hogan's Corner, which is near the ocean and Ocean Shores. Giles had the house built for Ima so she will divide her time between Port. and here. Giles lives out there and he has developed a wide area of land and logged off timber, some of which Papa left and a lot Giles bought for himself. Jeanette lives in San Jose, Calif. and Gerald lives here a few blocks from me. His wife died -- 1957 -- so he lives along in an apartment. He's not well -- has that dreadful emphysema and has to us a machine every four hours to empty fluid from his lungs so he can breathe. It's a chore to use but he says it's better than dying.
Well, I hadn't intended to write such a volume but I wanted to tell you about the family, etc. I think you look something like your father, do you? Hope you and yours have a very happy and good 1970 -- my son Paul lives with me. He's 51 years old -- I can hardly believe it -- he's 6'3" tall and I don't know what I would do without him. Thanks again for the clipping and I'd like to hear from you again. Love, Harriette
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