Letter written November 1941 on visit to Los Angeles, California

o Fanny Brammer is daughter of Jacob Marks Williams, sister to John Williams who married Frances Funk
   - Daughter Sarah Margaret Brammer was born September 2, 1911 is listed as "baby's playmate" in the babybook Ma kept

Keep this

Lankershim Hotel
Fifth Street
Between Market & Mission
SAN FRANCISCO

Wednesday -

Dear Mary and Rena Lou -
    We got to Los Angeles at 10:30 last night - I'm in Edwin's kitchen - breakfast just over - thought I'd tell you what we've been doing - before we do more.   Sure sorry you didn't put it in paper about Mrs. Wilson coming too.  Well we left Louisville at 4 that Mon. afternoon and got to Kansas City at 7:30 next morning - phoned Fanny Brammer - and went out to their little town on Tues. - got there at 9:30 A.M. - Got about a little that day - ate mostly!  The factory for children's clothes is called Grace Children's Clothes & just sells to most exclusive shops - Make boys & girls clothes 1 to 6 yrs.  The seconds they sell there - however were putting up a store to sell them in so we couldn't get any - but Fanny will get them - they were making soldier suits like John David's - or looked to be - will retail 3 & 3.50 & could get them for 1.25.  Also such cute outter over all suits for .65 - & the prettiest girls dresses - afraid small for Sue - Well next day at Fanny's - they took us through the Parkways of Kansas City in aft.  That morning we went to Independence Mo. where Papa's uncle & 2 aunts went in 1830 please imagine - we inquired at Court House - & I found a stately old maid's lovely house - she looked & acted like Cousin Mary - just spent half hour with her but she said she was coming to Brandenburg - the 2nd night at Fanny's - they went to a church party & we rearranged our grips - that big one was such a pain in neck that we checked it to Los Angeles - Of course we could have done with 1/3 clothes - well the day trip (next morn-) from Kansas City - to Omaha - to Lincoln Nebraska - was sure pretty.
    We got to Lincoln about 6:30 and this Cousin - Mrs. Cattle - a little younger than I am - met us & took us to dinner at the biggest hotel in Lincoln - the "Cornhusker" - We had tried to stay respectable looking all day - but felt it a task to go right to that hotel without primping - Mrs. Cattle was most elegantly attired in black with white & her nashcar seemed brand new - after dinner we drove 27 min. to her home at Seward - she has 3 sons away from home & 2 daughters at home: Sally, 15 yrs - and Dorothy, 13 yrs - a real nice husband, President of bank at Seward - I've never been in quite such an elegant home - simply beautiful all over - a white maid - Well Lottie talked to the banker - at Belton she & the Preacher talked - while Fanny & I visited & they told her that what she'd have to do at Seward - Mrs. Cattle (Cousin Mercedes) is goofy over family history & has books & books (but will tell all that when I get home.)  We spent only one night with her - would have stayed longer had Lottie not been with me - Mrs. C. took us over Lincoln and to the State capitol - we left there at 4 p.m. and got to Cheyenne Wyoming next morning - that's where we ought to come back to to see the Rodes in July sometime - changed at Cheyenne at 4 a.m. & got to Denver at 8 a.m.  I telephoned Clarine's sister Iene right away & she came in little over an hour - we cleaned our selves up & ate breakfast - she came prepared to take us anywhere - so when she said Colorado Springs we were sure tickled - it's 70 min. from Denver - on the way she took us over a new 65 min. drive along top of a mountain - Rampant Range - a beautiful drive - I simply had to decide I wasn't going to fall off and enjoyed most of it - the range kinda went around Pike's Peak - closed on acct. so much snow - we were in snow but not too much - anyway I got as near Pike's Peak as wanted to be - we were 10,000 elevation most of time and 12,000 twice -
    Well do hope you all get to take trip - When we dropped down to Colorado Springs we made 34 hairpin curves - there was nothing for me to do but shut my eyes - but no one could imagine the views all along - we came out through "Garden of the Gods" - and down to Manitou Springs - where we ate dinner between 2 & 3 p.m. - Then a drive to Will Rogers Memorial and around Colorado Springs - Got back to Denver at 6 p.m. - had been 180 miles
    Our bus left at 8 p.m. to go back to Cheyenne - got there at 11:30 & out at 12 midnight - to Salt Lake City at 1 p.m. Sunday noon - were only there one hour - but could see so much from bus - The Temple closed - it was across from Bus Station - left at 2 p.m. and drove all afternoon around Great Salt Lake - sure a sight to see - we slept so hard that night we didn't realize we were going over "Donner Pass" - 10,000 elevation through Sierras - as had hard time getting wide awake enough next morning to enjoy the pretty California country before getting to Sacramento (ate breakfast there) - we got to San Francisco about 9:30 - went to hotel by bus station - like envelope - took a bath quickly & got ready for a 10:30 sight seeing bus trip - sure did see lovely sights -
    The bus into San Francisco that morn took us over the Oakland San Francisco Bridge - well we left sightseeing bus at 1:30 and got in a sightseeing boat that got us back to hotel at 4:30 - The boat took us under both bridges - around Alcatraz also Treasure Island - the waves sure rocked us and Lottie was scared - but I not at all - when had been in the mountains - We went back to hotel & put out a good washing - I'd learned to wash stockings on our morning bus stops & hang them to towel on back of seat in front of me - anyway we never did feel dirty on bus as had a half hour stop early in morning & could take a young bath - well we really got clothes clean & hung up at hotel - went out for supper - & Lottie went to bed when we got back - her feet so swollen - but I went with a party at the hotel & we'd been with them all day - and we went on sightseeing trip that night to China town - I wouldn't have missed it - got to bed at 10:30 - we left San Francisco 8:15 Tues. morn. & here 10:30 Tues. night - Poured down all the way & all California still apologizing for rain but I enjoyed it & our blankets (robes) never felt better - This may sound headachy - but we really slept on bus - always had a whole seat - slept cross wise - wore bed slippers - & were most comfortable - Thought I'd like to tell this before we get started here - Have had breakfast & in Edwin's kitchen - feeling most at home - Sent this to Rena, to Jimmy - Walter C. & back to Jack & Mrs. Held - & keep as I may not write so much again (Send to Jessie too - don't lose-) Bushels of love, Ma

The above letter transcribbed by Carol Anne Scott March 2001 from the original on loan from Jack J. Scott.


The following note from Harriet Fast Scott, Jan. 2004, was with another copy of the above letter.

Bus Trip to California -- Oc [typed at top of page, rest handwritten]

From Louisville our next stop Kansas City - met by Rev. and Mrs. Tom Brammer (Fannie Williams) of Belton MO - spent two nights - Rev. B. took us to Independence to hunt up relatives - Four of my father's aunts and uncles - 2 Fontaine men married 2 Foushee women - Two Foushee men married 2 Fontaine women. They built first brick homes Independence Missouri also Lexington Mo. left Ky 1832 - went by River - We (?) visited Cousin Mercedes Cattle at Seward Nebraska - a friend of Rena Lou's at Denver - she took us to Colorado Springs - next stop San Francisco - spent 3 nights - then down to L-A for 2
weeks - one day trip to San Diego and Tijuana Mex - from L.A. to Rosewll N Mex - then to Carlsbad Caverns - should have first mentioned - got off at Flagstaff and spent day at Grand Canyon - Back to Ft. Smith Ark - Lottie visited Oklahoma City first - Left home Oct 16 1941 Home Nov 22 1941 Pearl Harbor Dec. 5, 1941

Four sets of uncles and aunts as best I can tell, Jan 2004, J. Scott. 

William Maury Fontaine      married Martha Elizabeth Foushee
Peter Fontaine                    married Martha Jane Foushee
Martha Elizabeth Fontaine  married John Woolfolk Foushee