January 7, 1915
Aylmer Express Newspaper
Jan 7 AE A sleigh load of Aylmer young people went to the St Thomas ice rink on New Year’s night and had a jolly time.
Jan 7 AE Miss Violet Benner, who has been spending the past few months with relatives & friends in Aylmer and vicinity, has returned to her work as professional nurse at Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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Sue’s Note: Vi was Pa’s (Thomas’) sister. The Benner letters reveal her to be caring, involved, and busy. She nursed tuberculosis patients and the poor in their communities of Grand Rapids, Saginaw, and Anna Arbor, Michigan from 1905ish to 1909ish. Letter dated June 28, 1909, “Last year was such an unfortunate one that I rather lost my nerve, but will try & find it again. It seems to me I had enough bad luck last year to last for several.” She moved home soon after.
She’s remembered by my uncle as “MEAN!” but had “beautiful eyes and beautiful skin.” She lived from December 17, 1863 till Dec 18 1962, into her ninety-ninth year! My grandfather, Arthur, moved her at some point from a nursing home into a private home. She’d been kicked out! What a shame she’s remembered as the 'Vi' of her final years.
Benner Collection, Vi (left), Arthur (center back) with his wife, Cora, my paternal Grandparents. Unknown children.
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I’ve included in this posting a letter Vi sent to Frank, on his return home from Port Arthur to Bayham in 1905, after his mishap under the train west. (See June 17, 2008 “Frank” post.)
1905, Oct 13
106 So. Union St
Grand Rapids
My dear Frank
Just received a letter from Aunt Hetty tonight telling me how you were. Am so glad you are home and that the journey was pleasant. How did you like being baggage?
But I am very sorry that short foot is not healing as fast as we would like it to, but do’nt let them make it shorter still, as long as there is no signs of gangrene or something like that. Nature will do wonders when a person is healthy. I do’nt see why they could not do some skin grafting on that also, if all the trouble is, that it does not heal which is bad enough of course, but as long as it is healthy, hang on to the remainder of your foot, Frank. Do’nt let the doctors discourage you.
I hope it does not pain you very much now, so that you do’nt have to take any opiates. You will pardon me for fussing about it I hope Frank but my dear I have seen such bad results from people taking opiates while suffering and all unconsciously get in the way of it that it is a perfect horror to me. So I do hope you can get on now without it.
I do so hope you will soon be lots better under the good care of Dr’s Riddell & Kingston. Wish I were there but know you would be no better off if I were and I have such a nice old maid for a patient and I have found a German class so if I have good luck so I can go pretty regularly I will be able to read German with you next time we meet. The cook in the house where I am now is a German woman & I make her help me also and it is very interesting and I am surprised that I get on as well as I do.
Am sorry Arthur has been sick & glad he is better. Am so sorry for poor Tom Smith*. Did he get the money that was sent him all right. I would like to know. I hope you mother do’nt get sick with all the work and worry. How nice it must be to see so many friends. Did’nt I tell you what a popular nephew I had. You seem to be holding Sunday receptions.
Write to me when you have time and tell me all about yourself. I will be so glad to hear often. This is all the paper I have here so must stop. Love to all, will write again to your Mother & Aunt Hetty. Lovingly, Aunt Vi.
Written across the top of first page – I had to borrow an envelope so you see I am “broke” in earnest.
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Sue’s Note: Hetty, Vi, and Thomas were siblings. Hetty, also, did not marry and lived with Vi on Harvey Street in Aylmer from about 1909 onwards. My Dad, Keith, remembers doing odd jobs for them, raking, cleaning out eaves. Dad remembers Hetty as being “odd, mentally challenged. She was struck by lightening, at a young age, while at the clothes line. Slow after that …” Her health problems included “fits” and liver issues which she treated with caroid and biles salts "for the cure.” As near as I can research, Caroid contained phenolphthalein which was the active ingredient in ExLax. Caroid has been removed from common use because of cancer concerns.
She irritated Aunt Vi, no end, with at least one daily use of the maxim, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Dad and his brother, Uncle Frank (the next generation) were often punished by Aunt Hetty, “To make them good-natured again.” The punishment involved ingesting Epsom salts with water at breakfast, they were not allowed to leave the table until the cocktail was gone. Their next anticipated stop was invariably the bathroom – diarrhea, the consequence of the behaviour adjustment.
In 1908 and 1909, Hetty was thanked on more than one occasion for her financial support of Frank while he studied Medicine at McGill University, in Montreal, Quebec. “Had it not been for Hetty, I would have been unable to continue at college.” It would appear that interest was to be paid on the borrowed money. I’m not sure of the source of Hetty’s income, some land was sold once.
Aunt Hetty, and my father, Keith. Date unknown - ?early thirties.
*Tom Smith story to follow as "Two Aylmer Boys Return Home - 1905"
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