Biography

In 1941, 1942, and 1943 Lloyd (Buzzy) Felton and his wife Frances [Sinclair?] Felton were living in Rawlings, Wyoming, where Buzzy worked for the railroad. They had left family in Albia, Blakesburg, and Moravia, Iowa. The Feltons and especially the Sinclairs were diligent in keeping Buzzy and Frances up to date as to what went on at home, writing letters several times each month. This provides researchers with a snapshot of what it was like living on an Iowa farm during the first days of America's involvement in World War II. The letter writers almost always were the women in the family, so occurrences are filtered thought the feminine point of view, but they discuss the business that the men were conducting as well as the women's tasks and social engagements. One learns that they were still farming, at least part of the time, with horses (Dick and Dolly) and lighting their houses with lamps, heating with wood and coal, churning butter, putting up large amounts of food. Electricity was available, however, and they discuss obtaining electric irons, washing machines, and sewing machines. The families are very involved in each other's lives, with sisters, sisters-in-law, mothers, cousins staying overnight or for days at one another's house to help with feeding threshers, putting up wallpaper, doing laundry. One of the chief letter writers was Vera Sinclair, a school teacher, so one can learn something about the conduct of school during this period, including some reference to provisions for the hot lunch program. The war is not intrusive in the letters, but it does make its presence felt with tire and gas rationing. The sale of war bonds is discussed, as well as who in the town is going away to join the army. The fact that if too many young farmers join up the food supply will be threatened is mentioned several times, so it is obvious that these women knew the importance of their work to the war effort. The main correspondents are Mrs. James (Minnie?) Sinclair; Regina (sometimes Regena) Sinclair (Mrs. Dewayne Sinclair); Mildred Davis (Mrs. Ottis Davis); Vera Sinclair; and Mrs. H.A. Felton. Other correspondents include Helen Felton, Pfc. David B(eryl) Chidester, Mrs. Robert Sinclair, Dewayne Sinclair, Pvt. Sylvester Hayworth, Bob and Helen (Felton?), Sara Chidester, and some signed only with first names, i.e. Lola and Wanda. There are some Christmas cards from a variety of people not represented elsewhere in the letters. When the letter is signed Mother, it is usually from Mrs. James Sinclair; when it is signed Mother and Dad it is usually from Mrs. H.A. Felton. A postmark of Moravia means it is from the Felton family; those postmarked Albia or Blakesburg are usually from the Sinclair family.

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