Dobbie Obituaries andLetters

Dobbie Family Obituaries & Letters
Courtesy of Harriet Buelah Smith Guardino and Jane Ellen Lewis Howard

July 2008

Steve and Jane Howard, Harriet Guardino, Marty and Katie Davis,
Everett and Janet Marcus 2004-Descendants of Robert Dobbie

Catherine Dobbie's Letters From Scotland 1905

July 16, 1905

Dear Mother,
    I take the opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know we are enjoying ourselves very much. Neither of us have been sick but last night I felt a little dizzy. I have just finished breakfast at which was served oatmeal (but none for me ha ha) ham and eggs or chops or fish, biscuit, scones, bread, oatmeal cake, coffee, tea and plum jelly.
    We lost sight of land at 7:45pm last night and Papa was playing draft with another man, then we retired at 9:15pm.
    I have very nice ladies in beside me and so feel pretty good. About 12:45 last night the water came in our bedroom through the window, which hadn't been shut right and the ladies on that side got soaked.
    I got up this morning at 5am but Papa was up 3:30pm and saw the sun rise. He said it was beautiful. We have got on the right side of the head steward so it makes it very nice. It is awful cold on deck this morning so I am glad to get down into my bedroom where it was just smothering last night.
    I also know the stewardess, she is very nice to me. I hope Nellie and you are enjoying yourselves and not worrying about us for as Papa said as long as the devil was on board nothing would happen to us.
    Remember us to all the folk and tell them I'm getting fat. I guess I will close this letter as this is all the news at present.
    With love to all, I remain your loving daughter, Kate

July 20, 1905

Dear Mother,
I have become a little sick but feel better now. It has been raining all day and nobody could go out on deck. I hope you are all well as I ought to be. I do nothing but sleep all day long. I am keeping all the cards which tell what we can have to eat (or menu cards). We are near Scotland now, thank goodness.
This is all I can get on this paper. Love to all. Your loving daughter, Kate

July 25, 1905

Dear Mother,
    I take the opportunity of writing you a few lines to say that we arrived safe and sound. We found Auntie and cousins very well, and every time I look at Auntie I imagine it is you.
    Everything seems very odd to me, especially the bed in the kitchen and parlor. It is quite cool here, I have got on my thick underwear yet. The girls are so small they don't come up to my shoulder and everybody seems to be small.
    Enclosed you will find a program of the concert we had on Friday night on the boat. Notice the name underlined, she is one of the young ladies that was in the same room as I, but she was very sick that night and have the doctor attend her, so could not take part, but it was just grand.
    We will sail on the 26th because Papa tried to get tickets for a boat later, but couldn't get them for three months after.
    Auntie has moved or flitted to the address on the top of the letter [132 Calder Street, Queen's Park] so tell Florence Purdy my address and send all the letters to Auntie because we are staying with her off and on and do not know where we will be when the letter gets to you.
    I guess this is all the news at present, we are all well and hope this will find you all the same.
    Tell the boys and Nellie to write often not forgetting to so some of it yourself.
    Love to Nellie, boys and yourself. I remain your loving daughter, Kate

July 27, 1905

Dear Mother, brothers and sister,
    I take the pleasure of writing you a few lines to say that we are both keeping very well and enjoying ourselves as I hope you all are doing. The only thing is about the weather, which is very cold, and of course it wouldn't do unless I had to have a little cold but it doesn't amount to much.
    Nellie, I have got something awful nice for your birthday, I got it today when I was out with Papa.
    Mother, I received a letter from John and thought I would have one from you, but it hasn't arrived yet. I am writing for Wednesday and Saturday's mail, so that is twice a week.
    Papa, Auntie and I are going to Aberdeen tomorrow Friday 28th and are going to stay a few days, but send the mail to Auntie's just the same.
    I have just stopped playing the piano, the girls I think play fine, but I am wearying to hear the tone of my own piano, this one sounds so much different.
    I am sending a P.P.C. to Miss Clark and Mrs. Starr (not Walker).
    Lizzie is not working now as the place where she was is not doing very good business so she goes most everyplace with us, she is going to keep house while we are away. Auntie has only one border and his name is Mr. Ramsay, but he isn't a bit troublesome.
    Try and write often because I weary to hear from home sweet home.
    Auntie hasn't any of the things that you wanted, she gave me a box of Grandma's that she keeps her rings in, Papa says it looks like a snuff box but it isn't.
    I guess this is all the news at present because I have to take a bath and get my things ready for tomorrow.
    I will close now with love to all from all. Your loving daughter, Kate

August 5, 1905

Dear Mother,

    I now take the pleasure of writing you a long letter, as I did not have time to tell you all about our visit to Alva.
    Well do you remember Jennie Houston your companion who you used to go with when you were a little girl? Well we sent and visited her as Auntie wanted us too. She was asking all about and and wants to be rememberd to you. She told me to tell you that her mother is a great-grandmother. The old lady is just as spry as can be. They made us take tea with them and the old lady fixed it for us.
    Jennie is very bad with the rheumatics. Jennie gave me a cup and saucer for you, and told me that you should drink tea out of it. She took it out of her glass closet.
     Well Mother I was struck dumb when I heard about Mrs. Strouss I could hardly realize it. I suppose she is in a terrible state about it, but anything like that can't be hidden all the time, it has to come out sometime.
    I have just finished washing out a few pieces for myself and helping Auntie a little bit. I hope the weather is dry and cool in Hartsdale but here it is raining all the time. We will have to buy another trunk we have so much to bring home.
    This is a mixed up affair, but I forgot to tell you that we went to Grandma's grave when we were in Stirling. There aren't any flowers on the grave or anything else. I am going to take my time in writing this letter as the other one was short.
    Mother what do you think I played "The Old Folks at Home" on the piano in Wallace's Monument but the pianos here don't sound like the American ones especially ours.
    I wish I was home as I feel quite blue. The girls go out most every night with their fellows and never ask me to take a walk or anything else. Auntie has no control over them at all. I think they might stay in when we are here any but I never say anything to them or Auntie, only to Papa, he is quite surprised at seeing them wanting to go out all the time.
    I was glad to hear that you are so far on the cleaning but hope you are not working too much. I wish you would write just a few lines to me as I weary to hear from you. It won't be long before we are home. Auntie has given me two or three little things that belonged to Grandma since I wrote you before.
    Well I must say I'm feeling as fine as silk, but am terrible bothered with hives. I think it is the change of air.
    Dear Mother, I also forgot to tell you that your brother gave us his picture when we was there, also Jim and Lizzie gave us theirs.
    Papa read your letter to me this morning (Sunday August 6) while Auntie and the girls were at church, and I was glad to hear that you are so far on with the rooms, but hope you don't make yourself sick working too hard.
    I commenced this letter on Saturday and am writing more today. Papa and I stayed home this morning fro church as we took some medicine last night and had to keep "Aunt Mary" company.
    Dear Mother I do miss you so much and it does not seem as though I am so far away from you. I can appreciate you more and more when I get home. The girls act very bad toward Auntie, they don't want her anywhere with them and they never ask her to go out with them, but we get along very good, Papa fools with them. Lizzie hasn't got a position, yet she is having too much of a good time at home. I expect to get letters from home tomorrow as the Caledonian [boat] has come in today.
    Well Mother I think I will draw this letter to a close as it is getting dark and I think you will get tired reading it but I hope it will find you well, as it leaves us at present.
    Mother, you might try and write me just a few lines from yourself.
    Well, goodbye, your loving daughter, Kate

August 6, 1905

Dear Brother Bob:

   I have been writing to (brother) Dave, and thought I ould write you a few lines. I hope you are feelig much better now and not getting overcome by the heat. I wish that we had some heat here, it is so cold that you an see your breath (how's that?) Papa is sending you and Dave a postcard. He is also writng to Mother and Nellie.
   Oh dear! How I do miss you all and often wonder what you are doing. I have not been to church since I left the boat (I am sorry to say).
   Say, Brother, how is the garden getting along, and has the pigeons buil another nest? And how is Rover and the birds?When you see the wilson girls, tell them I was asking for them.
   I suppose you have something to do every night you come home on account of the painters being there. All your counsins have asked for you all, but there is always so much to say that I forget what I oughtto say.
   This is Monday, and I have just received Dave's and your letter and was awfully glad to hear from you. I suppose Dave and you went to the Hartsdale Fire Co. racket. I have been washing a few pieces and oh! dear such a time the top of the fire is so small that the pot (that's what I had to use as a boiler) would not fit on it, they do all their washing in the wash house, they wash so often (once a month) and have the about a dozen pieces. And I couldn't have hardly any water. Such fun I had.
   Well, it is raining, so we can't go out now abnd I have just finished my dinner. I think we are going tospend Wednesday, August 9, in Edinburgh, so I will write and let you know how we get along for Saturday post.
   Say, Brother, I have your and my album nearly full, we have so many cousins, aunts and uncles, and second cousins and everything else. I don't suppose you can understand half the writing that is in it, butyou know you have a Scotch mother and father.
   I must draw to a close as there isn't any more news at present. I hope you are all well and hoping to hear from you all very soon. Hope you are all well and hoping to hear from you all very soon.
   I am as ever your loving sister, Kate

August 7, 1905

Dear Sister:

   I received your ever welcomed postcard, and was very, very glad to hear from you, but you must have received any of our letter when you sent that one, but I hope whenever you do get ours you will write me a nice long letter.
   In Dave's other one, he said that youwere teacher in your class. I suppose everyone else in it was good exceptElwood H. and Fred V.
   Well, Nellie, there are an awful lot of ponies here, pretty near every wagon is drawn by a pony but the wagons here are different than the ones in America.
   Well, I suppose youare getting alone fine with your music, and by te time I get home, you will be able to play better than me, but tell Mama I play "Home Sweet Home" every day!
   We are having a very nice time, we are all getting fat from laughing. I wish Will could send us some of his ice cream for we can't get any ice cream here.
   I think we will have to get another trunk a we have so much tobring home. Ha ha ha! I have quite a few things for you. Enclosed you will find a few play stamps from Scotland.
   Tell Will I was asking for him, and hope he is keeping well. I have been doing nothing but write ever since I came here. Papa is writing you a letter and a postcard. Did Will give you anything else for your birthday?
   Dear Nellie, when you get this letter, do not send us any more because if you do we will be on the ocean when they get here. Please tell all the rest of the folks, I mean anybody who wants our address, that not to send us any letters or postcards.
   I must draw this letter to a close as there isn't anymore news at present, only that e are eepingwell and enjoying ourelves and hope you all are doing the same.
   Good-bye from your loving sister, Kate

August 15, 1905

My Dear Mother:

   Just a few lines more to let you know that we are staying in Cambuslang for a few days, we certainly are having a fine time. I go out every night with Lily and her companion Maggie Struthers and am having a fine time. I also go out ometimes with Robert's (the one that went to Canada) girl whom he is engaged to. This Maggie Struthers gave me a lovely thing for my neck.
   On Wednesday, August 9th, we went to Edinburgh and had a fine time. I think I told yu in the othr letter so I will not say any more. I don't suppose you are going to the Sunday School lpicnic. I am wearing for the days to pass but we only have a few more before we sail, if I had of had wings, I kwould have been home long ago. But I don't weary here at Cambuslang because cousin Agnus has a little or wee baby a week old, and I am there a good deal of the day.
   I received a letter fromMiss Ryer and three postcards from Florence (lasst) night with the letters from home. There isn't much to tell you at present but hope you are not working too hard.
   I am as ever, your loving daughter, Kate

August 18, 1905

My Dear Mother:

I received your ever welcomed letter, and was awful glad to hear from you. Well, we have just got back today from Cambuslang and have had a delightful time. I have been out every night this week with Lily and a lot of other girls to different houses every night.
Well, Mother, today we went to visit Uncle Sam Russell's mother and you can't imagine how glad she ws to see us! She was showing us some of his things he brought from South Africa, and among them were some beautiful ostrich feathers, and what do you think, she gave me one! It's a white one and oh! What a beauty. It will just do for my winter hat, but I am going to pin it in my good white hat so that we will noy have to pay duty on it. I tell you we will have to getanother trunk as we are getting so many things, ha ha ha, no but we have an awful amount of stuff to bring home. Aunt Barbara has given me quite a few things to bring home.

   Dear Mother, just a week more then we sail back to dear old America. We have got tickets forthe train; itleaves St. Enouch station at 8:45 in the morning, and we are tendered out tothe boat at Greenoch. We will land, I think, about Saturday night or Sunday morning if we have good weather, andif God spares us.
   Tell the boys that I haven't any news to tell them, and so will not write this time. I have received a letter from John and had just mailed his before.
    I hope you are all keeping well, and that you are sleeping; between working and not sleeping and the hot weather you will be getting thin.
   I must draw this letter to a close. We all join in sending our love to all, hoping to see you soon.
   I am as ever your loving daughter, Kate

On March 30, 2006, Harriet Smith Guardino wrote the following comments regarding the Dobbie cousins in Scotland:

    "...Regarding Grandma Smith's letters--I, too, was offended by her cousins' behavior. However, if you know history, the Scots were not all that "godly." They liked their whiskey, and the clans had a lot of battles--the Highlanders against the Lowlanders. I guess you know that the Scots--the so-called "red-necks" who came to America--intermarried with the Indians to create the original "Hill Billies." It's true, many of them were Christians. Grandpa Dobbie was a hard working Mason who, I'm sure, was faithful to his wife and family. But he loved his whiskey and poker games with his friends in his own home. Mother was so traumatized by these rowdy card parties that for years, Ginna and I were never allowed to play cards. However, after coming to Oregon, Grandpa changed his ways when he joined the Seventh Day Adventist Church. No more whiskey and no more cards. Being a widower at age 64, he did have a few "girlfriends," but never remarried.
    In answer to your question, I cannot, at this point, identify Grandma Dobbie's sister. I do have a list of names but can't identify by sight. Somewhere, in my treasures packed away in the garage is the old photo album. Don't know when I can find it. Little by little, I am going through stuff and reorganizing and disposing of some of it..."

In Loving Memory of
Helen Virginia Smith Lewis Hanson "Aunt Gin"
1917-2004

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