34 of the letters and "penny post cards" dated fron 1933 and 1934 were from her son Bill, who was in the Civilian Conservation Corps during some of the worst of the "Great Depression".
The CCC's mission was two-fold: to reduce unemployment, especially among young men; and to preserve the nation's natural resources. These men were paid $30.00 per month, $25.00 of that was sent home to the man's family and he received $5.00 for expenses.
I am reproducing some of Uncle Bill's letters here to give you a glimpse of life as it was for many people during those trying times.
Bill Hickman was a young man, 20 years old in 1933. He and his family lived in Alba Texas and it was the height of the Great Depression. Jobs were very scarce and the government jobs were the only option open to many young men.
May 26,1933
Dear Mother how are you all, fine I hope. Well we got here OK and passed the examination. We are not doing nothing but laying around and eating. We have got our clothes and tooth brush, tooth paste, razor, comb, soap and brush. I may not write no more till I get a payday so you all write and tell me how you all made the trip and tell the rest of the folks I will write them when I get some money and tell them to write me. Ft. Sill, Okla. Co. 5, C.C.C.
Your son and bud, Bill Hickman
After processing at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, Bill was assigned to the C.C.C. Company 1816 in Walden, Colorado northwest of Denver near the Wyoming
Dear Mother and father and Sis, PS what is uncle Richards address?
Bill has a new life with new friends, new clothes and new scenry in Walden, Colorado.
Dear Father, Mother and Sis,
Will drop you all a few lines to let you know I am still OK and just got some pictures in. I think they are all good ones, but there isn't much scenery in them. This is where our camp was, and now we have got it moved to the right of us about 300 yards on the banks of the Michigan river. Right behind group No. 1 about 8 miles
Bill Hickman
Bill's company, Co.1816 has been reassigned to a camp at Woden, Texas located just 10 miles southeast of Nacogdoches
Will drop you a few lines to let you know where I am going. We are coming back to Texas, Lufkin, Tex. That is where Hays and Roy talked about. We will come through Dallas and when we get down there I want you all to get Hope to bring you down there to see me. And I want you to tell Sparkie and Emmitt to meet me at Ft. Worth or Dallas when I come through on the train.
Your son and bud.
Well, Bill buys a car.
Dear Folks, Your loving son and bud
Dear Folks, Over
Bill had a case of the blues or as he said "It is just getting on my nerves". But, it didn't last.
Dear Mother, Father and Sis,
Will answer your letter I received just a few minutes ago. Sorry to tell you this but I am not going to stay in the CC.C. I have got a clean record now and if I stay in for another six months I am afraid I won't have for there was a boy got sent home the other day just for nothing at all. He got in a fight at the dance and was AWOL once or twice and they got to making it just as hard on the boys
With Love Bill Hickman (Page 4)
You said before that you wanted me to get an honorable discharge. Well I aim to get it.
Bill is doing pretty good now on $5.00 a week and the family is doing better with the $25.00 a month from the C.C.C. The problem now is his married brother Nelson who just got "laid off".
Dear Mother; Your loving son
Bill's C.C.C. company is reassigned to a camp in Fort Worth, Texas. He is hoping for a ride home, with his sister Marie who lives in nearby Weatherford
5-4-1934
It appears that Bill is beginning to mature and face life as it comes
Dear Mother, Father and Sis,
Well Mother I have signed up again, but all old men will be discharged the 1st of July and that will be just right. I will have 3 months and 20 more days. I will be out of the C.C.C. and will I be glad. I had already had my mind changed and signed up for 6 months and this came up. It will be about harvest time to won't it then I can start gathering that stuff you call cotton.
Bill
Free at last of a military style life, Bill is staying in Matador(Texas) with a married sister, Ethel. Free that is except he can't see the second World War that will soon appear on the horizon and his service in the U.S. Navy. Mature???
September 29, 1934
Dear Mother and Dad,THE CONTENTS
(On A Penny Post card)
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Ft. Sill, Okla
Bill Hickman
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Walden, Col.
Co. 1816 C.C.C.
How are you all getting along by now? Fine I hope. Well I haven't gotten any answer from my last letter yet, but I don't guess it was your fault gor I got transferred and come to Colorado and I sure do like it fine. I have quit smooking and sure do feel good good up here in this high climate. We are 9,127 feet above Denver and we are right up in the mountains. You all read Marvins letter and as soon as you can send it to him and when I get a payday I will send you all some pictures of the road I came over.
Your son and bud.
Bill H.
July 20, 1933
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Walden. Col.
Co. 1816 C.C.C.
(Page2)
is cannon pass. That is where I am at work. The saw tooth mountain is about one mile from the road and when I get some more money I will go up there and take a whole bunch of pictures. In group No. 1 is Bill Clay from Turkey, Texas, Buck Rivers Brewer from Turkey and I don't guess you know who that next one is. Well that is me. The other one is Buck Buchanan from Garland, Tex., fourteen miles from Dallas. Mother they are all good boys
(Page 3)
and they are my pals. River Brewer is Buck Barnet's cousin. Don't you think they favor? Bill Clay is a funny kind of a boy. He ain't but 16 years old and look at his hat. He's got two army pins and a spike nail in his hat. You can see the nail in the picture. I have got my canteen cup and mess kit on my belt. I had all these made in our work clothes. The next time I will
(Page 4)
have my OD's (Olive Drab army uniform) on. Well Marzie (sister) have you found my girl down there yet? Well if you haven't you can show one of them my picture and tell her to write and I will answer. I wish you would send me about 2 books of stamps when you all get your $25.00. I just can't hardly get stamps out here it is so far to town and I don't get to go to town much.
(Page 5)
And besides I am in debt for candy, washing and pictures until I won't have but about $1.00 left. I had the lieutenant to have some more pictures made. I will get them about the first. Pop, have you got to go fishing yet? Will close for this time for it is about time for the lights to go out. They go out at ten o'clock. By by to all.
XOXOXOXO
your son and bud,
Co. 1816 F.4
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Waldon, Col.
October 7, 1933
Dear Mother, Father and Sis,
(Page 2)
It will be on the 12th. Or 13 th., I don't know what day but it won't hurt them to hang around the depot for a few days and if you all can get there I would see you all too. Will close for the whistle blew for work time. We will start tearing down this morning,
Jan. 11, 1934
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Woden, Tex.
I will answer your card I just got. You said I better write, well I wrote you all a letter a day or two after I got back and I was fussing because you all wouldn't write me so don't blame me for not writing.
Well Mother I have bought me a car and got $10.00 for my boots in on it and you all have got to help me pay for
(Page 2)
it. I give $45.00 for it. It is a Chevrolet four door sedan and got good upholstery and good glasses all the way around it and a pretty good motor. I told him, the guy I bought it from, I would pay $15.00 in February and $10.00 a month and if you will send me $12.00 in February then 10 a month I can pay for it. I want you to send me $5.00 now if you can afford it and let them slippers go. I can get by without them but I do want to pay for the car. Well write me real soon and let me know so I can
(Page 3)
turn it back or get the papers changed. I will have to pay the license on it the 9 th. of February and I haven't spent any of my five with the canteen yet and don't aim to but I still owe some of the boys. Well I guess you all will be mad at me for buying it but I am tired of walking every where I go and I think I can stay at home better now that I have got me a car. And say I got an answer from my letter I wrote Fay.
(Page 4)
She sure was surprised to hear from me and I was surprised to get an answer from her. Well Pop don't be to mad at me for buying a car and answer real soon.
Bill Hickman
1 - 19 - 1934
There never was another mention of a car in any of the other letters.
Woden, Tex.
Will answer your most kind and welcome letter I received the other day and I sure was glad to get that money. And say I still don't know about that car. I know it has got a good motor in it and it has got two new tires(? Brand name)on the rear. The other two isn't so hot. If you want me to I will turn it back but I want you to at least put $10.00 a month in the bank for I am going to need it and need it bad when I get out of here and I don't think I will be out for at least
(Page2)
another turn yet. That is if I can sign up for another term. I think the C.C.C. will go for another year and I will start saving my $5.00. Will that be OK. Hugh what do you say. And say you know that little girl Fay Swindell, she is mighty sweet but maw and paw don't you worry about me you either Marzie.
Will close this stuff, answer real soon
Good by
Your Son and Bud
Bill Hickman
(Page 3)
P.S. Mother could you save me $10.00 a month for this car if you can't I will turn it back. That will be all for this time. Good by.
No it won't,
I want you to send me some of those pictures of me from Colorado. I will send most of them back. Will send some one else at least 1 of them. XXXOOO
Every boy and ever girl has a right to romance, Ho Ho. Bill
Woden, Tex
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2-22-1934
(Page 2)
that does the work. The xxx will turn you in for every little thing they can and cause you to get on extra duty. I haven't done any thing to get extra duty for and I been on every week for the last month. Well it is just getting on my nerves and I will go back to Lubbock when they send us home, but I will try to get out of a day to come home and see you all. I am going to work out west Texas some where and I will send some money home just the same as I am now. It may not
(Page 3)
Be as much but I will be free to do as I please. I am going to try to farm with some body, make a crop and settle down. I am tired of this kind of life. When I get a job I will stay with it. You all don't believe me, but I have got that running out of my head. Say you all be just as saving with the next fifty dollars you get, as you can for I got to get a job. We well I will be closing, answer soon.
Over
(March 22, 1934)
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Will answer your letter I just received. Was sure glad to hear from you all. Well I will have to write two letters this time to please that baby sis of mine. Say I started home Sat. got as far as Tyler and that norther (cold front) struck and I was broke so I stayed all night with a boy out of camp that lived there and it was to cold to go on so I came back with another boy from camp and it will cost me a buck, for
(Page 2)
the ride back to camp and I won't get to come home payday. Well I would like to come home, but it would just make it harder to stay in camp. The more I go the more I want to go, so I guess I'll stick around camp for awhile. Mom I just got a letter returned, that I wrote Nelson (Bill's brother), today. I wish you would write him a letter and have him bring Mable and the kids over there and join the C.C.C.. He can make them a living. Send him some money if he needs it and I know
(Page 3)
he does. I can get by my self, but he has got some kids to look after. Send him some money out of next check. If I never get any I don't care. I know he has been laid off and he is in bad shape to.
Well do what you can for him. I don't care I don't need it any way and he does for the way he wrote me before, he didn't know what he would do. Will close for this time, answer soon
Bill
(Penny Post Card)
Dear Mother, Dad and Sis
Well I finally got here and sure do like it too. Wish you could see our camp, it is a beauty. I don't know when I will get to come home. As soon as sis comes by after me. I don't know when that will be. I got to work this weekend though. I hope she don't come before the weekend. Well I have to go to work now so answer soon.
With love to all, your son and bud
Bill Hickman
Co. 1816 C.C.C.
Ft. Worth, Tex
5-11-1934
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Say, today is my birthday and I haven't gotten a thing,
(Page 2)
ho ho. Well I don't expect anything for I know you all are up against it and I want you all to be just as saving as you can for we may need it. Not that I am expecting anything. It is because I may not get a job as easy as I think I can. I don't think I will be writing home for money although I haven't gotten any clothes at all and hope to have some when I get out.
Well how much do you all owe now since you all got last months pay? Did you all finish paying the rent? Say, what do you know, I will have $1.50 clear off all debts pay day, that is if I put off that boy that
(Page 3)
brought me home. I haven't paid him yet and may never pay him. Say I got a letter from Fay (Bill's future wife) here awhile back and she said something about me writing some other girl and I wrote her and told her it didn't make any difference with me whether she writes me or not and I guess that stopped her for I haven't gotten an answer and don't care if I never get one ho ho.
Well I guess the girl is not for me any way for I have just got one letter from Gladas and answered it and haven't gotten an answer and
(Page 4)
it has been 3 weeks. Well I am not loosing any sleep over it, but I do like to write even if I don't answer your letter no sooner. I just been sleeping and one of the boys threw some water in my face. I guess they get a kick out of that. Well I just got it back o him. I just poured some water in his pocket and boy did I laugh, ho ho. He said he was going home and I told him he couldn't take it. You have to be rugged to take the CCC. But I had begin to think I couldn't take it but I can can't I?
Well answer soon with love to all,
Your son and bud
(Penny Post Card)
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Will Answer your welcome letter I received a few days ago. Was sure glad to hear from you. I started to come home this morning but I think I will go to New Mexico with Strawberry and Marie (Brother in law and sister). They are going out there to trap. I don't guess I will loose anything by going, but I may be home in a couple of weeks, but don't look for me. I will drop you another card when I start and if I get to New Mexico I will write when I get out there. So don't worry and answer soon.
As ever your son,
Bill Hickman
Matador, Texas