Stephen Mather: The proud new father: Part 1

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Excerpts from letters to Maria Walker and Hazel Hoyt

cerpts from letters to Maria Walker and Hazel Hoy

Maria Walker was a sister-in-law of Stephen’s mother.  On September 2, 1906,   a little less than a month after Bertha’s birth, Stephen wrote to Maria…

My dear Aunt Maria…

     …I will try and tell you about all the important happenings of the past three weeks.  We certainly have the sweetest little girl you ever saw and she has been just as well as she could be since she was born…

     …The baby only weighed just 7-1/2 lbs when she was born and now weighs just over 9, a pretty healthy gain.  She has a great deal of hair and her eyes are blue so far and her hair is brown.

     …Her mother has plenty of milk for her so she doesn’t have to depend on the bottle, and this probably helps keep her healthy…

     …It certainly makes a great difference in our home having a baby in it as we find everything revolves so around her and she certainly takes a hold of ones’ heart strings…

Affectionately your nephew, Stephen

On January 29, 1909 Stephen wrote from Chicago to Hazel Hoyt, Maria’s granddaughter…

My dear Hazel…

     …I only had a week in California…but I enjoyed every minute of it.  They were selling fragrant violets in great quantities on the streets of Los Angeles at 5 cents a bunch and I wished I could have brought an armful home with me.

    …the baby is getting to be quite a girl now.  She was brushing my hair this morning and told me I had to look tidy or people would laugh at me when I went to the office.  What do you think of that for a young lady less than 2-1/2 years old!

     …Love to your grandmother, your mother and the aunties.

Your affectionate cousin, Stephen

xcerpts from letters to Maria Walker and Hazel Hoyt