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WCU - Horace Kephart

Barbara Bird to Leonard Kephart, November 21, 1951

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  • In this letter of November 21, 1951, Barbara Bird writes her brother Leonard Kephart (1892-1988) to ask if he received her letter of July 23, 1951. She details their mother’s financial situation and asks if he can help their mother financially.
  • Boonville New York November 21, 1951 Dear Leonard, Inasmuch as I have not received an answer to my letter ofJuly [sic] 23, I wonder if you ever received it? Mine was in answer to the letter you wrote me June 27th from Iceland. In my reply I stated fully what was Mama’s financial situation and included a minimum budget of expenses for her for the year (July 1951 to July 1952). We have managed for her care for the six months of 1951. But on January 1952 her checking account will be reduced to one hundred dollars (providing there are no unpredictable expenses). I cannot touch the $1000 reserve fund in the Savings Acct. That is a minimum of safety to provide for very possible illness and eventual funeral expenses in the probably near future. Her long serious illness in 1949-50 cost nearly a thousand dollars, with no hospital expense and no Trained nurse. I so injured my back when nursing her that arthritis has set in and I am absolutely physically incapable of caring for her like that again in order to save hospital and nursing expe^nse if she becomes sick. Lucy has heart trouble and could not possibly take care of Mama incase of sickness. Hence her next illness will cost Heaven only knows what. So the reserve is mandatory. To sum up briefly: By Jan.1st 1952 there will probably be about $100 in the checking account. It costs a minimum of a hundred dollars a month for her care (when she is living with one of us) for her pocket money, clothes, food, heat, laundry, etc. The cost at a nursing home would be twice that, with pocket money, doctor bills, etc added thereto. I emphasize “pocket money” because this month she told me to begin sending her $20.00 a month instead of $10.00 like I have been sending, because she “want to give some- thing to the church, and other things I want to do with it. With an income of $50.00 a month, I see no reason why I should not have $20.00 to spend as I please. $30.00 is enough for me to give Lucy: $30.00 plus my services.” (?) I tried, without success, to point out to her that with the present high cost of living, $30.00 would not begin to cover the cost. She said:”That does not matter. Send me $20.00 a month in cash. The Fernow’s are “well off”. It was useless to point out to her that if they are “well off”, it is due to Fernow money and not Lucy’s. There is no use trying to reason with her. And I am legally bound to do as she says. It is her money. But it is outrageous that Karl should have to hold the bag. After Mama left Boonville the July, I had hoped to get a job and earnsome [sic] money so I could contribute to Mama’s expenses; but arthritis and deafness and my age have made that impossible. As long as Mama has this Lady Bountiful attitude toward her own funds, I cannot ask Roy to contribute, but I can contribute half of my own personal allowance, which would be $10.00. Margaret K. said she could contribute 10 or 15 a month. George cannot con- tribute anything. Karl therefore will be out on a limb., unless you can help, substantially and regularly - and soon. The financial situation looks serious to me, - very serious. Please let me hear from you as soon as possible. Lovingly, Barbara P.S. Of course you understand that Mama’s “services”, to quote her, are nil. The dishes have to be washed over again before they can bemused, but it gives her something to do, so perhaps is worth the breakage and inconvenience. Anyway, it would be cruel to tell her that she is more care than anything else. So it is impossible to convince her that her present course is im- practi^cable. B.

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Horace Kephart

Background and Early Career Horace Kephart was born in 1862 in Pennsylvania, but spent much of his youth in Iowa. He went on to achieve success in two careers. Trained as a...

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