Letter 1 - Sept. 30, 1946
(a transcription of the letter appears below the images)
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Desoto Mo.
Sept. 30, 1946
Draft Board
Dear Sirs
I am writing to you about my husband Cecil J. Henry of Desoto, Mo. Star Route. He is so mean to me and the children. He is always cursing us around about something. He will not take care of the hogs and anything. when the hogs get sick he just let them drag around until they die, he won't try to doctor them to see if they will get well. If I ask him to doctor the pigs and see if they will get well all I get is a cursing. I wish you could see our corn this year. I ask him why he didn't cut weeds out of the corn this summer and he cursed me and said he wasn't going to be a slave. I tell you the corn is terrible you hardly find it for the cockleburs. He goes in debt to buy chickens of any thing like that but he doesn't take care of it after he but it. I have suffered terrible with a nervouse stomach since in 1929. Everytime I have to get medicine he curses me and tells me there isn't any thing wrong with my stomach. He makes all kinds of fun of people that are sick or crippled He makes fun of the poor soldier boys because they are sick or crippled says they are just lazy that they didn't do nothing. God knows what I have to put up with he is so mean. Even the children are afraid of him they are so nervous from beating and cursing them around. But let him be around other children he is so good and kind to them and it really hurts his children. We have 3 boys ages 9 yrs 5 1/2 yrs and 3 yrs old, But he will not buy them any clothes. He never keep me any clothes neither. My mother & father keep them also. He spends what money we get for something we don't need. He owes a Dr. bill to Dr. Ford some of it since in 1930. and when the Dr. died they sent him a statement to pay and he cursed me and told me he wasn't going to pay that Dr. bill it was mine and not his and I would have to get out and work and pay it. He never has paid it. I pray from the bottom of my heart that you will help me by taking him to the Army and please send him across if you don't he will beat me around if he is in camp over here and can get home. Please protect me and my children, he is killing me I am so nervous please don't tell him I wrote this or he will kill me for he has already threatened my life if any one found out how he treats me. Please take him if he is 40 yrs old so he will have to support me and my children. Help me quickly by taking him soon. I pray that you will protect us by taking him soon for that cursing gets tiresome. He is also a deacon in church but nothing but a devil so you know how good he is. Protect my children and I quickly.
HIs Wife