Mom went to work at the Real Silk Hosiery Mill in Indianapolis in the summer of 1929, just after she graduated from High School. Aunt Phyllis mentions this in her memoir, and I have a letter written in July 1929 from Mom’s Uncle Raymond saying she would be the “best sock-makingist dern Hoosier”. It seems like Mom worked there all the way through to when they moved up to Detroit, quite a feat during the depression.
Mom had planned on going to Butler University in Indianapolis, but those plans fell through. She lived some time with her sister Alta and her husband Clem in Indianapolis. She also lived for a time with Mary K., her childhood friend.
Mom had quite a few suitors. She has letters from Amos, Lawrence, Harry, Bill, Charles, and Ed. There is also an unsigned letter from some poor fellow who apparently worked at Real Silk; he is absolutely despondent when he finds out Mom is going to marry Dad.
It’s not clear when Dad started working at Real Silk. The first evidence that they knew each other was an envelope addressed to Mom with no letter inside dated the December 29, 1931. Mom was in Thorntown as Real Silk often closed over the holidays. That he had her address and wrote her, suggests that they had been friendly for a while.
When they met and started to fall in love, they started passing notes to each other at work; all of these notes are undated. They apparently had to be secretive about their budding love affair. One reason was that work romances were apparently frowned upon; they thought they might get fired. Another reason was that Dad was married.
Their courtship was tempestuous at times. One letter mom wrote to a friend (Mary K?) tells of how she thinks about dad all the time but she doesn’t think he’ll get a divorce, but it would break her heart to stop now. Mom never thinks about Charles anymore. The advice from Mom’s girlfriend: ‘Give him come hither glances while shoving him away with both hands.’ Mom thinks Dad is impulsive and ‘trying to run into trouble’.
Of all the suitors, no one put on the full court press like Dad, at least in the letters. The letters from Amos et.al. are all pretty tame. These other suitors are all interested in Mom, but Dad really jumped right in. In one letter Mom remarks that Dad ‘mustn’t write any more letters like that, not knowing me any better than you do.’ She thinks that Dad couldn’t mean all the things that he says. Mom thinks they could be awfully good friends, but thinks they look at love from different angles. She doesn’t want to think of Dad as a trifler: ‘I’ve meant everything I’ve ever said to you, but I’ll bet you couldn’t say that’. In one note to Mom, Dad apparently told her he loved her. It sounds like Mom discounted that, probably from mistrust. She apologized and was glad Dad wasn’t mad about it.
Through all this, they are drawn to each other. Mom can’t believe they care for each other when they only see each other for five minutes at a time.
For his part, Dad seemed to be a bit of a wild one. Mom says in one note to him: “I don’t care what you’ve done. You’re a good fellow.’
Mom has had other dates but thinks only of Dad. Dad asks Mom in a note if she really wants to stop dating others and wait for him because he might have to go to jail. Dad also apologizes for ‘tricks’ he has played. Several times he blurted things out that he was sorry for.
One note from Dad was really jam packed, confessional, and direct. Dad said he went right home last night after work and thinks he’ll quit drinking. He’s worried about Amos and wonders if he is intruding on their relationship. “I’ve told other girls I loved them but it wasn’t from my heart. It was for other reasons. I am ashamed now that I did it.” “… a fellow wants to feel a woman he loves has never been touched.” “I want to marry you some day and would like to feel that you are all mine. Do you hate me for this? I know it’s unreasonable.” “Are you afraid of me?” “Pearl or Ena don’t mean a thing to me.” Dad wrote them notes and went to see them. He quit them. “Mary, there’s something I want to be frank about. We both have passion for each other. It’s bound to come in our love, but I don’t want you to think I’m going to force you to do anything with me. If you want to OK but if you don’t care to it won’t kill me. Don’t feel like you have to be familiar with me, I mean in carnal ways. ….I didn’t want you to think I have to have this, tho it would be mighty sweet with you.” Dad doesn’t think they will have to wait too long to be together. Divorce coming? Another note says: “When are you going to let me move in? I’m ready any time, but won’t unless you’d let me be your bed partner.” WHOA! Steamy stuff.
I think Mom and Dad were on the outs in early 1932. Dad is in Elwood, ‘paying for the things I’ve done.’ He may have been suspended or laid off. May be related to Dad thinking he might go to jail. Dad is worried Mom will forget about him.
A letter to Mom dated January of 32 alludes to the song Stardust, their song; it nearly brought Dad to tears. Dad writes that he and his twin sister have been drinking beer and playing cards. On the envelope, Dad writes in progressively sloppier handwriting: ‘Darling, I can’t stand this treatment any longer. Goodbye, Vic PS Please don’t take it too hard, Vic. PSS Bury me on the lone prairie. Vic.’ I think he is drunk.
Things seem to have righted themselves. Dad spent six days in Thorntown in early July, 1932. By mid-July, Dad is writing to Mom from Detroit. Dad is staying with his brother Walton, who works at National Twist Drill. I think Walton is trying to get him on at the plant. In December, 1932, they are talking about their beautiful new secret. I think that means marriage. May 7, 1933.
Wilson Cones Family History 