Name/Title
AU Smith, Malcolm Lambert - 1975-01-18 letter to Mary Elizabeth 'Bette' (Lambert) KnappEntry/Object ID
2004.1.49Context
Malcolm L. Smith
3332 M Street, S. E.
Washington, D. C. 20019
Jan. 18, 1975
Dear Bette,
Your packet to me on Jan. 12 contains many items of great interest. The originals of my mother's letters of 1959 and 1960 to your father have special meaning because a few months later she was unable to write letters at all - yet these contain many bits of family information we should have gotten earlier except for our lack of real interest at the right times. The 1897 letter from my grandmother, Mary Eva Lambert Selby, is a real treasure. And the poems by her and Alva Lambert are very interesting. I like the arrangement of families in the long listing done by Pauline Warfel, but I expect you have discovered as I, that it contains many mistakes and needs careful verification and editing. Thank you so very much for all of this material. I will try writing to David Ewing, as you suggest, for the group of letters which were sent to Aunt Mayne after my mother sent them to your father. Lambert family letters meant a great
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deal to her because she felt so isolated from the others after she and father moved to Illinois.
I do not find a copy of the obituary of my grandpa Selby (Sam V.) and would appreciate a copy of the one you offer.
Enclosed with this I am sending you a copy of the story of my parents which I prepared for use in the Johnson County, Ill history of county families. Also enclosed is a copy of my memorial folder of information about my sister Betty who died in June 1973. The remaining eight of us are all married and have a total of about 26 children and 13 grandchildren at this point — So the family continues to multiply.
Officially I have retired, although I will work part-time for a while. Soon I hope to really do some more with the accumulated family records, letters and data. I will join the Lambert Assoc. you mention and try to get brother Stephen to attend their '75 meeting. Thanks again for your encouragement and help and do stay in touch with your new information items or stories and I'll do likewise.
Sincerely,
{Malcolm}
[End of Letter]
