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Note: There are no birth records in Portland. Will send for Social Security application and his parents probate records. Prescott was an adventurer and photographer. He vacationed in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, near Meeker Park, when all the roads were dirt. The photographs he took in the 1920's are still in the family.
The manufacturer's specialties business he started in Omaha is still in the family; operated first by his son Jack, then his grandson David.
Letter from Prescott Heald to Alfred M Head, dated 15 Mar 1945.
"Hello Pete:- ck A1186 - 1000.00 herewith
No way to get it certified to-night - but no need I guess. Just deposit it in your checking account, and then make your own local check to favor the Insurance Co - or whomever it should be made to.
Presumably they are accepting your 7300 offer, but if not - don't let the deal get away from you for the 200 diff. 7500 will be OK if you think it worth 7300. Fellow buys a home for a long long time as a rule and a few hundred one way or the other makes very little difference.
As soon as you notify me as to deal acceptance, let me know by letter, and I'll send the balance - certified check. You can hold them off that long OK while they bring all papers up to date, and while you have the title examined. [They will pay for former - and you the examiner.] Customary.
I'm not familiar with Wisconsin laws - but probably will be best to buy it in both your names, with provision it goes to the other in case one passes on. That to suit your own taste - but better look up real estate laws in case of death.
As far as the money from us is concerned - that is entirely another matter - an investment to put it to work, and to help your general family picture at same time. And just in case of the unexpected you had better write out a simple interest contract in duplicate - covering the essential details - amount - interest - princip payments, etc, and stating in note that the house is our security in proportion to amounts paid. (Between you and both of us.)
Intention is the main idea on both sides. Therefore it might not be amiss to attach this letter to the contract, and embody it. The main thing is not to bring grief to either side. You may find a legal contract form up there.
You to pay taxes, insurance, upkeep, and other incidentals as the owner.
Perhaps later on it will appear wise to make some changes as your income increases and our fortunes are modified.
Meanwhile if it looks to be the right house and the right move - luck to you. We will await your further success, and word.
Love to you all four Dad
Excuse pencil- I can think with it better than with pen.
Forwarded by Nancy Myers:
The year is 1904 ... one hundred years ago. Some of the U.S. statistics for 1904: Average life expectancy was 47 years. 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub. 8 percent of the homes had a telephone. A 3 minute call from Denver to NYC cost $11.00 There were 8,000 cars in the US,& 44 mi of paved roads. The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph. AL, MS, IA, & TN were each more heavily populated than CA. With a mere 1.4 million residents, CA was the 21st most populous state in the Union. Tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower. The average wage was 22 cents an hour. The average worker made between $200 -$400 per year. A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500-$4,000 per year, a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year. 95% of births in the US took place at home. 90% of US physicians had no college education. Instead, went to medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press & by the government as "substandard." Sugar cost four cents a pound, eggs were fourteen cents a dozen, & coffee was fifteen cents a pound. Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo. Canada passed a law prohibiting poor people from entering the country for any reason. The 5 leading causes of US deaths were: Pneumonia & influenza, TB, diarrhea, heart disease & stroke The US flag had 45 stars. AZ, OK, NM, HI, & AK hadn't been admitted to the Union yet. The population of Las Vegas, NV was 30!!! Crossword puzzles, canned beer, & iced tea hadn't been invented. There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day. Two of 10 US adults couldn't read or write. Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated high school. Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at corner drugstores. According to one pharmacist, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health." (Shocking!) 18% of households in the US had at least 1 full-time servant or domestic. There were about 230 reported murders in the entire US. And I forwarded this from someone else without typing it myself, and sent it to you in a matter of seconds! Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years, it really staggers the mind. Keep this in mind as you write your family history. Think how hard it was just to go to a family gathering.
Nancy Meyers
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