A Letter Home - March 1916

This simple address was all that was needed. 'Elycroft' was the name of the Ely family home.

On his 20th birthday, in his second year as a Cadet at West Point, Hiram Ely wrote a thank-you letter home to his ill father, Addison, in Rutherford, New Jersey. Addison had become sick several months earlier with flu which developed into bronchial pneumonia making him dangerously ill — penicillin had not yet been discovered and infectious diseases accounted for high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Addison’s health was improving from the infection, but he was still not fully recovered and wouldn't be for several more months.

Addison had sent birthday wishes and $2 worth of dimes to Hiram. Two dollars was a significant amount of money in 1916. It could comfortably cover several days' worth of groceries for a family, including dozens of eggs, several pounds of meat, bread, and milk, or pay for multiple theater tickets, restaurant meals, several weeks of subway rides in New York City, or 100 postal stamps.^[1]

Below is a transcription of the letter followed by scanned images of the letter and newspaper clippings about Addison’s and other Ely family members’ illnesses that winter.

Wednesday, Mar. 1, 1916

Dear father, 

I am writing just a few lines to thank you for your very pleasant birthday letter and contents — one dime for each year. It made me very happy to have you remember me on my birthday and to write me when it must have taken quite an effort on your part to do so in your sick condition. 

This is not much of a place to celebrate a birthday but I managed to do very well. I received seven or eight cards and letters from friends kind enough to remember me. Mother sent last week some socks and handkerchiefs. More than the size of a gift is the kind thought it conveys and especially can I appreciate that here where there are very few gifts which one can give me. 

Mother keeps me very well posted on your improvement and I am very glad to see that you pick up so well, although the results of your disease seem to be long lingering. Let us hope that you will soon be strong enough to take a trip out west or some place where you may thoroughly recuperate. 

It is only a few months before I will be home once more and can be with you all — the greatest pleasure to me in living. You will then be in good health and we will all be happy.

Lovingly
Hiram.

Published 7 May 2026.