She was the daughter of Arabella "Belle" M. (Gage) and Edward C. Johnston, born on March 28, 1881. On October 17, 1909, she married Louis William Holschuh at her parents' house in Binghampton, NY.

In an old trunk passed along to me by Lina and Lou's first son, my grandfather Edward B. Holschuh, I came across the following eight letters, all but one written by Lina; the other by her father on the day before he died. Six of the letters were written by her at the age of 29 during the weeks just before, and then just following, the birth of my grandfather on Feb. 11, 1911. It was very interesting to me to read these letters, the subject of most being my grandfather, who has already come and gone (he died in 2003), before he was born. Each letter has been transcribed as closely to the original as possible; misspellings and punctuation marks have been retained. Parenthetical additions for clarity were made by me in italics. Questions about content are opposite right.

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[Dated March 24, 1909, 1 sheet handwritten, envelope postmarked Mar. 24, 1909, Binghamtom, NY]

QUESTIONS
1. Could Caddie (mentioned in Lina's letters as Cad) be a nickname for Lina's sister, Carolyn?
2. What does Edward mean by "to be able to get up good meal"?

Letter 2 - Dear Aunt Carrie (May 1910)

[Undated, 2 sheets handwritten, envelope postmarked May 19, 1910, New York, NY, letterhead:
The Moody Corporation
Publishers – Importers – Booksellers
35 Nassau Street, New York
Telephone 8328-9 Cortlandt
(corporate logo centered)]

P.S. This Saturday, I have another dinner party, wish you might all join us. Am going to have Mr. & Mrs. Heinkel, Joe Ewen & his lady, Mr. Fetterer, August Moeuller. Perhaps Cad will know these people.

Letter 3 - Dear Aunt, Uncle & Uno (Jan. 1911)

[Undated, 2 sheets handwritten, envelope postmarked Jan. 12, 1911, New York, NY; letterhead (at bottom right corner, telephone number at top left corner):
Olcott Payne
557 East 118 Street
New York City
Telephone 1327 Harlem (page 2 corrected to 1126 and 1127 Harlem)]

Lou

Letter 4 - Dear Aunts & Uncle (Jan. 23, 1911)

[Dated January 23, 1911 (at bottom), 2 sheets handwritten, envelope postmarked Jan. 24, 1911, Wall Street Sta., NY, letterhead:
The Moody Corporation
Publishers – Importers – Booksellers
35 Nassau Street, New York
Telephone 8328-9 Cortlandt
(corporate logo centered)]

Belle

Letter 5 - Dear Aunts & Uncle (Jan. 1911)

[Undated, 2 sheets handwritten, envelope postmarked Jan. 27, 1911, Wall Street Sta., NY, letterhead:
The Moody Corporation
Publishers – Importers – Booksellers
35 Nassau Street, New York
Telephone 8328-9 Cortlandt
(corporate logo centered)]

[From Lina B. Johnston Holschuh, with note at bottom from mother Arabella M. "Belle" Gage, addressed to Miss Franc D. Gage, 197 Front St., Binghamton, NY]

My dear Aunts & Uncle:--

We look for your letters as much as you do for ours. I don’t know what we would do without letters.

Well, another week, and no baby, don’t you think she is independent. Guess she is going to take her own time. Don’t worry about me, we will let you know as soon as the baby comes and send a card each day, how I am. I guess, it will be Feb. 11 now before she arrives. We are all ready now, except the basket, the net is not quite finished, but will not take long now to finish it. So A. Carrie & U. Frank thought I was sick because you did not come Sat. Sorry they worried.

Glad you had a good time down here, we certainly enjoyed every minute of your stay, only it was not half long enough to suit us.

I manage to keep going, having quite a little trouble with my stomach, can not eat or sleep much. The Dr. said the baby had moved up and crowds the stomach, and the quicker it was all over the better.

Give our love to Carl & Marie (Marie C. Holschuh and Carl W. Gage; Marie was Lou's sister who married Carl, Lina's cousin) wish we might see them also, shall think of you all together Sat.

I think of you all each day, have your pictures, where I can look at them, also Uno’s, only wish I might see you to-night.

Will close for this time with lots of love & kisses.

Your loving niece,

Lina

[Note added at bottom from mother Arabella M. "Belle" Gage.]

Dear Carrie and Franc—

Know you all are anxious over Lina and I certainly am, she is as everyone is, some days she feels good and some days bad, she feels the best when she is up, would not be surprised if at last she could not lay down at all. Think she will not be sick until the time they thought at first, shall be very glad when it is over.

Franc we enjoyed your letter and miss you, we have the Point desprit for the Basinette and like it much better. Am so glad Frank and Carrie are feeling better.

I will send his two checks, one of 25 dollars and a draft of twenty. Carrie if you will pay my bill at Hill’s of forty dollars then you keep the five for you, must of paid some on my other bills.

Wish you all could be with us over Sunday.

We get out to walk nearly every day.

They went out last eve. to a picture show. I did not care to go as I had been out all the afternoon.

Think your letters are a help to Lina as she watches for them, tell Uncle Frank she is wondering why does not write again or write poetry about the baby.

Your loving sister,

Belle

Letter 6 - Dear Aunts & Uncle (Jan. 1911)

[Undated, 2 sheets handwritten, no envelope, letterhead:
The Moody Corporation
Publishers – Importers – Booksellers
35 Nassau Street, New York
Telephone 8328-9 Cortlandt
(corporate logo centered)]

[From Lina B. Johnston Holschuh, with two notes at bottom from husband Louis William Holschuh.]

[Probably written on January 30 or 31, 1911.]

My dear Aunts & Uncle:--

We were so pleased to receive such a nice long letter from U. Frank (Frank A. Bronson), so I am going to address this letter to him, but I guess he will let the rest of you read it.

We are still waiting for the baby, everything is ready for her now. I have even got a suit of clothes laid out for her. Wish you might see everything, the bed looks so pretty, and mother has fixed it fine. Now we are just “waiting”. I had quite a little pain to-night and I began to think she was coming sure. I may get them up yet to-night.

So Uno “sits & laughs”, because the baby is coming, wish I might see her, that smile must be becoming to her. I think of her every day, guess the baby will love her also.

Sunday was a day of surprises for us. First Cad & Emmett (Cad could be a nickname for Lina's sister, Carolyn; Emmett is probably J. Emmett Tubbs, who would be Carolyn's first husband) came about 2:30, we did not know they were coming. You can imagine how glad I was to see them, as I can not go away from home very far and am glad to have some one come. At 3:30 Leila (Lina's high school friend Leila Barton; Leila's husband Arthur Baekey introduced Lou to Lina) & Barclay came. They all stayed until 9:30 and then went home together.

Yesterday the nurse came over, stayed over an hour, will be ready to come at any time. I like her very much, guess she has had enough experience, has nursed confinement cases for 22 yrs., and is only 40 yrs. old.

Mother is sending a check of 50.00, would like to have you pay 40.00 to Dr. Root and the balance credit to her account. This pays up all her bills. She sends back the bill at the Tea Company, as she does not owe it. She always paid cash in order to get her stamps.

She wants to thank you for attending to these matters for her.

She just got the check from Fowler to-day, it was a month late, guess he intends to take his time paying the interest.

Will send your letters to Cad as you say, am going to write her to-morrow. Mother will write next time, she is sewing on the basket and will finish it soon. Good-bye for this time—with much love for you all.

Your loving niece,

Lina

“The baby will write next time”.

[2 notes added at bottom.]

Well you can imagine we’re waiting—Lina seems to think each nite she’s going to have it—one thing is sure though. & that is that each day goes by brings it one day nearer. Wish we could see you all again—Love & kisses—

Lou

We did not forget you had a birthday on the 29th but somehow did not get to sending you a card Aunt Carrie (Carrie J. Gage Bronson, b. January 29, 1861). May your birthdays be many & long & here’s that you may always be well & enjoy them.

Lou

Letter 7 - Dear Aunts & Uncle (Feb. 1911)

[Undated, 2 sheets handwritten, envelope postmarked Feb. 1, 1911, Wall Street Sta., NY, letterhead:
The Moody Corporation
Publishers – Importers – Booksellers
35 Nassau Street, New York
Telephone 8328-9 Cortlandt
(corporate logo centered)]

[From Lina B. Johnston Holschuh, addressed to Mr. Frank A Bronson, 197 Front St., Binghamton, NY]

My dear Aunts & Uncle:--

You don’t know how it pleases me to receive your letters, they do me so much good. It made me so happy to receive U. Frank’s letter this morning, guess you all love me just a little. We think of you all each day, I don’t think it is much fun to be seperated, guess, in order to be contented we will have to live all together.

We are looking for the baby most any time now, although Saturday is the day. She made so much disturbance last night that we thought sure she was on the way. I kept Lou awake most of the night.

Sunday, Lou and I went out for a walk, it is quite hard for me to get up and down stairs, she presses on my bladder so much. But I feel so much better when I am out in the air. We can hardly wait for the little darling to come, we have got her bed beside ours, all ready.

If U. Frank and I tried to pass in the hall now, am afraid it would be rather difficult, for my back is as big as the front.

We have decided on the boy’s name “Edward Bronson Holschuh”, how do you like it? We love you so much, we wanted your name also, Lou wanted it as much as I. We have not decided for sure on the girl’s name, but think after two mothers… “Morgia Elizabeth H.”

Glad Maude has got a little girl, we received the card a few days ago.

Sunday, Lou and I looked for the telegraph office, find it is on third avenue near the foot of our street.

Glad to hear dear Uno is lively, how I wish I might see her. Kiss and hug her for me.

A. Franc (Franc D. Gage), it is your turn to write next time, we enjoyed your last letter so much. Wish you were down here. You would not have “to work” on Baby’s clothes now. Everything is all done, waiting.

I am embroidering on mother’s waists, expect to finish them this week.

Am going out for a walk and want to mail this on my way, so will close for this time, with lots of love & kisses.

Your loving niece,

Lina

[P.S.] Write soon. This may be my last letter for a long time, but remember I am thinking of you. I am brave and don’t dread the pain. I must bear, for the dear little baby.

Letter 8 - Dear Aunts & Uncle (Mar. 6, 1911)

[Dated March 6, 1911 (at bottom), 1 sheet folded with insert, handwritten, envelope postmarked Mar. 6, 1911, New York, NY]

[From Lina B. Johnston Holschuh, addressed to Mrs. Frank A Bronson, 197 Front St., Binghamton, NY]

My dear Aunts & Uncle:--

It does seem good to write you again. I have had a hard struggle, with pain and suffering, but with God’s help was able to bear it. Have been very weak and hardly able to get around until yesterday, when I began to feel much better and more like myself again. The worst trouble I have had in trying to walk and get up and down in a chair, was the end of my spine, it was bruised when I layed on the table, when the baby was taken, as they had no conveniences here. But there was no time to take me to the hospital, for the baby would have been strangled before they got me there. So they took our library table to lay me on, as mother has probably written you.

But all these pains are forgotten and I am the happiest person in the world with my little darling boy. How I wish you could see him, he is so sweet, and of course, I think, has the sweetest face I ever saw. Would not trade him for all the girls in the world.

We are so anxious to see you all, when are you coming down? Do come soon.

How good you have all bee about writing, your letters have helped me so much, have watched for the postman each day.

Dear U. Frank, your poetry (poem by Frank A. Bronson included at bottom) was fine, and shall always keep it. When Edward Bronson is a man, he will prize it greatly, I am sure.

Dear Uno did not forget the new baby, how it pleased me when I read her poetry.

Cad is still with us and she takes complete charge of Edward. She does everything just right. I never saw anyone like her, she is almost as handy as the nurse. Gives him a bath every day. Wish you might see him undressed, he looks up at us so sweet and kicks his little legs. He is a small baby stripped but healthy, weighed 7½ when he was born, first week lost to 6¾, 2nd & 3rd week gained 10 oz.

Mother is going down to do some shopping and wants to mail this so will close for this time. With lots of love & kisses for you all. I love you so much.

Your loving niece,

Lina

Mar. 6. 1911.

[P.S.] I am counting the weeks until we can come to B. (Binghamton, NY). If U. Frank comes after us, will go home with him. How happy we would be altogether. Hope Uno loves Edward.

[Untitled poem written for Lina Holschuh by Frank Bronson:

Lina dear you’re not forgotten
In this glad and happy time,
Baby dear has been remembered
In our thoughts with verse and rhyme,
But for you we still retain dear,
Countless depths of purest love.
Prayers for God’s eternal blessings
Help and strength from Him above.

From your Aunts and Uncle Frank]