Letters, 1938-1945
MC 162
2 boxes (.5 cubic ft.)
About the Bickford-Leary Family:
The Bickford family lived in Laconia, New Hampshire. Karl H. and Helen (Denny) Bickford had four children: Arlene P. (born 1922), Karl H., Jr. (b. Nov. 23, 1923 in Sandwich, NH), Thelma, and Betty (birthdates unknown). Arlene married Sgt. Richard K. Leary of Northfield, NH on Sept. 5, 1942 in Portsmouth, both aged 20. Karl entered the U.S. Army in 1943 and married Alma Fogg (date unknown). After the war he worked for 32 years for New England Telephone-Telegraph, retiring as control foreman in Jan. 1979. He died Otc. 6, 1979 in Straffrod, NH, where he and his wife had lived for four years. They had two children, Karl H. III and Karen.
About the Bickford-Leary Family Letters:
The Bickford-Leary Family letter collection consists of almost 350 letters written between 1938 and 1945, primarily between Sgt. Richard K. Leary and his wife, Arlene Bickford Leary (117), and to and from Karl Bickford (170). The letters, written between people in their late teens and early twenties, often on a daily basis, are somewhat repetitive and reveal little about wartime conditions.
Folder Listing:
I. Sgt. Richard Leary and Arlene Bickford Leary
| f.1 | Letters, Richard Leary to Arlene Bickford Leary, Sept. 17, 1941-June 19, 1944 (6). |
| f.2 | Letters, Richard Leary to Arlene Bickford Leary, July 2, 1944-July 28, 1944 (7). |
| f.3 | Letters, Richard Leary to Arlene Bickford Leary, Aug. 11, 1944-Aug. 24, 1944 (6). |
| f.4 | Letters, Richard Leary to Arlene Bickford Leary, Aug. 25, 1944-Aug. 31, 1944 (5). |
| f.5 | Letters, Richard Leary to Arlene Bickford Leary, Sept. 1, 1944-Sept. 13, 1944 (7). |
| f.6 | Letters, Richard Leary to Arlene Bickford Leary, Sept. 14, 1944-Sept. 22, 1944 (9). |
| f.7 | Letters, Richard Leary to Arlene Bickford Leary, Sept. 23, 1944-Sept. 30, 1944 (7). |
| f.8 | Letters, Richard Leary to Arlene Bickford Leary, Oct. 1, 1944-Oct. 31, 1944 (7). |
| f.9 | Letters, Richard Leary to Arlene Bickford Leary, Nov. 1, 1944-Nov. 15, 1944 (8). |
| f.10 | Letters, Richard Leary to Arlene Bickford Leary, Nov. 16, 1944-Nov. 23, 1944 (7). |
| f.11 | Letters, Richard Leary to Arlene Bickford Leary, Nov. 24, 1944-Dec. 31, 1944 (8). |
| f.12 | Letters, Richard Leary to Arlene Bickford Leary, Jan. 2, 1945-Jan. 16 (?), 1945 (8). |
| f.13 | Letters, Richard Leary to Arlene Bickford Leary, Sept. 2, 1945-Oct. 5, 1945 and two undated (6). |
| f.14 | Letters, Arlene Bickford Leary to Richard Leary, Nov. 3, 1944-Nov. 11, 1944 (6). |
| f.15 | Letters, Arlene Bickford Leary to Richard Leary, Nov. 13, 1944-Nov. 21, 1944 (9). |
| f.16 | Letters, Arlene Bickford Leary to Richard Leary, Nov. 22, 1944-Nov. 29, 1944 (6). |
| f.17 | Letters, Arlene Bickford Leary to Richard Leary, Dec. 1, 1944-Dec. 8, 1944 (5). |
| f.18 | Letters to Richard Leary from Mrs. Sue Leary (mother), Nov. 25, 1944-Dec. 11, 1944 (2). |
| f.19 | Letters to Richard Leary from Robert Leary (brother), Oct. 14, 1942-May 3, 1943 (3). |
| f.20 | Letters to Richard Leary from various soldiers, 1942-1943: Pvt. John Bell, Nov. 27, 1942; Pvt. Emery St. Cyr, Nov. 29, 1942; Jim Saunders, Feb. 21, 1943; Pvt. Lawrence Sanders, March 29, 1943; Pvt. Norman Dionne, March 21, 1943; Pvt. Russell Berry, April 17, 1943 (6). |
| f.21 | Letters to Richard Leary from various others: Margaret Bickford, June 30, 1943; Doris McDermott (cousin), Nov. 23, 1944, and Christmas card; Mrs. Clara C. Simpson, Christmas card (4). |
| f.22 | Letters to Arlene Bickford Leary from Lil Frye, July 22, 1938-July 7, 1944 (8). |
| f.23 | Letters to Arlene Bickford Leary from Gwen Leary, Dec. 30, 1942-May 10, 1943 (2). |
| f.24 | Letters to Arlene Bickford Leary from Sue Leary, Dec. 30, 1942-Dec. 4, 1944 and two undated (4). |
| f.25 | Letters to Arlene Bickford Leary from Eleanor Picard, Nov. 9, 1941-Nov. 26, 1944 (3). |
| f.26 | Letters to Arlene Bickford Leary from various others: Ray F.[Stone?], Dec. 24, 1938; Pete Tessier, May 4, 1939; Bud, Nov. 26, 1939; Grannie, Sept. 27, 1941; El, March 20, 1942; April 26, 1943; Lucien Groleau, July 24, 1943; Roland Duffy, Sept. 23, 1943; Private Emery St. Cyr (“Lou”), undated; “Flash” and Lucia Wakeman (“Windy”), undated (10). |
II. Private Karl Bickford
| f.27 | Letters, Karl Bickford to Arlene Bickford, Feb. 1, 1943-Oct. 31, 1943 (4). |
| f.28 | Letters, Karl Bickford to Richard Leary, July 30, 1943-Oct., 1944 (3). |
| f.29 | Letters, Karl Bickford to various others: Marjorie Scott (“Scotty”), June 6, 1940, and undated; Lucia Wakeman (“Windy”), undated (3). |
| f.30 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Nanna Bickford (grandmother), Aug. 5, 1940-Aug. 23, 1940 (3). |
| f.31 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Ralph Morrissette, May 10, 1942-Dec. 16, 1942 (5). |
| f.32 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Rita “Q”, Oct. 19, 1942-Jan. 5, 1943 (7). |
| f.33 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Marjorie Scott, 1939; June 4, 1940-July 30, 1940 (16). |
| f.34 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Marjorie Scott, Aug. 2, 1940-Aug. 27, 1940 (9). |
| f.35 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Marjorie Scott, Sept. 2, 1940-Sept. 30, 1940 (8). |
| f.36 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Marjorie Scott, Oct. 2, 1940-Dec. 13, 1940 (9). |
| f.37 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Marjorie Scott, June 17, 1941-June 21, 1842 (9). |
| f.38 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Marjorie Scott, July 7 1942-Oct. 6, 1942 (6). |
| f.39 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Marjorie Scott, Nov. 10, 1942-Jan. 14, 1943 (9). |
| f.1 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Ray Stone, Jan. 13, 1941-Aug. 11, 1941 (7). |
| f.2 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Ray Stone, Jun. 21, 1942-Jan. 6, 1943 (5). |
| f.3 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Nancy Tupper, Oct. 21, 1941-Nov. 11, 1942 (9). |
| f.4 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Nancy Tupper, Nov. 14, 1942-Nov. 29, 1942 (5). |
| f.5 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Nancy Tupper, Dec. 3, 1942-Jan. 14, 1943 (5). |
| f.6 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Lucia Wakeman (“Windy”), July 11, 1940-Jan. 8, 1943 (8). |
| f.7 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Chet –?, July 11, 1940-Aug. 14, 1940 (5). |
| f.8 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Ole –?, July 2, 1940; July 6, 1940-Dec. 9, 1941 (9). |
| f.9 | Letters to Karl Bickford from Sid –?, Aug. 8, 1940-Aug. 22, 1940 (6). |
| f.10 | Letters to Karl Bickford from various others: Anna –?, July 1941-May 17, 1942; Bertha Jollimore Plourde, Oct. 2, 1939 and undated; “Babe”, undated; Betty Bickford, Aug. 8, 1940; Gramie and Grampa Bickford, undated; Celeste Dickie, undated; Connie — ?, undated; Dot –?, two undated; Ginny –?, Aug. 23, 1940, undated; Mary Lewis (invitation to graduation), June 1942; Roger –?, undated; Millie Scott, Dec. 21, 1942; Mrs. Scott (Marjorie’s mother), July 30, 1940; Stella –?, Dec. 4, 1942; Y.P.R.U., Sept. 30, 1940 (20). |
III. Miscellaneous
| f.11 | Correspondence between others: To Karl Bickford, Sr. from Margaret Bickford (mother), Aug. 23, 1940; Aug. 19, 1942. To Omer Dostie from Evelyn (daughter), Aug. 19, 1940. To unidentified correspondent from Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Bolduc, Oct. 14, 1940. To unidentified correspondent from “Kans”?, Dec. 25, 1941. To unidentified correspondent from Lorraine, Dec. 18, 1942 and a Valentine’s card. To unidentified correspondent from Patrica O’Toole, Dec. 18, 1942. To unidentified correspondent from Inez, Dec. 19, 1942. To unidentified correspondent from Ora, Christmas 1942. To Mrs. Leary (Richard’s mother) from H.E. “Soup” Madison, Dec. 10, 1944. South Baptist Church, Laconia, NH newsletter, Dec. 15, 1941. Subscription form sent to Richard Leary from theLaconia Evening Citizen, Dec. 15, 1942. Veteran’s Administration Authorization fro Allotment of Pay form completed by Richard K. Leary, Jan. 1, 1945. Newsclipping (probably from the Laconia Evening Citizen) about the selection of Mrs. Patrick J. Cushing of Franklin, NH to christen the U.S.S. Tucana. Pictures of her seven sons and one daughter all serving in the Armed Forces accompany the article. War bonds flyer; state health department flyer about health care for servicemen’s wives who are pregnant or are young mothers re: hospital care; numbered card from Coe Candid Photos of Old Orchard Beach, Maine; relocation of business card from Martin J. Hegarty, C.P.A., 113 Locust St., Dover NH. Negative of four airmen, undated, unidentified. |