Grace Ellison Letter
DAL.SMS.360

Scope and Content:
One letter written by Grace (Jones) Ellison to her son, William P. Ellison, on Sunday, July 1, 1927, from her Powder Point summer home in Duxbury, MA. William had embarked on a trip west.

Biographical Note:
Grace Melville (Jones) Ellison (1868-1964) was born in Boston, MA, to Joseph Estabrooks Jones and Harriet Rice. In 1893, she married Eben Howes Ellison in Newton, MA. They had three children: Eben H. Ellison (1894-1964), Harriet Rice Ellison (1899-1989), and William P. Ellison (1904-1988). The Ellisons lived in Newton but summered on Powder Point in Duxbury. The Ellison family had long roots in Duxbury and were great benefactors to the town.

William P. Ellison was the youngest child of Eben and Grace Ellison. In 1927, at the time of this letter, he was 23 years old and had been attending Harvard that academic year. In 1931, he married Isabelle Lothrop. In 1965, he married Marianne Hessentahler Palmer. William Ellison died in 1988 in a house fire on Powder Point.

Transcription of letter:
Sunday, July 31, 192

The wind and rain have been very busy all day. Uncle Joe came for Sunday and he has been able to do very little for amusement today.

He came Friday night in an awful thunderstorm. Yesterday was a fine day and we all enjoyed it. The new motor boat is running finely. Uncle Joe, father & I went out in it yesterday and when father let it out I felt as if I were in an air plane – you will certainly like it on your return. ? raced yesterday and came in last. Amesbury won, Towle 2nd, Eaton 3rd. We are expecting Harriet any time now. She is motoring on from New London. She must have had a bad trip driving in this rain and fog. I sent you a portion of her letter which she sent to you. I thought of you yesterday going about Chicago. I hope you enjoyed the auto trip. Did you get your last inoculation for typhoid yet? If not, get it – your first stop at a hotel where there is a good doctor. Be sure and get it somewhere and finish up the job. Then you are all right for three or four years. There is really not news to send you Billy. I haven’t seen any body. Uncle Will is here for supper tonight. We are all listening to the radio. I shall follow your trip with pleasure. I have been to most of the places except Yellowstone. I shall think of you at the old mission in Cal. Go in to hear them play the organ in the big room if you have the chance. Did you get out your books [this is the end of the letter, there is a missing page].