The following are letters written by John Mac Twitchell (1989–1967) to his fiancé Ruth Batchelder (1897–1987) at her home near Monte Vista, Colorado. John and Ruth met on Easter Sunday April 1, 1922. Within the year, they became engaged, and Mac (as he was known) determined where to establish is veterinarian practice.
You can read a 2025 analysis of these letters at 2025 Los Angeles after Mac Trip.
FROM: [Mac] TO: Miss Ruth Batchelder
Del Norte Colo
POSTMARK: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Mar 8, 6 p.m., 1923
Tuesday Evening
Dear Ruth: Santa Fe, N.M.
Here we are in Santa Fe at last. Arrived about four p.m. and will stay until to-morrow sometime.
Left home Sunday at ten a.m. and while the wind blew making it disagreeable we made good time until after we left Colo.
We have had lots of fun in N.M. Shortly after crossing the [state] line we got stuck twice and had to resort to horse power.
The roads began to get soft and five miles North of Servilleta we hung up on a high center. It began to blow and snow and finally about dark we started for town on foot.
We surely were a tired outfit when we arrived at Servilleta. Yesterday morning we walked back out to the car and after some work started on. We left Servilleta at eight o’clock to walk to the car and at two o’clock were back there with it.
By that time we decided to spend another night there.
In a short time Claude & Mrs. Corbett drove up. They decided to stay over and hope for better roads.
We managed to play five hundred and Bridge to pass away the time.
This morning we left there about seven thirty before the snow melted and while the road has been slow we have had no further trouble to speak of.
Stopped at Embargo for dinner. The Corbetts left us at Espanola.
Hit a rock yesterday while in the mud and damaged the steering joint so we will have to repair that here.
Swede and Harry have gone over to the garage now to see what they can do.
Kindly excuse pencil and the fact that I started wrong on the paper. Did not notice it until I went to turn over.
I do not think much of New Mexico if it resembles the part that I have seen.
We should worry tho it is all in a life time, but I do not intend now to see the same country again unless they build better roads or I manage to see it from an airplane.
We are all feeling fine to-night. Ought to be easy going from now one as we are on the main highway.
Santa Fe is a queer city. I do not know what its resources are but from the surrounding country one would not expect much of a city.
The architecture is nearly all on the Spanish type, narrow streets and walks.
Nearly all colors of people tho I believe the Spanish predominate.
Dear do not think that I am complaining when I tell you of the small troubles we have for I certainly do not mean it that way. There maybe lots of country to describe and probably it would be beautiful and picturesque to some people, but it fails to impress me that way.
Lots of love
Mac
FROM: J M Twitchell TO: Miss Ruth Batchelder
218 Pine Ave. Del Norte Colo
POSTMARK: Long Beach, Calif.
March 16, 3 p.m. 1923
Dear Ruth: Friday
You certainly deserve another letter by this time. It is hard to find time or place to write when one is on the go.
I might as well start at the beginning and go forward.
I wrote to you the night that we arrived in Santa Fe and I was tired & disgusted to say the least. We stayed in Santa Fe all the next day (Wednesday) to get the car fixed up, so had some time to visit the museum and see the old Indian and Spanish relics.
Thursday we drove to Albuquerque in time for dinner but the rough usage began to tell on the car. We decided to abandon it there and take the train. Arrived in Los Angeles Saturday morning via the Santa [Fe] Railroad instead of trail.
Went out to Venice Saturday afternoon as I did not know how long I would be here and wanted to see Dr. March & Lulu Schultz & the Lewis family.
They insisted that I stay over Sunday so that they could show me the country and the certainly did.
They have a Cole Eight and Sunday we drove to Hollywood, Glendale, Pasadena, Monrovia, Whittier, Preenta Valley, Santa Fe Springs, and other small towns in the neighborhood that I do not remember.
Monday they insisted on bringing me to Long beach and up on Signal Hill to see the oil wells.
Mert Lewis formerly of Monte [Vista] is here in Long beach and he insisted that we come again Tuesday and spend the day.
I drove over with the girls and then Mert and his wife took us about forty miles South to Laguna Beach for dinner.
After supper we stacked the dishes and went to see Jackie Cooran in Oliver Twist. All of us were disappointed in the play.
Wednesday I went to L.A. and visited the vets there. One or two seem to be doing very well but do not need any help. It would be expensive to try and get started in a city that size.
Yesterday I came over here but all they want here is some one with a building trade.
Have a room with Seymour Hensen at present.
It is nice and warm here even tho you have snow in the valley.
Seymour just received a letter from his Mother telling how it snowed there last Saturday.
Harry and Swede went out to Vernon and I have not seen or heard from the since.
Most of the Center people are out at Ocean Park. Seymour & I may go out there tomorrow or Sunday.
I expect to go on to Utah if things are favorable. Have not heard yet of course as no one had my address.
My present address is 218 Pine Ave, Long beach. Probably will be here for a week or so and you can write me.
Have wished that you were here with me. Well I am going to try and settle as soon as possible dear so that you can.
With love
Mac
FROM: [Mac] TO: Miss Ruth Batchelder Del Norte Colo
POSTMARK: Long Beach, Calif.
March 23, 11 a.m. 1923
Dear Ruth: Thursday
Here goes for the second letter this week.
It seems only a short time since I wrote the last one.
Expected to hear from Utah to-day but failed to do so. Well, perhaps it will be to-morrow or Saturday.
In the mean time I decided to sell Eureka Vacuums cleaners. Just started out yesterday morning, but am having good luck so far and seeing the city, houses, and people. Also learning to talk more.
Sold one machine yesterday and another this morning. Had a little tough luch this afternoon as I left one of the brushes in the auto at noon and had to walk nearly a mile for another. Made two demonstrations but failed to sell any. Have an appointment in the morning which I hope will prove successful. The commission on each machine is eleven dollars so that helps quite a bit.
It has been very warm here to-day and it seemed as tho last night was broken into so that we did not get much sleep.
We are rooming in the main part of the city as it is much more convenient tho work and play and not enough more expensive to count. We are paying forty dollars a month room rent for one room with a double bed, with lavatory but no bath in the room. Seems as awful price and it is but there are not enough buildings to go around as yet. We figured on a room to-night but it is over a mile out and the difference in our board & room was about a dollar and fifty cents a week and a great deal of that would go for car fare, which we eliminate here.
Last night there was a policeman killed on the corner just back of us. Seymour & I both hear two shots and two distinct yells of pain. The police whistles began to blow and the ambulance came tearing down the street.
Today’s paper says that he accidentally shot him as he was cranking a Ford coupe. The revolver dropped out of the holster and struck the pavement so as to discharge it, shooting him thru the heart. It may be a true story, but I doubt it very much as both of us heard two shots and two yells and if he were shot thru the heart once it would not give him a chance to yell much.
However it does not affect us a great deal one way or the other as it simply disturbed our slumbers some what.
Have had new potatoes and peas, strawberries and tomatoes out here. It certainly is a change from the San Luis Valley weather.
All the valley news I have gotten so far has been thru Seymour.
Bennise and Ved finally got married. They have waited long enough they ought to.
So have we for that matter. Much too long for that matter and I am anxious to get settled some place where we can be together. If I get a favorable reply from either Delta or Provo I am not going to waste any more time here. Not any more than is necessary to find out just where to go.
Am glad to see California or rather a mall portion of it and would like to live here but do not find anything particularly attractive to do so far. Do not like the selling game well enough to tackle it permanently but am going to make it go while I am in it or find some other job to keep me occupied and the shekels rolling in.
Do not work too hard and do have a good time.
Kindly excuse pencil as I am sitting on the edge of the bed writing. Our forty dollar room does not boast of a table yet.
With love
Mac
Long Beach Calif.
Dear Ruth: Wednesday
Half of another week gone so reckon I had better jar loose. I received you letter mailed Saturday last night. Pretty quick time for that one.
I suppose that you are enjoying vacation this week. The kids are all home here this week and I suppose the teachers are. They do have fine schools here, or school buildings I mean of course I do not know anything about their work or the interior of the buildings.
Mrs. Carson hasn’t a thing on me for I often wonder if I am good enough for you.
We have had fine weather except Monday when a desert wind, Santa Ana wind, blew dust and sand all morning and then it quitted down and was very sultry and disagreeable.
Sunday Seymour and I went to San Pedro and then took a boat home. It was nice and cool on the water. I said home, well it is for the time being but not for long.
Received two letters from Delta which look good. I want to hear from Dr. Stephenson who was there until he took the position of State Vet. In his letter recommending the place he did not tell me that he had been located there.
One letter was from the postmaster and the other from the secretary of the farm bureau.
The town is about 1400 population, one hundred and fifty miles South and a little West of Salt Lake City. On the main line of the Salt Lake and Los Angeles R.R [Railroad] which is subsidiary of the Union Pacific. Two branch lines also extend from Delta out into the county. The altitude is 4600 feet. Two churches, Lat[t]er Day Saints and a community church. Good stock country, dairying, etc. Also sugar beets factory at Delta which ought to assure the farmers of some income.
They are anxious for some one to locate there as at present time they send thirty five miles for a Vet. . . .
Do not expect to leave here until about the tenth of next month, as I want to get a fair line up there before I go. I can pedelle vacuum cleaners yet a while tho I do not want the job as a permanent one.
Kindly excuse pencil as I do hate to write with a pen.
With Love
Mac
P.S. I forgot about your new filler. Go to it, Dear, and have a good time, every time you want to.
FROM: [Mac] TO: Miss Ruth Batchelder
Del Norte Colo
POSTMARK: Long Beach, Calif.
April 5, 11 a.m. 1923
Dearest Ruth: Wednesday
Time for another letter to you. Received yours last night and am glad that you did not have any trouble with Marjorie.
No Dear, I do not think you are a bit selfish. It was the wise thing for you to do.
. . . . I certainly would like to take you out riding to the lecture course or some place, just to be with you. Wish that we might spend a month together seeing California. It ahs been rather unsettled here since Sunday, hardly knows whether to rain or not.
……………………………………………………….
Sunday afternoon Fred Oliver and I went out to Santa Fe Springs to see the Valley Crowd and the ball game. The game was post poned. . . .
Monday I saw some more people that I knew in Canon. Had quite a nice visit with them.
Last night went to see Gloria Sawnson in “My American Wife.” It was fair but the shows as a rule are punk. Friday night Fred Stone is to be here and I want to see him.
Dear, after I received your letter I looked over town for a Japanese store to see what I could send to you for your club entertainment. I failed to find any such place here and perhaps should have gone to L.A. and look around.
Will try and do better next time.
Ought to hear from Dr. Stephenson soon to know what he thinks about Delta.
Never received a reply from my inquiry to Provo so evidently they are satisfied as things are.
Fred Oliver is talking of going so if he decides to go we will drive his flier there. That will give me a car for a while so that I can look the country over.
Mother wants me to go to Pasadena to see some friends and I must go over to Venice and say good-bye after the warm reception and good time I had while there.
Will probably get started some time next week, but Seymour or the landlord, Mr. Workenstein, will forward my mail so do not stop writing thinking that I am moving.
With lots of love
Mac
FROM: [Mac] TO: Miss Ruth Batchelder Del Norte Colo
FORWARDED TO: Monte Vista
POSTMARK: Long Beach, Calif.
POSTMARK: Del Norte April 11, 9 p.m. 1923 April 15
Long Beach Calif.
Dear Ruth: April 8, 1923
A beautiful sunshiny day. Too bad it could not have been like this last Sunday [which was Easter].
Received your letter Friday. It is hard to tell what will happen in a year’s time. Where will we be and what will we be doing next Easter?
If everything goes right we expect to leave here next Thursday over land for Delta or elsewhere. Fred Oliver is going to drive his Ford roadster so that will give us a chance to see the country and places that I could not see on the R. R. [Rail road]. I expect to go to Delta but there are several places that I want to look at on the way. Cedar City is not on the railroad but is a town of eighteen hundred. Beaver is also off the R.R. but twenty five hundred population and they seem to want a Vet. at both places. Do not know the country well enough to judge but perhaps the R.R goes up there some desert land in the southern part of the state and the better land lies east of of it. Going in a car will enable me to give both places the once over before reaching Delta. The Vet. at Fillmore may be able to give me some dope on the locations. He is off the R.R. so it appears that there are good places all along the main highway. The highway or Arrowhead trail does not follow the railroad so one will have to content with one.
Rained here Thursday and Friday, so Friday Fred and I worked over the car tightening it up and changing tires.
I will go back to Venice one day and to Glendale one as Mother wants me to . . . .
Next Sunday we ought to be thru Nevada and some place in Utah. May take a day or so in Cedar City and another in Beaver.
Started to go to Eastern Star Friday night and then found out they were having a dance so stayed away.
If you address me at Delta, I will get my mail there when I go and can have the Postmaster forward it to me if I decide not to stay.
With love
Mac
Long Beach Calif. April 11, 1923
Dear Ruth;
Just came in and picked up your letter and started for the room when Los Angeles called me and were kind enough to get things balled up so I cannot get away from here til the first of next week. I sure am peeved about it but what’s the use of staying that way. It doesn’t help any so I read your letter and feel happier.
I could not imagine who the letter was from or what its contents could be. Even forgot for the time being that your father is secretary. So it was a very pleasant surprise to find a letter from you in it. [Apparently the envelope was Ruth’s father’s, with his work title printed on it.]
Am sorry that your mother is ill and hope that she improves.
Talk about news, I am all run out myself. Yesterday it rained part of the time so Seymour could not work so in the afternoon we went to L.A. Last night we went to see “The Flirt.” It was very good and they did not have any cheep vaudeville to detract from it.
Monday I went to Glendale to see some friends that mother insisted on my going to see. It certainly is a pretty place right in among the mountains. Like all the rest of the places here it is growing by leaps and bounds. Mrs. Garlinghouse certainly is a talker and a booster for California. They boost so much out here about the place it gets old and tiresome. It is a wonderful country but–well it gets me to try to talk to some one and have them spout California all the time.
To-night Seymour and I am going out to Chapmans for supper (should I say dinner). It is his birthday so we are invited to help celebrate it.
Have discovered a new waffle parlor that beats the Lord’s so we go there now for breakfast. It is also cheaper in price not in quality or service for both the latter are good.
I thot that you had Spring Vacation before Easter and then you don’t.
If nothing else prevents now we will try and leave here Tuesday morning for Utah.
No Dear, your letters are always interesting to me and I certainly cannot complain about not receiving two a week.
Seymour and Mabel have been having it out about writing and both are pretty much peeved. I don’t blame him as he certainly did most of the writing for quite a while. Seymour says he is about ready to quit writing altogether but I believe would begin again if Mabel shows the spirit. That is up to them and I try to keep my yap closed when Seymour raves.
It is nearly time for him to come so I had better close and begin to get ready to go to dinner.
With love
Mac
Twitchell Ancestry 
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