Meeting of Oscar Nelson & Ella Smith

Oscar Nelson (May 3, 1899 - February 19, 1969) & Ella Smith (October 5, 1901 -).

We both worked in the Engineering Department at the Hawthorne Plant of Western Electric Company. He was just another employee -- so was I, and I don't think I or he even looked at each other, but the Department decided to have a picnic on September 9, 1923. I had not intentions of going. Sunday was the Lord's day and I went to Sunday School and the worship service. Oscar was on the committee to sell tickets for the dinner. He asked me to buy a ticket as he did all the other employees. I told him I didn't plan on going. There were about 100 or more employees he had to sell tickets to. He came to me a second time and said he would like to take me and I wouldn't have to be with him as he was on the committee and would be busy all day, but I would have to eat chicken dinner with him. He had a new Buick, his first car and could have asked other girls. One day he came to my desk and put two tickets on my desk and said, "See these two tickets? If you won't go with me, you'll have to pay for them."

We had a very enjoyable day, also had our office boy with us and I didn't see Oscar until dinner time and he did all the talking about the events of the day and I was glad as I felt rather strange being with him. He also took my girl friend and her boy friend, also another girl, so it was a long drive home taking one further away. When we got to our house we sat in the car and talked, then he asked if he couldn't see me next Saturday night and I said, Yes.

Oscar was a very nice person and came on Saturday with a box of Fannie May candy. We had lots of talk about working together every day, but we didn't want the office to know about it so kept it quiet. His desk faced mine and at that time I was a private secretary and sat next to the boss. We continued to see each other only on Saturday nights for some time, but soon became serious. He was more or less the quiet type but had a good sense of humor and always brought chuckle but he was very kind and considerate man. He was not the kind of person who wanted to look big to others, boastful or smarty, and I like that about him, matched me in that respect.

My parents liked him too as he always came in and visited with them. When he decided to buy me a ring (September 7, 1924), he called that Saturday afternoon because we had an appointment with a friend jeweler who had his store down town in the loop [in Chicago]. Before we left, he said I'm going to talk to your folks and I said that wasn't necessary, but he went into the kitchen where my mother was baking and dad reading the paper and asked if they had any objections to him buying me a ring and of course they had none, but my mother then said, "Well, you know that Ella always goes to church on Sunday," and he said he would go too. He felt better that he took the time to ask their permission.

The jeweler showed us different settings, then stones and he helped in making our selection. When we left, we were so happy and had dinner downtown. Then we came back in a week or so to pick up the ring with a matching wedding ring [on] September 27, 1924.

For more on Oscar and Ella Nelson see:

Johan Holmquist & Family

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