August 1925: The Briggs Family Drives East

by Louise Smith Posted on December 15, 2013
Irwin and Myrtie Briggs and family on the Drew Seminary Campus, 1925.
Model T with steer horns.

In Harrison, Nebraska, the Briggs Family welcomed daughter Mary in July of 1925.

Three weeks later, Irwin and Myrtle Briggs, Laura, Mildred, and little Mary headed east in their Model-T to Drew Seminary in New Jersey.

    The Briggs’ came east in a “rattlety bang” Ford, camping across the continent with two older children and a two-month-old baby. They were caught in a terrific rainstorm and the only thing they were able to keep dry was the baby, Mary Rosamond.
    —News article, The Breezy Westerner.
    Besides the occupants of the car…the Ford contained three extra tires, a wash tub, 57 varieties of kitchen utensils, bedding, three suitcases, a score of bundles, a doll and doll carriage, a pair of cow horns…and a donated tent from friends in Chicago. The pair of cow horns was presented to them as a souvenir of their send off by their Nebraska Church.

    The Ford covered 2,073 miles an average of 172 miles a day. They passed through nine states, two Indian reservations and two mountain ranges. The baby of the party, Mary aged six weeks, gained one pound on the trip.—News article titled, Eastward Ho! Continue reading →

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Review of “Farewell to Eldred”

by Louise Smith Posted on December 10, 2013

The recent review of Farewell to Eldred by John Conway, Historian for Sullivan County, also mentions the first two books in the Memoirs from Eldred Series.

My appreciation to John for not only writing such an informative review, but also for his contributions to the book. Mr. Conway ended his appraisal of the books:

Similar to its predecessors, “Farewell to Eldred” is a massive book, but it is fully indexed and is easily navigated. And like the previous books in the series, it leaves you wanting more.

To read the entire review click on the 12/6/13 link on the left of Mr. Conway’s Retrospect Site.

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Chester Beers, Eldred Schoolmaster 1868

by Louise Smith Posted on November 30, 2013
Chester Beers photo courtesy of Kathy T.

In my collection of items not in any of my books is a photo of Chester Beers and a number of letters he wrote to Emma Austin and sometimes her sister Aida, in the years 1869 to 1878. (Emma died of TB in 1879.)

In his letters Chester Beers, from Walton, NY, often refers to Lumberland where he taught in the winter of 1868. Chester taught four months during the winter and farmed the rest of the year.

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Thanksgiving 1939

by Louise Smith Posted on November 19, 2013

Monday, November 20, Lee and Jim went to the movies at Monticello. Thursday was Thanksgiving Day. The Leavenworths feasted on a goose dinner.

President Roosevelt had moved Thanksgiving to one week earlier than normal. The thinking was that it would help bolster retail sales. This was protested and after 1941, Thanksgiving took place on the fourth Thursday of November.

Thursday, the last day of the month, the Leavenworth family was together and celebrated a second Thanksgiving (on the original day) upstairs at Clara’s.

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November 1932

by Louise Smith Posted on November 12, 2013
Art Austin in front of the Eldred Post Office 1934 or 1935 when he worked for Emily Stevens, the Postmaster.

Garfield was still helping his father-in-law Frank Sergeant with his wood at the beginning of November. Clinton went hunting.

At the end of the first week, there was a half-inch of ice on the pails in the entry way. Ella put the carrots in the cellar. She paid the October electric bill of $3.74.

Clinton voted for the first time on November 8, election day.

Franklin Roosevelt was elected President by a large majority. Because the Democrats were now in the majority, the Postmaster would change when Roosevelt was inaugurated.

Emily Parker Stevens would be the Eldred Postmaster again.

Friday Ella bought 20 bushels of potatoes from the A&P at 49 cents a bushel. Saturday Ella started crocheting a rug for Jim’s bedroom. Jim, Clinton, and Bill Meyers went to the pictures.

Sunday, November 20, Laura Avery and her children visited with the Leavenworths. Anna went for a walk with Laura.

Tuesday Ella sold five turkeys and four chickens to Claude Angell, the butcher, for $17.48.

Wednesday Anna and Clara went to town and got a bowl from Henry Von Ohlen for 49 cents. Thursday Clinton had to work so the Leavenworths had their Thanksgiving dinner at night.

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London Children, September 1939

by Louise Smith Posted on November 10, 2013

In September 1939 children in London were evacuated to areas considered free from air attack. 1,500,000 evacuees (827,000 schoolchildren and their teachers; and 535,000 women expecting babies or with children under school age) were moved in three days.

Each child was labeled with name address and school number and carried a gas mask, night clothing, toothbrush, comb, soap and towel, spare underwear, handkerchief and overcoat if available. The children were left at railway stations and issued blank tickets with no destination given. The parents would be informed where they were as soon as possible. [I can’t imagine.]—World War II Day by Day, p. 15.

The moving of the children to the country was the backdrop for one of C.S. Lewis’ Narnia stories, which my dad Art Austin read to us.

Posted in Farewell to Eldred, World War II | 1 Comment

Handsome Eddy Farm in Arizona

by Louise Smith Posted on November 5, 2013
The Doellers and Mr. Fischer bought Handsome Eddy from Agnes Schwab.

Today I had the pleasure of meeting the Doeller sisters who live in Arizona. Handsome Eddy Farm, Pond Eddy, the home of Doris and Marion at one time, is one of the houses featured in Farewell to Eldred.

Old photo of Handsome Eddy Farm.
An old photo of Handsome Eddy, but newer than the previous photo. Photos courtesy of Marion.
Posted in Boarding Houses, Farewell to Eldred | 2 Comments