Joy Neal Kidney's Blog, page 39

Leora, the Family Barber

Leora Goff became her brothers’ barber because they didn’t want their father clipping their hair too short. With seven brothers, it was a good thing they didn’t all want haircuts the same day. I didn’t find any photos of Leora’s brothers without their caps.

During the Great Depression, young Darlene Wilson babysat for Zedonna and M.M. Neal, watching their three sons–Rawson, Jimmie, and Richard. Zedonna would send them down to Leora for their haircuts, usually on weekends, when she was especially busy. But Zedonna Neal was a teacher, so it was welcome income for Leora.

On of the only few photos of Clabe Wilson without a hat or cap. July 22, 1934, Dexter

Leora also barbered for her husband Clabe and her own children. After the older two were in the Navy, she remarked in one letter that Clabe wanted a haircut, that he thought it was too long, although she didn’t think it was.

1929. During the school year, cousins Maxine and Merrill lived in the big Goff house. Merrill was in Danny’s class in school and Maxine was the same age as Darlene, so they spent a lot of time together. 

One day Maxine came wailing  to the Wilsons’ kitchen door. “What’s wrong, Maxine?” Leora could see that her niece had mighty short hair. 

“Grandpa chopped off all my hair!” Maxine swiped at her tears. “I hate it!” 

“Well, it looks like he gave you a boybob. It’s the new thing, Maxine. I’ll bet Darlene would like her hair cut the same new way, wouldn’t you, Darlene?”

“Yes, then we can be alike.” 

“Maxine, let me even yours up a bit first.” Leora gathered up her scissors and comb, took a chair to the backyard, and set to work. Two nine-year-old girls were soon showing off their twin boybobs.

Wilson and Goff cousins: Danny Wilson, Merrill (I’ll bet his Grandpa Sherd clipped his hair) and Maxine Goff, Delbert (behind) and Doris Wilson with baby cousin, Connie Goff. Junior, Donald, Darlene, and Dale Wilson. Look at all the haircuts Leora was in charge of, plus the three Neal boys! 

Remember the time when Clabe became Leora’s barber?

Stories from Leora’s Early Years: Guthrie County Roots and Leora’s Dexter Stories: The Scarcity Years of the Great Depression

 

 

Two Homes Designed by Women–A President’s Wife and My Mother

Palo Alto, California

The Lou Henry and Herbert Hoover House, a National Historic Landmark, is a large, rambling International style house, resembling “blocks piled up.” It was designed by Lou Henry Hoover, wife of Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the United States. Herbert Hoover’s contribution was to order that the home be fireproof, and the walls were constructed of hollow tiles. Built from 1919 to 1920, the house was the couple’s first and only permanent residence.

It was here that Hoover awaited the Presidential election returns in 1928, when he won against Alfred E. Smith, and 1932, when he lost the election to Franklin Delano Roosevelt. After Lou’s death in 1944, her husband deeded the house to Stanford University to serve as a home for university professors.

Herbert Hoover, born in West Branch, Iowa in 1874, was a member of the first class of Leland Stanford, Jr. University. Opened in 1891 by former California Governor Leland Stanford and his wife in memory of their son, the University was located in Palo Alto, California, 30 miles south of San Francisco. Studying geology, Hoover met fellow student Lou Henry in a geology lab. Lou Henry, also born in Iowa in 1874, had moved to Monterey, California, with her family in 1884. She entered Stanford University in 1894.

Old Creamery Road, Dexter, Iowa

My mother designed the house that replaced the original one on the farm, along Old Creamery Road.

Mom’s plan for the front turned out the way she wanted it. She described landscaping as well.

On another sheet of graph paper, Mom had plotted the area south of the house that includes a shed. Dad added electrical lines, which run from the shed to the house and to a grain-drying bin, and also the pipe from the farm well to the house. He used Mom’s specs and measurements for the new house. Because Dad was also a farmer, planting and harvesting came first. We rented a house three miles away. It had running water but no indoor bathroom. Yes, an outhouse.

We moved there when I was a senior in high school, so I mostly escaped the outhouse for the next couple of years. It took that long for Dad and Uncle Bill to build the house.

The living area is basically square, with only two bedrooms, both with plenty of closet space. Another space included a couch which could be used by a guest, usually Grandma Leora. It has a bath and a half, with a large linen closet in the hallway. I’ve heard that adults tend to collect what they lacked as children. Mom loved having enough beautiful sheets and colorful towels, what she longed for during the Great Depression. She enjoyed giving linens as gifts, even for her own mother (Leora).

As amazing as it was for Lou Henry Hoover to design her own house, I’m even more surprised that Mom’s plans became her little green farm home.

—–

Here’s the story about my beloved but rickety farm house Dad had to tear down to build Mom’s dream home.

Why did Georgia Wilson give up her first son so readily?

I believe Georgia Ann Wilson is my only divorced ancestor, in an era when it was uncommon.

She was one of four daughters of Samuel and Martha Williams, who homesteaded in Jackson Township, Guthrie County, Iowa, in 1854–along with Samuel’s parents. They were early and devout members of the Morrisburg Christian Church.

Martha and Samuel Williams

Georgia Ann married a man named Frank Davis when she was 17. Baby Fred Davis was born the next year. His parents divorced. No clues as to why, only guesses, but Georgia and little Fred probably ended up living with her folks.

Five years later, she married Daniel Wilson, four years her junior. Dan evidently didn’t want to raise another man’s son, so Fred grew up with his grandparents.

But while working with early Iowa ancestors for Leora’s Early Years: Guthrie County Roots, I noticed that Samuel and Martha Williams had had a son born first, probably in Ohio, who died at the age of 1. His name was Roy.

They came to Iowa in 1855 with a two year old daughter, Emma. Three more daughters were born in Guthrie County, Iowa–Serepta Ann, Edna Alice, and Georgia Ann.

Perhaps it was her parent’s idea to let Georgia start over again with a new family. What are your thoughts? Perhaps this gave them a chance to raise a son, which had been denied them with the death of their firstborn.

Georgia Ann Wilson is buried in Guthrie County’s Morrisburg Cemetery, along with her first child (Fred Davis), her parents, Williams grandparents, and many other relatives.

Leora’s Early Years: Guthrie County Roots

The photo on the cover is of newlyweds Clabe and Leora Wilson in front of  Georgia Wilson’s house, which still stands, in Panora.

 

The Model T Truck became “Roadster”

Donald and Delbert Wilson, January 1934, Dexter, Iowa. “Grandmother’s house” is in the background.

This photo of the two oldest Wilson brothers was featured in the Rewind section of the December/January issue of Our Iowa magazine.

That Model T Ford pickup became the Wilson family “roadster” later that year, 1934. Wouldn’t the Wilson family be surprised that this photo became part of the cover of Leora’s Dexter Stories: The Scarcity Years of the Great Depression!

Clabe, Dale, Danny, and Junior with the “roadster.” Their pet squirrel Rusty is on the fender. Dexter, 1934

The original snapshot of the truck was so uneven that I had Alexander’s Photo restore it. It’s the only picture of the entire truck, even more precious because Donald and Delbert had just been to Des Moines to enlist in the Navy. They’d finally have enough to eat as well as the ability to send a little money home to help support their folks, Clabe and Leora Wilson, and five siblings during those Depression years.

Clabe Wilson, who still had no job, sold the Model T truck/roadster toward the end of 1934, so they’d have that money to live on.

When the Wilsons left Dexter five years later, they still had no vehicle. Living in a small town, they walked nearly everywhere. When Clabe found a job out of town, such as at the brick and tile works in Redfield, he paid the driver for a ride.

The roadster ended up on the cover.

Some of the Wilson stories from those “Scarcity Years of the Great Depression” came from letters and photos that began to flow between the “Navy boys” and the family at home, including fun letters from the younger kids.

Immigrant Patriot by Craig Matthews

The Book

One family’s struggle for freedom and faith in a world gone mad.

The call of freedom has propelled millions of immigrants to journey thousands of miles from all corners of the globe to come to America over the last four hundred years.

This story details the incredible cost that some are willing to pay to drink from freedom’s fountain.

Craig Matthews’s grandfather crossed the Atlantic Ocean seven times to come to America. He fought in a global war, and nearly died in combat in the French countryside, wearing the uniform of an American.

His grandmother, at nine years old, came to the States with her family and within three weeks of arrival her father was dead. Her mother was pressured to remarry by the leader of their secretive church. She married seven years later, at sixteen, to escape her abusive stepfather, only to walk into another devastating tragedy.

Shortly thereafter the worldwide pandemic broke out and life got even more challenging.

This is their unbelievable tale.

In the end, instead of becoming bitter, the epic struggles transformed both of them from isolated Immigrants, to genuine Patriots. The freedom and faith they fought for, changed them and through the hardship came the blessing. Those precious gifts were passed down to Craig Matthews who now shares their stories.

The Author

Craig Matthews is: A son of two parents. Sibling to three. Husband to one. Father of three. Grandfather of seven. Author of four books. Herder of nine chickens and a barn cat named Moo. One creative soul.

Craig Matthews loves: Jesus. Connie. Six kids. Seven grandkids. His big family. A good story. People in general. Pizza in particular. Nature. History. Adventure of all kinds. Sunsets. Detroit sports teams. Living at the end of a dead end road. Islands. Laughter, and a particular historical document dated 9-17-1787.

My Thoughts

What an incredible weaving of the immigrant journeys of a young couple, from Scotland and Italy, who meet in Utah after he survives WWI and the influenza pandemic. By then, she is a young widow, who has lost a young brother, her father, her husband in the war, and another brother to the pandemic.

But they have much more to face, from the deception and destruction of a rampant secretive religion. Remarkably, they escape and find redemption. This is the almost unbelievable story of the author’s grandparents, written as a novel.

Here’s a 30-minute video of Craig talking about the background of the book. I’m a fan of backstories!

You might like to check out his website.

When Winter Came: A Country Doctor’s Journey to Fight the Flu Pandemic of 1918

Maintain isolation – practice good hygiene – wear a mask – be kind. We all know these methods of fighting COVID-19, but this prescription comes from the 1918 experience of Dr. Pierre Sartor, who battled the worldwide influenza pandemic in his small town of Titonka, Iowa.

Dr. Sartor wrote an inspiring first-person account which lay forgotten in a lockbox of family artifacts until it was discovered decades later by his granddaughter, Beth Obermeyer. Beth knew her grandfather through her teenage years and grew up absorbing family stories. Based upon Dr. Sartor’s memoir and her years of research, she vividly reconstructs his life from childhood in Luxembourg through medical training in America to the early months of the influenza pandemic in small town Iowa.

Dr. Sartor was so successful in treating his patients that he later was named General Practitioner of the Year by the Iowa State Medical Society. He established a close collaboration with Mayo Clinic, about 130 miles away.

Beth’s story is rooted in a certain time and place. Yet it speaks across generations to the qualities that make a compassionate, skilled physician – a compelling example of doing the best of things in the worst of times. Because, when winter comes, we all want a doctor like Pierre Sartor.

The Author

Beth Obermeyer used her journalism degree and a lifetime of dance and music to start her own event/public relations company. On the faculty of the Minnesota Dance Theatre, Beth soloed with the Minnesota Orchestra in the Tap-Dance Concerto as well as opposite Christopher Plummer, Gregory Hines, and Garrison Keillor, all in Minnesota performances. Beth’s journalism degree is from Iowa State University where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.

My Thoughts

When Winter Came is an immigrant story, of a sickly boy who was eventually healed. That experience led to medical school in a big city in his new country, but he longed to serve in a small town setting, using the same kindly medical care he’d experienced.

Dr. Pierre Sartor was new in his northern Iowa town when the influenza pandemic broke out. He forged a partnership with what is now Mayo Clinic, which was beneficial his entire career. The author’s father, who at age 12 began driving his father to patients, also became a doctor. Dr. Pierre Sartor’s box of treasures was passed to his son, who later gave it to the author, setting her on an exciting journey of discovery. She reveals even more of that at the end of the book.

An important chapter in Iowa history, medical history, and of a well-loved Iowa country doctor, who had immigrated from Luxembourg. A beautiful book.

The author’s recent interview by John Busbee on The Culture Buzz.

Her website.

Reflections Along the White Pole Road

The White Pole Road is the original dirt road that began in the Midwest between Omaha and Des Moines in the early 1900s. It went on to become the first certified state route stretching from Davenport to Omaha. As a tribute to that history, more than 700 poles have been repainted white along the 26-mile original byway that runs parallel to Interstate 80.

In the book Reflections Along the White Pole Road, Route 66-like diversions offer travelers a look through the lens of photographer, Tim Florer, along with original historical photographs and recollections by local residents. The adventures along White Pole Road include Jesse James, Bonnie and Clyde, the great flood, and the National Plowing Match of 1948 with an address by President Harry S. Truman.

A piece of history, preserved by the White Pole Road Association.

My Reflections: Before Interstate 80 was built across Iowa, White Pole Road had plenty of traffic through town. But these days, the White Pole Road Development Corporation keeps those poles painted white between Dexter and Adair, to promote tourism for five small towns with populations of 348 in the smallest (Menlo) to 1695 in the largest (Stuart).

This terrific book has photos and memories of back in the day as well as today. A keepsake.

Copies may be ordered through Amazon. Locally, they are available at any bank along White Pole Road (Dexter, Stuart, Menlo, Casey, and Adair), Stuart Flowers & Gifts, the Dexter Historical Museum and Drew’s Chocolates in Dexter.

There’s a photo of the contraption that paved White Pole Road/Great White Way for the first time through Dexter in 1929 in Chapter 11 of Leora’s Dexter Stories: The Scarcity Years of the Great Depression.

Goodreads: Meet Your Next Favorite Book

While you must spend money with Amazon in order to leave a review of a book, that’s not the case with Goodreads! Not only that but it’s a handy place to keep a list of the books you read. 

During a writing workshop, one instructor encouraged the habit of writing reviews. I don’t write long ones but, especially if the book is by a local or indie author, I make sure to encourage them with a response to their work.

It’s also easy to keep a list of books you’ve read.

Goodreads is “an American social cataloging website. . . that allows individuals to search its database of books, annotations, quotes, and reviews. Users can sign up and register books to generate library catalogs and reading lists.”

Here’s how to write a book review on the Goodreads desktop site:

Navigate to the page of the book you’d like to review (you can find it by using the search bar in the header).Underneath the book’s cover image, hover over the stars until the desired number of stars is highlighted, then click on them to rate the book.A pop-up menu will appear above the stars. Click on the Write a review text.Enter your review on the following page, and click on Save to submit.

You may even follow your favorite authors on Goodreads.

Try it out. You just might enjoy it.

Mr. Connrardy, the Husband of Exira’s Famous Sewing Teacher

Alice Connrardy ran a successful sewing school in Exira, Iowa, from about 1897 until 1925. She took a sewing course in Chicago at the Baughman School for Dressmaking, then trained girls and women at her home, returning to Chicago occasionally for a refresher course.

Mrs. Connrardy wasn’t the only amazing person in her family.

Immigrant, Civil War, Audubon County Sheriff, Exira Postmaster

From his obituary: John Baptist Connrardy was born January 6, 1843, in Niederamber, Grand Duchy of Luxemborg, Germany. He died at his adopted home at Exira, Audubon County, Iowa, on Monday, November 2, 1914.

Photo of John B. Connrardy, taken in Dubuque, Iowa

John immigrated to America in 1856 with his parents and siblings, first locating in Cascade, Dubuque County, Iowa, until the Civil War. He enlisted in the 16th Regular Army in 1862. (John’s father, Nicholas Connrardy, also served in the Civil War: Co. F, 88th Ill. Inf. Regiment.)

John Connrardy relocated to Audubon County in 1868. Eleven years later he was elected County Sheriff, serving two terms. During the Grover Cleveland administration, he was Exira’s postmaster. (Cleveland was 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897, the only president in American history to serve two non-consecutive terms in office.)

Mr. Connrardy married Alice Poage on February 16, 1984. They had eight children, three of whom died in infancy. Survivors: Flora, J. Walker, Lucille (Connrardy) Halloran, Kathryn (Connrardy) Simpson, Alice Clara (Connrardy) Graf.

John B. Connrardy holding his grandson, Ted Simpson.

John B. Connrardy was a member of the Eastern Star, and A.F. and A. M. of Exira [no idea what this was], a Knight Templar of Audubon, a member of the Zag-a-Zig shrine of Des Moines, a member of the Exira GAR post, as well as a member of the Congregational Church.

Findagrave pages for John B. Connrardy and Alice Connrardy. Their daughter Kathryn Connrardy m. Lafe E. Simpson. Their children were Ted E. Simpson (a WWII veteran), James Simpson, and Ramona (Simpson) Knick.

A son of Ted Simpson’s was Robert Lafayette Simpson, the father of Susie Simpson.

Photo thanks to Susie Simpson, great granddaughter of John B. and Alice Connrardy

The large Connrardy home in Exira still stands. Susie Simpson, a great granddaughter of John and Alice Connrardy, shared a picture of the “sewing school house” as it looks today.

My Grandma, then Leora Goff, attended a sewing class with Mrs. Connrardy in 1910. That story is told in Leora’s Early Years: Guthrie County Roots.

You may find the book at the libraries at both Exira and Audubon.

The 14th Fighter Group in World War II by John W. Lambert

The Book

The Allied invasion of North Africa in November 1942 included the USAAF’s Lockheed P-38 equipped 14th Fighter Group. Flying long-range, high-altitude escort missions as well as low level ground support sorties, the 14th engaged in three months of grinding attrition. Another squadron arrived from the U.S. along with new P-38s and the revitalized 14th returned to the Mediterranean air war in May 1943 where they flew combat for another two years battling the German, Hungarian, Romanian, and even the Russian air forces.

The Author

I could not discover anything about the author, John W. Lambert, although he has written several important books about World War II.

My Thoughts

Eleven chapters follow the 14th Fighter Group from preparations for war, through Operation Torch, Tunisia, Sicily, and the invasion of Italy to The Grinding Finale. The book is filled with photos (even some in color), maps, appendices, and a bibliography. A very fine history of one fighter group’s contribution to driving out the Nazis from Europe.

My uncle, 2Lt. Daniel S. Wilson, and his best friend, 2Lt. Harrison E. Wold, were replacement P-38 Lightning pilots, joining the group in late 1944. Chapter 10, Workin’ on the Railroads, tells about some of their missions. Lt. Dan Wilson (37th Fighter Squadron) is pictured on page 122, with the caption that he was shot down and killed while strafing over Austria on 19 February 1945. (Harry Wold wrote me during the 1990s that he came home after the war “without a scratch on his plane.”)

Dan Wilson was one of the three Wilson brothers who lost their lives during the war. The Wilson family story is told in Leora’s Letters: The Story of Love and Loss for an Iowa Family During World War II.