Rush to Join Officers' Corp Sets a Record

I am guessing this letter is from April because a) May 8th is in the future and b) I found this wonderful article in the New York Time about the Officer's Corps. I can just imagine my grandfather milling about, waiting anxiously to be called in for a physical examination, with the other roughly 1,299 man doing the same.

All records for recruiting for the Officer's Reserve Corps in this country since Congress declared war on Germany, were broken in New York City yesterday when more than 1,300 men made applications to attend the training camp at Plattsburgh. The camp will be officially organized on May 8. So great was the rush that the offices of the Military Training Camps Associations of the United States on the eleventh floor of 19 West Forty-four Street, were kept open until 11 o'clock last night to clear up the opening days rush.

I am now guessing that Fred Judson is a former classmate at Syracuse who perhaps helped Herb get the job with Case, Pomeroy & Company; this is still just a guess.


Tuesday – date unknown, perhaps April 1917
Dear Family,

I arrived here all right as per schedule.

I know I promised not to do anything rash, Mother, but I have done something. To-morrow I am going to apply in the Officer’s Reserve Corps to go up to Plattsburgh and go in training for several months to be able to train the men who are to be drafted. I may not be accepted of course and won’t know until May 8th. I talked it over with Fred Judson very thoroughly this morning and while he didn’t urge me at all he said that he thought that I’d be doing the right thing. He himself is trying to go as a seaman on a submarine chaser. We figured it out this way. I’ve got brains, some education + good health and as a private I’d be an awful waste of good raw material. As an Officer I can be of a lot more service. So I had him call up his dentist and make an appointment for me and I spent two hours in the chair this afternoon until my teeth were put in good shape. There were four holes, one a rather bad one. He is also making me a plate, the one I have is loose and he said a plate would be better than a bridge and would get by the physical examination all right. He refused to tell me what the bill would be and told me not to worry about it anyway because he admired me for doing what I’m doing. Don’t worry more than you can help. If I’m accepted (and it’s not at all sure that I will be) I’ll be just as safe as I would be if I waited to be drafted and I’ll be a lot better off other ways. The point is this – in a time of peace our business is legitimate, even necessary, but just now when all industries are running full blast speculation doesn’t serve any purpose at all. About an hour after I talked with Fred he came in to tell me that the firm would be very glad to make up the difference between whatever pay I may get in Plattsburgh and what I’m getting right now. I thought that was pretty nice.

I was in to see Charlie yesterday. I told him I was thinking of making application for some branch of the service.

This is not permanent you know. It’s only for the duration of the war, and if the firm of Case, Pomeroy is still in existence, I’ll get my job back all O.K. I don’t know what Friedman thinks. He didn’t say. But if the firm approves I guess I don’t need worry about what he thinks any way.

Don’t please think that I’ve done anything horribly rash. I haven’t. I’ve merely anticipated what was sure to come, anyway. And I feel a lot happier because I know that I’m doing all I can. If I’m rejected I shan’t feel disgraced because I know I’ve done my best. The job end of it will be all right anyway. I’m positive of that. I’ll write again along the last of the week and of course I’ll let you know at once if I’m called. And please don’t worry. I’ll be all right. And I’ll be a sure enough statistician yet.

Love,
Herb

Newcomb-Starr & Dommerich Genealogy

I have just begun reading a new book I bought - in a disappointing digital version - of Our Colonial and Continental Ancestors; the Ancestry of Mr. and Mrs. Louis William Dommerich originally published in 1930. In it, an small section is dedicated to Andrew Newcomb, my good friend's ancestor.... where might the Dommerichs fit in that tree, and where might my great, great grandfather Louis Ferdinand be?

The Big Day has come

No date has been provided on the letter. The referenced wedding, as my third cousin has pointed out, isn't until late June. As I write this, though, we might be in April - as perhaps he is planning his May trip home with the train schedule to Albany and the lilacs are just budding.

I had assumed that Herb was living with his cousin Charles, but that may not be the case, as he doesn't know where Charles' new apartment is. I guess I made the assumption about the living arrangements because it seemed that Charles' move precipitated Herb's move to the rooming house in Brooklyn.

No mention of Karolyn; on the 1923 marriage certificate with Florence, Herb is living at Sterling Place, so he must return there after the war. Hmmmm, now I wonder if one of his fraternity brothers introduced my grandparents. But, then again, why would I assume that those four, Phike Morris, Kimber and Zilleson would be living together again after the war. We don't know what happens to them, do we? Joining the aviation corp may have more dangerous than the Ambulance Corps. It does beg the question, though, doesn't it, who Herb might have been rooming with after the war - and for such a long time, as we know he was discharged in May 1919. I don't suppose I shall ever know how Florence and Herb meet.

From this document we see that Herb, presumably, distinguished himself in some way because he gets a promotion to Corporal in December 1918. We see that that distinction was not for anything involving wounds suffered.... Oh, cat's out of the bag as to when he goes over seas.... not until January 1918. I suggest you pretend to forget that as you read the letters, though....


Sunday

Dear Mother,

Well, the big day has come. Charlie has taken a room down somewhere on 139th Street, near Grace. He bought a new trunk so as to have it to go away with and yesterday he packed it up and sent it down. Yesterday afternoon I went over to Brooklyn and made arrangements to go over and stay with the boys so my address after Tuesday will be 193 Sterling Place, Brooklyn. It’s really going to be fine over there, I think. There will be four of us. Phike Morris and Kimber, of course, are Phi Delts so I know them well and the fourth chap (counting myself) is a chap about twenty three by the name of Zilleson, a very nice boy. I’ve met him several times when I’ve been over there and I like him very much. There are two great big rooms, one of them bigger than our parlor home and the other as big as the parlor and back parlor put together. In between is a little passage like with the two washbowls with running water. There is also a big bathroom on the floor. The family has all its rooms down stairs so that the whole floor belongs to us boys. I’m sure I’ll like it because I’ve sampled the meals and they’re fine. And it’s $8.00 a week. I haven’t moved yet but I’m getting my things together today and I hope to be all transferred by Tuesday.

The only thing I’ll miss is Charley. He certainly has been wonderfully good to me. We’ll manage though to be together at lunch a couple of times a week and an occasional evening, and then again with the girls once in a while at either Jane’s or Grace’s for a game of cards or a trip to the movies or something.

The weather today really looks encouraging. I hope Spring has really arrived and I guess it has because the lilac bushes have their leaves pretty nearly unfolded. I’m throwing away my blue overcoat. It’s absolutely shot. The edges are all worn off down the front so the canvas shows through. I can wear the old gray one for the few times I’ll need it now.

Unless something goes wrong I’ll probably be up home Friday night. I think I’ll take the six o’clock arriving in Albany at 9:39.

I forgot to say that my new boarding house is less than twenty five minutes from the office. It’s really the most convenient place to Wall Street in all New York.

Love to all,
Herb

Breaking it to Mom

I have found several letters in an envelope with the post mark May 21, 1917, from Brooklyn. In my quick inspection I grabbed this one because it looked different - it was addressed to Dad, not Mother, as all the others have been up to this point in the transcription process. This letter was addressed to Dad, Oliver Lee, for a very good reason....

I wish I had more letters between Easter and this letter; I want to see the thought process - the hashing out. And he has the truth of it, about America turning the tide.

I am also interested in the way he ends the letter - differently than when he concludes his letters to his mother. Though my own father had difficulty expressing love and affection, it does not appear that Herb did. Perhaps families had an easier time of it when letter-writing was such a part of life.

Monday – perhaps May 1917
Dear Dad,

I’m sending this to you because I want you to read it first and break it to Mother.

I’m going to enlist if they’ll have me. I’ve hashed it all over with myself and with everybody else who would talk about it with me, and I’m satisfied that it’s my bounden duty to offer my services. I’m convinced that there is going to be a long period of war yet and the longer action is delayed the longer the day of peace will be delayed. It will be America who ultimately turns the tide – and as an American, I want to do what I can.

I talked with a Sergeant in the Marine Corps today and he told me – and he said it straight-forward enough – that a man with my education would in all likelihood be able to obtain a commission more probably even than by going to Plattsburgh. Not that I care much whether I get a commission or not so long as I’m serving. So I think I’ll go to the recruiting station the latter part of this week. If I’m accepted I’ll have a week’s leave before reporting for duty and shall come home at once, of course.

I know it’s going to be hard on you and Mother, Dad, but this is the time when we who claim to be good Americans have got to show it. I’ve never been a flag-waver, but I’m not going to be a slacker.

I know how you’ll feel but I also know that it had to come, so I wish you’d write and tell me to go ahead. I’ll look forward to hear from you in two or three days.

Your affectionate son,
Herb

Easter 1917 and Billy Sunday

America joined the war on April 6, 1917 - just two days before this letter was written home.

I mentioned cousin Edith's husband Russell was listed as a stage manager in the 1915 NY State Census - perhaps he is travelling with a show. Her apartment as of today on Zillow.com is listed as being in auction. Oops.

I didn't know about Katherine, Russell's younger sister; I will have to do a little sleuthing about their family.

I couldn't decipher where Aunt Ada and Helen were going. I don't recognize it.

I had to look up Billy Sunday. He seems to be an evangelist. According to Wikipedia:

William Ashley "Billy" Sunday (November 19, 1862 – November 6, 1935) was an American athlete who, after being a popular outfielder in baseball's National League during the 1880s, became the most celebrated and influential American evangelist during the first two decades of the 20th century.

Here is Billy Sunday at the White House in 1922



(No date given, though Easter fell on April 8th, 1917)
Dear Folks,

Easter – but you wouldn’t know it. Last Sunday was very warm but today is pretty cold. The little basket came yesterday and Charlie took it down to Grace last night. She was quite delighted with it.

Good Friday the Exchange was closed so I had a holiday. Charlie had to work, however, it not being a legal holiday. In the morning I went over and called on Edith. Her address by the way is 1209 Beach Ave. Her flat is awfully nice since she has gotten settled. Russell’s younger sister, Katherine, was staying with her for a few days. This morning (Sunday) Charlie and I went over again because Charlie hadn’t been over this week. Russell won’t be home until sometime in June.

I got my new suit yesterday + was quite pleased with it. I tried to find about Harry’s coat but didn’t have any success, because this Brodie to whom I gave it wasn’t there. Tell Harry to write them (if he hasn’t yet) addressing it to Mr. Brodie + I think he’ll get some action that way.

I had a card from Aunt Ada yesterday saying that she + Helen were going to Ilson (?).

It rather begins to look as if I might go to war whether or no, doesn’t it. Well I’m not worrying. I’m quite sure that my job will be waiting for me when I get back. At any rate, Charles' Department is to be made over in to a great big affair with bond salesmen on the road just like the National City Bank’s bond department and he can get me a job very easily. I shan’t enlist until I think I am needed but when the time comes, if I am needed I shan’t be a quitter, if I can get by the physical examination. There’ll be lots of time to worry about that later.

Billy Sunday opens up here today. I’m afraid that with the war + all he won’t get as much publicity as he likes. It’ll be a good thing if he doesn’t.

I’m thinking of running up home around the first of May. Still that’s several weeks ahead yet.

Love to all,
Herb

Suits and Hats in March 1917

Again I had to guess at the date, but the Sunday before March 31st is March 25th, so I assumed that date. I seem to be missing a letter home on the 18th; that might be in another stack of letters somewhere.

I don't know who Steve Brodie is.... a tailor, obviously, but known to Oliver Lee or his family? Recommended by Herb's parents?

I looked up the Knox Hat Company and had the good fortune to come across a woman who has just this month begun her adventure as a milliner in Brooklyn. Here is her story with Herb's letter home following:

Newly arrived from London, I came across a dusty black box in a Brooklyn thrift store emblazoned with a gold Knox New York logo. I rushed home with my purchase to find out about this hatter who shared my new married name.

Once a corporate giant established in 1838 - making thousands of hats a day at its peak, Knox New York hats were everywhere, worn by every American President until JFK. Like so many hatters and milliners the company went under in the sixties when the demand for hats drastically fell, as they went from being considered everyday necessities to optional luxuries.

So more than fifty years on I decided to start my own Knox hat company, inspired by vintage styles, creating high quality hats like those Knox New York were known for. The new Knox Hats is just a tiny acorn. Just me, Julia Emily Knox, fairly new to both being a Knox and to New York, working with traditional hand methods in my tiny studio in Bushwick.

You'll find a selection of ready made hats through the retailers listed on the locations page, but my real love is the custom hat, no head is too big, no head is too small, no color, style or era is out of range, talk to me and let's create your dream hat together.

Sunday (March 25), 1917

Dear Family,

Sunday again and a perfectly glorious day.

I took Harry’s coat to the tailor’s and was welcomed by Steve Brodie himself. He saw at once what was the trouble so he marked the places where it was to be taken in and said he’d have it fixed and send it up in a few days. I had him measure me and ordered a suit made from that cloth no 6344, a gray worsted for 19.50. I had counted on paying only about 16.50 but the only decent things at that price were blue and I’m a bit tired of blue. So I wish Harry would send me that twenty he offered to loan me sometime within the next week. I also invested in a new brown soft felt hat for 2.50. It’s really a very good hat – second of a Knox hat which sells for five dollars. A haberdasher on Tremont Ave gets all the seconds from the Knox factory.

Edith has taken a little flat up Westchester way. It’s really a very nice little place on a very quiet respectable street and the rent is only seventeen dollars so it was quite a find. Charlie and I went over Friday night to help her out a bit with the furniture which came that afternoon.

Next Saturday is the Phi Delt banquet in Syracuse. Perhaps I told you. The other boys are going and of course they urge me to join them. I should like to go, too, but it’s out of the question of course. I can think of a good many better ways to spend that money. Besides I’d much rather wait and come up home along in May, when I’ll perhaps be feeling the need of a little change.

As I told you, Charlie + Grace went down to Long Island last week. They found Aunt Ida looking and feeling very well indeed.

There’s lots doing down town these days what with all the excitement on the other side.

Thank Olive for her letter. It was very nice. The writing on the envelope quite fooled me at first. I couldn’t think whom I knew in Troy that wrote like that.

I hope Harry will find his coat all right when it reaches him.

With love,
Herb




And on a personal note, Happy birthday, Mom.

Newcomb - Starr Genealogy

I had to share - I am just returning from dinner at my aunt's summer house and she has several books collected by my grandmother when my grandmother set about compiling the family history. One of the books is a fat tome - not as thick as the Newcomb Genealogy - about the Starrs. Having concluded that I have no connection with the Starrs mentioned in the Newcomb Genealogy what should be the first thing that happens as I reverently open the book? I open to the page which mentions Molly Gore who I had just entered on Wikitree this afternoon and her husband Joseph Starr. These are the Starrs who settled in Nova Scotia and I had been ignoring them. Shame, shame on me.

I owe my friend a telephone call.

I haven't yet tied us together, but the connection exists.

embeddable family tree updated live from WikiTree

Newcomb Genealogy

My good friend has a very large tome entitled Newcomb Genealogy: Descendants of Andrew Newcomb published in 1923. The compilation has a nice index in the back of all the surnames of the families who have married in to the very large Newcomb tribe. There are 8 people associated with the Newcomb family with the last name Starr. I have just done my best to add them all (the Starrs only) to Wikitree. In the process, however, I found no link to my own line of Starrs. The group found here are all from Nova Scotia.

I have just looked to the index again to see if there are any Lees associated with the Newcomb tree, and I see that there are about 24. I will enter their information, too, to see if there is any connection, however I find that none of the names seem at all familiar. But, perhaps, one never knows what one might find.

There is one marriage between a Maher - no relation Leo W. Maher - and a Newcomb, but this relationship between Leo Maher and Jennie Newcomb had no issue/children.

I did, however, find the Worths marrying with the Newcombs in Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. That is a name which I find far back in the Danforth line, and I see that 12 Danforths are associated with the Newcombs.

I guess I have my work cut out for me. I am eager to find someone who is a good friend who is also a 'cousin'. A compilation this size seems like an excellent place to begin; I am sure I can find a circuitous route to that family relationship.

In any event, as I learn and play with the blogging process, I attach a bit of the work I accomplished this afternoon.

embeddable family tree updated live from WikiTree

Emmeline Young Jenkins Revisited

An unmet fellow Find-a-graver, Bob Collins, has just the other day posted some photographs of Emmeline's tombstone and the tombstones around her. He has indicated to me that Emmeline had several more children that died very young. I will need to re-check the information Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn provided me and see if I can confirm the relationships and even find the burial information amongst the copies provided.

The tombstone delightedly provided the names of Emmeline's parents - Stephen B. and Sarah. I had seen a Sarah living with Emmeline in the census, but there was no relationship provided. I have also seen an Eliza Young living with her, but again, no relationship - she could be an unmarried female relative or the spouse. So much more sleuthing to do.

This new information will keep me busy for quite a while, now.

And just reflecting on Emmeline's life, it would seem that it was a very sad and trying in the early years. If that was the case for Emmeline, I hope the time with her grandchildren was a source of happiness in her later years.

Jumping to March 1917

Let me begin by wishing everyone a very happy Memorial Day.

I have been transcribing letters like mad. They are not in order and many do not have envelopes or dates, so a guessing game ensues. This letter I have assumed to be early March based on research in the NY Times archives about the Bronx Building and Loan and Herb's mention of Spring - that's an obvious clue. This is the earliest letter I have come across so far, so no mention of enlisting at this time - just a dutiful son updating his mother on his comings and goings at his job in New York City away from his immediate family up in Troy, but in the hometown of his father's family, the Lees.

I found an article in the NY Times Archives dated March 11, 1917 about the investors - depositors in this case - losing $100,000 to 'peculations'. I had never heard that word before, but one can assume what it means and dictionary.com indicates: to steal or take dishonestly (money, especially public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle. I couldn't attach the article because it is a PDF, but trust me when I say it was a moment of elation when I found the article, to learn about what he was referring to and to get a specific date in time to place the letter in the sequence of Sunday letters home.

From all of my transcribing and consulting my family tree I have figured out who some of the people Herb is gossiping/talking about. I believe that Jane Parker may be the sister to Russell Parker who is first cousin Edith's husband. Edith is Charles' sister and daughter to Ida. The wedding to which Herb refers is that of Grace Hughson and Charles. It's so rewarding when Herb mentions something by name - in this case Banker's Trust, Charles' employer.

Herb's description of Hasbrouk Heights is pretty great, too. So many mysteries solved in this letter alone.

Dad Reece - though I believe it may be spelled Rees - is Aunt Ida's second husband. She was widowed quite young from her first husband, John Cornell, a butcher in New York City. John and Ida Rees live in Huntington on Long Island and John describes himself in the 1920 Federal Census as a poultry man on a private estate. (Might Ida and Mr. Rees have met through her first husband's employment as a butcher? Tantalizing to speculate.) Edith and her husband Russell seem to be having some marital trouble and I believe they eventually divorce, as she describes herself divorced in the 1930 Federal Census. In 1915 Russell is a stage manager; in 1920 a actor in theatricals and by 1925 he describes himself as a movie actor. Has Edith headed home to Mom/Ida because Russell is on the road? Doesn't sound like he is taking good care of his wife and two children, Howard and Ruth....

Herb attended 3 years at Syracuse University and was obviously a member of Phi Delta Theta. The boys in Brooklyn were some of his fraternity brothers.


Sunday (Sometime in early March 1917)
Dear Mother + all,

I was of course delighted to hear that you are all pretty well again. It’s been a nasty winter, take it by and large and I guess we are all pretty glad that Spring is coming.

I got my shirt all right – on Tuesday I think it was. It’s a peach, Mother. I like it awfully well. Many thanks.

Tuesday we went over to call on Jane Parker. I had a very nice time. We played cards a while + chewed about the wedding.

Did you happen to read in the New York papers about the Building + Loan Association here in the Bronx that went to smash (?). Mr. Hughson had about eight hundred dollars in it, Grace had a couple of hundred + Mabel + Bess Elmore each had some about three hundred between them I think. The funny thing was that Charlie has been after Grace to take hers out for some time. She had at last been persuaded and next month she was going to give it to Charlie to put in the Employees Special account at Banker’s Trust where it would have drawn nine per cent.

Charlie + Grace haven’t been able to find a house that they could afford or wanted anywhere so they have pretty well decided on a six room apartment over in Jersey City. I haven’t seen it but they both are quite enthusiastic. It’s a new apartment – not yet completed – and is in a strictly residential section on the heights on the west side of the town – with a nice view of the open country. From there into Wall Street is only about a thirty minute ride which isn’t bad at all.

Charlie + Grace went to Huntington to day to stay until to-morrow. Aunt Ida is pretty well now I guess but still a bit weak. Edith is in town again. She and the kids are staying with John while she hunts for a flat. Charlie + I were up to see them Friday night. I wouldn’t mention it if I were you but Dad Reece thinks that Russell ought to be made to feel the responsibility of his position and support her. I think he’s right too. If Russell isn’t forced to come through now when he’s making good money he may get the idea fastened tight in his head that he doesn’t have to support his family.

There wasn’t anything to worry about in Mr. Friedman’s wanting to talk to me, mother. We just went out to lunch together at his invitation so we could eat and chew the rag together peacefully. That’s a common habit in Wall Street. I’m confident that he thinks pretty well of me.

I don’t think there’s any reason for worrying a great deal about the rail road strike. The mail trains would undoubtedly be run under government orders + if the food gives out I’ll walk home.

I’m glad Harry is satisfied with his work.

Do you suppose he could lend me about fifteen dollars in a month or so. I really need a new suit myself + I can’t save any money for it, because I need a new hat + new shoes even worse. I’ve got to look up + coming when I go around to the other offices interviewing some pretty substantial men sometimes when I am hunting information. If he can let me have it I can get on my feet all right, I’ll appreciate it.

As ever,
Herb

I’m going over this afternoon to see the boys in Brooklyn. I haven’t seen them I a month. I had an invitation to the annual Phi Delt Banquet at the Onondaga March 31st. I suppose they think I’m prosperous by now.

This photograph was a picture my cousin Chuck attached to his tree on ancestry which I copied back in September of last year. He had it labeled as Ida Rees and the Lees. Looking closely, and having found some photographs of my own which were labeled, I believe I can identify some of the people. Here's my attempt:
Unknown man (could this be Mr. Doring?), unknown woman (could this be Ida?), Nellie Jane Kirkpatrick Lee, Aunt Burdella (or is she Ida?)
Margaret Lee, Olive Lee, Burdella

Let me attach the photographs for my readers to review to see if you think I am correct with my guess of the people.

Labeled Aunt Berdella, Margaret and Olive

Margaret Lee and Berdella

Nellie Jane, Oliver and Herb - June 15th, 1930, so 15 years roughly after these letters were written, though this photograph shows Nellie Jane in a manner to compare with the unlabeled photograph.

A break from Herb for some other WWI soldiers...

I have gotten a comment from my third cousin Chuck with whom I connected through Ancestry.com and now Facebook. He has realized through the first few letters that Charles is his grandfather, Charles Oliver Cornell. That makes Grace his grandmother. They were the ones living in Hasbrouk Heights, New Jersey. Aunt Ida is, therefore, Chuck's great grandmother.

Charles is working at Banker's Trust in New York. Case, Pomeroy & Co seems to have sold bonds. I now believe Herb was training to sell bonds on Wall Street when he decided to enlist.

I was consulting the weather channel web site and was interested in an article about what is found when the glaciers melt - they mention the mummy found in the Italian alps which we have already discussed. I had never heard about the White War - battles fought in the Alps during World War I. So, ten months after my grandfather is marching around Pennsylvania and sleeping under the stars harsh Spring battles are being fought and men are being buried in the snow. Pretty gruesome stuff. I hope the families of these men will now have some closure.

Funerals in the Italian alp town of Peio are on the rise, only those being interred aren't of this day and age. Melting glaciers near the small alpine village continue to unveil remains and artifacts from soldiers who fought in the often forgotten "White War" staged in the mountains during World War I. During those times, soldiers from the Austria-Hungary empire battled with Italian troops for supremacy over the mountainous terrain.

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers are estimated to have died during the White War, many of whom were claimed by the extreme weather. Temperatures plummeted to 22 below, and avalanches, dubbed the "white death" by soldiers, swallowed companies whole. Many of the soldiers went unaccounted for, the Telegraph notes, their disappearance a solemn reminder of the rigors of war.

But now, nearly a century later, the remains of the lost soldiers have risen to the surface. In recent years, some 80 mummified bodies have risen to the surface of the melting glacier, the Telegraph reports. For instance, in 2004, a mountain guide stumbled across a grisly sight: three soldiers sticking out of a wall of ice upside down. Those remains were found around 12,000 feet above sea level near San Matteo, likely a gruesome side-effect of one of the last battles for the mountain in 1918.

Again, this time in 2013, the remains of two soldiers (pictured below) who had fought in the May 1918 Battle of Presena, the Economist notes, were found in a interment pit that had melted away. So well-preserved were mummified remains, that hair, skin and other features still remained.

The melting glacier doesn't just produce remains, however. On a much more positive note, personal artifacts, such as a love note addressed to "Maria," have also been recovered in the glacier, the Telegraph reports.

Sleeping under the Stars and a Full Moon

Jumping forward in time again. Not much going on but marching.

Sunday, August 5, 1917

Dear Mother,

I’ve been having a fine time the last few days. Thursday was the last of the terrific hot spell and since then the weather has been ideal – quite like autumn. Clear, warm days and cool, crisp nights. Friday we broke camp and set out at three o’clock. We hiked fourteen miles that afternoon arriving at Slatington at 7:45. We rest ten minutes out of every hour always and of course we had supper on the way – sandwiches and coffee. We stayed in Slatington overnight and camped out overnight in the town ball grounds. We didn’t put up tents but rolled up in blankets underneath the stars and a full moon. We were up next morning at 4:45 after a good night’s sleep and we were on the march at 6:30. We pushed on for five hours arriving at Bath over very winding but pretty good roads at about 11:30. We covered about 16 miles. Our tents blankets and spare clothes were carried on trucks so all we had to carry was haversacks and canteens, about 8 pounds in all. We are here in Bath over today but expect to start out tomorrow. No one knows where we are going or how long we’ll be out of camp except the Major in Command and he isn’t telling.

Many of the men have sore feet but mine are in fine shape and I feel great. I’d much rather be out on the road than in Allentown. There are about 700 of us and we stretch out in ranks of four over nearly a quarter mile of road.

The Y.M.C.A. follows us around and brings us our mail every day.
Love to all,
Herbert

I looked over my research and I would say that in previous letters Herb definitely writes Aunt Ada, but I believe the woman he is referring to is his Aunt Ida, his father's sister. She was living in the City at this time, and Aunt Ada was living up state. Ada does eventually move to the City, but not at this point. Aunt Ida also happens to be Charlie's mother....

A great date with Karolyn

I have jumped backwards in time to July 23rd. The romance with Karolyn continues to alarm me and I worry, as I know he doesn’t marry her. What might have happened to her? He does seem very much in love.

Aunt Ada is Herb’s mother’s sister. Good to know that she is in the City, or maybe in New Jersey at this period in time. I don’t think I knew where she was. It will help with the research. Ada only had one daughter, Helen, and Helen only had one son. The son, William Arthur, never married and never had any children, that I know of, at least.

Harry was born in 1899, so he is about 17 at this point.

I don’t know who this Charlie is. Hopefully more will be revealed.

Herb worked with Case, Pomeroy & Co. before he enlisted. I’m afraid my research has not yet revealed what kind of business they were in. I believe Herb’s resume indicates that he worked as a statistician for them. Case, Pomeroy & Co. had their offices at 60 Wall Street. Theodore Pomeroy wrote a nice recommendation letter about Herb, indicating that he “has proved himself an efficient, capable, honest, thorough-going young fellow.”

I don’t know who Herb would be staying with in Hasbrouk Heights. According to Wikipedia, Hasbrouk Heights is located about 8 miles northwest of the City. Perhaps that is where I will find Aunt Ada. I do know that Herb used to live at Sterling Place in Brooklyn.

Monday, July 23, 1917

Dear Mother,

I am awfully sorry not to have written you before but I have been on the jump ever since I sent you the telegram. I had to hustle to get to the train Friday evening and then it got in Jersey City about a half hour late. I had at once tried to get Charlie on the phone but is I found out later it was not yet connected at his end so I couldn’t get him. I then went over to New York and called up Karolyn at Bridgeport and arranged for her to come over to New York in the morning. Then I called up Sterling Place and went over there to spend the night. Kimber and Zillesen are both enlisted in the Aviation Corps. They have been sworn in but are still waiting to be called and are getting so anxious that they watch for the mail man like two hawks.

I left there in the morning and went over to the Bank to see Charlie. He told me that Aunt Ada was to meet him at 12:30, she having been in to find out if he knew where I was and go out to Jersey with him. He suggested that I bring Karolyn along and we’d all have lunch together so I agreed. Then I went down to 60 Wall for about an hour. Fred Judson is on active service and Mr. Case + Mr. Pomeroy were away for the weekend but I had a long talk with Mr. Friedman about nothing in particular. It was then time to meet Karolyn so I went up to Grand Central. I brought her back and showed her around Wall Street a bit and then went around to the Bank and met Charlie and Aunt Ada. We all had lunch together and after Karolyn and I went with them over to the tube (?) and left then because she had to go back to Bridgeport. We took the 4:26 only New York and went to Fairfield, near Bridgeport and stayed at the beach there about an hour. Then we went to Bridgeport, had something to eat and I went home with her. Her grandmother wanted me to stay overnight at least with them, but it was sad enough as it was and I didn’t want to prolong the agony so I came back to NY. I left her about 12 o’clock and took the 1:00 back to NY. I arrived in the station at NY about 3:00 am so darned tired I couldn’t move. In the waiting room were about 35 men in uniform peacefully sleeping so I took off my coat for a pillow and joined them till seven o’clock. Then I washed up, went out and had breakfast, went over to Matthews to see Aunt Ada and from there over to Hasbrouk Heights. I had dinner there and early tea and left about 5:00 to come back to camp. Gee I did hate to come back here, but I had to do it.

Aunt Ada says Harry is trying to enlist. (Here Herb changes to pencil) The ink has run out. My advice to him is not to do it. (Herb changes back to pen.) I don’t believe there is any real obligation on him since I have gone. Anyway he’s too young for this sort of thing. It’s a hard, nasty life, and I should hate to see him in it. He’ll be more real use to the country by looking for a job on a farm for now and trying to go to Agriculture college, if he likes, in the Fall. If it were a war at home I wouldn’t try to dissuade him but as it is, I say, for God’s sake stay out of it. One of us is enough. Think it over Harry. I never steered you wrong yet.
Love to all,
Herb

Seven Weeks in Camp

Another letter from Herb to his mother. The U.S.A.A.C is the precursor to the Air Force - the acronym stands for the USA Air Corps. Mineola is an air field on Long Island. According to Wikipedia Mineola is now called Roosevelt Field:

Roosevelt Field is a former airport, located 2.3 miles (3.7 km) east-southeast of Mineola, Long Island, New York. Originally called the Hempstead Plains Aerodrome, or sometimes Hempstead Plains field or the Garden City Aerodrome, it was used as a training field (Hazelhurst Field) for the Air Service, United States Army during World War I.

In 1919, it was renamed in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt's son, Quentin, who was killed in air combat during World War I.

Roosevelt Field was the takeoff point for many historic flights in the early history of aviation, including Charles Lindbergh's 1927 solo transatlantic flight. It was also used by other pioneering aviators, including Amelia Earhart and Wiley Post.

I still have no idea who Karolyn is and what happened to her. Olive is Herb's younger sister; I have written a bit about her already.

Sunday, August 12, 1917
Dear Mother,

Sunday again – another week gone. Last Thursday finished my seventh week in camp.

I had a letter from Kelly Zillessen (?) yesterday. He was called out a week ago yesterday by telegram and sent to an aviation organization camp at San Antonio, Texas. He expects to be there only a few weeks and then to be sent to the aviation school either in Illinois or at Mineola.

This afternoon at 4 o’clock Section 80 mounts guard for twenty-four hours. At four o’clock Monday afternoon we are relieved and are then off duty til 5:30 Wednesday morning. I plan to leave Monday at 6:07 pm and go over and visit Chas. I shall return late Tuesday night. He is very anxious to have me come and this looks like a good opportunity. There are a lot of things about what I am to do after the war that we want to talk over together. I shall tell him then about what Harry is going to do. I know he will be pleased and will be anxious to help out a bit if it proves necessary.

I can’t understand why it is that you have no word from the firm. I have made no later arrangement with them – could not have, in fact, since no one but Mr. Friedman was in the office when last I was there. At any rate, I would not have changed the arrangement without first consulting you since I had already given the money to Harry. However I will drop in to see them all Tuesday and will probably hear about it then.

Karolyn is going in to a hospital in Bridgeport, just as soon as arrangements are completed and she can get together her uniforms and aprons or whatever it is a nurse in training needs. Since she is to be in Bridgeport I hope to be able to go over to see her some Sunday soon.

I hear no more about when are to go abroad.

The food lately has been a great improvement. They are giving a lot of fresh vegetables and fruit – oranges, bananas, sweet corn, tomatoes, green peas, etc. It’s a great relief after canned stuff.

I had intended to write Olive but you said she was coming home so I did not.

I hear from Karolyn that friend Mac Dowell has been telling around town that he expects to go to France with the U.S.A.A.C.

Love to all,
Herb

12 mile march and vaccinations

Wednesday, August 8, 1917
Dear Mother,
We’re back in Allentown again – came in yesterday afternoon. We left Bath Monday morning and marched about 12 miles to a little village called Weaverville where we stayed overnight. That afternoon we were shot with one second dose of paratyphoid and in the evening it rained. The dampness got in to me and I was pretty stiff next morning what with the injection and all. We set out from Weaverville and pushed on to Catasauqua where the Red Cross Association gave us a fine lunch. We then came right on to Allentown and got in and settled down in our old barracks by five o’clock. I was pretty well worn out so I went to bed about eight o’clock and woke up this morning feeling fine.

The cookies arrived in good shape Monday afternoon and they certainly tasted good.

I am glad Harry has made up his mind to go to school in the fall. I think it will be a darned good thing. And so long as he has enough to pay most of his expenses in hand it will be a simple matter to get money for board, carfare, lunches and the like. I know Charlie will be glad to help him out a bit. I’ll ask him about it if you like. If Harry needs any clothes he might better use mine than buy new ones.

I wouldn't worry about the money from the firm. It will come along all right.

My Syracuse Lieutenant is fine and he treats me nice as pie.

The first thousand men left Allentown for France late Monday night. The second lot has been announced but Section 80 is not among them. I rather think we’ll be in the third group to leave around Labor Day.

Love to all,
Herbert

BTW, the American Red Cross was founded today in 1881. Seemed appropriate to mention with my latest blog posts. I learned this fact this morning on the radio and I took the image and the text from the Red Cross Web page.

Clara Barton and a circle of her acquaintances founded the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C. on May 21, 1881. Barton first heard of the Swiss-inspired global Red Cross network while visiting Europe following the Civil War. Returning home, she campaigned for an American Red Cross and for ratification of the Geneva Convention protecting the war-injured, which the United States ratified in 1882.

Letters from World War I - Ambulance Corps

I have come across a stack of letters my grandfather wrote to his mother, Nellie Jane, while he served with the Section 580 Army Ambulance Corps from June 1917 to May 1919. I have scanned one letter in and have transcribed it. I don't expect to find anything earth shattering - though I have already begun to wonder about this woman named Karolyn who knits sweaters and scarves for him; my grandmother is named Florence.... Hmmm. (Just joking, Herb and Florence married in 1923, so Karolyn is a perhaps a love interest from college or high school. Perhaps we will find out what happens to her in our exploration of these letters.)
Harry is Herb's younger brother.
I don't know who Allan Norton is.

I grabbed a letter from the stack at random. This one is postmarked August 19, 1917.

Sunday 1917
Dear Mother,
Your Friday letter arrived today. We always have one mail delivery on Sunday.

It certainly was surprising to hear that Harry has been playing around with girls. I was glad to hear it, though. He ought to get out more often.

I had a regular surprise package from Karolyn today – a brown sweater and scarf to match that she knitted for me and a tobacco pouch. The sweater is a regular godsend. It’s pretty cold at 5:30 am these days. Her father is going to drive her down to Bridgeport this coming Saturday – the 25th. I’m going to try to get over to see her that Sunday. There is nothing definite yet but I’m inclined to think that Section 80 will be sent along with the section in which Allan Norton is. 80 is one of the oldest sections in camp now. Still you never can tell. At any rate I can’t drive yet – haven’t been given instructions so I’ll not see any actual service for quite a few months unless they transfer me to some sort of clerical work at some headquarters over there. If we are going I do wish they’d tell us.

The weather is ideal. Cool nights and warm clear days. Friday I was vaccinated for small pox so I am all through with having my arm jabbed and punctured unless the vaccination doesn't take.

I got another pair of shoes this week – three pairs now.

Love to all,
Herbert

I *believe* Herbert is the second one on the left standing.

Emmeline Young JENKINS' Story

Emmeline was born in New York (State) while the young nation was again fighting the British in 1812.
According to the Jenkins Gardiner Fan Chart, she married William Bunker Jenkins. Based on the birth of a child, the author assumes it was around 1838, though there is no document to prove this assumption.
At roughly 27 years old, Emmeline gives birth to a daughter, Isabel in 1839 in New York. At some period after the birth of this daughter, she moves from New York to Jersey City. Jersey City had just become its own municipality in 1838. Another daughter, Emmeline Young, is born in June of 1843 in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Again, according to the fan Chart, Emmeline is widowed around 1845.

Photo courtesy of Bob Collins through Findagrave.

In 1850, Emmeline is living in Jersey City, Hudson County, with two young girls, Isabel and Emmeline Y., plus a 68 year old woman, Sarah YOUNG who is probably a relative and her brother-in-law, Charles S. JENKINS, who works as a ship chandler – a dealer in supplies for boats and ships. Emmeline values her home at $8,000, which in 2013 dollars would be roughly $240,000.
In the mid-1860s, having been widowed for almost 20 years, Emmeline is living in a private home at 44 Grand Street within 2 blocks of the Hudson River overlooking what would become the 9/11 Memorial. She is living within a 2 minute walk of her father-in-law, Jonathan JENKINS, until his death in 1865.
Emmeline lives in her own home for decades after the death of her husband. Sometime during 1868/9, when she is in her late-fifties, Emmeline moves to the home of her daughter’s wealthy father-in-law, Edward J. DANFORTH. There she lives with her daughter Emmeline while her daughter starts her family. It seems that the young children were surrounded by family, as presumably George, Sr.’s sisters, Susan M and Mary J. live with them. Another woman, in her mid-seventies, by the name of Eliza YOUNG is also living with them.
In 1876, Emeline is traveling to Europe with her daughter’s family. She travels from Liverpool to New York, arriving back in New York on October 20, 1876. She is traveling on the US Russia.
By 1880, Emmeline has 5 small grandchildren, George, Jr., Emmeline J., Henrietta D., Isabel, and Francis J. Emmeline is presumably surrounded in comfort, as she is living with her daughter and son-in-law, George Henry DANFORTH, and the five children in the village of Madison, Chatham township, Morris County, New Jersey. George is retired at age 43 and has at least 6 servants living with and working for him.
Emmeline died at the age of 71 on May 2nd, 1882, presumably at the home of her daughter and son-in-law in Chatham Township, New Jersey.

Olive Katherine Lee's Story

Olive’s story is that of a woman whose world seems to have focused on family, but also on the changing roles of women. Olive never married, though she sought education and a career outside of the house.
Olive was born the third child and first daughter of parents Nellie Jane and Oliver Tree Lee in December 1904. She lived around the corner from her maternal grandparents, and then, later with her family in the home of her grandparents.

When Olive was still quite young, her grandparents died within a day of one another in January 1912.
Olive attended Russell Sage College in Troy, NY when it was a relatively new school for women. She graduated in 1926 with a degree in stenography. Olive was shy, and no photographs can be found of her while she attended the school.
By the 1925 New York State Census, Olive is listed as an office clerk; it would appear that she was attending classes while also working. The family lore indicates that her older brother, C. Herbert would send money home so that Olive could attend college. In fact, Olive was the first person in the Lee family to graduate from college, though her older brother attended Syracuse University.
By 1930, Olive made her way in to the shirt collar industry, where she will spend her entire professional career working for a major employer in Troy, NY, Cluett Peabody. Cluett, Peabody & Co. was the collar and cuff company that lasted the longest. It produced a number of brands, of which Arrow Shirts was the most famous. For the longest time, Arrow Shirts were synonymous with Troy. The Troy plant was thought to be the largest shirt factory in the world, and it sprawled along the river. In 1912, the New York Times would report that Cluett, Peabody & Co., "the largest manufacturers of collars, shirts, and cuffs in the world, is to become still larger." At that time it had factories at Troy, Rochester, Corinth, and Waterford, NY; Leominster, MA; South Norwalk, CT; and St. Johns, Quebec. The combined annual output of those plants was then 7,000,000 dozen collars and 500,000 dozen shirts.
According to the 1940 census, Olive is supporting herself and her parents on $1,500/year and her father’s post office pension. .
In 1947, Olive is living with her parents at the same address. Her siblings are all married, living in other parts of the State. Only her older brother, Herb, has had children, Virginia and Charles, Jr. By this time, Virginia is graduated from college and married and Charles is attending Princeton. Both children are a source of pride for the family.
At some point between 1947 and 1953, the three Lees move from Troy, New York to Yonkers, New York. The three of them live together at 1428 Midland Avenue, Bronxville, New York. The belief is that Olive has climbed the corporate ladder as an Executive Assistant at Cluett, Peabody & Co.
Olive’s father dies in 1953 and her mother, Nellie Jane, in 1968. In her handwritten last will and testament, Nellie kindly pays off Olive’s mortgage and appeals to the other three children to ‘be nice to Olive who will be alone.’

Olive and her widowed sister Margaret move in together to a retirement community in Somers, NY. Margaret passes in 1992 and Olive follows 7 years later at the hospital associated with her retirement community in Somers, on August 21, 1999. Olive is taken back to downtown Troy, NY to be buried in the Kirkpatrick family plot in Oakwood Cemetery. She joins her parents, sister, grandparents and other family members in Plot 242 in Section D-3.

Nellie Jane Kirkpatrick LEE's Story

Whereas Oliver’s story takes him on a limited adventure, Nellie Jane’s story is more about Lansingburgh, NY and the home her father bought on Second Avenue.
Nellie Jane was born the older of two female children to young first generation parents Charles and Martha Jane Kirkpatrick in Lansingburgh (now Troy), New York in August 1873. She was raised in the Presbyterian Church, as evidenced by her profession of faith and the notation of her marriage in the Westminster Presbyterian Church records.

Nellie Jane moved a number of times as a child, but in 1886 her family was living in the house where Nellie would spend a great deal of her life, 246 2nd Avenue. Here she was surrounded by first generation Irish, like herself. She would have felt comfortable. Nellie’s aunt and uncle also lived with the family, Anna and William J. Wright. Neither had any profession, but perhaps helping around the house and caring for the two little girls.
Nellie Jane’s marriage to Oliver is announced in the Lansingburgh Times on September 8th, 1894. There is no way to know how they met, but we can perhaps imagine that Oliver delivered mail to her family’s home or perhaps Nellie and Oliver attended the same church. Nellie Jane is seven years younger than Oliver. They were married at her parent’s home by Reverend George Fairlee from the Westminster Presbyterian Church.
Oliver and Nellie Jane’s first child, Charles Herbert Lee, is born in July 1896 in New York City, not Troy, NY. Perhaps the young couple went to New York City to have the baby and introduce Nellie Jane to Oliver’s family.
By 1900, Nellie has two sons, Charles and Horace. She keeps house, living under the same roof as her parents, Charles and Martha. Charles continued to work, but Martha must have helped Nellie Jane with the children.

Perhaps because her family is growing, Nellie and Oliver move out of her parent’s home 1901, moving to 125 6th Avenue. Three years later in 1904 her third child, Olive, is born. With the family still growing, by 1910, Nellie Jane has moved again, down the street to 93 6th Avenue where Margaret is born in 1911.
Nellie Jane’s parents die within a day of one another in January 1912.
By 1915, Nellie Jane is still living at 93 6th Avenue, but her oldest son has started college at Syracuse University. Herbert attending college is a source of pride for the Kirkpatrick family, as he is the first in the family to ‘attend’ college. Herb’s period as a college student ends, however, as he serves in World War I in France as an ambulance driver. Nellie would have been aware of her great uncle who served in the Union Army during the Civil War; his body having been brought back from Virginia where he died and interred and marked magnificently in the family plot in Oakwood Cemetery.
In 1920, Nellie continues to reside at 93 6th Avenue with her husband and three younger children. Horace, or Harry, is working as a salesman for a drug company, perhaps helping with the family expenses. Herbert marries in 1923 and Nellie’s first grandchild, Virginia, is born in New York City in 1924.
In 1925, Oliver and Nellie have moved back with the three younger children to Nellie’s former house at 246 2nd Avenue. Herbert and his wife Florence have their second child, Charles Herbert in 1927. These are the only two grandchildren that Oliver and Nellie will have.
Though in 1930 Nellie has two grandchildren living in New Jersey, her reality in Troy is still caring for her two daughters and husband. Presumably she has some cousins and aunts and uncles living nearby to make holidays more festive.
According to the 1940 census, Nellie and Oliver are living on Oliver’s Government pension as their older daughter Olive remains with them, working as a secretary in a collar factory for $1,500/year .
Nellie Jane is blessed to see the graduation of both her grandchildren from well-respected colleges – Smith and Princeton. Her grandson joins the Navy at the end of World War II while her granddaughter gets married to a veteran in 1945. Virginia and her husband move across the country to Arizona.
In 1947, Olive is caring for her parents at the same address, however sometime after that time the three Lees move from Troy, New York to Yonkers, New York. The three of them live together at 1428 Midland Avenue, Yonkers, New York. Presumably Olive relocated because of a job and it fell upon her to take care of her aging parents. In the Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville, New York, Oliver dies in January 1953 at the respectable old age of 86.
Charles, Nellie’s grandson marries for the first time in 1954 to a Smith graduate, Mary Lind M. There are no children from this union, and Charles marries again in 1963 to Natalie. Nellie gets to hold her great grandson PCL shortly after his birth when she visits her grandson in Brooklyn Heights in 1966.
Nellie dies in July of 1968 from generalized arteriosclerosis at the age of 94. She is buried with her family in downtown Troy, NY in the Kirkpatrick family plot at Oakwood Cemetery. She joined her sister, parents and grandparents in Plot 242 in Section D-3.

#1 Reviewer

TripAdvisor is telling me I am their #1 reviewer in my hometown with 169 reviews and 69 helpful votes. It's nice to get the recognition.

Of course now I have been doing so much genealogy research and writing that I can't even get in 5k steps in a day. Luckily I have a gym appointment today, otherwise I wouldn't walk further than the bathroom and kitchen. Obsession can be scary....

Roberta Maher's story

In 1901 Brooklyn, Roberta was born the fourth of five children to John Joseph and Lillian Charlotte Ehlers Maher. Roberta’s mother stayed home with the children and her father John worked as a letter carrier for the Post Office. Though both of her parents were born in New York, Roberta must have grown up with both German and Irish influences in her life, as both parents were first generation Americans. Roberta’s older brother Edwin was married and out of the house when Roberta was quite young. There was a fifth female child born when Roberta was about four years old, but who died stillborn, perhaps nameless, and buried in Green-Wood Cemetery.

In 1910, Roberta was living with her parents and older sisters in a rented apartment at 197 7th Avenue in Brooklyn. She was surrounded on the block with children of other immigrant families in professions such as salesmen, bricklayers, firemen, shoemakers, etc.

Roberta’s mother dies in June 1919; Roberta is still living with her older sisters and her father in the apartment on 7th Avenue. Her father continues to work as a letter carrier. While Roberta is attending school, sister Florence is working as a stenographer at a Publishing Company and Lillian is keeping house for the family.

By 1925, Roberta’s sister Florence has married handsome C. Herbert Lee, and they have moved to their own apartment in Brooklyn. Roberta is again an aunt, this time to Florence’s daughter Virginia. Roberta, Lillian and father John move to a new apartment at 35 Clarkson Avenue, still in Brooklyn. By this time Roberta is also working as a stenographer, a respectable office job for women.

In September 1928, Roberta gets her first taste for foreign travel, potentially traveling with a few single girlfriends. She spends a week in Bermuda.

Somewhere along the line, Roberta meets a young(er) man, Albert Carlton Gould, who works as a radio engineer. He was born in Jamaica, Long Island, and living in 1929 at 1636 Emmons Avenue along the waterfront in Brooklyn. Roberta and Albert marry in September 1929. They live together at 2714 Avenue D in Brooklyn, Albert commuting to the airport to work on airplanes.

Roberta and Albert do not have any children and they ultimately divorce , though no information has yet been found about the date; the divorce is gleaned from a later passenger list which lists Roberta’s marital status as divorced.

We lose Roberta’s story until 1953 when she returns from a trip to the Caribbean over New Year’s with her older sister Lillian. At this point the sisters are living together at 207 West 11th Street.
Roberta dies in October 1969 at her apartment. Natalie, the wife of Roberta's nephew Charley, remembers sitting with Lillian at their apartment when Roberta died.

The Maher women, taken about 1918. Roberta is sitting up front on the floor, with her mother behind her.

Mothers, Food and Genes

A mother’s diet alters genes
How well a mother eats before conceiving a child can alter her child’s genes. That’s the conclusion of a new study that looked at pregnant women in western Africa—where diets change radically with the seasons—to better understand what factors influence fetal DNA development, LiveScience.com reports. The study involved 84 Gambian women who had conceived at the peak of the rainy season, when more nutrient-packed, leafy green vegetables are consumed, and 83 who’d conceived at the peak of the dry season, when such foods are often scarce. Researchers measured nutrient concentrations in the women’s blood during pregnancy, then analyzed six genes in blood and hair samples taken from their babies. The infants conceived during rainy season had consistently higher rates of methylation—changes in DNA that can “silence” the expression of particular genes. Researchers also found that the lower the mother’s body mass index, the more methylation occurred. “Our results represent the first demonstration in humans that a mother’s nutritional well-being at the time of conception can change how her child’s genes will be interpreted, with a lifelong impact,” says study author Branwen Hennig of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. But while scientists now know that pre-conception diet has a genetic impact, the functional consequences of the changes in gene behavior remain unknown.

I remember hearing about a study performed in Sweden, I believe, where the dietary intake of fathers impacted the obesity of their sons and grandsons. It was a very controlled group and the researchers studied the boys who developed their sex characteristics during a famine period or a feast period of years; those boys that did not have enough food passed on genes to their sons and grandsons that made them fatter than the boys who developed with plenty of nutrition around.

Pretty amazing what effect we can have on the health of our children as expressed in their genes.

Washing Denim

Ok, this little tidbit surprised me and even grossed me out a little.

Never launder denim. “You’d be surprised how many people do this.” Yes, you should spot-clean stains. But when the jeans need a refreshing, just put them in a Ziploc bag in the freezer for a few days. “The low temperatures kill bacteria, remove any stink, and somehow make them feel freshly clean.”
Source: Babble.com

I don't have room in my freezer for my jeans.

Memories of Coffee

I was reading my favorite magazine again, The Week, and they had an article on Coffee. Well, caffeine, really, but it made me think of my dad. (And here we are on mother's day, I should be relaying a story about her...)

My father did serve during WWII; he was in the Navy. Perhaps he developed his enjoyment of coffee and/or caffeine during that period along with the rest of the soldiers and sailors.

American coffee consumption peaked in the World War II years. Back then, coffee was flat-out winning in the competition against other beverages. Americans drank 46 gallons annually — nearly 20 pounds of beans per person.

But what I remember mostly about my dad is that he always had a cup of black coffee - and his teeth were stained with it (and with smoking, I guess) - but in restaurants whenever he ordered a cup of coffee he would ask for a packet of Sanka on the side. I guess he liked it stronger - like the Navy's coffee, maybe - because I believe Sanka was instant decaffeinated coffee. That is always something I will associate with my Dad.

I miss you, Dad.

Photographs - what do you do when inundated?

As perhaps I mentioned, I have found a ton of Lee/Kirkpatick photographs/memorabilia in my attic. I am ashamed that I have had it all along and am only now realizing it. What I recall from the time that I cleaned out Olive’s apartment in the late 90s is that there were a ton of tiny travel photographs - maybe 1 and a 1/2 inch square. I knew they were very cool, because they were Rome, Moscow, China, etc. – but they were so small and I couldn't deal with it at the time. It appears that I had more presence of mind than I realized – I seem to have saved some really good stuff. Thank you, God.
However, going through all the unlabeled photographs made me think about my own colletion of photographs. Mostly I make shutterfly.com books of my travel photographs. But, those books are more about what I see rather than the people. I know from this archival or historical process that it is the people who will be interesting years later, not the places – unless, of course it is someplace that eventually gets destroyed, like the Buddha statues in Afghanistan. Then you want to keep those photographs.
So, I have sorted through years of photographs. I had to wrestle with the question of outdated storage media, slides and negatives. My husband suggested that I keep all the negatives, and I suppose they don’t take up too much space. I didn’t even tackle the slides. I have a ton of black and white negatives from photography classes over the years, though they are already slipped in to sleeves and filed in a 3 ring binder. I did throw some photographs away, though. That feels like sacrilege. I tossed photos of a cousin’s wedding, but only because the quality of the photographs is so poor; it was a tough decision, though. I am sure, though, that I have photo albums somewhere with these photographs and these are the duplicates.
Of course I have come across miscellaneous photographs which are not people, but make me think about my family and my life. So, in that vein, I have scanned – and I will now toss – a photograph of the house my grandmother rented for a number of years in Kennebunkport, Maine. I will also write the memories I have of the house and my family's time there.

• This house was owned by the Pruitt Family
• The house is just down the road from the Walker (read President Bush’s) compound on Walker point. I remember when I heard Senior President George Bush make a speech when he was running against Reagan, before he became his running mate.
• I spent summers here reading Jane Austen while cousin was reading English literature; I think he was preparing for graduate school.
• This was where Gammy had a piece of spinach on her nose and another cousin and I were laughing about it. When Alex told Gammy about it, she answered with “well, I think it looks good there.” Santos came out to serve the next course and used her finger to wipe it off. I can picture that to this day.
• The my brothers and my cousins spent hours walking/playing on the rocks along the Maine coastline.
• Gammy bought us tennis, sailing and diving lessons and such to keep us out of the house and active.

Honestly, I am overwhelmed with all the photographs - and also the knowledge that being childless, none of these images will be of interest to another generation. I will hope that my nieces and my stepchildren with be happy for the images of their own parents amongst my collection.

5,300 DNA and grandchildren....

Some Austrian scientists have used DNA to prove that 19 men currently living in the Tyrol region are related to Otzi the Iceman, whose 5,300 year old body was found frozen in the Alps in 1991.

Camel Fiber

You learn something new every day. (Hopefully, I suppose.)

While reading Volume 11, Issue 1 of Wild Fibers magazine I noticed a photograph of camel moms with their babies. (Do baby camels have a name, like kids or cria?) One frequently sees llamas, alpacas, etc., but I don't ever recall seeing photographs of camels in a context of knitting fiber. Maybe I just haven't been sensitive to it in the past, but it struck me as worthy of investigation.

The advertisement is for Weaver Creek Fibers. According to their web site they are wholesale purveyors of luxury fibers. I'm afraid they do not have a terribly long list of locations where one can buy their product, as I would love to feel camel fiber. They will blend the fiber with merino wool or silk.

Camels may be creatures of the desert but they need a downy undercoat to keep the suns rays away from their tender skin. Camel down has been prized for centuries and in modern times was in every gentleman's wardrobe, in the quintessential Camel Hair Coat.

OMG, Camel hair coats really are made of camel hair!

The Baby Camel Down is a warm golden brown and so very soft. This short stapled fiber is prepared in a manner that makes it very easy to spin and will do well, whether spun with a lot of loft or tightly for sturdy garments. It pairs wonderfully with merino and silk in our spectacular blends and will take dye beautifully. Camel down is the soft warm inner down of a bactrian camel with a fiber structure similar to cashmere. The down is usually 1-3 inches long. Camel down does not felt easily. Baby Camel Top has been becoming more popular every year.

I wonder if camel fiber is generally used for knitting, as well as making men's winter coats. I will have to ask around. I notice, too, that they are discussing the use of baby camel fiber, not the fiber from an adult animal. What do they do with all the adult animals? I did a google search on the address, and one cannot tell if they have a lot of land and they are raising the animals. (But, perhaps they are not raising the animals, given that they mention yaks, rabbits, alpaca fiber, too.) I was disturbed by the thought of all the adult animals.... So, I conclude, perhaps naively, that they have a source of fiber from a place that has more 'use' for adult animals.

As I read further, I see them discuss the animals. They indicate:

Bactrian camels have two humps, weigh about 1600 pounds and stand about 7-9 feet tall at the top of their humps. Their gestation period is 370-445 days and give birth to calves weighing 80-130 pounds. Their life span is 40-50 years. Bactrian camels have two coats: the warm inner coat of down and a rough outer coat which is long and hairy. They shed their fiber in clumps consisting of both coats and is normally gathered. They produce about 5 pounds of fiber annually.

What I conclude is that they do not raise their own animals, as the photograph shows animals with only one hump, not two...

I have swiped this image from a google image search.



Ok, I am disillusioned. And I wonder why they would use a photograph of animals with one hump instead of the two humps they discuss in their description.

A baby camel is a calf.

The health effects of Fat

Mark Sisson of Mark's Daily Apple has been arguing this for a long time. The whole Primal way of eating has included lots of naturally occurring fats in one's diet. One should make sure that the animal fat is from an animal which has been allowed to eat what it was born to eat, not the feed the Global Industrial Complex has our farmers feeding their animals.

Were doctors wrong about fat?
After four decades of persistent warnings that saturated fats should be avoided in healthy diets, new research is casting doubt on that claim. An extensive new analysis of nearly 80 studies involving 660,000 people has found no evidence linking the fats found in meat, butter, and cheese to an increased risk of heart disease, reports The New York Times. Researchers also found no firm evidence that unsaturated fats, such as the omega-3 fatty acids in salmon, reduce heart disease rates. Taken together, the findings further muddy the waters in the ongoing debate about what’s best to eat. “These are interesting results that encourage careful reappraisal of our current nutritional guidelines,” says researcher Rajiv Chowdhury of the University of Cambridge. While saturated fats are known to increase LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, the new findings suggest that the relationship between cholesterol and heart disease is more complicated than previously thought. Researchers did confirm, however, that the much maligned trans fats, the partially hydrogenated oils found in processed foods, do have a direct link to heart disease.

I read this in the April 4th issue of The Week Magazine.