1918 July Report

We have a lot having gone on in July - we lost a man, Private First Class John H. Breese and our original commander, Lloyd F. Allen, was relieved of duty and a new commander, James W. D. Seymour, took over.

I found John H. Breese's grave through ancestry.com - he can be found at Plot D, Row 36, Grave 35 in Romagne, France at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery.
I also found the military abstract for him:

John died a year and 10 days after enlisting. How sad. He had been promoted at the same time as Herb.

Those pesky insects in our food....

We've spoken about this before, here and here. And I can't say that I am ready for it... though I did screw up my courage to ask at a GNC store about beef blood protein.... I don't know whether I would have voted with my wallet on that one, but I did ask the question if they make or sell dried beef blood protein. It was a while ago at this point, but they did not have any on the shelf.

Protein, in all forms, is officially trending. The original superfood, protein builds muscle and aids weight loss, and this year it was pumped into practically everything in the grocery aisles, whether snack chips or Cheerios. But the quest for amino acids may be headed to even stranger heights. Food entrepreneurs are now betting that protein-rich insects—think mealworm bars and milled-cricket flour—will be the next foodie frontier.

I blogged a little bit about the cost of raising protein on the planet here. I believe that raising goats for meat is a much more economical way to get the animal protein - and the goat milk is much easier to digest for many people.

I took the quote from my favorite magazine, The Week, 12/31/2014.

Bastille Day 1918

I believe I made a mistake earlier, thinking that Jane Parker was Russell Parker's sister in this post. According to the 1900 Federal Census, Russell had two sisters, Ida and Kathryn. Unfortunately, I have no clue what might have happened to to this mentioned sister. However, I do know that both of Russell and cousin Edith's children died relatively young, Howard at only 16 and Ruth at 25. Very sad. I believe Howard always had a weak heart - at least that is what I believe my 3rd cousin/Chas' great grandson Chuck told me.

The day following the writing of this letter, Herb and his Section 580 leave Bussy le Chateau, Marne and spend the next month in Suippes.



July 14, 1918
Dear Mother,
It’s Sunday again almost before I had realized it. The days seem very long, but strangely enough, the weeks seem very short. They can’t be any too short for me.

This is the French National holiday so I suppose everyone will be celebrating.

I had a letter from Dad this week, enclosing a letter from Aunt Ida. Too bad about Russell Parker’s sister, wasn’t it. I met her several time at Edith’s and she seemed like a very nice girl. I was glad to hear that Aunt Ida keeps so well. Hope you’ll be able to get down for a week or two.

That package from Wanamaker’s hasn’t put in an appearance yet, though we’ve had a couple of deliveries of second class mail.

There seem to be more Americans around here than ever. I guess they’re settled down here to stay. Hope so.

Tell Dad that if he can manage to send some tobacco I’d like to have it, though I do manage to worry along with what I can pick up at the Y.M.C.A.’s and what I can get from the Commissary. Don’t send an from Wanamaker’s though.

Affectionately,
Herb

I wrote + thanked Ren Fleming, but if Dad sees him have him thank him for me. He may never have gotten my letter.
Herb

Herb's birthday

Dang - to think that my great grandmother couldn't vote... not until 1920. So Herb is indicating that his father and his brother are the two votes in the family as Herb is overseas fighting.

I wasn't able to find anything on Willie Heart.

Olive is Herb's younger sister, and I now believe Marnie is Margaret. Margaret must be 7 years old.

I figured I should include a photo of Herb, in honor of his birthday in our series of letters:

This photo was taken in 1926 - so at this time he is home with a daughter. (And, NO! he is not married to Karolyn, he is married to Florence and I have no idea when they met, or what happened to Karolyn!) Handsome looking dude, wouldn't you say?

July 7, 1918
Dearest Mother,

This is a very special occasion today – not only Sunday, but my birthday as well – the second in the Service and I hope the last. I should have liked to have gone to church, but there is no church for Protestants.

The mail has been pretty backward so I have looked in vain. For word from you or for the packages that Dad had sent to me. That probably means that I’m due for a lot all in one bunch in a few days or so.

The weather is very fine and gives promise of staying so, warm but not too warm, and fair practically all the time now.

Lots of American troops have been coming up in to our Sector the past week. It certainly seems good to see them – that is to us, I don’t believe it pleases Jerry very much.

For three or four days we had an American band in the village and every evening we had a concert. It did sound good to hear real American music. However they went away the night before the 4th.

I have just been writing to Charlie and am going to write the Shermans in a day or two. I wrote Tom, as perhaps I told you, but haven’t heard from him yet. It’s pretty soon to be expecting a reply anyway.

We get a couple of English papers every day, so I manage to keep up with the news now. On the hole it’s very satisfactory, I think.

My own birthday brought to my mind the fact that Harry must be nineteen and that the kids must be rapidly growing up. And yet I can remember Harry toddling around the back yard and crying because Mr. Merrill’s dog had knocked him down.

The papers speak of Willie Heart’s determination to run for Governor. I think he has an unprecedented gall, but then, he’s had that a long time. I’d like to be home to vote. However, we have two votes in the family anyway, haven’t we?

Whenever [sic] you get that money I’ve allotted to you out of my pay, please let me know. Don’t worry about it if it doesn’t come, though, because those things often take several months. If you need it, use it, but if you don’t, put it in the bank.

Ask Olive to write me, Mother, I’d love to have her. And Marnie, too, those queer scrawls of hers are awfully amusing.
Your affectionate son,
Herb

"Kids" old enough to be drafted

Tom is, of course, Tom Nial.

Will Groesbeck is another cousin....2nd cousin to Herb, through the Kirkpatricks. Seems William's father died in 1916, so William was taking care of his mother and sisters - at least that is what is written on his draft card. By 1920, though, he is married. It seems he was working at the Watervliet Arsenal.... I suppose that might be the same Arsenal that Herb talks about for his brother Harry. I suppose Cousin William was doing his part for the war effort by being a machinist at the Arsenal.

I still don't know who the Whites are.... Friends from Troy, certainly. (I have been researching my German heritage and that has been taking up a ton of my time... No excuses, but that's my excuse. Hopefully I will write a bit about them some time soon.)

Mr. Friedman is Herb's former supervisor at Case Pomeroy on Wall Street.

Makes me smile to know that Herb liked Rag Time music, but sorry that he is feeling melancholy due to homesickness. Poor Herb.


June 30, 1918
Dearest Mother,

News are scarce as usual. I got your letter written June 10th to-day – a pretty good record.

Those clippings of the open draft quotas were certainly revelations. I noticed the names of so many “kids” I had known. It took me several minutes to realize that they are all old enough to be vote [sic]. I must be growing older myself.

The package Dad had sent for me hasn’t shown up yet. I’ll let you know as soon as it does. It was mighty good of him to go to all that trouble.

A whole gang of Americans came in here last night. It certainly seems good to see them. There was a regimental band with them and we’ve been promised some real American rag time this evening.

I was glad to hear from you that Tom seems to be getting along nicely. I’ve written him.

Did I tell you that had a very nice letter from Mr. Friedman and one from Mrs. Friedman too. He writes that he expects to be over here in the fall but doesn’t say in what capacity.

By the way, how does Will Groesbeck stay out of the draft?

The Whites are certainly in it pretty deep aren’t they [sic]. Still, it’s something that can’t be helped and I know Mrs. White would rather have it that way than to have all the boys ducking it. She’s a fine woman.

Your affectionate son,
Herb

Promotion to private first class

Hmmm. I don't recall Herb mentioning this to his parents, but back in February of 1918 he was promoted to a private first class. Uh-oh, those to-be missing colleagues were also promoted at the same time - Arthur K. Drake and Russell C. Harrison.

What was he doing at this time? I guess he was moving up to the front.... and still in a French Camp.

To my readers, if you wouldn't mind saying hello, I'd love to hear from you. Please leave a comment on this post or any other. Best, Alexandra

Furloughs have started...

According to the History Channel nothing of import is going on the week of June 23rd in 1918.

June 23, 1918
Dear Mother,
I rather expected a letter from you this week but the mail man comes empty-handed every day.

There’s nothing new around here. The sector continues very quiet – for which I’m not a bit sorry. The weather is clear enough but quite cool – much cooler than it is at home this time of year.

Friday marked the end of a year in the army for most of the Section so we celebrated with an extra-good dinner and a sort of party afterwards. I didn’t enjoy the party much myself because it made me think of the ones the gang used to have at school and likewise those we used to have at 193 Sterling Place, sometimes in the evening.

Our permissions, or furloughs, have started, though I don’t know just when mine will come. We get seven days, exclusive of travelling time, which makes a nice little vacation.

Somehow I can’t think of anything to write that will get by the censor. Keep me posted as to how Harry is making out. I’m interested.
Love,
Herb

Don’t worry. I’ve never felt better in my life.

Helen is Herb's first cousin, daughter to Uncle Will and Aunt Ada. We have some photos here.
Olive and Marnie are Herb's younger sisters, though I am still sorting through the nickname Marnie. I always knew her as Margaret.

From June 14th to July 15th, Herb is in Bussy le Chateau, Marne.



June 18th, (1918)
Dear Mother,

Everything is fine. We’re back on the line again – on active duty. I mean rather because this base is quite a ways back of the lines, even further than the place where we were first off – several months ago. The sector is very quiet. I hope it continues so because these sturing ? times are very hard on one’s nerves. We have very good barracks and are very comfortable, taking it all together. The weather’s been rather rainy lately – though not too rainy, and altogether I think the weather is cooler than it is at home.

I was much pleased to hear of Harry’s good luck in getting a good place and I do hope that he’ll be able to come through. I know he will if it can reasonably be expected of any one of his age and experience. The kid merely has backbone to go trailing down there there [sic] all on his own and I know he’ll do his darnedest. His only trouble is that he doesn’t say enough about himself. If he’d only loosen up and tell his troubles occasionally he’d be much better off. Tell him to be sure + keep in touch with Chas. I know that Chas will do everything he can for him, when he knows it’s the right thing to do, and I’m sure he can give Harry a lot of darned good advice if he’ll only go to him when he’s in trouble. Chas has been through the mill + and he knows what’s what. I hope Miss Pearsall can take him. I told you last week, did I now that I had had a letter from her.

I had Helen’s letter a few days ago. Tell her I’ll be writing her shortly.

How are the kids, Mother. I’ve been thinking a lot about them lately. Olive, I suppose, will be a young lady when I come back. And Marnie, how I wish I could see her and you all.

Several packages of magazines and things you sent have arrived this week and I’ve had a fine time catching up with current events in the U.S. the general tone of affairs looks better – more determined.

Don’t worry. I’ve never felt better in my life.

Your affectionate son,
Herb

On June 11th, the History Channel tells us this happened:

After several months of an aggressive German offensive on the Western Front during the spring and early summer of 1918, the Allies begin their counterattack, including an assault on June 10, 1918, by four French and two American divisions on German lines near the town of Antheuil-Portes in central France, some 45 miles from Paris.

Code-breaking by French intelligence at the beginning of June 1918 had allowed the Allies to prepare for a German attack in France that was to begin at midnight on June 7. The French launched their own massive artillery bombardment some ten minutes earlier, catching the Germans while they were still preparing for the attack. The Germans countered with an even stronger assault, firing 250,000 rounds of poison gas—including mustard, phosgene and diphenyl-chlorarsine—into the French trenches, incapacitating some 4,000 French soldiers and killing 32.

After three days of battle, the Germans had forced the French back to Antheuil-Portes. Winston Churchill, in Paris at the time coordinating Allied munitions, wrote to his wife on June 10 that "If the French cannot hold [the Germans] back on this sector, it is not easy to see what the next step on our part should be." The following day, four French and two American divisions launched a counterattack aided by significant air support as well as over 150 tanks. They successfully pushed the Germans back from Antheuil, taking more than a thousand German prisoners. A German attack west of Soissons on June 12 made negligible gains, and German Chief of Staff Erich Ludendorff called off the offensive that same day. The Allies continued their push, however, beginning a change of momentum that would gain force throughout the summer of 1918 and the final months of World War I.

Cider

This past fall folks at VPR - Vermont Public Radio - were talking about the apple harvest in the region. They ended the discussion by saying that the area around Lake Champlain could turn in to the Napa Valley of Ciders. My little brain got spinning....! Wouldn't that be a hoot?! I mean the area where I go is totally economically depressed and something like cider making could be wonderful for the area.

Not since our forefathers were downing it by the tankard has hard cider been so sought after. The appeal is obvious: Fermented and barrel aged like wine, ciders are food friendly and offer flavor profiles ranging from dry to sweet, with citrus, floral, and oaky notes to boot. And the best cider comes from lesser-known breeds. “You can’t throw in Granny Smiths and call it cider,” Stephen Wood of Farnum Hill Ciders told Food & Wine. “You have to use bitter apples.”

(Taken from the 12/31/14 edition of The Week Magazine.)

I learned from Michael Pollan in his books about how all apple trees are grafted because planting apple seeds does not result in a tree bearing the same fruit as the seed it grew from. Isn't that fascinating? Just imagine the possibilities!

Picturesque La Noblette....

Herb is writing from La Cheppe, France, outside of Reims. He is at the Camp de Noblette. I took this following image from Wikipedia:

Could this be the stream Herb mentions?

Miss Pearsall must be the landlady at Herb's apartment at 193 Sterling Place in Brooklyn.

Nothing is popping out at me in my research on Google about the BT Company; sorry to be of no help there.

Remember we found Tom Nial here.

We learn that younger brother Harry has a bad heart? Did we know this from before? And the Shermans are Herb's Aunt and Uncle from Troy, NY.


June 11th (1918)
Dear Mother,

I’m afraid I’ve missed several writing days but we’ve been moving around so much and so fast that it’s been impossible to write. I sent you a card last week – the first opportunity I had to get anything in the mail.

As I told you there we were mixed up in a big action and for more than a week we had a pretty lively time of it. However we pulled through in pretty good shape. Though we lost some cars + most of us had to abandon at least part of our surplus clothing. We’re back in rest camp now in a big pine grove and it certainly seems fine to settle down for a while with no fear of being ordered out any minute. There’s a nice little stream nearby so we can enjoy the luxury of frequent baths after having gone duty longer than I’d like to say.

We’ve had only one mail for a long time – but it brought me several letters from you. I had also a letter from Miss Pearsall. It seems that all the old gang in 193 is over here now. She’s looking forward to a big reunion and says that there’ll always be room for us all if she has to eject a few of the present occupants.

I had a letter from Chas, too. He’s putting things into shape because he expects his 2A classification will call him out pretty soon. They’ve had to move his department to larger quarters again and he says for me not to worry about after the war – what with the way things are going with him. He’s been very busy, of course, on the 3rd loan, in fact, he was the principal author of the B.T. Co. pamphlet which was adjudged the best one presented. He sent me a copy of it + it certainly was a sweet piece of work.

You gave me Tom’s address in one of your letters so I shall write him this week. Remember me to Mrs. Nial.

I’m sorry Harry is doing nothing. I don’t like to interfere any further, but I do think that if Uncle Will can still get him something in the Arsenal, he ought to take it. In times like these, every one ought be working. At any rate, he ought not be worrying about the future, now. I’m not – and I’ve got more reason than he. If he can get a job within his strength, he ought take it. If the salary is at all reasonable and not worry about whether he likes it or not. I don’t believe anyone can expect to be settled into a permanent line of work at his age. At any rate, anything ought be better than being home. On the other hand he ought not enlist. No one with a bad heart ought to be in the active service.

I suppose the Shermans are on Easy St. now. It’s nice that Will is doing so well and I hope he keeps on.

Don’t worry whenever there is a break in my chain of letters. All it means is that the mail system is a bit jumbled up. At any rate it certainly doesn’t mean that anything has happened to me. If there were any bad news you’d get it fast enough. I’m fine – never felt better in my life.

Love to all,
Herb.




The History Channel came up with this for me - about an hour away from where Herb is writing this letter.

Battle of Belleau Wood begins

The first large-scale battle fought by American soldiers in World War I begins in Belleau Wood, northwest of the Paris-to-Metz road.

In late May 1918, the third German offensive of the year penetrated the Western Front to within 45 miles of Paris. U.S. forces under General John J. Pershing helped halt the German advance, and on June 6 Pershing ordered a counteroffensive to drive the Germans out of Belleau Wood. U.S. Marines under General James Harbord led the attack against the four German divisions positioned in the woods and by the end of the first day suffered more than 1,000 casualties.

For the next three weeks, the Marines, backed by U.S. Army artillery, launched many attacks into the forested area, but German General Erich Ludendorff was determined to deny the Americans a victory. Ludendorff continually brought up reinforcements from the rear, and the Germans attacked the U.S. forces with machine guns, artillery, and gas. Finally, on June 26, the Americans prevailed but at the cost of nearly 10,000 dead, wounded, or missing in action.

Without a Scratch

Herb and the 580 are in Saint Martin d'Ablois and they are attached to the 13th Division (French). They had been attached to the 71st Division, until May 26th.

June 5, 1918
Dear Mother,

We’ve just had a taste of the real thing for a few days but are out of it now. I was pretty well scared several times but pulled through without so much as a scratch. I can’t write a letter because I am way behind in my work and must catch up.

With love to all

P.S. Please call up Karolyn and tell her I’ll write as soon as possible.


In between the two letters the Ambulance Corps has moved quite a bit:



I have only just now learned how to embed google maps in to my blog. So good; so helpful.

Fine Weather has been let loose

The 580 is in Pernant, Aisne from May 16th thru the 23rd. Pernant is just outside of Soissons, France.

May 20 [1918]
Dear Mother,

I’m a couple of days behind schedule this time but no wonder. We’ve been moving around quite a bit and I lost two days somewhere. I was sure it was only Friday when as a matter of fact it was Sunday.

At least the fine weather that they have been saving up has been let loose. For four or five days it has been fine, though perhaps a bit too warm – absolutely clear, cloudless days with a temperature that must push 85 or 90 degrees pretty close.

As I said before we’ve moved, but where, why or how we’re going I don’t know. We’re now in a small town awaiting orders – an ordinary billeting-place, dirty and dusty and about as uninteresting a place as one could imagine. That’s not all true, at that, because there’s an aviation station not far away and one can frequently see planes going through all sorts of stunts, right over our heads.

There’s a good sized town not very far away so I managed to get over there yesterday to buy some things I needed. I went around to see the cathedral which had been shelled by the Boches. What a sight. One part of it was quite intact but the other was half battered down and all the walls were all scarred with shrapnel. Next door was something quite funny from one point of view – a house with only the front wall standing and on that a sign ”Apartment to let”.

There are several American sections of ambulance men near here and I saw quite a few fellows in the town but no one I knew.

The mail man has been using me bad lately but I’m hoping he’ll do better.

Your affectionate son,
Herbert

At last, a new kind of antibiotic

Taken directly from the Week Magazine - January 23rd edition....

For the first time in nearly three decades, scientists have uncovered a new class of antibiotics—a potential game changer in the war against infections that do not respond to standard drugs. Over decades of exposure, many bacteria have evolved to become resistant to existing antibiotics; these “superbugs” now cause 2 million illnesses and 23,000 deaths every year. Up to now, researchers have had little success developing new antibiotics. Nearly all antibiotics are derived from naturally occurring bacteria that produce their own antibiotics to kill off rivals. These bacteria are generally found in soil, but the problem has been that they won’t grow in laboratory conditions. So researchers at Northeastern University developed a device that may finally allow them to access millions of “uncultured” bacteria as a source of potential antibiotics. The device is filled with tiny chambers that allow bacteria to be isolated while still growing in their native soil, enabling scientists to trick them into being “domesticated.” Of the 25 antibiotics they discovered, one, called teixobactin, proved to be highly effective in treating certain types of pneumonia, tuberculosis, and the staph infection MRSA in laboratory mice. Because of the way the new antibiotic works—by breaking down microbes’ outer cell walls—researchers believe it could be decades before any resistant strains emerge. “Here is an antibiotic that’s essentially evolved to be free of resistance,” lead author Kim Lewis tells BBC.com. He said the discovery—which may take five years to bring to market—will provide “a promising source of new antimicrobials and help revive the field of antibiotic discovery.”

I find it fascinating everything that is being discovered about bacteria and our health.

Vitamin D

It seems to me that more and more is being learned about the effects of Vitamin D on the body. During the warmer periods I try to sit outside in the morning soaking up sun before the sun gets too hot/strong. Neighbors think I am crazy and that I am exposing myself to skin cancer, but I believe in the benefits of sun and I do see a dermatologist on a somewhat regular basis....

Low vitamin D levels can increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. U.K. researchers studied more than 1,600 adults and found that those with vitamin D levels below 50 nanomoles per liter—the minimum healthy level—were up to two times more likely to suffer from dementia than those with higher levels. “We can’t say anything about whether people should be supplementing, because that’s beyond the scope of what we looked at,” says study co-author Iain Lang, “but these are exciting and suggestive results.”

This quote was taken from the 12/31/14 edition of The Week Magazine.

The Reinhard Ratje Siedenburg Story

I have no photographs of Reinhard Ratje, unfortunately.

Nothing definitive is really known about Reinhard Ratje Siedenburg except that perhaps he was born about 1807/8 in Bremen, Germany. The names of his parents are unknown.

One assumes, based on the birth location of his children, that he met and married Sophia Dorothea Hotlzman in Bremen, but the place and year are unknown.

By 1826, only roughly 18 years old, it appears that Reinhard Ratje is already a captain of a ship, the Anna Augusta on route to Bilbao, Spain. Based on several passenger and crew lists, perhaps Reinhard did a route between Bilbao, Spain and Bremen, Germany.

Again, based on the birth of his first known child, we assume that Sophia and Reinhard married around 1840 in Bremen.

Their first child, Ratje was born in Bremen around 1842. Two years later Reinhard was born July 10, 1844 in Bremerhaven, Germany. In another 18 months, the third son, George Ratje, was born on January 12, 1846 back in Bremen.

In 1847 we have a certificate of Arrival in London for a Ratje Siedenburg.

According to the Naturalization form in the Common Pleas Court of New York County, Reinhard arrived in the Unites States on December 21, 1866. Based on a passport application of his son Reinhard, Reinhard, Sr. arrived with at least this one child. We do not know if his wife is with him.

For some unknown reason, Reinhard Ratje waited approximately 26 years to become naturalized – which occurred on February 25, 1892. At that time he indicates that he is a merchant living in New Brighton, Staten Island. His friend Charles Keutzen of Stapleton, Staten Island functions as his witness.

We do not know when Reinhard Ratje dies or where he is buried.

Bio Fuel

Another interesting story in The Week magazine's December 5, 2014 edition... This time about bio fuel, but different than the use of animal dung to generate methane for cooking and heating in India and Kenya. I have been occasionally following a young Brown University graduate who moved to Kenya to build bio fuel tanks for farmers - can't remember the name of his company or web site at the moment, very frustrating. (On 2/26 I now remember the name of the company - Takamoto Biogas.)

In any event, this is what I found and thought I would share with the universe:

Taking the No. 2, after a British company unveiled a bus powered by human poop. The 40-seat Bio Bus runs on gas generated by decomposing garbage and sewage generated by people in the area, “including, quite possibly, those on the bus itself,” said a company spokesman.

Come on, you have to admit, this is brilliant. Gross, but brilliant. Now if only we can get over our healthy aversion to our own waste.... I know we need to find it disgusting so that we did not eat where we pooped as an evolving organism, but now that we know so much more about our gut and the role bacteria plays in our health, using a waste product to fuel our ability to get round town, that's pretty good.

Ancestry DNA

I had a tremendously exciting event the other day - I found a 2nd cousin once removed through the DNA feature of Ancestry.com. We are now Facebook friends and I am learning about her life and family.
Her mother is my second cousin. Her mother has met my grandmother, and presumably, my mother, too, though no one really remembers that. My mother and my new FB friend/cousin's grandfather are first cousins. They, of course, know one another, but had lost touch. (Thank goodness for Facebook. I mean, what a wonderful way to stay in someone else's life without being totally intrusive.)
An additional twist to this story is that my newly found cousin is adopted - though she knows both her biological parents. Her father is also adopted, so if and when she gets another hit and finds a relative of his, that could be really exciting and scary for her.

On another incredibly fun note, my DNA-found cousin's biological mother, my second cousin, is moving very close to where I live and we are all going to get together. How wonderful is that? Additionally, I don't have much information on that branch of the tree, so I am hoping she will have photographs and stories to tell. Wouldn't that be a hoot?

Reviews

So, I dined with an old friend the other night and the service was terrible (ok, inexperienced, untrained and young). I was busily thinking about the review in my brain and then I remembered something I heard a book critique say; I think it was Oline Cogdill who said it on a podcast. She said that people remember the book titles, but perhaps not whether it was a worthwhile read, so she never writes a bad review. She would hate for a reader to read the book and waste that precious time in their lives. I thought, Hmmmm. That is probably wise. There is too much bad press or blogs out there as it is, why add to the cacophony? So, the conclusion I have drawn - and let's see if I can stick to it - is only recommend places that are worth checking out so that no one wastes their valuable time.
So, on that note, I am not going to write a review of the restaurant I tried the other night. Thank goodness the company was exceptional.

Arthur K. Drake

I have discovered that Mr. Drake did survive and I believe he went on to marry and have children. I am letting the information I added to Ancestry.com percolate so maybe some more green leaves will start shaking at me.

I gathered these images from the Ancestry page:

We can see he is from Bay Shore, Long Island in Suffolk County. He claims he was rejected by the Naval Reserves. And we can also see that he helps support his mother.

Arthur was captured, as we already know from Herb's report, but we see that he was released in December 1918. He seems to have spent a fair amount of time in the hospital. I suppose we will never know exactly what happened to brave Mr. Arthur K. Drake; maybe a relative of Mr. Drake's will see this posts and make a comment. Wouldn't that be grand?

It seems Mr. Drake came from a large family. I see this from the census documents. I wonder what his letters home looked like? I wonder what he talked about in his letters. I wonder if his brothers got in to any trouble that Arthur needed to straighten out. I wonder if he sent money home to help support the family. (I think Arthur might have been the youngest.) I wonder what he and Herb would talk about. Were they close? Was Arthur a nice, kind man or a bully? (Was Herb a bully, for all that matter? I suspect not, but that may be a bias on my part.) I suppose I will never know the answer to these questions.

French kissing and bacteria

So, I went to grab a story from my favorite magazine - the Week - and I discovered that they have changed their on-line presence and I can no longer grab an article from a certain amount of time backwards... Darn. Either I have to be on the ball to grab the article - and I believe I am giving proper credit - or I lose the chance to share with you, the universe.

In any event - it was an article about sharing the bacteria in our mouths with the people with whom we are most intimate and how that is, in fact, a very healthy thing. So there you go. This little tidbit was in the December 5th edition of the Week Magazine.

1918 May Report

Here we can see what Herb himself reported to the Brass about the activities of his Section. Seems like a pretty tough go. Evacuating under gun fire; loosing two men; at this point, unknown what happened to them. Russell C. Harrison and Arthur K. Drake .(I suppose I should see if I can find them in Ancestry.com.....)

Ekologic of Troy, NY

Ok, so I am seriously behind in my blogging - and I am especially aware of this oversight because I have been thinking about this this wonderful recycled clothing company. Kathleen Tesnakis sold me a fabulous recycled cashmere cardigan at the Bethesda Row Arts Festival this past early autumn. First off, let me just say that the Bethesda, Maryland Arts Festival is quite something - they have some seriously skilled artisans presenting and selling there on the two days in the fall. In 2015 the festival will be held on October 17th & 18th.

But back to Kathleen and her cashmere sweaters...

Here is a little something I took directly from their web site to describe their mission:

`e ko logic is a life philosophy based upon a sustainable way of living and creating. Every item in our clothing and accessory line is handmade in Troy, New York by recycling post-consumer used garments. We believe that you are much more than a consumer and we enjoy creating wearable art from recycled materials that speaks to your individual style. Together we can change the world…one garment at a time.

Here is blurb from the web site about the fiber artist, Kathleen:

Textile artist and designer Kathleen Tesnakis created `e ko logic in 1996 as an exploration in reuse. The creativity that recycling requires has provided years of inspiration. Every item she makes must be hand cut and combined like a collage as her raw material is multifarious in nature. Kathleen’s sustainable philosophy is deeply rooted in the `e ko logic studio where every bit of scrap waste is identified and resorted to develop future products. All of these actions take time but it is this very intention that resonates throughout the `e ko logic designs. You may have seen Kathleen’s work on the cover of Organic Style magazine, read about her in Daily Candy or seen her ‘fingerless mittens’ in Time magazine, to mention a few. This year, look for Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, rockin’ out in an `e ko logic recycled cashmere sweater, aptly named ‘Lee’. Currently, Kathleen operates `e ko logic with the help of her husband Charlie, bulldog Jasper and the studio team.

All products are handmade by recycling post-consumer used cashmere sweaters into one-of-a-kind clothing and accessories. In the 18 years since `e ko logic, Inc. was founded, over 7 tons of used clothing has been rescued and transformed. Kathleen chooses to use natural fibers because they allow your body to breathe and will eventually breakdown when landfilled. All `e ko logic products are made in their hometown of Troy, NY. This allows Kathleen to provide like-minded individuals with jobs they can put their hearts into. The garments used to create their raw material are discards from the NYC region. Reusing clothes as a raw material has many benefits; it decreases dependence on the water and chemicals required to make new materials, reduces the amount of used clothing being landfilled (85% of all used clothing is landfilled) and transforms a discarded product into something beautiful and functional that has the quality to last a second lifetime.

I believe i bought a version of the Julie Cuff in gray and blue. I wear it all the time. I swiped this from their web site, so let me give credit where it is due.

They make hats and sweaters and dresses, to name a few products. I like the idea a lot, and I am so happy to see a fashion business blooming in little, old Troy, NY.

On a side note, the folks at Wild Fibers Magazine have sponsored a Cashmere Community Center in India and Linda Cartwright, the journalist and founder of the magazine, leads trips to India to visit and promote this first community center for the nomadic peoples of this region. Pretty amazing stuff.

February 3rd, 1917

I was curious about today, roughly 100 years ago, and this is what the History Channel has provided me.

On this day in 1917, President Woodrow Wilson speaks for two hours before a historic session of Congress to announce that the United States is breaking diplomatic relations with Germany.

Due to the reintroduction of the German navy's policy of unlimited submarine warfare, announced two days earlier by Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann Hollwegg, Wilson announced that his government had no choice but to cut all diplomatic ties with Germany in order to uphold the honor and dignity of the United States. Though he maintained that We do not desire any hostile conflict with the German government, Wilson nevertheless cautioned that war would follow if Germany followed through on its threat to sink American ships without warning.

Later that day, Count von Bernstorff, the German ambassador to the U.S., received a note written by Secretary of State Robert Lansing stating that The President has directed me to announce to your Excellency that all diplomatic relations between the United States and the German empire are severed, and that the American Ambassador at Berlin will be immediately withdrawn, and in accordance with such announcement to deliver to your Excellency your passports. Bernstorff was guaranteed safe passage out of the country, but was ordered to leave Washington immediately. Also in the wake of Wilson's speech, all German cruisers docked in the United States were seized and the government formally demanded that all American prisoners being held in Germany be released at once.

On the same day, a German U-boat sunk the American cargo ship Housatonic off the Scilly Islands, just southwest of Britain. A British ship rescued the ship's crew, but its entire cargo of grain was lost.

In Berlin that night, before learning of the president's speech, German Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmermann told U.S. Ambassador James J. Gerard that Everything will be alright. America will do nothing, for President Wilson is for peace and nothing else. Everything will go on as before. He was proved wrong the following morning, as news arrived of the break in relations between America and Germany, a decisive step towards U.S. entry into the First World War.

I read an interesting, but poorly written book, entitled The German American Experience by Don Heinrich Tolzmann which communicated to me that in fact the US had more German immigrants/citizens than citizens of English descent during this time - something like 25% Germans to 16% English, though we absolutely think of ourselves as an English nation. I thought that was an interesting point.

No News is Good News & Mother's Day

This is fun... Aunt Em and Uncle Harry are Oliver Lee's brother and sister-in-law. Rob is their only child. Clearly he is working at Banker's Trust. I assume perhaps he is not Herb's favorite cousin, as Charles certainly must hold that estimable position. Hmmmmm. Charles and Robert are also first cousins.... but Charles is 12 years older than Robert. I think we can assume Robert did not serve in the military... Uncle Harry - Horace - is a butcher according to the 1905 NY Census. Charlie's father was also a butcher... I believe they worked together and perhaps that is how Charlie's father John met Oliver's sister, Ida.
I am having a bit of difficulty deciphering the handwriting in additional censuses, but I think by 1920 both Uncle Harry and Robert are working in a Can Company. By 1925 it seems Uncle Harry has passed and Robert is living at home and working as a Machine Switcher. By 1930 Robert is married and working as an engineer at New York Telephone; his mother Emma is still living with him. By 1940 Robert has two children, a son and a daughter, and he is working as an Engineer in the communications industry; presumably still at New York Telephone.
Interestingly, though, the 1930 census says that Robert did serve in the military. Hmmm. Better see if I can find a trail.

I love the idea that another story was told about Robert and he was 'practically the adopted son of a millionaire.' Too wonderful.

Is this 'Saving Private Ryan' stuff? Three brothers are already serving so the government won't require another son? What might "it" be? Draft? Death? Injury? I wish I knew.

Who are the Westwoods? I suppose I should be firing up Ancestry.com and doing some research in Troy, New York. Lord knows there is probably enough information to do some research on the White Family.

Oh, look at that, Herb mentions the discussion we just had about context.



May 11 (1918)
Dearest Mother,
What happens to my letters is certainly enough – but try not to worry when you don’t hear from me. No news is good news, you know and never more so that now.

Your letter of April 21st came to-day. Of course, I didn’t know about Harry when I wrote him at Effingham but I’ve had your letters explaining the situation. Much as I hate to say it I’ve an idea that you’re taking Chas. all wrong. I’m going to tell you quite frankly what I think of the situation because I think I can see both sides of it. You put him in a very awkward position when you ask him to do something which he honestly believes is a very unwise thing to do. Please don’t think that I’m lacking in a family spirit when I say that I think he is quite right in believing that Harry is better off out of New York. I’ve told you, myself, that I don’t think it would be a good thing and that is still my opinion. I’ve told Harry so as well. It’s all right to talk about starting in the bottom in New York, but I’m not ashamed to say that I wouldn’t tackle it. I think you make a mistake in quoting Rob as any shining example, of course, I don’t know what may have developed in the past five months, but the last time I was in Banker’s Trust I saw for myself + Chas told me as well that he didn’t expect anything of Rob. The only reason he was in the Bond Department at all was because he happened to be at the head of the page list at the time when the enlargement of the Bond Department made necessary a boy to post clippings – which is exactly what Rob is doing. If Aunt Em or Uncle Harry have been telling you any glowing tales, I’d sprinkle a bit of salt on them. It wasn’t so long ago, you know, that Rob was practically the adopted son of a millionaire.

So, under the circumstances, Chas’ position wasn’t very pleasant. He had either to do something he considered inadvisable or else to seem very ungrateful. But that’s enough destructive criticism. It’s Harry’s game, of course, but if I were he, I’d try for some manufacturing line. At any rate I’d keep away from the “Street’ and especially the bond business. I don’t think he has an analytical brain. My faith, I wish I were where I could talk instead of writing. I don’t mean that an analytic brain is better than the other kind but I do mean that if you haven’t got it, there’s no use trying to compete with those who have at their own game. With the passion that he’s consistently had for photography and such things it isn’t at all likely that he’d ever make a good statistician or inside worker, and I think he’d be flying in the face of Providence to try it. It’s like trying to make a lawyer out of a born engineer or chemist – it just can’t be done.

I do hope I haven’t hurt either your feelings or Harry’s – I’ve tried not to, at any rate I hope you’ll take what I’ve said with the spirit that I’ve written it. I feel sure you will. At any rate, I felt I had to say something, and, over here I can do nothing but offer the best advice I’m capable of.

I hope that you could get down to visit Mrs. White. She did catch it rather hard and I can well believe that she’s rather broken up about “it”. I hardly believe they’ll take Howard since Lester, Edwin and Raymond have already gone.

I think by now I’ve gotten practically all your letters that have come due, though some of them have taken a good long time in arriving.

What are the Westwoods going to do now. [sic]

It was nice of Mr. Blake to come up to tell you about me. I haven’t seen Herb since and I don’t know where he is now.

Besides your letter in to-day’s mail I had one from Karolyn and also one from Ren Fleming as Secretary of Mt. Zion lodge – a very nice letter.

The weather is rather better lately. Not too warm but warm enough to go without a coat most of the time. We got an indoor baseball and bat from the Y.M.C.A. and manage to have at least one game a day. With the daylight saving plan it’s bright enough to play until going on nice o’clock.

I dare say you know more about the military situation than I – English papers are never very lavish of details. It looks favorable to me, so long as the U.S.A. continues to rush man + food and supplies. That’s what counts. The sooner we can put an immense army in the field the sooner it will be over, with the Allies victorious. I rather think we won’t be found lacking.

Best love,
Herb

May 12
Dear Mother,

Today is Mother’s day, but it seems to have had a bad effect on the weather. I’d like to go to church but there isn’t any except the French Catholic one in the village. I shall be thinking of you, though I can’t go to church with you.

Your affectionate son,
Herb.

Context for May 1918

I went to the History Channel's web site to see what was happening in the War at this time and this is what I found, word for word... so let me give credit to the History Channel here. It is interesting to contemplate as Herb seems oblivious to what is going on at the highest levels as he talks about daylight savings and poslam ointment here.

On this day in 1918, in a conference of Allied military leaders at Abbeville, France, the U.S., Britain and France argue over the entrance of American troops into World War I.

On March 23, two days after the launch of a major German offensive in northern France, British Prime Minister David Lloyd George telegraphed the British ambassador in Washington, Lord Reading, urging him to explain to U.S. President Woodrow Wilson that without help from the U.S., "we cannot keep our divisions suppliedfor more than a short time at the present rate of loss.This situation is undoubtedly critical and if America delays now she may be too late." In response, Wilson agreed to send a direct order to the commander in chief of the American Expeditionary Force, General John J. Pershing, telling him that American troops already in France should join British and French divisions immediately, without waiting for enough soldiers to arrive to form brigades of their own. Pershing agreed to this on April 2, providing a boost in morale for the exhausted Allies.

The continued German offensive continued to take its toll throughout the month of April, however, as the majority of American troops in Europe—now arriving at a rate of 120,000 month—still did not see battle. In a meeting of the Supreme War Council of Allied leaders at Abbeville, near the coast of the English Channel, which began on May 1, 1918, Clemenceau, Lloyd George and General Ferdinand Foch, the recently named generalissimo of all Allied forces on the Western Front, worked to persuade Pershing to send all the existing American troops into the fray at once. Pershing resisted, reminding the group that the U.S. had entered the war "independently" of the other Allies—indeed, the U.S. would insist during and after the war on being known as an "associate" rather than a full-fledged ally—and stating "I do not suppose that the American army is to be entirely at the disposal of the French and British commands."

On May 2, the second day of the meeting, the debate continued, with Pershing holding his ground in the face of heated appeals by the other leaders. He proposed a compromise, which in the end Lloyd George and Clemenceau had no choice but to accept: the U.S. would send the 130,000 troops arriving in May, as well as another 150,000 in June, to join the Allied line directly. He would make no provision for July. This agreement meant that of the 650,000 American troops in Europe by the end of May 1918, roughly one-third would see action that summer; the other two-thirds would not join the line until they were organized, trained and ready to fight as a purely American army, which Pershing estimated would not happen until the late spring of 1919. By the time the war ended, though, on November 11, 1918, more than 2 million American soldiers had served on the battlefields of Western Europe, and some 50,000 of them had lost their lives.

And a little shout out to my friend, Marcy, who is celebrating today.

Still Quiet

What a nice son to send his money home.
As I write this, and I am not sure I mentioned it before, but Herb dies of lung cancer. Pretty sad when you think it started here. (I say that, but would need to go back and see if that is true... It has been so long since I have spent time with Herb that I have forgotten, though I believe at the outset of these letters there was some discussion with his Mom about the cigarettes he was receiving and how many he was smoking at any given time....)
Because Herb is surprised, the Mount Zion Lodge seems like an unlikely source for a gift, so I assume no family connection with the lodge; I am going to guess that researching there would not be fruitful. I do have some other documents for Masons lodges, but they have never contacted me back, which is disappointing.
Tom, if we recall is Tom Nial, mentioned here.

May 10, 1918
Dear Mother,
I’ve had no letter from you for some time, but I did have one from Karolyn day before yesterday.

I had two packages a few days ago. One was the cigarettes that Karolyn sent by Dad and the other was from – of all people – the Welfare Committee of Mt. Zion Lodge. I thought it was a mistake at first but my name + correct address was on it in several places so it must have been all right. There was quite a bit of tobacco + cigarettes in it and a couple of handkerchiefs. Rather decent of them, I thought. I suppose Dad must have handed in my name.

I find that I’ve more money than I need over here. You see my foreign service bonus pays my insurance premiums and so I have thirty a month clear. In francs that’s a good bit of money – more than I need, so I’ve made an allotment to Dad of $15 a month. Of course you probably won’t get it for a good while. There’s a bit of red tape and such things are slow moving so don’t worry about. After you get the first installment of fifteen it will come regularly every month. Please put it in the bank – under that old account of mine. It may be quite a bit before I get around to using it. Anyway I’ll need new clothes + things when I get back and it will provide for them.

Everything is just as ever here. I’m quite well, as usual, and the weather is a bit better. Things are still quiet and look as if they might continue so.

How is Tom making out?

I had a letter from Mr. Ferguson this week which I have not yet answered.
Love to all.
Your affectionate son,
Herb