Joseph Moss White and his scandal

Who knows how much of this story is embesllished. It was publised 4 years after the death of said Joseph Moss White. It is a delightfully horrible, or horribly delightful, tale. There is another news story I need to trasscribe which has difference figures - multiplied by ten! So, instead of $45,000, it was $400,000 provided to the young Mr. White. 

I tried to find 40 rues des Cosseles in Paris and no such address - at least not now. 

And Stydd House.... there were references to it on Google, but it wasn't quite clear, so I gave up without more information. 

And what is Colon? I don't know. 

From The Weekly Times-Democrat (New Orleans, Louisiana 26 February 1892) 

GAY LIVES ABROAD 

TWO NEW YORKERS WHO SQUANDERED FORTUNES 

The Rapid Career of Young Joseph Moss White - He was wayward from childhood and left a record in every city in Europe 

New York, February 17th - there have been many rich young New Yorkers who have plunged into gay life in a wholesale manner and cause no end of talk while they were doing it. There was never much talked about the life led in Europe by Joseph Moss White and Harvey Spencer, Jr., And yet it was more extraordinary than that of any other young Americans who have made a stir abroad. Whilel New York heard little of them, their names were familiar in London, Paris, Vienna and even the Far East. A good many years ago Eli White was at the head of a large hat manufacturing establishment in New York. He made money and judiciously invested it in real estate. It was never necessary for his son Joseph Moss White to do any work, and he never did any. He wanted to make a good marriage and he succeeded. He married Matilda Wolfe Bishop, the sister of David Wolfe Bishop and the cousin of Catherine Wolfe. The marriage caused a bitter quarrel between the bride and her family. Joseph Moss White died before the only son of the marriage was born. The son was named after the father and he is the hero of the story. Mrs. White had a considerable fortune in her own name. 

When in his childhood, the posthumous boy was wayward. there was nothing wicked in his nature, but he was always getting into scrapes. He was prepared for Princeton, where he remained about two years. His wildness caused his mother to send him abroad under the care of a tutor, the Rev. Samuel J. McPherson. The young man led the reverend gentleman a mad dance over the continent. While he was abroad Eli White, the grandfather, died, leaving the young man $15,000 which caused surprise. The old gentleman did not like the manner in which the young man had acted. The bulk of the great fortune was divided between his children, John Jay White, who lives at Fifth Avenue and Forty-second Miss Susan White, who lives in Kensington, London, and young White's mother, who received her husband's share. Miss White was fond of the youthful Joseph, she thought he had been unfairly treated, and so she settled $45,000 upon him.

About this time White's chief end in life seemed to be to fall in love with every pretty girl he met. He was usually engaged to three charming young women at one time in his own social circle, besides having many liaisons with women beneath it. He was always bubbling over with animal spirits and wine.

 SPENCER COMES IN.

In 1881, while he was in his uncle's house at Lenox, he met Harvey Spencer, a young man of fine family, fine manners and fine clothes. Spencer belonged to the Spencers of Guilford, Connecticut. When Joseph White met Harvey Spencer the latter was known and every fashionable house in New York. He was said to be the best dancer in society and a thorough man of the world. Two years before he had gone to Hong Kong, China, to make his fortune. He did not make it, but he did lose his health. Spencer and White became fast friends directly. Mr. Bishop encouraged the friendship. One reason was that Spencer's shattered health made it impossible for him to go into excesses. But he could not curb White. The young man contracted a passion for Marion Whitehorn and brandy, which nearly resulted in his ruin. The young woman was extremely pretty and thoroughly bad. White had met her in Crane’s resort in West Thirtieth Street. Her real name was Mary Flenner, and she claimed to be the divorced wife of a gambler. The young woman exercised a powerful influence over White, whose mind and body began to give way because of excessive brandy drinking.

It became necessary to take vigorous measures. Mr. Bishop asked Mr. Spencer if he would not lend his assistance. The first step was to get White away from the woman. The plan agreed upon was virtually a kidnapping. Mr. Bishop wanted to pay all the expenses. White was spirited away to Washington first. It was at times necessary to detain him by force in order to prevent him returning to New York. He was virtually insane. Then the young man was brought to Jersey City, placed on a steam tug and taken to Staten Island, where he was transferred to the steamer Alva bound for Haiti and Colon. In the meantime detectives were searching high and low for White at the insistence of Marion Whitehorn, who claimed that her husband had been kidnapped. At Colon, White and Spencer were met by Allan Pinkerton, the detective, who directed them to sail for England on the steamer Moselle. The vessel put up for a few days at St. Thomas where the voyagers were met by a man named Field, who came at the insistence of the so-called wife. Field interested the United States Consul in the case and managed to see White. The young man wanted to return to the woman, but Spencer managed to get the charge away safely. On the long voyage White was weaned away from brandy, and he began to improve.

The two young men journey through England and the Continent and then went to India and the Far East. They also visited Australia. When White became of age he threw money to the winds. When he was in the clutches of Marion Whitehorn Mr. Bishop induced him to place the principle of his fortune in trust until he was 25, so that it should not be squandered. Subsequently, just before the kidnapping, he signed without reading the document making the trust deed cover his entire life. When the young men started from New York Mr. Bishop agreed to allow them $4,000 a year. This was inadequate. When White improved the whole income was given to him. The legitimate income ranged from $20,000 to $23,000 a year. White had become so attached to Spencer that he proposed that they live together and share the income. They lived at a tremendous rate. In Paris they had a beautifully furnished hotel at No. 40 Rue de Cosseles, and their cook was said to be the best in Paris. They had a fine country place in Hampshire, England, called Stydd House, where they kept eighteen horses and a retinue of servants. They also maintained a sailing yacht and a steam yacht. For the latter they paid $30,000. At a New Year's banquet given in Paris in 1888 White caught a cold, which developed into dry pleurisy. White was seized with a coughing fit, the abscess burst and White died of suffocation. He was then 28 years old. The will provided that all outstanding debts in the names of White and Spencer should be paid out of the estate, and that a sufficient sum should be placed in trust to yield Spencer $10,000 a year. Spencer had the body embalmed, and 10 days later he started with it to America. He was met at the pier by Mr. Bishop, who told him that White’s will was useless, as he had no property to bequeath, having surrendered at all to his mother. Spencer says that Mr. Bishop had the body secretly buried the next morning, without letting him or any of White’s friends know anything about it.

At the time of White’s death there were $45,000 of debts. Of this Spencer claims to have paid off $26,000. Next Friday the case will go on. It is said Spencer will begin a fight to have the will carried out in spite of the release he gave. Counsel for White’s mother says Spencer is unprincipled in his demands for money.

Lewis Morris - a signer of the Declaration

Lewis Morris - taken from here.

I was scanning two file folders of my grandmother's genealogical information recently provided to me by my mother. In the files were many, many newspaper clippings of family marriages, engagements and birth announcements. What a treasure trove.

What caught my eye was a claim in the marriage announcement of one of my great uncles that he was descended from Lewis Morris, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

My grandmother assembled a really nice book called "Our Heritage" which is broken down in to the four branches growing from her marriage to my grandfather. I never read in that privately published book that we had a Signer in the family. Given that the project was originally begun, I have often heard, to 'prove' that my great grandfather could be a member of the "Sons of the American Revolution", you would think that tidbit would be very important. As it is, that branch in the book ends with: 'no earlier trace of him can be found'.

So, I thought I'd approach the research two ways - build the signers tree and simultaneously see if in the internet age I can find 'a trace' of that missing father, William Morris. The clues I have are his name, Lewis Henry Morris, and the possibility that he was named after an uncle who was a captain sailing between Boston and the West Indies.

I haven't made a connection.

Though, in the signer's tree, there are many, many sons named Lewis Morris. Given my Lewis Morris ancestor was born in 1806/7 - he's probably not a direct descendant, maybe a nephew, though I have not found any connection as of yet. And I have not found anything about that William.

There is mention, though, of the Signer's family members being from Barbados. So maybe there is something there... I just haven't found it.

Here are the clues I do have:

William Morris was a sea captain in command of a vessel sailing between the West Indies and Boston, Massachusetts. It is believed that he came from the West Indies, as he named a son after a brother who was of the West Indies and who plied a ship for Robert Livingston of New York City. No earlier trace of him can be found. He married Margaret Jenkins, daughter of George and Mary (McHard) Jenkins, born May 7th, 1770, married June 7th, 1801.

So, maybe some time spent with Robert Livingston is necessary. Also, maybe a maritime museum or archive would be helpful.

Ok, wait, I took my own suggestion... Robert Livingston is associated with drafting the declaration.... This is a bigger investigation than I can address here.

What I do know, though, is that we have many people with the name Morris as a middle name - clearly nodding to that branch of the tree. (I hadn't really focused on that before; I guess I always thought it was just using the masculine name Morris.) I guess this question requires more investigation.

The source of my grandmother's information is Morris Genealogy and New England Genealogical Society, Boston, MA. My grandmother was not as helpful about where I can find this Morris Genealogy. (I already checked my local library, and nothing there.)

Good Week for:

Alone time, after an international study found that highly intelligent people tend to be happier when they spend more time alone, working on their goals and interests, and less time socializing with other people.

Hmmm. what does this say about the people in Lafayette, Louisiana? The happiest people in the United States? Just teasing.... I suspect we can possibly assume that the reason to live is to love and be loved, so community is what makes most people happy. And food, let's add food to what makes people happy.... At least for me.

I notice that New Orleans is not on that list... And New York, the most unhappy? Yikes. What does that say about all my ancestors? Guess it's a good thing we left!

Tidbit taken from the December 2, 2016 The Week Magazine.

Ehlers & Co

I am trying to do some research on another branch of my tree - the Ehlers, from Germany. In doing the research I am learning that perhaps my Father's family had interactions with my mother's family before my mother and family ever met. I always assumed my father's family was poor, but perhaps they had more money than I realized. They certainly seem to have been entrepreneurial... one 2nd great uncle was a jeweler, down the street from the famous Theodore B Starr, and the other was a furniture manufacturer's agent, Robert J. Ehlers Co.

My great uncle, Edwin Maher, worked for his uncle as a salesman. I learned that little tidbit on Edwin Maher's draft card for World War 1. I do not believe that he served in the war.



And here is an advertisement for the furniture exchange:



And here is a funny little question and answer about some hair combs. Perhaps Ehlers & Co was not making as high quality jewelry as TB Starr.

These folks are relative to Herb's wife, Florence.

Exciting Breakthru

Life is good.

I was contacted by a cousin by marriage through wikitree yesterday. Though I learned I have missed the opportunity to speak with a relative who loved to talk about the Maher family, I have gained some information about a branch of my tree which had grown cold. And I have learned where many relatives are buried.

I have made some speculative stories about my great Aunts, Lillian and Roberta.

I have also come up with a theory about how Florence and Herb met; something I now must explore. I will share more as I uncover, but I have always been confused as to what happened to Karolyn and how/when Herb meets my grandmother Florence. There is a Lee in the Maher plot. Might Herb have visited a Lee relative for a holiday event and met Florence there? Could be. I mean, Herb didn't meet Florence in a bar or on-line.... so how did they meet? A family gathering would be very appropriate. Herb was living in New York City without the rest of his family who were in Troy, NY. Of course, this Lee in the Maher burial plot has not yet shown up in my tree... but maybe a little more digging and time will tell.

3 baths in one week!

Herb is still in Dampierre-sur-Moivre.

Interesting that Herb should mention the subway, as he was working on a bond offering for it before he left for the War.

No huge headline on the front page of the New York Times on this Sunday as Herb sat down to put pen to paper.

Though, while futzing around I found this article from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle on 21 August 1918 about perhaps an associate of Herb's - they were in Allentown together, so it is possible. Seems that Lieutenant Dougherty was awarded the Croix de Guerre.

August 18, 1918

Dear Mother,

Another week has slid by – very quietly this time. Now and again we hear a rumbling from up the line but nothing occurs to destroy the serenity of this village. I have profited by the occasion to get three baths in one week – a regular record.

I shall try to get through to you some time before an order for some things for the winter – some socks, a new sweater (mine is pretty well gone) and a couple of abdominal bands. I’ve never worn those last but I notice most of the French soldiers wear them all the time and I think they would be very practical for the winter.

I don’t think I told you that I had a letter from Mr. Friedman this week. He wanted to know why he hadn’t heard from me. I’d like to know that myself because I’ve been writing him right along.

The war news continues favorable to us, doesn’t it. Provided we only get a decent break in the luck, one may almost hope that we’ve turned the corner.

Little happens from day to day. Since the Division is on rest there are no wounded men. That leaves little but routine camp work, cleaning up and the like. We’ll very likely have all told about two weeks of this and then we’ll be going back into the lines at some other point. Just now the favorite in door sport is guessing what point it will be.

The worst part of it all is the monotony of the small villages and the country as a whole to any one used to living in the city. One misses the crowds and the street cars and the bustle. I almost find myself missing the Subway, though Lord knows there is never much fun in riding on it.

With best love,

Herb

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.

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.

The Theodora "Dora" Starr Story

The Theodora Starr Story
Theodora was either the first or second child, but only daughter, of Theodore Burr and Caroline Margaret Morris Starr. She was born on July 11, 1866 in Kings County, New York – Brooklyn. Her father was a jeweler working in Manhattan and her mother kept house on Congress Street in Brooklyn.
In the 1875 New York census, the family is living in a brownstone at 149 Congress Street, Brooklyn, claimed to be valued at $17,000. The house was across the street from Cobble Hill Park. One can assume that Dora played with her siblings and maybe even cousins in that park. The family of 6 had at least two servants living and working with them. Dora was the eldest of 4 children; her siblings were Louis Morris, 6, Theodore, 4, and Howard White 2. They were living on the same block with her paternal grandmother, Harriet Howard White Starr, who was living with her younger brother’s family, Joseph Theodore White. Another sister, Amelia E. White, was living within that household, as well. It appears that perhaps Amelia (or Elizabeth) never married.
Dora’s brother Theodore died sometime before the 1880 census. (There may have been a first child, also called Theodore, but records are hard to decipher.)
In 1878, Dora’s father moved his business from 22 John Street to 206 5th Avenue. Perhaps this indicates that his business was growing and the family was enjoying additional wealth.
By 1880 the small family moved from Cobble Hill to 112 East 39th Street in Manhattan. They still have two servants from Ireland living with them.
Theodora seems to have spent summers in Ridgefield, Connecticut. It is there, during June, that her engagement to Harry L. Bloomfield is announced. Tragically, only a month later, on July 16th, Theodora dies of pneumonia. Her parents did what they could for their beloved daughter, bringing the family physician to Ridgefield from his home on Long Island. The reports of the day claim that “social gayeties here during the past few days have been at a standstill, owing to the sudden death of Miss Theodora Starr, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Theodore B. Starr, of New York, whose summer home is here,…”
Nothing is known about Theodora’s daily life, except for the tragedy of losing two of her brothers. She died on July 16, 1894 just after having reached her 28th birthday.
Theodora was the first of her family to be buried in Section 4 of the Ridgefield, Connecticut Cemetery.

New Orleans, Genealogy & Fiber Art

I was walking down Magazine Street in New Orleans when I saw a couple dresses in the window of an Optometrist. And they were spectacular dresses - silver silk painted with images of Paris, if I remember correctly. Drew me right in. A very nattily dressed man with fabulous frames and maybe even white buckskin shoes was standing outside. He and I started chatting and he was incredibly friendly. I mentioned this stroll down Magazine earlier in my post here as I discussed Theordore B. Starr silver.

I'm afraid this happened in March of this year, so I don't remember all the details, but it made an impression on me. That is when I learned that New Orleans has a burgeoning fashion week - which in 2014 was in March. But I digress.

I was charmed by the fashion and I was charmed by the artist's name - Starr Hagenbring. Starr claims that she is not aware of having Starr as a family name in her family; in fact, it was a family friend from Philadelphia, if I recall. So, drawn in by that too....


One can see the art in Ms. Hagenbring's creations - they are magnificent pieces.


Ms. Hagenbring loves silk organza - a fabric I have not yet screwed up the courage to use.


Here one can see some of the painting she does on the fabric.

She is a spectacular artist with studios in both New Orleans and New York City.

Attaching to the French Army

The censor starts in Europe.... now Herb spends even more time talking about his health and the weather. A shame we can't hear more about the towns and countryside where he is. The reports will begin to have some of that information.

Looking at the list of places where Herb camped during his tenure with the Ambulance Corps, I see that he was in Winchester, England from 1/24/1918 to 2/3/1918.
For 2 days in February he is at a rest camp in Le Havre, France, then off to 'Base Section 1' in St. Nazaire Mecanie for a few weeks. He is in St. Nazaire as he writes this letter. The town in on the west coast of France just outside of Nantes, below Quimper, where the wonderful ceramic comes from. Looks like it took them 2 days to get from Le Havre to St. Nazaire.

Mother knows best... making him buy 'rubbers' to keep his feet dry. On that subject, Trench Foot is associated with World War 1, right? Below is a picture I think I have already shown - but here he is in rain gear... much later in time, but I thought I would show this picture of Herb.




February 10th (1918)
Dear Mother,

I hope that my sea journeys are over until the war is done with and I can come home. I am at last in France. The journeys have been a bit trying but so far I’ve no slightest thing to complain of. The food is good. I get plenty of sleep and not too much work and altogether I’m pretty fit. I wish I could tell you all about my wanderings – it would, I think, make an interesting story – but that will have to wait until I shall see you. And that would be so very long. The further I go and the more I see the more I am convinced that the war can’t last much longer – even from a military stand point.

The weather here = well you wouldn’t believe it. There are two varieties – horribly rainy sloppy days and very bright warm clear ones when an overcoat is a burden. Today there are several ball games in progress and everything reminds one of May in New York. The wet days, though, are bad. I’ve certainly thanked my lucky stars for those rubbers you made me get. I should have had continual wet feet without them. We are to be issued rubber boots that come way up to the waist but the Quartermaster Department is rushed to death, so they say, and we’ll probably not get them for a week or so. We’ll also receive two pairs of heavy ‘trench’ shoes something like British shoes with hobnailed soles and heels and a dinky little fore and aft cap.

This is strictly an American camp, so I have no opportunity to talk to any French soldiers as I had to the Tommies. Those Tommies, by the way, are a fine bunch. The Scotch take the polur (?). after having talked to them I can readily believe the stories of how the Germans fear them. They speak convincingly of it’s being over by June. I hope they’re true prophets.

Don’t bother about sending any tobacco. There are American Y.M.C.A’s in every camp where Americans are located and one can buy American tobacco at American prices, or cheaper.

Everyone now is looking forward to the first mail day. I expect it will be soon.

I’ve another address now because the Ambulance Service is attached to the French Army. It is this
1 Private Charles H. Lee
2 S.S.U. 580
3 Convois Automobile
4 B.M.C. – A.E.F. France

The second line stands for Sanitary Section Unit 580. The third means automobile train and the fourth Central Military Bureau – Amex Forces.

Your affectionate son,
Herb

Men in Section 580

And here is the list of men in Section 580.

I wonder which men were the rough necks living in what is now expensive NYC real estate...

#16 is Herb
#9 - Mr. Gray, well, he's the cook. There were several memos/letters talking about cooks. And I think poor Mr. Gray got scabies, or some such.... And given how often Herb talks about the food, well, of course it was interesting.

Fiber Art in High Fashion

On the cover of Glamour Magazine's July edition, spectacularly attractive Keira Knightley is sporting a bright fuchsia, woven dress. The photographer or editor cropped it at about her waist.

As a fiber artist, that caught my eye - high fashion with weaving. Oh, our lucky day. The dress designer, Altuzarra, was inspired by fiber artist Sheila Hicks.

BUT - WTF? This dress is awful. It looks in the same vein as Carol Burnett taking the curtains to make a dress à la Gone with the Wind. Did Altuzarra take a wall hanging down and wrap the runway model with it? As a top on Keira it looks splendid and enticing, here on the runway it seems a bit of a joke. How disappointing.

Though Altuzarra's execution was unfortunate in my opinion, it afforded us an opportunity to learn about Sheila Hicks, who

was born in Hastings, Nebraska and received her BFA and MFA degrees from Yale University. Upon completing her studies at Yale Hicks received a Fulbright scholarship in 1957 to paint in Chile. While in South America she developed her interest in working with fibers. After founding workshops in Mexico, Chile, and South Africa, and working in Morocco and India, she now divides her time between her Paris studio and New York.

Hicks has been widely exhibited in both solo and group exhibitions. A major retrospective Sheila Hicks: 50 Years debuted at the Addison Gallery of American Art and traveled to the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia and the Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC. Hicks‘ work is also included in such collections as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art, both in New York City; Museum of Fine Arts Boston; The Art Institute of Chicago; Museo de Bellas Artes, Santiago, Chile; and the Museums of Modern Art, Tokyo and Kyoto. One-person exhibitions include those at the Seoul Art Center, Korea; Israel Museum, Jerusalem; and Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam.

Here is a tiny little sample of her work, called Escape to the North, which I found the same place I pulled her biography:

The Waiting....

Herb attended Syracuse University for three years; it’s too bad he didn’t know about their unit. Though, as it is, he was with the 80 and he made it home unscathed, so I will be happy with how it turned out.

The waiting seems to be driving everyone nuts.

Thursday (August 30), 1917
Dear Mother,

Little happens except that every day draws us nearer to our departure. As far as I have definite information it is as far off as ever but I think it will be within a week. I hear that they are going to take us down to Valley Forge for a week before we sail but I don’t see the idea in that as we shall sail from New York. We have had all our equipment inspected every day to see if we’re all ready. All our extra blankets, extra underwear, gloves, extra shoes and so forth are well boxed up and consigned to the Superintendent of Transportation at New York, ready to be sent out at an hour’s notice. I wish they’d tell us something. It’s hard to wait.

It said in the NY Journal today that Bill Rafter had gone to France with the Syracuse University ambulance unit. I never heard of it. The views of his wife were given. They sounded like a stump speech. You know he married a Jewess secretly last year. I’ve heard she’s a nice girl, but it’s a queer combination.

I’m going to send my watch and some little things to you tomorrow to keep – mostly toilet articles. We drew towels, soap, brush & comb and tooth brush from the I.M. (?) Dept. today. I never knew the government provided such things.

If you don’t hear from me for four or five days or more at a time it will be probable that we have gone. My address will then be:
Section 80, U.S. Army Ambulance Services
American Expeditionary Forces
New York

Love,
Herb

Photographs

I believe I may have 3 of the photographs Herb mentions, though I can only put my hands on two at the moment. Interestingly, they are slightly different from one another - they have been colored or shaded, it seems. (Found the third photograph!)

I don't know who this Marine might be.

And still no more about this Karolyn!

Wednesday (August 15), 1917
Dear Mother,

I arrived back from NY this morning about 5:30 so I’m pretty sleepy especially as I put in the day on the sanitary police squad – cleaning up around the grounds.

I had a very fine visit with Charlie and Grace. I reached the house Monday night about ten and we had a fine talk then. In the morning I went over to the city with Charlie and went in to the office. Mr. Pomeroy was out of town on a vacation and Mr. Case was not in. Mr. Case has been away a lot lately which is probably the reason that you didn’t receive he check sooner. Went out to lunch with Mr. Friedman. Right after lunch I went back to Jersey. Bill what’s his name and Blanche were there for supper and stayed all night. You know the couple I mean. He went to Stevens and was a great boyhood friend of Charlie’s. I left about 1 o’clock and had to wait most 2 hours in Jersey City for the 2:20 to Allentown.

I had a half dozen photographs ordered in N.Y. He took four poses so one of them should turn out all right. I wanted them in time for Mothers birthday but it couldn’t be done. I ordered one sent to Charlie’s, one to Karolyn and the other four to you. I suppose you’d better give one to Aunt Ada and one to Aunt Burdella. Pass them around as far as they’ll go.

I had my last paratyphoid inoculation to day. Nothing left now but small pox vaccination. Tomorrow my heart and lungs will be examined by experts. They are going over all the men in camp looking for T.B.

That picture of Marine wasn’t focused very well, was it. Still I was very glad to get it. Did she pick out that pose herself.

I can’t figure out how Frank Bergen got by the examining board. They seem to be making little tin gods out of the drafted men, don’t they. I guess it’s that way in every city. The volunteers aren’t even mentioned.

We were paid Monday afternoon. Just in time since I wanted to go to New York.

As you know Karolyn has always wanted to be a nurse. Since she can’t get a school her father’s objections don’t hold water. She tried to get in the Albany Hospital a couple of months ago but there were no openings. She could get in at Bridgeport and its more or less like home to her there. All her father’s and mother’s people live there.

Love to all
Herbert

7th week in camp

Seems such a surprise that Herb and Charles would want to talk about what Herb will be doing after the War - the War hasn't even begun for Herb.... I guess they are very optimistic that the War will not last long once the Americans enter it.

Karolyn is heading over to Bridgeport to be a nurse....

So, was Olive at summer camp??? We saw her school picture before, in the blog entry dedicated to her.

Still no idea who Kelly Zillessen is....


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 not 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


Rather than posting both fun things I found the other day while rifling through the strong box, I am posting the photograph I found of proud Harry with one of his masterpieces. Both front and back:

Good Questions

I guess I was wrong, because a letter I already transcribed and blogged fits in here - his wonderful date with Karolyn. So, something happened that she was around and he could visit with her.

I have not yet read my transcriptions in order. I still need to sort them, and that seems such a large task that I guess I am putting it off until I have transcribed them all. My story might hang together better, though, if I did reread and sort out.

I wish I knew this man. He sounds like such a good man. I am really wishing that I had the letter Nellie Jane wrote him – especially if she answers his questions. I would love to know how Nellie Jane and Oliver met – and how much Oliver earned when they got married.

I continue to wonder about Karolyn and what might have happened to her. Herbert clearly thought to marry her. I hope we find out, but nothing I have yet read has given me any clue. Why can't he give us her last name...?

I have no idea who Tom or Frank Blackhall are; I have never come across their names before.

I wonder what the salts were…

Wednesday, July 25, 1917
Dear Mother,

I’m afraid that in my hurry I forgot to tell you before that I received the five dollars all right. I imagine you must have known it anyway because I signed a return receipt.

Last night we slept out under the trees in our shelter tents inside the camps grounds. I didn’t mind the fact that the ground was hard but I didn’t like the mosquitos at all. They kept us awake until about twelve o’clock. The idea of it is to get us accustomed to sleeping out a bit before taking us out on our hike. Just when we will go one can’t tell because we are still waiting on such equipment as canteens, haversacks and mess kits.

It has been frightfully hot here the last two or three days. I have sweat like a horse. It seems as if I must have lost several pounds but I feel fine. Fortunately it’s a dry heat, so it isn’t as bad as it might be.

There is very little to tell any more. Things have settled down to a regular routine and one day is pretty much like the rest. Today I’ve got to wash. I don’t like the idea of it, there being none but cold water, but I sweat so much that my clothes demand it frequently.
___________
In the mean time I have just had my third typhoid inoculation, my first paratyphoid (both together) and a large dose of salts. The inoculations weren’t bad except that one gets nervous waiting around for them but the salts were nasty.

When you write be sure to tell me what Harry has done about enlisting or have him write me. I am more concerned about that now than about anything else.

When I was in New York I saw Frank Blackhall (Tom’s cousin). He is in the Cavalry (National Guard, some Brooklyn Troop) and has been called out to be mustered into the Federal Service.

5:00 pm

Your letter just came. Please Mother, don’t worry about me, at least until there’s something to worry about. Above all don’t worry about Karolyn. Until the war is over I have no prospects of course. After that, well if you don’t think I have, ask Charlie. I’ve talked it over with him and he thinks it all right. I have no intention of marrying until I have at least fifteen hundred a year. That will be two years at the earliest. And Mother, how old were you when you married and how much did Dad earn? As I see it, it will help me in business. It gives me that stability and responsibility, so necessary in my life. Of course Tom wouldn’t do it. It was never his idea to work for himself – much less for two. If it worries you so much I almost wish I had not told you. I told you in an endeavor to quiet your fears by showing you that assurance that I’d take no rash chances and would be absolutely straight morally. I thought it might relieve your mind about me. I wish I could talk to you about it.

Love,
Herbert

rough necks vs. clean and gentlemanly

The letters have been sporadic and we seem to jump to June. I have another stack of letters but they seem to be much later, though I need to go through them and see what I find. I confess, scanning is a lot of work. My third cousin did tell me that Charlie & Grace's wedding was on the 21st of June; this is the Sunday following.

It seems so funny that these guys bring their own clothing and things. When did everything change and we outfit our military? Seems logical to have everyone in 'uniform' clothing, but I guess it was the same in the Civil War - go with what you had and defend your country/lifestyle/beliefs.

I should think we all would love to own real estate at 10th Avenue and 20th Street now - though then I guess it was by the active piers; rough necks is probably a very apt term - or are rough necks people who work on oil and gas rigs? It's only a couple blocks north of the Chelsea Market where the Oreo cookie was invented.

And what is lowery? I looked at it a couple times but couldn't make it out and Google doesn't recognize it other than a proper name. I have been known to be obtuse, though, so if anyone else can figure it out....

Sunday (perhaps June 24, 1917)

Dear Mother,

I have been here ten days to-day. Last night I went down town and treated myself to a regular meal – the first meal I’ve had in Allentown outside of the mess hall. Lord knows the meals are not what one gets at home but I suppose I shouldn’t kick because I’ve gained five pounds since I’ve been here.

To-morrow I expect to get a uniform if nothing happens. When I do I will send to you everything I bought with me in the clothing line except one soft shirt and my handkerchiefs. I’ll get three suits of underwear, socks etc. so I will not needs those which I brought.

I was glad to hear that you prevailed upon Edith to go to the wedding. It would have been too bad if she had stayed away. You didn’t say how Grace looked. I was wondering if she had powdered her nose. Charlie hates to have her do it but she always looks like the dickens without it. I knew you’d like Jane. She’s an awfully good sort.

By the way, I expected that after to-morrow I will be a member of Section 49 instead of Section 80. Pretty near all the good men from 80 have left to join friends in other section and there are about eight truck drivers in the section from around 10th Ave and 20th St. N.Y. – awful rough necks whom I am ashamed to be seen with. A chap from the Section 49 asked me to join them to take the place of a chap who was rejected for a weak heart and after seeing the rest of the section I asked permission to do so. They are practically all college men and at any rate they are all clean and gentlemanly, which is more that you can say for the truck drivers in 80.

The weather holds fine. Remarkably Friday was a bit lowery (?) but it all passed over in a couple of fiver minute showers.

I get a cold bath about every day and am beginning to enjoy them, but I’ll be blessed if I like to shave in it. Still I have no choice.

Here are now close to 4000 men here and they are busy building extra barracks – only temporary canvas affair – for about a thousand more.

I rather think you have Karolyn dropping in to see you some afternoon soon – she said something about it in her last letter. She is knitting me one of those dark grey Red Cross sweaters to keep herself busy. They are those affairs with low-necks + no sleeves something like a jersey but they’re heavier and the openings are smaller. Lots of fellows here in camp have them.

Love to all,
Herb

Ahhhh, maybe not fighting for humanitarian reasons....

I may have gotten this letter out of order - I will need to spend more time reflecting upon the content to figure out where it goes in sequence.

I don't know what a statistician is doing working on the Interborough Rapid Transit Co. - though maybe they desire to issue bonds, so Herb is working on that. The NYC subway was privately owned until June 1940, and this was the private company which built the system which opened in 1904. Wow, can you imagine what the subway was like when it was clean and new?

Fred Judson, remember, is on the letterhead of the company and has joined the Mosquito Fleet. Though not a family member, it might be fun to learn more about him.


Sunday – date unknown, but perhaps May 1917

Dear Family,

Kimber and I have just returned from a stroll through the park. It’s a beautiful day and the park was lovely – but the people. Honestly, we felt like foreigners. The place was full of Jews who come with their lunches and spend the day.

Well, the draft is coming. I won’t register because I won’t have to, but if we really are going to send troops across and it certainly looks like it, I’m going to enlist.

Mr. Friedman and I have been working until after eleven o’clock at night this week finishing up a study of the Interborough Rapid Transit Co. I certainly was glad when we finished it yesterday.

Fred Judson went to join his crew Tuesday. He was in for a while Saturday, looking very much sunburned. The boat hasn’t put to sea yet. They were only getting things in shape and taking on supplies.

I haven’t seen much of Charlie the past week – only once or twice for a few minutes chat. He has been very busy, too.

Jane Parker has a position with Banker’s Trust Co. She starts work tomorrow.

Charlie and Grace have been scouring the country lately looking for a house but haven’t had any luck yet.

I haven’t been up to see Edith in a long time so I think I’ll try to get up some night this week.

I think the reason why I didn’t get in on Plattsburgh is my age. Steve Lee was a year back of me in college but he is twenty-four. Phike Morris is twenty-five.

That’s the only reason I can think of because I was pronounced physically fit and I think I’m intelligent enough.

Friedman tells me to wait but he’s one of these people who think there won’t be any fighting for America to do. Anyway you couldn’t expect much else from him because he hasn’t any red blood in his veins any way.

I won’t do anything for a couple of weeks anyway and before I do I’ll come up and stay a few days.

Love to all,
Herbert

OohRah

And now we need to figure out who Mr. Rankin is.....

It seems that Jane Parker is living with her mother.... That might give me a clue as to who she is, as I am doubting my assumption that she is Russell's sister.

I am going to assume that Karolyn is graduating from college, not high school given how much traveling and running around she is doing; seems too much for a highschooler.

I asked the folks at Syracuse University what these Corpse and Coffin things were; I got an answer, but I can't claim that I understood it:

These organization were different class societies. The Corpse & Coffin was a Junior Society founded at Syracuse University in 1889. The Skull & Serpent was a Sophomore Society founded in 1902.

What is a class society?

I went to New York City on Friday to get some marriage, birth and death certificates from the NYC Municipal Archives. I was successful and will eventually share, but I had an opportunity to walk to 60 Wall Street to see where Herb worked. As we can assume, it looks nothing like it did in 1917, though the address still exists. Now it is the Deutsche Bank building. I chatted up the guard at the entrance and he indicated that the current enormous tower was built in the 1960s by, he believed, Banker's Trust. According to Deutsche Bank's web site, they acquired Banker's Trust in 1999 making Deutsche Bank a real mover and shaker in the US. So, our connection remains with the address 60 Wall Street.

Huntington is a town on the northern side of Long Island about an hour from Penn Station. Clearly by the Federal Census record I have noted, there are large estates there - and people who work on those estates....

Investigating further we learn from their web site:

History: The Town is located at the western end of Suffolk County adjacent to the Nassau-Suffolk County boundary. It is approximately 40 miles from Manhattan and 40 miles from Riverhead, the Suffolk County seat. The History of Huntington is closely associated with the early development of the American colonies. The community was originally settled in 1653, well within the lifetime of the earliest New England colonist. In the beginning, water-borne transportation gave life to the community. The natural harbors offered ready access to the farmlands of the Long Island interior. The harbor was the setting for the early Huntington community which became the focal point for the movement of agricultural products into the commerce of the colonies. Although agriculture was its mainstay and water-borne transportation its lifeline for two centuries, in later years the whaling industry and expanded manufacturing activity broadened the local economy and gave impetus to the expansion of the harbor communities of Cold Spring Harbor, Huntington, and Northport.

By the early twentieth century thousands of acres of productive farmland were laying fallow because the land had been appropriated for large estates. Marshall Field, Robert DeForest, Otto Kahn, Charles Gould, August Heckscher, George McKesson Brown, Walter Jennings, Roland Conklin and many others extended Long Island’s Gold Coast into Huntington. The middle class was also attracted to Huntington. Summer bungalow communities developed along the shores of Centerport Harbor, Huntington Bay and Huntington Harbor during the 1920s.

From 1920 to 1930, Huntington’s population increased 84% from 13,893 to 25,582. Huntington village began to take shape with one large building project after another along New York Avenue: The Palace Theatre in 1917, the Huntington Theatre and Huntington Office Building in 1927, The Huntington Mortgage Building in 1928 and the Hotel Huntington in 1929.

I can imagine that Herb, Charlie and Grace stopped to watch the construction of the Palace Theater when they went to visit Aunt/Mom Ida.

Thursday – date unknown, May 1917
Dear Family,

I’m glad you’ve told me just how you feel about the question of my enlisting. I’ve thought it over very carefully and I won’t enlist for a month or two yet.

And now I’ll try to answer all your questions about the different branches of the service.

I think the marines – from what I’ve seen of them – are a mighty fine bunch of men. I’ve talked with several Marine Corps recruiting sergeants and they certainly are men to be admired – husky brown and yet very well bred + courteous and seemingly pretty well educated. If I do decide that I really should enlist I want to be with some men who have seen service and have been under fire. Most of the marines have. And the marine officers are all well-seasoned men who will know how to look after the men under them. That’s my objection to the National Guard and the Mosquito fleet. They’re too blamed amateurish – and it will go awfully hard with amateurs if there’s any fighting.

I’ve quite given up all hope of Plattsburgh. I think I was turned down on account of my youth – Fike says most of the men up there are twenty-eight or over. I’m confident that Mr. Rankin would intercede for me if he could but it’s a strictly military matter and he would have no influence.

I was up to see Jane last night. She says she enjoys working. She doesn’t have to work but there isn’t enough work around a small apartment to keep her and her mother both busy.

This place Charlie has in mind is in Hasbrouk Heights, New Jersey. They still expect to go down to Huntingdon for a while I think but they want to get a house if they can and have it all ready when they want to come back. Someone has an option on the place to buy it until June 15th but the owner told them he didn’t think the party would take it.

I was thinking of coming home in a couple of weeks but Karolyn wants me to come up June 12th because she graduates then.

Love to all,
Herbert