I read A Christmas Carol this week. Every year, I read this treasured book. While I don’t NEED to read it as I can quote passages from it without the use of the book, that’s how many times I read it; my heart and soul crave it. It was on my mind when writing the family pages this week. I bring you a cousin who married a Doctor, a bright winter photo, and a fire-charred remembrance.
As I worked on this week’s page posts, I kept thinking about A CHRISTMAS CAROL, a book that was written 181 years ago, and how it’s still treasured today. The theme of helping those in need is still as strong today as it was in Dickens’s time. May we all consider our past, present, and future this holiday season as we look forward to the new year. And as Tiny Tim said, “God bless us, every one!”.
Here we have Brinton, Isaac, Kermit and Lydia on a brisk bright day. Unfortunately, we don’t have a date on the back of this photo, but I would assume it was taken in the 1920s based on how young Brinton, Kermit, and Lydia look. Since the image is a little out of focus, their clothing does not give us any clues as to the date of the photo. While I’d like to say it was winter time as there are no leaves on the trees, it could be early spring or late fall.
Brinton was Kermit’s brother, senior by 13 years. He was a pastor and had a church in Streator. That’s how Kermit met Eunice. At first, I thought the photo might have been taken at the Miller farm, but I don’t think so based on the house you can see in the background. Maybe the Millers had been visiting Brinton, and it was his house they are next to.
For some reason, when I see this photo I think of Bonnie and Clyde or John Dillinger, criminals of that time. Maybe it’s how Isaac is standing with his hat shadowing his eyes with his long coat and hand in his pocket. Or perhaps it’s Kermit standing behind him with his jaunty cap and easy stance. Or the fact that Lydia and Britton don’t have a hat on. Since Brinton was a pastor, I know he wasn’t a criminal, but for some reason, my brain has already written a story about the infamous adventures of the Miller Gang. Don’t you think it would be a bestseller?
I can’t believe that today is December 1st. That means we have just 30 more short days left in this year. It’s been a great year! I’m looking forward to 2025, and everything I can’t wait to share with you. This week, we traveled to the resting place of President Abraham Lincoln, had Christmas in 1980, and saw three cute kids. Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a great week!
I think I might have brought you this photo already, perhaps years ago. But I was feeling nostalgic, and this photo made me feel good. Eunice writes on the back of this photo that this was taken at Christmas of 1980. I don’t know if we planned to be seated like this, but I love it! We have Matthew, Michelle, Judd holding Julie, Eunice holding Nicholas, Mark holding Isaac, Jennifer, and Kim. The Schneiderman’s bookend all the Millers. So Cute!!
While we are spread across the nation and celebrating with families of our own, I think back to these days when we were all together. While it’s been years since we were together, we remain family, which neither time nor distance can change. As we begin this holiday season, may you have peace and joy with some childlike wonder thrown in.
As I wrote today, I looked back on Thanksgivings from my childhood. It always seemed like it took forever for the Thanksgiving school holiday to get here. And I found myself thinking that today as well. It seems like yesterday, when 2024 was starting in January, and here we are about to start the holiday season.
There are so many things I am thankful for this year, but at the very top of the list are all of you. Thank you for taking the time to engage with my blog posts on this website or social media. Your support and feedback are what inspire and motivate me to keep writing. Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday filled with the warmth and happiness of the season
Thanksgiving began as a celebration of the harvest and is all about giving without expecting anything in return. It was often declared a holiday, but on December 26, 1941, President Franklin D Roosevelt signed a proclamation declaring the US Thanksgiving holiday to be the 4th Thursday in November. Before this, Thanksgiving was celebrated on different days from state to state.
In 1621, the Native American Wampanoag tribe helped the colonists with agriculture and hunting, celebrating with a harvest feast. They dined on wild turkeys, ducks, geese, fish, corn, green vegetables, and dried fruits. Turkey, though, is a logical choice for the modern Thanksgiving Day dinner. When fully grown. a large turkey can feed many people. Today, 88% of American families will eat turkey for their Thanksgiving dinner.
Here we have some turkeys, I believe, at the Miller farm. There’s no date on the photo, but it was in the same photo group as the photo of Eunice with the car, so I believe this was taken in the fall or winter of 1937. There are so many turkeys, and they are LARGE, too.
There are so many things I am thankful for this year, but at the very top of the list are all of you. Thank you for taking the time to engage with my blog posts on this website or social media. Your support and feedback are what inspire and motivate me to keep writing. Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday filled with the warmth and happiness of the season.
For some reason, I am enamored of every photo I discover with Eunice in a dress. So to find her next to a car, just makes me love it even more. The date on this photo is April 1938, but that’s when the photos were printed, so I would imagine that this was late 1937 to early 1938. Eunice and Kermit were not married until June of 1939, so this would have been taken before their union.
In the 1930s, the average price of a new car was between $400 and $600 brand new. However, car ownership was still limited, with only about one in five and a half Americans owning a car at the start of the decade.
Here are some other things to consider about cars in the 1930’s. As always, in addition to the cost of the car itself, owners also had to pay for license plates, oil, repairs, and gasoline. At the time, gasoline cost around 19 cents per gallon, and cars typically got around 15 miles per gallon. And used cars could be just as expensive as brand-new cars.
I don’t know who’s car this might have been or where it was taken, but Eunice sure seems happy to be next to it. I love the simplicity of her outfit. It appears to be made of warm fabric like wool, with a simple long-sleeved blouse and skirt. With stockings and simple shoes completing her outfit, Eunice is ready for a brisk fall, winter, or spring day.
Today I have three great photos for you to read about. It’s hard to choose which one is my favorite. If I had to choose, I’d probably choose the one with Eunice, as I’m a sucker for car photos. I can’t believe that we are already halfway through November and that 2024 is almost over! If you have any photos you’d like me to share in 2025, please send them to me, and I’d be happy to work them into my schedule. Hoping you have a great week.
I have a note sitting on my desk. It has quotes about why stepping out of my comfort zone is good. This is one of those days when I read it more and more and push myself to complete the blog pages. Today’s pages are so hard because they all deal with Veterans. One is a story that was ended too soon. One story told of bravery and service only to deal with a sacrifice years later. And one story seems incomplete. And I find myself struggling through these stories of men who rose to answer a nation’s call. When I scheduled these posts a year ago, I thought it would be a great topic. And yes, I could just change what I have planned, but I want to bring these stories to you. So, I will take a break and then return to trying to do honor to these individuals I salute today.
Please take the time today to thank the Veterans in your life or who you may see. Their duty and service to our nation make our freedoms possible. Thank you to all the Veterans in my life. May you have a day full of happiness and good health.
I knew this story wasn’t gong to be a happy one. I just didn’t realize today was the day to tell it. Eunice had once told me about her Aunt Jennie who died too young after giving birth to a child. What she didn’t tell me about was her husband.
Jeannie Woods, sister to our Bertha married Ernest Bosque on July 2, 1921. Ernest was a veteran of the War to End all Wars, World War I. Ernest was also known as “Blackie” according to his obituary. He was a generous person willing to help in any project and generous in lending his presence and energy to his American Legion post.
I am unsure which of these men is Ernest, but know he must be among them. Ernest was a charter member of the Streator American Legion post. Ernest was sent with many from Streator and LaSalle County to Army training on April 3, 1918 to an eatern training camp, acccording to The Times a Streator newspaper. Each man was presents with a Red Cross comfort kit, which felt would be appreciated once they reached the camp.
I think Ernest was sent to France, in August of 1918. The time to transport was three weeks. And then he would have been in the thick of it. This war was dangerous and difficult, with lots of downtime and brief periods of fighting. The living conditions in the trenches were hard on the body and the soul. I can’t imagine what they faced day to day or the hardships they endured trying to return to their lives stateside.
When I first saw this card, I was unsure of what it was. It wasn’t until I removed it from the sleeve that I discovered it was a gas mask repair kit. While I want to discuss these memories of Ernest’s time in the Army, I am not knowledgeable of the struggles in the trenches and want to respect the equipment needed to sustain lives.
Ernest returned to Streator and married Jennie on July 2, 1921. Jennie and Ernest were married for a short time. She died on April 6, 1922 after giving birth to a son. Both mother and child did not survive. The newspaper reported how bereaved Ernest was at the death of his wife and child.
Ernest lived 2 more years before dying of pneumonia on January 21, 1925. Ernest “Black” Bosque was laid to rest by his wife and child on January 23, 1925 after lying in state at the American Leigon post the day before. His Legion brothers mounred his loss with sorrow and great sadness.
Please think of Ernest, Jennie and their child tomorrow on Veterans Day. May we remember them always.
