Adin’s Letters for Veteran’s Day, By Pat Kinsella Herdeg

As we all remember, Adin Baker, brother to Ruth, Lillian and Ethel, was to fight in World War One; he came down with the dreaded Spanish Influenza before he could fight (see the blog , "Adin Baker, World War One, and the Spanish Influenza" by Aunt CB on June 24th, 2009).

He did write letters while he was in, so here are a few snippets:

While at Camp Greenleaf, Fort Oglethorpe, GA, Adin writes his Aunt Florence:

July 21st, 1918

" I got your letter last night. Was glad to get it, the only mail I've had here at Greenleaf. We left Camp Upton 3PM, 1500 of us Friday the 12th. 'Thru trains' got here following Monday 7AM. Our seats on the train were convertible into beds, we sleep one up and two down. Averaged about two meals a day on the trip. The Red Cross met us at principle cities, gave us peaches, milk or buttermilk, post cards, chewing gum and cigarettes so we got along fine, sang songs and roared like lions through the small towns.

It is not much hotter here than at home. Am in the Medical Corps. Was disappointed to be put in that as I signed for Infantry at Upton but drafted men go where they put them. I have a medicine belt with twelve compartments filled with bandages, linaments, powders and a short hatchet. If I meet the Kaiser I hollar "hoo hoo hoo" and then I swing on him as I have no rifle. They say we get an automatic revolver when we get across."

Next, Adin left Georgia for Camp Crane in Allentown PA, nearer to home. On August 12th, 1918, he writes:

"Dear Mother,
Got 2 letters from you last Thursday night, one directly here and the other via Greenleaf. Got a card from Ethel that had been on the road for 30 days. Will write her a letter right away. Am getting along good here. Guess I will wait about coming home until after the war as I can only get a 36 hour pass.

It is very nice here, sleep in the grandstands. The cots are placed on wide concrete steps. It is hotter here than it was in Georgia."

On August 18th, still at Camp Crane:

"Lillian wrote you were all done haying. Must be getting along good at home.
There is one more exam yet to pass, the hardest one they say. Would like to go to Russia and there is a chance alright. The Unit One has a lot of Russian Polish in it, stout, husky fellows."

On September 17th of 1918, Adin writes from England:

"Dear Mother,
Just a few lines to you. Am alright, feeling fine. Had a good trip across, did not get seasick, but some did and you ought to see them puke.

Hope you and Pa are alright and keep well. Do not work too hard. The war news sounds good, the English people sure use the Yanks good. You ought to see them when we unloaded. We marched through town to the camp, small boys and bigger girls walked on both sides. "

Adin's mother and father next heard from the Red Cross in a telegram:

'It is our sorrowful duty to inform you that you son is critically ill at this hospital.'

We know the rest of the story--it ended well, and Adin's next letters were sent from Ellis Island, where he stayed for a few months to recuperate.

November 5th, 1918:

“Dear Mother,
You ought to heard the whistles blow around here yesterday on account of Austria surrendering. They blew about half an hour in N.Y., Hoboken and Jersey City.”

And, To his Aunt Florence:

November 12, 1918:

Your letter came this noon. Was glad to get it.

We had a second Peace here yesterday and its real this time, I guess. The orderlies from here went over to New York and came back and told us about it. They said the street in front of the saloon was full of people awaiting their turn to go in and get a drink. All the whistles blew same as last Thursday only more so. I see in the paper where a street cleaner in N.Y., sweeping up confetti and papers said he hoped there wouldn’t be anymore peace for awhile.”

On November 14th, 1918, Adin again writes to his mother:

"Hope you are all well and don’t get the flu. Got a letter from Lillian and one from Aunt Florence. Aunt Florence sent me a lot of clippings from the Gleaner (editor here—The Gleaner is their town newspaper). Looks like everybody was dying in Lisle. You want to keep well and not try that stunt."

On December 24th, 1918, he again writes his mother:

" Think I will be home by January 1st and all through. Was examined by 21 doctors, one for nearly every part of the body. They OK and marked me normal in every way so I stand in class A for discharge."

Soon after, Adin came home to his beloved farm in Center Lisle.

Picture One: Adin

Picture Two: Armistice Day in Chicago

Veteran's Day, Part Two

A Poem very popular in World War One. Uncle Adin would have known it well, I think:

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below

We are the dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.”

- Colonel John McRae, In Flanders Fields November 11th - Veteran's Day in America, Armistice Day, 1918, Remembered

Picture One: Flanders Field, Belgium

Picture Two: Poppies

November Birthdays, Part One:

November is a wonderful month—filled with swirling leaves, honking geese overhead, crisp crinkly leaves with perhaps a bit of ice underfoot. Less sun than we would like, but the cooler air brings with it great food and soups and drinks. And, all sorts of different holidays—the Celtic Samhain, All Saints Day, Election Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, AND Birthdays!

In Aunt CB Kinsella’s Family, Timothy James Kinsella and his grandson, Cameron Thomas Walker ( Kristin Kinsella’s son), Christopher Paul Kinsella and his son Joseph Aiden Kinsella, and Nicholas Sean Herdeg (Pat Kinsella’s son) ALL are birthday boys. Congrats to you all—wish I could be there with you to blow out the candles on your cakes! I know that Nick is excited that the new Harry Potter movie is opening on his birthday (just for Nick, I am sure!).

In Aunt Esther Lochner’s Family, David Richard Lochner is the Birthday Boy of the month.

Picture One: Tim and Cam
Picture Two: Nick at CU Boulder
Picture Three: Joe
Picture Four: Chris with a Northern Pike at Bryson Lake in northern Quebec
Picture Five: David Lochner at the Taylor Reunion this past September

November Birthdays, Part Two:

In Uncle Harold’s family, his wife, Barbara Marie Buck, and Judy Lynn Taylor, Jimmy Alberts ( Judy’s husband) all celebrate this month—Congrats to all, and Judy and Jimmy, I trust that Florida weather will be sunnier than Seattle!

In the Baker Family, Lily Rosena Baker Howland ( Aunt Lil) leads the way this month. Also, Merle Barrows (son of Nell and Dell ) celebrates.

In the Taylor Family, Joan Tiffany Doran (married to Thomas Doran, son of Florence Taylor Doran), and Lance Taylor (son of Bryant Taylor, son of Floyd Taylor) are Birthday Kids.

Picture One: Judy and Jimmy

Picture Two: Aunt Lil
Picture Three: Joan and Tom Doran, October 1999
Picture Four: Amanda and Lance

Picture Five: Aunt Barb and Uncle Harold

November Birthdays, Part Three:

In Uncle Arnon’s Family, Robert Arnon Taylor, Jonathan William McCarty ( Diana’s son ), Kristen Maria McCarty ( Diana’s daughter), and Faith Melton (Donnie's stepdaughter, granddaughter of Nancy Taylor Wright) all are the Birthday Kids.

In Aunt Ruth Maney’s Family, Kevin Michael Maney ( Michael’s son ), Colleen Margaret Maney (Richard’s daughter), and Jill Stauffer Maney ( Jon’s wife) share a November Birthday, and

In Aunt Doris Hawkes’ Family, Carter Michael Hawkes ( Mickey) is the Birthday Boy of the Month.

Picture One: Jon and Jill Maney

Picture Two: Colleen at 2010 Taylor Reunion

Picture Three: Kristen is at the Franconia sculpture Garden --http://www.franconia.org/

Picture Four: Jon at the Zoo

Picture Five: Faith

Happy Halloween! By Pat Kinsella Herdeg

Another night of costumes and pumpkins and candy and ghostly sights is upon us. I hope the weather is good for all the cousins as they trick or treat.

Here in Massachusetts, it is windy and coolish, but at least it is not raining. Thousands of people spend the day in Salem, which of course fancies itself the capital of witches and Halloween. Glenn and I went on a haunted history tour of our local Acton cemetery—very interesting!

Since we also love to think about what our ancestors were doing on October 31st, here are a few items I gleaned from an ancestry.com article:

Halloween was mentioned in American newspapers by the 1880’s, but no costumes were used. By the 1890’s costumes were at times worn, but the pranks part of the holiday was more common—

In 1890, a Reno newspaper wrote:“To-morrow night will be Hallowe'en, look out for your gate," referring to the tradition of stealing gates that was common around that time.

Also in Reno, this time in 1887, the paper mentions streets being barricaded with boxes, carriages moved from the street to sidewalks, and on one street, a “vehicle was mounted on the roof of a washhouse.”

By the early 1900’s, costumes and parties were in vogue, complete with ‘jack o lanterns, Indian masques, and black cats filled with bonbons’. Editor’s Note: I hope the black cats are not REAL!

The Stars and Stripes in 1942 wrote: “Halloween just passed…the tamest we’ve ever seen. Not even a telephone kiosk turned over.”

Back here in Massachusetts, we have pulled out our painted wooden ghosts and gravestones (‘I TOLD you I was sick’) and various decorations. Brian has unearthed our fog machine which we used in high school plays and he is looking forward to blasting the fog in spurts as the kids approach.

I hope that you ALL have a terrific Halloween. Enjoy!

Picture One: Jack O Lantern!

Picture Two: Our Halloween house, with Brian and Gina and the fog machine

Picture Three: Kristin and Tim Walker’s 110 pound pumpkin, and Leah
Picture Four: Leah and Cam IN the pumpkin, now hollowed out

Aunt Maria's Obituary

Maria Constance Taylor

September 1, 1916 - Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Maria Constance (Nunes) Taylor, age 94, of Buffalo, MN, passed away Tuesday, October 19, 2010 in Buffalo.Maria was born in Portugal on September 1, 1916, to Joseph and Florence (Rica) Nunes and came to the U.S. at the age of two.

Maria was a long-time resident of the Central New York area, where she was a former employee of General Electric and an active member in Business and Professional Women, Hair Designer Guild, and the Paint and Pallet Guild. She was also a long-time hairdresser in the Central New York State area, as well as an instructor in Boces Cosmetology programs. Maria was also a 37-year breast cancer survivor.

Maria is survived by her children: Diana (Bill) McCarty of Buffalo; Carol Taylor Hart of St. Paul, MN; and stepdaughter Nancy Wright of Lake Helen, FL; grandchildren: Jonathan, Michael and Kristen McCarty; Bethany (Joel) Velasco, Erin (Jason) Couture, Corinne Taylor and several great-grandchildren.Maria was preceded in death by her husband, Arnon L. Taylor; sister Alziria Motta, and stepson James L. Taylor.

A private family gathering and interment will be held at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. The family requests memorials be made either to the family or to a charity of your choice.