March, April and May 1936 from The Calls 1935-1943
In March we continued the activities of the two preceding months, writing, figuring, mending, repairing and so on, and later in the month began cleaning house and the grounds and garden
Arthur's family moved into Batavia on Bank St. early in the month. Helen has had an operation for adhesions.
Thomas Jermyn came to see us about recaning our chairs. He said they call the old hair cloth set furniture, modern. trash. He would repair the haircloth upholstered set for $ 38.00 The cane seat chairs he would take apart, put together, re-finish (I suppose re-cane) for $ 5.00 per chair. He says our cane seat chairs will now out last four or five modern chairs.
There was much sickness, colds and grip - many children out of school.
March 18. Heavy ice on everything which lasted till the 20th when it melted slowly and was succeeded by rain and heavy snow.
March 22 I wrote "A morning of marvelous sunshine on the snow-covered world." There have been terrible and extensive floods during the past week. It was even feared that the Potomac threatened the base of the Washington Monument.
Two of Merril Weller's daughters were in the Hospital at the same time for appendectomy.
Our folks have been interested in the Miller and Heath class parties, getting up plays, then we are having Church night socials, and the Home Bureau, and W.C.T.U.
March 31. Charles and I started for Evelyn's, at Dunellen. We went there once before when they wanted Charles' counsel about a home they thought of buying near to Philadelphia where Frank now has his business
April 1. We rose about five, and Frank, Evelyn, Miss Hoy, Charles and I started for the new home. It is about 72 miles I believe, from Dunellen. (After nearly six years, Feb. 1942. I can describe the place better than I could then.) The town, Collegeville is, I suppose, named for the small College, Ursinus, situated there. Ursinus is rather well-known for its athletics. I think they said there were 800 inhabitants. The place has 48 acres. A little stream runs through ti, part of the way thru picnicy woods. The "shallow" old stone house is set far back from the street, reached by a long lane. In front of the house the little pond. The sound of the water going over the dam, is very pleasant. The rooms in the house nearly all extend the width of the house.
Perhaps, later, I will write more about the place and the improvement they have made.
To go on with my record "I think every one was delighted with the place. It will cost quite a bit to make it livable for the family, but there are great possibilities for making it a beautiful place."
Then we dug quantities of flowering plants the next day, and put them in the car, - and Apr 3 we went with them to Collegeville and planted them. We had a man to dig! Later, Charles took a load to Collegeville. Evelyn cut and fitted two dresses for me, and we both kept busy different ways, and Charles also. On April 8 we started home again. It was less than 330 miles down, but we took a longer route home, by way of Harrisburgh where we had never been. We saw considerable of the ravages of the recent flood. There were places where it was evident the river had been ten feet above the road. Roads were washed out, trees uprooted, small buildings carried away, larger ones torn down - everything covered with mud. A cottage organ on a porch was covered with much - grass caught high up in the trees. It was sickening to see. We found pleasant lodging and the next day
Apr 9 "We had a very pleasant day's ride, among mountains nearly all the way, an usually near a river, - the Juniata, the Susquehanna, the Genesee not far from its sources, and the Oatka. We heard before we reached home that Mr. Geo Butler, our Stafford storekeeper and good chuchman, was dead. Funeral the 10th.
We drove 458 miles coming home
Charles went again - May 27- June 4 - to help them (Evelyn's folks) move and get settled. One day while there he wrote that there were 2 masons at work at the Collegeville house, 2 carpenters, 2 electricians, and father and another man plowing and fitting the garden.
May 29th, I spent time with Bertha. Arthur has worked 100 days for the Electric Co.
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Patty's notes on this entry
Arthur's family - Charles Arthur Call (1885-1962) son of Charles Joslin Call and Elizabeth Ann Coe. He married Bertha May Hotchkiss (1882-1946) in 1909. They had Helen Elizabeth (1910-1997), Mildred (1911-1911), Marion Alberta (1911-2000), Robert Olin (1919-2000) and Edith Adele (1921-2006).
Helen - Helen Elizabeth Call (1910-1997). She married Robert Wilson Johnson (1910-1991) in 1931.
Thomas Jermyn - Thomas Jermyn was listed in the 1935 Batavia City Directory as an upholsterer working at 22 Chase in Batavia. I haven't found a Thomas Jermyn living in Genesee County, there was one living in Rochester in 1930 and 1940, so that may be the one who was working in Genesee County in 1935-36.
1936 flood in Washington DC - Flooding in Washington, DC in March 1936 was some of the worst on record (2nd highest on record to this day). Flooding began on the 17th and didn't for several days. The National Weather Service has information about the flood at https://www.weather.gov/lwx/1936Flood
These are two photographs from the Library of Congress taken during the flooding in DC in 1936. In the top photograph, you can see the Lincoln Memorial in the distance.
I believe the second photograph may have been taken from the top of the Washington Monument based on the location of the DC War Memorial and the John Paul Jones Memorial. The water filled area in the middle/left of the photograph is where the Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial are currently located.
Harris & Ewing, photographer. Flooding, Potomac River, Washington, D.C. District of Columbia United States Washington D.C. Washington D.C, 1936. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2016882399/.
Merril Weller - Merrill Walkley Weller (1892-1960) son of Addison Merrill Weller and Flora M Walkley was a farmer in Stafford. He and his wife Harriet Caroline Miner (1892-1983) had three daughters Marguerite, Helen and Lois living in 1936. I have no way of determining which two had appendicitis.
Home Bureau- The New York State Federation of Home Bureaus was founded in 1919 to promote all interests pertaining to home and community life. They shared information about household economics and management.
W.C.T.U. - The Women's Christian Temperance Union advocated for a "sober and pure world" achieved through abstinence, purity, and Christianity. Charlotte Joslin, wife of Robert Call, organized the Stafford and Morganville chapter of the W.C.T.U in 1884, and served as President of the local organization through 1905. Her daughter Elizabeth Alberta Call Daniels, and her daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Ann Coe Call, also served as President of the local chapter. Many Call and Coe family members were active in the W.C.T.U.
Charles and I - Charles Joslin Call (1859-1939) and Elizabeth Ann Coe (1862-1956)
Evelyn - Evelyn Clara Call (1895-1962) daughter of Charles Joslin Call and Elizabeth Ann Coe
Frank - Francis William Hankins (1897-1983) son of William Lucas Hankins and Mary Jane Kellam. He married Evelyn Clara Call in 1920.
Ralph William Hankins, Philip Charles Hankins, Elizabeth Ann Hankins
Long Lane Farm - Farm purchased by Frank and Evelyn Hankins in 1936. Frank Hankins lived there until the late 1970s .
Geo. Butler - George Dexter Butler (1866-1936) son of Dexter White Butler and Caroline Hawley
Bertha - Bertha May Hotchkiss (1882-1946) daughter of Horatio Nelson Hotchkiss and Carrie Adell VanName. She married Charles Arthur Call in 1909.
Arthur - Charles Arthur Call, son of Charles Joslin Call and Elizabeth Ann Coe
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