January - March 1941 from The Calls 1935-1943

 New Year's 1941

We had the Family gathering here. All of Robert's family, and all of Irving's. Arthur, Bertha, Adelle, R.O. and Mrs Hotchkiss from Arthur's. Patricia was sick. There were some more presents to distribute etc, from Evelyn and aunt Clara. We also opened the box of candy Clara sent me. 

Arthur came last night, and was at work when I got up this morning. He has put an electric outlet in the corner of the living room, strengthened two railings, mail box hinges, new piece of facing of the front door, and other work much appreciated. 

After clearing away the after-Christmas work I got the photographs together, some of Mother Coe's some Mother Call's, some sister Mary's beside the lifetime accumulation of Charles and mine. These I attempted to classify and put away. I need four old letter files of Charles' but there are very many, cards and various sizes that remain in the old albums and other receptacles. 

Jan 17. Malvern's brother, Robert Jones, died after a week's illness. 

"All ground for doubt of immortality vanishes when one realizes the complete independence of thought and matter." Henry Bergson great philospher. 

Irving has a pleasant habit of coming in and chatting a few minutes after he finishes his night chores, 8 or 9 o'clock. 

Mrs. Hankins went to the Hospital for incurables in Philadelphia that latter part of the month. "She seemed perfectly happy in her new home," I wrote later. 

Edith has lately had tests for her pupils, 1st-4th grades. One answered "The mouth of the river is where it is dumped out." Another, "The mouth of a river is where it lets out." Louisa's standings were 100 in Geography, and Arithmetic, 95 in Language and reading, 86 in Spelling. 

Marian write "The Christmas dollar in memory of Grandpa was a lovely thought and made one stop and remember again what a fine Grandpa he was."

Patricia, in regard to rug. "I don't know how to thank you for the beautiful rug. "I think it the nicest rug I have ever seen!

Edith was sick with Flu the week of Jan. 28. Over 19%of Batavia pupils out of school one day in the wild influenza grippe epidemic.

Jan 31. Had meeting at school to start P.T.A.

February

I am making a rung for Junior. He likes to watch it grow. One day I had said i didn't know how to make a square braided rug worked in stripes sewed together. One morning he was in a hurry to get his chores done, so he could go over and show Grandma how to make a square rug. 

Feb 16 Louisa and I saw seven gray squirrels at once. 

Feb 25. Called on Frances Covell. A friend of Howard born in Japan, a missionary and son of missionaries has been forced to leave Japan. Howard left Japan where he had taught 19 years in a High school and has been two or three years teaching in a college in the Phillipines. 

I dreamed I saw Charles coming toward me, hands extended, looking well. I thought "He wants me for something," and smiling, I started to go to him and awoke. 

March 5-29, I spent at Evelyn's.

At a party they attended Philip had a choice of some prizes. He wanted to get something that Grandma Call would like, and selected garden-flower stakes. There are two red birds and four flowers. I think it was pretty nice of him. 

Sunday we drove into Philadelphia, 25 miles, to see Mrs. Hankins. I thought she was very nicely situated, and she looks very nice. She has not been into a chair since she was there.

We, Evelyn and I, were invited to a luncheon with Mrs Burton Ebert. Their home was originally the summer home of a wealthy man, on a hilltop in the woods, quite close to Valley Forge. it is a very large log cabin, - has been insulated. It is charming. They have lovely furniture, books, it is delightful. 

Evelyn has a coal fire in a grate in the fireplace in my room. It is a lovely room. I can see the pond and dam from three windows and the bird feeding stations, suet logs and watering places from two more, on the flower garden side. Myriads of birds come there for refreshment. Almost always there are sparrows, often as many as five blue jays at a time, and very frequently, a pair of more of the gorgeous cardinals. The birds are a joy to the whole family. 

On Thursday, March 13th, Frank gave his speech on "The Arithmetic of Sales Managment" at a meeting of the Philadelphia Industrial Congress. 

When Evelyn wants goods in a hurry that do not need her personal selection, she can telephone to the Sears Roebuck Co., and they are delivered the following day. 

Clara Bryant has been visiting her folks in Florida. She hadn't seen Albert in twenty years. 

On March 27, with Mrs Rasmussen, we visited the Flower Show in Philadelphia. Of course we all enjoyed it. Many orchids, azaleas, everything. 

On the 29th, I took the nine-hour train ride back to Batavia, - after a delightful visit, - as usual 

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Patty's notes on this entry

Robert's family - family of Robert Vincent Call (1892-1961) and Lucille Alice Hale (1893-1996) including their children Marie Charlotte (1920-2013), Elizabeth Ann (1922-2012), Evelyn Hale (1924-2016), Robert Vincent, Richard Coe (1930-2014) and David Lincoln

Irving's family - family of Irving Joslyn Call (1900-1995) and Thelma Louise Keitel (1905-1996) including their three children Herbert Joslin, Louisa Ann (1931-1975) and Irving Fancher

Arthur, Bertha, Adelle, R.O, and Mrs Hotchkiss - family of Charles Arthur Call (1885-1962) and Bertha May Hotchkiss (1882-1946) including their children Robert Olin (1919-2000) and Edith Adelle (1921-2006) and Bertha's mother Carrie Adell VanName (1861-1944) widow of Horatio Nelson Hotchkiss (1855-1938)

Patricia - Patricia Faye Sullivan (1921-1994) daughter of Ellsworth Raymond Sullivan (1897-????) and Lida Irene Eastman (1899-1962). She married Robert Olin Call in 1940. 

Evelyn - Evelyn Clara Call (1895-1962) daughter of Charles Joslin Call (1859-1939) and Elizabeth Ann Coe (1862-1956) She married Francis William Hankins (1897-1983). The Hankins family lived in Collegeville, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Clara - Clara Addie Coe (1864-1950) daughter of Albert Coe (1827-1907) and Deborah Prentice (1833-1910). She married James Daniel McEwen (1861-1901). The McEwen family lived in Wichita, Sedgewick County, Kansas. 

Mother Coe - Deborah Prentice daughter of Southwick Prentice (1800-1876) and Betsy Ann Smith (1802-1846). She married Albert Coe in 1850. 

Mother Call - Charlotte Joslin (1834-1908) daughter of Robert Bird Joslin (1801-1881) and Mary Ann Adams (1808-1871). She married Robert Call (1831-1913) in 1854. 

Sister Mary - Mary Isadore Coe (1851-1924) daughter of Albert Coe and Deborah Prentice. She married George W Sperry (1853-1933) in 1879. 

Charles and mine - Charles Joslin Call and Elizabeth Ann Coe married in 1884. 

Malvern - Malvern Smith Jones (1884-1937) son of Daniel Southard Jones (1853-1923) and Ida May Gardiner (1856-1892). Malvern married Edith Alberta Call (1889-1989) daughter of Charles Joslin Call and Elizabeth Ann Coe in 1913. 

Robert Jones - Robert Obed Jones (1881-1941) son of Daniel Southard Jones and Ida May Gardinder. He married Anna May Maltby (1882-1976) in 1905. 

Harry Bergson - Henri-Louis Bergson (1859-1941) a French philospher

Mrs. Hankins - Mary Jane Kellam (1874-1944) daughter of John Ross Kellam (1830-1903) and Frances Maris Shafer (1846-1924). She married William Lucas Hankins (1872-1930) in 1896. Their son Francis William Hankins was married to Evelyn Clara Call. 

Edith - Edith Alberta Call, daughter of Charles Joslin Call and Elizabeth Ann Coe, widow of Malvern Smith Jones.

Louisa - Louisa Ann Call, daughter of Irving Joslyn Call and Thelma Louise Keitel

Marian - Marian Alberta Call (1911-2000) daughter of Charles Arthur Call and Bertha May Hotchkiss. She married John Kay Strickland (1911-2007) in 1940. 

Junior - Irving Fancher Call, son of Irving Joslyn Call and Thelma Louise Keitel

Frances Covell - Frances Ellen Branch (1858-1952) daughter of Charles Little Branch (1821-1858) and Ellen McCrea Hitch (1825-1920). She married Milton Wright Covell (1856-1907) son of William Edwin Covell (1818-1886) and Elizabeth Mehitable Tufts (1822-1863) in 1883. 

Howard - James Howard Covell (1896-1943) son of Frances Ellen Branch and Milton Wright Covell. James Howard Covell and his wife Charma Marie Moore (1895-1943) were Christian Missionaries. They were beheaded by a Japanese solder along with nine other missionaries on December 20, 1943 in the Philippines. There was an article about James Howard Covell and his wife in the Le Roy Pennysaver on June 12, 2011. You can read it online at http://www.leroyhistoricalsociety.org/assets/061211---the-story-of-forgiveness.pdf

Philip - Philip Charles Hankins (1931-2006) son of Francis William Hankins and Evelyn Clara Call. 

Frank - Francis William Hankins, son of William Lucas Hankins and Mary Jane Kellam. He married Evelyn Clara Call in 1920. 

Sears Roebuck - if there was Sears Catalog at Evelyn's house during Elizabeth's visit in February 1941 - this is probably the one they used for shopping - The Fall and Winter 1940-1941 issue. 

Clara Bryant - Clara Evelyn Coe (1886-1972) daughter of Ezra Frank Coe (1853-1942) and Sarah Frances Ward (1956-1941). She married Ward Coe Bryant (1881-1875) in 1906. 

Albert - Charles Albert Coe (1890-1978) son of Ezra Frank Coe and Sarah Frances Ward. He married Estrella Louise Monighan in 1911 and Elvira Arndt in 1940. 

Sarah Frances Ward, wife of Ezra Frank Coe and mother of Clara Evelyn Coe and Charles Albert Coe died on January 25, 1941 in Tampa, Florida. Presumably, Clara was visiting family after the death of her mother. 

Flower Show - The Philadelphia Flower Show, organized by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, has been held annually since 1829. Among the exhibits at the 1941 Flower Show was a Victory Garden display organized by the Norristown Garden Club that can be seen at 1941 Philadelphia Flower Show. Victory Garden at Flower Show, Norristown Garden Club

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