Life in Wichita - The Calls 1896-1915-1934
Quite a feature of Papa’s life in Wichita, was the A.O.U.W. He was an officer a good share of the time, Financier 3 terms, Receiver one, and Recorder one. He joined in 1890. He made a large number of acquaintances and some quite warm friendships in the Order, and among a very nice class of men.
The A.O.U.W. once held a convention in Wichita, and Charles
had a large and showy badge which he pinned on Baby Robert one day. When the
bakery man drove up, he wore one also, and Edith pointed to Robert’s and said
“He is a little O.U.W. man, too!”
Our neighbor, Mr. Powell was over one day to get some good
cold water. He had pumped out a good deal, so it was real cold. Robert was not-then-two
years old. He took a cup of very cold water, and as Edith had conveniently bent
over, he poured it all on her neck. She turned and looked up with the most
injured expression! It amused Mr. Powell and me very much.
Mr. Powell was real kind to Arthur. He told him a great deal
about his life and travels. He preached for years among the Mexicans, and I
suppose could speak and read it about as fluently as English. He had a good education,
and it was said had a very wealthy brother in New York, but lived a good deal
like a hermit, he and another man keeping house together. He had nice grapes
and other fruit across the street from us which he spent a great deal of time
over. He carried pails and pails of water for them, and had carried so much
water for his beautiful shade trees that he had planted that he was called
“tree” Powell. I think we might safely call him “unique” in our experience.
Papa worked at carpentering quite a good deal when we first
went to Wichita. He went into the Implement business with “Major” Blasdel, and
continued it two summers, but it didn’t pay well enough so he felt he could go
on with it profitably. There was very strong competition, two large houses, and
several small ones. The next season after he gave up the business was a very
poor one, and he felt it was very fortunate he was not in business then.
He was in the Grocery business for a time and in Wholesale
Produce, working for Uncle James and also for himself.
The Spring before we returned, he had a bad spell of
sickness which decided us in our determination to return East. Aunt Carrie had
taught one term of school near Wichita, and spent another winter there,
teaching Art at Lewis Academy. Grandpa and Grandma Call visited us in June of
1893.
Patty's notes on this entry
Papa – Charles Joslin Call (1859-1939) son of Robert Call (1831-1913) and Charlotte Joslin (1834-1908). He married Elizabeth Ann Coe (1862-1956) in 1884.
A.O.U.W.
– The Ancient Order of United Workmen was a fraternal organization in late 19th
century America. It was the first fraternal organization that offered insurance
to its members sickness, accident, death and burial insurance policies. Charles
was a member of the Peerless Lodge A.O.U.W. 271 while the family lived in
Wichita.[1] He attended a meeting as a
visitor on 29 May 1890. In 1892, he was installed as financier at the officer
installation.[2]
In December 1893, he was elected receiver.[3] In December 1894, he was
elected Recorder.[4]
Baby Robert - Robert Vincent Call (1892-1961) son of Charles Joslin Call and Elizabeth Ann Coe. He married Lucille Alice Hale (1893-1996) in 1919.
Edith - Edith Alberta Call (1889-1989) daughter of Charles Joslin Call and Elizabeth Ann Coe. She married Malvern Smith Jones (1884-1937) in 1913, and Cary Clinton Daniels (1878-1970) in 1945.
Mr Powell - Possibly John Lee Powell (1859-1946) son of Joseph Doddridge Powell (1827-1906) and Caroline Baughman (1831-1888). He married Clara Berry (1853-1960) in 1883. In 1893, when the Call family moved to 1615 Park Place, John and Clara Powell had been living at 1550 Park Place since at least 1889. During that time, John was a teller at the State National Bank. He later worked at the Wichita Wholesale Grocery Co. Census records and city directories have one set of facts about the life of John Lee Powell, which are completely different from what Elizabeth wrote. Yet the bank teller John L Powell was the only Powell who lived anywhere near the Calls at either of their known address in Wichita.
Arthur - Charles Arthur Call (1885-1962) son of Charles Joslin Call and Elizabeth Ann Coe. He married Bertha May Hotchkiss (1882-1946) in 1909, and Anna Frances Meyer (1886-1971) in 1947.
Implement business – Charles Joslin Call owned and worked for a number of businesses during his years in Wichita. On April 6, 1889, C.J. Call of Stafford, New York was listed as a director for the newly chartered Wichita Steam Pipe Covering Company.[5] In 1891, Call and Blasdel were listed as the proprietors of the Wichita Implement House, located at 120 W. Douglas Ave.[6]
In May of 1892, C.J.
Call was in the implement business by himself at 118 West Douglas Ave.[7]
“Major” Blasdel - Anthony Lee "Major" Blasdel (1847-1917) son of Henry Waring Blasdel (1817-1895) and Catherine Chase (1821-1919). He married Eleanor Jane Cox (1852-1912) in 1872. The Blasdel family lived in Maize, Sedgewick County, Kansas from 1885 - 1894.
Grocery business – After
a few years in the implement business, Charles Joslin Call moved to the grocery
business. On December 6, 1895, he formed a partnership with F.M. Watts, and
they purchased the Brown Grocery at 827 W. Douglas Ave.[8] On June 8, 1895, Charles
bought the stock of the bankrupt Herron Grocery store.[9] And then on July 19, 1895,
Charles disposed of his business, and the family returned to Stafford, Genesee
County, New York.[10]
Uncle James - James Daniel McEwen (1861-1901) son of Donald McEwen (1819-1911) and Hannah Heagle (1833-1923). He married Clara Addie Coe (1864-1950) in 1890. Clara Addie Coe was Elizabeth Ann Coe's younger sister. Aunt Carrie - Carrie Evelyn Coe (1864-1948) daughter of Albert Coe (1827-1907) and Deborah Prentice (1833-1910). She married Frank Lincoln Walkley (1867-1961) in 1894. She offered painting and drawing lessons in Wichita in 1891 and taught a Lewis Academy in the spring of 1892.[11] Carrie Evelyn and Clara Addie were twins born two years after Elizabeth Ann.
Lewis Academy - The Lewis Academy, a Presbyterian school, operated in Wichita between 1886 and 1909. An 1892 article about the school included this information about Carrie Evelyn Coe.
Grandpa and Grandma Call - Robert Call (1831-1913) son of John Call (1719-1872) and Grace Payne (1789-1862). He married Charlotte Joslin (1834-1908) in 1854. They were Charles Joslin Call's parents.
[1] "Peerless Banquet," The Wichita Daily Eagle, Wichita, Kansas, 29 May 1890, page 5, column 3-4; digital image, "The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kansas). Newspapers.com, (https://www.newspapers.com/image/85657319/: accessed 23 August 2021), image 5 of 8.
[2] "Installation of Officers," The Wichita Daily Eagle, Wichita, Kansas, 5 Jan 1892, page 5, column 4; digital image, "The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kansas). Newspapers.com, (https://www.newspapers.com/image/80634472/ : accessed 23 August 2021), image 5 of 8.
[3] "A.O.U.W." The Wichita Daily Beacon, Wichita, Kansas, 8 Dec 1893, page 3, column 1; digital image, "The Wichita Beacon" (Wichita, Kansas), Newspapers.com, (https://www.newspapers.com/image/76977789/ : accessed 21 August 2021), image 3 of 4.
[4] "Peerless Lodge Officers," The Wichita Daily Eagle, Wichita, Kansas, 9 Dec 1894, page 3, column 4; digital image, Newspapers.com, (https://www.newspapers.com/image/48975382/ : accessed 18 August 2021), image 3 of 12.
[5] The Wichita Steam Pipe Covering Company, "New Charters," The Wichita Daily Eagle, Wichita, Kansas, 6 April 1889, page 5, column 1; digital image, "The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kansas). Newspapers.com, ( https://www.newspapers.com/image/145231743/ : accessed 22 August 2021), image 5 of 8.
[6] Display Ad, "Farm Implements," The Kansas Commoner, Wichita, Kansas, 19 Mar 1891, page 5, column 5-6; digital image, "The Saturday Evening Kansas Commoner" (Wichita, Kansas), Newspapers.com, (https://www.newspapers.com/image/383188207/ : accessed 20 August 2021), image 5 of 8.
[7] Display Ad, "Ready for Business" The Western Methodist, Wichita, Kansas, 5 May 1892, page 5, column 3-4; digital image, "Western Methodist" (Wichita, Kansas), Newspapers.com, (https://www.newspapers.com/image/517748057/ : accessed 20 August 2021), image 5 of 8.
[8] "F.M. Watts and Chas J. Call," The Kansas Commoner, Wichita, Kansas, 6 Dec 1894, page 5, column 2; digital image, "The Saturday Evening Kansas Commoner" (Wichita, Kansas), Newspapers.com, (https://www.newspapers.com/image/382682160/ : accessed 18 August 2021), image 5 of 8.
[9] C.J. Call, "Local Brevities," The Kansas Star, Wichita, Kansas, 8 Jun 1895, page 5, column 1; digital image, "The Wichita Star" (Wichita, Kansas), Newspapers.com, (https://www.newspapers.com/image/417361938/ : accessed 21 August 2021), image 5 of 8.
[10] C.J. Call Having Disposed of his Business, "City in Brief," The Wichita Daily Eagle, Wichita, Kansas, 19 Jul 1895, page 5, column 4; digital image, "The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kansas). Newspapers.com, ( https://www.newspapers.com/image/49928537/: accessed 23 August 2021), image 5 of 8.
[11] Display ad, "Miss Carrie Evelyn Coe," The Wichita Daily Beacon, Wichita, Kansas, 10 Dec 1891, page 2, column 4; digital image, "The Wichita Beacon (Wichita, Kansas)," Newspapers.com, (https://www.newspapers.com/image/76716544/ : accessed 20 August 2021), image 2 of 4. Miss Carrie Coe, Lewis Academy "School Sketches," The Mirror, Wichita, Kansas, 2 Apr 1892, page 8, column 2-3; digital image, "The Democrat (Wichita, Kansas)," Newspapers.com, (https://www.newspapers.com/image/416694550/ : accessed 20 August 2021), image 8 of 8.
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