While I consider myself the resident storyteller of the family, I discovered the following 10-page memoir written by my grandma within one of our photo albums, and have to say she did a fine job illustrating key moments in her life.
I've transcribed what she wrote, keeping all spelling errors and edits intact. The only addition I made was noting her brother's name [Raymond] when she was referring to him in third person and only by pronoun and, of course, the contemporaneous photographs. I don't have any context as to what brought about this document or whether a more finalized version ever existed in some fashion.
"[?], quite hilly West Virginia
until the butter was a solid pound rolls at this point in time, we had no refrigeration but some time later did have an ice box and at that time we could buy 25-50 and 100 pound cakes of ice. Always had to be sure to remember to empty the drip pan, or we would have a wet mess to clean up.
Our farm house consisted of two log lower log rooms with two rooms added up top, which were the bedrooms. The two lower rooms served as kitchen with dining facilities and the living room with a convertible pull out sleeper. We had no indoor bathroom facilities.
We were responsible to do jobs our size would permit. We gathered wood for burning, fed chickens, and pigs, cows, and horses. Brought in coal for the stove. The kitchen stove used wood or coal as did the pot belly stove in the living room. These were our only sources of heat and in those days the winters were cold and snowy with snow starting in November and keeping the ground covered most of the time until mid March. Everyone dreaded the prospect of the groundhog seeing his shadow on Feb 2nd, because that indicated six more weeks of winter. We did have fun sometimes sledding down the slopes on our sleds as well as sometimes using sheets of tin. Though this was dangerous, (I know this now) you could not have convinced us then. Fortunately none of us was ever seriously hurt.
During these long winter months we trudged a quarter of a mile thru the snow to the school bus except when we were snowed in then we would have to walk all the way to school which was near two miles.
By the time we were school children our days included many chores. Milking the cows, mowing the lawn which covered near an acre, feeding the livestock, doing dishes washing the and the million other things that had to be done.
My brother [Raymond] (rather incorrigible) made we three girls help build roads. We also made + baked mud pies + cakes. Most all small sheds about the farm were burned down by my brother, but this practice abruptly ended when (with my help) the barn caught fire and our Dad was almost burned along with the horses. With his [Raymond's] hearing impairment he just didn't understand the dangers involved, as he loved to watch the flames flare into the sky.
Once we all the four of us trudged off to school another child girl was added to the family and we all enjoyed her presence though she did sleep a lot and a big change came into our family. My brother and sister next to me did not do well in school as they could not hear the instructors or lectures. They had learned to read + write and talked fairly well. We then heard of the Deaf School at Romney, W. Va, and arrangements were made for the children to attend this school. My older sister's hearing was less impaired so she was able to attend regular school. My brother and sister attended Deaf School for the remainder of their school years.
During the interim of this time, the duties of the farm changed. Dad ceased working as a Heaters Helper in the steel mill the had been we were now selling the milk to a local dairy, and Dad was doing carpentering work. He planted the crops in the spring and Mother and we children hoed the crops and once ready for harvesting, we also did that. Dad and I would then go to town with the produce and sell it to the people in the town of Wheeling some three miles away. Usually we made two trips a week as the produce had to be sold as it ripened. We also had apple and peach orchards which were harvested in season. These in between the berry's seasons which included strawberries, black raspberries and then wild black berries.
We helped Mother make jellies, jams, can the fruits and vegetables for the long winters, and during early Nov., a cow and hog was butchered to provide us with meat for the winter and into summer. Beef + pork was canned and some pork smoked.
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This is only a few of the things that transpired during the early years of childhood.
During my sophomore sophomore year my youngest brother was born on Thanksgiving Day on the beginning day of our worst winter ever and at this point in time I was taking school subjects that would enable me to enter nurse training following graduation.
Entered the Hospital to begin my training in Sept. of 1940. Was a hard row to hoe as we had six months of classes, eight hours a day. During that time we completed Anatomy + Physiology, chemistry, micro-biology plus six shorter subjects and upon following this session we qualified to be capped. (Not until I moved to California did I ever go a day without wearing it to work). We then began to spend specified hours each day on the floor and our class schedule was down to two hours each day. We were in training for three years, with one month off for vacation, each year, any time we missed for illness we had to make up at the end of our training time. (I ended up having six weeks added to my time, with my last make up day, being the day of graduation.) My fourth sister loss four [things my last year?] This was during World War II time I entered the Army as a Nurse in Jan of 1944, and spent two years in various Army Hospitals, taking care of men who returned from the War theaters. In Aug of 1945 we left Seattle, Washington via the Mals a troup transport, to the Marianas Islands where plans were to erect a Hospital Complex to take care of the casualties expected from the invasion of Japan (which was to transpire on the 2nd of Sept 1945). While we were enroute to Tinian (three miles from Saipan) the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima + Nagasaki. (All construction stopped as Japan surrendered). We spent some weeks just enjoying the tropical Island but I finally was stationed at the Navy Base Hospital, the only medical services on the Island. Got orders to move on after only a month of working. We then packed up and were transported via Hospital Ship to arrive at Inchon, Korea on Dec. 24th 1945. The only upsetting part of our trip was the terrible storm we experienced in the Yellow Sea (which has been well established as one of the roughest seas in the world).
Traveled on to Quanju where I was stationed at the hospital for a few weeks. In March got my orders to go home and ended my army career in April 1946.
Spent a few months in limbo, not knowing what area of Nursing I wished to concentrate on. Did some private duty and that was not my bag.
An opening became available in the Blood Bank so decided to try that field. We started most the intravenouses in the hospital, did the typing + cross matching of blood for patients in house and also for patients scheduled for surgery. We drew blood from donors and processed it for type - RH factor + syphilis. We even transfused the infants, newborn and otherwise who needed blood. Worked in this area until we moved to California in Oct 1956. My husband could not see any chance for advancement in his job in Wheeling. My youngest brother killed by drunk driver.
[?] My husband went to work within one week of our arrival, and we bought our present house one week later. I did not go to work until Jan. 1957. Decided to try the field of Obstetrics and worked in that field for the next eighteen years. From that field I went into Emergency Room nursery where I remained until retiring in May 1984.
During the forementioned years we lost a son at one years, had two daughters who kept us busy with Dr + Dentist visits, public school and Rainbow Girl activities. I also spent many years active in a working girls sorority.
Since retirement have kept busy doing handwork + crafts, watching grandchildren and doing some traveling.
This is a very brief recap of the advents of my life time, but by now you will be totally bored by this recounting. Just I hope your life will be a fullfilling."
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