Bedroom 1913

In scanning photographs to share with recently rediscovered Walker cousins, I came across this one.

Its only identification is the date 1913 written on it. Below is the bedroom that was identified as being in the Walker home on Polk in Topeka and I don't think they are the same.

The photo at right was on a page with pictures of Edna and EA and Ada and Bill (grandparents of the recently rediscovered Walker cousins) from a walk to Topeka's Burnett Mound. With my detective skills I've deducted that it's EA's room, Bill's room or their room together. Continuing in this vein of detection due to the fact that there are two dressers I believe it's a shared room and let's say it's Bill's and EA's.

These snapshots of rooms fascinate -- in this one are pictures of President William Howard Taft and President Woodrow Wilson.Unlike their political positions Taft is on the left and Wilson the right. To refresh -- the 1912 election was a race between 3 candidates, Taft the Republican, Wilson the Democrat and former president Teddy Roosevelt. Wilson won with slightly less than 42% of the popular vote.Taft finished third.  The pictures of the walk are dated February 16, 1913 which I'm assuming would make this one of the same general vintage. And this is about three weeks before Woodrow Wilson took the oath of office marking the end of Taft's one term. Just a pure guess, but I'll say EA's the Wilson fan and Bill the Taft aficionado.  One fact is that Bill Smith ran for state's attorney general as a Republican in 1926, just 13 years later. I'm guessing it would be hard to go from a Wilson fan to a Republican in 13 years.

Another thing I was surprised to see was a typewriter. It's on the table, framed by the white bedstead. In my brief search of the Internet I couldn't find out how unusual that would be - to own a typewriter in 1913.

At the right are EA and Bill on that day, February 16, 1913 on their walk to Burnett Mound.

Goodbye to the Wildflowers

The riverbank this week since the city did its magic.

 We've lived in our current house for nearly 34 years. When we bought it the riverbank of the Arkansas River was a shambles, but the bike path was going in. Soon things were evened out and there was a wide expanse at the top before it sloped down to the river and the bike path. Because the kids were small we put in a fence, more to keep them corralled than to keep them out of the river. (My advice, "If you fall in, remember to stand up.") The area between our fence and slant of the riverbank appeared to be ours to maintain.

Through the years this plot of land became part of my mowing routine. To mow our entire yard usually took me nearly two hours with a walk behind mower. During this time I had much time to think I'm really not that fond of mowing the yard and especially not the bank, the city's part. Until three weeks ago I've never seen the city mowers even look at this part, and certainly not mow it.

Mexican Hat

In 1996, Debbie had an internship with Senator Kassebaum so Lee and I and the other kids decided we'd drive to DC and bring Debbie home. As we made our way to and from DC, including many stops, I noticed that there were daylilies along I-70. I thought if they can grow along the interstate, surely they can grow along the river. I knew I wasn't going to water them, but I'm thinking I don't think they get watered along the highway either. Soon I'd ordered daylilies and daffodils from White Flower Farms. It wasn't easy, but eventually I had them planted. The daffodils prospered, but the daylilies didn't like the competition from the Bermuda grass. Wildflowers seemed like they'd be more inclined to survive.

Indian Blanket

I worked again to prepare the ground and ordered a meadow from Wildseed Farms in Texas. The results were good and I no longer had so much ground to mow. Not everything survived, but Mexican Hat pictured above prospered. Well, at least until last week.

This year the flowers on the bank weren't as tall as that pictured above - it looked more like the photo at right. Three weeks ago, the city mower came up on that spot and mowed and carefully went around my plot in the center. But last week a different mower came up and mowed everything as you can tell in the first photo. I went out and asked why after all these years they were mowing down my wildflowers. He stopped to talk to me, but he said the city didn't like it because it attracted trash. I was astounded and I said in the 30 years I've lived here, no one outside of me has ever mowed that part of the bank and that I'd put in the wildflowers so I wouldn't have to mow so much.

Thanks for listening.

Mary Grace's Life

As you all know Mary Grace passed away on February 20 - I'm guessing much to her surprise and much certainly to mine. The following is from a card I received from a friend from college, Chris. I know many people have written nice words about her life, but I thought you all might be interested in another.

Susan – What a legacy your mom left you, your family and all who knew her. I always said that wonderful deadpan humor you have came from her. 

Even though I only encountered her a few times she made a vivid impression on me. I loved her no-nonsense approach to life and her ability to keep the most important things up front. Scott’s eulogy (which Karen sent to me along with some of her writings) brought back my first visit to your old house (including the bathroom door you couldn’t quite shut): there seemed to be a large trail of some sort of packing material covering the middle of the living room carpet, as if something very interesting had just happened. In fact the entire house oozed life and activity. My mother terrified into good behavior by her in laws, could never let any person in unless the entire place was immaculate (given that the possibility of panic attack was in abeyance) I loved the way your household ran with such easy going efficiency. 

And the books. We, too, had thousands of books, but the wide range of other cultures and wisdom made me envious. From Scott’s account your mom was a great reader.

I think only an original mind could have tackled life the way your mom did, dealing with everything she met in her own way, happy in her own being.

My best to you all.

Thanks to Chris for these kind words and now maybe that I've gotten through my first post since that event, I'll be able to go back to sharing odd facts and memorabilia from the family, Walkers, Sharpes, Burkharts, McClennys, Morgans, etc.

Shawnee 1951

Steve and Chris play near the new fence circa 1952.

 In June 1951my parents, Steve, Sally and I moved to a new subdivision of Kansas City, known unofficially, at least to the post office, as Shawnee Village. Prior to the 1950s the land we were living on had been used for agriculture so I feel we were pioneers. Dad's trip to downtown Kansas City where he worked for the Kansas City Times took more than 30 minutes. These are pictures from those early years. The letter is one Mom wrote to Dad's parents the week we moved.

Steve's 5th birthday - both sets of grandparents and Helen, Chris and Kerry.

 

Dear Folks

We feel sort of settled now that we have a draw curtain up in the living room.  We felt a little on display before.  I felt rather lucky for when I went to Sears to buy them I found that it takes two weeks to get them, but some lady had ordered some gray ones and then not taken them so they were on special.  They look nice with our room and pretty good outside too—which is what worried me.  We haven’t any hot water until today.  They turned on the gas yesterday and lighted the stove for me but they wouldn’t light the heater because it was new and the man said “the gas company aint got no heaters to replace them when they blow up,”  That made me feel real happy to have something liable to blow up in the basement.  I read the instruction but couldn’t figure them out. 

When the water meter man came I cornered him and asked him if he would watch me while I held the match and tell me what to do.  He and I got down on our knees—the floor was wet too and decided it wouldn’t light because there was air in the pipes.  He went away cheerfully telling me that sometimes it takes an half and hour to clear the pipes.  If the light man hadn’t come early I might have cornered him to finish lighting the heater because I got as far as the pilot light but couldn’t go further.  Mr. Welch came out and lighted it for me today.

Ray is feeling real good today but he felt a little draggy Sunday and Monday.  I’m sending you a couple of stories from the Times he wrote.  He seems to like it real well and as he has 5 until 7:30 for supper he comes home for supper.

I’m writing Gussie and dad the almost the same thing as I write you.  I thought I would warn both of you for the kids and I don’t do enough different things to make two letters different.  Love Mary

Dad joins the fun.

Celebrating Steve's birthday in the basement.

Christmas Letter - 1917

Watching Downton Abbey I remembered the letter that I had found in Laura's collection of Walker-Sharpe memorabilia. The letter is from Annie Cooke Walker Younger Croston to Betsy Sharpe Walker written December 7, 1917. Annie is Edward's sister who was four years younger than he. Also surviving is a letter from Ada to Laura remarking on how fond Betsy was of Ann and her family. In this letter from 1917 Annie writes of her children and other relatives. She had a son, Charles, and a daughter, Sarah Beatrice whom she called Beattie from her marriage to Charles Younger. From her marriage to Samuel Blakely Croston she had four daughters, Mary, Henrietta,[Etta], Isabella and Lalla.

Russia Hall in England drawn by Lalla Croston

Dovedale; 9 Rockville St

Rock Ferry

Dec 7^th 1917

My dear sister

We received the college syllabus and thank you very much for sending it. We are all going on wonderfully well. Though of course we have to pay much more for food etc and coal.

My brother is not at all well; got a bad cold awhile ago and I think it has settled in his back (lumbago I think). My girls are all very busy – Mary and Belle at their offices and Etta at her teachings. Lalla, of course, is busy with her . . . . classes, painting and dress making so her days are filled up I can assure you. Sarah and the girls and boys are doing well. . .. . Mere are of the girls going to be married in the spring, both marrying farmers so that will be all right for they are both good cheese makers. Etta is now living with us – her husband is in the R.G.A. [Royal Garrison Artillery]. We are hoping he will be able to come home for Christmas. Beattie and her two girls are doing nicely at her farm. Muriel the eldest makes cheese and butter. Norah is still going to school. Charlie my son is not at all strong. He is a farmer and Leslie his eldest boy just about 16 years (has only 2 boys and Beatrice just the 2 girls) attends as well as he can to all outside.

Well dearest Bessie we all wish you all a very Happy Christmas and we thank the Lord for all his goodness to us and  . . .  Your loving sister Annie E Croston

This is the wedding of Annie's daughter Etta with her two sisters, Belle and Lalla and her brother Charles. As another note connecting Edward and Betsy's family to Annie's, Edna wore Etta' s veil at her wedding to Edgar in 1913.

Annie mentions in her letter that Etta's husband is serving in the Royal Garrison Artillery. In a photograph from after the war it appears he lost his arm during that service. From another letter in Laura's collection is one between Ada and Lalla from the 1960s. Reinforcing the connection Ada named her second son Donald Croston Smith. Annie died the next October at the age of 67.

Happy New Year 2012

Ray and Steve celebrate the new year of 1950 in the Topeka apartment.

The celebration continues.

Merry Christmas from 1953

Sally, Steve and Susie

Photographs used for the 1953 Christmas Card.