When I started posting about my uncle Earle, my dad's older brother, I really meant to talk about photography and be done with it. I had been planning to run through my dad's family member by member at some future time -- and I planned to do it well. But Hallie, our daughter, said she was enjoying getting to know Earle, and one thing led to another, so I continued with his story and not in an orderly fashion. Perhaps it doesn't really matter.Hallie was right when she said that what's written on the back of a photo can expand our knowledge of the family. If only they had written more! However, I'm grateful for everything I find. Written on the back of the family photo above is the following: "Jan. or Feb. 1918 (?). Pearl [Julian and Ina's eldest child] was at home from Canada and took the picture. E.J. [Earle] was on convalescent leave from the Navy following pneumonia in December at San Francisco." I just think it's too bad that Pearl isn't in the picture, too. And I wish I could see the pictures and knick-knacks on the mantle.
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I thought I didn't have many pictures of Earle but discovered I was
mistaken. I found at least enough to round out his story -- and perhaps
all there ever were.Earle's service dates aren't clear from the photos, but I think he and Charley McCoy, pictured to the right, went into the Navy in 1917. Earle would have been 21. I believe he was assigned to communications. I never heard that he was stationed on any ship or that he went overseas. I suspect the war was over about the time he recovered from pneumonia.
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I don't know the name for the white uniforms. Dress whites? Not sure. At any rate Uncle Earle evidently dressed up for the camera.
Earle played a violin, and that's interesting, too, but I don't know who taught him. I do know that Ina encouraged education and the development of talent in her children. Perhaps a neighbor was willing to teach him. I just don't know that story.
Don't those guns look tiny? Is Earle's gun the little .22 that Milo restored? Notice that the guns are different--I guess those are military issued. The two were probably just target shooting at the farm, yes? Were Charley and Earle best friends?
ReplyDeleteKathy: I have a surprise for you & the Blog group. I just found Earle's WWI draft registration record (actual photo) in 1917 as well as his WWII draft registration. I think the WWII registration was called "The Old Men's Draft," because of the age group. For WWI, he had a disability listed, "trigger finger." Thanks to the National Archives, we have treasures such as these for our families.
ReplyDeleteAlso found his enlistment & release dates for the Navy.
Then I found a man with the same name marrying in 1960 in California to a woman named Elizabeth Anderson. Since Bernice died in 1959, I wonder if this could be your Earle?
I'll send these docs to you within the next 24 hrs.
Isn't that interesting about Earle's documents. Good find, Leah! Maybe Mom will post them. :)
ReplyDeleteNote: I meant to say that those guns must NOT be military issued since they're different.
Leah -- Thank you so much. That's great! And yes, Uncle Earle did marry Elizabeth Anderson in 1960 -- lasted about six months, I believe. The experience was hurtful to him. After the divorce, he moved to the Orofino / Nezperce area.
ReplyDeleteHallie, I'll bet those are farm guns. They just posed with some guns.
Charley was a good friend of all the family. I'll give him a post of his own.
Well, the last day has been stressful to say the least. The power strip for my computer is a battery back up style. About midnight last night,the darn thing began to beep. The beep was constant! The computer & all accessories were off. Couldn't turn anything on. I pulled the plug on the battery power strip from the wall & it STILL KEPT BEEPING. Even the instructions didn't help. Something about removing the battery in the power strip and I wasn't going to try that at midnight!
ReplyDeleteToday, I pulled all the plugs from the power strip, unplugged it from the wall & the beeping stopped. Reset the modem & router & here I am. I hate computers. No I love computers. I'm so confused.
I'd better hurry & copy the docs for Earle & send to Kathy right now!
How sad for Earle, after years of a happy marriage and Bernice's death, that a new marriage would end badly. Coming "home" was probably therapeutic for him.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun group of photos to have!
There was a lot of sadness at that time. Earle didn't have much support while Bernice was ill, and he was administering the drug that took her life -- so that hurt. When she died, he basically had a mental breakdown, and again, no one was there to help. I think it's possible the new wife, realized that Earle was facing some health issues, and she just didn't want any part of that.
ReplyDeleteChecked with Dan, and you're correct, the uniform is called dress whites as long as the neckerchief is worn. Without the neckerchief, it's called "undress whites". There was a proscribed time period when whites could be worn. In warmer locations they would obviously be worn for a longer time period, in cooler climates, probably from April to October. Dress blues, which he is wearing in other photos, could be worn anytime.
ReplyDelete