Red Headed Stepchild
(The Barrett family memoir of Navy Life)
by Sophie Ruth Meranski with photos
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Paddy Murphy of Moskeigh, son of John Murphy and Margaret "Peggy" Sheehy frequently won bowling-on-the road trophies including Ireland-wide events in the 1970's. This inexpensive sport was very popular in rurual areas. His mother Peggy is a third cousin of John Barrett Harvard college l957. Her father Maurice Sheehy father of six passed away 1973 - he was a second cousin of Commander John Berchmans Barrettt USN 1888-1969. Maurice's wife Kate O HLLORAN was believed also to be a Buckley -Barrett third cousin through the "Quarry Murphy" clan and Catherine Murphy, great-grandmother of Commander Barrett and of Loretto Buckley of Moskeigh and her brother Richard and their cousins in Ilford, including Cyril Buckley. She was the wife of John Buckley, who was tenant of the sixty acre Moskeigh Buckley property in 1827 and 1852.This couple had seven sons and four daughters according to Richard Buckley of Newcestown l904-l998. Their great-grandchildren also include Tim and Ellen O Mahony Castle Lack, Bandon, and Maurice,Jack, and Jerry Sheehy born Moskeigh between l900 & l908 |
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Born Dec 25, l867, Minnie looked after her nephew John Berchmans Barrett in Melrose during the daytime 1889 to l894 while his father commuted by train to his plumbing shop near South Station Boston. Minnie was a younger sister of Jack Barrett's mother Catherine Agnes Buckley 1857-l889. Jack and his father lived with the Buckley aunts and grandparents on Park and Baxter Streets Melrose until Jack's father married Mary Lane november 1894. On one occasion Jack traveled by train about 1893 to visit Buckley cousins who were bootmakers in Milford, Massachusetts.These included Minnie's uncles Thomas and John Buckley, and her cousin Mrs. Kate Brennan. Minnie had a leather address book with many entries around l903-l904, including her uncle Michael Buckley, of Moskeigh, Bandon, coounty Cork, Ireland. He had at least seven children incluindg John. Patrick, and Michael, Kate, and Ellen, and eighteen grandchildren including May, Richard, Marcella, and ann Loretto of Moskeigh; nine in Bandon who moved to Ilford, Essex England - Richard, Patrick, michael Cyril. Leslie, Marcella helna (Lena) Suzy, and Geraldine; Tim and Ellen O Mahony castle lack, and Helen Buckley born phila and three siblings who settled in Buffal9o and blasdell, new york.Minnie was friendly with her mother's Hartigan relations. jack sat at Minnie's bedside for two days as she lay unconscious with spinal meningitis before her death March l9l2. A lost handwritten letter of Minnie's brother John Buckley of melrose 1852-l935 invited Jack barrett to keep some of her books. These included Scott's "Lady of the Lake" and an 1882 Collier's encyclopedia. |
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Jack Barrett's parents at left of South Boston tintype group. Catherine Agnes Buckley was born October of l957 or 1858 - records conflict. Her parents Daniel A. Buckley and Mary Ann O Farrell were married in Templemartin, Cork before coming to Boston, where their first son John was born december, l852. He had nine children eldest Frances, Gertrude and John and Catherine Agnes [same name as her aunt], then Fred, Alice Helen, Lavinia, Dorothy. His brother Dan moved to Brooklyn - had several children who died of scarlet fever - but his daughter Alice Rourke had a number of children,six or more,perhaps eight.Two younger Buckley boys died in infancy and were buried in Old Calvary cemetery Boston about l863.Three younger girls left no children - Ellen born about 1860 attended St. Augustine school South Boston, died aged 15 l875 leaving her handwriting in a number of schoolbooks.The two youngest girls Minnie l867-l912 and Maggie (Margaret l870-l921 looked after Jack Barrett l889-l894 during the day in Melrose. Catherine Agnes Buckley and John Robert Barrett November29,l854-August 21, l942 were married by Rev. Lee at Gate of Heaven church, South Boston April 28, l884. |
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The Gunboat TULSA was "the northernmost ship of the Asiatic Fleet, kept in North China for intelligence purposes, Jack Barrett used to say. Its normal station was on the Hai Ho river at Tientsin. In November l930 and spring l931 it put to sea to participate in Asiatic Fleet maneuvers, and in the spring of l931 when Jack Barrett was Gunnery officer and William Paca in charge of Marines, the TULSA won fleet gunnery competition. Commander Rice delayed the November l930 sailing of the TULSA so Jack Barrett could meet Sophie on her November 13 arrival after a three month Pacific voyage on big Navy transport HENDERSON. This photo was taken near Chefoo during a picnic about June 1931.Paul Rice l886-l981 was an Annapolis classmate of Hawaii governor Samuel Wilder King, the first native Hawaiian to attend the Naval Academy, and of Floyd Sexton, who became a Coast Guard Admiral, World War II. Hs wife Gertrude was born Dec. 3, l893 in Juneau Alaska and lived to age 102 and a half to July l996. Their daughter Nathalie is Mrs. Vernon Hawley, St. Helena, Napa Valley California.PAUL RICE letter:--PAUL RICE letter On February l0,l970 a letter came from Paul Rice Captain USN who was with us on the TULSA in Tientsin l930-3l, visited Panama in l935 & lived in Waikiki l94l when the war strurck until February l942."Dear John, As you surmise,Sexton was a classmate pf mone, class of l909 at the aval Academy. Captain Samuel Wil;der King was a classmate-= knew him very well.He relieved me of command of the USS SAMAR at Hankow,China in June,l9l5. We had no Chaplain on the TULSA. As I remember the anchorage at the entrance of the Hai Ho River was called Tangku (note by Sophie M. Barrett"Jack & I sailed from Tangku to Japan on the Chowan Maru.Tangku is where the Japanese soldiers crossed their swords on my chest when I started to the wrong dock where a Japanese Army troop ship was next to the passengership dock.")The TULSA used oil-not coal.I spent about three years on the Yangtze- had command of the SAMAR & navigated it to Ichang one thousand miles up the river.Navigation on the river was similar to that on the Mississippi,I suppose.Duringthe summer floods good sized ships could navigate to Hankow.Of course Gertrude & I would be glad to try to identify pictures.Mrs. Rice says she & Nathalie met your uncle Bill in New York City in l942 (but did not meet your aunt Virginia)).Please give our regards to your mother. Sincerely, Paul H. Rice. |
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Sophie treasured this christmas l929 souvenir from jack barrett on detroyer TRUXTUN in Philippines as long as she lived. It was displayed on dining room wall West Roxbury l947 to l987. Materials illustrate the text: " Dear lady of my fondest dreams Come join me in the Philippines Where I will build a house for you Of SAWALI, NIPA and BAMBOO With windows made of pearly SHELL. In SINAMY I'll dress you well. And you shall have your every wish The while we dine on RICE and FISH" Sophie then traveled to china 1930 on famous big navy transport HENDERSON [John Barrett note This letter December 27, 1929 expresses Sophie's appreciation of Jack's Christmas message from the Philippines-"Dear lady of my fondest dreams - Come join me in the Philippines Where I will build a house for you Of SAWALI NIPA, and BAMBOO With Windows made of pearly SHELL - In SINAMY I'll dress you well, And you shall have your every wish - The while we dine on rice and fish.". Their June 1929 marriage was kept secret from most of Sophie's acqaintances in New York, including Macy's friends, where Sophie remained Director of Personnel Research until August 1930.. Emanuel Lyons much older than Jack and Sophie had been a friend since summer 1923 when Sophie worked at United Hebrew Charities. He published books "1001 Business Ideas" and "2222 Business Ideas." For years he invited the social workers to his western New Jersey farm, where Sophie appeared in three February 1926 photos with heavy snow. Joe Brill, a Fordham Law School classmate of Jack Barrett,. remained in New York City law practice up to the 1970s, and occasionally through Anne and Ivan McCormack the Barretts would hear news of him and other acquaintances, including Anne's family, the Taylors, the Nelson family from Charleston, South Carolina, various social workers,, and Jmmy Jemail, the "Inquiring Reporter" of the New York Daily News, later editor.]"IV-286 To. Lt. J.B. Barrett USS TRUXTUN US Asiatic Fleet c/o postmaster Seattle from SMB R.H.Macy + Co. 34th St. + Broadway New York City December 27 1929 Barrett dear, Mr last letter to you was sent just a week ago today. Since that time there hasn't been a dull moment. Want to be bored with an account of the events? You will recall that I was planning to go to dinner with the dentist last Friday evening. Imagine my surprise when he told me his mother, father, and sister were waiting at home for us and that I was to be their guest for dinner. Gosh, but I was scared to be looked over by the family, but I pretended it was a every-day ooccurence with me. He lives up on Madison Avenue and Ninety-sixth Street. The dinner was delicious, we all got along famously, and I have an idea 'mamma' approved, because as I was leaving, she said,'Come to Christmas dinner, my dear.' I thanked her in my most charming manner and pleaded 'not guilty'. = The next day dawned like every other, but it was to be different. I was scheduled to go to a big party in Flushing- an annual party which I had turned down because you were you. To look all dressed up I decided to go home at noon, - and there I found a box from you with two adorable rings and some earrings. Promptly the rings were put on - they fit nicely - a wee bit large - and I love them. I can't wear them all the time because they are fragile, and the little decorative flowers fall off. You were nice to adorn me at this season of the year. I wear both rings on the fourth finger of my right hand. = The party was something or other - not very successful. Agnes Drummond and I stayed overnight. Sunday noon the family drove us into town, and we went to Agnes's apartment for tea. = Sunday evening after much persuasion on Martha's part I agreed to join her and Dottie on a date with three Spaniards. One of the men had a Auburn car. One of the men is an artist named Camilo Egas who has a studio on Charles Street. For some unknown reason his eyes rested on me, and he has been pursuing me ever since.Foreign men don't interest me, and when he phoned last night, I told him I was sick. He got my phone number through Martha. = Your Christmas card was received on Tuesday. It is without doubt the most beautiful card I have ever seen - and I say that in all sincerity. When Mrs. Smith rang the bell Christmas eve to deliver the card telling of the attractions of the Philippines in the form of fish, rice, and coarse clothes, my Chritmas happiness was complete. The card is just too clever and too funny. I love it and may even frane it someday. = Santa Claus was more than generous: From Mr. Lyons there came a subscription to 'The Nation', a bottle of perfume, + a beautiful compact. From Mabel there came two pairs of silk stockings - from Edna Walton there came handkerchiefs - from Anne there came Yardley Old English Soap From Willie Kennedy there came 'SRM' stationery - from Martha there came genuine amethyst earrings. = Mr. Lyons and I started out five o'clock Christmas morning. We took the train to Landsdowne, [New Jersey] where we started our five mile hike to the farm house-- it was work and fun to go through all the ice and snow. After a fine Christmas dinner we hiked the five miles back. = Helen Miller called up just after I got home Christmas night. We plan to take dinner and a walk together this Sunday. = Joe Brill called me up last night. He told me he received a card from you and that he sent you one. After much conversation about nothing at all, he asked me to take lunch with him today. I turned him down on the basis of being 'busy.' I couldn't be rude to him because he may be sincere, but perhaps he may become discouraged with repeated refusals. Harold Nelson spends a lot of time at the apartment. - Sophie." 1179 . CHAPTER "Duty on the Destroyer TRUXTUN in the Asiatic Station summer 1929-May,1930" He did however complete the school year & his law examinations before he left New York City at three o'clock in the afternoon of Friday June 2l,l929 for Chicago & San Francisco to sail on ammunition ship USS NITRO for Manila. He was a working passenger & stood watches- not on leave-on that ammunition ship.He had married me just one hour before he boarded the train to ensure my getting government passage to the Orient.At Manila the heat & humidity were trying,especially as his next ship the destroyer TRUXTUN was out at sea,& he had to live on the POPE & another destroyer, where only the thought of a mango for breakfast could get him out of bed.But the TRUXTUN did return,& he enjoyed being with its captain- an old shipmate-Lieutenant Commander Carey.Jack soon went ashore with Carey to make arrangements for Carey's impending marriage to a girl who was coming out to Manila.But Carey got sick & had to go to the hospital at Canacao while Jack took the ship as temporary commanding officer.Jack had to take the ship back to Manila so Carey could get his gear off.He had to go back to the mainland to be treated for tuberculosis,& he was retired.On August 2, l967 Jack Barrett wrote a letter to the "Prospective Commanding Officer" of a new TRUXTUN (ship names are recycled) (c/o Supervisor of Shipbuilding,Camden, New Jersey)- "A note in a recent Naval Institute (professional magazine) stated you wished to locate personnel attached to earlier TRUXTUNS.In the summer of l929,after arriving at Cavite & reporting by dispatch to Com.Desron 15,I was ordered to wait for & report on board the TRUXTUN as Executive Officer & Navigator upon her arrival from China for overhaul at Cavite.I was on EDSALL & POPE until TRUXTUN arrived, then reported on board TRUXTUN. Lieutenant Commander Charles B.C. Carey was then commanding officer.I became "exec."Ralph Earle was gunnery officer.Other officers were S.P. Martin Communications, S.Y. McKown engineer,Selman S. Bowling, L.F. Keyes. When overhaul was completed I took the ship to Olongapo for a week for standardization & small arms practice,as Carey had to go to Canacao (Naval) Hospital to clear up a respiratory condition. We were recalled to get Carey's gear off in time for him to sail to the United States a few days later because of his physical condition. It was a sad business. I had accompanied him earlier in connection with arrangements for his wedding (his fiancee was to come out to Manila- & we had high hopes of real success with the TRUXTUN,having been shipmates on the shakedown cruise of the MARBLEHEAD in l925 (newest & fastest ship in the Navy at that time) & on sister ships during the Australian cruise in l925.He was a grand person & very able.I became temporary commanding officer for Cruise of Division 43 to southern islands, Zamboanga,Jolo, Cebu-for Navy Day-then back to Manila to prepare for duty on the Yangtze.Thomas J. Keliher joined as commanding officer on our return to Manila,& I resumed my job as "exec."We were at Nanking,China for some weeks (February-March,l930); then at Tsingtao & around to Chefoo and Tangku.There I was detached & sent to the TULSA at Tientsin. I still have films of photographs of the TRUXTUN at Zamboanga taken from broad off thew starboard bow- one in Full Dress & the other plain. I believe C.B.C. Carey is in the New York area.I think Ralph Earle is a Rear Admiral, retired.If I can be helpful,please call on me.Sincerely yours,John B. Barrett,Commander USN Retired." Several of Sophie's letters to Jack from 1929 have survived: "To. Lieutenant John B. Barrett U.S Asiatic Fleet c/o 15th Naval District, Cavite, P.I. July 8, l929 Barrett dear, It is just nine o'clock of a very warm evening. We are alone in the living room- Anne reading the "Life of George Washington" by Washington Irving.Ivan banging away on the typewriter composing one of his many literary efforts and I am leaning on the faithful bridge table writing the man who "went down to the sea in ships" Sailors are bad- they woo and win fair maidens - only to depart.Here is a bit of drama for you to enjoy with me. Last Monday evening I dropped in to see Agnes Drummond who is now living across the street over the Cherry Lane Theater.She had several guests there, and during the course of the conversation she inquired about you. Upon learning that you were on your way to China,she sympathized with me most graciously and told the guests what a good person you are and what a nice social manner you possess.Then she exclaimed, "Sophie why didn't you marry Barrett!" (Barrett and I were married June 21, l929, but it was kept secret from Macy's Store and friends in New York.) Spent Saturday which is now a holiday taking a long walk with Willie Kennedy.Sunday was spent over in Brooklyn with Helen Miller and her two brothers. Helen has asked me to spend next weekend with her in Phoenicia- a man she knows may drive us up there Friday night, and her brother, who has just bought a new Buick roadster- would drive us back on Sunday.In any case Helen plans to make the trip, and I think I'll join her.Haven't had much time to play with Helen lately, so perhaps we can make up for it this weekend. I recently received a lovely note from Jeanette (newlywed wife of Dr. Pete Meranski) in which she asked me to thank you for your real contribution to the pleasure of the evening which she and Pete spent with us at Longchamps. (June 20, l929).Haven't done much on my new job - except to buy a dress suitable to my new dignity.Wish you could see it, Navy blue, not too dark sleeveless and having cute bows in the front.We aren't allowed to wear sleeveless frocks, but I have a jacket of the same material - ensemble - and it's really cooler than a one piece dress. The job is largely a contact one, and clothes can make such a whale of a difference.The delicious candied fruits helped to bridge the gap in your communications.I know it's impossible to hear from you, but it seems so odd to be completely out of touch after our close companionship of almost a year. I'm sufficiently childish to resent the break but sufficiently grown up not to let myself be unhappy about it.More soon. In the meantime, with deep love - Sophie" (This stationery was engraved by Nathan Solomon of Hartford Connecticut (a l9l9 Hartford Public high School Classmate). " "I wrote to Jack November l0,l929: "Last week I read in the papers that the TRUXTUN had been ordered to Shanghai to report to the Chief of the Asiatic Fleet for further orders.I'm scared pink there may be major disturbances in the vicinity of Hankow.Your responsibilities quite overwhelm me-& I can understand why your notes to me are so short.--Sophie." On January 24,l97l,Rear Admiral Dundas Preble Tucker wrote to Sophie from La Jolla California:"In reply to your recently received letter regarding the TRUXTUN's trip up the Yangtze River in the spring of l930...In February l930 I reported to Commander Yangtze Patrol aboard his flagship,the LUZON as Flag Lieutenant to Admiral T.T. Craven.At that time all the larger cities on the Yangtze were in the hands of government forces under Chaing-kai-Shek,but Communist forces under various leaders,including Mao (tse-Tung) controlled large areas inland,particularly to the north.They made raids on the river towns & held them until driven out by government troops or foreign gunboats protecting their nationals. The Reds were quite active in l930,& the LUZON was under shore fire at least seven times that I know of between Hankow & Ichang,where they held long stretches of riverbank.In general the gunboats controlled the river from Hankow to Chungking,& the destroyers were called in to handle the lower river from Hankow to Shanghai.Since the destroyers' service under Commander Yangtze patrol was only temporary,I had occasion to board them very seldom...."On October l9,l929, the "Mindanao Herald" of Zamboanga, Philippine Islands published this story:"Officers & Bluejackets of Destroyer Divisions 39 & 43 Renew Old Acquaintances in Zamboanga: -Until the end of October the people of Zamboanga will again have the pleasure of entertaining quite a large contingent of Uncle Sam's fighting ships in Far Eastern waters.Nearly the entire fleet has returned from the China coast to the Philippines for the winter & will carry out maneuvers here.The 43rd Division comprising the PEARY,STEWART,POPE.& TRUXTUN arrived in port October l6 & will remain until October 24.On October 24 all of the ships of the two divisions of ten destroyers will fill the harbor.Numerous entertainments are being arranged for the officers of the Squadron.This evening there will be a dance at the Overseas Club in honor of the officers of the 43rd Division.The bluejackets are an intelligent,orderly bunch of young fellows & seem to be enjoying their shore leave very much." Jack enjoyed this cruise to the southern Philippines.On March 23,l97l Dr.Charles Stelle wrote from Kansas:"I remember John (Barrett) very well.He was an excellent officer & well liked by his shipmates. I remember the TULSA...with tall masts.I was detached in November,l930 while on duty up the Yangtze river & returned to the U.S. via Europe to New York.My wife was also living in Waikiki in December l94l but returned to the mainland several weeks later.I was Medical officer on BOISE cruising at that time in Philiippine waters.Best of luck." At Christmas l929 Jack sent me a greeting from Manila, [SEE PHOTO ON WEBSITE page 29 photo #864 year 1929] "Dear lady of my fondest dreams, Come join me in the Philippines, Where I will build a house for you Of sawali, nipa & bamboo With windows made of pearly shell. In sinamay I'll dress you well. And you shall have your every wish The while we dine on rice & fish." To the paper were attached samples of Sawali, Nipa, Bamboo, Shell, Sinamay, Rice & a small fish." (Note-This greeting greatly lifted Sophie's spirits, which had been down because of the lack of mail, as the following November l9 letter recorded:)" Tuesday 9:30 AM November 19,l929 Barrett dear- Yesterday your letter describing Carey's sad plight was received. Although I am genuinely distressed to learn of his condition,I cannot help feeling that if anyone had to have the opportunity to take his place,I am glad it was you, even if it lasted only a short time. As the weeks pass,and as the only impressions I receive of you are hasty notes making no reference to the letters I have written or to anything that really concerns us, the gap between us assumes alarming proportions.The only reason I do not withdraw entirely is the thought that perhaps you have not received my letters.At the end of your note you say,"Keep well and healthy." Under the present circumstances of worrying about your seeming change of mind and heart - to "keep well and healthy" is a very large order.It is your privilege to be independent- to write when, how and what you please.The result, however, is disastrous because in self-defense I am forcing myself to forget,-to love less deeply because the pain of your seeming neglect is too sharp for me to carry indefinitely.This is in no sense a plea for more letters or more consideration. Love and consideration must be freely and spontaneously given. It is merely a statement of fact- if you feel you have made a mistake- for heaven's sake tell me. It is the uncertainty and the luke-warmness which hurt- In any and every case you are grand even though you have made me unhappy - Sophie." Sophie wrote more cherrfully December 27, 1929, "[Notebook Four pp 286-7] To Lt. J.B. Barrett USS TRUXTUN U.S. Asiatic Fleet c/o Postmaster,Seattle- From SMB -R.H. Macy & Co. 34th Street and Broadway, New York City December 27 Barrett dear, My last letter to you was sent just a week ago today.Since that time there hasn't been a dull moment.Want to be bored with an account of the events? You will recall that I was planning to go to dinner with the dentist last Friday evening [December 20]. Imagine my surprise when he told me his mother, father, and sister were waiting at home for us and that I was to be their guest at dinner. Gosh, but I was scared to be looked over by the family, but I pretended it was an everyday occurence with me. He lives up on Madison Avenue and 96th Street. The dinner was delicious - we all got along famously, and I have an idea "mamma" approved,because as I was leaving, she said, 'Come to Christmas dinner, my dear.' I thanked her in my most charming manner and pleaded, 'Not guilty.' The next day dawned like any other, -but it was to be different.I was scheduled to go to a big party in Flushing- an annual party which I turned down last year because 'you were you'.To look all dressed up I decided to go home [from work] at noon- and there I found a box from you with two adorable rings and some earrings.Promptly the rings were put on- they fit nicely (a wee bit large),and I love them.I can't wear them all the time because they are fragile, and the little decorative flowers fall off. You were nice to adorn me at this season of the year.I wear both rings on the four finger of my right hand.Agnes Drummond and I stayed overnight. Sunday noon the family drove us into town, and we went to Agnes's apartment for tea.Sunday evening after much persuasion on Martha's part I agreed to join her and Dottie on a date with three Spaniards.One of the men had an Auburn car. One of them is an artist named Camilo Egas, who has a studio on Charles Street. For some unknown reason his eyes rested on me, and he has been pursuing me since. Foreign men don't interest me, and when he phoned last night, I told him I was sick.He got my phone number through Martha.Your Christmas card was received on Tuesday [December 24]. It is without doubt the most beautiful card I have ever seen- and I say that in all sincerity. When Mr. Smith rang the bell Christmas Eve to deliver the card telling of the attractions of the Philippines in the form of fish, rice, and coarse clothes, my Christmas happiness was complete [see 1929 message on website].The card is just too clever and too funny. I love it and may even frame it someday. Santa Claus was more than generous: From Mr. Lyons came a subscription to 'The Nation', a bottle of perfume, and a beautiful compact; from Mabel there came two pairs of silk stockings; from Edna Walton there came Handkerchiefs; from Anne there came 'Yardley's Old English Soap'; from Willie Kennedy there came SRM stationery; from Martha there came genuine amethyst earrings. Mr. Lyons and I started out five o'clock Christmas morning. We took the train to Landsdowne [western New Jersey] where we started our five mile hike to the farm house - it was work and fun to go through all the ice and snow.After a fine Christmas dinner we hiked the five miles back. Miller called me up just after I got home Christmas night. We plan to take dinner together and a walk next Sunday. Joe Brill [Jack's Fordham Law School classmate who later worked with Roy Cohn] called me up last night. He told me he received a card from you and that he sent you one. After much conversation about nothing at all he asked me to take lunch with him today. I turned him down on the basis of being 'busy'.I don't trust or believe him. I couldn't be rude to him, because he may be sincere, but perhaps he will become discouraged with repeated refusals.Harold Nelson spends a lot of time at the apartment.---Sophie" Foregoing is first portion of TRUXTUN chapter.In preparation is sequence as Sophie worked at Macy's,Jack met Harriet Cogswell of Mount Holyoke and her fiance Paul Meyer when TRUXTUN was at Nanking China far up Yangtze River Feb-March 1930, and then after Jack was transferred to gunboat TULSA in North China,Sophie prepared for fourteen week voyage on HENDERSON to Tientsin via Panama,Yosemite, Hawaii & Philippines.[Note by John Barrett-The TRUXTUN was in Nanking area far up the Yangtze river most of February and March 1930. The TRUXTUN officers -a group of five or six including Lieutenant Jack Barrett- were guests at the American consulate in Nanking, and consular official Paul Meyer visited for tea aboard the TULSA with his girl friend Harriet Cogswell, of the Mount Holyoke class of 1922. Harriet had been active as head of Young Women's Christian Organization and 1922 Queen of the May at college May Day festival.She then taught for a number of years at this missionary high school at Nanking, Gin-Ling college. She eventually married Paul Meyer, and her niece gave extensive family photos and letters to College History collection of Williston Library at Mount Holyoke College. There are twelve large boxes of photos from about 1924 to the late 1930s of Chinese people and places, first Nanking, later Peking, where Meyer was stationed in diplomatic service. She mentions the TRUXTUN visit in letters to her sister, who was working at Macy's in 1930 and knew Sophie Barrett, who was Macy's Director of Personnel Research. Harriet made an amusing comment that the uniforms and manners of British Naval officers were more impressive than the American ones. Jack Barrett informed Sophie of his contact with her college friend.]One of the TRUXTUN's officers with Jack in Philippines and Yangtze 1929-1930 was Selman S. Bowling. Jack retained a copy of the memoirs of "The Log of Bob Bartlett" the Bowdoin-affiliated Arctic explorer, in which Bowling had inscribed his name. In 1944 Bowling commanded about forty-five Motor Patrol Boats which made the first contacts with Japanese forces in the decisive Battle of Surigao Strait the night of October 24-25, 1944. These forces were under Admirals Barbey and Kincaid and Clifton Sprague in the United States Seventh Fleet.In "Leyte Gulf" volume Twelve of Samuel E. Morison's history of United States Naval Operations in World War II there is a narrative pp. 26-28 of Bowling's involvement in emergency air-sea rescue planns earlier at Morotai, East Indies.Then they made an eleven-hundred mile run from Mios Wendh to Leyte Gulf via Kossol Roads accompanied by tenders WATCHAPREAGUE,OYSTER BAY, and WILLOUGHBY.They operated from Liloan Harbor on west side of Panaon Bay "sheltered from all winds but accessible" and San Pedro Bay."After dark they were ordered by Admiral Sprague to patrol Surigao Strait intensively. Morison reports "under the battle conditions their reporting of the major enemy forces was good," and enemy fire at them alerted Admiral Oldendorf's forces, leading to a decisive victory over one of the few effective remaining Japanese Naval forces. Thirty motor patrol boats came under fire out of thirty-nine participating. Ten were hit but only one"expended" [lost].Three sailors were killed and twenty wounded. Bowling was then a Commander and had considerable experience with Philippines waters from TRUXTUN days. On April 28, 1970 Vice Admiral Ralph Earle junior of Durham, North Carolina,wrote, "I will give some of my recollections of my TRUXTUN days when your father was the Executive Officer and temporary Commanding Officer when Commander Carey was retired from the Navy because of tuberculosis. Thomas J. Keliher took over command from your father. He commanded the battleship ALABAMA during World War II and then was Admiral Nimitz's Operations Officer.He was promoted to Commodore and commanded a Service Force squadron in the Asiatic area after the war.He died about ten years ago.The cruise to the southern Philippines (commanded by Jack) was interesting, and your father took a keen interest in the people, flora, and fauna.Nothing much happened.I was two years in the TRUXTUN so there were many comings and goings, and my memory as to who was on board and when is rather faulty as I kept no diary.The TRUXTUN and I believe another United States destroyer were ordered to Nanking, China (February 1930 while Jack was aboard)to stand by to protect American lives if events made this necessary.The run up the Yangtze was extremely interesting, especially to people who had not been on the river before.Chinese river pilots were necessary as the river channel was always changing, and there were few navigational aids.We were under way only in daylight.Also present were a British cruiser, destroyer, and river boats, as well as several Japanese destroyers and maybe a cruiser.Chaing-kai-shek was about to make his advance from Nanking across the Yangtze on to the north to Peking and subdue the various war lords.The ships anchored off the city of Nanking, and the days and weeks passed very slowly as there was little visiting on shore. [There was] no trouble. Chaing was successful, and along in the spring or early summer [May, 1930] the destroyers were relieved and went to the Chefoo area for training and a visit to the Chingwantao area where liberty parties took the train for a visit to Peking.Your father left us at this time to report to the TULSA, a gunboat [at Tientsin].There were six cruisers built in the MARBLEHEAD class, and I don't consider the six inch gun class of cruisers very effective.They were quite uncomfortable for the enlisted personnel in particular. The Navy Department could send you a ship's history of the MARBLEHEAD. As I said in my first letter, I remember your father very pleasantly and his interesting conversation.The TRUXTUN anchored off Zamboanga,[western] Mindanao and off the island of Jolo.Panabutan is a blank to me.There is not much in this letter, but perhaps it will answer a few of your questions.Mr best wishes to you and your mother- Vice Admiral Ralph Earle junior USN Retired." + From the Medical Officer of Destroyer Division 43 - 23 December 1929 To Senior Medical Officer Camp John Hay Baguio [Northern Luzon, Philippines] "This is to certify that Lieutenant J.B. Barrett has not been exposed to any communicable disease and has not been exposed to meningitis [during] fourteen days prior to his departure from Manila." Jack got four days leave of absence 21 December 1929 and went to Camp Hay, Baguio. On the seventh of May 1930 at Tsingtao, China Jack requested six days leave, giving the address "Marine Detachment, American Legation, Peking, China." Leave was granted. On the TRUXTUN he was Executive Officer and Navigator. On May 2, 1930 he received orders from the Commander in Chief of the Asiatic Fleet at Shanghai: "Change of Duty: Upon reporting of your relief Lieutenant Lewis R. ?McDoerell-McDonell-McDonald? on or about May 15, 1930 and when directed by your Commanding Officer, you will regard yourself detached from USS TRUXTUN and will proceed by rail from Chingwantao China to Tientsin China and report to the Commanding Officer USS TULSA for duty on that vessel as relief of Lieutenant William F. FitzGerald USN." He arrived on board TULSA at Tientsin China 20 May 1930. Walter Decker was Commanding Officer. On the TULSA Jack was Gunnery Officer, First Lieutenant, and senior Watch Officer. He was acting Executive Officer prior to the arrival of Lieutenant Commander Leonard Doughty. |
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Sophie and Jack Barrett at farewell party for Captain and Mrs. Robert M Hinckley, who were leaving survey ship HANNIBAL. May 31, l934. Party was held in Panama City and attended by new Captain Gresham, who died of cancer l935, and Liewtenants Richard Visser and Mervin Halstead, who had distinguished World War II careers in destroyers and corresponded with Sophie through l980's. NOTEBOOK FOUR p 200 Thomas Welch, trader, Goddard near E. Charles Mehegan, teamster Fourth near I John Mehegan laborer, Fourth near I another John Mehegan 20 Washington Place another 87 High Street. Catherine Mehegan, widow h. 106 Purchase. James Mehegan h. 68 Decatur, East Boston. Illingworth, John W. machinist, h. 6 Avenue Block, Washington Village. Joseph J. Illingworth engineer, h. 67 Emerald. William S. Locke, plumber, 2 Harvard, h. Third near G. Edward W. Locke, machinist, boards 315 Broadway. Edward A. Locke 21 State, h. 7 Broad. Benjamin F. Keen, Eighth corner G machinist. Michael J. Driscoll, liquors, 4 India Wharf and 53 Long Wharf, h 22 Purchase. Sidney Bryant, machinist, boards 50 Harrison (not in 1865). Cornelius Crowley 50 Athens,, 44 Spring, 379 Federal, and two in East Boston. 1865 DIRECTORY: Daniel Buckley, laborer, h. 25 North Charles, h. rear 37 Clark, plumber 10 Brattle, h. rear Hawes School, South Boston. No Sidney Bryant. William S. Locke, plumber, 2 Howard, h. Third near G. Cornellius Crowley Athens near A. [p. 201 library September 23, 1970] Thomas Welch, butcher, 4 Goddard opposite Clapp. Thomas Welch, trader 5 Qunicy near D. Michael Thompson machinist boards 178 Harrison Avenue Patrick M. Dailey machinist, 8 Goddard near E. Peter Daly Gold between C + D. William Daly Athens corner railroad. B. Daly sixth near D. James Daly 91 Quincy St. near D. No Daniel Farrell. Bernard Farrell Goddard near E. John Farrell 79 C corner Silver. Lizzie Farrell 167 Fourth. 1864 DIRECTORY Daniel Buckley 25 North Charles, 210 Third, plumber opposite 328 Athens. Daly: Catherine widow 63 A, James Quincy near D, James W. printer 84 Athens, John + Michael Athens near A, Patrick Second near B, Peter Gold near C also 11 Cherry and mariner rear Second near H, William h. Athens corner railroad. No Dan Farrell. Bernard Farrell, Goddard near E. Edward Farrell, Athens near D. Patrick M. Dailey machinist, h. 8 Goddard near E. 1863 DIRECTORY Patrick M Dailey h. Goddard near E. no Andrew. Daniel Buckley 19 Third, 25 North Charles, 210 Third, 124 Purchase, plumber 328 Athens, chairseat Institute for Blind. Daniel B. Buckley, Boston Hotel. William Farrell 71 A. [p202] William Farrell, mariner, 10 Stillman Mrs. William Farrell Boston Wharf. Bernard Farrell rear 70 Carver Charles 92 Cross Edward 139 Gold Francis 37 Nashua. Margaret Farrell, widow, 18 Carver. Mary Farrell, widow, 19 Fleet. 1862 DIRECTORY Daniel Buckley, laborer, h. 19 Third and h 5 Livingston Place Daniel, plumber, 10 Brattle h. opposite 328 Athens near Dorchester. chair seatter, Institute for Blind, hairdresser under U.S. Hotel, boards 11 Columbia. Cornelius Crowley Second corner D. 39 East Orange, 311 Federal, 26 Purchase, 117 Lexington,. 69 A. John Illingworth, machinist, 147 Fourth. William S. Locke and William Holt, plumbers 14 Howard h. Third near G. Daly: Peter Gold near C. Patrick slater h. 26 Seneca. carpenter h.92 1/2 Kneeland, laborer Second near railroad. William h. Athens near railroad. William D. grocer 71 Cove.Jeremiah K. liquors 3 East St., corner Cove, James W. 46 Congress boards Athens, James 128 Dorchester Avenue, James 231 Federal, Catherine, widow, 63 A. Daley, Andrew J. trunkmaker h. 26 Lancaster. Catherine Daley widow 189 Second. David (Cal) Third near F. Dailey, Patrick M. h. Foundry near Fourth.Farrell, Barney, Goddard near E. Daniel, machinist [p 203 library September 23, 1970] [Sophie note: Catherine Agnes Buckley, born October 12, 1857] Daniel Farrell h. 23 Goddard Catherine widow 75 A Edward 139 Gold .Godfrey 155 Silver. John 99 North Margin, Mary widow Second corner F. William harness maker 126 Dorcheter Avenue. William 75 A.Thomas Welch butcher Goddard opposite Clapp. also a laborer Athens near D. Barry Sullivan, laborer, 151 Purchase. Charles McKenna,baker, boards 99 Prince. Peter McGlinchey carpenter h. 46 East Malden 1861 Directory Daniel Buckley 67-A 5 Livingston Place, Old Road, plumber h. Messenger foot of Chestnut also Dan B.B. Buckley French and Co. not ours. Catherine Barrett widow GODDARD NEAR E. Cornelius Crowley Second corner D, 39 East Orange 81 Gold, 22 East Orange 311 Federal, 26 Purchase, h. boarder C corner Eutaw and two East Boston. 7 Daileys no Andrew. A Patrick Dailey on Foundry near Fourth. Andrew Daley trunk maker h. 50 Lowell. Anthony E near First. Sarah widow Athens near E. Daly, Catherine widow 10 Milton Place, Daniel 124 Purchase, James carpenter Athens near D. James W., printer, house on Athens, Margaret, widow First near E. Malachi 106 Fourth -provisions. Peter Fourth near C. Farrell, Barney + Hugh carriage maker Goddard near E. no Daniel. 1858 Daniel Buckley 15 Livingston [p 204] 347 North, charcoal peddler 16 Malden. Robert Barrett, milkman Goddard near Lark. also another a porter at 92 South. Patrick M. Dailey Foundry near Fourth. Patrick Dailey 122 Purchase. Thomas Dailey, mariner, 229 North. Thomas V. Dailey, grocer, 122 Endicott. No Dan Farrell. Barney Farrell 16 South Bennett John Farrell 254 Second. William Farrell 60 Fourth 2 Charles Mehegan 365 Federal, 5 Cove Place, 2 John Mehegan 76 Broad and rear 358 North. 2 Timothy Mehegan tailor 6 Wendell, Vinal's Wharf, Thomas Welch, butcher, Goddard near Clapp and eight others. 1857 Daniel Buckley Fifth near E, rear 347 North, 5 Gridley. (2) Robert Barrett milkman GODDARD NEAR LARK also another a porter at 92 South. No Daniel Farrell. Barney + Hugh Farrell at Goddard. 2 Charles Mehegans 365 Federal, 273 Broad. 2 John Mehegans 106 Purchase Street sailmaker, 76 Broad, laborer. 1856 Daniel Buckley teamster Boston Wharf. another Second near A and a Mrs. 22 Fleet. ROBERT BARRETT milkman GODDARD NEAR LARK Daniel Farrell, laborer, h. rear 166 Federal. Hugh Farrell, carriagemaker, house foot of Goddard. p. 205- Barney Farrell Goddard near E 2 John Mehegans silmaker 106 Purchase laborer 5 Cove Place. Charles Mehegan laborer 365 Federal Dennis Mehiggin read 272 north John Megihan 17 Washington Avenue. 1855 No Robert Barrett Daniel Buckley Second near B rear 24 Belcher Lane, tailor rrar 390 Commercial and Mrs. 22 Fleet. Dennis Daly 31 Oliver. 5 Dailey Barney 136th Fourth George 177 Second, Michael blacksmith 152 Fourth, Owen 1 Adams Place Peter Pond St. Place. No Daniel Farrell No Illingworth. John Mehegan 5 Cove Place. John Mehiggan 17 Washington Avenue. 1854 Robert T. Barrett clerk, Malden Dye House, Hanover corner Court, boards 220 Hanover. Dan Buckley Second near B, - 1 Belcher Lane Mrs. 22 Fleet. Do Dan Farrell. No Hugh Farrell. No Barney Farrell. Mike _+ Tim Mehegan John Mehiggin 17 Washington cove. Dailey, George, grocer 177 Second, James 23 Washington Place, James servant,American house, Jeremiah 149 Endicott, John 95 Fourth,Michael 135 Fourth, Peter 183-Fourth near D, Richard 58 Nashua Thomas 27 Oliver.[p.206 Library September 23, 1970]William Daley Second corner Third. 1852-1853 Robert Barrett, ATHENS CORNER SECOND, HANOVER STREET MARY BARRETT born ATHENS CORNER SECOND , another at Hanover Street. (Mary Barrett born Athens, corner Second). Daniel Buckley 10 Fleet, Belcher Lane[*Carpenter 5 Wharf may refer to Robert Barrett?] Barney Farrell 16 Bennet. Hugh Farrell wheelwright First near I. No Dan Farrell. John Mehiggin rear 73 A. another 17 Washington Avenue.Michael Mehegan 18 High. [16 Daileys] 2 Daily 44 Daley 8 Daly. Catherine Daley widow Second corner E. Malachi Daley Second near A. Michael 14 Cove, Patrick Cove, John Dailey Third Corner F. John Daly Silver near C. Patrick 4 Wharf, 1852 DIRECTORY Robert Barrett,laborer, Athens near Second Daniel Buckley 5 Wharf. listed twice as carpenter and tailor. Hugh Farrell First near I. Barney Farrell 16 Bennet. Mehiggan, John rear 73 A + 17 Washington Avenue Michael Mehegan 18 High 6 Daly Patrick 4 Wharf 113 Havre John Silver near C. 71 Emerald. Michael 68 Atkinson, Richard 8 Charlestown James M. 108 Leverett, dentist. + 1851 Daniel Buckley 10 Fleet, probably not ours. Robert Barrett, Athens near second, laborer. [p 207 library September 23, 1970] Daley 7 David, Dennis, Michael, Patrick. William Daley SECOND CORNER A James Dailey SECOND NEAR B. No Mehegans. 1849-50 DIRECTORY ROBERT BARRETT A corner THIRD laborer John Mehagen A near Third. John Daley 4 Cove. Daniel Buckley Fort Hill rear gun house laborer. tailor 5 Powers Court 3 Broad Street. boarding house. end September 23 notes. |
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Standing third from right is Sean O Farrell l921-l989 of Kilbarry Bandon, county Cork father of seven and second cousin of Commander Jack Barrett and his second cousins Gertrude, Mary, John, and Father Edward Hartigan of South Boston, Everett, and Roslindale and Marshfield MA. Third from left standing is probably Sean's sister Mrs. Joan Collins of Lisnagat, Bandon. . NOTEBOOK FOUR p 200 Thomas Welch, trader, Goddard near E. Charles Mehegan, teamster Fourth near I John Mehegan laborer, Fourth near I another John Mehegan 20 Washington Place another 87 High Street. Catherine Mehegan, widow h. 106 Purchase. James Mehegan h. 68 Decatur, East Boston. Illingworth, John W. machinist, h. 6 Avenue Block, Washington Village. Joseph J. Illingworth engineer, h. 67 Emerald. William S. Locke, plumber, 2 Harvard, h. Third near G. Edward W. Locke, machinist, boards 315 Broadway. Edward A. Locke 21 State, h. 7 Broad. Benjamin F. Keen, Eighth corner G machinist. Michael J. Driscoll, liquors, 4 India Wharf and 53 Long Wharf, h 22 Purchase. Sidney Bryant, machinist, boards 50 Harrison (not in 1865). Cornelius Crowley 50 Athens,, 44 Spring, 379 Federal, and two in East Boston. 1865 DIRECTORY: Daniel Buckley, laborer, h. 25 North Charles, h. rear 37 Clark, plumber 10 Brattle, h. rear Hawes School, South Boston. No Sidney Bryant. William S. Locke, plumber, 2 Howard, h. Third near G. Cornellius Crowley Athens near A. [p. 201 library September 23, 1970] Thomas Welch, butcher, 4 Goddard opposite Clapp. Thomas Welch, trader 5 Qunicy near D. Michael Thompson machinist boards 178 Harrison Avenue Patrick M. Dailey machinist, 8 Goddard near E. Peter Daly Gold between C + D. William Daly Athens corner railroad. B. Daly sixth near D. James Daly 91 Quincy St. near D. No Daniel Farrell. Bernard Farrell Goddard near E. John Farrell 79 C corner Silver. Lizzie Farrell 167 Fourth. 1864 DIRECTORY Daniel Buckley 25 North Charles, 210 Third, plumber opposite 328 Athens. Daly: Catherine widow 63 A, James Quincy near D, James W. printer 84 Athens, John + Michael Athens near A, Patrick Second near B, Peter Gold near C also 11 Cherry and mariner rear Second near H, William h. Athens corner railroad. No Dan Farrell. Bernard Farrell, Goddard near E. Edward Farrell, Athens near D. Patrick M. Dailey machinist, h. 8 Goddard near E. 1863 DIRECTORY Patrick M Dailey h. Goddard near E. no Andrew. Daniel Buckley 19 Third, 25 North Charles, 210 Third, 124 Purchase, plumber 328 Athens, chairseat Institute for Blind. Daniel B. Buckley, Boston Hotel. William Farrell 71 A. [p202] William Farrell, mariner, 10 Stillman Mrs. William Farrell Boston Wharf. Bernard Farrell rear 70 Carver Charles 92 Cross Edward 139 Gold Francis 37 Nashua. Margaret Farrell, widow, 18 Carver. Mary Farrell, widow, 19 Fleet. 1862 DIRECTORY Daniel Buckley, laborer, h. 19 Third and h 5 Livingston Place Daniel, plumber, 10 Brattle h. opposite 328 Athens near Dorchester. chair seatter, Institute for Blind, hairdresser under U.S. Hotel, boards 11 Columbia. Cornelius Crowley Second corner D. 39 East Orange, 311 Federal, 26 Purchase, 117 Lexington,. 69 A. John Illingworth, machinist, 147 Fourth. William S. Locke and William Holt, plumbers 14 Howard h. Third near G. Daly: Peter Gold near C. Patrick slater h. 26 Seneca. carpenter h.92 1/2 Kneeland, laborer Second near railroad. William h. Athens near railroad. William D. grocer 71 Cove.Jeremiah K. liquors 3 East St., corner Cove, James W. 46 Congress boards Athens, James 128 Dorchester Avenue, James 231 Federal, Catherine, widow, 63 A. Daley, Andrew J. trunkmaker h. 26 Lancaster. Catherine Daley widow 189 Second. David (Cal) Third near F. Dailey, Patrick M. h. Foundry near Fourth.Farrell, Barney, Goddard near E. Daniel, machinist [p 203 library September 23, 1970] [Sophie note: Catherine Agnes Buckley, born October 12, 1857] Daniel Farrell h. 23 Goddard Catherine widow 75 A Edward 139 Gold .Godfrey 155 Silver. John 99 North Margin, Mary widow Second corner F. William harness maker 126 Dorcheter Avenue. William 75 A.Thomas Welch butcher Goddard opposite Clapp. also a laborer Athens near D. Barry Sullivan, laborer, 151 Purchase. Charles McKenna,baker, boards 99 Prince. Peter McGlinchey carpenter h. 46 East Malden 1861 Directory Daniel Buckley 67-A 5 Livingston Place, Old Road, plumber h. Messenger foot of Chestnut also Dan B.B. Buckley French and Co. not ours. Catherine Barrett widow GODDARD NEAR E. Cornelius Crowley Second corner D, 39 East Orange 81 Gold, 22 East Orange 311 Federal, 26 Purchase, h. boarder C corner Eutaw and two East Boston. 7 Daileys no Andrew. A Patrick Dailey on Foundry near Fourth. Andrew Daley trunk maker h. 50 Lowell. Anthony E near First. Sarah widow Athens near E. Daly, Catherine widow 10 Milton Place, Daniel 124 Purchase, James carpenter Athens near D. James W., printer, house on Athens, Margaret, widow First near E. Malachi 106 Fourth -provisions. Peter Fourth near C. Farrell, Barney + Hugh carriage maker Goddard near E. no Daniel. 1858 Daniel Buckley 15 Livingston [p 204] 347 North, charcoal peddler 16 Malden. Robert Barrett, milkman Goddard near Lark. also another a porter at 92 South. Patrick M. Dailey Foundry near Fourth. Patrick Dailey 122 Purchase. Thomas Dailey, mariner, 229 North. Thomas V. Dailey, grocer, 122 Endicott. No Dan Farrell. Barney Farrell 16 South Bennett John Farrell 254 Second. William Farrell 60 Fourth 2 Charles Mehegan 365 Federal, 5 Cove Place, 2 John Mehegan 76 Broad and rear 358 North. 2 Timothy Mehegan tailor 6 Wendell, Vinal's Wharf, Thomas Welch, butcher, Goddard near Clapp and eight others. 1857 Daniel Buckley Fifth near E, rear 347 North, 5 Gridley. (2) Robert Barrett milkman GODDARD NEAR LARK also another a porter at 92 South. No Daniel Farrell. Barney + Hugh Farrell at Goddard. 2 Charles Mehegans 365 Federal, 273 Broad. 2 John Mehegans 106 Purchase Street sailmaker, 76 Broad, laborer. 1856 Daniel Buckley teamster Boston Wharf. another Second near A and a Mrs. 22 Fleet. ROBERT BARRETT milkman GODDARD NEAR LARK Daniel Farrell, laborer, h. rear 166 Federal. Hugh Farrell, carriagemaker, house foot of Goddard. p. 205- Barney Farrell Goddard near E 2 John Mehegans silmaker 106 Purchase laborer 5 Cove Place. Charles Mehegan laborer 365 Federal Dennis Mehiggin read 272 north John Megihan 17 Washington Avenue. 1855 No Robert Barrett Daniel Buckley Second near B rear 24 Belcher Lane, tailor rrar 390 Commercial and Mrs. 22 Fleet. Dennis Daly 31 Oliver. 5 Dailey Barney 136th Fourth George 177 Second, Michael blacksmith 152 Fourth, Owen 1 Adams Place Peter Pond St. Place. No Daniel Farrell No Illingworth. John Mehegan 5 Cove Place. John Mehiggan 17 Washington Avenue. 1854 Robert T. Barrett clerk, Malden Dye House, Hanover corner Court, boards 220 Hanover. Dan Buckley Second near B, - 1 Belcher Lane Mrs. 22 Fleet. Do Dan Farrell. No Hugh Farrell. No Barney Farrell. Mike _+ Tim Mehegan John Mehiggin 17 Washington cove. Dailey, George, grocer 177 Second, James 23 Washington Place, James servant,American house, Jeremiah 149 Endicott, John 95 Fourth,Michael 135 Fourth, Peter 183-Fourth near D, Richard 58 Nashua Thomas 27 Oliver.[p.206 Library September 23, 1970]William Daley Second corner Third. 1852-1853 Robert Barrett, ATHENS CORNER SECOND, HANOVER STREET MARY BARRETT born ATHENS CORNER SECOND , another at Hanover Street. (Mary Barrett born Athens, corner Second). Daniel Buckley 10 Fleet, Belcher Lane[*Carpenter 5 Wharf may refer to Robert Barrett?] Barney Farrell 16 Bennet. Hugh Farrell wheelwright First near I. No Dan Farrell. John Mehiggin rear 73 A. another 17 Washington Avenue.Michael Mehegan 18 High. [16 Daileys] 2 Daily 44 Daley 8 Daly. Catherine Daley widow Second corner E. Malachi Daley Second near A. Michael 14 Cove, Patrick Cove, John Dailey Third Corner F. John Daly Silver near C. Patrick 4 Wharf, 1852 DIRECTORY Robert Barrett,laborer, Athens near Second Daniel Buckley 5 Wharf. listed twice as carpenter and tailor. Hugh Farrell First near I. Barney Farrell 16 Bennet. Mehiggan, John rear 73 A + 17 Washington Avenue Michael Mehegan 18 High 6 Daly Patrick 4 Wharf 113 Havre John Silver near C. 71 Emerald. Michael 68 Atkinson, Richard 8 Charlestown James M. 108 Leverett, dentist. + 1851 Daniel Buckley 10 Fleet, probably not ours. Robert Barrett, Athens near second, laborer. [p 207 library September 23, 1970] Daley 7 David, Dennis, Michael, Patrick. William Daley SECOND CORNER A James Dailey SECOND NEAR B. No Mehegans. 1849-50 DIRECTORY ROBERT BARRETT A corner THIRD laborer John Mehagen A near Third. John Daley 4 Cove. Daniel Buckley Fort Hill rear gun house laborer. tailor 5 Powers Court 3 Broad Street. boarding house. end September 23 notes. 1919 William H. Devine physician Office 595 Broadway h. 787 East Broadway. He last appears in 1925 at 595 East Broadway. 1924 DIRECTORY Catherine E. Craig widow James H. died August 22, 1943. 1868 Daniel Farrell h. 211 Federal Street new this year. Bartholomew Farrell boards 211 Federal Street. Timothy Farrell laborer boards 211 Federal. Daniel J. Farrell machinist works at 18 Broadway. Daniel Buckley teamster house 37 Third. Andrew Daley h. 42 Seneca. Thomas Daly 36 Palmer 9 Essex Place 58 Broadway 2 in East Boston.William teamster h. 92 Athens. 1846-7 Charles Mehiggin Beach near South. a different Daniel Buckley 3 Broad Street.1848-49 Dailey Catherine widow Second near E, Charles 3 Portland Place, George grocer between Turnpike + Silver, Hugh rear 81 Endicott, Jeremiah 91 Endicott, Joseph, grocer, 117 Ann St., Patrick 5 Wendell. Thomas brass finisher Third near A, Tim 7 Essex Place, 9 Hamilton. [p 208 library September 24, 18970] John Mehiggin 106 Purchase sailmaker + 164 Purchase. Gold Street is from Dorchester to E. 2 Daniel Buckley - laborer rear Gun house Fort Hill, boarding 3 Broad. Thomas Daley carpenter h. Athens near Second. Daley, Anthony, carpenter 44 Vine, Carroll rear 9 Columbia. James 22 Endicott James tailor 8 Hamilton, carpenter 44 Vine, Albany near Oswego, Jeremiah 6 South Way,John 4 Powers Cuort,John cabinet maker house Dedham John 5 Pond Street Place.4 Patricks 5 Carney Place Third corner F, Broad corner Cotton Place, rear 13 Washington Square, Peter 17 Washington Avenue, William 496 Commercial, 16 Washington Avenue. 1870 Bartholomew Farrell boards 211 Federal Daniel Farrell h. 211 Federal. No Timothy. Daniel Buckley, teamster, 94 Dorchester Avenue - eight others. Michael Thompson painter h. 49 Bolton. William S. Locke plumber 8 Howard h. rear 405 Third near G. 2 Robert Craig laborer h. 2 Hamburg. No Alberts surname.Crowleys 211 Federaal + 50 Athens. [[209] Dan Farrell August 16, 1870 deceased married inflammation of bowels address 211 Federal St. laborer b. Ire age 52 son of Timothy and Ellen born apparently 1817 or 1818.May be cousins of Mary Ann and Margaret Farrell. 1874 Daniel Buckley teamster 8 Grimes. 2 Andrew Daley blacksmith boards 411 Federal a teamster 7 Tileston. Crohan Dailey 243 W. Fourth. 4 Daniel Daly 383 W. First 195 Friend Jamaica Plain, 29 Station. No Dan Farrell. Bartholomew Farrell teamster h. 225 Harrison Avenue. John Farrell shipping clerk 9 Rowes Wharf boards 225 Harrison Avenue.Timothy Farrell, porter h. 30 Rochester. Mrs. Margaret A. Farrell, carpet maker widow boards at 360 Harrison. 1880 Michael A. Thompson baker 621 East Broadway h. 640 E Seventh. 18 Cornelius Crowleys. No Illingworth no Lyne. Edward Whitton machinist boards 140 C. Andrew J. Daly (Daly Bros.cigars + tobacco 127 Lincoln h. 139 W. Seventh. Andrew J. Daly clerk, 294 Federal boards 100 W. Seventh. Daniel Daly 139 W. Seventh. Catherine Daly widow boards 192 W. Seventh. John Daly boards 139 W. Seventh. Bartholomew Farrell teamster 310 W. Broadway. [210] Daniel Buckley teamster 460 E. Eighth. Edward M. Hartigan stereotyper h. 65 O Street. works 4 Williams Court. Daniel J. Kinnaly plumber boards 9 Springer Court.Daniel Kinnaly laborer h. 9 Springer Court. John Kinnaly clerk 517 E. Eighth boards 9 Springer Court. Charles E. Keen carpenter 177 H. Peter McGlinchey carpenter 787 E. Sixth. Sidney E. Bryant foreman house at Newton. William S. Locke plumber 243 Federal h. 617 E. Seventh. Walter Sweeney driver SBRR. Thomas B. Welch salesman h. 685 E. Seventh. Charles Mehegan driver SBRR boards 630 E Fourth. Catherine Mehegan h. 630 e. Fourth. ??[not] Ellen Mehegan widow h. rear 72 Havre. Robert Mehigan teamster 9 Springer Court.1885 Bartholomew Farrell teamster h. 214 Silver.Many John Farrells - no Tim, Daniel, Ellen. Michael A. Thompson expressman 640 E. Seventh St. Daly, Andrew clerk b 139 W. Seventh, teamster also boards 139 W. Seventh and Andrew J. is a teamster h. 141 W. Seventh. No Andrew Daley or Dailey. 1888 No Walter Sweeney. No Ellen Buckley. Bartholomew Farrell teamster boards 170 W. Sixth (Whitton address).No Dan, many Johns no Timothy. Michael A. Thompson teamster cellar Faneuil Hall h. 640 E. Seventh. [p 211] |
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John, Sophie and Mollie Barrett visible in foreground - Half Dome and Bridal Veil Falls, Yosemite Valley june l947 visible [see #1201 p 69 Yosemite Falls - one of group of three photos by Jack Barrett June 1947 showing substantial changes in shape of upper fall because of wind.] Sophie visited Yosemite Valley late September 1930 while en route to Tientsin China on transport HENDERSON, but falls were seasonally dry at that time. She purchased a handcolored photo of Bridal Veils Fall that was stolen 1993. #65A with p. l20 added summer l947 Crater Lake Ch. 24 O-V-E-R T-H-E M-O-U-N-T-A-I-N Jack and John were at Pearl Harbor the day the Japanese surrender was announced in mid-August l945. All the sirens and bells in the Navy Yard sounded,and there was general rejoicing.[Hawaii from pages ll9- ll9a] Since John could read at a very young age, the base librarian at Pearl Harbor delighted in supplying him with books as he had so much time to read.She gave him Irving Melbo's "Our Country's National Parks which he studied avidly. Then he had maps of the western part of the United States, studied them carefully, and planned a trip to be taken on our return to the mainland, which turned out to be June 4,l947.Jack belonged to the American Automobile Assoication, where Roberta Clark of the Honolulu office was tireless in supplying us with tourist information and making reservations for us in hotels and motels around the Northwest, and cabins at national parks. John's fifth grade teacher Agnes Dee Mason Davidson at Thomas Jefferson School Waikiki had lived in Arizona, and her son Douglas was a professional photographer who took a class photo that is on this website, and also had fine studies of Rainbow and Waimea Falls. She helped us plan our trip, as did Mrs. Archibald McVay, the sixth grade teacher at Punahou School, who often got a ride home from Jack Barrett after he went on terminal leave in November, 1946 and retired January 1, 1947. [page 120] Jack had a great deal of work getting ready for our summer trip through the western national parks, as I was recovering from my surgery in May, and John had a piano recital the final week of school. We rented a piano his sixth grade year from Thayer Music Company, and he took piano and violin lessons in the air-conditioned Montague Hall at Punahou school with Laura Canafax and Bill Rusinak. We liked the night-blooming cereus on the walls surrounding the Punahou campus. On June 4, 1947 we boarded the GENERAL RANDALL after Violet Ho and Mrs. Mimi Bronson put flower leis around my neck. The Bronsons had loaned us their car the last few days we were in Waikiki so we could load our car aboard ship.Shortly before sailing my friend from HANNIBAL days Mary Ascherfeld gave me a most fragrant and beautiful gardenia lei.The Ascherfelds arrived at Pearl Harbor near the end of the war, and Mary remarked to me, "I had to wait until I was a Captain's wife to have enormous quarters and have to do my own work." She had three grown boys, active young men who liked to play baseball in their own yard.The wife of a higher ranking Naval officer next door objected to their baseball game, which interfered with her afternoon "nap".When Mary asked me what to do about the situation,I advised her to let the boys play. We learned our friends the Delahantys were in the area one day when we ran into them on Waikiki Beach. On the GENERAL RANDALL en route from Honolulu to San Francsico we had some very congenial Navy people at the table with us. I enjoyed having someone else prepare & serve our food.I well remember a most kindly Navy Captain who remarked after we had been at sea for three days that he had been concerned about the state of my health when he first saw me (after my operation) but was delighted to see how well I looked.It was an uneventful trip. Jack took complete charge of John as I was recuperating from major surgery performed only a week previously.As we had reservations at the Hotel Californian June 10-17 in central San Francisco, we registered there to await our car & to wait for the arrival of Jack's sister Mary Barrett-John's aunt Mollie -to arrive by plane from Boston to join us for our tour of the National Parks & for the trip across the country to her home in South Boston, where we planned to live until we could find our own quarters.Our first meal at the Californian was lunch - without Jack, who was off trying to locate our Lincoln Zephyr on the San Francisco dock- that car had to take us across the country to Boston.John & I enjoyed the fish & vegetables served at lunch at a most reasonable price-about sixty-five cents.The Californian was an excellent hotel.We stayed there a week while Mollie came from Boston & Jack got the car ready for the long trip. We drove all around San Francisco- up the Twin Peaks for the View,around the coastline & the Presidio- & at the Golden Gate Park we saw rabbits,which do not run wild in Honolulu. Also there was white clover - not found where we lived in Hawaii. John picked a clover leaf at random- which proved to be a four-leafed clover.We enjoyed riding the cable cars. One afternoon after telephoning we went to a San Francisco hospital where Marion Taylor my oldest brother Harry's sister in law, a native of Hartford Connecticut, was a nurse.She was delighted to see us.We took her for a pleasant drive near the Golden Gate Bridge, and she was our guest for dinner at the Hotel Californian. The next day she surprised us by appearing at our hotel with a lovely red and blue silk print scarf for me and a box of candy for John. Mollie arrived on Saturday evening by plane from New York City. After church on Sunday morning she made a persistent but unsuccessful attempt to locate any of her father's relatives who had settled in San Francisco. On Monday, June 17, we started east across the hot central agricultural valley of California toward Wawona, in the south portion of Yosemite Park, where we had reservations for the week June 16-23. The indicator showed the car radiator very hot. When a service station attendant at Modesto took off the radiator cap and opened the water compartment, the boiling-hot water, released from pressure spurted up and splashed on the ceiling above the gasoline tanks.We didn't have to wait until we got to Yellowstone, for there in Modesto we had a veritable geyser of steam and hot water. We had an elusive radiator leak that was not located until we were back in South Boston in August of 1947. We had lunch in Modesto and had to spend the night in Merced, telephoning to the Hotel in Yosemite Park we would be delayed one night but wanted to keep our reservation the rest of the week.(p. l2l....insert later. p. l22": The next morning we had breakfast at a pleasant restaurant of the Pine Cone Doughnut chain.We drove to Yosemite that day taking our time on the uphill route to avoid overheating.Jack bought a special water can to keep in the car with an excess supply of water for the radiator.The Wawona hotel was twenty-two miles south of Yosemite Valley,& we had engaged it on the American plan. The Ahwanee in Yosemite seemed out of our price range (I had stayed there September l930 while the HENDERSON was being overhauled at Mare Island before its journey to China) & everything else was booked up, so we became quite familiar with the road back & forth from Wawona to the valley.We visited Hetch Hetchy Valley one day on the Tuolumne River - flooded l9l3- but a painting in Mount Holyoke art museum shows it as it was in l880's.We looked around the Sequoia grove near Wawona- the road went through one of the big trees-& twice we visited Glacier Point high on the South rim above the valley.Jack took photos of Vernal & Nevada Falls.We had the Sawyer's Viewmaster stereo photo of the Fire Fall,which formerly was produced by dumping glowing charcoal off Glacier Point, but we did not see it on our visit.We had thought of visiting Lake Tahoe,but the Tioga Pass Road across the Sierra Nevada crest was still blocked by snow.We drove in for a close look at Bridal Veil Falls & photographed the three thousand foot vertical granite cliff wall of El Capitan, Yosemite Falls,the foot bridges on the Merced River, Half Dome, the Three Brothers, Mirror Lake and Mount Watkins. We hiked to the Happy Isles area on the Merced River, and Jack & Mollie went up further for a view of Vernal Falls.Our troubles with the radiator were by no means over. On the ride into Yosemite it was necessary several times to fill the water can from the Merced River.As Jack's left shoulder was stiff & painful, Mollie gallantly went to the river to fill the water can.Going to Monterey we left Yosemite by a different road.Jack was interested in the agricultural area around Salinas & the Monterey peninsula with its seventeen-mile drive & Carmel.There was a special development for retired naval officers at Monterey,& Jack thought about settling there.After a very lovely day we arrived at San Francisco the evening of June twenty-fourth.The California Hotel had no room that night,but I think we ate there while sleeping at a less well-known hotel nearby.The next day we drove across the Golden Gate casting a look out to sea toward Hawaii-& proceeded up the Redwood highway.Jack stopped to see friends, & that night we got as far as Ukiah,which we remember for its amber sodium lights.The next day we drove as far as Crescent City.On the way we stopped to see a redwood which in l947 was the tallest tree yet discovered.Other taller redwoods were discovered -also in Northern California-in the early l960's- so that tree can no longer be considered the tallest.June 27 we left Crescent City & drove into Oregon after stopping at the California border agricultural inspection station.We proceeded to Crater Lake,encountering huge lumber trucks, one of which forced us into a ditch north of Grants Pass.Eventually with the help of the truck driver & a lot of passing motorists we got back on the road. After we arrived at Crater Lake National Park we began to see flakes of falling snow & accumulations in shaded area under trees along the road.Jack stopped the car to let John go over & look at the snow, because we had not seen snow since we left Brooklyn six years earlier.As it turned out, we need not have stopped,because we soon found ourselves in a full-fledged snowstorm that afternoon of June 27,l947.Jack had to stop & ask questions for fear of driving over the rim & into the Crater lake (never having been there).Using our chains we had no great difficulty arriving at the Crater Lake Lodge, a cheerful large building that claimed to have the largest fireplace in the state of Oregon.Our rooms were satisfactory,& the food was good.Only the southern third of the Crater Lake Rim Road was open,but we enjoyed some fine views & good weather the next three days.We got a very good photo of Mollie over near Kerr Notch on the southeastern side of the Lake, with the Lake & Phantom Ship a small twisted lava island in the background.We also saw the symmetrical cone of Wizard Island (with whitebark pines), & the "Old Man of the Lake" (a tree stump which floats in a vertical position) & numerous ground squirrels.About June 30 or July l we headed for Portland Oregon reminiscing that in Eagle l9 days l932-3 in Maine we once drove a long ways back from Bar Harbor with a hitchiking passenger who kept asking "Do you think we'll get to Portland tonight?"- this became a standing family joke.We retraced our steps to Grants Pass & went up the Willamette Valley through Eugene & Salem, the state capital.We stayed at the Portland Rose Motel, and Portland, the Rose City,certainly had its flower gardens in full bloom.For July 1 and 2 Jack & John had scheduled a swing over toward the Olympic Peninsula for a couple of days hoping to visit Olympic National Park near the Washington coast.Mollie & I voted for a couple of quiet days doing washing, so this was the first major departure from the trip plan.One day we did take a short drive down the Columbia river toward its mouth at Astoria.Then July 3 we made a leisurely drive along the Columbia River Highway to The Dalles, where we had reservations over the third & Fourth of July. As planned we took a careful look at the remarkable series of waterfalls along the Oregon side.Multnomah Falls is the highest, but many of the smaller falls such as Horsetail & Latourette have highly individual features & can be approached closely.The Columbia River was one of the earliest scenic highways dating from l927. Many of the waterfalls are shown in the Sawyer Viewmaster stereo series.We looked at the fish ladders at Bonneville Dam. There were a rodeo & parade & fireworks at The Dalles & American Indians in the parade.Jack was impressed by the cherry & apple orchards near Mount Hood.July five to seven we visited the southwest Nisqually section of Mount Rainier National Park. We had only about seventy-five minutes of clear weather in two & a half days, but Jack was ready when the opportunity came and took a few good color pictures of Mount Rainier.The rest of the time the mountain was obscured by clouds. Subalpine firs show in the photos.About July 8 we went through Olympia & Tacoma to Seattle where an old Navy friend Adolph Bloom then in the lumber business in Tacoma came to see us at our Seattle motel. July 9 we drove east across lava flats into the Inland Empire region of rich soil & excellent crops around Spokane.In cooler weather the region would be attractive. We hit it on a very hot day & kept our eyes on the radiator gage.To avoid planning an excessive mileage in one day we took reservations at a small motel in Ritzville rather than trying to drive to Spokane to the east.The four of us competed to get into the shower first.After supper we took a walk around the town & remember the many hollyhocks.We made a start at daybreak & had breakfast in Spokane.I think this is the town where Jack reached in the sugar bowl at breakfast & found after a bit that he had put flour in his coffee rather than sugar. With the early start we made substantial mileage that day-over three hundred miles.The Pend Oreille lake region of the Idaho panhandle was cool & pleasant, but we pushed on through Thompson Falls to Kalispell, Montana.A bright yellow mustard plant covered large areas of the grazing land in this part of western Montana.It provided a refreshing change of view.The roads from Spokane to Glacier Park are very roundabout as they follow stream contours- but this would be interesting country to explore at leisure.A restaurant called Hennessy's in Kalispell served fish & hamburger of excellent quality. Jack enjoyed the fish.The next day we drove across the Continental Divide on the spectacular Going=-to-the Sun Highway in Glacier Park.We stayed at Swift Current cabins on the northeast slope of the park, where the rivers drain toward the Arctic through Hudson Bay. One day John & Mollie hiked to the blue-green cold waters of Iceberg Lake. on a ranger-conducted tour.Mollie & I had some clothes on the line outside the cabins,& two women artists included them in their paintings.When we started to take the clothes in,they asked us to wait until they had completed their painting- in a couple of hours.Jack & I enjoyed the lovely wild spring flowers that grew atop a tall hill near our cabins & talking with the Minneapolis school teacher who ran the cabins. After a leisurely stay till about July l4 we proceeded toward Yellowstone,spending a night near Helena & driving over to look at Butte, the city on "the richest hill in the world," a great hill of copper mixed with gold and silver.We stayed about three nights at Mammoth Hot Springs near the North Yellowstone entrance. #66 Yellowstone l947:Our first full day at Yellowstone was an extremely full one.We began by looking at the brightly colored travertine limestone terrace at Mammoth Hot Springs, drove by the obsidian cliff of black glass,& sampled some Apollinaris spring mineral water.We looked at the Riverside & Old Faithful geysers in eruption & steaming Grotto Geyser (where another day we observed extremely brilliant sunset orange colors).We continued down the west side of the main figure-eight loop road to the South Entrance & arrived near Grand Teton National Park & Jackson Hole in good early afternoon weather for spectacular views & started back in late afternoon.Somewhat apprehensively Jack acquiesced in the wishes of the family to return via the east side of the figure-eight loop.We passed by West Thumb & saw Yellowstone Lake briefly & enjoyed gorgeous volcanic dust effects in the sunsets.We observed the very last rays of the Sunset at Artists Point on the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Already we had put in a very full day.After losing some time on a side road used mostly by Park staff,thinking we were on the forty-mile road north back to Mammoth, we found ourselves making a small loop & reversing direction in total darkness.Jack was thoroughly baffled. At this point another car appeared, and Jack asked directions.The other driver replied,"I'm just as lost as you are." It turned out that both cars had taken a turn onto the spur road to Inspiration Point, a blind alley road that leads only to a rise which is one of the two main viewing points for tourists at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (Artist's Point in the other] At the parking area here the road ends in a loop designed for reversing direction, & here it was we found ourselves.The other driver needed gasoline,& fortunately we were able to direct him to a gasoline station a short way south.When we asked him the way to Mammoth, he said,"You have to go over the mountain."We did drive over the mountain, a distance of forty-four miles to Mammoth Hot Springs,with only one intersection, the Tower Junction about half way along the route- which was the only place we saw people in the forty-four mile drive.There was spectacular lightning along the highest part of the route above eight thousand feet.Jack remembered seeing the eyes of animals along the road reflecting the light of the headlights- often we did not know if they were skunks or bears.Mollie kept talking to Jack because she thought he might be sleepy. No major difficulties were encountered.The next day we retraced the unfamiliar road we had driven that night,stopping to see the petrified tree in the northern part of the park, then spending considerable time at Inspiration Point,which has a very fine view by day of Yellowstone Falls & the bright cliffs around it- although we had not found it particularly attractive by night far from our quarters.We revisited Old Faithful & saw Morning Glory Pool and the Fountain Paint Pots.We climbed a hill to get a good view & I asked Mollie to go over to see what a small sign on the hill said.She came right back when the sign said, "Danger, keep off."This may have been the afternoon of the spectacular sunset at Grotto Geyser,with its high steam cloud.One night Mollie had an unsettling experience with black bears when coming back to her cabin from the separate toilets. Jack had advised her to make a loud noise in the event of encountering bears, and sure enough they went away when she clapped her hands and spoke loudly.We left the park via the Northeast entrance & l0,942 foot Beartooth Mountain pass with its many hairpin turns & steady uphill climbs. We had to stop frequently & attend our thirsty radiator.We continued down the Yellowstone River route as far as Forsyth,Montana that Saturday night July l9.Having no reservations & being in a very thinly populated area we made inquiry at Forsyth & found that certain church groups arranged to have people stay as paying guests of private families.We were very fond of Mr. & Mrs. Guy Gray who took us in for the night for five dollars & gave us without charge some bread, butter & tea when I said I was too hungry to sleep.John played the theme of the first movement of the Mozart A major piano sonata K. 33l, a piece which he had memorized for Miss Canafax [Punahou School sixth grade].Mollie went to church n Forsyth on the morning of July 20, & we proceeded to Dickinson, North Dakota, where we had reservations at a small motel recommended by the American Automobile Association.As this country was thinly populated we were glad to have advance reservations.We were adhering rigidly to an eastward schedule during the trip because Mollie was an employee of more than four years standing at the Metropolitan Life branch office in South Boston, & her six weeks would be up about July 28.On Tuesday July 22 Jack drove our car to a stop at the main intersection of Mandan,North Dakota on the west bank of the Missouri River.A loud CLANK was heard.When he tried to start up again,the speedometer needle climbed cheerfully to thirty-five miles per hour, but the car sat still.A gasoline station was alongside us at our right hand, & we had to be towed in there with a broken rear axle.Mollie caught a train to Boston, arriving at work on time by the next Monday.We stayed about three days in Mandan,-a new axle cost six dollars,but telegrams to obtain it from Minneapolis cost more than the axle itself.We made one long day's trip through Fargo,North Dakota to Brainerd. Minnesota, where baffling radiator difficulties stumped the experts while we sweltered in local-record high temperatures of l04 degrees for more than a week.We were about ready to walk east but finally proceeded into cooler terrain around Duluth & Superior,Wisconsin.We spent three nights in Michigan at Ironwood & Saint Ignace on the upper peninsula & at Port Huron near the Canadian border north of Lake St. Clair. At that time there was no bridge at St. Ignace, so we crossed to the lower Michigan peninsula by ferry and proceeded through the industrial town of Flint on our route.We cut across Ontario from Port Huron to Buffalo.The generator conked out,& a new one was installed in London,Ontario.Canada was observing beefless days at this time because of the postwar shortages in Europe,& we had a very good chicken dinner at Niagara Falls Ontario.In the late afternoon we observed the Falls from the Canadian side.After dark we enjoyed the American falls in colored lights until about ten pm. We planned to drive east to Rochester but found that streets were blocked off because of an American Legion convention, & all traffic was forced south to Buffalo.We were thoroughly exhausted & found ourselves forced to rent extravagantly expensive rooms at an ancient Buffalo hotel about three A.M.In the morning we attempted to leave Buffalo & found the urban streets incredibly confusing.Finally we pointed the car east,& by nightfall were in West Winfield, New York where we took a chance on a local inn recommended by Duncan Hines.From here the next day we drove through Albany & Great Barrington, Massachusetts & surprised my folks in Hartford by stopping in at Babe & Geetter's home at 92 Fern Street.It was the first of many pleasant visits there.The Geetters had bought this larger new home in 1946, as previously they had lived at the New Britain Hospital. Before we went to Babe's house, we stopped in at Swift and Company to see my sister Esther, still working there as an accountant. Esther, who had lived with the family of her brother Abe and his wife Ethyle, came to live with them also and helped with many chores of the big family. We spent one night there, playing Michigan rummy with the children, and the next night after stopping at THE OLDEST ORIGINAL HOWARD JOHNSON'S RESTAURANT in Quincy,we arrived at Mollie's home at 640 East Seventh Street South Boston. It was probably around August eleven, early in the evening.We stayed there a little over three months until Thanksgiving Day l947.We soon became acquainted with Mr. & Mrs. Alphonse & Catherine Roche downstairs & their sons Raymond, Alphonse, & Donnie ages about ten, eight & four- also Billy Sullivan & Bobby Adams in neighboring houses.They would come in the kitchen & play "high'low-jack"& other card games including an unusual variant of whist & "slapjack"{ & "fish."Frequently Mr. Roche would provide Mollie with fresh fish on Friday from his catch as a fisherman.Mollie often baked chocolate brownies.We would take the neighbors on rides to the Arnold Arboretum or Castle Island.The Arnold Arboretum at that time had beautiful exhibits of flowering cherry, apple & other fruit trees, -lilacs,azaleas,rhododendrons, magnolias,daffodils, jonquils,narcissus, honeysuckle & bright-leaved copper beeches.In the autumn the blue-purple berries of Callicarpa japonica attracted our notice the first autumn, l947. |
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