Uncle Ron

Dad only had one brother---20 years younger than he was. (There had been another boy named Milton but he died shortly as a baby. ) For more photos of Dad and Ron, click here.
Often Ron is that little blip in the corner of the family photos. Mary was 10 years older, Maxine was 14 years older, Norma was 17 years older.
Although he was an "only child" for much of his childhood, he was soon blessed with many nieces and nephews. Bob, Steve and I were actually closer to Ron in age than any of his siblings.
Ron is in the middle with his father Roy behind him. His nephews Bob and Steve are on either side. Ron was only 8 years older than Bob, Steve and myself. Visiting our Long grandparents was always fun because Ron had toys and games for us to play with.
We often viewed him as an older brother. Here are Ron, Steve Adams and Roy Long. I do recall a few things about his teen years. One memory was of him building and racing in the soap box derby. The other thing I recall was shopping with my mother trying to find clothes that he wanted---a button down collar shirt and pants with a buckle in the back. I think it was the first time I was aware that boys had clothing preferences and style.
I wasn't as close to Ron as Steve or Bob was in those years: in part because I was a girl, but also Ron had health issues. I didn't (and don't) handle hospitals and sick people well, so my mother shielded me from a lot of Ron's health problems. He was often in the hospital having orthopedic surgery on his feet. Ron was born with two club feet so a large portion of his childhood was spent in Shriner's Hospital having surgery to correct this birth defect. He is probably in his teens in the above photo. I do recall that his mother (my grandmother) died shortly after this surgery.

While I don't remember much about this time of Ron's life, I do remember going to the Shriner's Circus every year to support the Shriner's work in helping children with orthopedic problems. I also remember hearing that he was like the poster boy for Shriner's Hospital one year---he appeared in the newspaper (above) and he was one of two children to ride in the back of a convertible in the parade.
I was probably closest to Ron when I was in my late teens and early 20's and he was in his late 20's. He and his wife Rose were wonderful mentors and friends to all of us nieces and nephews often entertaining us. But, more importantly, Ron was the first in our family to go to college inspiring all of the rest of us to continue in our education.

Letter from Ellice 25 Oct. 1954

Cincinnati, Ohio

Between the last set of letters (Oct. 1945) and this set of letters, the Grover D. Morgan Family moved from Louisiana to live in an apartment on the property of Ellice and Harry B. Morgan. They didn't write letters to each other living next door, but by 1954, the Harry B. Morgan's had moved to Miami and the Grover D. Morgan Family had moved to Cincinnati, Ohio.
Oh, the Grover D. Morgan Family had grown to three sons---Harry, Dave and Tom!

Birthday Letter to LeRoy from Jaclyn

I wrote this letter to my father for his 75th birthday. Last year, I wrote about my brother Jim's letter to Dad. Click here and you will notice a similar theme in mine---our cars and our family trips! Double click below to read about my memories.
The next section of the letter is about cars I had to drive and the cars/trucks my children remember.

(L-R: Rebecca Morgan Lewis, Rachel Morgan Twenter, Leah Morgan Warren)

"Rachel's favorite---the orange truck. She remembers the time you asked her if she wanted air conditioning. She said yes, so you opened the floor vents and let in the outside air."

Fry Family Reunions---1950's

After my husband's grandmother Alice Alderson Fry died in 1949, her nine children decided to meet every other year for a family reunion for a week. The first reunion (1951) was held at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina where the siblings, spouses and children stayed in two big houses. Although we have movies, this is our only photo.

L-R: Tom, Bobby, Davis, Harry, Cecil

Other reunions were Point Peleee in Windsor, Ontario Canada (1953), Daytona Beach, Florida (1955), Nagshead, North Carolina (1957).

The 1959 reunion organized by Phil Fry brought the family back to their roots in West Virginia. They stayed in cabins at Bluestone State Park in Hinton, W. Va.
The above is a letter from Phil---$86.70 including tax for a 6 person cabin for a week. Phil reminds everyone to bring shorts for the day but jeans and sweaters for the nights.
This article in the newspaper gives some family history about them having many relatives around Alderson, W. Va and Nicholas County, W. Va. While 31 were in attendance (all of the siblings), four could not make it including Nell Fry who was expecting. Then, the article listed the names, home towns and occupations for each of the siblings. Somehow, they merged Eloise and Irene, though, stating, "Mrs. Eloise Morgan, St. Louis, librarian at Dearborn College, Dearborn, Mich." That would be some commute. Eloise was a librarian at Riverview Gardens High School (where I attended) and Irene Fry Vogt was at Dearborn College.

L-R: Davis, Linda, Bobby, Cecil, Tom, Arlene, Alice, Sandra, Carolyn, Marilyn; Front row: Michael, Buddy (Phil, Jr), Marsha

Louise's memories: her early years

The photo above clockwise beginning left: Clara Hall, Macy Williams Wicker Hall (Louise Wicker Long's grandmother), James Wesley Wicker (Louise's father), Obie Hall, Ruth Hall, George Henry Hall.

No one seems to know why my grandmother Vennie Watson Wicker went to Hornersville to live with Maggie Williams (wife of Luther Williams). Helen, Maggie's daughter, said, "Mom just heard that your grandmother was living with someone down at Coldwater." So, we don't know how Maggie knew Vennie. But, my grandparents (Vennie and Wes) met while living at Maggie's house. Her family has remained close to ours even now.

After mother was born, Vennie and Wes were "sent" to Arkansas to keep Wes out of trouble. Some of Macy's family were not a good influence on Wes, so Vennie, Wes and Mom (Louise Wicker Long) moved to Arkansas around 1921.
It was there, they met the Everette Family: Big Mama, Big Daddy (neither were 5' tall), Pearl, Molly, Annie and "Brother".

Annie, Wes Wicker, Vennie and Louise Wicker, Molly @1923

Annie and Jim Spence, Vennie and Louise Wicker
Pearl and Louise Wicker

Although most of Mother's friends went to Memphis after high school, Mother came to St. Louis because the Everettes were all up here. My grandparents also moved up to St. Louis after my parents were married.Back row: Wes Wicker, Jim Spence, Bud Hughes Front row: Vennie Wicker, Pearl Hughes, Annie Spence (St. Louis, 1950's)
Jane and I (pictured above with Barbara, "Brother's" daughter, and Big Daddy) also grew up with the Everettes. I can even remember getting in a fight with Barbara over her aunts and grandparents. I insisted they were my aunts and grandparents, too. I, often, stayed with each of them several days at a time. Annie and Jim had a small house in Wellston, Pearl and her parents lived in Richmond Heights on Hoover, Mollie and Henry Haverstick lived in an apartment across the street from the zoo. They were wonderful, loving people. It's a shame that Barbara was the only grandchild---if you didn't count me, Jane, Mom and Billie (Mom's sister)!

Louise Wicker Long and U.S. Presidents

My mother Louise Wicker Long wrote this two years ago---her reflections on politics and U.S. Presidents. The above photo is of Louise and Tab (?) in first grade. (Double click below to make larger then, use the back arrow to come to this page again) This first page is about politics and elections when she was a child in Arkansas.
The second page is about Franklin Roosevelt and when she moved to St. Louis.
The last page is about Roosevelt through Kennedy. I do have to make one correction: the CCC stands for "Civil Conservation Corps" not "Conversation Corp", but she's correct at what they did. The Pere Marquette Lodge (as well as the one at Grand Canyon) were built by the CCC.



The last word was supposed to be "Catholic" but she mis-spelled it and never got around to re-writing it. And we wonder where we got attention deficit. . . .
I love the photo above---it looked just like my mother even at 87 years old! I'm sure my grandmother Vennie made the dress---she was quite the seamstress. Click here for more on my grandmother's sewing. I'm not sure if Louise is supposed to be Betsy Ross or Martha Washington, but I decided this photo was appropriate for President's Day.

Morgan Obituaries 1940's 1950's

Grover passed the following obituaries on to us. July 14, 1948, William Gratton Morgan. He was Harry B. Morgan's brother (Felix preceeded him in death):
The following is Willard Morgan and Rebecca Morgan's daughter (H.B. Morgan's first cousin---Nora Elizabeth Morgan Cline). Yes, Willard and Rebecca were cousins.
This is Arch B. Morgan (b. 1850 d. 1936). His father was Anthony Morgan (grandson of Abraham Morgan) Arch would have been Harvey George Morgan's first cousin. Double click to read about their journey to Mercer County, West Virginia. Below is an article about his wife Rierdel Shrewsbery Morgan.
Amos A. Morgan, son of Floyd Morgan and Dicey Lester, died in 1940. He was also Harvey George Morgan's first cousin. I think it's safe to say Rev. H.B. Morgan was not Harry Byron Morgan, but I'm not sure who it was.Finally, here is H. B. Morgan's obituary. Double click to make it larger.
Garner is left off the last one---but I think they got all of the Pall bearers!

Obviously there are errors in a number of these obituaries, but there is also a lot of valuable information. I am so happy newspapers got away from "Mrs. A. B. Morgan" and would now call her "Rierdel Shrewsbery Morgan"

Memories about Vennie

Wes and Vennie Wicker, St. Louis, 1941

From my sister Jane:

What can I say.... I love her so much. I still get tears in my eyes because she was so special to me. She gave me great memories. Vennie Watson Wicker, 1935

We would always go to the park. She always wore a dress. I always climbed to the top of the jungle gym and would be afraid to climb down. She would have to climb up in her dress and help me down. When we took the bus shopping or to the church ladies circle meetings it was strictly white glove and hat for me. I better be a lady or I would hear about it later. When we walked to do shopping and run errands she still wore a dress, but I got to wear pants. I remember we would always stop at the cleaners for her to talk to a friend. I think about those days when I go into the cleaner and smell that odor.

Virginia and Vennie Wicker, 1939

She would rock me to sleep for my afternoon nap. (I still have this rocker) When I woke up, I got orange marshmallow circus peanut candies and a Dr. Pepper while I watched Art Linkletter. I remember Grandma making tea for dinner. To this day the smell of tea brewing or the fragrance green tea triggers a picture of Grandma in her flat cooking in the kitchen.

Vennie Wicker late 1920's

We would play hearts or old maid at the dining room table. It had a big window across the gangway from Marilyn's dining room window. We[Jane and her friend Marilyn] would talk and get in trouble just talking there. I went with Grandma to the basement and helped her on wash day. I liked the area for washing, but the part with the furnaces was scary.

Vennie Wicker, 1935

I always felt special that she made our clothes and doll clothes. The last dress I remember was a taffeta plaid magenta dress for Rose and Ron's wedding.
I think I am very much like my Grandmother. I am a homebody who just enjoys doing things around the house. In some of the pictures on the blog, I can see I had her smile and nose.
I loved her so much. She was a great influence on my life.

JaneFor more memories, click here

Two Families, Two Traditions

[l-r Vennie Watson Wicker, LeRoy Long, Jane Long, Louise Wicker Long, James Long, James Wesley Wicker]
When Dave and I spent our first Christmas together, we realized that we came from two different cultures. Both of our families were starting Christmas at about the same time. We went to my parents, the Longs, first. As usual, it was a free-for-all, with a flurry of paper---it was all over in an hour! Pictured above (1959) was pretty typical---PJ's, wrapping paper everywhere, mom in her hairnet, grandpa in his undershirt.

After the "Long Christmas" (which was pretty short), we went to Dave's parents--the Morgans. They had just started Christmas---the gift unwrapping (one at a time!) lasted the ENTIRE DAY! Everyone was dressed up, acting all polite and adult---I was in shock!

These photos are from 1947---could the family look anymore perfect? Click here for some of Dave's memories which would NEVER have happened in my family! My dad was the biggest kid of all---he was the instigator---tossing presents right and left. I think Dave and I hit a happy medium, but I don't think Dad ever understood the concept of just two presents at a time!

Dave's Christmas Memories

In 1952 or ’53, when we lived in Cincinnati, Mom [Eloise] had gotten tired of us boys – in past Christmases – constantly picking up, shaking and “weighing” each present under the tree that was addressed to us. We’d do this for what I guess seemed to her like hours [or, maybe it really was..].

So, for that Christmas, she said that the presents for us boys from Mom and Dad would be randomly numbered [except we didn’t know that term], starting with 1 and ending with the total # of gifts for all 3 combined. And on Christmas morning, as we opened the presents one at a time, she would tell us three – in order – what our next present number was.

Sounds like a plan – except that she misplaced the list before Christmas morning. The only thing she could do then, was to look at each gift and try to remember from its shape and from the wrapping paper [but the paper was the same for a lot of them], who the gift was for. Seems to me she missed it on most of them – so after we opened each gift, before we could ooh and ahh over it, she would tell us who the present was really supposed to be for! [The disappointment level was pretty high on a lot of them, when we found out it wasn’t for us after all!]

That was for sure the ONLY Christmas where we had numbered presents.

Another memory that stands out for me was when I was 6 or 7 years old, in Princeton. They let me SLEEP IN, in my bunk bed [Harry had the lower bunk], on Christmas morning, after everybody was up and opening presents. I still have no idea why they did that – but I was a bit put out [OK, more than a bit…].