Appendicitis and Harry Smith's Family

My father-in-law Grover told me several stories about his uncle, Harry Smith, pictured above with his sister Ellice Smith Morgan and his wife "Pawdy" Smith in 1961. Harry's family moved around with the Morgans a lot so Grover knew them pretty well. Harry was not with the coal mines, though, but was a meat cutter.

Harry and Pawdy had four children: Robert, Thelma, Gladys and Ruth. Only two lived to adulthood---Robert and Thelma. Gladys died of appendicitis before she was 21 years old. Grover didn't have too many details about that but he did for Harry and Pawdy's appendicitis.

Around 1922-1923, Harry had appendicitis when they lived in Landville, WV. He was packed in ice and taken to the hospital the next day. Although it's not in my notes, I seem to recall it was in a bathtub. I'm amazed that was done since that is what is done today with spinal injuries and is considered a break through.

His wife Pawdy also had appendicitis in the late 1920's. Apparently, they were living in Kimball, West Virginia (or nearby---I know Morgans lived in Big Four) at the time because she was operated on by a black surgeon in a black hospital which was over a store. I googled it and found this about the Kimball Colored Hospital. I don't think the timing was right that Dr. Roscoe Harrison would have been her surgeon, but it did verify Grover's story that there was "colored" hospital in Kimball.
One of the reasons I'm doing this blog is because all of the stories from our parents are written down on whatever was handy. This was on the back of an envelope which is nice because it's dated 04 August 1999 :-)

Charlie Smith's Family

L-R Anna Brown Smith, Arnold Smith, Carrie Cornwall Smith, Glenn Smith, Eddie Smith (little), "Grandma" Cornwall, 1922

The family above is Charlie Smith's wife, sons, mother and mother-in-law. Charlie was Ellice Smith Morgan's oldest brother. Charlie, like many in West Virginia/Kentucky was a miner. In 1920, they were in Colorado. By the 1930 census, Charlie and his family were in Riverside, California where he is listed as a "decorator" (painter, wallpaper hanger). My father-in-law's family went West in 1929 to visit with this family and thought they might like to settle west, but they came back to West Virginia. Click here for more about that trip.

L-R: Glenn Smith, Paul Morgan, Grover Morgan, 1983

However, the Morgans maintained close ties with their California cousins, so Grover and his brother Paul often visited with their cousin Glenn Smith.
Glenn and his wife Lucy often traveled with my in-laws Grover and Eloise Morgan to Las Vegas and Arizona where Glenn's brother lived.

Double click on the postcard above to read what Lucy had to say.
This is a photo of Ellice Smith Morgan with her older brother Charles E. Smith. I'm guessing it was made in 1960's but we aren't sure where it was made since she was in Florida and he was in California.
Charlie might have even come east for his son Arnold's funeral---I found this letter to my in-laws.

Ellice Smith Morgan's Letter October 6, 1945

Harry Morgan, Davis Morgan, Grover Morgan; Alexandria Louisiana, 10 July 1945

Ellice Smith Morgan wrote this letter to Grover D. Morgan and his family stationed in Alexandria, Louisiana. She expressed her hope that she will see them at Christmas this year.

Davis Morgan, Grover Morgan, Harry Morgan; Alexandria, LA; 7/19/45

The second page is about her chickens and her hope that Paul and Grover will be out of the army and "get back to normal living again."
Harry (3 yrs 11 mo) and Davis (2 1/2 yrs) Alexandria, LA 7/23/45

The last page expresses her concern that Garner will also have to go into the army.

Grover's Clocks

My father-in-law Grover, loved making clocks with photos and other memorabilia. I've given most of them to the girls, but here are some. The one above was to honor Eloise's golfing.
This one includes his driver's license and various cards.

This clock has photos of Eloise as a girl and teenager---it hung in his hall at the apartment.




This one he made for me---it hung in my kitchen for many years---made of family recipe cards.


Carrie Berry was one Ellice's nieces or cousins.
Here's a dump cake recipe from Ethel Morgan (Clifford Morgan's wife)
Ellice Smith Morgan's cookies.

The egg nog is probably from Alice Alderson Fry.

He made this from one of our records for Rebecca's birthday.

Morgan Letters: Aug. 13 & 15, 1945

Grover Morgan's barracks ready for inspection at Esler Field, Louisiana

The Aug. 13 letter to Grover Morgan from H. B. Morgan discusses Emma Smith (Patrick Smith's widow) visiting and that the war should be over soon.

Grover Morgan (on the right turned away from the camera sitting with the WACs on the day they arrived 11/14/43. "Air Corp WAC Publicity Campaign, Esler Field"

This letter to Grover Morgan's family was Aug. 15, 1945 from Ellice Smith Morgan. The war is over, but she still has concerns that Grover won't get to come home right away. It looks like Garner will get to stay in school, after all. Ellice and Garner just built hog pens while Lowell is with his father for the week. She anticipates that Paul will be home soon.

Grover Morgan sitting with the WACS 12-12-43.

Morgan Letters: 6 Aug. 1945

This first letter is from Ellice Smith Morgan to Grover Morgan's family in Louisiana at Esler Field in Alexandria, LA. In the letter, she discusses the flood "down Prenter way", Paul Morgan's hopes for getting home and the possibility of Garner Morgan going in the military. She also talks about the McGlothlins who are Paul's in-laws. Janice McGlothin Morgan is pictured above with Davis Morgan.

Ellice Smith Morgan, Grover Morgan, Janice McGlothlin Morgan, 1943

Below is a letter written by H. B. Morgan also on Aug. 6th. He lived most of the week in Prenter where he worked while his wife lived in Princeton on "the farm". So, they didn't really know that the other was writing on the same day. He, also, talks about the weather, the crops and the possibility of Garner going into the military.

G.D. Morgan's Memories of 1929 Trip West and Back to WV

Don't worry, Dave re-typed this so you can double click on the photo below, or read what Grover wrote further down the page.


FILE: MORGAN 1929 TRIP WEST FROM WEST VIRGINIA

H. B. MORGAN FAMILY – EVENTS LEADING TO TRIP WEST – AUGUST 1929

In 1928, Harry (H.B.) Morgan, while Gen. Supt. of BY PRODUCTS POCAHONTAS COAL CO. at Big Four, WV, was offered the position of GEN. SUPT. of a new coal mine to be built near Bartley, WV in McDowell County. The mine (with employee living quarters to be built as a new coal camp would be called “HARMOR”), and would be a deep “shaft” mine as was the present mine at Bartley a mile or so distant. Harry Morgan was familiar with the dangerous “gassy” conditions of the Bartley mine and was also aware of the physical dangers of “shaft” mines since the only egress from such mines in case of an explosion was up to the earth’s surface via the shaft. This condition as opposed to a “drift” mine in which the entrance and exit could be traversed at any time by just walking in or out. H. B. wanted no part of a “gassy” shaft mine and turned down the offer, which then passed to the then-Supt. of the Bartley mine, Raymond Salvati, and the coal camp was subsequently named “RAYSAL.” Tragically, the Bartley mine “blew up” a few months later killing at least 65 miners.

The mine explosion coupled with the long pent up desire of H. B. to get out of the coal business and buy a small farm and raise chickens led to a plan to go west and “settle” near Chandler, AZ. So, after purchasing a “tent trailer” (Gilkey), he quit his job at Big Four in August 1929, and with the trailer behind the 1927 seven passenger Packard sedan the entire family left WV to seek whatever fortune awaited them in Arizona. Fortunately or unfortunately the plans to buy a chicken ranch did not come to fruition, and after six weeks of looking and visiting the C. E. Smith family (Mrs. H. B.’s brother Charlie) in Riverside, CA. The family returned to WV around Oct. 1, 1929 to Princeton, WV. Just why H. B. picked Princeton was never explained to anyone of the family.

Anyway, with very limited funds remaining H. B. was able to rent a house in Princeton and obtain enough “used” furniture to enable his family to get along while he went back to the coal field to find a job doing the only thing he knew he was good at. Within two days he was hired as General Superintendent of a coal mine located at Thacker Mines, WV (Mingo county), and the family was moved there within a few days of his getting the position.

Sometime during 1930 H. B. (thru Princeton Bank & Trust Co.) purchased the “defunct”Crotty dairy farm (52 acres on the Eastern outskirts of Princeton) and later named the spread “Five Oaks” because of five large oak trees which surrounded the springs which furnished water for the farm needs.

Various members of the Morgan family lived and worked at the “farm” until H. B. and Ellice could no longer take care of the place by themselves during 1952. The entire farm was sold via auction and H. B. and Ellice moved to North Miami, FL.

-30-

[H. B. Morgan below 1932, Thacker Mine West Virginia.]