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

Roy M. Long Coming Home

Within a year of going to France, Roy M. Long was back home. Again, I will transcribe to the best of my ability. The note above says:

"March 3, 1919

I am ______ you this card to let you now that we land in the morning in new york and that i well and get a long fine and hope it finds you the same.
Your son,
Roy M. Long"
This next note (above and below) says:
"March 19, 1919
I went through Niagra Falls last night and I sending you this pictures of it. Be sure and keep this because I want it when I get home. Roy M. Long"


For more information on Roy M. Long in World War I with photos and discharge papers, Click here.

Roy Long in France 1918-1919

These are post cards with no messages on them. I think people bought more post cards back then because they didn't have cameras or cell phones to take photos. :-)
These photos all have to do with World War I in France, but I don't read French and can't give more detail. If you do know French or just want a closer look, double click on the photos and use the back arrow to come back to this page/

This post card looks like a typical "tourist" post card. But, maybe Roy Long visited there or was stationed nearby.

The gentleman below is Marshall Joseph Joffre whom was considered a hero by many at that time, but history has not been so kind. Click here for more information.
Again, thanks to my sister Jane who shared Grandpa's post cards.

Roy Long's postcards home 1918

These post cards are from Roy Long to his parents while he was in training before he went overseas in 1918. To see the post cards larger, double click; then, use your back arrow to come back to this page. I will attempt to transcribe each post card, but the handwriting and fading of those done in pencil make it very hard. Please let me know if you don't think I've transcribed it correctly. The first one is to his father "T. H. Long" note the address "Desoto, Mo".
"Feb. 17, 1918 S. Carolina

Hello,
I thought_____ you _____ this to let you [know] that well. hope you are the same. You spoke about ______ you want to they haven stoped them at all. They go even of the week. I got wine Tuesday. It is all might send him if you wants."


This next post card, also from Roy in South Carolina is to his mother "Mrs. Mary C. Long"

May 18, 1918 S. Car

Dear Mother,
I thought would write you a few lines to let you now that I am well and that I received the cake you sent me and it was all OK. Your son Roy
We are moving______I don't know where____. [postmark says "New York"]
The next one is from Augusta, Georgia

"Dear Father,
I thought send you a card to let you now that I am well and hope it finds you the same. I like fine here as far as I now you. From your son Roy M. Long [what follows is his rank and company---not sure if I got it right]Co. B3rd RODN Comp Air corps Augusta Ga"

Thanks to my sister, Jane, who shared these post cards.

Vivian Maupin and Roy Long 1918

Roy Long, 3rd from the left

The photo below just says the woman on the left is Vivian, but I believe this was the summer she was pregnant with Dad. It's a part of a photo with a large group of young people. I was happy to find it because I had often wondered what it must have been like for her in 1918 to be pregnant and unmarried. This photo at least tells me she wasn't locked away in an attic. At first, it shocked us that our father, LeRoy Long, was born out of wedlock. But, his father Roy Milton Long had left for World War I and couldn't really make an honest woman out of Vivian Maupin until he returned in 1919.
We also have the crocheted cap that Annie Reed made dad as an infant. Mom left the note that the star was in the top of the cap because his dad was a soldier over-seas. This tells me that despite the "inconvenience" of his birth, he was loved and cherished.
The photo above shows the cap was worn quite a bit---it's soiled around the edges. The glasses were also Dad's when he was very little. I don't think LeRoy Long is wearing the hat below, but here he is in 1919, probably.

Although we don't have any letters between Vivian and Roy, we do have this souvenir made out of silk.

And, he did bring the doll on the right back to Vivian from France.
Maybe someone else in the family has letters between them. We do have post-cards from Roy to his parents, and he never indicates any friction. But, that's another blog.