The recent addition of photos from Cousin Terry has helped to fill in a few blanks…and brings up a few questions.
November 18 1923 Sunday Home with kids Thresa went to Emmas to see sick baby
Grandma went to her sister Emmas home in Laporte…about 45 miles away. ( Grandma could have taken the Stage to Park Rapids and then went by car with her parents and sisters, Frances and Lydia to Emmas.)
Aunt Emma and Uncle Rubert with Earl born in 1918 and a baby. The baby is either their daughter Leila born in 1923 or their niece Donna born in 1924. (Donna's story is a complicated one and better left for another day.) The middle photo is Aunt Emma and Earl near a wood pile.
On the far right is Aunt Frances holding a baby…if it is Leila this is probably the only photo we have of her.
December 1923
6 Thursday Recieved word little Leala (Leila) was dead Thresa and Minnie went to Emmas I cut ties and chored
7 Friday Went early to Laport to funeral not cold Rubert and Emma came home with us Minnie and Alfred came also
8 Saturday Visited in AM Ruberts went home I made ties in PM Thresa and Minnie went to Robinsons
9 Sunday To Dads eat Turkey Ruberts went home in PM
Since Grandpa has no way with words we don’t know what little Leila died from. We know she was sick November 18 because Grandma visited that day. We know that the family surrounded Emma and Rubert and brought them home with them for a few days after the babies death.
These photos are not marked. Everyone who could possibly identify this baby as Leila or Donna have passed on.
Leila was born May 29 1923 and died December 6 1923. Donna was born September 6 1924.
So the trees being leafless in the first photo are no clue what so ever…it could be either child. I am guessing that the baby is about six months old.
Such a sad thing to have a baby die. The baby in the photos looks happy.
ReplyDeleteSo sad . My step daughters name is Leila it is a Arabic and Hebrew name in origin Origin of the name Leila: Derived from the Arabic leila (night, dark beauty) or the Persian leila (dark-haired). Its use in England began with George Byon's poem "The Giaour" (1813). just a bit of history of the name incase your interested . Thanks for sharing , have a good day !
ReplyDeleteI think it was not exactly rare for a child to die in infancy during those days. I grieve for the pain the parents had to endure. Those pictures are filled with the memories of those long passed away. Thank you for sharing the story of Leila who lived for such a short time.
ReplyDeleteSo sad when the 'littles' die young,misn't it? Do you know that you can do research in the county's Register of Deeds Office? I have not ever paid a fee for just looking at old death certificates to find cause of death. There is a fee for a printed copy. If the baby on the right is Leila, then lookmat the smile the world missed by her early passing. She was sick a while by the dates from the diary.
ReplyDeleteI love reading your old diary and stories. When we go to the old cemeteries around town, there are many children buried with very short lives. Hard times, little medicine.
ReplyDeleteFamily come closer with stories from the pass. Glad you have the old
ReplyDeletediaries and photo's.
Since mama and daddy both are dead, and all of their brothers, there is nobody left to answer questions we have now. I'm always thinking of something I would love to know about, but nobody to ask. How sad that the baby died.
ReplyDeleteThe baby in the photo looks so healthy and happy. What a blow for the family it must have been to lose Leila.
ReplyDeleteOh, I cannot imagine how a parent must feel. It's the awfullest and it happened to almost every family back then at least once or twice. Was that before penicllin? I don't know but it seemed like it was pneumonia that took them most often? I don't know. That baby sure looks healthy in that picture though.
ReplyDeleteSo sad!! I think it is wonderful that you have record of these events. Bless people who keep diaries!!
ReplyDeletexo
Lynn
You really like a mystery. As you say, "Only a few more words and so much more would be told."
ReplyDeleteA sad story. If only Grandpa had written a few details there would be less mystery.
ReplyDeleteNot even a year old, such a shame. Of course, back then the medical field isn't what it is now. I think so many people (including me) don't write things down anymore, it will be even worse in the next generation. Especially since most things are digitally modified, and less pictures.
ReplyDeleteThose answers we stumble upon always come packed with more mysteries. Well, at least bit by bit you are making progress. Perhaps you will find out more as you work your way through the journal.
ReplyDeleteOther than the buckle on the baby's shoes, the outfit in each picture looks nearly identical. Except for that, I'd think it was the same child. What a sad story and experience for the family to have to go through. So many struggles in life back then. No wonder they were such hardy people.
Even without the "details" I still think his journal is very interesting. Doubt many took the trouble. Guessing he wrote thinking he'd be the only one ever looking back at it and he'd know what he was talking about.
ReplyDeleteSometimes a mystery invites us to imagine the possibilities, and we learn more about life than if we'd been given an answer. You have such a good feel for the past, and skill at "reading" old photos.
ReplyDelete