Out of the Shadows.
From the Datebooks of James E. Wilkinson, Jr.
Photo taken by the shadow himself, atop C&O freight car, Barrett W. Va., April 19, 1941
These are excerpts from Jim Wilkinson‘s 1941, ’46, ’47 and ’53 date books. His writing was small, and while not messy, hard to read at times. I excerpt without attention to grammar fixing only a few times to assure that meaning gets across.
He’s my dad and I have learned much about him from these and the research done to provide context and understanding of what he wrote. Some parts of his gnomon (the part of a sundial that casts the shadow) were very familiar - like his reading habits and his shoulders that we see on the boxcar in our first photo. Others were hidden and only in looking back can I now make out hints of his emotional life.
JEW, Jr. at 6 months.
Jim was born in 1918, eldest son of (Elva) Gertrude Schultz and J. Edgar Wilkinson in the Philadelphia area. She was a nurse and he, an estate lawyer. They raised their family (one more son, two daughters) in Wenonah, NJ just south of Philly. Not wealthy but certainly prosperous compared to most in the depression years that so heavily shaded the lives of many, including his wife, our mother, Betty Walker.
He graduated from Penn State University in forestry in 1939. I don’t know what he did for the year between then and mid-1940. But this depression year was one with very few job openings for young University grads - or anyone else. Hence, in 1941 he was working as a laborer ‘to learn the business’ at a lumber operation in Barrett, West Virginia. In about 1972 he and I attended a meeting for foresters at The Greenbriar, a famous resort in W. Va. The Greenbriar was the site of a secret underground bunker for Congress starting in the 1950s. We took a drive to Barrett one day, not much to see at that time.
Jim once met the “father of American forestry” and then-governor of Pennsylvania, Gifford Pinchot through his uncle. This was at age 14 in 1932. He joined the Society of American Foresters at that time and remained a member until his death in 2008. His entire career was in forestry. He was forced to “resign” as Commissioner of the Vermont Dept. of Forests and Parks in 1979 and then happily returned to the woods, forest management and conservation policy activities for another 15 years.
The war in Europe was raging and news of it filled the radio and print media as will be apparent in his notes. Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal was underway, as were preparations for U.S. involvement in World War II. His uncle, Howard W, an Episcopal minister, was pastor at the church in D.C. frequented by the Roosevelts and was in attendance with his wife and daughter at inaugurals, White House social events, etc. Another story…...
Barrett is in Boone County, part of the southwest area where the infamous Hatfield and McCoy clans battled. It was also the area of the Coal Mine Wars (1912-21) in which the United Mine Workers tried to unionize workers. They fought pitched battles with sheriffs, state police and thugs hired by mine owners. Dozens were killed. It was dramatized by the movie, Matawan. Famous labor activist “Mother” Jones was a part of this struggle.
Barrett was a company town owned by the W. M. Ritter Lumber Company. Jim was 23 years old. His earnings were 37.5 cents per hour and room and board at the company Club House was $7 per week. In 1912 Ritter was indicted for “peonage” - violent labor trafficking of immigrants from east coast cities. See appendix.
I have transcribed what are, to me, the most interesting sentences from these datebooks, including quite a bit of work-related material that may be relevant to the Forest History Society at Duke University. The photos of Barrett he took for the company in April, 1941 and are now at Duke. See them all on my blog: https://bit.ly/2JxZgzr. No doubt some names and other words are wrong in the transcription.
I quote the first day in full to give a flavor of the writing. I am organizing most of the remainder of the material thematically but have saved a day-by-day version.
In the opening pages of the 1941 date book he copied out a number of poems and quotations including ones by Rupert Brooke, Henry Van Dyke, Jerry Cooper , Clarence Streit and a couple of others.
Three of quotations note:
A philosophy of life which involves no sacrifice turns out in the end to be merely an excuse for being the sort of person one is.
T.S. Eliot.
Security is produced by our wants and government by our wickedness.
Thomas Paine.
Of all of this world’s noises, music is the most pleasant to the ear.
Unattributed.
February 6, 1941. (in full and a typical entry for 1941.)
Am about to try keeping a diary again after a lapse of over a year. Many things have happened in the past year worth recording, but they went unidentified. This may end the same way as the last.
This book arrived from dad today was the initiating impulse.
Work today was reg. reg. loaded car of 213 B/4 pop. to RCA, Camden NJ.
Have been reading a very excellent thought-provoking and inspiring book lately Union Now by Clarence Streit. A proposal and cause which I wish I had gumption and nerve enough to forcefully support. Will write for particulars when I complete it.
Arn Maynard + Mr. Lawrence to Danville, WVA today for weekend. (I think JEW drove them there, he brought a car from NJ. It is possible that his is in one of the following photos.)
JW Davison (? manager?) backed on his word and threw monkey wrench in plans for NLRB election to determine IWA (International Woodworkers of America) union standing here. Union not worried much yet. (These were the not the famous wobblies (IWW) but a CIO affiliate that was strongest in the west of US and Canada.)
Weather - warm, partly cloudy 30 degrees-50 degrees.
L.R. Pryor came in about 15 min. ago. 8:30 p.m.
February 7 (excerpts hereafter).
NLRB representative in today to make preparations for election, I suppose. I’ve heard nothing definite about his visit. Expected back later.
Payday for January. Best yet, drawing $75.25. New rate of 39 1/2 cents.
February 8
Received letter from MW Humphrey at State with invitation to join SAF (Society of American Foresters) and also to attend Allegheny section meeting in Hagerstown Maryland on 28 February. This has revived my old latent interest in forestry.
Sunday, February 9
New mill foreman arrived today named Walter Hall. To take Henry Radford’s job, he being fired.
February 10
Slept comparatively late this morning until 6:50 AM. I’ve been rushing off to work at kiln unloading trucks and piling in shed, nothing special.
February 11
Worked in planing mill all day loading sucker rods. Very weary job standing in one spot all day that p.m. even taking off plenty of time to smoke and rest, though.
February 13
Work today included stacking ties for two hours then rest of day loading 1 x 2 3/4 x 15 oak ——-.
Friday, February 14
Finished car of (oak) ______ this morning. Loaded a car of _____ caps to Jackal Coal Co. at Wyoming, W Va this afternoon. 16,297 feet in 3 hours. Not bad.
February 15
Davison (boss) arrived at about 10:30 this morning with his wife, very pleasant woman in first evidence. What resulted of his visit I do not know yet; met with union officers this afternoon, without Singleton the organizer.
February 16
Union signed a contract with company officials yesterday calling for a 2 1/2 cent raise, two week pay period pay period, ongoing negotiations. At least that is what I believe they have. I have not heard definitely. No closed shop and no check off.
February 19
Loaded a car of red oak flooring stock today. Lack about 2400 feet of finishing it. Actually slow loading because we couldn’t get any lumber in.
February 22
Worked at loading 7/16 select and better basswood to U.S. Navy at Phila. Tallied for the NHLA ( Ntl. Hardwood Lumber Assn.? A New Deal agency? Do not know) inspector, Mr. Smith. There are four cars from here, 3 from Mabern + one from New River making about 326,000 feet. Stuff loads pretty slow. Only got in about 26458 b.f. (board feet) today.
February 24
Loaded basswood at the p.m. (planing mill) all day with Mr. Smith the NHLA man. Finished the first car with 40417 b.f. Three more to go.
Am. For. Mag. arrived today.
February 27
We’re loading up basswood. Should finish by tomorrow.
February 28
Finished the basswood today at 3:30. four cars total 159489 b.f. which is a lot of lumber.
March 3
Oh me! Am I tired and weary tonight? Worked hard today picking up stock. For the past month I’ve done comparatively little hard physical work, and today’s got me down.
March 12
Guess I am back to my old job of taking outs (I think this means removing inferior lumber from the general supply so as to ship a certain quality) - permanently now. Orville Perry has taken over all loadings of flooring stock. Can’t understand Hays favoring him, he being a union big shot.
March 17
Continued loading red oak strips, me taking outs. Need I say more. No!!
From the Datebooks of James E. Wilkinson, Jr.
Photo taken by the shadow himself, atop C&O freight car, Barrett W. Va., April 19, 1941
Introduction
These are excerpts from Jim Wilkinson‘s 1941, ’46, ’47 and ’53 date books. His writing was small, and while not messy, hard to read at times. I excerpt without attention to grammar fixing only a few times to assure that meaning gets across.
He’s my dad and I have learned much about him from these and the research done to provide context and understanding of what he wrote. Some parts of his gnomon (the part of a sundial that casts the shadow) were very familiar - like his reading habits and his shoulders that we see on the boxcar in our first photo. Others were hidden and only in looking back can I now make out hints of his emotional life.
Chapter 1: JEW Jr. His Background and 1941
JEW, Jr. at 6 months.
Jim was born in 1918, eldest son of (Elva) Gertrude Schultz and J. Edgar Wilkinson in the Philadelphia area. She was a nurse and he, an estate lawyer. They raised their family (one more son, two daughters) in Wenonah, NJ just south of Philly. Not wealthy but certainly prosperous compared to most in the depression years that so heavily shaded the lives of many, including his wife, our mother, Betty Walker.
He graduated from Penn State University in forestry in 1939. I don’t know what he did for the year between then and mid-1940. But this depression year was one with very few job openings for young University grads - or anyone else. Hence, in 1941 he was working as a laborer ‘to learn the business’ at a lumber operation in Barrett, West Virginia. In about 1972 he and I attended a meeting for foresters at The Greenbriar, a famous resort in W. Va. The Greenbriar was the site of a secret underground bunker for Congress starting in the 1950s. We took a drive to Barrett one day, not much to see at that time.
Jim once met the “father of American forestry” and then-governor of Pennsylvania, Gifford Pinchot through his uncle. This was at age 14 in 1932. He joined the Society of American Foresters at that time and remained a member until his death in 2008. His entire career was in forestry. He was forced to “resign” as Commissioner of the Vermont Dept. of Forests and Parks in 1979 and then happily returned to the woods, forest management and conservation policy activities for another 15 years.
The war in Europe was raging and news of it filled the radio and print media as will be apparent in his notes. Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal was underway, as were preparations for U.S. involvement in World War II. His uncle, Howard W, an Episcopal minister, was pastor at the church in D.C. frequented by the Roosevelts and was in attendance with his wife and daughter at inaugurals, White House social events, etc. Another story…...
Barrett is in Boone County, part of the southwest area where the infamous Hatfield and McCoy clans battled. It was also the area of the Coal Mine Wars (1912-21) in which the United Mine Workers tried to unionize workers. They fought pitched battles with sheriffs, state police and thugs hired by mine owners. Dozens were killed. It was dramatized by the movie, Matawan. Famous labor activist “Mother” Jones was a part of this struggle.
Barrett was a company town owned by the W. M. Ritter Lumber Company. Jim was 23 years old. His earnings were 37.5 cents per hour and room and board at the company Club House was $7 per week. In 1912 Ritter was indicted for “peonage” - violent labor trafficking of immigrants from east coast cities. See appendix.
The Date Books
I have transcribed what are, to me, the most interesting sentences from these datebooks, including quite a bit of work-related material that may be relevant to the Forest History Society at Duke University. The photos of Barrett he took for the company in April, 1941 and are now at Duke. See them all on my blog: https://bit.ly/2JxZgzr. No doubt some names and other words are wrong in the transcription.
I quote the first day in full to give a flavor of the writing. I am organizing most of the remainder of the material thematically but have saved a day-by-day version.
In the opening pages of the 1941 date book he copied out a number of poems and quotations including ones by Rupert Brooke, Henry Van Dyke, Jerry Cooper , Clarence Streit and a couple of others.
Three of quotations note:
A philosophy of life which involves no sacrifice turns out in the end to be merely an excuse for being the sort of person one is.
T.S. Eliot.
Security is produced by our wants and government by our wickedness.
Thomas Paine.
Of all of this world’s noises, music is the most pleasant to the ear.
Unattributed.
Chapter 2: Work, Work, Work. Hard work.
February 6, 1941. (in full and a typical entry for 1941.)
Am about to try keeping a diary again after a lapse of over a year. Many things have happened in the past year worth recording, but they went unidentified. This may end the same way as the last.
This book arrived from dad today was the initiating impulse.
Work today was reg. reg. loaded car of 213 B/4 pop. to RCA, Camden NJ.
Have been reading a very excellent thought-provoking and inspiring book lately Union Now by Clarence Streit. A proposal and cause which I wish I had gumption and nerve enough to forcefully support. Will write for particulars when I complete it.
Arn Maynard + Mr. Lawrence to Danville, WVA today for weekend. (I think JEW drove them there, he brought a car from NJ. It is possible that his is in one of the following photos.)
JW Davison (? manager?) backed on his word and threw monkey wrench in plans for NLRB election to determine IWA (International Woodworkers of America) union standing here. Union not worried much yet. (These were the not the famous wobblies (IWW) but a CIO affiliate that was strongest in the west of US and Canada.)
Weather - warm, partly cloudy 30 degrees-50 degrees.
L.R. Pryor came in about 15 min. ago. 8:30 p.m.
February 7 (excerpts hereafter).
NLRB representative in today to make preparations for election, I suppose. I’ve heard nothing definite about his visit. Expected back later.
Payday for January. Best yet, drawing $75.25. New rate of 39 1/2 cents.
February 8
Received letter from MW Humphrey at State with invitation to join SAF (Society of American Foresters) and also to attend Allegheny section meeting in Hagerstown Maryland on 28 February. This has revived my old latent interest in forestry.
Sunday, February 9
New mill foreman arrived today named Walter Hall. To take Henry Radford’s job, he being fired.
February 10
Slept comparatively late this morning until 6:50 AM. I’ve been rushing off to work at kiln unloading trucks and piling in shed, nothing special.
February 11
Worked in planing mill all day loading sucker rods. Very weary job standing in one spot all day that p.m. even taking off plenty of time to smoke and rest, though.
February 13
Work today included stacking ties for two hours then rest of day loading 1 x 2 3/4 x 15 oak ——-.
Friday, February 14
Finished car of (oak) ______ this morning. Loaded a car of _____ caps to Jackal Coal Co. at Wyoming, W Va this afternoon. 16,297 feet in 3 hours. Not bad.
February 15
Davison (boss) arrived at about 10:30 this morning with his wife, very pleasant woman in first evidence. What resulted of his visit I do not know yet; met with union officers this afternoon, without Singleton the organizer.
February 16
Union signed a contract with company officials yesterday calling for a 2 1/2 cent raise, two week pay period pay period, ongoing negotiations. At least that is what I believe they have. I have not heard definitely. No closed shop and no check off.
February 19
Loaded a car of red oak flooring stock today. Lack about 2400 feet of finishing it. Actually slow loading because we couldn’t get any lumber in.
February 22
Worked at loading 7/16 select and better basswood to U.S. Navy at Phila. Tallied for the NHLA ( Ntl. Hardwood Lumber Assn.? A New Deal agency? Do not know) inspector, Mr. Smith. There are four cars from here, 3 from Mabern + one from New River making about 326,000 feet. Stuff loads pretty slow. Only got in about 26458 b.f. (board feet) today.
February 24
Loaded basswood at the p.m. (planing mill) all day with Mr. Smith the NHLA man. Finished the first car with 40417 b.f. Three more to go.
Am. For. Mag. arrived today.
February 27
We’re loading up basswood. Should finish by tomorrow.
February 28
Finished the basswood today at 3:30. four cars total 159489 b.f. which is a lot of lumber.
March 3
Oh me! Am I tired and weary tonight? Worked hard today picking up stock. For the past month I’ve done comparatively little hard physical work, and today’s got me down.
March 12
Guess I am back to my old job of taking outs (I think this means removing inferior lumber from the general supply so as to ship a certain quality) - permanently now. Orville Perry has taken over all loadings of flooring stock. Can’t understand Hays favoring him, he being a union big shot.
March 17
Continued loading red oak strips, me taking outs. Need I say more. No!!
Barrett, W. VA. residential section.
March 18
Bill Eg and ER ——- talked to me at noon today concerning my work here, my future plans, my draft number and other items. Nothing will come of it, I believe. Just so much talk.
March 19
Another ordinary work day, except that we did not load much. All day trying to pick 1 & 2 ( Assume this means 1 and 2 are poor selections compared to 3 and 4 rated boards.) ____ out of HF. Very slow progress. Moved 9000 feet to get 1500 4/4. Nearly same to get 2500 feet of 3/4.
Supervisor grading lumber before hand loading of boards. (see hands).
March 20
Another day, another $3.20.
April 2
Worked hard today. as hard or harder than ever before. started on an order for 2 cars of 16/4 white oak for U.S. Navy. I put it in car all day myself and it was quite a heavy job.( A 12 foot board would weigh at least 250 pounds. What tools did he have? It was hand work according to his photo caption. Was it shorter pieces?) finished 1st car.
Worked hard today. as hard or harder than ever before. started on an order for 2 cars of 16/4 white oak for U.S. Navy. I put it in car all day myself and it was quite a heavy job.( A 12 foot board would weigh at least 250 pounds. What tools did he have? It was hand work according to his photo caption. Was it shorter pieces?) finished 1st car.
Lumber drying shed
April 3
Off the 16/4 today. Price loaded p.m. on top of the 16/4 piles so no way to get to it. I worked with Eg on an RCA order for 5/4 2 A poplar.
April 4
Union starting another fight. Wants to collect one dollar a month dues from nonmembers. Of course they won’t pay it. Union members getting very mad and belligerent.
April 7
Felt punk all day and the 8/4 hickory we loaded did not improve me any. It is a carload for Griffiff in Chicago.
April 8
Felt much better today. But we still were on the 8/4 all morning and part of the p.m. Then started loading a car of 5/16” basswood. From the ridiculous to the sublime. (I assume this curious comment relates to the much heavier 8 inch x 4 inch hickory contrasting with the slim basswood.)
April 16
Man, am I weary tonite? Worked hard all day and got very little done. finally finished the car of 8/4 white oak but had to take out 14000 feet to get 3500 feet. such an awful mess of outs I’ve rarely seen.
April 19
Worked hard today on that 8/4 white oak. Finished car with 11,000 feet.
Off the 16/4 today. Price loaded p.m. on top of the 16/4 piles so no way to get to it. I worked with Eg on an RCA order for 5/4 2 A poplar.
April 4
Union starting another fight. Wants to collect one dollar a month dues from nonmembers. Of course they won’t pay it. Union members getting very mad and belligerent.
April 7
Felt punk all day and the 8/4 hickory we loaded did not improve me any. It is a carload for Griffiff in Chicago.
April 8
Felt much better today. But we still were on the 8/4 all morning and part of the p.m. Then started loading a car of 5/16” basswood. From the ridiculous to the sublime. (I assume this curious comment relates to the much heavier 8 inch x 4 inch hickory contrasting with the slim basswood.)
April 16
Man, am I weary tonite? Worked hard all day and got very little done. finally finished the car of 8/4 white oak but had to take out 14000 feet to get 3500 feet. such an awful mess of outs I’ve rarely seen.
April 19
Worked hard today on that 8/4 white oak. Finished car with 11,000 feet.
hand cart for loading on C&O boxcars
April 21
Union has served notice that it is striking tomorrow. Doubt if they will strike. Want all non-members to pay dues. hah hah!
April 22
Well the union did not strike. Just a fizzle. work was tough today. 8/4 hickory. moved over 18,000 to
get five (thousand) . What a hell of a mess and disgusting, discouraging job.
May 16
Worked on an order for heavy timber today. What a mess, all items piled together & had to be separated. Fell this p.m. and a piece fell on my leg and strained a knee tendon. Very sore and stiff tonite. Work tomorrow on overtime. Great stuff that.
Heard Ritter has bought 25,000 acres for timber in Ky. Wonder what it is like.
Union has served notice that it is striking tomorrow. Doubt if they will strike. Want all non-members to pay dues. hah hah!
April 22
Well the union did not strike. Just a fizzle. work was tough today. 8/4 hickory. moved over 18,000 to
get five (thousand) . What a hell of a mess and disgusting, discouraging job.
May 16
Worked on an order for heavy timber today. What a mess, all items piled together & had to be separated. Fell this p.m. and a piece fell on my leg and strained a knee tendon. Very sore and stiff tonite. Work tomorrow on overtime. Great stuff that.
Heard Ritter has bought 25,000 acres for timber in Ky. Wonder what it is like.
Logged over area on James Creek
May 17 (Saturday - usually he did not work on weekends here.)
Worked 5 hours this morning finishing up yesterday’s business and getting ready to start another car of 8/4 white oak 12-14 feet long. (a board measuring 12 feet by 8 inch by 4 inches of white oak would weigh 125 pounds today - and probably the wood was more dense in 1941. ) Has to be picked out of the reg. common. Have already shipped two cars.
May 22
Mr. Pryor in tonite. Says that Mr. Ritter may make the rounds of the mills soon. If so, it will be the first since I’ve been here.
May 23
Worked 9 hours today, one hour overtime. Scheduled to also work some tomorrow.
Nice work when you can get it, Been working on a walnut order, taken up by purchasers’ inspector.
Payday today and discovered that I was paid 4 hours overtime for the time I took making
the photos for the company a couple of weeks ago.
May 26
Loaded car of 6/4 basswood (this would have weighed 60 lbs per 12 foot length) today. Started
on another of 8/4 white oak, 12-14 feet long. Don’t know what we will load it in tho, for the
C&O (railroad) shifters did not bring us any empties. There definitely is a car shortage and it is
bound to get worse when the wheat harvesting starts next month.
Worked 5 hours this morning finishing up yesterday’s business and getting ready to start another car of 8/4 white oak 12-14 feet long. (a board measuring 12 feet by 8 inch by 4 inches of white oak would weigh 125 pounds today - and probably the wood was more dense in 1941. ) Has to be picked out of the reg. common. Have already shipped two cars.
May 22
Mr. Pryor in tonite. Says that Mr. Ritter may make the rounds of the mills soon. If so, it will be the first since I’ve been here.
May 23
Worked 9 hours today, one hour overtime. Scheduled to also work some tomorrow.
Nice work when you can get it, Been working on a walnut order, taken up by purchasers’ inspector.
Payday today and discovered that I was paid 4 hours overtime for the time I took making
the photos for the company a couple of weeks ago.
May 26
Loaded car of 6/4 basswood (this would have weighed 60 lbs per 12 foot length) today. Started
on another of 8/4 white oak, 12-14 feet long. Don’t know what we will load it in tho, for the
C&O (railroad) shifters did not bring us any empties. There definitely is a car shortage and it is
bound to get worse when the wheat harvesting starts next month.
overview of Barrett mill
May 29
Worked 10 hours today to finish a car of 8/4 red oak sill stock which we started at about
2 o’clock. Really poured on the oil. Our stack crew loaded about 14000 feet (more
than 52,000 pounds, jw) in 3 hours.
June 11
The union ruckus has started up again. An open meeting was held tonight as the local is doing no good. someone got the bright idea of organizing the nonunion men into a local of the United Construction Workers Organizing Committee (An effort funded by the United Mine Workers.) and then transferring the present IWA membership over to the new organization. Then a new contract would be necessary. Looks like the plan might be successful for about a dozen nonunion men signed up tonight for the UCWOC and are going to sign up the rest. Guess I won't get into this for I’ll be leaving before long.
June 12
Company has made an offer of $10 for the best ideas submitted for improving of the business. I don't believe that just one idea will do much good, but a whole comprehensive related plan might. It will be a few suggestions, I am afraid.
Worked 10 hours today to finish a car of 8/4 red oak sill stock which we started at about
2 o’clock. Really poured on the oil. Our stack crew loaded about 14000 feet (more
than 52,000 pounds, jw) in 3 hours.
June 11
The union ruckus has started up again. An open meeting was held tonight as the local is doing no good. someone got the bright idea of organizing the nonunion men into a local of the United Construction Workers Organizing Committee (An effort funded by the United Mine Workers.) and then transferring the present IWA membership over to the new organization. Then a new contract would be necessary. Looks like the plan might be successful for about a dozen nonunion men signed up tonight for the UCWOC and are going to sign up the rest. Guess I won't get into this for I’ll be leaving before long.
June 12
Company has made an offer of $10 for the best ideas submitted for improving of the business. I don't believe that just one idea will do much good, but a whole comprehensive related plan might. It will be a few suggestions, I am afraid.
Logging camp on James Creek with a Shay geared steam engine.
June 18
8/4 white oak again today and all day. The grade ran bad and we accomplished little. Back on it tomorrow.
Bob Rice the saw filer has been on a five day drunk (Jim’s dad was listed as a Presidential electoral college voter in early 1920s for a prohibitionist party) and was fired yesterday. The mill has had no files this week until this afternoon when Eastwood came over from Maburn.
a saw filer (not from W. Va.)
June 19
Work as usual today.
Price still drunk.
(Jim drove off to New Jersey to prepare for war on June 23.)
Work as usual today.
Price still drunk.
(Jim drove off to New Jersey to prepare for war on June 23.)
Chapter 3: Family, friends, acquaintances and encounters. 1941.
February 8
Down to E Maynard‘s tonight. Read and talk till 1 AM. Discussed the company, the union, the people, politics etc. Very congenial company.
February 12
Mrs. Johnson (manager of the Club) has been squawking about having to pay income tax. She has evaded it every other year and this is her first and what a Howl!! Especially about the 10% defense tax. Definitely anti-British almost fully supports Nazi Germany and Hitler. She is a very confused and inconsistent woman. I feel sorry for her and for what she has to look forward to, but I can do little or nothing to help her. Do wish she would be more reasonable and less vitriolic. She has been very fine to me, treated me exceptionally well and I appreciate it muchly. But for her I’d have left here long ago.
Club house for single men. His car?
Feb. 13
Letter today from Bobby in China. Huzzah!! Very interesting and inspiring, no sense in repeating it here for I shall keep letter.
(This is a woman who was a roommate of dad‘s sister, Elizabeth, at Oberlin College. Upon graduation Florence [Bobby (or Bobbie)] and her new husband, also an Oberlin graduate, Ellsworth Carlson, shipped off to China as educators in an Oberlin-affiliated school in Shanxi. I am told that they took the last boat of scrap metal from the West Coast to Japan and then on to China. Bobbie and her husband stayed in Chendu in western China for the duration of the war. Eventually they returned to Oberlin where he joined the history department. Sara and I stayed with her when looking at colleges. Bobbie talked about my father with fond nostalgia.)
February 22
Down to Maynards for evening where we got into discussions on religion in practically, particularly the 10th chapter of Daniel in the Bible. “There shall always be wars and rumors of wars etc.“ New Testament, have my own interpretations of that.
Family housing in Barrett
Feb. 27
Bill Eg came in last night and has been snooping around all day. He declares that we are already in the war and that it will be but a short while before we are actively participating. Seems pro interventionist. But I believe solely for the benefit of big business and not for men.
Libby (his sister Elizabeth) sent some fudge which I received today very nice of her.
March 1
Down to Maynard‘s this evening. They have Eg’s sister Caroline down there for the weekend along with roommates at New River State College, a couple of very silly young girls.
March 17
Had a hot but short argument with Mrs. Johnson this evening. Over Great Britain and Germany, of course.
March 28
Orval Buckner and Edward Price were arrested by state and federal police while carrying 3 gallons of bootleg liquor last night. Bruckner just happened to be along not really involved. He ran, was shot at, but escaped into the hills and then went home. Left tonight for Virginia for a while. Price caught and is in jail. Was also carrying a pistol which will go hard with him.
Mess hall at James Creek camp
April 7
Ray Cook’s wife, who died Sunday morning, was buried today. School was shut down for the funeral. What a bunch of morbid, curious morons the people are. Nuts.
April 10
A strange, well-dressed man came here to the clubhouse this evening. Not looking for a job and not selling anything. No one knows him and he did not know what company this is. What or who is he, what he is here for? (This could be the start of a terrific folk song.)
April 11
The stranger that was here last night left this morning. No one knows anymore about him yet either.
April 19
Wonderful letter from Dad.
April 21
Letter from Mother today. Informs that Dr. W has been ordered to determine capacity of all churches in Wenonah as to use as emergency hospitals. Ugh!
May 11
Mother’s Day today and I have yet to write home to Mother.
Grandma Schultz died last Wednesday, Buried yesterday.
May 19
Burland Price gave me a lamp tonite which he had carved out of a curious maple knot. Not quite finished….
May 30
Wrote some more on the letter to Bobby Dunn all afternoon. Did not accomplish much there quantitatively or qualitatively. She has had a dose of typhoid and was carried 20 miles in a hammock to a hospital. Keep moving her arm to let people know she wasn't dead. Just like her.
My order number for draft is 1515. Call will be sometime in September or October. ( A draft was instituted in September 1940 and each registrant was assigned a number between 1 and 7836 and these were picked by lottery .)
June 10
Letter from mother today, with one to Lib from Bobby. It is one of the best she has written. Describes her experience with typhoid. Includes air raids in China when she was there in the hospital. Have not yet written or mailed the letter I started to her over two weeks ago. I have practically definitely decided to leave here for good on the 27th will go home, spend a few days and then volunteer in the army to get that business over with.
June 22
Packing trunk, bags and boxes all afternoon. Just about ready to leave now.
June 27
Got started this morning at 6:30. Had trouble with battery cable over near Montgomery. Had it fixed at garage. Proceeded without further mishap. Very beautiful drive through Virginia. Stopped in Baltimore and called up Bob Bartlett then went around to see him. Serve me an excellent supper, took a shower and felt better. Sat and talked fairly late.
June 29
To church this morning. A very good sermon by Mr. Matthews. He and his wife leave tomorrow for Alaska where they are going to be missionary work.
My draft number has been called up here. Won't have much chance to volunteer unless I hurry.
July 2
Started working for Charlie Frederick this morning, helping down at garage. Will fill-in time until the Army gets me.
July 13
Out to church again this morning. This evening went for a drive with Betty, Wils, Bob, Mary. Went down to visit Harry Silvers at his cabin near Pitman. Very nice place.
JEW at Jersey shore, date unknown
Chapter 4: Living, Culture, Community and Entertainment
February 11
Finished Union Now (a proposal for a unified international organization of democracies, jw) tonight must now do something about it. First item would be to mail the enclosed card. Most help I could do for the plan would be to write letters. Maybe I will. But not tonight.
February 14
I just finished reading Life. It has exceptionally excellent article or editorial in the issue. Expresses my idea and thoughts and feelings exactly. Something I’ve been unable to put into words or writing. A pity that most of us must have others to think it right for us! Is titled “the American century“ by Henry Luce. What America’s future actions should be international, rather than isolationist, sharing of America‘s benefits, riches, skills, resources, freedom, justice etc. Will save a copy of it if Mrs. Johnson does not object. (Wikipedia says: Luce urged the United States to forsake isolationism for a missionary's role, acting as the world's Good Samaritan and spreading democracy. He called upon the US to enter World War II to defend democratic values.)
February 19
Been reading this Saturday Evening Post tonight, between sessions of emptying the water from the bucket hanging on the radiator valve. The blasted thing leaks awfully but if it doesn’t there’s a little heat.
February 28
Atlantic Monthly arrived today and I’ve been reading a bit of it tonight. A very excellent magazine. My favorite.
March 1
I was out of bed early this morning 7:30 for the simple reason that I was too cold to sleep anymore. Man oh man this room was cold.
March 9 Sunday
Started reading Uncle Sam’s Attic by Davis, a book that attempts the sale of Alaska to the US public - succeeds very well with this citizen. I am now again Alaska minded. What a will-o’-the-wisp mind I have…
March 11
The book on Alaska got me to wanting to leave these parts for those. What could I do if I ever got there? If I had something definite I’d go right now.
March 23
Listened to New York Philharmonic this afternoon and read Readers’ Digest. Wrote home this evening. Not a damn thing worthwhile done. To hell with me!!!
March 24
Have quit smoking cigarettes. Wonder how long I’ll go. Will work my pipe over some more.
May 11
Have read Love and Irony by Lin Yutang (essay collection he read over the course of one day!)
June 1
Slept all morning and all afternoon. Read Atlantic this evening.
June 18
Joe Louis knocked out Billy Conn in the 13th tonight. A great fight. (World Championship bout
at the Polo Grounds. Never knew him to have slightest interest in boxing. Football, tennis, yes.)
Chapter 5: The Clouds of War
February 13, 1941
Wendell Wilkie‘s testimony at Lend Lease bill hearing in Senate yesterday was sensationally pro. National sentiment is generally favorable towards all in aid to Britain. 80% against war.
February 25
Nearly all radio news commentators seem to be preparing us for, or warning us of, active participation in the war. Indirectly and subtly of course. There are none that are anti-British or vigorously anti-war that I know of. Are they all honest and interpreting the news truthfully as it seems improbable that all of them would agree? More enlightened? Know more than they reveal?
February 27
Bill Eg came in last night and has been snooping around all day. He declares that we are already in the war and that it will be but a short while before we are actively participating. Seems pro interventionist. But I believe solely for the benefit of big business and not for men.
March 8
Senate passed the Lend Lease Bill by 60 to 31 both this evening. Expedites the powers of the President to prepare and defend ourselves and to give aid to Britain and others. Momentous events probably to occur next week when he asks for that power.
March 11
President Roosevelt signed the Lend Lease Bill today. It is now the law of the land. He now will ask for an appropriation of 7 billion to carry out the bill.
March 17
We may be officially at war in two or more months. Just a guess but it is felt that FDR will convoy ships to England very soon that will be only the beginning. I don’t want this country in the war no sir.
March 26
Jugoslavia signed up with Germany yesterday. Not a full alliance though.
March 27
Revolution in Jugoslavia. Army takes over government, displaces Regent Prince Paul and others. Anti-axis and pro British. What action Germany will take in response unknown at this moment.
March 30
US Coast Guard seizes 30 Italian and German merchant ships in US harbors today on charges of possible sabotaging danger to harbor facilities. May be turned over to Britain. Would certainly be an act of war then.
April 3
Numerous strikes are disrupting defense industrial production. Soft coal miners old, Alice Chalmers, Ford, and others, very disturbing, labor is liable to lose all its past and present gains if it adopts a belligerent policy, public opinion is rising against these shut downs.
April 6
Germany started war in Greece and Jugoslavia early this morning. No definite news from there yet.
April 7
War is on in earnest in the Balkans. Those reports are scarce and not very communicative. Belgrade bombed severely.
April 16
Little change in war. Germans have recaptured Libya from British for the Italians. A rather serious situation, they are also making substantial gains in Greece.
April 17
London very seriously bombed last nite. Worst air raid of the war. It must be hell.
April 23
Greece is about gone. Government and king have fled to Crete. British will probably attempt an evacuation….
May13
Rudolph Hess, third ranking leader of Germany flew to England last Saturday, parachuted to earth and allowed himself to be captured. Germany claimed he is crazy.
May 21
Read two very stimulating articles in the SEP concerning America’s position in the present world conflict. Our Frontier on the Danube, explaining and diagnosing our commitments in the Balkans and The Peril, and editorial clarifying (for me at least) the present issue into two choices: 1. repudiate the government over the foreign policy, which is unthinkable (not to think is disastrous) and 2. the immediate or future prospect of American in conflict on European or African soil. …I am practically resigned to the second choice. But how I hate thinking of it. Germans are attempting an aerial invasion of the Island of Crete.
May 27
Today is momentous. Not because of the work but because of the speech which President Roosevelt has just made. He has just issued a proclamation declaring the US is in a state of unlimited emergency, has promised that our aid to Britain shall get across, has reaffirmed the doctrine of the freedom of the seas. A very powerful talk which will profoundly affect this nation.
The German ship Bismarck which sunk the HMS Hood was itself sunk yesterday by the British Navy with the great help of airplanes. Significant.
May 28
Senator Wheeler is speaking for the America First Committee in direct answer to Roosevelt speech last night. He is not as impressive a speaker. Letter from mother also a letter from the fourth Naval District civil enrollment committee informing me of my eligibility for joining the Naval Reserve Corps.
June 19
Germany is rumored to be attacking Russia. Ultimatum is supposed to have been delivered and already expired. But everything so far is just rumor, no one believes the Russians will fight.
June 22
Packing trunk, bags and boxes all afternoon. Just about ready to leave now.
Germany has declared war on Russia at 4:30 this morning. Churchill spoke on radio this afternoon. Will give all possible aid to Russia. Still feeling lousy.
NOTE: Jim volunteered for the Army on January 12, 1942 and was trained as a B17 pilot. Surviving a life-threatening meningitis crisis during training, he ended up in Britain. We have letters he wrote home during long training and 2 tours of duty with the USAAF, where he flew about 35 bombing missions over Europe. And a couple of prisoner rescue and the delivery of food and other aid to starving Rotterdam. I have transcribed parts of those letters and they are on my jaywrote blog.
JEW, center with some of Crew 50, plus dogs with whom he was nearly as disgusted with as with owners
Insignia of JEW, Jr.’s Squadron. I had his bomber jacket with this badge for a decade but it disappeared.
Framlingham airfield, England, base for JEW’s 8th USAAF B-17s.
Chapter 6: Struggles of the Mind
NOTE: These are the most startling revelations. My dad I knew to be often impatient, sometimes angry, judgmental and easily disgusted by others’ behavior. He was serious, responsible, community-minded, thoughtful, charitable and concerned about the future of the whole world. Until I was well into my adult years, I did not see much warmth, affection or humor. His fault or mine? But I was totally unaware of anxiety, depression or other such struggles. His fault or mine? Perhaps my mother cured him of the worst of it. Such references as now follow from the 1941 book continued and then disappeared after they met in 1946. My parents became active leaders of the Vermont affiliate of the Ntl. Assn. for the Mentally Ill after our brother, David, was stricken with horrific schizophrenia at about age 20.
In the six months of notes from 1941, we read more than 20 references to the war in Europe. He was certainly engaged with a world filled with violence and he obviously lived with a feeling of dread anticipation. It was The Depression. Those factors would be reason enough for the feelings of anxiety and depression. His notes on this are most frequent on weekends or Monday mornings. Perhaps the demands for moving tons of wood Monday through Friday drove away some of the madness of the world and time for his feelings.
February 23
Sometimes I think I’m going insane. Perhaps I will go completely nuts one of these days. Am I or am I not going to the SAF meeting this week?? Huh?
March 23, 1941
Not a damn thing accomplished today and here it is 9 o’clock already. Messed around all afternoon.
May 11
Have been in a more or less mental fog for the past couple of weeks, as witness the blank pages in this account.
June 1
Slept all morning and all afternoon. Read Atlantic this evening. Nothing else. Very disgusted, confused hopeless etc. today.
NOTE: After completing his service with the US Army Air Force in World War II he moved back to his family‘s home in Wenonah, New Jersey. He applied to and eventually was hired by Perry Merrill the Commissioner of Forest and Parks for the State of Vermont. Merrill was the first Vt. Commissioner for Forests and Parks and served until 1966. He was noted for developing early Civilian Conservation Corps projects during the New Deal efforts to combat the Depression of the 20s and 30s. He pioneered downhill skiing as a sport and industry. He reintroduced the fisher to Vermont to combat the scourge of porcupines. He was a curmudgeon and a leader of note. Reportedly he said soon after hiring my dad that Jim would be commissioner some day. At this link : https://credo.library.umass.edu/view/full/mums796-b001-i004 is an interview when he was well into his 90s. Dad was commissioner from 1977 or so until 1979.
His first assignment was to supervise and maintain the lookout towers for the southern half of Vermont. He obtained a room in Brattleboro, Vermont. The following are excerpts and summaries from the date books. They invariably contain detailed weather and income and expense information day by day.
Chapter 7: Work, Work, Work. Hard work. Part 2
1946
January 9 (in N.J.)
Letter to Vermont State Forests
January 15
Noted sending an application from Vermont State Forests
January 30
letter of offer from PH Merrill??
February 1
flew 1:15 today Can. flight maneuvers. cost $11.65 (I was under the mistaken impression that he never flew after WWII, even though he served in Reserves for many years.)
February 5
Letter from PH Merrill!!
February 9
Wrote to PH Merrill asking for interview
February 12
letter from PH Merrill today. Check to Willys Inc. for $601.31 down payment for jeep.
January 14
Check to Willys for $601 final and complete payment on jeep.
February 18
wire from Merrill to meet him in Brattleboro on Wednesday.
February 19
Left Wenonah 0645 hours arrived Brattleboro Vermont 18:45 hours
February 20
Went to fire warden's meeting. Met PH Merrill and Wilbur Bradder.
February 21
Leave for home tomorrow. Return to Montpelier on March 4.
February 27
"let us have faith that right makes might; and in that faith let us dare to do our duty as we understand it." Abraham Lincoln
March 4
Reported to Forestry office at 0800 met Merrill & Bradder there. Went to Newport with Bradder to a wardens meeting.
March 5
At office all day checking out on various phases of new job. Handed a mass of forms, papers etc. and a box of tools, equipment manuals etc. Called Mr. Leslie to extend greetings to him for Jane. (Jane Little was his hometown girlfriend at the time. His family (and probably he) expected they would marry. But they did not. Her obituary (thanks, Linda W.!) and a few other comments are at the end of this. She will reappear in due course. )
March 8
Left Montpelier and drove to Woodstock dropping off auto plates to Thurston. Then to Brattleboro finally finding a room at 7 Linden St.
March 10
To Bennington and the back to the wilds of Stratton. Got four towers manned now. Took drivers test and applied for license. $3.25. (Throughout these notes he made note of letters received from his mother, Jane and others; he also made note of the letters that he frequently wrote to them. He also made daily note of all of his expenses. For example on March 20 he spent $.15 for breakfast, 35 for lunch, 65 for supper, $.10 for Saturday evening post and two dollars for an unknown item. He made a note to claim $4.50 for 90 miles of work-related driving. This was a habit he kept up until near the end of his life.)
a current photo of fire tower on Stratton
April 3
Went over Townsend line, trail and tower with Danbey and new tower man Robert Lowe. Left some wire and equipment with Hastings on Stratton. Checked up on Onitigum in Londonderry.
April 8
Up to Pico to find an awful mess. (warden) discouraged but resolute.
April 10
Bought supplies and tools for Pico and left same at Long Trail lodge. The telephone company to repair lines at tower. Hired man to help warden for a day or two
April 17
On Pico all day working on telephone up in one hour and 1/2. Down in 45 minutes. Pretty good time things are looking up, up there.
not him
April 18
On Pico all day and overnight working on the telephone very windy cloudy raw this afternoon hard to work in tower.
April 20. (Saturday - he worked most Saturdays. No union, I suspect.)
Worked on expense account and letters this a.m. To Townsend to check (warden) this afternoon. He was not in tower. Found him at home.
April 25
To Ascutney mountain tower to work on telephone line with McDougall. Pretty rough. believe Mac is a sadist, enjoying seeing me climb up the tower with climbers and belt. Oh my aching back. (No stairs? I recall climbing several towers with him as a kid. Probably Pico and a couple of others. There were stairs, steep, narrow, exposed. Scary but worth the effort to see the cabin on top and the views. )
Not Mt. Ascutney and earlier than 1946.
May 1
To Pico this morning to diagnose phone trouble. Had a rough time of it, finally finding it at phone company’s switch. Line is noisy-will try to eliminate tomorrow. (He was never adept with tools, etc. in my experience. Hmmm.)
May 10
To Stratton to check on Hastings returning to work on tower. Not at home – to doctor for dog bite. Saw Maxwell Powers about slash (burning) violations.
June 10
To Stratton today to work with new man. Looks like he may be OK. Found some storm damage to line. I think it's OK now. Badly fly bitten again. Itch, itch!!!
June 13
Exchanged record player for Winch at Rutland electric company. surprise. More phone work on Pico. went to Spruce Knob to check there. Fifield was absent. Saw Raymond Leonard about work on Okemo. (Other than Perry Merrill, his long time boss, this is the first mention of someone I knew from his circle of colleagues. Unrelated, so far as I know, to the boxer.)
June 19
To Glastonbury to check tower. Moffett not there. Looks like he is going to quit. Don't care if he does. Saw bear today while on the trail. Had flat tire on way up there, too. Big Brattleboro High School parade tonight. Good!
June 21
To Mount Olga -spent all day there checking station and replacing rotten braces, etc. Bob (his brother) arrived this p.m. for weekend.
June 28
Again on Pico all day and finally got the telephone operating in fine shape. Thank goodness for that. Harry Bridge has quit on Okemo. A nice mess, that. You never can win.
July 2
Worked online at Okemo all day. R. Leonard seems to be a good kid and hard worker. Staying overnight again.
July 3
More work all day on hill. Have put in about 5/8 of a mile of wire now. Going better than at first. Would like to get a couple extra men there for help.
July 18
Worked online this a.m. Went to bed fire south of Ludlow this afternoon. Bad fire in slashing in logging job. Telephone out of order from tower. Two more fires as evening one in Proctorsville ,one Mount Holly, came down mountain to make calls.
August 8
To Stratton today for tower inspection. Fixed ground in telephone.
August 28
Up late. What's going on here?
Halsey Hicks has taken a job with Spaulding. Looks like I may be offered his job.
September 18
Went up to fire in mountains in Sherburne. Burning in pulped-over area. Hot and dry. Got into ground in giving some trouble. Under control more or less. Then to Pico to work on tower phone. Overnight on Pico.
October 10
To Pico this a.m. to work on the line. Stopped in Rutland for some food. Not much work done today, just getting to top of Pico with food and tools being enough. Stayed on top overnight.
October 11
Worked on line all day. Quite a job. Ottignan awful sloppy and a bit lazy. He tries my patience.
October 22
A slow start this a.m. Finally went to Okemo to close out the tower there per Perry Merrill's instructions. In my opinion still too early to close towers. Same for Stratton tomorrow. (He reports many, many, many fire warden prospect interviews during this time period.)
October 23
Met Mr. Merrill at 5:30 tonight. Nothing definitely now. Guess I'll keep on the same job and do some forestry work in the county this winter.
November 28
To White River Junction this a.m. for Allen Brittain’s case. Finally came through and he was fined $17.30 and has until 15 December to clean up. (The first trial date was messed up due to failure to give notice to def.. I think it was a case related to leaving dangerous woods materials where fires could start.) E.C. Williams, State’s Attorney, slightly (?) out of order on his prosecution in my opinion. (JEW, Sr. was a Philadelphia lawyer….)
December 2
New county forester in town. (That forester’s name was not Wilkinson. He spent 25 cents on alcohol! Only mention of him imbibing in these notes.)
1947
February 25
Brattleboro meeting today. Poor attendance and poor meeting. I'm bored stiff and exhausted. Bradder (his boss) irritating. (In a letter he once wrote concerning relations of bureaucrats and politicians: “I note at times an element of sycophancy, which I guess must be expected or tolerated or something. But it bothers me.”)
April 14
Met Artigaud and checked him in on Okemo today. Road was blocked with snow halfway up and we had to walk the rest of the way. Unfortunately started out without my snowshoes and was soon very sorry. Had to slog all the way. weary tonight.
April 23
To Okemo to check on Artigaud. Slow, full of excuses and living like a pig, as usual. I'm disgusted.
May 13
To Okemo this a.m. to work until 7:15 pm cutting out old iron wire and replacing with copper in lower end of line. Phone now works much better. Stopped at small forest fire in Rockingham on way home. John Keefe did a good job in keeping it small. White pine slash and could have been bad. Paid poll tax $7.17.
May 17
Not a damned thing today. Cloudy & rainy - nothing to do. B----- and read. Check received - $73.30 & deposited check, cashed $20.00.
Spent - .47 lunch, .65 supper, 2.50 watch repair, .37 tooth paste. $3.99
June 4
Looked over 138 acre property for sale in Dover. Not too bad for $1200 asking price. (In 2020 a 33 acre plot in Dover is on sale for $200,000.)
June 6
DDay three years ago today.
June 11
A positively and completely wasted day. One of the worst performances yet. One redeeming feature: a letter from Merrill asking if I'm interested in job as Orange County Forester. Am I?
High school class Day Parade tonight, good but not as colorful as last year's.
June 18
To Londonderry with Turner to give legal advice to Mrs. Finley's son who has had a bit of contract trouble. Referred her to a lawyer. Then with Nathan Douchy in p.m. indoctrinating him to take over my job. Letter from Gottlieb to take over in Orange County. Looks like I am in. (Art Gottlieb is the 3rd forester name I recognize. )
June 25
With Farrington all day again. To Groton State Forest in a.m. (Where I worked for 4 summers, 1968-1971. Earned 355 bucks that first summer. 6 days a week.) Down to Chelsea tonight. A no horse town if there ever was one. Staying at tourist home of George Mathers.
Chelsea, reversed aerial perspective from Maple Av. No horses to be seen.
June 26
Dinner and supper at Dwinnels. Despite Farrington's opinion, looks to me as though Dwinnell has done a good job here. Must decide on a place to live tomorrow.
NOTE: There is not much work detail here for the later half of 1947. At the back of his date book for the year he left a copy of his Vermont income tax return for the year his gross income was $2920.65. His tax owed was $27 payable to the state for the year. He paid $405 federal income tax for the year. My mother complained that he failed to take all of the allowances and deductions from their income taxes and paid too much. I never heard a single instance of him complaining about payment of taxes. I suppose this is in part because he was supported by the taxpayers throughout his career. And as a school board chair, public employee and such he saw the value of public institutions. In 1942 he wrote in a letter to his father: “Personally I think they should raise the (income) taxes until it really hurts and simplify them until they don’t. Do you think that at all possible?” What a dreamer!
This also gave me the information that his address in Brattleboro was 7 Linden St. From looking at Google maps there is no longer a building there. It is close to Brattleboro Retreat, a mental health facility which they considered from time-to-time for my brother David.
Chapter 8: Family, friends, acquaintances, encounters and his mind. 1946-47.
March 23, 1946
Visited warden in Dummerston. Helped him a little with (maple) sugaring. To dinner party at Halsey Hicks tonight – with a bunch of intellectuals, enough to make your hair curl. ( Hicks, a Haverford and Yale graduate from NJ was also a forester. He was 10 years older than JEW, Jr.)
March 31
Slept late.
Listened to music for a couple of hours in Winch. Warnock’s shop this afternoon.
April 22
Jane's birthday – nothing done about it.
April 24
With Halsey Hicks clearing in Whittingham. A rough road and a good test for the jeep. OK. Letter from Jane. Good good good!!!
April 28
Went to magnificent piano concert by William Kapel this afternoon. Very good performance. (A highly acclaimed performer, who died in the 1950s in a plane crash.)
May 7
Wow of a letter from Jane. Will take some deep thinking to answer appropriately. (Wow! What were the contents? As will be seen, they continue to see each other for at least 18 months, even after he started dating Betty Walker. At risk of stereotyping never-married, independent and accomplished women, I wonder if she told him she could only love other women. )
May 16
Spent all evening in Winch’s shop listening to music. But good!! (I wonder if Winchester Warnock, mentioned above, was the person who introduced my dad to bebop jazz. Too early for Thelonious Monk in 1946, I would guess.)
May 19
Slept late and read all day. Wrote letter to mother this evening. Copied part of one of Jane's letters for return to her. (Wow again! Had Jane asked him to return the letter? What parts did he copy? Why?)
May 26
Up late. Drove over to Keene New Hampshire with Bob Koski this p.m. to see an air show. Only fair.
May 30
Washingtonian at 4:20 AM arrived Philadelphia 11:40 AM to a picnic outside at a farm with folks, Betty and Wilson (his aunt and uncle) the Fredericks etc. Saw Jane tonight. (The train ticket cost $16.62, round trip.)
June 7
(He notes spending $16 on two weeks room rent and one month garage rent.)
June 16
Been feeling spiritually low all day don't know what has gotten into me.
June 17
To Okemo to meet Raymond Leonard and check him in. Feeling blue still. Called Jane tonight.
Came home this evening. Went to show “Spring Time for Swing” with Ed Horton compliments of Winch W.
downtown Brattleboro in 1942
July 4.
Went out to the Hicks this afternoon and spent the rest of the day and evening there. A nice party-interesting people. Francis served 18 as if it were nothing at all, as well as entertained, etc. Talk and gossip all evening.
Saturday, July 6
Very dull day, much to my disgust and own discredit.
July 7
Up late again. Read paper all afternoon. wrote to Jane all evening. A complete summary.
August 8
To Stratton today for tower inspection. Fixed ground in telephone. Listening to WPEN Robin Hood Dell concert tonight, wonderful – Eleanor Steber, soprano soloist is magnificent.
August 15
Feeling punk today.
August 16
Mother arrived tonight. after supper we sat and talked.
August 17
With mother all day, driving over Windham County. Stopped at Mt. Olga and Hogback. went to show this evening Diana Barrymore in The Philadelphia Story.
September 15,
Up late this a.m. Missed church, read all afternoon. New York Times and GB Shaw’s Pygmalion. Went to show this evening Danny Kaye – Kid from Brooklyn.
September 16
Up late this a.m. feeling punk all day. Card from Jane in New Wilmington. With Winch in his shop all evening listening to records.
September 25
Bought book The Lowells and their Seven Worlds. Tonight helped Winch build fixtures in his shop. Letter from Jane.
October 6
Up late and missed church. Read John Hershey's account of atomic bombing of Hiroshima in the New Yorker magazine and listened to World Series ball game. To see movie tonight.
October 27
Missed church again this a.m. Read paper and listened to radio all afternoon. Tried to phone Jane tonight but not at home. Wrote letter to her. Winch at cocktail party at Vincent’s this evening. Quite a drunken mess from his description – Gibson included.
October 28
Another lousy day. Low, low, low. This evening to Community Players rehearsal.
November 15
The evening went to hear Senator Aiken speak on the St. Lawrence Seaway Project. Seems to be OK.
November 23
Drove up to Middlebury today to look for facilities for Jane. Not much luck.
November 24
Up in time for church - excellent sermon by Mr. Dahl on “Assurances of Mortality”
(he paid another $4 for watch repairs. He was always having watch repairs!)
November 27 - home (New Jersey) today
December 1
Back by train this afternoon. Jane’s cold preventing return by car.
December 4
To Vt Forum this evening to hear Mr. Louis Fischer (biographer of Lenin) and Alex. Kerensky (Russian lawyer and revolutionary who was a key political figure in the Russian Revolution of 1917. After the February Revolution of 1917, he joined the newly formed Russian Provisional Government, first as Minister of Justice, then as Minister of War, and after July as the government's second Minister-Chairman. A leader of the moderate-socialist Trudovik faction of the Socialist Revolutionary Party, he was also vice-chairman of the powerful Petrograd Soviet. On 7 November, his government was overthrown by the Lenin-led Bolsheviks in the October Revolution. He moved to U.S. and joined the lecture circuit.) Good!
December 7
Jane now in Middlebury at last. Paycheck for $89. (semi-monthly?)
Middlebury, Vt in 1950s
December 9
Called Jane in Middlebury — to find that she has checked out to Jon Hudson’s (?) in Castleton.
December 12
Evening spent in record shop listening to music.
December 14
To Castleton to the Hudsons and Jane for the weekend.
December 20
Check to Winch $12.71 for records and phone call.
December 21
Home for Xmas week. Drove down with Jane making good time.
December 29
Returned late tonight. Train late 1:20 at Springfield and so missed connection and waited over 3 hours for next.
January 1, 1947
A very inauspicious beginning for the new year out of bed very late, and everything went wrong all day long. Hope this is not a foretaste of days to come. What to do tomorrow is the question and the next day too?
January 2
Another bad day. More or less completely wasted.
January 5
Up for church this a.m. read more this afternoon until ______ called. Discussed forest taxation etc. etc. etc. (This is an issue he spent lots of time on over the years. In the 70s he worked to get laws that taxed land for current use value (forests, farms, etc.) rather than at rates that would apply to land being used for commercial, residential and industrial development. Keep the Green Mountains green!)
January 11
Used skis for a change. (Long wooden skis that had a simple leather binding on a metal plate. We had those in Barre in the 70s. His boss, Perry Merrill, was an early skiing sport and industry promoter.)
January 21
Nearly at the bottom today nothing done but a little correspondence. Letter to Jane tonight.
January 29
Home tonight to Vermont Forum. Very good, best yet. Concerning future state of Germany, Professor Kuntz and Professor Sellman.
February 1
Drove to Castleton to see Jane. Out this evening for dinner and movie "I've Always Loved You". Excellent music.
February 4
Computed income tax this p.m. State $14.38. Federal owes me refund $14.60.
February 19
To Vermont Forum this evening for discussion of "role of nations other than big three in the world of today and tomorrow.” Very interesting.
February 22
American Legion building across the street was gutted by fire early this morning. Had a bedside view of all the excitement.
February 28
To movie tonight with Doc, Dan and Jane.
March 1
A little skiing this morning with Dan Arden. Not much this afternoon. To Rutland this evening with Doc, Jane and Grace for dinner and shopping and movie.
March 2
A small hurricane here struck this area today. Very High winds all day. Lines down. Snow drifted. Up late. Out for a short walk this afternoon. To tea at the Felix singles this evening with Jane and Doc. Nice time. Spent an evening at home in the dark in front of fireplace.
March 9
To church this a.m. Then out to Hicks this afternoon and evening to help with sugaring. First run of the year. Good syrup but not much.
March 13
Truman's foreign-policy speech to Congress yesterday seems to be quite an explosive and powerful one. What next?? ( Announcing the Truman Doctrine. Seen as a de facto declaration of the COld War, it vowed to support Greek and Turkish resistance to communist advances after WWII. )
April 4
Stopped for lunch at the Giutons. Looks like Chuck's wife Peg has left him and gone home to mother. Why? Tough! To Hicks to sugar this evening and received a gallon for my troubles. If it's bad it's my fault because I made it.
April 24
Report date today, had a hard time getting started. To town meeting tonight to vote on fire house issue.
April 25
Another discouraging day
May 24
To Center Club picnic this evening. Very nice time. Softball games supper nothing special. But heard from Lib with the wonderful news of her long-awaited pregnancy.
June 4
Looked over 138 acre property for sale in Dover. Not too bad for $1200 asking price.
June 6
D-Day three years ago today.
June 11
A positively and completely wasted day. One of the worst performances yet. One redeeming feature: a letter from Merrill asking if I'm interested in job as Orange County Forester. Am I? High school class Day Parade tonight good but not as colorful as last year's.
June 13
To Castleton for weekend. Jane working hard on school register (?). In fact worked all night. Helped her what little I could.
June 15
Out for dinner with the Hudens at Fair Haven Inn. Read all p.m. and help Jane pack books etc. for moving. She leaves for home tomorrow, due at Camp Onaway on June 24. ( This New Hampshire camp for girls was started in 1911. Per website: Mabel Hollister wanted to prepare women to vote, to stand up for their beliefs and know their strengths. She shepherded camp through World War I and the depression, and her successors, Frances M. Frost and Margaret F. Stiles, brought camp through World War II and the change from relative security of the 1950’s to the rebellious searching of the 1960’s, when Camp Onaway was incorporated as a non-profit educational trust. )
June 26
Dinner and supper at Dwinnels. Despite Farrington's opinion, looks to me as though Dwinnell has done a good job here. Must decide on a place to live tomorrow.
June 30
Moved into a new room at home of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Corwin, Chelsea.
July 2, 1947
(He left on a Pullman train for his parents house in New Jersey; the train ticket cost $17.49. It arrived in Philadelphia near their home at 10:20 in the morning.)
July 4
A beautiful day and a very nice celebration. Great time by all, nice dinner etc. etc. saw a lot of people I’ve not seen for sometime. Mary (his sister) not here for the day. Comes home tomorrow.
July 7
Left home at 0930 and arrived Brattleboro at 0530. No troubles.
Saturday, July 12
Up late this a.m. Late start to New Hampshire to take Jane‘s car over. Got there about 130. Jane busy all p.m. visited her a short while. Also saw some of nearby boys’ camp Menoglia. very nice overnight at tourist house.
Sunday, July 13
Met Ray Tucker local veteran who wants to study forestry, gave him some poop.
Monday, July 14
Worked hard today but accomplished a little. Went fishing this evening at Lake Fairlee with Betty Walker, Charlie Betts and his wife Della, good time but no fish caught. ( Betty is his eventual wife and my mother. 1st mention of her. She worked in the same building where he was stationed. She was the Orange County extension agent in Chelsea. She served as a WAC after The University of Vt. Late in life he learned that she was Phi Beta Kappa and bragged about this. Smart, hard-working, a skin-flint on spending, I recognized only late in life what a great sense of humor she had.)
Thursday, July 17
(This is a kind of typical day.) On the contacts in Chelsea area today saw Waverly Root. William Burbank, scaled pulp plantation inspection. Farrington here this morning connect with him tomorrow a.m. Letter from mother with the news that Bob is engaged to Millie Moore.
Sunday, July 20
To church this a.m. to ball game in Tunbridge with Betty, Charlie etc. To Barre tonight with Betty to a movie.. (the ball game cost $.40 in the movie $.80.)
Saturday, August 2
With Dwinnell this a.m. to look over Chelsea town forest. This afternoon to visit Betty Walker and family at farm in Cabot. Nice family, indifferent house typical of many Vt farms. stayed overnight. (A leading dairy farm family in NE Vermont, the Walkers were founders and stalwarts of Cabot Cooperative Creamery. Will Walker and Ruth Duke Walker had both been teachers. He was a state legislator and on the Board of the Univ. of Vt. They had 6 children. What little money they had went to the farm operations, propping up the Coop with time and money, feeding hungrier people and their children’s education. They married in this house in 1948.)
Walker homestead circa 2000
Monday August 4
Marked timber in Chelsea town forest. phone call from Jane tonight
Thursday, August 7
Another warm day or not so hot as yesterday it Donner forest all day with Farrington and Thurston taking data on plantations for the SAF meeting. to show in Randolph tonight with Betty Walker. OK. Phoned VT Willies and ordered new Jeep to pick up tomorrow.
Friday, August 8
Bought new Jeep this afternoon trading in the old Jeep plus $527.76. (My sister was born in the front seat of the 1947 Jeep on the side of the road in Orange Vt. in 1954. I’ve said “none of the three of them were ever the same again.”)
Saturday, August 16
To movie in Barre with Betty tonight good show and a wonderful time. To bed late.
Sunday, August 17
To picnic this morning all day at Edson Gifford farm in Randolph for the VFW kids. Good time had. Sprained my knee playing softball. Still sore.
Saturday, August 23
Chelsea Old Home Day today. In parade this a.m. with a new Jeep, freshly washed. (Community celebration in Chelsea. I have a photo of him dressed as an Indian carrying me in a big wicker basket for an Old Home Day parade.) Went swimming this afternoon with Betty at Lake Fairlee. Messed around tonight. Sleepy.
Saturday, August 30.
(Reports a trip from White River Junction to Philadelphia. It took from 1:30 in the morning and arrived at noon one and a half hours late. The cost was $16.63.)
Tuesday, September 2.
(He reports on his return trip to Vermont that the train ran late and he missed connections.) “Last of the railroads for me. I’m through.”
Wednesday, September 10.
Contact Hugo Donald in Berkshire to look over sugarbush. Has done excellent job. Best bush I’ve seen. Saw Carl Johnson for a few minutes in East Orange. Helped at bingo party tonight for women’s club and won three times out of three myself. Such luck. (the only instance of his “gambling” that I know of.) Spent $.19 on cigarettes.
Monday, September 22
A very sad day. Started for Bradford this a.m. and managed to turn over the jeep at the green in (East) Corinth. Sprung the wheel in the rear axle and smashed right windshield being my head but that’s all very lucky to get away lightly. Drove jeep to Barre for repairs and borrowed one from Smiths. What a day.
Probably his model, but not a woody?
East Corinth
Saturday, September 27
Up early enough, then off to Barre to pick up my jeep, all OK except the sprung wheel which was not finished. Total cost of repairs $34.20, not bad. Then to Montpelier to see Jane. Doc Waller moved into town this afternoon. With Jane, having had spent most of the day and evening with them drove up to Mansfield through Smuggler’s Notch then dinner in Morrisville. very nice day.
Thursday, October 2
(His landlords have to move due to asthma.) So I am out looking for a room.
(Several weeks with very few notes in his book.)
Saturday, October 25
On duty in office all day because of forest fire situation. Jane and Doc this afternoon for a visit.
Saturday, November 1
Move to Lampson’s today, Quinn’s leaving for Arizona soon.
Sunday, December 7
With Doc and Jane to Burlington to Marian Anderson concert.
(This is a summary of Marian Anderson‘s performance on November 5, 1947 in Duluth Minnesota Herald: “Noted contralto and civil rights activist Anderson performed at the 1915 Armory she was welcomed by people of several creeds and colors including Duluth Mayor George Johnson who was dressed as the Lord High Mayor of the Duchy of Duluth. Johnson bestowed on upon Anderson the honorary title of ambassador extraordinary is she was presented with an aqua marine and beige plaid lumberjack shirt made in Duluth which she promised to wear on Christmas days on her Connecticut farm. The Duluth News Tribune had high praise for the singer describing her laugh as melodic as a song and stating that her term left no question of her greatness as a personality as well as a singer. These qualities, the paper said, put people at their ease and that she spoke with candor and perception. Anderson: “I think if each of us is accepted on the basis of what he has to offer, we can make our contribution, it will harmonize with the whole human scheme.”
In 1939 the Daughters of the American Revolution refused Anderson use of their Constitution Hall in Washington DC for a concert. Eleanor Roosevelt resigned from the DAR in protest and arranged for her to perform at the Lincoln Memorial. A live audience of 75,000 was there and millions more listened on the radio. She was a native of Philadelphia and lived until the age of 96 when she died in 1993 Seattle Washington.)
December 29
Back to Vermont. left home (in NJ) at 10 am. Bog down in NYC. Helluva time with chains and flat tire. Arrived Montpelier at 02:30.
Tuesday, December 30
Lib and HR presented with a 6 lbs. 12 ounce baby girl at 4:30AM. Mary Louise.
1953
(By this time, he was married to Betty and the notes were largely confined to weather reports and brief work appointments as the Orange County forester, this year is recorded without segmentation.)
February 17
3 degrees @ 7 am. Clear cloudy. With Art Heitmann to see selectmen re town forests - Newbury, Fairlee, Thetford, Strafford. (Heitmann, another name I know.)
March 19
Judge 1 act plays High School Town Hall.
March 22
Good sugar day. To Cabot for pm.
Looking toward Cabot village from Whittier Hill, where the Walkers lived.
March 24
Chester to hospital for tonsillectomy etc. (Chester Bacon is my cousin, almost my brother. Aunt Agnes was unable to care for him and the “story” went that she dropped him at my parents for the weekend in 1948/49 and did not come back for 5 years. Adoption was being considered when I came along.)
April 2
Took Agnes (Chester’s mother) to Cabot. Had my eyes examined by Dr. Kingston in Barre.
April 8
Forest tax bill hearing - Montpelier.
May 31
Returned Chester to his mother. Roger Walker’s wedding.
June 6
Mother arrived 05:30 am. Planted cabbage, cauliflower & brussel sprout plants in evening.
June 10
Took Betty to hospital 2 am. Son born at 10:29 pm. (Yes, that’s me; guess I made a big impression. He became a taciturn Yankee after a just few years in Vt.)
June 12
To Cabot (I assume to drop off Chester with grandparents) & then to see Betty at hospital.
June 27
Took baby to Dr. in Barre.
July 11
Movie at jail with John Anderson. (I suspect this is related to volunteer work. Later in his career, he worked to get forestry laborer jobs for imprisoned men.)
July 31
To fire at Waites River. Flints Mill, store, 2 houses burned also about 2 acres woods.
August 2
Jed baptized today. (Finally figured out that Jed = me. James Edgar Wilkinson, III. My grandfather went by J. Edgar. Me = J.Ed. = Jed? What if I had been Jed rather than Jay?)
August 12
Aunt Helen Wilkinson & Madeline W. visit us for 1/2 hour this am. (Dad’s Uncle Howard’s widow and his sole cousin. Madeline eventually retired to East Calais, Vt about ten years later - just up the hill from my Great Aunt Ethel. 30 minutes!?)
August 17
To Hartford Conn to bring Chester back here. Left 5:30 am back 5:45 pm.
August 29
HOT. Lumberjack Roundup Lake Dunmore. (A state-sponsored event of several days which highlighted forest industries, equipment, demonstrations, competitions like log-rolling, wood chopping and sawing, feats of strength by man and beast. I succeeded in the watermelon scramble one year. This involved wrestling a greased watermelon out of the lake and away from other kids.)
September 19
Harvest “Lord’s Arm” of corn.
October 3
House hunting
October 8
Wenonah NJ
October 28
Betty’s birthday.
November 22
Received into Chelsea Methodist Church by letter transfer.
Chelsea Methodist Church
November 26
Thanksgiving at Cabot.
November 27
Wedding anniversary. Worked on new home. (I assume this was the house they brought on Maple Av. in Chelsea. I lived there for 4 years or so before we moved to Proctor, Vt. It was then rented with many hassles until purchased by Brian Button and wife, son of Art and Marion, my parents’ best friends in Chelsea. As of 2019 he still lived there.)
November 28
Moved to new home.
December 13
Carol Ann’s birthday. (Herschel and Liz’s #2)
December 20
Chester’s birthday.
December 27
To Cabot to pick up Chester.
December 30
Mary Lou’s birthday. (Liz and Herschel’s #1)
End of date books.
transcribed by James E. Wilkinson, III March 2020.
For a parallel collection, see my: The Humorist Revealed: Betty Walker Wilkinson
APPENDICES
Concerning Jane Little
From cousin Linda W.:
Mom and Dad both said they thought that Jane and your dad would get married, but something happened to their relationship. I have attached her obituary below. It was an interesting coincidence that she taught at Davis and Elkins College in West Virginia because Mom and Dad visited with Jane when she was staying with a former friend and colleague who was a friend of theirs at the college in the 1990’s.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72967693
Jane Little, 91, died at her residence in Greensboro on April 18, 2010, with her caregivers, Andrea and Sandra McLeod, by her side.
She was born April 22, 1918, the daughter of G. Austin and Agnes (Kipper) Little.
She was a 1935 graduate of Woodbury High School and attended Wilson College in Pennsylvania where she majored in languages and political science. She then attended Interboro Institute in New York and Pierce School in Philadelphia for secretarial training. After a stint at Vermont Junior College as an instructor of modern languages, she attended Middlebury College for a summer advanced study of Spanish composition and conversation.
With the start of World War II, she attended the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, and was commissioned ensign in the first women's company to graduate from a men's military training school. She became the only SPAR (Coast Guard Women's Reservist) selected to instruct in a training course for male officers. She served as a communications instructor in several positions. She was the only SPAR to serve as personnel officer in the Coast Guard training center for men after her recall to the service in 1951 at the start of the Korean Conflict.
Ms. Little moved on in 1954 to Davis and Elkins College in West Virginia as dean of women, assistant dean of the college, then dean of student affairs, and finally assistant professor of Spanish. She then was the director of student services and resident advisor at the International House in New York City, and in 1960 became the associate dean of students at State University of New York in New Paltz. Later she attended Princeton Theology Seminar and became a ruling elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Kingston, New York.
Ms. Little was a motivated person, interested in people throughout her career — teaching, counseling and working with them through her church and personal life. She was concerned with the environment and was active with the Nature Conservancy and Habitat for Humanity. Through her efforts, land on the back side of Long Pond in Greensboro, is protected. She worked in her younger days as a camp counselor in the Lake Fairlee area and during her short time at Vermont Junior College in Montpelier organized and instructed a riding club. She held a pilot's license and achieved many goals, too many to mention.
She leaves three nieces and six nephews, the children of her brother Robert Little and sister Agnes Little Ruhl who predeceased her. She was also predeceased by her parents.
Ms. Little's remains will be intered in the family plot in the Wenonah Cemetery in Wenonah, New Jersey, where a family service will be held later this spring.
NOTE: As we read in his notes, in 1947 Jane moved to Vermont too but their romance (but not friendship) was on the wane. Was she already headed to Vt. in 1946 ? Did that influence his decision to write to Mr. Merrill? She provided land where she lived toward the end of life (1995, 200+ acres) on Long Pond in Greensboro, Vt for a Nature Conservancy deal. (A local (Vt.) high school student has a paper online about the conservation effort.) Dad was very involved in the Nature Conservancy for many years and I wonder if he and Jane were able to renew their acquaintance at that time.
Our niece’s husband, a Coast Guard officer, reports that her SPARs work is part of standard CG history training today. Which leads me to recall a contradictory aspect of my dad. I don’t know if he ever stopped calling female workers at the office “girls.” However, when he retired, women paid tribute to him for fighting to get them their first jobs as foresters with the State.
Report on “peonage” charges against Ritter Lumber Co.
http://www.wvculture.org/history/labor/peonage01.html.
Charleston, W. Va., January 6, 1907.
HON. WM. M. O. DAWSON,
Governor of West Virginia.
Charleston, West Virginia.
Your Excellency: - Pursuant to your request of January 2nd, that I make an investigation of conditions suggesting peonage in Wyoming County, I have the honor to submit a report based on a personal investigation at Estell, Wyoming County, West Virginia, on the 4th and 5th instant.
The request for this investigation was made to ascertain whether or not reports in which it was alleged that laborers were held in peonage were true, and as most of these reports emanated from the vicinity of Estell, I considered that a good vantage ground from which to gather the necessary information.
Estell is situated at Mayburn, a station on the Deepwater railway, and at this point the Wm. Ritter Lumber Company has under construction, and nearly completed, one of, and possibly the largest, lumber plants in the State. The principal work at present is the erection of their great lumber mill and building the town, camp houses and a private railroad. (This road will open up, at its completion, the best timber tract in the entire state.)
I learned by this investigation that this company has brought many men, at different times, on transportation from New York and other cities. That is to say, the laborers are gathered at a rendezvous in one of these cities, and a representative of the Immigration Bureau transports the men to their destination, and the company to whom they were consigned, pays for such transportation, and depend upon future work of the laborer to reimburse them for the money thus expended.
As to the method adopted by the Wm. Ritter Lumber Co. to secure this repayment to them the amount of the laborer's transportation, I respectfully call your attention to the affidavit of S. M. Wolfe, the Superintendent of the company (Exhibit "A" herewith), in which he described the manner in which these laborers are held pending such repayment.
I also desire to call you attention to the affidavit of William Tolliver (marked Exhibit "B" herewith), in which he states that he has acted as guard over these laborers, and as an officer, receiving his authority therefor from S. M. Wolfe, the Superintendent of the company. He further states that a laborer, whose name I could not learn, but whose number on the time-keeper's book is 288, was brought to Estell on December 1st, 1906, acompanied [sic] by about forty-six other laborers, to work for this company. These men were brought from New York, from Bureau No. 7 of the Southern Immigration Company. No. 288 becoming dissatisfied with conditions as he found them, left the employ of the company without repaying them for the transportation charges incurred by his travel to Estell. He was overtaken near Prince station, in Fayette county, nearly forty miles from Estell, by Elias Hatfield, and after being wounded in an alleged "scrap," was returned to the said company and delivered to Guard William Tolliver.
This is only one of the many instances of the cruelty exercised by guards, or rather the only report substantiated as yet.
I visited the Italian camps in company with an interpreter and found the people, all of whom are employed by the Ritter Lumber Company, to be well satisfied and comfortably situated. (See Exhibits "C" and "D" herewith).
Mr. Harvey Derne, one of the firm of the Wm. Ritter & Co., who lives at Panther, W. Va., and S. M. Wolfe, the Superintendent of the company, treated me with all courtesy in the matter, and seemed perfectly willing to disclose all facts in the case. However, when I endeavored to ascertain the name of the man, No. 288, I was informed that neither his name nor that of his companion laborers who were received from the No. 7 Southern Immigration Bureau on December 1st, 1906, were a matter of record, they being known only by number. This taken into consideration with the facts in the case, and with the information that this consignment of men caused more trouble than any others, leads me to believe that the names were purposely withheld. I was further informed that these men were recruited from the slums and dives of New York by the Southern Immigration Bureau.
Your attention is invited to the affidavit of Michael O'Brien (Exhibit "E" herewith), in which he states that he is one of the laborers that arrived on December 1st on such transportation from New York. He also testifies as to the treatment of Laborer No. 288 at the hands of Elias Hatfield.
Many of the men brought to this State by the Wm. Ritter Lumber Company, on the above mentioned "transportation," are compelled, by force or otherwise, to work until the amount of the expense attached to their being brought from New York, or other places, has been repaid to the company. If a man escapes the vigilant guards he is pursued and captured without due process of law, returned and compelled to work again under guard. (Again see Exhibit "B", as to guards, etc.). The investigation indicated that the laborers brought to these and other places are of mixed races and different nationalities.
NOTE: William Ritter, on behalf of the company (which employed twelve to fourteen hundred workers in the state), plead guilty and was fined $10,000 plus costs.
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