100 YEARS AGO - Ralph Folkert Vander Meulen is born

I simply cannot believe I can't get my life arranged to work more on this project!  Our current virus situation means we all have to stay home and safe.  I am delighted to have time to unclutter my life, lower that huge stack of Action Items that I have collected.  One of those things is to work more on this project and today, the 100th anniversary of my father's birth, is a good place to start.  I have just posted on my Facebook Page the entry from 3/22/20, which I post here ...  sooner or later, perhaps I will at least get that year transcribed.  I am going to try to make it a goal for this awful time in our lives, maybe bring some pleasure to some of my family.  So here goes!

100 years ago today, it was not snowing like it is at my house right now! W=F 3-22-20 Monday
"About 12 o'clock midnight Naomi [grandmother] called me awake. She ...felt strange pains in her lower body. I got up and dressed and called mother [great grandmother Salmon] who got over just before or about 1 o'clock. I recognized her state as that of child labor and realized that we were soon to have a child. N. dressed and I called the Quick Service Taxi Co. of Oak Park [Chicago suburb] & they arrived in about 1/2 hour. We left and arrived at the West Suburban Hospital in about 25 minutes at about 3:20AM. The events that followed up until just after the birth of the child will remain in memory only. Naomi gve birth to a son at 7:30AM whom we have named Ralph Folkert. [Folkert is Dutch for Frank and is an OLD family name, going back many generations, Ralph for grandmother's brother who died as an infant] She was taken to a 5 bed ward on the 5th floor due to a lack of empty rooms. Mother and I went with her to the hospital. When N. was well taken care of we departed for home in the late AM. I slept about 1 hr. last night and 3 more during the day. I mailed a telegram to [his own] Mother [in Portland, OR] Did not work today. I am very happy first because N. is safe and then because of Ralph. Dad [great grandfather Salmon] and I went to see N in evening. Had supper at Mother's." Grandma was moved to a private room the next day and stayed in hospital for 11 days!  

What a difference 100 years makes! On oh so many fronts!
Here is what that baby turned out to look like 17 years later when he graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1937.

REMEMBERING VETERANS 1918-2018

I am remiss in not working on this transcription project of Grandpa Vander Meulen's life-long diaries.  Four years ago this month my life took a beautiful new turn with my marriage to Jonathan B. Richards II of Red Oak, Iowa.  Many other things about which I am passionate have fallen into a stack of Action Items that is now a high rise!  I realized today that if I'd post one day of grandpa's diary each day, I'd actually be able to finish before arthritis takes my hands!  Out of order as this is, it's my way of celebrating Veterans the world over and in my own family and circle of friends.

Veterans Day again, and thinking about that reminded me my grandfather's diary would tell me what he and grandmother were doing that day. I will begin today with the lead up to 11//11/1918. Grandparents lived in Berwyn, a Chicago suburb, and had married in early January of the year. Grandpa was an engineer at Western Electric where he spent his entire career; grandma had just taken a new job with "The Burlington RR" where she liked the work but the office was dirty and apparently the arrangements for lunch were terrible!

"11/7/18 XXXXXXX [# of x's often told the importance of the day] Well, the War is over, practically speaking. That is it ceased at 2pm today. (See under Nov 11) Whistles started blowing around 12:00 and continued to blow for about 2 hours. The Western whistles began at about 12:27pm and that was just when I sat down to dinner. When I got back to the departments, I thought whole bedlam had broken loose, nothing but noise & din. The employees became so unruly that the whole plant closed down and we went home. Everywhere I noticed rejoicing and flags waving. All schools were let out. Mothers marched thru the streets. This was only here around Cicero, it must have been great in Chicago"

The next day was Friday and they did not go to work, but to church where a talk was scheduled but the speaker failed to show so they went home. Grandpa ends his telling of that with "The peace of yesterday was only a rumor."

November 9th, Saturday they went downtown to shopping where Grandpa bought his father-in-law a "dandy 'umbershoot'".  I'm sure that word is Dutch for undershirt! 
Sunday the 10th they went to Church and Sunday School. 

Nov 11, 1918: "Went down to work and so did Naomi but neither of us worked as we were sent home. We arranged to meet at the Fair and we did. We paraded up and down the Loop, saw as much as we could and then had dinner, taking in a movie after. When we got out it was still going full blast. This day will go down in history as the "Great Day" or "Der Tag". The thing started about 2 this morning when the whistles started to blow. They kept blowing the whole day long, never once letting up. Berwyn too had its share in the celebration. Mr. & Mrs. S [grandma's parents] also went down in the PM & returned about 4:50pm. We got home about 2pm. Fighting ceased at 11AM. The Kaiser and his friends have fled to Holland. The War is now really over. Mr. Reloubet & Raab went into a saloon as soon as they got off the "L". " This last comment is typical of our very Dutch very strict grandfather Vander Meulen. He did not drink and viewed it as a sinful thing. And it's very typical of grandpa to write about a life-changing event then end the entry with a mundane, really unimportant comment. 

A later entry tells more about the environment after the war was over - December 19th he writes "Warmest 19th of Dec in 41 years [global warming is apparently not new] Naomi was notified that she would have to give up her position at the C B & Q because of drafted men returning & claiming their jobs." 

Also strewn through these weeks of 1918 of course are comments of people who were missing work or dying because of the Spanish Flu epidemic. 1918 was not a good year in that regard, but the end of the war 100 years ago today certainly was a blessed relief to the world. Interestingly to me, at the end of World War II grandpa comments that the dropping of the atom bomb will likely "end war for all time"... I am glad he did not live to know that prediction on the part of so many did not materialize.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO ALL VETERANS, LIVING AND GONE FOREVER.

Vrolijke Kerstmis en gelukkige nieuwjaar

Great Great Uncle Theake

Theake Folkert van der Meulen's 1941 Christmas card is a beautiful message and a perfect greeting to all our family and friends the world over, may you all be blessed this year and in the future.  Uncle Theake was a florist, gardener, wannabe pottery biz mogul and a published poet and author.  We are privileged to have had him in our family and I join him in sending Christmas wishes from the well-spring of my heart:


"A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR
Today, this card must serve to you to impart,
The wishes flowing from the well-spring of my heart.
For you, with all those to you so near and dear.
The distance does not matter, wherever you may roam
Imagine only I am with you at your home.
To wish you a Merry Christmas and Happiest New Year.

Dunkirk, New York, December 1941
Theake F. Van Der Meulen"    
photo courtesy of Carolyn Gast Depp                                                             

Home again after weeks of travel in the east

I have been home barely a week from a wonderful five week journey.  First off I went straight to my good friend in NW New Jersey, Carol Sutton, and spent a couple of days visiting, then up to Maine to visit a business partner and dear friend, Kathlyn then up half hour or so from her to spend a week with my wonderful daughter Alexis, her cool hubby Ben and precious pooches Kermit and Zoey.  Then it was off to Albany NY via Kurn Hattin Homes, a school for children from unfortunate circumstances in the beautiful world of southern Vermont, for a day at the New York State Museum in Albany where I was able to hold and photograph 16 pieces of van der Meulen Wykstra art pottery.   Under the auspices of the American Ceramics Circle I have a grant to research and tell the story of the pottery.  On from there to Hartwick, NY where my cousin Carol Mott Goodrich and hubby Dutch hosted me for the weekend before Carol and I left for 5 days or so in Dunkirk.  We met van der Meulens, Wykstras and others, toured the pottery building, found examples of the pots and enjoyed the beautiful weather in the greater Dunkirk area.  The ladies of the Dunkirk Historical Society were so kind to us and of such good help.  We met our cousin Ann van der Meulen in Geneva, toured the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls and saw acres and acres of beautiful vineyards.  No, we didn't partake, but I did buy some bottles of local wines for gifts to bring home.  The area around Dunkirk and Sheridan, where our family lived is full of beautifully tended vineyards, visible for acres as one drives the highway east and west.  After leaving Carol and Dutch, I headed back to NJ for a week with my friend then to Ohio for a meeting with a business associate then on to Columbus, Indiana, a lovely town with fabulous examples of the works of famous architects. Here I was treated to more wonderful hospitality with another cousin, on my mom's side of the family, whom I'd only discovered on the Daughters of the American Revolution website in March!  We did lots of family genealogy work and had a wonderful visit.  I've found the sister I never had!  So, now it's back to work, and back to analyzing the information and photos I found and getting the research written up.  I'll be posting some photos here, and eventually the published work will be sent to all who have so graciously helped me.  And of course, somehow I have to fit in getting World War II won in the diary!  All in all I met 8 "new" cousins on this trip, an amazing journey! 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2012

Merry Christmas to all my Vander Meulen cousins and interested readers. I am so far behind in all things in my life. 2011 has been a sad year for me with the loss of my nearly life-long friend Joe in January and my husband Paul in July. I promised my brother the World War II years for Christmas in 2009, so to Kert, my special apologies. I wish for us all a wonderful 2012 and we WILL see the end of World War II through grandpa's eyes then we'll get back to his early life. Prettige Feestdagen to all and a gelukkig nieuw jaar! And a huge THANK YOU to all my cousins who have helped me in my efforts this year, once the pottery research is finished it'll be posted here. I look forward to seeing/meeting many of you in 2012 as I head east to Vander Meulen territory in New York! Here is a great, short, video about soldiers around the world at this special time of year.

WORLD WAR II ERA - 1946

JANUARY 1946

1 W=F TU New Year's Day
Cut off bottom part of Sun Parlor door to clear rug. Fixed N's desk, fixed iron.
2 W=F W cold! Loaned my copy of "Initiations, Human and Solar" to J L Scott this AM.
3 W=F TH XX
WEEA [Western Electric Engineers' Association] went on strike at 11:00am today. I had to go thru picket line tonite. Sent in signed request form to Mr. Campbell to have my records transferred from Chicago Clearing House Agency to Newark Agency of The Mutual Life Insurance Co., of NY. Heard President Truman's speech to nation. Also listened to a masterly analysis of same by Mr. Black of The NY Society for Ethical Culture.
4 W=C F XX
I came in to plant this AM with Charles Searles on train. We & many others were not able to enter plant due to the efficient picket lines. We came back home thru J. C. Sorted out old bills.
5 W=C SAT
Bob recd certificate of eligibility a few days ago and today wrote Nichols Junior College & sent application for the 2 year course starting Feb 3, 1946. Got new horn button for car from Twin Boro people today to replace worn one. This is our 28th wedding anniversary. I gave N candy & money.
6 W=C SU 66deg at 3PM Very mild all day. Oiled wash. mach. motor & tightened belt. N is 51 years of age.
7 W=R MON 
Started washing kitchen walls & ceiling with Wiggs cleaner. Called Mrs. Geo. Hanson. Geo. H. called me about his visit to plant today. Says it is better picketed now than Friday. He has applied for unemployment pay last Friday.
8 W=F TU XXX
Registered for state unemployment benefits. Met Mr. Fey there. Bob received a telegram in answer to his Sunday letter from Nichols Jr. College advising of his acceptance as a student starting Feb. 3. Recd check from W E Co. for pay up to 1/4/46 & including it. Overtime is not included. Recd let from Aunt J[ennie]. Marge's husband is in Germany, Eleanor's husband in Japan and Donald is now a Capt. of a Co. in India (Calcutta- 73rd Ord. Depot Co.) Am reading "Letters on Occult Meditation".
9 W=R W 
Finished cleaning kitchen walls. Melvin Dahlin & Paul Naef called on phone. Naef stated co. would pay us during strike provided we were willing to work at plants or places accessible to us. Paul called twice. The last time to make an appointment for tomorrow at 1:00PM at Winfield Scott Hotel. Tom Fraley also called me yesterday.
10 W=F TH
Had our first meeting today as a department group. We met at W S Hotel & then spent afternoon at Paul's house on Berwyn St., Union. Called T Fraley.
11 W=C FR
Met at P. N.'s house again at 1:00PM. Left at 5:00PM. Phone tieup thru nation seems to be nearly complete. [Remember all this time they have been developing long distance technology.] Mrs. Ben Skinner (formerly of Berwyn) and her daughter and Nina Obgertel were afternoon visitors. Put up new shades in kitchen.
12 W=C SA
82nd Division paraded in NYC.[see newsreel footage of the parade complete with narration and music] Strikes are paralyzing the country. Bot trunk for Bob's use at Jr. College.
13 W=F SU
Bob took folks out for ride in our car. He came in at 2:30 this AM from being out with Connie Loesser. [Remember this is a male Connie. He dies as a not very old man, before Grandma died, I noted in her diary.]
14 W=F MON XX
Started working at #9 William Street in NYC in temporary HQ on 3rd floor. Mr. Bransford has 3rd & 4th floors. I went to Paul's house first with other boys. Spent afternoon with J D Tibo of B.T.L. [This building must have been partially empty, the link is to the history of the address & its buildings.]
15 W=C TU
Bob went to St. unempl. office & cancelled my request for help which I made one week ago. Left on 8:02 & got to 9S. William St. at 10 to 9. Arrived at Elmora at 5:49 PM. Bob & I saw G. I. Joe picture at Ritz. It is based on Ernie Pyle's book.
16 W=F W 14deg
Attended convocation at NY Minor Lodge of AMORC. Met Gibbons & Zellif at 9 S. William St. today.
17 W=C TH
About 200 supervisors entered WE Kearny plant & came out again with material & records etc. W. E. Co. obtained a temporary injunction against mass picketing yesterday. Made out list of Alice A. Bailey's books for Mrs. Johnson
18 W=C F
I and 3 others of our Dept. entered the plant after 1:00PM without opposition from the pickets. N & I spent evening with Mr. & Mrs Whitom.
19 W=F 9deg SA
Crossed picket line at Kearny this AM. Took home some more work etc. Bob to Lake Mohawk with Jeanne Klump.
20 W=C SU Have a slight cold developing. Did some Co. work.
21 W=S MON
My cold is much relieved. Took more co. records home due to possibility of strike locking out management employees.
22 W=F TU Cold!
Passed picket line again this AM. We will be working at Kearny until Friday. Called Paul at his home after supper. He is on Jury Duty & could not be excused. Took work home to check. Had conference in M T Thompson's office this AM re: strike situation.
23 W=F W
Another conf in Mr. T T's office. Talked with Paul again from W E Co. He called me. Recd letter from Aunt H[ilda] who has had flu. She had her ear lanced and is temporarily deaf in one ear. Met Wilbur Hanson today for 1st time since his home-coming Sunday. He gave me a lift from station in family car. Recd 1 ton pea coal & 1 3/4 tons K coke.
24 W=F TH
P Naef stopped in after Jury Duty at about 4:00PM. Went over to NYC, 9 S. William St., and brot back several items.
25 W=F FR
Called JLS on phone about my book. He read it & gave it to Pat.(Init., Human & Solar) Injunction hearing again postponed to Weds.
26 W=C SA
Bob & I did errands. We both went to Hurley's and had our watches repaired. Worked on Co. work. Bob went out with Jeanne Klump.
27 W=F SU Mended breadbox. Worked on "Assembly Breakdown Charts".
28 W=C M
Went to Paul N's house after supper to discuss training schedule with him. Also discussed other matters. Recd new 12 edition of Machinist's handbook from Joe P. Huber.
29 W=F TU
Missed my train this AM & was late 1/2 hr. Called PN after supper but he was not home his wife said. She had taken her mother to a hospital today. Bob used car to visit a friend in Linden.
30 W=R W
Paul N called at 6:50 this AM and again just after supper, to discuss our work. Learned that hearing on co. injunction against WEEA was closed today and another 10 or 13 days are necessary for the judge to make or render his decision. Heard the co. has offered Engineers Council 15% + merit raises or 15% retroactive to 11/1 and no merit raises plus a new contract. Council had a meeting last night to discuss new terms. A union meeting is now set for 2/7 in order to vote on the proposition.
31 W=R TH
Paul & I & Joe Huber & H J Staple went out to plant of Manhattan Rubber Mfg. Co. in Passaic on Van Houten Avenue this noon. Mr. Knox of that Co. & Mr. Stiles of Stiles Rubber Co. took 8 of us out to dinner at the Upper Montclair Country Club. We transacted a rubber deal there on Mr. Stiles' order from Fed. Electric of Chicago for rubber gaskets.

FEBRUARY 1946

1 W=F FR Bob went to party. We are all set to go to Dudley, MA tomorrow morning to take Bob to Nichols Jr. College.
2 W=F SA
Bob & I left for Nichols Jr. College at 9am. Arrived there about 4:00pm. Bob & I met Col. Conrad & he invited us to supper there and let me sleep with Bob. It was beastly cold and I did appreciate this hospitality. Mileage 198. Starting mileage this AM was 32334.
3 W=F SU Very cold
Ice and snow up around Dudley, MA & in CT also. Had breakfast with Bob at 9am & it was good and plentiful. Left after 10am. Got home at 5:45 pm. Mileage was 197. For trip it was 397. (32731)
4 W=F M 13deg Took work home.
5 W=C TU
Strike still on at WE Co, and strikes are universal all over the US and elsewhere too.[Click here for actual movie footage of WE Co. picketers. It's at the very beginning, so watch quick, then it goes on to a Western Union scene, but the picket lines would be representative of those at WEKearny.] UNO has suggested that it select an area in Westchester County & in CT (Stamford) for its home (permanent) site. UNO meeting in London is having its chief difficulties in enmity & distrust between Russia & Britain Took work home.
6 W=R W
Recd letter and ballot and contract from Sug's Soc.-Sp. Prod. Meeting is tomorrow. Recd Jury Service card to fill out for possible future service on Petit Jury. Recd calendar from Stiles Rubber Co. Sent a calendar to Bob.
7 W=F TH
Attended Engineers Council meeting at Continental Auditorium, Broad St., Newark. Voted to accept contract offered by Co. for 15% increase in salary. Sent order to Economy HQ-New Process Co., Warren, PA on 2/8/46 for 1 duck feather & down pillow for N. Wrote Reader's Digest Assoc. Inc. to cancel my subscription to "Reader's Digest".
8 W=F Fri Recd letter from Bob & from Sally. N & I saw movies at Roselle Park Theater.
9 W=R SA
Went shopping for N & took Dad to barber. Went to Public Market in Port Elizabeth. Got soap chips for N at Gramp's Hdwe Store. Delivered my house fire ins. policy to Mr. Finch to send to Prudential Ins. Co. of A.
10 W=C SU Mrs. Putnam called & had supper with us. I drove her back.
11 W=F MON
Mrs. Putnam will be back to work again due to my suggesting that she ask Mr. H. F. Allison about it. He said that she should report to Center St., Newark Warehouse
12 W=F TU Lincoln's Birthday
Was advised by Paul Naef this aft. that I have been given a "merit" raise of $20 per month retroactive to 12/1/45. About 60% of members of our dept. received "merit" raises. The 15% general increase takes effect on 1/28/46.
13 W=R W
Still carrying lunch everyday as WEEA is still on strike. A permanent injunction has been granted W E Co. at Kearny to refrain the WEEA from mass picketing. Had conf today in Pease's office in regard to inspection phases of the work both by Navy and final insp. Met new Navy Inspector, Mr. Norman Burnette. Wrote to Bob.
14 W=C & R TH
Kearny was again mass picketed this AM and I could not even get off the RR property. So GSH & I called Paul Naef and went to 9 S. William St. again. Called PN twice without success. Finally got him at William St. He got into plant with several of our people and is arranging to take things out in cars. Recd 9 sheet letter from Jennie. Dad had another spell of fainting.
15 W=C & S F Cold
Went direct to 9 S William St. where we all met and from there we went to 120 Broadway & then to Holley Hotel on Washington Square. Left at 2:45 for Harmony Book Shop where I purchased copy of HPB's Secret Doctrine. Strike blockade still complete at WE Co. Kearny plant.
16 W=F SA N & I went to Public Market at Elizabethport. Recd letters from Sally & Bob.
17 W=F SU N wrote Bob asking him to come next weekend. Took ride in PM.
18 W=F M
Went over to 9 S William St. again today. Recd letters from Jennie & Ralph. Recd Income Tax statement from W E Co.
19 W=S TU
Wrote birthday cards to Jennie (50th birthday) and Marjorie Vander Weel (Abrams).
20 W=F W
Went to Mfgr's Trust Co. bank at 149 Broadway & cashed Co. check there this AM. Went to AMORC convention (Forum meeting). Met Charles Searles on Broadway by accident. I was window gazing as he went by. Also met Pat. His wife came back home yesterday from another trip to Hospital. Recd letter from Bob, he is coming home Thurs. (tomorrow) by car with one of the students from Princeton.
21 W=F TH Bob arrived at 7:45 pm by auto of a friend.
22 W=C F 32deg Washington's Birthday Did not go to work.
23 W=F SA
Went to U C Trust Co. bank this AM. Wrote letters to Jennie, Dad & Ralph & Jo. Bob took Jeanne Klump to party.
24 W=S & C SU Bob left w/ 2 boys in car for Nichols at 5:00pm.
25 W=F M Cold!
Mr. McCool went in and out of WE Co. Kearny plant early this AM and had a very tough time of it.
26 W=C TU
Melvin Dahlin & I visited Chinatown after dinner today. Signed req for 2 year sub to "Cosmopolitan" magazine for N at $5.50.
27 W=R W
Attended AMORC convocation at NYC Minor Lodge. Recd letter from Jo. Visited site of Old Federal Building w/ Dahln in NYC.
28 W=F TH
Melvin Dahlin & I visited the Stock Exchange. [Sounds to me like they were getting paid to do a lot of NYC sight-seeing on those afternoons while locked out of their offices at Kearny!]

Prettige feestdagen

Happy Holidays to all. Since learning how to say Happy Holidays in Dutch, I decided, a bit late, to show some images of the Dutch Sinterklaas... enjoy! If you want to see more, just google Sinterklaas and go to Images, you'll find plenty!