They've been in a box in my closet, under my bed, and now in my office, for well over 20 years now. I am fortunate indeed to have the complete set of my Grandpa Maurice L. Reed's journals that he wrote in almost daily from 1927 to 1957. Written on yellowing lined paper, between cardboard covers tied with string, these are treasure chests of genealogical information.
Back in 1974, when I first had access to the journals, I decided to read them straight through, and make notes along the way. I just found the list of notes I made on that first reading:
1928: Ervilla Varran & her mother Mrs. Van Wagoner visited [Ervilla Varran would be the future stepmother of the not-yet-born Mary Stoelt, who would marry the not-yet-born John Chase Reed, son of Maurice & Ruby Reed]
1932: Dad Chase is living in Grand Rapids. Maurice used to live in Sturgeon Bay, and left when he was 8 years old.
1935: Ruby & Mabel attending their high school class reunion in Bear Lake
1936: wrote of the life & family history of Henry H. Chase
1937: reminisces about their wedding day in Columbus, Ohio
description of Percy and Mary Reed's golden wedding anniversary
sent birthday card to Grandad Reed in Miami, 98 years old this month
1938: Beem family reunion in Hillsdale
1941: wrote up history of the Beem family
1942: registered for the draft
1943: describes rationing (and includes some ration books)
1945: youngest daughter in hospital with pneumonia; saved by penicillin which was on sale this week for the first time
1946: bombing of Hiroshima
1948: knowing how to type kept him from going to war in Europe during World War 1
1949: oldest daughter & her husband sail for Bolivia as missionaries
1951: wedding of John Chase Reed & Mary Stoelt (this is really funny to read, as Grandpa had some pithy observations to make!)
1952: sold house [in Lansing] for $9950; "not one regret"
1952: Reed family reunion in Beulah
1928: Ervilla Varran & her mother Mrs. Van Wagoner visited [Ervilla Varran would be the future stepmother of the not-yet-born Mary Stoelt, who would marry the not-yet-born John Chase Reed, son of Maurice & Ruby Reed]
1932: Dad Chase is living in Grand Rapids. Maurice used to live in Sturgeon Bay, and left when he was 8 years old.
1935: Ruby & Mabel attending their high school class reunion in Bear Lake
1936: wrote of the life & family history of Henry H. Chase
1937: reminisces about their wedding day in Columbus, Ohio
description of Percy and Mary Reed's golden wedding anniversary
sent birthday card to Grandad Reed in Miami, 98 years old this month
1938: Beem family reunion in Hillsdale
1941: wrote up history of the Beem family
1942: registered for the draft
1943: describes rationing (and includes some ration books)
1945: youngest daughter in hospital with pneumonia; saved by penicillin which was on sale this week for the first time
1946: bombing of Hiroshima
1948: knowing how to type kept him from going to war in Europe during World War 1
1949: oldest daughter & her husband sail for Bolivia as missionaries
1951: wedding of John Chase Reed & Mary Stoelt (this is really funny to read, as Grandpa had some pithy observations to make!)
1952: sold house [in Lansing] for $9950; "not one regret"
1952: Reed family reunion in Beulah
Reed family reunion in Beulah, 1952: my mother Mary Stoelt Reed is 2nd from left in dark dress (my dad, Chase Reed, is looking over her shoulder); Percy and Mary (Beem) Reed are in the center, and Ruby (kneeling) and Maurice Reed are to the far right.
1953: Maurice helps Dad Reed write his obituary (and writes his own)
1955: Ruby left her Bible (once her mother's) to be rebound [and here I'd like a respectful silence, with me moaning in the background....A family Bible! With the potential of unlocking a 30-year brick wall! It's been long gone. Oh........]
1957: In Flagstaff we drove around a bit. Ruby had received cards & letters from relatives there as a child (see my post on The Luggage Tag)
1957: Wrote up "Recollections of an Old Timer" for the Beulah paper
And I'm facing the fact that even though I've read these journals through a couple of times, I have not done so recently. It's very possible that there's some genealogically important information that slipped under the radar. I've also discovered that rereading a source I've read many times before can make new information jump off the page. I think I have my reading cut out for me for awhile!
1955: Ruby left her Bible (once her mother's) to be rebound [and here I'd like a respectful silence, with me moaning in the background....A family Bible! With the potential of unlocking a 30-year brick wall! It's been long gone. Oh........]
1957: In Flagstaff we drove around a bit. Ruby had received cards & letters from relatives there as a child (see my post on The Luggage Tag)
1957: Wrote up "Recollections of an Old Timer" for the Beulah paper
And I'm facing the fact that even though I've read these journals through a couple of times, I have not done so recently. It's very possible that there's some genealogically important information that slipped under the radar. I've also discovered that rereading a source I've read many times before can make new information jump off the page. I think I have my reading cut out for me for awhile!
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