1945 V-Mail From France and Germany

My mother-in-law kept letters from her nephew Aurthur Kenneth (Ken) Perkins (b. 9-27-1926) who was a private in the 118th infantry. The unconditional surrender of Germany occurred May 7, 1945--a few days after this first letter. Ken was about 18 years old. I have transcribed the V-Mail and letters as Ken wrote them.

'Ken" with Grandma O'Dell and his Cousin Phyllis 

Ken's mother Edith Lila May O'Dell Perkins (1906-1968) was sister to my mother-in-law Laura Grace O'Dell Bekofske.

Edith married John Franklin 'Frank' Perkins (1889-1962) born in Ontario Canada. Frank was 21 when he came to the US in 1921 to "better his condition." Frank was married at that time, last had lived in Flint, MI when in 1919 he took the ferry from Sarnia, Ontario to Port Huron, MI. His occupation was 'laborer'. Frank had $8. He was going to his brother's home.

Ken's parents 'Frank' Perkins and Edith O'Dell Perkins

Their son Ken married Audrey Lee on May 13, 1944 when Ken was seventeen years old. The first letter from Europe was written near the time of his first anniversary.

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May 5/1945

Private A. K. Perkins
4th Plat. Inf Co I
Somewhere in France

Dear Aunt Laura,
Well I've finally gotten around to catching up on some of my correspondence. About time too I guess. We weren't able to mail any letters en-route so thats why you haven't heard from me lately. I got a letter from Audrie saying that Uncle Herman was turned down by the draft board. I'm very glad for both of your sakes. It's pretty tough sometimes to be so far away from home. Sometimes it seems like I can't even remember what some of you look like. I still like the army as much as ever but there's a lot more to it than that. Well I'm somewhere in so called Sunny France. Don't let anyone kid you, the only sun there is shines in Canada. Its pretty cold here at present and it looks like rain too. Well I guess this is about all for this one so bye for now and write soon The very best to all of you and Grandma.
As ever.
Ken.

Laura O'Dell and Herman Bekofske on Honeymoon, 1940

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France
May 21/1945

Dear Aunt Laura,
I guess its about time I got off a few lines to you so here I am. Its been raining all last night as so far all day. Its about three in the afternoon so I hope it stops pretty soon. We're living in tents now and when its dry around here its terribly dusty and now with all this rain the place is like a big mud hole. The R.A.F. bombed the devil out of Jerry when he was here so there isn't much left. Just parts of about six buildings still stand. The Limeys must have had quite a party. I had a swell time in Paris a week ago. I saw Notre Dame Cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe, Napoleon's Tomb, Marshall Jack's Tomb, the Garden of the Tuileries, the Palace de Concorde, the Prison of the Conciergere, the Avenue Champs de Elysees and the Eiffel Tower and many other places including the famous Opera. Well must close for now. Say Hi to Uncle Herman and love to Grandma.
As ever,
Ken

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May 11/1945
France

Dear Aunt Laura & all,
How are you all keeping? I'm fine but I guess I haven't done enough work lately. I'm getting terribly lazy. Its awfully hot here now and that makes me even lazier but I am getting a swell sun tan. I'm stationed in a place called Fontainebleau just south of Paris. The most notable thing about the place is Napoleon's Castle which is about five minutes walk from here. Its realy a monstrous and beautiful place and I'm told there are over four hundred rooms in it. I was on pass last night and went to a street carnival in town with one of my buddies. Had a pretty fair time there too. Boy you can realy tell the French people are happy the was is over here. There are all kinds of flags everywhere. Well, I must close now. Please write soon.
As always, Ken.

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June 15/1945
Mannheim, Germany

Dear Aunt Laura & all,
Well people, I guess its about time I wrote to you again. I received your V mail letter today and according to that I have got all of your letters so far. So Grandma is going to go live in a trailer house this year. Well maybe a good outing will do her good. but she is going u to one of the lakes to fish a summer, I remember gong up to Reverend [E. A.] Smith's cottage to fish one evening last year. That was real fun even if we didn't catch any whale. A fisherman can always talk about the one that got away anyhow. There are a couple of good fishing spots here but I don't have the time. Well, just as you said, these thing are too short and I'm running out of space. I'll write a letter soon so tell them, love to all. Hows your Holstein?
Ken

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September 27/1945
Auxonne France

P.F.C. A. K. Perkins
Co. H 118th Inf. A.P.O. 513

Dear Aunt Laura, Grandma & all,
Well I supposed you all guess I've forgotten you. I realy haven't I've been away three weeks on a furlough to England. I realy had a grand time. I saw all the sights of London and spent one day in Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland. I was in Southampton, Bromley, and Cheshunt too in England. It would take me ages to tell you all about it. Maybe some day when I have more time. Its nearly midnight now and I gotta get to bed. I just though I'd let you know I'm still kickin'. I spent eight and a half days in England and six in Paris. The rest of the time I was traveling. I saw St. Paul's, Buckingham Palace, the tower of London, the Tower Bridge, the British Museum, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and many other very famous places.

I had my picture done in London and if it turns out half decent I'll try to send you one. My cousin Frank's intended wife in London (England) is going to forward them to me. I have a small taken in Paris that I'll enclose now. I realy must close now. I know this is terribly short but I'll write more soon.
Love to all,
As ever,
Ken

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October 29/1945
Camp New Orleans (near)Troyes, France

Dear Aunt Laura, Grandma & Co.

Ken's Grandma O'Dell and Aunt Laura

I received you're joint letter today and was realy glad to hear from both of you. I've been too busy to do much letter writing lately. Boy this is some place. One day I do guard duty on a prison of ware compound and the next day I do M.P. road patrol in a jeep and half the time I work nights. But I guess the toughest part of it is over because I expect to be transferred out of the 188th any day no. Boy thats going to be a blessing. I detest the way this unit is being run. We have a devil of a time getting our post exchange rations, blades, ciggarettes, writing paper etc. and I haven't been paid since July. Now they say we aren't going to get paid again this month. The reason being that the staff of the paying section have mostly been sent home from this section of France. So now there are no clerks o do paper work and so we didn't get paid. I'll bet if Uncle Herman didn't get paid for three months he'd quit and go job hunting. But at present I haven't much chance of doing anything as drastic as that.

I think Grandma will like living in Flint again. It will be so much more convenient for her. Somehow I can't hardly visualize selling the farm because you have been there so long but of course I can see the advantages. I hope everything works out alright.

The O'Dell Farm

Honestly Aunt Laura, I can't give any sort of an excuse why Audrey hasn't written to you. She isn't much of a hand at letter writing. Sometimes I get a little but angry when she doesn't write very often. But she usually writes to me pretty regularly. She very seldom every writes to her mother or any of her relatives, I think I have almost soul claim to the products of her pen. So please don't think its because she is ungrateful or unthoughtful. She is realy very considerate, i guess writing is just her weakness.

Gee, I sure would love to be there to go pheasant hunting. I bet I could show you how to get one. Maybe. I haven't done any shooting for pleasure since I stayed with Aunt Phina and then I was trying to shoot pheasants out of season with a 22. Aren't I a smart one. But I'm going to try to fix up that rifle I sent home and do some realy honest to goodness sportsman like hunting some day. Perhaps I could persuade Uncle Herman to go deer hunting. He could show me how because the army didn't teach me to hunt that kind of animal. is it a date?

'Aunt Phenie' and husband Hiram O'Dell

I received the stamps you sent me some time ago Aunt Laura. I was sure I wrote and let you know that I got them. Perhaps I just thought I did. Anyway they were very welcome and they're a thing I always find good use for as long as I'm over here. I'm the guy who jeeps the post office in business you know. I write to no less than 37 people by I guarantee you there are a H of a lot less than that that write back to me. Sort of a one sided affair is what.

I had my picture done in a studio in England and hey were to be sent on to me when they were ready. So far I've not received them, but when I do you have a first rate priority on one of them. I may have to send it to Audrey and have some copes made but get one to you somehow.

Well I'm all out of gab and this is my last sheet of paper of this kind so that adds up to quitting time. So until next time, I remain,
as always,
Ken.

Love & kisses
(or do I dare)

A New Rose

 We fell in love with this rose and had to bring it home!

All My WIPs: Quilts, Books, Kitchen...

I can read a book in two or three days but hand quilting a bed sized quilt....takes me a lot longer! I am finally on the border of my Charles Dickens quilt. 

 

 

I usually work on it every Tuesday with the Clawson quilters and evenings at home.

I forgot about this Redwork project! It was hiding in a dough boy end table! The free designs from Mirkwood Designs were based on the original illustrations.

 

 I added a little more to Vintage Rose, but she is finished.

I found a fabric butterfly pin at a craft fair and bought it for my wall hanging I made a little while back. So perfect!

As you can see from the photo below that pin was really necessary. If only she had two in that color!

Every now and then I get out Love Entwined to work on the fourth border...

I also joined TWO local book clubs! For next week I have reread Jane Austen's Persuasion. For next month I will read Girl on a Train by Paula Hawkins and Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

On my NetGalley shelf I have:

Daisy Turner's Kin: An African American Family Saga by Jane C. Beck
Wings in the Dark  a retro style mystery involving Amelia Earhart by Michael Murphy
Circling the Sun, a novel about Beryl Markham by Paula McLain
The Marriage of Opposites, a novel about the mother of Impressionist artist Camille Pissarro, by Alice Hoffman
Joy: Poet, Seeker, and the Woman who Captivated C. S. Lewis by Abigail Santamaria
Song of My Life: A Biography of Marilyn Walker Carolyn Brown (author of the novel Jubilee) by Caroline Brown.

Forthcoming book reviews include:
House of Hawthorne, a novel about Nathaniel Hawthorne and his wife, by Erika Robuck
The Great Detective about Sherlock Holmes by Zach Dundas
Exit the Actress about Restoration actress and mistress of Charles II Nell Gwynn, written by Priya Parmar whose Vanessa and Her Sister I reviewed last year
Donna Bell's Bake Shop, a cook book and story behind the store by Pauley Perrette and friends
Shoot the Conductor: Too Close to Monteux, Szell and Ormandy, a memoir by violinist and conductor Anshel Brusilow
Worthy by Catherine Hyde Ryan whose Language of Hoofbeats I reviewed last year
The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows who wrote the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Language Arts by Stephanie Kallos who wrote Broken For You which I had enjoyed

Today we bought a lovely yellow rose and some herbs to plant this week. I am preparing sleeves for the quilts that will be in my guild's show June 5 & 6. And that kitchen remodel? We decided on a cork floor, the back splash for over the stove and behind the hood, and bought a hood.  (Jen said she bought one after she saw the great price!) Jen has bought my sink and has ordered the cabinets. The Wilson Art Betty laminate is available! Time to pack up the kitchen!

The Turner House by Angela Flournoy

Thirteen children were raised in the house on Yarrow Street in Eastside Detroit. In 2008 it stands empty. Their father Frances had come North for work and spent his life driving 18 wheelers for Chrysler. He struggled with alcohol, held his children in speechless love, and was buried in his Hudson's suit. Their aging mother Alice is living with her oldest son. The money owed on the house is more than it is worth, but to save it will cost $40,000. The kids can't agree what to do. Each has their own memories of the house, and their own demons.

The Turner House by Angela Flournoy is a story Detroiters will recognize as 'theirs': black migration from the South to Detroit hoping for work and the rewards of a home of their own, then watching the city fall into the slow ruin caused by white--and black flight to the suburbs, job loss, city mismanagement, crime, drugs, and the lure of easy money at the casinos. The author's father was from Detroit, and his stories informed and inspired her book.

It is the Turner family that makes the novel impelling and universal; Flournoy's wise and compassionate portraits of complex people struggling with human issues.

The Turner House iis featured in the Spring 2015 Paris Review. Flournoy says on her blog,

"There's an excerpt of my novel that I'm very excited about! It's called "Lelah," and on top of the obvious feelings of joy and humility I ahve for being in such an illustrious publication, I'm also happy that The Paris Review selected "Lelah" in particular. She is the first character I "knew," the one whose story came to me when it was well underway. She challenged me to figure our how she got to where she was in her life, and to develop where she needed to go next."

Trip Around the World; found at a flea market; by an Eastside Detroit quilter

I received a free e-book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

The Turner House
Angela Flournoy
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: May 21, 2015
ISBN: 9780544303164
$23.00 hard cover

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All Points Patchwork: English Paper Piecing Beyond the Hexagon for Quilts and Small Projects

I have only made a few hexagon florets for my Charles Dickens quilt border. But after reading this book I look forward to trying more paper piecing projects in the future. I am impressed by how complete and well organized this book is, loaded with step by step photographs, and full of tips for successful paper piecing.

This is not a pattern book; it gives you the knowledge base for creating your own projects. This is my favorite kind of book, one that teaches you a technique to add to your quilting skill set. 

I recommend this book for beginners AND for experienced paper piecers. I belong to a quilting group with several gals who have done hexagons for projects. They were unfamiliar with some of the tips I had read about.

This book is also perfect for quilt guild libraries.

http://www.workman.com/products/9781612124209/

I received a free ebook through NetGalley for a fair and unbiased review.

English Paper piecing Beyond the Hexagon, for Quilts & Small Projects

by Diane Gilleland
Storey Publishing
Publication June 2, 2015
ISBN: 9781612124209
$19.95 paperback

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A Reverence for Engines: The Thomas the Tank Engine Man

I did not request Brian Sibley's reissue of his 1994 biography The Thomas The Tank Engine Man because of nostalgia. Our son was too old to be a fan of  The Thomas the Tank Engine cartoon series and we read the books. I requested it because the description said Rev. Awdry was a pacifist pastor who during WWII was removed from his curacy because of his stance. I wanted to know more about this man.

Rev. Wilbert Awdry's deep love affair with steam engines began in childhood because of his father's deep interest. Awdry passed this love on to his son Christopher-- a three generation obsession.

Awry made up the stories about train engines who acted like little children to entertain Christopher when he was ill. Awdry then made model trains based on the characters. He was encouraged by his wife to publish the stories. They were beloved by children. When he gave up writing--after over 100 stories--his son later took up pen and wrote more Engine books.

Sibley has a deep knowledge and love of his subject. We learn how each story was conceived and developed, the artists who illustrated the book, Awdry's insistence on accuracy, and reader's reactions to the story. The stories were based on real incidents and verisimilitude was foremost, both in story and in illustration.

The book starts with a detailed genealogy. Awry is given no psychological treatment, his spiritual concerns are not explored in depth. But if one reads between the lines one can imagine another layer.

Awdry was uncertain of a career until his time at Oxford when he decided to follow in his father's footsteps. After earning his theology degree he spent three years teaching in Jerusalem where he met his future wife. After his return to England he was as assistant pastor. Awdry's older brother had been killed in the Great War and Awry was a pacifist. When WWII came to Britain and Awdry maintained his pacifist stance he was asked to leave his position.

The Church of England does not have a call system (where a church seeks and employs a pastor as they desire) but an appointment system (pastoral assignments made at discretion of the Bishop). Awdry had a wife and child to support and no job. The Birmingham Bishop was also a pacifist and offered Awdry a parish. It became the birthplace of Thomas the Tank Engine.

In 1946 the Awdrys moved to Elsworth and Knapwell. The vicarage was sadly neglected. The family split up for months while the house was made fit for their habitation. They were not pleasant years in Awdry's ministry and writing the Engine series was a saving grace. Seven years later he moved to Emneth.

Sometimes Awdry had to do everything himself, from lighting the stoves to heat the church to clearing the chimney of a parishioner. His wife Margaret taught in the Sunday school. Wilbert loved children and started a Junior Church. He rounded up children in his 12-seater van and brought them to the Vicarage for instruction. The morality of the Engine books was based in his theology. He gave responsibilities to the children, explained faith and church with stories--imagined and true-- that were accessible to the children. He always demonstrated that faith was part of every day life.

After twenty years in the parish ministry Awdry retired in 1965. The income from his 26 books was finally enough to live on, about 1000 pounds a year.

Having lived in a parsonage for well over 30 years I am quite intimate with the trials and challenges of pastoral ministry. Pastors are under constant scrutiny and criticized for things done and things undone. Expectations are unrealistic. There are no office hours. It is a round the clock job. I remember waking up in the middle of the night and finding my husband gone, the car gone. He had gotten an emergency call to the hospital and bedside of a dying parishioner. I am amazed that Awdry wrote 25 books while working in the parish and raising his family.

When Sibley asked Awdry about his personal philosophy he replied that this is God's world and disobeying His rules brings trouble on ourselves and others. His characters willfully erred and had to accept the punishment, but where never "scrapped." Forgiveness and redemption and another opportunity to become a "really useful engine" is always available.

Awdry said he wanted  his epitaph to say, "He helped people to see God in the ordinary things of life, and he made children laugh."

This was the man I was hoping to discover.

The Orson Starr House Mystery Quilt

The Mystery Quilt of The Orson Starr House

My Mother's Day visit to the Orson Starr House of Royal Oak, MI made my day when I saw a very interesting quilt.

A second floor bedroom displays this pieced quilt. It was noted as made about 1900 by Anna O. Greene of Royal Oak. The sign said she lived at 325 W Harrison in Royal Oak and in 1928 moved to Texas and gave this quilt to Helen Clees, whose daughter Elizabeth inherited the quilt; Elizabeth donated it to the Royal Oak Historical Society.

The quiltmaker's use of fabric is just wonderful. With only two fabrics she has given the illusion of a more complicated quilt.

I thought it was much older than 1900 and shared the photo with the Facebook group "Quits-Antique and Vintage." Quilt appraiser Teddy Mc Mahon Pruett and quilt collector and quilt maker Pepper Cory agreed that the quilt was closer to 1845 than 1900. 

 

Detail of print

The stripped center blocks are composed of  a square of Prussian Blue ombre printed fabric. The same fabric plus a solid light fabric is used in the pieced Wild Goose Chase sashing. Prussian Blue was popular between 1830 and 1850, especially in ombre prints. 

Ombre is French for 'shaded', referring to the gradual shading of color; here the dark blue fades into a lighter version;  a beige and blue print appears between the blue stripes. The print seems to have a floral motif. That part of the fabric is badly decaying, likely because the brown dye used included minerals that have eaten away the fabric. Read more about ombre prints at Barbara Brackmans' post here.

The blocks are bordered with pieced Wild Geese. You can see another quilt in this pattern at Tim Latimer's log post here. and samples at The Quilt Index here  and here.  This type of quilt block is called Sash and Block. 

Learn more about Prussian blue fabrics at Barbara Brackman's Civil War Quilts blog post here  and her blog Material Culture here;  look at the second antique fabric sample for another Prussian Blue stripe.  According to Roderick Kiracofe in The American Quilt  Prussian Blue, or Lafayette Blue, was a mineral dye first used in America in 1832. Brackman notes the dye formula was developed in 1770.

The quilt bock pattern is a Wild Goose Chase variation. Kiracofe also writes that pieced quilt patterns became commonplace during the second quarter of the 18th c, including Wild Goose Chase. 

The quilt is beautifully hand quilted. Cotton batting can be seen under the decayed parts. 

Who Was Anna O. Greene?

I went to Ancestry.com to learn more about Anna O. I discovered her husband was Orville W. Greene.

On March 20, 1862 Orville W. Greene, age 21,  enlisted as a private in the army and was in Company 1, Michigan 16th Infantry Regiment and mustered out July 8, 1865 at Jeffersonville, IN. He appears on an 1890 veterans list.

In 1870 Orville W. Greene appears on the Ann Arbor, MI census boarding with a chemistry professor and attending university. He attended University of Michigan in 1869-70 but did not receive a degree. 

On October 16, 1872 Orville, age 28 and born in Hulla, MI, and Anna O. Wright, age 20 and born in Wrightstown, WS, were married in Greenville. Orville was a banker.

Orville and Anna appear on the 1880 Greenville, Montcalm MI Census. Anna, age 28, and Orville, 36, had children Mabel, age 6, and a two month old unnamed son. Orville was a "jeweller" [sic]. 

The 1900 Census of Greenville, Montcalm, MI shows they lived at 510 Clay. Anna was born January, 1853 in Wisconsin. Orville W. was born February 1845 and was a bookeeper. They had children Otto, born January 1878, and Edwin W., born October 1883. A sister-in-law Ida E. Abbot, born October 1856, and a domestic servant lived with them. 

The 1920 Census shows that Orville, 77, and Anna, 66, Ida, 63, and grandson Willoughby,11 were living together. 

By 1924 Anna and Orville had moved to Royal Oak. 

By 1930 Anna, 77, was living in Royal Oak with her son Otto, 52, who worked in an auto plant. 

Anna's death certificate shows she was born January 23, 1853 in Wisconsin and died of apoplexy on March 9, 1933 in Alamo, TX. Anna Orilla's parents were Lucien Wright and Marietta Thompson both of Wisconsin. Her burial was to be in Royal Oak. 

Anna's Ancestry

Anna's parents were Marietta "Etta" Thompson (1844-1860) and Lucien L Wright (1870-). 

Lucien L. Wright's parents were Margaret (1822-) and Lucien B. Wright(1825-1868); Lucien B. appears on a Civil War Draft Registration in Wrightsville, WS. 

Marietta's parents were Orilla Tabitha Palmer (1844-1860) and Delanson Thompson (1817-1860). 

Orilla Palmer's parents were Elias Palmer (1789-1825) and Anna Haven (1778-1864). Anna Haven's ancestors date back to Richard Haven who was born in England in 1590, arrived in America in 1644, and died in Plymouth, MA in 1703; he was a carpenter, a deacon in the church, and served in King Phillips War.

Did Anna Make The Quilt?

Now the problem is this: If Anna O. Greene pieced this quilt, lets say at age 14, then it would have been made around 1867. And yet some believe the fabric is older than that time period. SO...who did piece that quilt? Did Anna's use fabric from a dress belonging to a family member? Pepper Cory suggested the quilt could have been made for Anna's birth. Or did Anna's mother make the quilt? Or even her grandmother?

It is a mystery.