FAMILY PHOTO

Life on Lake Erie

Grandma McKibben here displays what appears to be a Lake Erie walleye that she undoubtedly caught. She loved to fish. This picture was taken at 8404 North Shore Blvd., Lakeside-Marblehead, Ohio (Danbury Township). This is the home of her son and my father, David Benson. Our 1966 Ford Custom 500 is in the background as are also the sting-ray type bicycles that belonged to my brother Paul and me. We moved to this home in 1968. I am guessing this picture was taken in 1969 or 70. I took my driver's test at age 16 (1970) in that car. 

FAMILY FEATURE #5 DIVORCE DECREE

On this day 50 year ago

Mary divorced again after a somewhat brief marriage to Art McKibben.

FAMILY FEATURE #4 DIVORCE DECREE

Divorce November 14th, 1953

After twenty-eight years of marriage, it is over. Mary and Lloyd divorce. Both would later remarry again.

Friday, November 3rd, 1935

Pages blank

Maybe that baby and her recovery has Mary a little too swamped to be writing much.

Monday, October 30th, 1935

Veteran's Day post

This isn't really the 30th of October. No diary entry was made in 1935, but the pages were used 10 years later as this 1945 account continues from the previous pages.

Mary's son Paul is leaving for the army and they all hated to see him go, including the family of his bride of less than a year, Patsy Runyon.

Went to a show. Might it have been Keep Your Powder Dry which opened earlier in October? See trailer: http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/77825/Keep-Your-Powder-Dry-1-Original-Trailer-.html 

Friday, October 26th, 1935

Radio and recovery

Lloyd heads out early to go to the big city in hopes of finding a new car, but instead comes home with a big surprise for Mary-- a new radio!

The next day she manages to get to the dinner table on her own for the first time since delivering lil baby David on the 14th. Paul, who had been gravely ill, finally goes back to school on Monday after being out for weeks and weeks.

Something different happens here in the diary, too. 1935 pages that were left blank become the pages that she records some 1944 happenings.

Flash forward 9 years. Paul is now a young man. He is getting ready to leave in the US Army. His marriage to Patsy is also recorded.

Tuesday, October 22, 1935

Weak and no foolin'

Mary sits up for the first time following giving birth in her entry here. Few people have been by since the doc put the soft pedal on things.

She hopes that her mother gets her letter. Her mother is still recovering from a recent surgery. Payday comes and Lloyd gets a good pay.

Friday, October 18th, 1935

Recovery from childbirth not easy

Mary reports after two days of silence that she is very sick and didn't think she would live. We should probably take her at her word. C.G. comes by, and it is supposed that that is Dr. Grover. He put the "soft pedal" to things and that helped.

As we reflect on our parentage, so does she. She remembers that it is her parent's wedding anniversary. Ovello H. Hemminger and Lenora Francis Wright were married October 20th, 1903 in Columbus, Ohio. Her dad died in a car accident December 9th, 1929, just about six years earlier.

Monday, October 14th, 1935

6 1/2 pounds, and isn't he
"an awful sweet baby?"

Today is the day. Little David Arthur Benson was born at 12:50 pm, delivered by his father there at their Marion home. Can you imagine the excitement?

Mary reports that she suffered some and didn't have any medicine to help her along. Friends helped out, like Massie, Hellen, Florence and Mrs. Gilbert. Mrs. Bosh was surprised as were some of the other neighbors that the baby had come.

This is Mary's fourth and last child. Happy birthay, baby!

Thursday, October 10th, 1935

Always manage to keep going

She sews, bakes pies and make noodles. She goes to movies. She shops. She makes apple butter. Mary sure does manage to keep going.

Paul is noted as doing better from his recent illness, but he doesn't go along with the rest of the family to visit grandma Lenora.

Sunday, October 6th, 1935

All is quite.

Wednesday, October 2nd, 1935

Saturday, September 28th, 1935

Still quiet

Keep in mind, that Mary is very pregnant at this time and probably quite exhausted from Paul's recent illness.

Tuesday, September 24th, 1935

All quiet

What do you think happened these days?

Friday, September 20th, 1935

We can only trust

The fever has broke. Paul is very weakened from his illness. But finally the family can catch their breath and get some rest as Paul continues to recover.

Lloyd has to work on Sunday. Overtime is welcomed because a lay-off is in the offering.

Monday, September 16th, 1935

Doctors come, Paul no better, and then...

Ever have a doctor tell you the obvious? It happened to Mary. The doctors pronounce that Paul is no better. She already knew that. The vigil continues. Alcohol rubs. Ice packs.

Mary finally write her mother. She is so afraid. Finally, the doctors decide. It is Typhoid. The doctors say a quarantine sign must go up, but she tells them her side of things.

Then finally, the fever breaks.

Thursday, September 12th, 1935

Paul has persistent fever

I sure hat to see Paul sick, Mary writes. He has a fever of 103 degrees. There is grave concern. Mary is afraid to tell her own mother who is still recovering from surgery.

She is up day and night with Paul, bathing him to cool him down. Lloyd's adult sons come by and bring ice cream for the little sufferer who now has a fever of 105. Everyone is worried. Will the other kids remain healthy?

Sunday, September 8th, 1935

School starts, Paul gets sick

Hey, who stole the tomatoes? Well, that's Marion, Ohio, for you.

School starts, but 8 year old Paul is not well. By Thursday he comes home from school crying. He won't eat. Typhoid Fever is feared.

Wednesday, September 4th, 1935

Mother home from the hospital

Life is hectic for a very pregnant Mary, but her mother, Lenora, is back home.

Saturday, August 31st, 1935

Awful worried

Mary's mother is not doing well. She telegraphs home to Lloyd and he joins her in Columbus. It's a waiting game. She's awful worried.