DIARY OF A TRIP TO CALIFORNIA
By
Dora Jane (WILEY) KEY
Feb 5, 1933
WASHING AWAY. THERE WAS NOTHING ABOUT IT THAT ONE WOULD
RECOGNIZE AS COTTON. JUST SOME LITTLE STICKS ALONG THE ROW. THINGS BEGAN TO LOOK
A LITTLE MOVE LIVABLE AS WE NEARED DALLAS. ALL THROUGH ARKANSAS WE SAW A YOUNG
CEDAR THAT WAS VERY ATTRACTIVE. A LIGHT PEA GREEN. THE FULL GROWN TREES ARE
DARK. WE ATE IN DALLAS (TX) AND STARTED OUT WITH GREYHOUND AGAIN AND SUCH A
SPLENDID DRIVER. AT FORT WORTH THE SNOW WAS CHASING AROUND THE STREET. WE HAD TO
CHANGE. SOME LITTLE TROUBLE HAD DEVELOPED. THEY PUT THE BUS IN THE GARAGE. SOON
AFTER WE LEFT FORT WORTH WE RAN INTO A GENUINE BLIZZARD. AFTER FIGHTING IT FOR A
WHILE OUR DRIVER SAID WE WOULD HAVE TO PULL IN BUT SOME MAN OFFERED TO KEEP THE
FRONT CLEANED. THE SNOW DIDN’T STICK ON THE OUT SIDE, BUT THE WIND WAS SO
STRONG THE HEATER FAILED TO HEAT AND HE COULDN’T KEEP IT CLEAR. STOPPED AT A
DRUG STORE AND GOT SOME GLYCERIN WHICH DID THE WORK. IT WAS COLD ALL NIGHT AND
WE PULLED INTO PECOS A LITTLE BIT DISGUSTED. WE ONLY CHANGED DRIVERS HERE. THEY
HAD MY BREAKFAST CARRIED TO THE COACH. AFTER DEVOURING SOME GOOD BUTTERED TOAST
AND SOME HOT COFFEE I WAS ALL-OK. AS WE LEFT PECOS I SOON HAD MY FIRST SIGHT OF
MOUNTAINS. NOT SUCH LARGE ONES BUT IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET TO THEM. ALL WE
SAW FOR MILES AND MILES WAS SOME SAGE BRUSH AND MESQUITE WITH A FEW CATTLE
GRAZING AND LITTLE HUTS. THE ONE CONSPICUOUS THING EVERYWHERE WAS STANDARD OIL
PRODUCTS, FORDS AND CHEVROLETS. AS WE CAME NEARER EL PASO THE MOUNTAINS WERE
MUCH LARGER. EL PASO IS BUILT UP THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAINS. THAT IS THE MEXICAN
SECTION. JUST LITTLE ADOBE SHACKS AND EVERYTHING SO TERRIBLE ALL AROUND THEM. AS
MUCH AS WE COULD SEE DOWN IN EL PASO IT WAS VERY PRETTY. AT THE OUTSKIRTS OF EL
PASO WE SAW A BIG BRIDGE. AFTER CROSSING THIS WE BEGAN A GRADUAL CLIMB AND MADE
THE CLIMB FOR A GOOD MANY MILES. IT WAS GETTING DARK BY THAT TIME AND MY EYES
WERE TIRED SO I FIXED TO SLEEP. GLANCING OUT OF THE WINDOW I REALIZED I WAS
GOING OVER A TRAIL AROUND THE MOUNTAINS. I WASN’T SLEEPY AFTER THAT UNTIL WE
CAME TO A LEVEL RUN OF DESERT. SOON AFTER WAKING NEXT MORNING I SAW A SIGHT.
CACTUS GARDENS AHEAD. AGAIN I WAS WIDE AWAKE. IT IS A WONDERFUL SIGHT. THOSE BIG
CACTUS WITH BODIES LIKE TREES AND SOME BIG ARMS STICKING OUT. THEN A BIG FLAT
VARIETY THAT LATER PRODUCED AN APPLE THAT IS EATABLE. MUST BE PREPARED RIGHT OR
THE STICKERS GET IN YOUR TONGUE. RIGHT UP ON A MOUNTAIN SIDE WE SEE A LOT OF
MAMMOTH WHITE BUILDINGS. THE TEXAS FEDERAL PRISON. LATER WE SAW THEM WITH AT
LEAST THREE HUNDRED CONVICTS DOING CONSTRUCTION WORK. INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING A
TRAIL UP HIGH IN MOUNTAINS THEY TOOK US TO DOUGLAS ARIZONA. IN THE MORNING WE
WERE IN PHOENIX. HERE I HAD A PORTER GET ME A BREAKFAST OF BACON. I ATE HEALTHY
FOR I WAS PLANNING TO MAKE THAT DO. WE DID NOT CHANGE BUSSED ANYMORE ONLY
DRIVERS. WE HAD FOUR DRIVERS FROM THAT INTO L.A. I HAD MILK THREE TIMES DURING
THE DAY. ALL WE HAD SEEN FROM TEXARKANA ALL THROUGH ARKANSAS, TEXAS, NEW MEXICO
AND ARIZONA WE SAW MEXICANS, DESERT, AND MOUNTAINS. ONE DRIVER OVER THIS WAS A
YOUNG MEXICAN AND HE WAS ONE OF THE NICEST WE HAD. OUR NEXT TO LAST CHANGE OF
DRIVERS WAS AT BLYTHE CALIFORNIA. WE CROSSED THE COLORADO RIVER HERE AND JUST
OVER THE BOARDER WE WERE INSPECTED AND ALL ORANGES TAKEN FROM US. I STILL HAD
SIX SUNKIST BUT THEY WOULDN’T ALLOW THEM BACK IN CALIFORNIA. ALL ALONG SO MANY
HAD PARED ORANGES AND GAVE THEM TO ME. THE LADIES SAW IT WAS HARD FOR ME. BY
THIS TIME THERE WERE THIRTEEN OF US BOUND FOR LOS ANGELES AND I WAS EITHER
MOTHER OR GRANDMA TO ALL. FROM BLYTHE I FELT THE NEED OF REST AND RECLINED A
GREAT DEAL UNTIL I BEGAN TO GET INTO ORANGE GROVES AND DATE PALMS. BOTH
IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO DESCRIBE. THEY ARE SO BEAUTIFUL. THE GREEN OF THE ORANGE
WITH ITS YELLOW FRUIT IS MORE THAN BEAUTIFUL. HOWEVER, I WAS TIRED AND DIDN’T
SEE IT ALL, BUT RESTED A LOT. ABOUT FIFTY MILES OUT OF L.A. WE GOT OUR LAST
DRIVER AND WE WERE ON THE EUCLID AVENUE OF CLEVELAND, ONLY IT’S VALLEY BLVD. I
WATCHED TO GREAT SHEDS WHERE THEY SHIP FROM AND ALL THE PLACES YOU COULD BUY
ORANGES. THE MILES WERE LONG AND TEDIOUS TO ME. GREAT MOUNTAINS WITH SNOW CAPPED
TOPS AND THE SUN SETTING IS AGAIN INDESCRIBABLE. AS WE REACHED RIVERSIDE, A
SMALL PLACE, A YOUNG LADY WHO WAS GOING HOME SAID SHE BELIEVED SHE WOULD GET OFF
AND WALK IN. OTHERS ASKED HER IF SHE WAS THAT TIRED. IT LET TO A GENERAL
DISCUSSION WHEN ONE MAN SAID I TELL YOU GRANDMA IS THE BEST SPORT ABOARD. SHE
HAS TAKEN WHATEVER CAME HER WAY WITHOUT A MURMUR. SOON A LADY WHO CAME THROUGH
FROM N.Y. SAYS MOTHER LOOK AHEAD AND THERE WAS ALHAMBRA CLEAR ACROSS THE BLVD. A
FEW MINUTES BEFORE I HEARD THEM SAY SAN GABRIEL. I KNEW IT COULDN’T BE FAR AS
THAT WAS INDIA’S TOWN. THEY HELPED ME DOWN AND I WAS MET BY THE AGENT. TWO
MORE WERE JUST HERE FOR THIS PASSENGER. THEY ARE DRAGGING A BUS INTO L.A. A
WESTERN GREYHOUND COMES IN SIX MINUTES AHEAD OF THE PACIFIC. AS THE WESTERN
DIDN’T STOP WILL DECIDED I WAS GOING INTO L.A.
I GOT A TAXI AND CAME TO THE HOUSE WHERE KATE (Katherine
H. (Posther) Wiley) AND VERA (Vera (Dessmore) Wiley) WERE WAITING. SOON I WAS
WASHED UP THAT TIME WILL (William Johnson Wiley) AND VIRGIL (Virgil George
Wiley) WERE THERE. THEN TO A SPLENDID HOT SUPPER. WHILE AT THE TABLE WITH MY
BACK TO THE FRONT DOOR, I NOTICED SOMEONE CAME IN AND SOON I WAS IN INDIA’S
(India Pearl (Wiley) Dailey) ARMS FOLLOWED BY MARY ELINOR (Mary Elinor (Dailey)
Nordgen) WHO SAYS AUNT DORA. THIS IS BETTER THAN SANTA CLAUS. AL WAS WITH THEM.
THEY DID NOT STAY LONG. KATE (Katherine H. (Posther) Wiley) AND VERA (Vera (Dessmore)
Wiley) GAVE ME A GOOD HOT BATH AND SEATED ON THE SIDE OF THE BED WAITING FOR THE
FINISH, WILL WITH A BOTTLE OF MEDICINE, VERA WITH A GLASS OF WATER, AND KATE.
(Katherine H. (Posther) Wiley) THE HOT WATER BOTTLE. THEN VERA GAVE ME A SMELL
OF A BOWL OF ROSES ON MY DRESSER. I WAS SOON ASLEEP, BUT WITH THE VIBRATION (of
the bus) STILL UNDER ME.
FEB 10, 1933 – A NIGHTS REST AND I AM GOOD AS
EVER. ABOUT TIME INDIA AND A CAME, WILL WENT WITH AL AND INDIA (India Pearl
(Wiley) Dailey) STAYED WITH ME. BEFORE THEY STARTED INDIA AND WILL GOT LUNCH.
JAMES CAME IN TIME FOR LUNCH.
FEB 11 – STILL FEELING MORE RESTED. MARY EISEN,
(Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) MOTHER (Lida A. (Geer) Wiley) AND GUYTON (Guyton
Wynn) CAME. THEY INSISTED WE GO WITH THEM TO INDIA’S FOR EGGS. AS WE BACKED
OUT, DAN CAME. HE WENT BACK HOME WITH US. KATE (Katherine H. (Posther) Wiley)
CAME HOME AT NOON AND VISITED ALL AFTERNOON.
FEB 12 – ASIDE FROM VIRGIL (Virgil George Wiley)
AND VERA (Vera (Dessmore) Wiley) COMING IN WE HAD A VERY QUIET DAY. I WENT TO
THE BACK YARD AND TOOK A SUN BATH. COULDN’T STAND VERY MUCH OF IT AT ONCE.
FEB 13 – ANOTHER QUIET DAY.
FEB 14 – BERTHA (Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn) CAME
THIS EVENING. BROUGHT ME A BUNCH OF VIOLETS AND HYACINTHS. THE VIOLETS ARE VERY
BEAUTIFUL. SHE ALSO BROUGHT ME A BOX OF DATES THAT ARE ALLOWED TO RIPEN ON THE
TREE.
FEB 15 – ALREADY TO START WRITING LETTERS WHEN FRANK POSTHER AND WIFE CAME FROM LONG BEACH. THEY STAYED UNTIL BEDTIME.
FEB 16 – AFTER BREAKFAST I ANNOUNCED I WAS
WRITING LETTERS. FAIRLY STARTED WHEN AL CAME TO TAKE US TO HIS HOUSE FOR
LUNCHEON AND A DRIVE. WE STOPPED AND TOOK INDIA (India Pearl (Wiley) Dailey)
ALONG. AFTER A LOVELY LUNCH IN MARY’S (Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) BEAUTIFUL
HOME AND INDIA, WILL, AL, MARY, MRS. LEE AND I STARTED TO RIDE. AMONG THE FIRST
THING OF INTEREST WE SAW THE OLD MISSION AT SAN GABRIEL FOUNDED IN 1771. NEAR IT
IS THE OLD HOUSE OF RAMONA, A VERY OLD SPANISH HOME. A GRAPE VINE OF MORE THAN A
HUNDRED YEARS OLD, STILL BEARING, IS AN ATTRACTION THAT COST A DIME.
WE DIDN’T INVEST. THE NEXT WAS THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY AND MUSEUM AT SAN
MORENO. THEY DID NOT HAVE THE USUAL QUOTA OF VISITORS. THEY ALLOWED VISITORS,
ALL WENT IN BUT ME. THEY DISCOVERED IT NEEDED A LOT OF TIME SO THEY GOT
APPLICATION BLANKS AND THEY WILL BE ABLE TO GET TICKETS LATER. AL FOUND THEY HAD
A WHEEL CHAIR SO THAT WILL BE SOMETHING FOR THE FUTURE. THE BEAUTY OF THE
SURROUNDINGS ARE INDESCRIBABLE. GREAT CACTUS GARDEN, PALMS, ORANGE, LEMON AND
BAMBOO. SO MANY THINGS I AM SURE I DID NOT SEE. WE THEN WENT TO THE VERY BASE OF
MT. LOWE. A MOST INTERESTING SIGHT. ONE THING WAS A PERFECT LETTER T. A MARK
SOME COLLEGE PUT THERE TO MAKE IT ALL VEGETATION IS TAKEN AWAY. IT CAN BE SEEN
FOR MILES/ DROVE MILES AND MILES ALONG THE RESIDENTIAL STREETS OF PASADENA ALONG
WHAT THEY CALL CHRISTMAS TREE ROW. A ROW OF IMPORTED CEDAR THAT ALMOST FORMS
ACROSS THE STREET. VERY HIGH AND LIMES CLEAR TO THE GROUND. THEY ARE VERY LONG
AND REACH A GREAT DISTANCE. AT CHRISTMAS TIME THESE ARE STRUNG WITH COLORED
ELECTRIC LIGHTS. IT EXTENDS MANY BLOCKS AND MUST BE A SIGHT WHEN ALL LIT UP.
BEAUTIFUL NOW. AFTER STILL MORE RESIDENTIAL STREETS WE SAW THE HOME OF WRIGLEY
(CHEWING GUM). A BEAUTIFUL ESTATE AMIDST THE MOST WONDERFUL SETTING. OUR LAST
WAS A VISIT TO THE ROSE BOWL FROM WHICH WE HEAR THE ANNUAL FOOT BALL. A NATURAL
AMPHITHEATRE. GRAHAM McNAMERA DOES NOT EXAGGERATE ITS NATURAL BEAUTY. DOWN INTO
ALHAMBRA AND GOT HOME ABOUT TWO MINUTES BEFORE KATE (Katherine H. (Posther)
Wiley) GOT HOME.
FEB 17 – ANOTHER QUIET DAY, FINISHED A LETTER TO
MARY (Mary Caroline (Key) Fowle) AND ONE TO LILY (Lily Ada (Key) Byram).
FEB 18 – WHILE STILL AT BREAKFAST TABLE MOTHER (Lida A. (Geer) Wiley) AND BERTHA (Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn) CAME. THEY ARRANGED TRIP FOR SUNDAY. LATER INDIA (India Pearl (Wiley) Dailey) AND MARY E. (Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen). I HAD A SUN BATH ON FRONT PORCH MOST OF THE FORE NOON.
FEB 19 – ONE OF THE MOST WONDERFUL DAYS OF MY
LIFE. AT TEN, MARY (Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) AND BERTHA (Bertha May (Wiley)
Wynn) CAME FOR ME HERE IN ALHAMBRA. WE WENT TO SAN GABRIEL AND PICKED INDIA
(India Pearl (Wiley) Dailey) UP. OUR DESTINATION WAS RIVERSIDE. I HAD COME
THROUGH HERE AS I CAME IN MY LAST FIFTY MILES. FROM HERE I AM GOING TO COPY
BERTHA’S NOTES WHICH SHE TOOK AS WE RODE ALONG. IT IS UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE TO
DESCRIBE THE BEAUTY AND GRANDEUR OF IT ALL. PERHAPS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART
WOULD BE TO DESCRIBE THE SENTIMENT OF WE FOUR SISTERS HAVING THIS PRIVILEGE OF
BEING TOGETHER AFTER ELEVEN YEARS OF SEPARATION.
BERTHA’S (Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn) NOTES:
ROSEMEADE: (MARY E.’s (Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen)
HOMETOWN) ORANGES HERE AT 5 CENTS A DOZ. SNOW CAPPED MTS. TO OUR LEFT
(GORGEOUS). EL MONTE: LOS ANGELES RIVER ABSOLUTELY DRY. HORSES DON’T WALK IN
CALIFORNIA, CARRIED IN TRAILERS (SOME HORSES IN TRUCKS) HUNDREDS OF TRUCKS TO
CARRY CRUSHED STONE PICKED OFF DESERT LAND. LATER ON LOS ANGELES RIVER WITH A
LITTLE WATER. AL G. BARNES CIRCUS WINTER QUARTERS, ZEBRAS AND CAMEL IN YARD.
SORRY NO ELEPHANTS (ALL THE PARADE WAGONS NEWLY PAINTED. TRAIN ON TRACK READY TO
LOAD FOR GOING ON THE ROAD). WISH I COULD PICTURE. MT. INEZ ON OUR LEFT AS WE
TRAVEL ALONG. FRUIT STANDS, FLOWER STANDS, WIDE BOULEVARDS, PALM TREES, ORANGE
TREES OF GREEN AND GOLD,. NO DESCRIPTION COULD EXAGGERATE THE BEAUTY, SOME
SMUDGE POTS FILLED WITH OIL READY TO BE BURNED IN CASE OF FROST. TOLD OF AVOCADO
(WHAT I THINK IS ALLIGATOR PEAR).
CORONA: EVERYWHERE
USED CARS FOR SALE. HUNDRED THOUSANDS FOR SALE. EUCALYPTUS, ROWS OF THEM,. THE
TRUNK IS BARE AND THE SMALL FOLIAGE IS MAGNIFICENT AGAINST THE GREY SKY LINE.
LEMON GROVES, DRIVES INTO THE MOST BEAUTIFUL RANCH HOUSES, HANDSOME MEN WALKING
AROUND. (I DIDN’T SEE THESE) CACTUS ON ALL THE HILL SIDES, ROSES TRAILED
ALONG, CURVES TO RIGHT AND LEFT, UP AND DOWN THE HILLS. HILLSIDES ALL GREEN AND
COVERED WITH CACTUS, NEW PLANTS, LETTUCE OR MELONS EACH WITH A LITTLE WHITE
BONNET PROTECTION FROM SUN. ACRES AND ACRES OF WALNUT (ENGLISH), TREES JUST
TRIMMED.
PAMONA: (COLLEGE TOWN) OLD HOMES, POPULATION
30,000. CLAREMONT COLLEGE, ORANGES IN GROVES PICKED AND SOLD THAT DAY. NOT SOLD
BY DOZEN ALONG THE HIGHWAY, BY PAIL OR LUG BOX. WALLS AND OCCASIONALLY A HOUSE
BUILT OF STONE PICKED UP FROM THE LAND WHICH WOULD BE DESERT BUT FOR MAN’S
WORK. PRINCIPALLY THE WATER HE HAS BROUGHT.
NEARING MT. RESORT WHERE PEOPLE COME FOR WINTER SPORTS.
ONTARIO: BATTLE CREEK (BRANCH OF MICHIGAN
SANITARIUM) TREATMENT GIVEN TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE JUST ARRIVED FROM THE EAST.
CROSSED EUCLID AVENUE, TWO ROWS OF TREES DOWN THE STREET, GUESSED SEVENTY-FIVE
FEET WIDE. HOBOS ARE WALKING TO WHERE? MEXICANS ARE ON THE BACK STREETS. BALL
GAME, ALL MEXICAN, COUNTRY NOT SO BEAUTIFUL HERE. NOW MORE INTERESTING
VISTA AS WE GO THROUGH THE LARGEST VINEYARD IN THE WORLD. (THE ITALIAN
GRAPE VINEYARD, INC. OF 12,000 ACRES). COMING OUT OF A DRY WHITE SAND, ONLY
PROTECTION ROWS OF TREES. COMING INTO THE SAND STORM BLOWING ACROSS ROAD LIKE
SNOW. CALL THESE WINDS HIGH SANTA ANNA’S. DON’T KNOW WHY. WIND COMES FROM
MOUNTAINS. MARY DRIVING 60 MILES, BEAUTIFUL COVERED BRIDGE, FAT GOAT FOR SALE
SIGN ALONG ROAD. ONCE THROUGH THIS AWFUL WIND IT IS 8 MILES TO RIVERSIDE. MARY
(Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) HAD TO KEEP PULLING THE CAR IN TO KEEP ON ROAD. HUGE
OLD GNARLED PEPPER TREES, MILES AND MILES OF TREE LINED ROADS, EUCALYPTUS,
GRACEFUL PEPPER AND ALL KINDS OF PALMS. MTS. JUST AHEAD. CROSS ON SUMMIT WHERE
THERE ARE EASTER SERVICES ON EASTER MORNING. GAS STATION AND AUTO COURTS.
RUBIDOUZ: WAFFLES, TAMALES, CHILI, CHICKEN, TEA BONE STEAK, A PLACE TO EAT. THIS WAS VERY PRETTY.
RIVERSIDE: LIGHT ??? BELLS BECAUSE OF MISSION
ATMOSPHERE, SO TYPICAL CALIFORNIA. WE SPENT HOURS IN A BEAUTIFUL PARK WITH INDIA
(India Pearl (Wiley) Dailey). THE FLOWER BED IS CACTUS, ABOUT SIX CITY BLOCKS IN
SIZE. MARY (Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) AND BERTHA (Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn) HAD
LUNCH WITH MRS. BUTCHER, SISTER OF MRS. O.J. TAYLOR OF SIDNEY). INDIA (India
Pearl (Wiley) Dailey) HAD LUNCH AND SHE AND I SAT IN THE SUNSHINE AND HAD OUR
FIRST REAL VISIT. JUST OUT OF RIVERSIDE STARTED WINDING UP MT. RUBIDOUX. MILES
AND MILES OF ONE WAY ROAD. DOWN BELOW ARE THE TOPS OF TREES AND THE CITY. AT THE
TOP WE ARE ALMOST EVEN WITH THE SNOW CAPPED MTNS. AWAY IN THE DISTANCE. WE
ASCENDED TO THE VERY TOP AND SAW THE CROSS AND THE STEPS CUT FROM THE SOLID
STONE WHERE PEOPLE SIT FOR THE SERVICE. IN ORDER TO ATTEND THIS SERVICE THEY
WALK OVER THIS ROAD WE DROVE OVER. NO AUTOS ALLOWED. THEY START UP AT 12
O’CLOCK TO BE IN TIME FOR A SERVICE AT SUNRISE. IT MUST BE INSPIRING FOR IT IS
MARVELOUS NOW. STOPPED TO BUY ORANGES DIRECT FROM TREES. ABOUT 2 ½ DOZ. FOR 30
CENTS, LEMONS FIVE CENTS A DOZEN. ONCE THROWN IN STOPPED TO GET A COLD DRINK,
CIDER, ORANGE JUICE. LOST A KNIFE (GEORGE’S. (her sp. George Eisen) LAST GIFT
TO MARY ) (Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) AND PAID TOO MUCH FOR DINNER. TOO MUCH
TRAFFIC ON FOOTHILLS BLVD. MARY (Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) FOUND ROADS WITH NO
ONE ON. MILES OF PERFECT HIGHWAY BETWEEN GROVES OF ORANGES AND LEMONS. NEARING
SUNSET. MTS. BECOMING HAZY. BACK TO GAYS LION FARM. TWO HUNDRED LIONS. PAST A.G.
BARNES WINTER QUARTERS. PARADE WAGON PAINTED A BRIGHT CHINESE RED. SUN JUST
GOING DOWN AS WE ENTER EL MONTE. MTNS. NOW ALL A DEEP BLUE, SNOW CAPPED, WITH
THE SKY AN ORCHID AS BACK GROUND. CAMELIA CIGARETTE ADS, GIRLS WITH FEET UP IN
THE AIR, SKIRTS STAY UP TO CALVES OF LEGS, SHOULD FALL TO KNEES. TRY IT SOME
TIME. SALLY SAYS THEY ARE ALRIGHT. SO DOES INDIA, DORA, AND MARY. THEY ARE
CRAZY. NOW SNOW TOPS STAND ALONE IN THE SKY. STOPPED AT MARY DAILEY NORDGEN
(Mary Elinor (Dailey) Nordgen), WIFE OF AL N. (Elmer E. Nordgen). IT IS DARK. I
CAN’T WRITE NO MORE. B. W. WYNN (Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn) CAN’T READ WHAT I
WROTE ANYWAY.
THIS CIGARETTE AD WAS THE FUN FOR THE DAY. TWO GIRLS ON THEIR STOMACHS WITH SKIRTS STAYING UP TO THE CALF OF LEG. BERTHA CONTENDED THE PICTURE WAS WRONG. THIS SALLY, A FRIEND, HAD ARGUED THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR IT TO BE. SO EVERYONE WE SAW WE STARTED IT IN ORDER TO GET WE GIRLS TO JOIN. IT WAS FUN AND WE ALL GOT A GOOD THRILL OUT OF IT. LEFT INDIA (India Pearl (Wiley) Dailey) AT HOME, CAME HOME TO WILL’S (William Johnson Wiley) TO FIND VERA (Vera (Dessmoire) Wiley) AND VIRGIL (Virgil George Wiley), A COUPLE OF FRIENDS, AND WILL (William Johnson Wiley) BUSY AT JIGSAW. THIS ENDED A DAY THAT TO ME WAS, OR IS, BEYOND DESCRIPTION.
FEB. 20 – COPIED BERTHA’S (Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn NOTES AND WROTE ESTHER (Esther Ruth (Key) Nolan). LETTER FROM MARY (Mary Caroline (Key) Fowle).
FEB. 21 – CUT OUT BLOCKS FOR KATE’S (Katherine H. (Posther) Wiley) CUSHION, SOME FOR MARY FOWLE’S (Mary Caroline (Key) Fowle) QUILT. INDIA (India Pearl (Wiley) Dailey), MARY Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) AND MRS. LEE CAME FOR ME TO GO TO INDIA’S (India Pearl (Wiley) Dailey).
FEB. 22 – SAT IN INDIA’S (India Pearl (Wiley) Dailey) BACK YARD FOR A SUN BATH. WHERE I SAT I COULD LOOK UP AT MT. LOWE WHICH LOOKED LIKE SUCH A LITTLE WAYS. I KNOW BETTER FOR I HAD BEEN TO MT. LOWE AND KNOW HOW FAR AWAY IT WAS. FROM WHERE I SAT I COULD SEE SOME OF THE OBSERVATORY. A LITTLE FARTHER TO THE RIGHT IS OLD BALDY ALL COVERED WITH SNOW. I SAT NEAR A BED OF NARCISSUS IN BLOOM, TWO OR THREE ROSE BUSHES WITH BEAUTIFUL ROSES IN BLOOM. AROUND TO THE SIDES IS INDIA’S NEW ORCHARD. THE FAMILY EACH GAVE HER A DOLLAR AT CHRISTMAS. SHE INVESTED IT IN ALL KINDS OF FRUITS AND HAS NAMED EACH TREE FOR ONE OF THE FAMILY. AL (Elmer E. Nordgen) HERE FOR A WHILE.
FEB. 23 – DARK, CLOUDY AND WINDY ALL DAY. DID NOT GO OUT AT ALL.
FEB. 24 – KATE (Katherine H. (Posther) Wiley), WILL (William Johnson Wiley), AND FRANK POSTHER HERE THIS MORNING. SPENT THE AFTERNOON ON THE FRONT PORCH AMID THE BEAUTIFUL SHRUBBERY AND FLOWERS. MARY EISEN Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen), BERTHA (Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn), AL (Elmer E. Nordgen) AND MARY (Mary Elinor (Dailey) Nordgen) LEFT FOR FRESNO THIS AFTERNOON. MR. AND MRS. LEE CAME AND TOOK INDIA (India Pearl (Wiley) Dailey) TO MARKET.
FEB. 26 – DAN WENT TO CHURCH. INDIA BUSY WITH HER
WORK. I READ. JOHN BAILEY, BOB AND WIFE SPENT THE AFTERNOON. THE BAILEY’S ARE
FORMER LIMA (Ohio) PEOPLE. I KNEW MRS. BAILEY WHO IS DEAD NOW.
FEB. 27 – WAS OUT IN THE YARD MOST ALL DAY. WILL
(William Johnson Wiley) AND VERA CAME AFTER ME. KATE (Katherine H. (Posther) WAS
LAYED OFF.
FEB. 28 – KATE AND I STARTED CUTTING FOR HER RUG. LETTER FROM MARY (Mary Caroline (Key) Fowle).
Mar. 1 - KATE,
WILL AND I WORKED ON RAGS FOR RUG.
MAR. 2 – AL (Elmer E. Nordgen) CAME AND TOOK WILL
(William Johnson Wiley) AWAY. KATE (Katherine H. (Posther) AND I STARTED WORKING
ON RUG. LETTER FROM LILY (Lily Ada (Key) Byram), MIRIAM (Miriam Elizabeth Byram),
ANABEL(Annabel Key Byram) AND MRS. DENOR.
MAR. 3 – WE DID VERY LITTLE TODAY. YOUNG MRS.
HYATT GAVE MY HAIR A FINGER. HER MOTHER-IN-LAW SENT BE SOME PRETTY FLOWERS. SHE
ALSO CAME IN THE AFTERNOON AND INVITED ME TO SEE HER ROSE GARDEN. SHE HAS SIXTY
VARIETIES. WE CHANGED JIG SAW PUZZLES WITH YOUNG MRS, HYATT. FINISHED IT IN ONE
EVENING.
MAR. 4 – JUST AS WE GOT UP AT EIGHT THIS MORNING
WE FOUND THE INAUGURATION EXERCISES WERE ON. WE SPENT MOST OF THE DAY LISTENING.
INDIA (India Pearl (Wiley) Dailey) AND MARY (Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) WERE
HERE THIS AFTERNOON, BERTHA (Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn) THIS EVE. WILL (William
Johnson Wiley) WENT TO AL’S (Elmer E. Nordgen) AND THEY BROUGHT HIM HOME.
LETTER FROM ELLA ELBINS THIS MORNING.
MAR. 5 – WILL, KATE, VIRGIL (Virgil George Wiley),
VERA (Vera (Dessmore) Wiley) KENNETH (Kenneth Raymond Wiley), MRS. AND MRS. JACK
BANNERING, WITH A SPLENDID LUNCH, WENT TO LONG BEACH. ARRIVING THERE WE FOUND IT
HARD FOR ME TO GET THROUGH THE SAND TO SOME BENCHES. VIRGIL AND JACK TOOK TWO
SURF BOARDS. WHILE I STOOD ON ONE WITH VIRGIL HOLDING ME, JACK WOULD CARRY THE
OTHER ONE AHEAD. IT WAS GREAT FUN FOR THE BOYS. MY FIRST VIEW OF THE PACIFIC.
THE DAY WAS HAZY TO SOME EXTENT. DON’T THINK IT WAS PRETTY AS IT WOULD BE ON A
CLEAR DAY. A GREAT MANY ARMY PLANES PRACTICING ARMY MANEUVERS. SEVERAL BATTLE
SHIPS OUT. THEY SAID ABOUT TWELVE MILES. SOON AFTER WE GOT HOME MARY (Mary
Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) AND MOTHER (Lida A. (Geer) Wiley) CAME FOR ME. MY FIRST
TRIP INTO HOLLYWOOD. MARY’S (Mary Murial (Wiley) Eisen) HOUSE IS DIRECTLY BACK
OF WARNER BROTHERS STUDIO.
MAR. 6 – MOTHER’S (Lida A/ (Geer) Wiley)
BIRTHDAY. EIGHTY-ONE. AFTER SCHOOL, GUYTON (Guyton Wynn), MOTHER (Lida A. (Geer)
Wiley), GAY AND I WENT AFTER WILL (William Johnson Wiley).
MAR. 7 – THINKING OF DARLING LITTLE BILL (William Thomas
Fowle). HIS SIXTH BIRTHDAY AND I AM SO FAR AWAY. WILL WAS BUSY IN THE YARD ALL
DAY. I SAT IN MOTHER’S (Lida A. (Geer) Wiley) ROOM AND WORKED ON KATE’S
(Katherine H. (Posther) Wiley) CUSHION.
MAR. 8 – JIM HERE IN AFTERNOON. GUYTON
(Guyton Wynn), MOTHER (Lida A. (Geer) Wiley)
AND I WENT FOR MARY Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) TO HER SHOP. SHE HAS SUCH
A BEAUTIFUL SHOP. (Note: Mary, an expert seamstress, designed and made clothing
for many moving picture stars.)
MAR. 9 – HARLEY (Harley Melville Wiley) HERE FOR
THE AFTERNOON. DINNER AND STAYED UNTIL MARY CAME HOME. WE ALL WORKED JIG SAW.
MAR 10. – TO DESCRIBE THE HAPPENINGS OF THIS DAY
IS IMPOSSIBLE. LUCY AND KATHERINE HERE THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE BABY, LITTLE
JIMMY. AFTER THEY LEFT I FIXED MYSELF COMFORTABLE AND WAS HAVING A NAP. I WAS
AWAKENED BY A JAR. I FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS THE DOG, BUT ONLY TOO SOON REALIZED IT
WAS AN EARTHQUAKE. SEVERAL DISTINCT SHOCKS. NO ONE WAS HERE BUT MOTHER (Lida A.
(Geer) Wiley), GAY AND I. AFTER WE ATE OUR DINNER WE WENT TO THE RADIO WHERE ONE
REPORT FOLLOWED ANOTHER OF THE DISASTER WORK ALONG THE COAST. LONG BEACH SEEMED
TO BE THE WORSE. ALSO, HUNTINGTON PARK. A LITTLE AFTER NINE MARY (Mary Muriel
(Wiley) Eisen) CAME HOME. IT MADE IT SOME EASIER. GAY AND I WORKED JIG SAW WHILE
WE LISTENED TO THE REPORTS. IT WAS MADDENING, MOTHER (Lida A. (Geer) Wiley) WAS
SO FRIGHTENED AND WE HAD TO KEEP DOWN ALL WE COULD. LATER GUYTON (Guyton Wynn)
CAME. HE BROUGHT ME FIVE GOOD LETTERS FROM ALHAMBRA. MARY, ESTHER AND MRS. BLEYL,
FRANKLIN BLUE, MISS MINARDUS. SOON WE WENT TO BED, THE QUAKES HAD COME QUITE
REGULARLY. BERTHA CAME HOME AND IT WAS ONE BY THE TIME WE GOT TO SLEEP. THE
TREMORS WERE MUCH MORE DISTINCT LAYING DOWN. THE LATEST I REMEMBER WAS ABOUT
ONE.
MAR. 11 – A FEW TREMORS THIS MORNING. AT ABOUT TEN
MARY (Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) CALLED US AND SAID THEY WERE EXPECTING A HEAVY
SHOCK AT 12:30 TO ONE/ I WENT OUTSIDE AND DIDN’T COME IN UNTIL LUNCH, ABOUT
THREE.
MAR. 12 – MOTHER (Lida A. (Geer) Wiley, MARY (Mary
Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) BERTHA (Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn) AND I STARTED FOR A RIDE.
AND SUCH A RIDE. OUR FIRST PLACE OF INTEREST WAS UP ON LOOKOUT MT. FROM THIS
POINT WE LOOKED OVER LOS ANGELES AND COULD SEE THE PACIFIC IN THE DISTANCE.
MILES AND MILES OF COUNTRY. UP THROUGH LAUREL CANYON, ABSOLUTELY INDESCRIBABLE
MTNS. ON EITHER SIDE OF US AND AT THE BASE OF THESE MOUNTAINS ALL SORTS OF
WEEKEND HOMES. SOME OF IT REPUTED TO BE THE HOME OF THE WILDEST PARTIES IN THE
WORLD. SURELY THEY WOULD BE IN NO DANGER OF BEING SEEN. SUCH WILD AND YET
BEAUTIFUL PLACES. CALIFORNIA IS ONE PLACE WHERE THE FANCIES OF AN ARCHITECT AND
LANDSCAPE GARDENING CAN RUN RIOT. MANY OF THE BUILDINGS IN THE CITY ARE OF
SPANISH ARCHITECTURE. THOSE IN THE MOUNTAINS ARE OF ANOTHER TYPE. TO REALLY
ENJOY AND APPRECIATE THE DRIVE THROUGH THIS CANYON ONE SHOULD KNOW GEOLOGY.
BERTHA OF COURSE KNOWS MORE THAN I AND SHE IS SO INTERESTING. WE DID A LOT OF
TALKING. SHE AND MARY ARE BOTH NATURE ENTHUSIASTS. THE DIFFERENT FORMATIONS OF
ROCK WAS CERTAINLY OF INTENSE INTEREST. WE EMERGED ON THE HIGHWAY FOLLOWING THE
OCEAN NEAR SANTA MONICA. ATE A LUNCH RIGHT OVER THE BEACH. THE SEA GULLS I HAD
ADMIRED SO MUCH ON MY FIRST TRIP TO THE OCEAN I FOUND ARE NOT NEARLY SO PRETTY
SITTING AS THEY ARE ON WING. THEY ARE SO GRACEFUL FLYING. WE CAME BACK INTO
HOLLYWOOD BY WAY OF BEVERLY BLVD. THE GIRLS WERE NOT ACQUAINTED WITH THE
LOCATION OF STARS HOMES. THE ONLY ONE THEY REALLY KNOW WAS WILL ROGERS RANCH. I
WOULD RATHER HAVE SEEN HIM. THE RANCH TOO IS WORTH LOOKING AT. WE DROVE THROUGH
THE GROUNDS OF THE NEW UNIVERSITY CALIFORNIA OF LOS ANGELES.
MAR. 13 – SOON AFTER BREAKFAST JIM (James Walter
Wiley) CALLED AND INVITED MOTHER AND I TO DINNER AT HIS HOUSE. HE CAME AT THREE
AND TOOK US FOR A RIDE. WE WERE INTERESTED MOST IN THE SCHOOLS WHERE TOM (Wiley)
AND JOHN (Wiley) GO, CALIFORNIA CAN WELL BE PROUD OF HER SCHOOLS. THEY SURELY
ALL THAT COULD BE. WE DID SEE THE ???? SOLDIERS HOME. EVERYTHING AROUND IT OR
BELONGING TO IT IS MARVELOUS. THE HOSPITAL UNIT ESPECIALLY. LUCY (Lucy (Wheaton)
Wiley) SERVED A SPLENDID DINNER.
TABLE DECORATIONS IS GREEN, A SORT OF ST. PATRICK’S DAY. THE FIRST I SEE OF
ALL OF THE BOYS. JIM HAS A LOVELY HOME, HE AND LUCY TOOK US HOME. WE PASSED THE
LA BREA PITS. I AM GOING TO TRY TO GET THE HISTORY OF THESE. WE SAW L.A. AS LIT
AT NIGHT. ALSO WAS NEAR THE FOX FILM STUDIO. PASSED THE CEMETERY WHERE THE STARS
ARE BURIED.
MAR. 14 – THEY CALLED ME OUT OF BED TO SEE WARNER
BROS. SHOOT A PICTURE. IT GOT SO TIRESOME. I COULD NOT WAIT FOR THE CAMERA PART.
BY THE TIME THEY WERE READY I COULD STAND NO MORE. BERTHA ATTENDED FUNERAL OF
EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS AT LONG BEACH.
MAR. 15 – A QUIET DAY HERE AT MARY’S (Mary
Muriel (Wiley) Eisen). WROTE SOME LETTERS.
MAR. 16 – ONE DAY IN THE YEAR I WOULD LOVE TO
FORGET. MARKS THE THIRTY SECOND YEAR OF DADDY’S (William Franklin Key –
Dora’s spouse) DEATH. BERTHA (Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn) FIXED A LUNCH. GUYTON
(Wynn), MOTHER (Lida A. (Geer) Wiley), BERTHA, AND I DROVE DOWN TOWN. PICKED UP
GAY AND AFTER SEEING A LOT OF DOWN TOWN L.A. WE HEADED FOR THE QUAKE DISTRICT.
WE ONLY WENT TO COMPTON. THAT WAS ENOUGH. THE THING THAT HURT THE MOST WAS THE
DESTRUCTION OF THE SCHOOL AND THEY
ALL SEEMED TO SUFFER TERRIBLE. WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS YOU REALIZED HOW FORTUNATE
THAT IT CAME AT AN HOUR WHEN CHILDREN WERE NOT IN SCHOOL. IN ALMOST EVERY CASE A
STOOP OF DOME HAD BEEN OVER THE DOOR AND AS THEY ARE LOW BUILDINGS THE CHILDREN
WOULD NATURALLY HAVE BEEN MARCHED OUT THE FRONT DOOR WHERE THEY COULD NOT HAVE
ESCAPED THE FALLING BRICK. WE WENT BACK TO MARY’S. LET MOTHER AND GUYTON OUT
AND WENT TO THE PLANT WHERE HARLEY (Harley Melville Wiley) WORKS.
A GREAT CREAMERY PLANT. HE DROVE US ALL THROUGH THE GARAGES AND PLACES HE
COULD. IT IS CALLED THE ADOHR. THE NAME INTERESTED ME AND I MADE INQUIRY. I
FOUND IT TO BE THE NAME OF THE PROPRIETORS SPELLED BACKWARDS, RHODA. I WENT
STRAIGHT TO BED I WAS MORE TIRED AND MORE UNNERVED THAN I WAS WHEN I CAME AND
DECIDED TO GO TO ALHAMBRA NEXT DAY.
MAR. 17 – ST. PATRICK’S DAY. IN THE MORNING BEFORE
BERTHA AND I COULD GET AWAY, FRANK BLUE CALLED. TALKED TO HIM AS LONG AS I COULD
HOLD THE RECEIVER. BERTHA IS SURE ONE PERSON WHO CAN SOOTHE TIRED NERVES. SHE
SHOWED ME TWO MOST INTERESTING PARTS OF L.A. THE CHINESE AND THE MEXICAN
SECTIONS. IN THE MIDST OF THE MEXICAN SECTION IS A REAL MEXICAN STREET, ALL
LINED WITH THEIR VARIOUS SHOPS. LITTLE TINY PLACES ON EACH SIDE OF THE STREET.
WE COULD LOOK IN FROM THE BOTH ENDS. HOW I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE WALKED DOWN THE
LITTLE STREET. AS WE LEFT L.A. BERTHA (Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn) SAYS I AM GOING
TO STOP AT SCHOOL GET SOME THINGS I NEED AND YOU AND I ARE GOING OUT TO THE MTS.
WE BOTH NEED THE REST AND QUIET. WE JUST DROVE WHERE WE COULD SEE BEAUTY.
NOTHING TO DISTURB US. WE BOTH APPRECIATE THE SAME THINGS AND SHE REALLY VISITED
WITH ME. AFTER GOING TO THE FOOT OF A MT. WHERE SHE STARTS A FIVE MILE HIKE AND
DRIVING AROUND SIERRA MADRE WE HUNTED A PLACE TO EAT. WE FOUND A LITTLE PLACE
TUCKED IN THE SIDE OF THE MT. THEY SERVED US IN THE MACHINE (their automobile) A
DELIGHTFUL CHICKEN DINNER. ARRIVED BACK AT WILL’S (William Johnson Wiley)
ABOUT 2 O’CLOCK WHERE I FOUND A LETTER FROM MARY (Mary Caroline (Key) Fowle),
LILY (Lily Ada (Key) Byram, MRS. McK, AND CARD FROM WILDA. ALSO THE WORD THAT WE
WERE TO GO TO LONG BEACH NEXT DAY.
MAR, 18 – ABOUT NINE THIS MORNING VIRGIL (Virgil
George Wiley), VERA (Vera (Dessmore) Wiley), KATE (Katherine H. (Posther), AND I
LEFT FOR LONG BEACH. WHILE WE SAW SOME DEVASTATION ON OUR WAY DOWN WE HARDLY SEE
A HINT OF WHAT MET OUR EYES IN L. B. ASIDE FROM THE AWFUL WRECKS OF BUILDINGS IT
WAS NO SIGHT TO SEE. PEOPLE COOKING ON THE SIDEWALK WITH ALL SORTS OF IMPROVISED
STOVES. TENTS ALL OVER THE CITY. THE APARTMENT WHERE FRANK AND BESSIE POSTHER
LIVED ON PINE STREET (THE VERY HEART OF THE DAMAGE) THE WHOLE FRONT GONE. WE
HUNTED FOR V. S. SCOTT FORMERLY OF SIDNEY. THE APT. WHERE HE LIVED WAS CONDEMNED
AND WE COULD FIND NO TRACE OF THEM. WE THEN WENT TO HARRY POSTHER’S HOME. SOME
DAMAGE TO INTERIOR BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO LIVE IN IT. NO HEAT BUT THEY COOKED ON
THE ELECTRIC GRILL. LORAN WAS THERE. OUR NEXT HUNT WAS FOR BESSIE POSTHER. WE
FOUND HER IN THE HOME OF HER LANDLORD. VERY MUCH UPSET BUT UNHURT. SHE IS TO
COME TO VIRGIL’S (Virgil George Wiley) FIRST OF THE WEEK. UNTIL FRANK (Posther)
GETS BACK FROM THE EAST. WE CAME HOME VERY TIRED AND QUITE SATISFIED THAT WE
WERE SO FORTUNATE.
MAR. 20 – LETTERS FROM ESTHER (Esther Ruth (Key)
Nolan), MARY (Mary Caroline (Key) Fowle), AND JANE LEE (Byram). PUT IN THE WHOLE
DAY WRITING. GOT ONE OFF TO ESTHER ONE STARTED TO LILY.
MAR. 21 – AL (Elmer E. Nordgen) CAME FOR WILL THIS
MORNING. I WENT AND SPENT THE DAY WITH INDIA (India Pearl (Wiley) Dailey), MARY
(Mary Elinor (Dailey) Nordgen) WAS WITH AL (Elmer E. Nordgen) THIS MORNING.
MAR. 22 – KATE (Katherine H. (Posther) Wiley)
DIDN’T WORK. SHE AND I SPENT MOST OF THE DAY IN THE SUN. I WRAPPED VERA’S
DRESS.
MAR. 23 – KATE WORKED TODAY. WILL WENT WITH AL TO
L.A. VERA (Vera (Dessmore) Wiley)
BROUGHT LUNCH TO ME.
MAR. 24 – AFTER KATE WENT TO WORK FRANK (Posther,
BESSIE (Posther), AND MARY LOUISE CAME UP. THEY HAD NO GAS SINCE THE QUAKE. VERA
GOT LUNCH OVER HERE AT KATE’S.
MAR. 25 – I FINALLY GOT STARTED AT KATE’S RUGS.
MAR. 26 – FRED BUSH AND WIFE FORMER SIDNEY PEOPLE
AND FRED AN OLD SCHOOL MATE SPENT THE AFTERNOON. INDIA (India Pearl (Wiley)
Dailey), AL (Elmer E. Nordgen), MARY (Mary Elinor (Dailey) Nordgen) AND JOE
SPENT THE EVENING.
MAR. 27 – TO APR. 1 – VERY QUIET ALL WEEK. KATE
DIDN’T WORK. WE VISITED, WORKED ON HER RUG AND SAT IN THE SUN.
APR. 2 – GOT UP THIS MORNING ALL READY TO WRITE
SOME LETTERS. ABOUT ELEVEN AL CAME AND INVITED ME FOR A RIDE. STOPPED AT
INDIA’S AND HAD LUNCH AT AL’S. AFTER LOOKING OVER THE FLOWERS AND LIVE
STOCK, SIX WHITE PUPPIES, SIX WHITE ANGORA RABBITS, AND JOE, MARY, AL AND I WENT
FOR A RIDE. WE PASSED THROUGH SEVERAL SMALL TOWNS, EL MONTE, PICO, WHITTIER
(WHITTIER A COLLEGE TOWN). THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SIGHT WE SAW WAS ROSE HILL
CEMETERY. BUILT UP ALONG THE HILL SIDE. WE DROVE TO A HIGH POINT ABOVE IT. THE
CEMETERY WITH ITS LOWERS. IT SEEMED ALMOST EVERY GRAVE HAD BEEN REMEMBERED WITH
A FRESH OFFERING. IT WAS THE MOST PEACEFUL RESTFUL SIGHT I EVER SAW. VERY FEW
BIG STONES, JUST THE BEAUTIFUL GRASS AND FLOWERS. THE CHAPEL AND MAUSOLEUM WERE
VERY NICE. OUR DRIVE BACK WAS THROUGH FARMING COUNTRY. PLENTY OF VEGETABLES
GROWING. JAPS BUSY EVERYWHERE CULTIVATING. MY FIRST SIGHT OF ORANGE BLOSSOMS.
APR. 3 – KATE (Katherine H. (Posther) Wiley)WENT
TO WORK. I WORKED ON THE RUG.
APR. 4 – KATE AT WORK, FINISHED THE RUG.
APR. 5 – STARTED TO CLEAN UP KATE’S RAGS.
CUTTING IN STRIPS FOR A CROCHETED RUG. ROUNDS FOR MARY’S QUILT AND OCTAGONS
FOR LILY’S QUILT.
APR. 6 – KATE STILL AT WORK. ALMOST FINISHED THE
CUTTING. INDIA (India Pearl (Wiley) Dailey),
JOE AND MARY (Mary Elinor (Dailey) Nordgen) HERE. THIS AFTERNOON JOE
BROUGHT US TWO JIG SAWS. THE OLD DUTCH MILL AND THE WEAVER. WE GAVE HIM THE
LAGOON AND THE SHIPS OF CAPRI.
APR. 7 – FINISHED THE CUTTING THIS MORNING. FRANK
AND BESSIE HERE FOR AFTERNOON AND TO SUPPER. BERTHA (Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn),
MOTHER (Lida A. (Geer) Wiley) AND
GUYTON (Guyton Wynn) HERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
APR. 8 – KATE, WILL (William Johnson Wiley) AND I
HAD DINNER WILL, INDIA AND I. ONE OF KENNETH (Kenneth Raymond Wiley) HANDING ME
MY CRUTCHES AND ONE WITH KATE (Katherine H. (Posther) Wiley), WILL (William
Johnson Wiley) AND VERA (Vera (Dessmore) Wiley), KENNETH, DAN, INDIA (India
Pearl (Wiley) Dailey) AND I. MARY E. (Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) WAS GONE BUT WE
TOOK ONE OF HER HOUSE, ONE OF AN OLD WINERY AND ROW OF EUCALYPTUS TREES. THE SAN
GABRIEL MISSION AND RAMONA’S HOME. ALSO A BIG PEPPER TREE IN THE MISSION YARD.
APR. 9-10-11 – QUIET DAYS. NO ONE MUCH AROUND.
ONLY VERA (Vera (Dessmore) Wiley) AND VIRGIL (Virgil George Wiley). BUSY
GETTING THE RUG RAGS SORTED.
APR. 12 – AL (Elmer E. Nordgen), MARY (Mary Elinor
(Dailey) Nordgen),, INDIA (India Pearl (Wiley) Dailey) AND JOE HERE FOR THE
EVENING. WE HAD SUCH A NICE TIME. THEY PLANNED A DINNER TO BE AT MARY E. (Mary
Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) ON EASTER SUNDAY.
APR. 13 – JUST HAPPENED TO THINK LATE THIS EVENING
TO THINK WAS DORIS’ (Doris Janet Byram) BIRTHDAY.
APR. 14-15 – SOME MORE QUIET DAYS.
APR. 16 – EASTER SUNDAY.
TO ME A VERY WONDERFUL DAY. AT 5:15 KATE (Katherine H. (Posther) Wiley)
TURNED THE RADIO ON AND WE LISTENED TO ONE OF THE GREAT OUT DOORS SERVICES. THIS
ON FOREST LAWN PARK IN OTHER WORDS CEMETERY. THE SERVICES OPENED BY FOUR
TRUMPETERS FROM THE AMERICAN LEGION. THREE HUNDRED CHILDREN IN BLUE SMOCKS
ENOUGH WITH WHITE TO FORM A GREAT WHITE CROSS ON THE STEPS OF THE HALL OF
LEGION. TWO GLEE CLUBS FROM PAMONA COLLEGE FORMED A RUGGED BASE TO THE CROSS AND
SANG TWO NUMBERS. THE WHOLE AUDIENCE SANG ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS NAME. AN
OLD ACTOR READ GOD OF THE OPEN AIR AND THE PRES, OF WHITTIER COLLEGE DELIVERED
THE ADDRESS. A VERY WONDERFUL TALK. AT TWO THIRTY THE WILEY FAMILY ASSEMBLED A
THE HOUSE OF AL AND MARY NORDGREN. IT’S USELESS TO TRY TO DESCRIBE ALL THAT
THE NEXT TWO HOURS MEANT TO ALL OF US. A SPLENDID DINNER ON THE LAWN. TWO
CAMERAS SNAPPING PICTURES. A RETURN TO THE LIVING ROOM WHERE WE ALL WROTE A NOTE
TO FRANK. FINALLY BERTHA (Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn), AT MY REQUEST, RECITED THE
HOUSE BESIDE OF THE ROAD. I STOPPED OFF AT INDIA’S.
APR. 17 – INDIA AND I VISITED ALL DAY. WORKED A
LITTLE ON KATE’S RUG.
APR. 18 – A QUIET DAY. AT NIGHT INDIA HAD A BAD SPELL OF ACUTE INDIGESTION.
APR. 19 – INDIA A LITTLE BETTER BUT QUITE SICK.
MARY (Mary Elinor (Dailey) Nordgen) AND JOE CAME OVER THIS AFTERNOON.
APR. 20 – MARY AND JOE HERE THIS MORNING.
APR. 21 – WILL (William Johnson Wiley) STOPPED IN
ON HIS WAY HOME FROM AL’S (Elmer E. Nordgen).
APR. 22 – ONE OF INDIA’S (India Pearl (Wiley)
Dailey) NEIGHBORS HERE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. WILL WALKED OVER AND BROUGHT THE
RUG FRAME ALSO SOME LETTERS. ONE EACH FROM LILY AND MARY, ONE FROM DELORES
NOLAN.
APR. 23 – A VERY QUIET DAY. MARY AND AL TOOK INDIA
TO MARKET.
APR. 24-30 – I WAS SO MISERABLE ALL WEEK. JUST SAT AROUND
AT INDIA’S. SHE WAS SICK ALL WEEK, TOO. ASIDE FROM MARY AND JOE COMING IN AND
OUT THERE WAS NOTHING DOING BUT EAT, SLEEP, AND VISIT.
APR. 30 – A BIG CHANGE. AL CAME AFTER INDIA AND I FOR
DINNER. ALSO WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT I WAS TO BRING MY BAGGAGE. MARY (Mary
Elinor (Dailey) Nordgen) HAD SUCH A LOVELY DINNER AND WE ALL HAD GOOD TIME.
ETHEL WAS THERE IN THE EVENING. MR. AND MRS. JOHNSTON, MR. AND MRS. REYNOLDS,
AND ANOTHER LADY CAME FOR ETHEL. IT WAS ONE JOLLY CROWD. MR. JOHNSTON WAS A
REGULAR CLOWN. ALL CALLED ME DORA. THEY LIVE IN LOS ANGELES.
APR. 31 – SURELY JOE AND MARY GOT A KICK OUT OF TAKING
CARE OF ME. AND DID I GET CARE. BERTHA CAME TO SEE ME MONDAY NIGHT. I SAID I
MISSED MY CHAIR SO AND INCIDENTALLY REMARKED THAT FATHER’S CHAIR WAS THE MOST
COMFORTABLE ONE I HAD BEEN IN HERE. SHE TOLD AL (Elmer E. Nordgen) TO GO GET IT.
SHE BROUGHT ME A GRAPEFRUIT THAT WEIGHED MORE THAN TWO POUNDS. IT WAS DELICIOUS.
MAY 1 – AL AND WILL WENT TO L.A. TODAY AND GOT THE CHAIR.
MAY 2 – WILL CAME OVER AND HE AND AL PUT THE CHAIR ON A PLATFORM. WHILE NOT QUITE LIKE MY OWN IT IS A BIG RELIEF, ESPECIALLY TO MY BACK. I TOLD AL ALL I NEED NOW WAS A PURPLE GOWN AND A CROWN. SO NOW I AM QUEEN AND I SURE GET ABOUT THAT SERVICE. I WILL NEVER FORGET THE DAINTY ARRANGED BREAKFASTS AND ALL THE LOVELY LITTLE ROSE BUDS AND OTHER FLOWERS THAT HAVE BEEN ON MY TABLE BOTH AT INDIA’S AND MARY’S. ROSES. I AM FAIRLY BURIED IN THEM ALL THE TIME AND SUCH GORGEOUS ONES.
MAY 3-4-5 – I WAS BUSY AT A LITTLE BLOUSE FOR MARY OUT OF
ORGANDY.
MAY 6 – MADE A SMOCK FOR MARY (Mary Elinor (Dailey)
Nordgen) OUT OF SOME SILK SQUARES SHE BOUGHT –JAPANESE. MOTHER (Lida A. (Geer)
Wiley) AND BERTHA (Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn) CAME TO SEE ME. MOTHER STAYED WHILE
BERTHA WENT TO PASADENA.
MAY 7 – MARY, AL (Elmer E. Nordgen) AND JOE BROUGHT ME
BACK TO WILL’S (William Johnson Wiley). THE GIRLS STAYED WHEN WILL AND AL WENT
FOR THE GOLDEN LIFE WE ARE GOING TO TRY OUT.
MAY 8 – I SPENT WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE DAY AFTER I GOT UP
VISITING MARY. WE STARTED TAKING OUR TURNS. VIRGIL (Virgil George Wiley) GAVE MY
KNEES AN ULTRA VIOLET RAY TREATMENT. THEN KATE GAVE ME THE FIRST SULPHUR BATH.
AFTER I WAS IN BERTHA CAME AND INVITED ME TO GO WITH HER UP IN THE MTS. TO A
SPANISH THEATRE DAY AFTER TOMORROW AFTER SCHOOL.
MAY 9 – QUIET ALL DAY. KATE WORKED.
MAY 10 – I TOOK ENOUGH ASPIRIN THAT I WAS ABLE TO GO WITH
BERTHA. IT CERTAINLY WILL BE ONE LONG REMEMBERED TRIP. OUR DESTINATION WAS TO A
LITTLE SPANISH THEATRE UP ON THE SIDE OF A MT. NOT SO FAR FROM PAMONA. EL PADRE
I THINK WAS THE NAME. THE DRIVE OVER WAS FINE. WE LEFT ALHAMBRA AT FOUR THIRTY.
OH, SUCH FLOWERS. MILES OF ROSES AS A HEDGE TO ORANGE GROVES. THE TREE ROSES IN
THE YARDS EVERYWHERE WERE MAGNIFICENT. ORANGE BLOSSOMS WERE FINE. BERTHA OPENED
THE CAR WINDOW THAT WE MIGHT SMELL THE ORANGE BLOSSOMS. WE PASSED A LOT OF
DESERT ALIVE WITH BLOOM OF VARIOUS COLORS. YELLOW SEEMED TO BE PREDOMINANT.
CACTUS WAS IN BLOOM. ARRIVING AT THE THEATRE I SAT IN THE MACHINE (automobile)
WHILE BERTHA WAS ATTENDING HER BUSINESS. WE WERE QUITE A WAYS AND FACED OUT OVER
A VAST DESERT. LOOKING OUT OVER THE DESERT MILES AND MILES. BEYOND MY EYES WERE
ATTRACTED TO SUCH A SIGHT AS I NEVER EXPECTED TO SEE AGAIN. THE SUN WAS SETTING
AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO DISCOVER WHERE EARTH LEFT OFF AND SKY BEGAN. IT
APPEARED AS IF THERE MIGHT BE A SMALL MT. RANGE BACK OF CLOUDS. IT SEEMED THAT
YOU COULD SEE TREES, HOUSES AMONG THE CLOUDS. I WAS SO AFRAID IT WOULD DISAPPEAR
BEFORE BERTHA CAME OUT. IT DID NOT BUT SHE WAS AS MUCH MYSTIFIED AS I BUT AGREED
IT WAS A VERY PRETTY SIGHT. WE STARTED TO DRIVE UP IN THE MT. AND RAN INTO A
RAIN. TURNED AND CAME DOWN BY A LOVELY LITTLE ROADSIDE INN WHERE WE ATE A FOUR
COURSE DINNER SERVED TO US IN THE MACHINE (automobile). IT WAS QUITE DARK BY
THIS TIME. NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE WE WERE ABLE TO VISIT. BERTHA IS WONDERFUL ON A
TRIP LIKE THIS. SHE IS A NATURE ENTHUSIAST AND CONTINUALLY CALLS YOUR ATTENTION
TO THINGS, MY FERRULE CAME.
MAY 11-12-13 – NOTHING UNUSUAL.
MAY 14 – MOTHER’S DAY. SPENT THE MORNING LISTENING TO
VARIOUS PROGRAMS. ONE ESPECIALLY GOOD, BY THE LARGEST MEN’S BIBLE CLASS IN THE
WORLD, 6,000, AT LONG BEACH. IN THE AFTERNOON VIRGIL TOOK US FOR A RIDE. WE WENT
TO PASADENA. IT CERTAINLY IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE. ONE THING I NOTED ESPECIALLY WAS
THE NUMBER OF PEPPER TREES OUT IN THE STREET, MANY OF THEM HAVE VERY ATTRACTIVE
STONE WALLS BUILD AROUND THEM. THEY ARE IN VARIOUS PLACES IN THE STREET. SOME
NEAR THE SIDE AND SOME IN THE MIDDLE. ALL HAVE REFLECTORS ON THEM FOR LIGHTS. TO
JUDGE BY THE SIZE AND LOOKS OF THE BODIES THEY ARE VERY OLD.
MAY 15-20 – NO ONE AROUND AND WILL AND I BOTH ON THE BUM.
KATE WORKED BUT SHE WAS MISERABLE ALL WEEK. I FORGOT BERTHA (Bertha May (Wiley)
Wynn) WAS HERE FRI. AFTER SCHOOL. SHE GOES TO SAN FRANCISCO OVER WEEK END.
INVITED ME TO MARY EISEN’S (Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) FOR DINNER NEXT TUE.
THIS SAT AFT. MARY (Mary Elinor (Dailey) Nordgen), INDIA AND JOE CAME. AL GOES
TO WORK MONDAY MORNING.
MAY 21 – A DREARY DAY. VIRGIL WENT TO THE BEACH. MRS.
JOHNSON, INDIA AND MARY (Mary Elinor (Dailey) Nordgen) CAME AFTER JOE’S
PATTERN. LATER MARY EISEN (Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen), MOTHER (Lida A. (Geer)
Wiley) AND GUYTON (Guyton Wynn) WERE HERE. MARY HAD BEEN ILL AND SURELY LOOKED
IT.
MAY 23 – BERTHA CAME FOR ME AFTER SCHOOL. WE TOOK A LONG
DRIVE OUT THROUGH SOUTH PASADENA AND TO MARY EISEN’S FOR DINNER. BERTHA’S
JOHN (John Wynn) CAME AND I MET HIM. IT WAS ELEVEN WHEN WE GOT BACK TO WILL’S.
SHE DESCRIBED HER TRIP UP TO SAN FRANCISCO OVER THE WEEKEND.
MAY 24 – THEY TOOK BERTHA OUT OF SCHOOL QUITE SICK TODAY.
MARY NORDGREN MARY (Mary Elinor (Dailey) Nordgen) TOOK CARE OF HER.
MAY 25-26-27 – MADE KATE A SLIP AND A DRESS. MARY JOE AND INDIA HERE THIS SAT. AFTERNOON. INDIA LOOKED A LITTLE BETTER. SHE HAS BEEN VERY SICK.
MAY 28 – VERA (Vera (Dessmore) Wiley) AND VIRGIL (Virgil
George Wiley) HERE TO DINNER. FRANK AND BESSIE POSTHER HERE THIS
AFTERNOON AND FOR SUPPER.
MAY 29 – WAS AWAKENED THIS MORNING BY HEARING MOTHER’S
(Lida A. (Geer) Wiley) VOICE. AS BERTHA (Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn) IS TO GO BACK
TONIGHT SHE CAME TO SPEND THE DAY. KATE (Katherine H. (Posther) Wiley) DON’T
GO TO WORK UNTIL WED. BERTHA CAME FOR MOTHER. SHE HAS FINALLY DECIDED DEFINITELY
ON HER TRIP TO GEORGIA.
MAY 30 – DECORATION DAY AND IT IS FAR FROM A NICE DAY.
CLOUDY AND COOL. WE HAVE A FIRE. FRED AND ELIZABETH BUSH HERE ALMOST ALL
AFTERNOON. FRED TOLD US THAT CHARLES ELLIOT HAD PASSED ON. HE BROUGHT A BUNCH OF
SIDNEY PAPERS.
MAY 31-JUNE 3 – KATE WENT BACK TO WORK. NOBODY HERE ALL
WEEK. MARY, JOE AND INDIA HERE SAT. AFTERNOON.
JUNE 4 – NOT A SOUL AROUND TODAY BUT VERA. IT SURE WAS
LONESOME.
JUNE 5 – MR. AND MRS. YORK CALLED THIS AFTERNOON. HE IS A
BROTHER TO MRS. KURTZ.
JUNE 7-8 – BUSY CUTTING STOCKINGS FOR VIRGIL’S RUG.
JUNE 9 – MY 64TH BIRTHDAY. A LETTER FROM MARY
(Mary Caroline (Key) Fowle) WITH ONE
DOLLAR IN IT. VERA WASHED MY HEAD AND JUANITA WAVED IT. VERA SAID THEY WERE ALL
BROKE BUT HAD FIXED ME SOME FLOWERS. THEY WERE VERY PRETTY. A BIG VASE OF
GLADIOLA AND FUCHSIA. ANOTHER OF WILL’S (William Johnson Wiley) OWN CARNATIONS
AND KENNETH CAME LATER WITH A BOWL OF SCARLET ROSES. ABOUT EIGHT O’CLOCK INDIA
(India Pearl (Wiley) Dailey), MARY(Mary Elinor (Dailey) Nordgen), JOE, VIRGIL,
VERA AND KENNETH (Kenneth Raymond Wiley) RUSHED IN AT THE FRONT DOOR. VERA AND
MARY EACH HAD A LOVELY CAKE. WILL AND VERA HAD DECORATED IT. WHITE ICING TRIMMED
IN PINK. A PRETTY EDGE WITH 64 IN CENTER. THEY ALSO HAD CRUSHED LOGANBERRY AND
WHIPPED CREAM. COFFEE. I ENJOYED IT A LOT, BUT COULD NOT KEEP MY MIND AWAY FROM
CLEVELAND.
JUNE 10 – AL (Elmer E. Nordgen) CAME AND TOOK WILL AWAY.
KATE WAS HOME AND WE WORKED AT RAG RUGS ALL DAY.
JUNE 11 – KATE AND VERA TOOK KENNETH TO S.S. WE HAD A LITTLE PIECE. VIRGIL AND VERA HERE TO DINNER. WE SPENT THE AFTERNOON IN THE YD. TAKING PICTURES.
JUNE 12-13-14-15-16 – NO ONE HERE AND WE WERE NOT AWAY.
JUNE 17 – JIM (James Walter Wiley) AND LUCY (Lucy
(Wheaton) Wiley) CAME JUST AFTER DINNER AND STAYED ALMOST AFTERNOON. THEY WERE
ARRANGING A FAMILY PARTY AT THEIR HOME SUN. A WEEK. THEY ARE HOPING TO HAVE ALL
THE FAMILY. IN THE EVENING INDIA (India Pearl (Wiley) Dailey), MARY (Mary Elinor
(Dailey) Nordgen), AL (Elmer E. Nordgen) AND JOE CAME. THEY STAYED UNTIL QUITE
LATE. ALL WORKING QUILTS.
JUNE 18 – MOTHER (Lida A. (Geer) Wiley) AND BERTHA
(Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn) CAME THIS EVENING. BERT INVITED ME TO GO TO LAGUNA
BEACH. WHILE STILL AT BREAKFAST AL CAME AND INVITED WILL (William Johnson Wiley)
AND I FOR THE DAY. HE HAD MADE RESERVATIONS FOR US AT FOREST LAWN PARK. IT IS
IMPOSSIBLE TO DESCRIBE THE BEAUTY OF IT ALL. THE MAUSOLEUM , OR AS IT IS CALLED,
THE COURT OF HONOR, ALL MARBLE INSIDE AND SO MUCH BEAUTIFUL STATUARY. I COULD
ONLY GO TO THE WORLD FAMED STAINED GLASS WINDOW OF THE LAST SUPPER. IT TOOK THE
GIRL SIX YEARS TO MAKE IT. IT IS LOCATED IN A LARGE HALL AND IS JUST A STRAIGHT
WINDOW, BUT LOOKS LIKE A ROOM. THE TABLE SET ACROSS. AT THE END AND DIRECTLY
BACK OF JESUS HEAD WAS A WINDOW WHICH LOOKED OUT OF DOORS OVER A LANDSCAPE. THE
SKY COLORING WAS PERFECT. THE COLOR OF THE ROBES WERE THE RICHEST COLORING I
EVER SEE. BLUES, REDS, GREENS, AND BROWNS. THE DISHES AND FOOD WERE PLAIN
ESPECIALLY A BIG FISH THE CENTER OF THE TABLE AND MOST NATURAL. THE CLOTH WAS A
GORGEOUS AFFAIR. THEY HAVE CHAIRS IN FRONT. I SAT ON ONE WHILE INDIA, WILL, AL
AND MARY WENT THROUGH THE MAUSOLEUM. FROM THIS ROOM WHERE I SAT DOORS LEAD OFF
TO OTHER ROOMS CONTAINING CRYPTS. ALL IN MARBLE, MANY ARE FILLED ON THIS FLOOR.
A LITTLE VASE OF FLOWERS AT MOST. THE ROOM THAT CONTAINS THE URNS OF CREMATIONS.
EVERYTHING IS SO BEAUTIFUL. SO QUIET AND PEACEFUL. IT CERTAINLY WOULD TAKE A LOT
OF STING OUT OF DEATH, WE THEN DROVE OVER THE PARK. THE NEW PART HAS NO
MONUMENTS, JUST A TABLET IN THE GROUND AND ALL ALONG THE SIDES. THE ENTIRE PARK
IS ON A MOUNTAIN SIDE MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO ARRANGE THE DRIVES AND LANDSCAPE
GARDENING TO ADVANTAGE. WE DROVE TO THE HIGHEST POINT WHERE AL TOOK A PICTURE OF
THE SCENE ACROSS THE VALLEY. THIS WAS NEAR THE HALL OF LEGION. THE PLACE WHERE
THEY HELD THE OUTDOOR EASTER SERVICE. THIS BUILDING ALSO CONTAINS THE WATER
SYSTEM CONTROL. NOT KNOWING MUCH ABOUT STATUARY I PROBABLY DID NOT APPRECIATE IT
ALL AS I SHOULD. I CERTAINLY ADMIRED A LOT OF IT. FIGURES IN LITTLE COPULAS OR
ROOMS. ONE WAS FATHER LOVE, ONE MOTHER LOVE AND I DIDN’T GET THE OTHER ONE.
THE MASONS HAD A LOVELY PIECE. THE MYSTERY OF LIFE WAS ANOTHER, AND THE FINDING
OF MOSES STILL ANOTHER. WE VISITED THE LITTLE CHURCH OF THE FLOWER. I WOULD
JUDGE HERE MOST FUNERALS ALMOST COVERED WITH FLOWERS. IN ANOTHER SECTION THE WEE
KIRK OF THE HEATHER. POPULAR FOR IT’S MANY WEDDINGS. IN THIS CHURCH IS A
DOUBLE CHAIR BUILD FROM STONE DIRECTLY FROM THE CHURCH IN SCOTLAND WHERE ANNE
LAURIE WAS HELPED BACK IN THE 16 HUNDREDS. THE STONES WERE ATTAINED THROUGH
EX-VICE PRESIDENT DAWES AND THERE IS A TABLET IN HIS HONOR. THE BRIDE AND GROOM
ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE LUCK WHO SIT IN THIS CHAIR. EITHER IT IS A HOAX OR THEY
DON’T ALL SIT FOR MOST STARS ARE MARRIED FROM THIS CHURCH. IT IS A VERY
ROMANTIC THING TO DO. THE ENTRANCE TO THE PARK IS VERY PRETTY. TO ONE SIDE IS
SMALL LAKE, A FOUNTAIN IN THE CENTER. THREE LARGE CRANES FROM WHOSE MOUTH SHOOT
A GREAT HIGH STREAM THAT ENDS IN A BEAUTIFUL SPRAY. THE LAKE IS FULL OF WHITE
DUCKS, GEESE, AND TWO IMMENSE SWAN.
WE SPENT TWO HOURS OR MORE IN THIS PARK. THEN AL STARTED TO FIND A PLACE TO EAT.
THEY DIDN’T LOCATE A PLACE THAT WAS EASY FOR ME SO WE DREW UP UNDER A PEPPER
TREE AND ATE. IT WAS ALL AL’S TREAT AND HE SERVED. MARY DIDN’T KNOW WHAT HE
HAD. JOE AND HE HAD PREPARED IT. IT WAS A DELICIOUS MENU. A CANNED HAM THAT HE
OPENED AND SLICED FOR SANDWICH. BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES, RADISHES, YOUNG
ONIONS, HARD BOILED EGGS, AND A COLLECTION OF FRUITS. WE DRANK A SYRUP OF YOUNG
BERRIES AND LEMON. HE HAD A THERMOS JUG OF ICE WATER. AFTER EATING WE WENT TO
ANGLES TEMPLE. A DRIVE DOWN BROADWAY IN L.A. BUSY STREET. CROSSED THE NEW BRIDGE
JUST OPENED. VERY SIMILAR TO OUR HIGH LEVEL (IN CLEVELAND) AND THEN TO MY GREAT
SURPRISE TO THE CEMETERY WHERE FATHER (George William Wiley) LAYS. THE GRAVE IS
NEAR A DRIVE AND WILL (William Johnson Wiley), INDIA (India Pearl (Wiley)
Dailey), AND MARY (Mary Elinor (Dailey) Nordgen) STOOD AT IT. IT’S AN
EXCLUSIVE ODD FELLOWS AND FAMILIES IT IS A VERY LARGE PLACE AND VERY FULL. WE
GOT HOME JUST TEN MINUTES AFTER MISS OSBORNE OF PASADENA WAS HERE.
JUNE 19 – DID NOTHING ALL DAY BUT REST.
JUNE 20 – SOME SURPRISE WHEN BERTHA (Bertha May (Wiley)
Wynn) CAME FOR ME TO FIND THEY HAD MARY’S (Mary Elinor (Dailey) Nordgen)
MACHINE (automobile) AND MARY EISEN (Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) AND MARY DAILY
(Mary Elinor Daily) WERE ALONG. AT 2:15 WE LEFT WILL. NO SOONER IN THE MACHINE
THAN WE REMARKED HOW LOVELY WE FOUR SISTERS WERE TOGETHER AGAIN WITH MARY E.
ALONG. WE WENT TO LONG BEACH. TWENTY THREE MILES TO THE OCEAN. DROVE OVER A LOT
OF LONG BEACH. AND SEE HOW RAPIDLY THE SIGNS OF THE EARTHQUAKE ARE DISAPPEARING.
DROVE ALONG THE PIKE AND THEN ALONG THE BEACH. WE THEN WENT SOUTH THROUGH MANY
TOWNS AND SUMMER RESORTS. ALWAYS IN SIGHT OF THE OLD PACIFIC. WENT AS FAR SOUTH
AS SAN CLEMENTE. THE PLACE WHERE THE GROUND OPENED UP AND LETA $75,000. HOUSE
DOWN SEVENTY FIVE FEET. WE DIDN’T LOCATE AS THEY TOLD US IT HAD BEEN TAKEN
AWAY. BACK TO LAGUNA BEACH WHERE WE TURNED INTO THE VALLEY. HERE WE CAME TO SAN
JUAN CAPISTRANO. ONE OF THE OLDEST SPANISH MISSIONS SAME NAME IS HERE. NOT IN
QUITE AS GOOD CONDITION AS THE SAN GABRIEL. I IMAGINE IT IS OLDER. WE DROVE
AROUND IT. A LARGE SCHOOL TO THE BACK IS MORE MODERN. THE WALL OR AT LEAST PART
OF IT IS STILL STANDING. THE ORIGINAL MADE OF ADOBE. ALL ALONG THE HIGHWAYS IS A
BELL OR A POST. THEY MARK A DAYS JOURNEY OF THE SPANISH PADRES. WE PASSED TWO OF
THEM BEFORE DARK. WE DIDN’T STOP TO EAT UNTIL IT WAS TOO DARK TO SEE. MUCH OF
THIS DRIVE WAS THROUGH GREAT FIELDS IF BEANS, TOMATOES AND CUCUMBERS. ALSO SOME
ORANGE GROVES AND ENGLISH WALNUT. WE ATE AT A SMALL TOWN. SERVED INDIA AND I IN
THE MACHINE (automobile). AFTER IT WAS DARK BERTHA (Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn) AND
MARY E. (Mary Muriel (Wiley) Eisen) STARTED IN WITH FUN AND IT WAS ON HILARIOUS
TIME UNTIL WE GOT HOME TO WILL’S AT NINE. WE HAD DRIVEN 230 MILES. I HAD
FORGOTTEN WE SAW THE LARGEST OIL REFINERY IN THE WORLD AT HUNTINGTON BEACH. JUST
FROM HERE WE BUMPED INTO A FOX FILM CO. MAKING
A DESERT SCENE. THE ACTORS WERE ALL IN PERSIAN GARB. WE CONCLUDED IT MUST BE A
SAHARA. IT COULD EASILY BE SUPPOSED FOR IT WAS IN A VERY SAND DESERT. THE ONLY
ONE I HAVE SEEN HERE. THEY ARE MOSTLY COVERED WITH A SAGE AND CACTUS. MISS
OSBORNE CAME. SHE IS A SISTER TO MISS MENARDUUS, AN ADOPTED SISTER. WE HAD A
LOVELY AFTERNOON. SHE IS A GRADUATE NURSE AND A LOVELY PERSONALITY. SHE SAID SHE
BROUGHT A PIECE OF HOMEMADE CAKE. IT PROVED TO BE AT LEAST A QUARTER AND A BOX
OF COOKIES BESIDES.
JUNE 22-23-24 – WILL (William Johnson Wiley), KATE
(Katherine H. (Posther) Wiley), VIRGIL (Virgil George Wiley), VERA (Vera (Dessmore)
Wiley) AND KENNETH (Kenneth Raymond Wiley) WENT TO JIM’S (James Walter Wiley).
IT WAS A LOVELY PARTY. TWENTY FIVE OF US ATE DINNER IN THE YARD. EVERYTHING WAS
SO PRETTY. JIM’S LAWN HAS SO MANY BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS. I WENT HOME WITH MARY FOR
THE WEEK.
JUNE 26 – MENDED ALL BERTHA’S Bertha May (Wiley) Wynn)
AND GUYTON’S (Guyton Wynn) HOSE. BERTHA BUSY ALL DAY PACKING.
JUNE 27 - BERTHA AND GUYTON LEFT AT 2 O’CLOCK. NO ONE
AROUND BUT MOTHER (Lida A. (Geer) Wiley) AND I (Dora Jane (Wiley) Key).
JUNE 28-29-30 – CALLED FRANKLIN BLUE THIS MORNING. HE
CAME FOR ME AND TOOK ME UP THE MT. TO HIS HOME. I DID NOT ATTEMPT TO CLIMB THE
LONG FLIGHT OF STAIRS THAT LED TO HIS HOUSE. 12,000 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL. WE SAT
IN THE MACHINE AND VISITED FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, ENJOYING THE AIR AS WELL AS
THE BEAUTIFUL VIEW OVER L.A. WE DROVE ALL THROUGH THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS. PLENTY TO
SEE.
JULY 2 – MARY EISEN AND MOTHER TOOK ME TO ALHAMBRA. WE
DROVE TO GRIFFITH PARK, ELYSIAN AND ECHO. IN ONE OF THESE WE SAW THE LOTUS BEDS.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE ONLY ONES IN THIS COUNTRY. THEY ARE VERY
BEAUTIFUL. THE LEAVES ALMOST LIKE A WATER LILY BUT NOT LYING ON THE WATER. WE
WERE A LITTLE EARLY TO SEE THEM IN FULL BLOOM. THE NUMEROUS BUDS AND A FEW IN
BLOOM LEFT IT EASY TO IMAGINE HOW GORGEOUS THEY WOULD BE. FOUND KENNETH (Kenneth
Raymond Wiley) IN BED WITH THE MEASLES.
JULY 3 – FRANK AND BESSIE PASTHER HERE AT WILL’S TO
SPEND THE DAY. WE HAD A VERY PLEASANT DAY.
JULY 4 – WE SAT AROUND ALL DAY WITH RADIO ON LISTENING TO
THE BROADCAST FROM THE NATIONAL AIR RACES AND PACKED MY TRUNK.
JULY 5, 1933 – LEFT ALHAMBRA AT 1:30. WILL, KATE, (Katherine H. (Posther) Wiley) VIRGIL (Virgil George Wiley),VERA (Vera (Dessmore) Wiley), KENNETH (Kenneth Raymond Wiley), INDIA (India Pearl (Wiley) Dailey), MARY (Mary Elinor (Dailey) Nordgen), AND AL (Elmer E. Nordgen) WERE AT THE STATION. AM NOT SURE OF LOCATIONS. UNABLE TO WRITE ON THE BUS SO WILL ONLY TELL OF A FEW THINGS I REMEMBER. ARIZONA STATE NORMAL. 1,500 TEACHERS, SUMMER SCHOOL NEAR FLAGSTAFF. PADRE CANYON EAST OF FLAGSTAFF. INDIAN CAVES, METEOR CRATER, SAN FRANCISCO PEAKS 14,000 HIGH, FIVE MILES ROUND TOP. CAN STAND ON TOP AND SEE INTO FIVE STATES AND ONE FOREIGN COUNTRY: COLORADO, UTAH, ARIZONA, NEW MEXICO, AND OLD MEXICO. HIGHEST POINT BETWEEN LOS ANGELES 7,000 FT HIGH. THE PAINTED DESERT EAST OF HOLBROOK ARIZONA. FOR MANY MILES WE WERE PRIVILEGED TO SEE JUST ONE GREAT MT. OR RATHER PILES OF STONES. CROSSING THIS DESERT YOU ARE UNABLE TO DISCOVER A SKYLINE. APPARENTLY THE SKY IS JUST ON THE GROUND. OUR PILOT TOLD US THAT THE SKY WAS UNUSUALLY BEAUTIFUL THAT AFTERNOON. A STORM WAS BREWING TO THE EAST. THE PAINTED DESERT IS COLORED SANDS AND PRESENTS A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE. WE HAD A FIFTEEN MINUTE STOP AT SORT OF A GARDEN FOR ALL THAT COULD GET OFF. JUST OVER THE LINE IN NEW MEXICO WE PASSED A CHAIN OF MTS. OR OLD ANCIENT CLIFF DWELLERS. OUT OF GALLOP, N. MEXICO TWO PEAKS TO OUR LEFT VERY PROMINENT. THE GOD OF THE NAVAJO INDIANS. THIS WAS VERY NEAR A LARGE MILITARY SCHOOL. NEXT THE LARGEST STORAGE OF POWDER IN THE WORLD. ONE HUNDRED ACROSS ALL EIGHT HUNDRED APART, BELONGS TO THE U.S.A. FORT WINGATE, A GOVERNMENT VOCATIONAL SCHOOL. CONTINENTAL DIVIDE – 7,246 FT. HIGH. WATER RUNS EACH WAY. I GOT OFF AT ALBUQUERQUE AND HAD SUPPER. AFTER A NIGHT’S TRAVEL WE CAME TO RATON PASS, THE HIGHEST POINT WE WENT OVER. 9,000 FT. MADE ME SICK SO DID NOT ENJOY IT MUCH. DID NOT GET TO SEE MUCH OF COLORADO. KANSAS WAS VERY DRY AND DUSTY. ABOUT 4 A.M. A RAIN CAME WHICH MADE IT EASIER. WE GOT INTO KANSAS CITY FOR BREAKFAST. THE TERMINAL AST KANSAS CITY WAS CROWDED. A GROUP OF BOY SCOUTS WERE LEAVING FOR BUDAPEST, HUNGARY TO JOIN 50,000 OTHER BOYS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. THEY WERE ALL ON OUR BUS AND MEDE IT INTERESTING TO SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS. IT STICKS AROUND TO RAIN. OUR BUSES WERE HELD UP A LOT ALL NIGHT. THEY DROWNED THE ENGINES GOING ACROSS PUDDLES. WE ARRIVED IN CHICAGO ON TIME. THERE ALL MY GOOD FRIENDS LEFT ME. MRS. C.B. DANE, MY SEAT COMPANION, AND JULIA HENDERSON. ALSO A NUMBER OF OTHERS. MR. AND MRS. POTTER OF ALHAMBRA WHO WERE IN FIRST SECTION OF OUR BUSSES CAME AND GAVE ME A GOOD BYE. A LADY FROM GRAND JUNCTION, MICH. WAS ESPECIALLY SWEET TO ME IN CHICAGO TERMINAL. THE PORTERS CARRIED ME TO MY SEAT AND SOON WE WERE IN A WILD RIDE GETTING AWAY FROM THE AWFUL BEDLAM AT THE TERMINAL. ARRIVED IN CLEVELAND ON SCHEDULE. LEFT HERE FEB. 5 LEFT ALHAMBRA JULY 5 AND ARRIVED IN CLEVELAND JULY 9.
The document no longer has page numbers since brought into .html but the numbers should give you an idea of how far into the document the name is.
AL (Elmer E. Nordgen). 4,5,8,9,13,14,15,16,17,19,20,23
ANABEL (Annabel Key BYRAM) 9
ARIZONA 2,23
DOUGLAS 2
FLAGSTAFF 23
HOLBROOK 23
PHOENIX 3
ARKANSAS 1,2,3
TEXARKANA 1
BERTHA (Bertha May (WILEY) WYNN 4,5,6.7,8,9,11,12,14,15,17,18,19,20,21,22
BILL (William Thomas FOWLE). 10
BYRAM, Annabel KEY – See ANABEL
BYRAM, Doris Janet - See DORIS
BYRAM, Jane Lee – See JANE
BYRAM, Miriam Elizabeth – See MIRIAM
CALIFORNIA 3
ALHAMBRA 3,5,17,23,24
BLYTHE 3
CORONA 6
EL MONTE 6,14
HOLLYWOOD 9
LAGUNA BEACH 20,22
LAUREL CANYON 11
LONG BEACH 4,12,13,21
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN 11
LOS ANGELES 3,11,12
LOS ANGELES RIVER 6
MT. INEZ 6
MT. RESORT 6
ONTARIO 6
PAMONA 6,17
PASADENA 5,17,18
PICO 14
RIVERSIDE 3,5,7
RUBIDOUZ 7
ROSEMEADE 6
SAN GABRIEL 3,4,5
SAN CLEMENTE 21
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO 22
SAN MORENO 4
SIERRA MADRE 12
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 11
WHITTIER 14
ELLIOT, Charles 19
DADDY (William Franklin KEY) 12
DAILEY (or DAILY), Mary Elinor – See MARY
DAN 15
DESSMORE , Vera – See VERA
DORIS (Doris Janet BYRAM) 15
EISEN, George – See GEORGE
ELBINS , Ella
ESTHER (Esther Ruth (KEY) NOLAN) 8,13
FATHER (George William WILEY) 21
FOWLE, William Thomas – See BILL
FRANK & Bessie (Frank POSTHER) 4,8,13,14,19,23
BUSH, Frank 14
BLUE, Franklin 12,22
GEER, Lida A. – See MOTHER
GEORGE (George EISEN) 7
GUYTON (Guyton WYNN) 4,10,12,14,18,22
HARLEY (Harley Melville WILEY) 10
INDIA (India Pearl (WILEY) DAILEY) 3.4,5,7,8,9,13,14,15,16,18,19.20,21,23
INDIANA
EVANSVILLE 1
INDIANAPOLIS 1
RICHMOND 1
ILLINOIS
CHICAGO 24
SPRINGFIELD 24
BANNERING, Jack 9
JANE (Jane Lee BYRAM) 13
JIM (James Walter WILEY) 11,20,22
JOE (Joe NORDGEN) 14,15,16,17,18,19,20
JOHN (John WIELY) 11
JOHN (Winn) 18
KATE (Katherine H. (POSTHER) WILEY) 3,4,5,8,9,10,13,14,15,17,18,19,22,23
KENNETH (Kenneth Raymond WILEY) 9,15,19,22,23
KENTUCKY 1
PADUCAH
1
KEY, Esther Ruth – See ESTHER
KEY, Lily Ada – See LILY
KEY, Mary Caroline – See MARY
KEY William Franklin – See DADDY
Lida A. (GEER) WILEY – see MOTHER
LILY (Lily Ada (KEY) BYRAM) 5,9,13,14
LUCY (Lucy (WHEATON) WILEY) 11,20
MARY (Mary Caroline (KEY) FOWLE) 5,8,9,13,19
MARY (Mary Elinor (DAILEY NORDGEN) 3,8,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,23
MARY E. (Mary Muriel (WILEY) EISEN) 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,15,18,21,22,23
MEXICO (OLD MEXICO) 23
MICHIGAN
BATTLE CREEK SANITARIUM
6
MIRIAM (Miriam Elizabeth BYRAM) 9
MOTHER (Lida A. (GEER) WILEY) 4,5,9,10,11,12,14,17,18,19,20,22,23
NEW MEXICO 3,24
ALBUQUERQUE 23
GALLOP 23
NORDGEN, Elmer E. – see AL
NORDGEN, Joe – See JOE
OHIO 1
AKRON 1
BEDFORD 1
CLEVELAND 1,24
COLUMBUS 1
DAYTON 1
SPRINGFIELD 1
WOOSTER 1
POSTHER, Frank – See FRANK
POSTHER, Harry 13
TENNESSEE 1
MEMPHIS 1
TEXAS 2
DALLAS 2
EL PASO 2
FORT WORTH 2
TEXAS FEDERAL PRISON 2
TOM (Tom WILEY) 11
UTAH 23
VERA (Vera (DESSMORE) WILEY) 3,4.8.9,13,15,19,22,23
VIRGIL (Virgil George WILEY) 3,4,8,9,13,14,15,17,18,19,22,23
SCOTT, V. S. 13
WHEATON, Lucy – See LUCY
WILL (William Johnson WILEY) 3,8.9,10,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23
WILEY, Bertha May - See BERTHA
WILEY, Harley Melville – See HARLEY
WILEY, James Walter – See JIM
WILEY, Kenneth Raymond - See KENNETH
WILEY, Mary Muriel – See MARY E.
WILEY, Tom – See TOM
WINN, John - See JOH
WYNN, Guyton – See GUYTON