October 1978 Reminiscing by Pansy Wooldridge Ruez She Writes When she arrived in California she remembers living on 12 Street “My folks and I used to take a lunch and walk along the beach to Sunset Blvd. On that beach there were mock up houses etc. for the Ince Movie Company – This was where Sunset Blvd is now” I went back to Santa Monica High School for two years when the first three girls were small I took a business course. Hard times started in 1932 or 1931; we lived in Clencoe @ Venice. I have cooked on a small two-hole woodstove heater, made good scones on it; of course beans (Pink) do cook so well on a woodstove. Have also pretended to my children we were having a campfiree;.had a fire in a wheel barrow in the garage so neighbors couldn’t see; Manuel and Ruth Minjarez lived next door to us, both work so they are gone most of the time. Even had a campfire outside, Gas was off, but decided then to get a kerosene stove to cook on. Pat’s cold seemed to appear less by no using gas heat from the woodstove. When we moved to the valley, we still had the kerosene stove, even on Moore Park, also had the woodstove. In the summer we could cook on the wood stove placed one side of the house, outside. Could make apricot jam as there were several apricot trees on the lot; Still used both stoves at Moore Park; 1 gal of kerosene was 25 cents (hard to get the 25 cents used it sparingly. Things were getting worse. Jack did some work for a small grocery store, took pay in bread, oranges a few canned goods, so I had to use just so much at each meal, Jack worked for a man who had a turkey ranch. One thanksgiving the children and I drove up Ventura Blvd someplace. The man gave me a nice big turkey – live – in a crate, the thing gobbled at us on the way home. In the end Jack took it back and got a dressed turkey in its place. We did get several turkeys and some garden stuff for a short time. When we lived on Soloma, the first year we were there we could go to the field after harvest. We could be able to get a lot of Potatoes, small and some large ones that had been cut into a little, also onions and green tomatoes which would ripen, squash laid them on the garage floor. Our Sunday treat was a dimes worth of hamburger (it was cheap) cooked with fried potatoes, had apricot jam in the summer. Of course We nearly always could have tortillas (thanks to Grandpa Ruiz) and usually could get bulk peanut butter. While we were living at Moore Park it looked very bleak for a thanksgiving. We had found a couple of citron to vegetables. I made meat loaf, had candied some of the citron and orange peel. So I made an eggless fruitcake, potatoes and gravy. We invited a Mr. Moore, who worked for Jack for a short time. He was all alone And a lot older than we were, He was so happy and thought the dinner was so good. (He was a bachelor, so guess any cooking was good to him), A little oven was on top of the kerosene stove. Still had the wood stove at Covello, (Van Nuys) also had a gas stove by this time; plus the nice big fireplace Jack had made I really don’t like to write of hard times but, Brett thought I should, as many things were interesting for the times. Things were worse at Soloma and Moore Park, gradually got a little better at Covello. Would you believe how hard it was to get a bar of toilet soap and a bar of Fels Naptha or Wite King? Of course we didn’y have a washing machine – good old wash board. October 1978 Reminiscing about Road Racing in 1912 By Pansy Mable Wooldridge Ruez We could get in free at the road races. A lady lived on the corner of 12th and Wilshire only a few houses from us. She would let us in through her side gate and other neighbors too. Then we walked to the front of her house on Wilshire. Then when the ones came around to check on tickets, she told them that we were friends visiting her. Sorry for going back and forth through the years things just keep on coming to mind. One day when the Shive children were young, Grandpa and Grandma Shive had to go someplace, they left the boys to cook a kettle of beans, seems as though they were cooking over a fire outside. The beans began to boil, the boys though their little worms in them so they threw the whole kettle out, then they started another kettle full and discovered the same little sprouts in them. Could they have been lima beans? October 10 1978 Reminiscing by Pansy Mable Wooldridge Ruez Uncle Jim is the one that let one of the other boys use his nails (that he had saved) to make a shed for both. They built it together. One day Jim got mad at his brother and tore it up to get his “share of the nails” Going back to the trip to the beach somewhere there was a water tank for the trains I remember water dripping from it. We sat in the shade of the tank. There was a board walk along the beach. I don’t know if we went by train or street car must have been street car as they lived in the city. It was hot in sun but cool in the shade. In Kansas we used to buy hominy from an old fellow with a two wheel cart that he pushed up and down the streets. He would have big cans of hot homemade hominy – the steam would come out of them. I think it was 10 cents a quart. It always tasted so good. My father had some kind of an old gun (in later years I gave it to Grandpa Ruiz on 17th street, Santa Monica. One time my father made some bullets for it. He did it just to show me, he never used it. It was a hand gun and very very old. He had a mold that two bullets could be made at one time one round and on pointed at the top (Nana drew a picture o a conical bullet) I thought it very interesting to see the lead melting and then to be poured in the little mold. One time grandma Julian’s son came to see them from Bartells Oklahoma. They came in a car; they had a couple of children. I was invited to go for a in it. I was invited to go for a ride. During the time grandpa Shive was in the war, their company was camped by a stream of water. The men were never to go by themselves for a bucket of water. One day one soldier went by himself and they found him scalped by Indians. When grandpa and grandma Shive lived in the south, the Negroes (As they were called then) saw her using yellow corn meal, so they told her only “po white trash at yellow meal.” She told this to me myself. Nana Ruez writes from a copy of a title Deed H. Shive “Henry Clay Shive seated center Wife Sara Ellen Brand far right” My Grandfather H.C. Shive (Henry Clay Shive who fought for both sides of the Civil War) purchased his property in Cherryvale, Kansas on January 9 1900 for the sum of $1550.00 according to a copy of a deed. An interesting description of the property “Beginning at a stone on the section line 3091/2 feet north of the quarter post between sections 16 and 17 – it goes on and on mentioning so man feet from the railroad (which we walked down to see them a few blocks away from us), information from a copy of the deed, seems to have been purchased from B.J. Cook and wife Effie A. Cook. October 2 1978 Reminiscing by Pansy Mable Wooldridge Ruez “Nana’s Father and Mother Robert Wooldridge and Anna Mary Shive” The first time we came to California I was six years old. That’s the time I caught my finger in cogs of the wringer while putting soap suds on them. We were at grandma Shive that day; she felt so badly because she was the one turning the handle on the wringer while also running clothes through. We had come to California for my fathers health, he thought it would help his catarrh probably sinus nowadays. He always took “Hal Catarrh Cure”. Anyway the next morning when we got up he spit up some blood. So that scared him and he wanted to go back to Kansas. We stayed three days. We stayed here in California at uncle Jim’s in Los Angles. So away we went. They had sent a big wooden before we left. It was lost for months. Finally it came and Uncle Jim sent it back to Cherryvale. The big family Bible was in the box. The second time we came out I was eleven years old. I had my birthday at 1224 – 12th Street in Santa Monica. We had also lived in 1200 block on 11th street We could go up to Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica so and watched the car races. I saw Barney Oldfield and Ralph DePalma. We only stayed eleven months. My mother and I were home sick. So I remember we all went to the station in Ocean Park where they sold train tickets in the street car station. Mother and I began to have second thoughts of leaving while my Dad was in buying the tickets. But we didn’t say anything. The third trip out I was fifteen. So that was the last time we stayed! On the second time out is when my Dad tore the leaves out of the bible to cut down on weight. It took five days and four nights – next time it was only four days and three nights. Oh yes Uncle Jim and Aunt Clara took to Santa Monica beach. I had a little valise for my doll clothes, where the top fits over the bottom half. It was quite small, no longer than the width of this page. Anyway Uncle Jim insisted to carry sandwiches in it to carry to the each. Guess I was very unhappy about it. August 1978 Reminiscing by Pansy Wooldridge Ruez “Rosemary Pauline Ruiz” Rosemary Pauline Ruiz was born September 26 1920, to Julio Aguinaldo Ruiz and Pansy Mabel Wooldridge; Nana wrote that Mom was born at their home at 1512, 12th Street, Santa Monica. Nana Pansy Ruiz and my Grandfather Julio had a Civil Ceremony at first; they re-married in the Catholic Church; Nana writes that Mother, Aunt Peggy, and Kathy were baptized in Saint Marks Catholic Church, Venice California the very day of their marriage, Mother was baptized Rosemary Helena Ruez. Helena meaning Elena in Spanish, named for my Great Grandmother Elena Ruiz “states when Jack and I were married in Catholic Church after I converted to Catholicism (Jack was a nickname for Julio Aguinaldo Ruiz”) Grandpa changed the spelling of his last name to “Ruez” “Jack Ruez and Pansy Mable Wooldridge Ruez” In Nana’s writings she states that Mother (Rosemary), Catherine and Peggy were all baptized the same day by Father William Stewart, the Godparents of all three was Anita and Albert Manriquez, they also being witness to Nana’s and Grand Daddy’s Marriage. Nana further states that “first five daughters registered as Ruiz, Diana and Yvonne registered as Ruez, we had changed spelling in Van Nuys when Rosemary was in the 3rd or 4th grade” Rosemary Pauline born September 26 1920 @ 1512 12th Street Santa Monica Betty Jeane born October 31 1921 – Died March 9 1922 @ 1512 12th Street, Santa Monica Peggy Jacqueline or (Peggy) when baptized Kitty Lou Juanita born October 16 1923 born @ 1033 – 12th Street, Santa Monica when baptized her name changed to Catherine Juanita Patricia Mary Anne born January 26 1929 @ 2320 McKinley Barbara Diane born February 4 1933 @14953 Moore Park, Van Nuys; baptized in Santa Monica Yvonne Selma born August 12 1934 @ 15112 Covello, Van Nuys, baptized @ St Elizabeth’s, Van Nuys Pansy Wooldridge Ruez August 1978 By Reminiscing Pansy Wooldridge Ruez When I was about five years old my grandparents Grandpa and Grandma Shive lived a few blocks from my parents, we could walk about a block to the railroad track, then up on the tracks, walk a few blocks to grandpa’s farm, go down off the tracks through the path by the side of a fence to their house. Grandpa used to let me ride on his back like a horse while he set out onion sets or pulled weeds. He would go all over the rows of onions on his knees with me on his back. Grandma raised all kinds of beautiful flowers, she churned and made such good butter the cream was so thick and yellow when it raised on the crocks of milk. Sometimes I would get to try to churn. Cream was kept in the cellar. I can rembers they had a square stand table (as it was called) that stood in the center of their front room. They each had a chair on each side of the table. There was a white cloth on the table. They always put letters under the cloth they were from their son’s. Sometimes it would have so many things under the cloth that it was very bumpy. Nothing could be set on top. Grandpa always had copies of the Kansas Copper’s Weekly – a news paper. I remember one time in the fall trying to carry a large pumpkin home for Halloween. Of course my mother had to finish carrying it home from their place for me. There was a pond or small, lake across the tracks from them. Such lovely pale yellow water lilies grew there. They stood up so tall above these big green pads (leaves) which lay on the water. We used to pick the beautiful flowers while wading in the water. When the flowers want to let go; in the spring we could walk to the pond anther way and there were trees with wild violets and other flowers growing there and berries. Speaking of violets my Mother always raised violets on the south side of the house. Sometimes during a light snow they would stick their little purple heads up through the snow. I often took violets to my teachers. I had a tree house up in a big Maple tree by our back porch. I loved to climb up there. Even climbed on the roof of the house from the tree; and eat the seeds or nut like sees, also my folks strung them and made Portieres for our door. (Nana Ruez write along the edge of this paper that “also Grandma’s cough medicines was also balanced on the table”) September 17 1978 Mable Ruez Reminiscing about Her Uncles from the Shive Family My Uncles, a corrected list: Children of Henry Clay Shive - Sarah Ellen Shive 1. Frank (Martin) Shive – wife Anna (both were witnesses at my parent’s marriage (No children) 2. Ira A Shive - wife Arah – lived in Independence Kansas and Green Acres, West Palm Beach Florida, 2 children, Willis and Genevier 3. Levi E Shive - wife Helen, No children – both school teachers, lived in Colorado 4. Anna M Shive – My Mother 5. Calvin A Shive – wife Rhoda, he was a carpenter gave up preaching as a minister in Christian Church – two girls, Miriam (my age) and Ruth also two younger boys. (Note Nana wrote along side of this page “Still have scar on my face where Miriam bit me, pretending to kiss me when we were little”) 6. James H Shive – wife Clara (No children) lived in Los Angles and Santa Paula, Calif. 7. Joseph T Shive – Carpenter – both dead - wife Golden, daughter Frances, lived in Santa Monica 8. Constance A Shive – wife Oda lived in Independence, Kansas and also Florida 9. Amos H Shive died at age 18 or 19. Shot his self accidentally in freak accident while hunting, he was putting his gun undercover during a rain storm while in a wagon 10. Cecil R Shive – first wife Maude Ellen; baby Loraine died in infancy – they lived in Cherryvale Kansas – second wife Carrie – one daughter Czelene and 2 sons they lived in Coffeeville Kansas September 20 1978 Reminiscing by Pansy Wooldridge Ruez Grand – Daughter Henry Clay Shive – born December 1 1842 in Cabarras County, North Carolina – Died January 28, 1926 at 83 years 1 month 27 days, buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, West Palm Beach, Florida, buried January 29 1926 West Palm Beach, Florida His father Stanley Martin Shive Born, North Carolina, (added by Ronald Wallace Grandson of Pansy Ruez) served in Mexican War as a Lieu ant First North Carolina Volunteers, died day after battle of Buena Vista, Buried there, after war body retrieved and taken back to Cabarras County, North Carolina for proper burial His Mother – Hillman, born North Carolina Henry Clay Shive (added by Ronald Wallace Grandson of “Pansy Mable Wooldridge Ruez”) enlisted with 33rd North Carolina Volunteer Infantry, captured after battle of Gettysburg covering General Lee’s re-treat, and was sent to Point Lookout Prison in Maryland. Signed the oath of allegiance to the United States joining the first U.S. Volunteers, he was 21 years old, volunteered on January 29 1864 at North Fork, Virginia, he was shipped to the Dakota to fight Indians (Chief Sitting Bull) discharged same years for wounds received, he returned to 13th Mississippi and took up arm against the union with General Lee, was discharged at Appomattox court house when General Lee surrendered to General Grant, (Nana describes Henry Shive as having black eyes, black hair light completion 5ft. 61/2 in. tall) Henry Clay Shive applied for pension February 18 1901 Cherryvale, Kansas again when moved to Lynn Haven Florida, April 3 1915 Sarah Ellen Shive Born May 28 1849 in Iowa Died January 17 1929 at Coffeeville, Kansas; 79 years 7 months 19 days Sarah Ellen Brand married at 18 years old, married by Thomas B Arnold, who was a Baptist minister. They were married at Calvin Brand’s in Marion County, Iowa he was a farmer. Father – Frank Brand, born London, England Mother – Lydia M, born New York She lived with son Cecil at Coffeeville, Kansas in later years after Grandpa Shive died Cecil remarried a nice girl. First Child Ozelena – two boys – don’t know their names. I know of one brother of Grandma’s, Jim Brand who was a miner – Butte, Montana. He came to see my mother when I was a young girl in Cherryvale, Kansas. He had lost an arm in an accident in a mine. He was a large man. September 28 1978 Reminiscing by Pansy Mable Wooldridge Ruez My Mother told me in later years about one Christmas when she knew they could not buy me a doll. She felt badly. One day she went out the back door and threw out the pan of dish water. There on the ground where she threw the water; lay the eyes of a sleeping doll that I had, had. She picked them up and started thinking. She found the doll they came from. So she put them back in the doll and dripped candle wax back of them to hold them in place. She fixed her hair (the dolls) and made new clothes for it. That is the doll that I have in my arms in the picture. Every May Mama started making pretty tissue paper flowers, sweet peas, roses, and some kind of lily that she crushed the long pieces of paper on a hair pin. She made dozens of them, all colors. Then she would braid yards of crepe paper to be sewn into May baskets. They would be lined up on the front room floor waiting for the eve of May 1st. She would go with me while I hung them on neighbor’s doors then knock and holler “May Basket” and run and hide. Several would go to school Teachers. The baskets were a good size not little like the ones I used to make. Oh yes she used to sew the crepe paper braid into summer hats for me. They were worn then at that time. (I’m not used to this new pen point is no worn down to suit me, good excuse for scribbling!) September 28 1978; 74 degrees (Note about my grandmothers’ handwriting, it’s beautiful, I haven’t run across on misspelled word, Ronald Roy Wallace) My father used to do work at the Sauer Milling Company one block from us. He made the chutes for the wheat and flower to go through. I remember the chutes turned many ways from the top floor down to where the flours were stacked When my dad paid the grocery bill every Saturday at Wharton’s grocery store, I would be given a sack of candy by the owner Grandpa and Grandma Jones (from Kentucky) lived on a corner across the street on 7th street. Grandpa and Grandma Julian lived one block north on South Galveston Street. They were neighbors (called grand parents) out of courtesy) They meant a lot to me. Grandpa Julian is one who spent a piece of tobacco off his plug of tobacco when Mama sent Harry Arehart to ask for chewing tobacco , she want he was chewing at the time to put on my foot. As I had run a nail in my foot. Luckily it went all the way through between my toes. The nail was on a short piece of lumber (I was barefoot at the time) so she just gave a steady pull and got the nail out Anyway she had to pound the chewing, soak it in water a little then applied it to my foot, I got along fine, it soon healed. One day the hired girl Jennie Miller (as they were called then ran a sewing machine needle in her finger; She had taken the needle out of the machine and came running to my mother. Oh, she worked for the Joneses. So mama scolded at her so she would stop the hysterics stuck her hand through her (mothers) are and gave a steady pull, it came out o.k. without breaking. Speaking of emergencies, we were at Grandma Shives before we came to California the first time I was putting soap suds on the wheels of the wringer when she was wringing cloths and my finger got caught. It took the top of finger off, only a tiny bit of skin holding it on. Third finger of my right hand; again my poor mother scolded and stuck my hand under her arm, (me standing behind her) she saw the pearly bone she said. So she just smoothed it, the cap and put turpentine and sugar on it. I had a finger stall, (she made them fresh each day) on it on the train coming out to California (1st time) my finger healed very smoothly as you have seen. My cousin Willis Shive had his finger caught in a home made teeter totter board and his finger was injured about the same way. He was taken to a doctor, had stitches in his finger – it came out very scarred and crooked. Back to grandpa Julian, he had a white kind of pointed beard, stained with tobacco juice. He used to tell about the war he was in and how much better the Masons were treated (those who belonged to the Mason lodge) he said he always vowed if he lived to get out of the war he was going to see what there was to “Free Masonry”. He did! He belonged to the Mason Lodge. He and Grandma Julian were old and kind of feeble. Joneses and Julian’s were around the same age. I guess Grandpa Jones was a tall, big shoulders man, not really as old as Grandpa Julian maybe. Grandma Jones was a big fat lady wore Mother Hubbard Calico dresses with a pocket in the seam. She came over one day to borrow butter for her son’s Bill’s dinner (noon meal). She kind of giggled and said she had a $5.00 bill (hand in pocket) but “She’d mighty nigh die before she break it”. She always forgot to pay things back. Bill was a tall large man, one knee was bent and he limped of course. He used to carry me on his shoulder when I was little. In Grandma Julian’s front room (parlor) there was always a picture frame. It always fascinated me. Because it never went down; (Lost air). One day when some lady, my mother and I were walking home in the rain from a ladies aide meeting. I was walking behind them. For some reason my mother turned and saw me on the side walk. She wanted to know what I was doing. Lightning had knocked me down. As we walked on past Grandpa Julian’s house we saw were the lightning had split a big cottonwood tree and there sat poor grandma Julian almost having a heart attack. She was sitting on the porch and received some of the shock. Also another time I was trying to put up the kitchen window, of course my hands were on the wet frame. So again I received a shock of lightning it kind of knocked me back. So that is why I am such a coward about lightning!! The blossoms of the black locust tree that I always picked on my birthday were on a tree across the road from the Julian’s by an empty lot Ruby Weiser and Harry Arehart were my friends for years. Ruby a little older (lived in 200 blocks on 6th street.) than I. Harry four years older, lived across the street. He is the one who copied the peanut butter candy recipe from a stand up bulletin board in a meat market. Sorry I ran out of other note paper, but I have to keep going while I am remembering things. Now to my real Grandmother; I understood here to have been a horse woman. I am sure her back had been injured when riding as she was very bent, shoulders humped. Well not too bad, perhaps I haven’t described her correctly so let’s say she was very stooped. As I knew her, Always had her own horse and buggy Grandpa and Grandma belonged to a group or always bought season tickets for the Chautauqua every summer. There were lectures, readings and music. They really enjoyed it. Their farm (not too far away) was on the same road (street) that the Auditorium was on. It seated 1200 people (according to Cherryvale Centennial Backers) built in 1902. The old soldiers and wives camped back of the Auditorium in rows of tents. Lasted a week, there were concession stands, side shows, Ferris wheel, merry – go – round. Two rides for a nickel. Churches setup large tents, with benches and tables and cook stoves. Ladies cooked there all day and served meals. Thy worked very hard. The whole week was very exciting except for special program in the Auditorium. My legs used to ache so badly at night by the time we started home then my dad carried me home on his shoulders (when I was young). The seats built around the tree always fascinated me. Holly – Rollers used to rent the Auditorium for their revivals in the summer. They would sing and moan while praying. Their noises were really dreadful and eerie. After people complained about the noise (They could be heard for blocks on a quiet summer evening.) They would go into trans - like actions and sway and moan and even lay all over the floor down under the platform. Children would get excited and cry and moan with them after a year or so the city would turn off the lights and make them stop for the night. After the re –union was over we (my playmate) and I would set up long boards and play we would make hamburgers with grape leaves for bread – mud rounds for meat – make play lemonade I made wheel to spin for prizes from an old wagon (play wagon) wheel with wire spokes – fixed up like the one at the carnivals, I really liked it. Had numbers ball don’t remember what the prizes were. BUT one day I fixed up the whole counter and all, and it just wasn’t the same – the magic was gone, I was getting older. Ruby Weiser and I used to play milliner shop. We made hats of grape leaves pinned together with tiny sticks, also Catalpa leaves. Trimmed them with Catalpa flowers and other kinds; One day my eyes began to hurt and almost swelled shut from the fuzz off of the leaves. I had a play house under the grape arbor. Later I had a real play house. September 29 1978 By Reminiscing Pansy Mable Wooldridge Ruez We use to go downtown every Saturday night, just walk around, in and out of stores and talk to friends. One day on a hot afternoon my mother had cleaned all up and ready to lie down in the hammock to read. I was fooling around with the hose. Don’t know why but I turned the water on her. No I didn’t get skinned – she didn’t say much of anything – just changed her clothes, Terrible? Mother belonged to the ladies aid of the Christen Church, Cherryvale, Kansas. I used to go with her many times. The ladies would make and quilt many quilts, to be sold. Also held bazaars, they were held at homes. I remember seeing sheets hung on walls and hand made doilies, hankies, etc, being pinned to the sheets for display. I remember playing bazaar; I would cut pictures out of sears Catalog and pin them on cloth. My mother made good bread and molasses cookies. During a rain onetime a spring rain, the young pullets got caught in it, it really poured. It turned cold also; the dumb chickens didn’t go for cover. They were lying on the ground – seemingly lifeless, so mama ran out and picked them up, brought them into the kitchen. Laid them down on the hearth of the stove to warm up, pretty soon they began to give little squawks, all were saved. (It was a wood cook stove.) My folks and I and Jennie Miller (Jones hired girl) would walk to a movie at night, holding to each other so as not to slip on the icy road. September 29 1978 By Reminiscing Pansy Mable Ruez My dad raised a garden. The big asparagus bed looked beautiful when it had gone to seed. The tall feather bush like brown plants would be covered with frost, or ice and snow. They looked so beautiful in the winter. He raised celery – a lot of it – back then you didn’t eat green celery. It was always white. So he would tie newspaper around each plant. He would tie newspaper around each plant. Then 1 X 12’s were placed on each side of the row. Of course this was done when the plants were nearly grown. In the fall he then laid them on the ground and covered them with straw to keep through most of the winter. Back to Grandma Shive. Her big front yard was covered with flowers. Sweet Williams, Plux, Pinks (so sweet smelling) verbenas, all colors of poppies and hollyhocks; She also raised a patch of vegetables and Egg Plant, Tomatoes, She had ground cherries too, they grew on low bushes, pale gray outside as the cherry was enclosed in a thin skin like paper. The fruit was pale yellow. Good for jam. Hop vines grew over an outside building. She used these in making her bread. After slaughtering day canine soap making time. Big squares of soap were stored to last all year. One time mama and I went to Kansas City to visit Mrs. Rushmore; She had a round dining room table covered with glass. Underneath it she kept a lovely embroidered doily that Mama had made Mrs. Rushmore bought so many doilies in fact that is how mama had bought some of her furniture with this money. Mrs. Rushmore of course is the one who gave me the cameo ring for my 8th birthday party. I also had a pretty gold large heart shaped locket from her. Disappeared somewhere through the years. She also for several years (until she moved) would buy me a red coat and red felt ht. They had no children of their own. She was a tall large lady, dressed beautifully. During some illness of mine when mama had to go to town> She would get old Aunty King to come and sit with me. I do wish I could remember the stories she told me. She had been a slave, but had a good master. Her husband had had a bad master. He walked with a cane. She smoked a pipe and always wore a kerchief on her head. Also had typhoid fever one time. Reminds me – mama had typhoid fever when she was a young woman at home. Her hair came out, and then grew in curly when it was still short. No waves when I knew her. My little dog Sport, terror, and coach, was also afraid of thunder and lightning. He would run and hide under the bed. He had an old comforter to sleep. Folded (four layers). When he would get up in the night he could nose his way under the corner of the comforter and be covered up. But when he got to the last one he would fuss, wouldn’t lie on the floor. Mama would let him out during the night and wait for him (at the door) to come in. Cold and Snow, she stood there. My dogs?? September 29 1978 Reminiscing by Nana Pansy Wooldridge Ruez Sport (my dog) had been given to me as a puppy in California (2nd trip out) can’t remember who gave him to me. Anyway we brought him back to California, but were killed instantly when a car struck him. We lived on 8th street (Lincoln) between Santa Monica Blvd and Broadway – east side of street. The little boys in the neighborhood felt so badly for me they carried him out of the street. I had had a pretty white fluffy dog. Cleo a spits’ before we came to California; While were here in California we gave her to someone. While we were here in California, an oil company had put in large storage tanks across the street from us. My mother and I of course were afraid lightning would strike them, so when there was a thunder storm. I remember we put quilts on top of a flat topped trunk and sit on that. I loved going to school, though I missed a lot of days while in the first grade and third grade. 1st grade teacher – Nellie Barber 2nd grade teacher – Carrie Clotfelter 3rd grade teacher – Mrs. Orr 4th grade teacher - Inez Henry 5th grade teacher – can not remember 6th grade teacher – in California – teacher was homesick for sweetheart and home – would lat her head on desk during study periods and cry silently, raise her head with red eyes and teary 7th grade teacher – Mr. Salisbury 8th grade teacher – Ova Locke – She is the one than she and her family lived next door to us. When I was born, she and her young brothers used to carry me around so I was told. The 8th grade was on the second floor. All grades marched in with someone playing the piano and children getting a turn to beat the triangle. In the second grade I was missing a front tooth, so it was hard to eat my apple. A school mate, Irene Curtis whose father owned a jewelry store in town; one day kept begging me for a bite of, of course I shared. She could take big bites; while I could only nibble when the apple was eaten as I told my mother “She even had the ever lasting Gaul to ask me for the core, and asked me to bring two apples the next day. There was a girl my seat mate (in the picture) claimed her folks had had named their new baby – Pansy – for some reason I never quite believed it. Orville Moore’s (also in the picture) Father killed a man and was sent to prison. This always affected me – it was quite a gossip subject> One spring all of the classes had a program at the Opera House. We would walk over the big Opera House and stand outside waiting our turn to sing. “Welcome sweet springtime we greet thee in song etc.” was my grades song. The title escapes me at presents. What a big thing to get to do this. September 29 1979 Reminiscing by Pansy Mable Wooldridge Ruez Going back to when I was very very, on Xmas eve I remember looking out on the moonlit snow and I was so sure that I saw the shadow of Santa Claus and reindeer. It mad such an impression on me, Oh yes mama would save white tissue paper, then Xmas week my dad would cut a good sized limb (with good branches) off of a fruit tree. Then they would wrap all the limbs with the paper. Candle holders (clips) like I have from Sausalito, California and candles were added plus a few ornaments; The Arehearts always had a pine tree limb I can’t recall at this time if it was the Areheart or Arehart. Harry mother’s name was Jessie – funny how I was always fascinated with old Victora Or some made of a machine a big morning glory horn and cylinder records. Everett the older boy used to play it for me sometimes. “I wonder who’s kissing her now” was played a lot. My mother sang religious songs mostly. John was Harry’s father’s name. He was a glass blower. We went to see him work one time, he was tall and thin. Jessie tall and heavy set. Everett went with Ruby Weiser’s older sister I believe or maybe Ruby, no it was Grace maybe. At one time Arehearts lived across the street from us then they moved up farther on 7th street. They were good friends. I grew up with Harry like a brother, good memories. Little Kate and Harold were his cousin Harry helped me sometimes with studies. September 29 1978 Reminiscing by Pansy Mable Wooldridge Ruez Ruby, Harry and I used to love to pick the big Sorrel leaves and Lavender flowers in the spring. They grew on one of grandpa’s Julian’s lots so he let us pick them, we loved to ear them, and after a winter these sour things taste so good. For Thanksgiving sometimes my folks would go to a store on the west side of town (across the tracks was the west side, also where the dry goods stores etc. were) and buy white grapes. They were packed in ground cork and packed in a small wooden barrel. They buy celery also, if ours had run out. Just remembered my father raised parsnips, corn, tomatoes, radishes, green onions. We had a pear tree, cherry trees, plum trees and peach trees. Gooseberry bushes, Nice rose garden. He had a big workshop, had a wood heater in it so he could always work at his work bench. He was what was called a “finisher”. Did nice work; He did a lot of work for the Catholic Church – I thought it odd to hear him speak of the man as Father. Hope this printing can be read, I write as fast as things are coming to me. And I want to convey some of my child hood to my loved ones. (Thank you “Nana”, for I have enjoyed reading and typing your “Reminiscing”; I Love and miss you so very much, lovingly you’re Grandson) My daughters and son Brett have given me many happy days. Zz9Just found Harry’s writing in my old autograph album, it’s spelled Pansy Wooldridge Ruez “Arehart” not “heart.” September 29 1978 Reminiscing by Pansy Mable Wooldridge Ruez “Andrew Joseph Ruiz and wife Magdalena Maria Aguilar” I used to sell flowers for the Red Cross and knit a sock a day (for the soldiers). Red Cross furnished gray yarn. It was located at the corner of Ocean Ave and Colorado Ave. North East Corner. I think it was the old Elks building – We had a lot of pansies against a back ground of asparagus fern – sold for .25 cents – neighbor donate flowers for bouquets – these were .50 cents. I wore a Red Cross band on my head and a Red Cross apron. Carried flowers in a big box half – My Mother was always with me. Jack (Ruez) used to buy a bouquet every week (I only worked one day a week) as I would go in some of the stores on 3rd Street. I often wondered if he really ever got home with the flowers for his mother as that is why he was supposed to buy them for. Wish I had ever asked her. Also sold most of the flowers at the band concerts held every afternoon on the board walk (a raised stand was built there) on the east side of the Merry-go-round on Santa Monica Pier. Anyway after selling flowers for weeks guess Jack introduced himself (1918) and eventually asked for a date. He soon proposed but then he went to Imperial Valley to work for his uncle – (ran the Caterpillar). We were married in 1918 of course. Jack went on the street car to Los Angeles to get the marriage licenses not thinking that I would also need to be there, so he came back to get my mother and myself to get the licenses as she had to sign for me. He said he was 21 – didn’t have to have proof at the time. He was 20 years old. My mother and his father were witnesses at our marriage. I think Anita was also there. I had baked a Mocha spiced cake for our wedding cake – we had the cake after the wedding – Oh yes this always upset me. Grandpa had a car and drove us. Coming back from the ceremony he had Jack in front seat with him – my mother and I in the back. We had a cute little cottage at 1225 Colorado Ave, Santa Monica. California. My folks lived at 1514 – 12th street, about a block away. We moved in and out of my folks place through the years. That is where Rosemary, Peggy, Betty Jeane, were born. Loved every baby’s very, very much; though our babies were close together no child ever pushed put, they treated with same love and attention as the new baby got!! Jack could come home from a day’s work and a baby might be fussy and crying, he could sit and rock each one and they would calm down with his steadiness. Even Jackie and Brett, especially Brett; we lived at 1633 - 12th Street when Cathy was born. Pat was born 2320 McKinley Avenue, Venice, Diane born at 14953 Moore Park Avenue, Van Nuys, California. Yvonne, born at 15112 Covello Avenue Van Nuys California October 3 1979 Reminiscing by Pansy Mable Wooldridge Ruez My father Robert N Wooldridge on April 18 1903 purchased the property (2 lots) on 7th street corner of Galveston Street. Lots 16 and 17; Purchased from Jesse R Casndal of Knox County Nebraska for the sum of $140.00. My father sold said property to Amelia Brockman June 24 1916 (Our 3rd and last trip to California) I think we came around October, perhaps, as we rented a house (way up on 4th Street, I think for awhile before we moved to Santa Monica. It was sold for $625.00; this time the deed record shows both of my parents names on the deed. When purchased my father’s name was only on it. October 1978 Reminiscing by Pansy Mable Wooldridge Ruez All of the classes from school walked down to the Railroad Station on time to see President Taft. He stood on the back platform of the train and waved to us. His train was passing through Cherryvale, Kansas. We (my mother and I) could go on the interurban to Independence to visit Uncle Ira and family. But to go to Coffeyville we rode in the Caboose of the freight train. There were side seats and a big pot belly stove in it. Back to the water Lilies – the seeds were called Yonka pins. When I was in the eight grade; I had the Chicken Pox as did quite a few others. We ere all rather disgraced at having them when we were so big, so we all tried to keep quiet. For a little while Uncle Calvin had moved his family back to Cherryvale. Miriam (my cousin) was in the same class with me. One day while I was absent Miss Locke (teacher asked about me, and Miriam said, “Oh, Pansy has the Chicken Pox”. I was so mad. But later the rest of kids started owning up that they had them also. Quite a few had them also. Quite a few of us did Grand pa and Grandma Ruez Children and their birth dates Father Andrew Joseph, born Cucamonga, Riverside California December 26 1786 Mother Elena Aguilar, born Florence, Arizona, May 27 1875 or 1877 Jack (Julio Aguinaldo) born Orange County, California; May 22 1899 Frances born Orange County May 31, 1904 Anita, born Orange Country, California August 20, 1906 Jane (Natividad) born Orange County, November 4 1908 Lizzie (Alice) born Orange County California, January 20 1910 Dorothy born Orange California September 7 1912 Selma born Orange County, California April 20 1916 Ernie (Ernest) born Orange County, California April 16 1918 Della born Orange County, California, May 29 1919 (Note I am not sure that these dates and information came from my, because of the statement that was written side ways on this paper) “These dates were given to me in 1933 by the family at 1827 – 17th street Santa Monica, California, There is a” (Statement ends there.) My daughters by Pansy Mable Wooldridge Ruez Rosemary Born on Sunday Sept 26 1920 1514-12th St. Santa Monica, Calf Betty Jean “ “ Sunday Oct 30 1921 1514-12th St. Santa Monica, Calf Peggy Saturday Sept 23 1922 1514-12th St. Santa Monica, Calf Cathy Tuesday Oct 16 1923 1633-12th St. McKinley, Calf Patricia Saturday Jan 26 1929 Venice, Moore park, Calf Diane Sat Feb 4 1933 15112 Covello, Van Nuys, Calf Yvonne Sun Aug 12 1934 15112 Covello, Van Nuys, Calf