Beeks and Harshbarger Christmas, 1918

Christmas 100 years ago...What was it like for those family members who were alive then?  In many ways, we can only guess whether they had a bountiful Christmas or were lucky to get (or give) an apple or orange.  But we do know they had family...Boy, did they have family! 

We can only begin to imagine Christmas Day in 1918 for Wilbur Beeks.  He was in Russia, and had been since early August, as part of what was supposed to be a second front against Germany but ended up being part of the Russian revolution.  By now, he had mostly recovered from his wounds received September 27, and was operating with his unit again.  We can only hope they had some pause for a Christmas celebration.  Wilbur's wife of a little over four years, Cleo Aldridge Beeks, had a little bundle of joy to enjoy at Christmas.  After having buried two babies, one in 1915 and one in 1916, Kenneth Eugene Beeks was having his first Christmas (he would have only one more) and enjoying the day as much as a baby of almost six months can. 

Cleo would have had her choice of places to celebrate.  I don't know where she was living then.  She may have lived in Andrews, as that is where the birth record for Kenneth states,.  If so, she could have been living the life of a single Mom while Wilbur was away.  Or she could have been living with her parents, Harvey and Margaret Catherine Dunham Aldridge. Harvey was 65 and his wife was 60.  In 1920, the Aldridges were living on Berry Street in Andrews, and Harvey was a laborer at the lumberyard.  The Aldridges were already raising two grandchildren, but probably would have had room for a daughter and grandson, too, if needed.  There were six surviving Aldridge children including Cleo, so the family gathering, wherever it was held, would have included many Aldridge grandchildren, nieces and nephews to Cleo.  Maybe she didn't have enough time to really miss her husband that day. 

Or she may have been staying with, or at least visiting, the home of her in-laws.  John, 51, and Elizabeth Wise Beeks, 48, that day.  In 1920, they were living on Main Street in Andrews, and he was a section man on the interurban line.  Two of their children, Charity and Chester (Bud) were living with them, as was David Wise, Elizabeth's father, who was 81 years old.  And there was another Beeks family member to visit, Mary Wise Beeks, Wilbur's grandmother, the widow of William Beeks. She was 78 years old, but lived in a home she owned on East Washington Street in Lagro.  Her son Martin lived with her.  Mary and William had several children, some still living, so presumably there was a large Beeks Christmas celebration somewhere.

One other thing about the Beeks Christmas celebration:  Cleo herself turned 22 on Christmas of 1918.

The Harshbargers in Whitley County also had lots and lots of family.  Grover Harshbarger by now was mostly recovered from the bout with "Spanish influenza" that had knocked him for a loop and out of the military earlier that year.  He may have been living with his father then, but by 1920 he was living with his sister Maud, her husband, daughter, son in law, grandchild, and at least two other lodgers, relationship not determined although another of the 'lodgers" had the surname Harshbarger.  Grover was a logger at a saw mill.  Both his parents, Emanuel and Clara Ellen Harter Harshbarger were still living. listed as in the same household, in Thorn Creek, Whitley County, Indiana.  (This was significant because there had been an earlier divorce action and I never found whether or not it was withdrawn,  Apparently it was.)  Emanuel was 64 and Clara was 61.  They had at least three other children still living, so if they hosted a Harshbarger family Christmas the farmhouse they lived in would have been crowded. 

Goldie Withers was 17 and single, likely living with her parents, William H and Della Kemery Withers.  Her sister Sue, three years older, was married but probably came home for Christmas.  By 1920, both girls were gone, but 1918 would have been a family year.  Della's parents were still alive and in Whitley County, too, and they have a large family.  Adam, 72, and Nancy Fanny Buchtel Kemery, also 72, were farmers in Columbia Township, Whitley County.  They had two adult children living with them in 1920, but others were grown and away from home so there were likely grandchildren at the Kemery household that day, too. 

All of the families I've visited here had good support systems.  In the case of Cleo Aldridge Beeks, that was probably needed and she learned her lessons well, as she cared for many aging relatives during her lifetime.  But Christmas 1918 for all would have been a time of hope, with the war (except for Wilbur and the thousands of others still fighting in Russia) over.  And one other thing-Christmas Day 1918 brought just a little bit of snow to northern Indiana, .6 of an inch but enough to qualify for a "White Christmas".