Icel Feels Homesick

Icel became very homesick. There was no phone on the farm. She was a teenager, away from her family and living with people she barely knew. She found her way to the nearby small town of Springfield and called her brother Ralph. She told him how she missed him and the rest of her family. He told her not to fret, that he would send her a bus ticket and bring her home. This was an unheard gesture for Ralph to make. His money was hard earned and not easily parted with. When he took a girl on a date she paid for her own dinner or movie or whatever they were out doing.

 When his bride had been gone for 3 months, Ray hopped on a bus and returned to her. He found a job with a furniture store - Doernbecher Manufacturing Company which was very modern and boasted a traveling assembly line five miles long! Icel found work at a local nickel and dime store. They stayed with her parents at their home and she was content once again.

On March 10, 1937 their first bundle of joy came along. Barbara Lee came into the world with the same fiery red hair as her mother! The hospital nurses were gaga over her hair. Icel's brother Harold would carry that baby around and show her off to anyone who would give him the time of day. Icel soon quit her job to stay with her baby. It was too much of a strain nursing a newborn and holding down a job.

She devoted herself to finding a place they could call their own. She found a neighbor who had made over their garage into a small apartment. Ray and Icel decided they could afford the asking price of $5 a month. Icel truly enjoyed creatively furnishing and decorating her little nest. She acquired apple boxes from the grocery and made cute little coverlets for them. They served as end tables. She found an old table and four chairs that Ray refinished for her.

One day she met an attorney who was selling a cute little house. He was willing to work with her. He said she could buy it for $950. She was nervous at the thought of making such an enourmous financial commitment but her new friend assured her that it would work out. It was only a short distance from her dear mother and that was very appealing. The house came completely furnished and somehow they managed to pay the $15 every month. She was always adding her own touches and soon the little house was as cozy as their little apartment had been. Icel so loved her little house on 78th and Clickitat just off Sandy Boulevard.

Their second daughter, Betty came along in 1942. Icel's dear friend Vi had married her brother Ralph and they had a boy, Terry,  who is between Barbara and Betty in age. The two couples shared wonderful times together.

When WWII broke out Ralph and Ray quit their jobs - Ray's at Doernbecher
and Ralph quit his at B.P. John's. Here is an article I found which I decided to insert here because it mentions Albina which was noted in an earlier post:  "B. P. John Furniture - The plant was located on the east side of SW Macadam across from the current John's Landing.  John's Landing was named for B. P. John and was the "landing" where the logs for the factory were dropped.  B.P. John was originally a vice president at Doernbecher Furniture before starting his own business. B.P owned rentals in several areas in Portland. Many immigrant Russian woodworkers lived in his houses in Albina. The two friends, brothers-in-law, learned the skill of welding and went to work at the shipyards. Ray became aware of the struggles all the laborers were having in getting to and from the shipyards so he bought an old bus, fixed it up and started the side job of transporting. He drove to the shipyards in the morning and Ralph drove it back at night. Icel had the job of making sure the bus was gassed up and ready to go. After awhile Ray bought a 2nd bus. He charged 50¢ each way. He was a regular entrepreneur!!

They went to the movie theater every time a new show was playing. I think my Ray inherited the love of movies from his grandfather. They would purchase tickets for the upstairs portion of the theater because they were cheaper and it was a good place to be if you had little ones who had trouble sitting quietly.

Icel meets Ray - Part 2

Icel answered a knock at the door of her cozy little apartment and was shocked to see her parents-in-law, whom she had only met once before. She was so exited to see them and share the excitement of her happy marriage with her new family. Much to her surprise Myrtle, her mother-in-law, was less than welcoming....... somewhat unfriendly... furiously angry. She wanted to have this joyous and blessed marriage annulled. Ray was her only son....there was a farm to run....Portland was very far away from Springdale....she had had no say in this decision.... Her new father, Clyde, who she later learned was a quiet man who rarely spoke up or defied his wife's decisions or actions, stood up for her and said they would support this marriage and welcome her to their family.

Well Ray and his new bride travelled to Springdale. Icel was quite surprised when they arrived that there were no presents under the Christmas tree, in fact there was no Christmas tree at all. Even though her family was poor they had always celebrated Christmas. She asked her new husband to take her to the mercantile in the nearby small town. He didn't understand why but she wanted to use her meager savings to purchase gifts for her new sisters-in-law whom she had not yet met. Gertie, Vera, Nita and Rose. Ray's oldest sister, Mable no longer lived at home. Icel asked Ray to go out and cut a tree down and bring it in the house. She colored popcorn in 2 or 3 different colors and strung it together with twine. They sang carols, played the violin, and guitar, danced and had a wonderful celebration. Her father-in-law thanked her and told her she brought new life and joy into their family.

more to come.....

Icel Clark meets Ray Perkins - Love at First Sight

This is Icel Bell Clark at the homestead where she grew up:

 There were always family members and friends visiting who were serving in the military.

One day Icel's best girl friend had some family visiting her from the far away state of Washington. They were her friend's mother's (Lakie's) sister and her husband Myrtle and Clyde Perkins and their son, Ray and one of his sisters. Ray asked his cousin, Icel's friend, if she had a friend he could step out with while he was there. She told him she could set him up with a blonde or a redhead. He said he would like the redhead.

Icel spent that evening at her friend's house. Ray played his guitar and after some encouragement Icel performed some tap dancing. Icel went to her friend's house every day after school for that entire week. On the weekend they went window shopping and such. When his family was leaving Ray told Icel he would see her again. He said he would come back but she didn't believe him. His family lived in Springdale near Spokane and that was just so far away. He didn't have a car of his own. His family were farmers. They could very rarely leave the farm.

One day as she was getting ready for school she glanced out the window and saw a car drive by. She thought it was Ray and told her family so. They laughed at her and said she was dreaming. As she was leaving the house the car drove up and lo and behold it was Ray!! He offered her a ride to school.

 He stayed in Portland and found work.

On December 20th, 1935, with her parents approval, they were married. Icel wanted Ray's parents to be there too but he told her they wouldn't be able to come with the farm and all. 

Icel's parents set them up in a small apartment.

to be continued...

William Edwin and Icel Lee Clark

Icel Lee Weekley married William Edwin Clark while he was performing with a traveling circus. He worked with trained horses and a trained bear. After they married she joined the circus too. She performed various acts including one with a boa constrictor. Two big, strong men would wrap the snake around her body! She also rode horses around the ring bareback.

This is them in those early days. They are the two on the left.

Two of their children were born during the circus years, Ralph and Harold: Harold Thomas Clark was born March 7, 1912 and Ralph Jenner Clark came along on August 3, 1914.

The circus camped at Berkely, CA during the winters. When the elder Icel was expecting Grandma Icel she put her foot down and said she did not would not have any more children in the circus. Ralph had been attacked by a bear and who knows what other craziness had happened!! She stayed on in Berkely which is where Grandma was born on April 14, 1917.

Grandma says her mother delivered her by herself. And that all of her 5 siblings were born at home.

 At some point William quit the circus too and joined his growing family. He took odd jobs to provide for them. When Grandma was about a year old they moved to Portland and stayed with the elder Icel's parents on Sumner Street. They purchased a lot on Webster Street where William and his father-in-law built a house for the young family. While the house was being built and the family was living with Icel's parents, a young Icel contracted scarlet fever. Because of this, her grandparent's home was quarantined and a flag was displayed to warn people. Her family had to pull her peeling skin off.

Grandma Icel said her dad could play any instrument. He is in this photo somewhere. Grandma wasn't sure which one he is but it's a cool picture.

William worked for the City of Portland but on weekends he played in a band that traveled on the Columbia River from Portland to Seattle. (Picture I found online)

When Grandma Icel was 11 they purchased this house at 2837 SE 90th Place:

This "legal" document was drawn up on the back of the photo:

It states:

"I certify that this is the building on the property described in loan application of Wm. E. Clark"

Her dad drew up plans to expand this house.

The kids all helped dig out the basement. They carried the dirt to the pond out back of the house. They poured a concrete floor inside the concrete block frame they built. The 3 older kids put on the roof.

Through the years they added onto the house. The kids' rooms were upstairs. At first the kids all shared a bed but eventually the girls shared one room and the boys shared another. The main floor had a front room, a large kitchen and a bathroom. There was no electricity at first - they used kerosene.

The large yard eventually had every kind of fruit tree you could imagine. Cherry, apple, peach, pear, fig, walnut..... There were grapes and berries, including logan berries, blackberries, blueberries and elderberries. The walnut trees were surrounded by potatoes. There was a large garden. They truly lived off the land. Icel Lee canned everything she could including jelly from her grapes. They sold berries on Division Street in Portland. 

They had a cow named Sadie which provided milk and butter. They had bunnies and they sold the babies. They had bantee chickens that were fighters says Grandma Icel. 

There were WPA workers nearby who bought pies that their neighbor made in her kitchen and the kids peddled for her. They charged 25 cents and the neighbor let them keep a nickel of the profit. I had no idea what WPA was but Grandma said it so matter-of-factly that I thought I should look it up. Here is what Wikipedia says about it:

The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency.

The kids picked berries and worked in the hop fields to earn money.

Grandma says they were given an allowance every week and that they went to see a matinee every Saturday. The theater was on 92nd and they walked there.  One Saturday there was a raffle and the prize was a pony. Grandma won the pony but her brother Harold claimed it. He of course became the kids' pony and they named him King and they all loved him very much. Of course they couldn't afford a saddle so they learned to ride him bareback.

Here is a picture of Harold and Bud by the house:

Her dad, Grandpa Clark, later owned a Model T Ford. Grandma remembers that on a trip to Jensen Beach they were involved in a car accident and that she and Harold were thrown out of the car. The entire family of 8 and Aunt Daisy were all in the car when it happened but only Harold and Grandma were thrown out.

For fun they played games like kick the can, tag, run sheep run, baseball, basketball, checkers, marbles and card games like Old Maid and 500.

They had a pond on their 2 acres which they skated on in the winter. They had ice skates that their dad "rescued" from the incinerator where he worked.

Their mother, Icel Lee, saw to it that they all got along, although Bud and Harold would tend to fight. Harold could really tell some whoppers and get himself into trouble. Their mother would chase them with the broom or snap them with her dish towel. Grandma says Ralph resembled the actor John Garfield and his dad would pretend to be his manager. I think Harold may have inherited his story telling from his dad.

Their mother would make new clothes and hair for the girls' dolls every Christmas.

Young Icel, babysat for a neighbor who was a beauty operator and had 3 kids. She would pay her by giving her Nestle brand hair rinse for her red hair.

This looks like Icel Lee with a grandchild perhaps but the back doesn't say. Actually I peeled this off the black page of an old album which had no writing in it....

The Census of 1900

I found something in the folks basement recently:

It is dated the 6th day of June, 1900 and it is the 12th census of the United States.

It was on a disk which records some things the girls (Grandma Icel, Barbara, Betty and Beverly) discovered on one of their family history seeking trips to Portland.

This somewhat changes the information I had entered before about the birth order of the daughters of William and Martha Weakly (here it is spelled Weekley). Also there is some discrepancy with the names of the girls. My sister-in-law Carri said, "Well these Census' were taken by government workers". Anywho... This lists Daisy as the oldest, then Golden (Goldie?), Jannie (Jane?), Mary (Marie?), Sarrah (I asked Grandma about this and she has no idea who it could be), Ice (Icel), and Elsie. Esther had not been born yet.

Wow, though!!! The census was completely handwritten!!