Category Archives: Spanish Flu 1918-1919

This photo is taken around 1910 showing a typical country doctor and his buggy. THIS IS NOT THE DOCTOR WHO ATTENDED JEWELL IN THIS NARRATION.         Mama and Papa were both quite religious,.  Mama was more devout, I believe. On the other hand, Papa may have been aware of a divine call toContinue reading “Chapter Four: Spring 1909 brings much distress for this young Thornton family while bringing some joy.”

It is February,1909. Pearl, is now four, and her sister Jewel, turns two in March. Her mother is now 28 years old, is expecting a baby in April. This narrative is appended with a delightful surprise. “Late evenings when Papa came home, probably from shopping in town, he would bring me chewing gum sometimes; ofContinue reading “Chapter Three: It is 1909. Comanche County,Texas. Pearl interrupts her story to share a discovery in 1980.”

This chapter in young Pearl’s life, after a brief 9 to 10 months stay in western Oklahoma, is yet another move; this time going south to Texas. Pearl now describes this move of the Peter and Vinie Thornton family, traveling (nothing about how) from western Oklahoma due south (see map) to the Hill Country ofContinue reading “Chapter Two: Move to Comanche County, Texas 1907-09”

In this post we are introduced to Pearl’s parents Peter and Melvina, and the Thornton grandparents. The mother and father meet and marry. Melvina, often referred to as “Vinie”, has four pregnancies in the first 11 years of their marriage. Only two children survive beyond infancy. This young family make several moves during this post,Continue reading “Chapter One: The Beginning, 1895-1907”

In this section immediately following Pearl’s interesting account of settling into their new farm home, and getting ready for school, we learn of the neighbors this precocious girl of 11 year observes and describes for us. I should explain to most of you reading what a cotton gin is. It is a large building whereContinue reading “Meeting neighbors on Cooper Creek 1916-1917”

Pearl has enjoyed her life in Randlett area and Valley View School for these last three years, beginning in November, 1913. With her facing the reality of the family moving, Pearl expresses some sadness and loss of familiar friends and some good memories. This chapter is a brief description of the household move. Momentous inContinue reading “Chapter Twenty One: November,1916, Pearl moves to Cooper Creek Farm”

Pearl has now successfully raised all 7 children to independent adulthood, Ray Allan, the last is now 18 years old and off to college. Tom Royce (Rusty) and family live on the farm 3/4 mile west, but she is experiencing the “empty nest” in 1958, thirty seven years after becoming a mother in 1921.  TheContinue reading ““My Children”: Reflections in 1958″

This is an essay Pearl wrote for an English Class assignment in the Spring term of her Freshman year at Cameron College. She was now 55 years old. This was written 7 years following Frank’s death(1953). See “About” section for details of their life together.