More on Henry
August 23rd, 2011 @ 14:55
Posted by: Ray Smith
Henry is buried in the Whipple plot in San Marcos. He was first buried in France but when things were being sorted out after the war, his remains were transferred to a casket and sent to his parents. The flag indeed draped the casket. Uncle Howard told me about the funeral one time, that a bugler stood on the hill across Ranch Road 12 from the cemetery and played taps at the end of the funeral. He said it was very moving.
As for what it says on the back of the photo: “Front view of my porch with flag that draped Henrys casket. This was made soon after porch was made over 1941 on armistice day. I am in picture. Howard took the picture. The ___?___ was blooming.” Maybe someone can tell what the unclear word is or can remember what the bush was. I can’t tell, but I remember that bush was there for a very long time.
The article I included is a newspaper article from the San Marcos Newspaper at that time. I wrote the date on it because of what it says and when the casket came. There was no date on the article. This article was copied from the Saunders Williamson book that Calla Day Enlow wrote. You should have a copy of it.
Ray
August 23rd, 2011 16:16
I forgot to mention something interesting that I noticed about the porch. After it was “made over,” the middle column had been removed. The railing at the roof level was also redone to remove the middle support, and the door leading into the second level sported a little slanting roof. We used to go out on that roof through that door, but my mom was always worried that we would fall off. Moms!!
August 23rd, 2011 20:41
On the far right side of the photo is the magnolia tree that I remember from a few years earlier when its branches started at the ground level. The lower branches have been cut off so that the branches start at about the five foot level so it is no longer bush-like.In this photo it has big white blooms which I think she is referring to. She would cut off one of those big blooms and float it in a bowl. Those blossoms had a very distinctive aroma and lasted about a day before starting to turn brown. On the left hand side of the photo is the large oleander bush that had pink or reddish small blossoms that had sort of a sickly smell, but I don’t think she was referring to it.
August 24th, 2011 02:47
Yea! and what do Mom’s know?
Like everything! Even Death!
I have a vague recollection of writing this before in one of Whipple world archives years ago. But, let me see how mush I remember.
Standing in front facing the house you would be facing North. The oleander is on the left and the magnolia is on the far right.
You could see the double window of the parlor and the block ice order for the ice box on the back porch. In the other front window hung a star meaning this house had lost a soldier in the war.
I went to the third grade at the Highland Park Elementary just a half block up the hill in the sixth block.
There were 5 pecan trees (none seen in this picture). Two “Success” in the pad between the curb and sidewalk. and three in the back yard. A long Mahan on your left and a “paper Shell” on your right. In the far back by the two story garage was a smaller “Texas wild pecan”.
I remember stories about my Father having someone fix the banister on the upstairs front porch. He said he went to several lumber yards to get a single board to span that large length and the carpenter cut it in half so he could carry it up.
Uncle Lester had boards replaced in the porch and had concrete steps and foundation repair.
That was back in the days when children helped there parents when they got old.
My have times changed!
August 24th, 2011 16:49
Things sure were different before the internet!