52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – 12 – Misfortune

The theme for this week is misfortune. It was in March in 1932 when a misfortune came to my mother's family. She had graduated from high school, but was dating my father and her home was still with her family: her parents, Julius and Florence (Bond) Falk and her siblings Lois, Erma, Violet and Gerald Falk.

This clipping from the Eugene Register Guard of 11 Mar 1932 describes what happened.

I found another clipping and learned that it was Violet who had discovered the fire about 4 o'clock when she went upstairs to rest, as she was not feeling well. Julius was gone at the time. This clipping stated that arrangements were underway to replace the house, which had been built 19 years before.

Another clipping was a Card of Thanks from the family to the community: “We wish to thank those who were so kind and thoughtful during the loss of our house. Words cannot express our gratitude to everyone who helped in removing the contents during the fire, and we wish to especially thank all who had contributed to our home since. Julius Falk and family.” 

I have a letter that my mother wrote to my father about 2 weeks after the fire, on 24 Mar 1932, where she stated: “My Dad said that he offered the O. E. [Oregon Electric Railroad] man $125 for the house and they wanted to know if he couldn't give $150 for it. He'll hear from them next week about it I guess.” I had always been told that they moved an Oregon Electric Railroad house from the Cartney siding as the Railroad no longer needed an employee to live there. The siding was a little less than a mile from their home. 

I wish I had asked my mother more about it before she died. She did tell me that she was sorry that many of her keepsakes had been stored in the attic and had been destroyed so she couldn't show them to me.

I wonder if some of my cousins did find out from their parents more about the fire.