Floyd Boyce Phillips was one of millions of boys from the United States who were sent across the Atlantic to the Old Country to fight in the Great War. In this series of posts, we follow the 101st anniversary of Floyd’s journey and get glimpses of what was going on at home while he was over there.

Many thanks to Coralee for providing me with artifacts throughout the years and especially for the stack of WWI-era letters that were delivered to me on 31 May 2019. They have provided countless hours of family history entertainment.

– Denise

Gertrude wrote a letter to Floyd on the 1st anniversary of his departure for service in the army. She shared news of the family and current events.

Home May 29. 1919

2. O’c’. P.M.:

My Dear Floyd,

A year to-day since you left us and this is a real warm summer day, and it is so dry, a rain would not come amiss.

I can’t remember if it was 2 or 3 you left Geneva that day. I wonder what you are now doing? Thinking of the day you parted with us most of this day, probably and at noon and 9 this morning you thot mother surely would be faithful to her price but at 9 I was tying grass, and at noon I was on the way to the house, dropt into a chair at the table, talkt about your going and I felt if I’d rather muse about you than play.

Gertrude confessed to Floyd that she had broken her promise from her 15 September 1918 letter of playing the piano for him at 9 AM and Noon each day.

I believe they have all thot of you in Canada to-day. Rose did last nite. She askt me to go to the Fox last nite to see the 129^th in the movies. They came on the Leviathan. The pictures were very clear and good. I saw Walter Wadlight and Rose saw 3 or 4 she knew. The 129^th parade in Chicago next Monday. You poor lads! What an immense relief to you all to get once more into an atmosphere of freedom. If we go to Canada this year, I can not think of it unless you are here. I couldn’t think of you’re coming back to an empty home. Besides I think their rooms must be well occupied this year for us but I’d like to go just the same.

The last bed of asparagus is dying out fast.

— Gertrude Lovin (Boyce) Phillips.

The last bed of asparagus is dying out fast. Ed’s and Faye’s are rusting too. We had but 17 crates yesterday.

Carrie and Ada come out to Grandma’s to-day. Carrie has sold everything in Neb. and is now in Chicago – do not know her plans.

There is still the big strike in Winnipeg and the boys are not getting their mail regular, I believe.

_____ you. I think we hatcht out 350 chickens for Arthur but they are dying very fast.

Alfred is doing nicely. We went to see him once.

Uncle Rush and wife are still battling on the old lingual grounds.

Do you continue your studies or did warm weather bring a vacation?

Schools close here the 17^th. Don and Ruth both graduating from 8^th grade.

If ever a man is sick of autos and raising chickens as a side issue it is Guy.

– Gertrude Lovin (Boyce) Phillips

Our car is still in the garage. We tried to get to A. last Sat: got as far as old hitch barn and it quit. Think we can have it to-day. If ever a man is sick of autos and raising chickens as a side issue it is Guy.

Mae Walker graduated last Mon. night with five other nurses.

All the Phillips are invited to Ma’s for this evening. I will leave here early to visit a little with Carrie and Ada and Rose and I are going this evening to Sara Bjorseth’s recital for herself.

I don’t think of more news so will bid you a loving good bye. Mother

Next…

Finally, a ride home

Who is Who?

Guy and Gertrude Phillips Family

Floyd was the middle of the five sons of Gertrude Lovin Boyce and Guy Allison Phillips.

Albert and Amelia Phillips Family

Tom and Millie had seven sons. Guy was the oldest. In this letter, Gertrude mentioned Ed and Faye having rust in their asparagus. These men were Guy’s brothers Edmund B. Phillips and Faye Elmer Phillips.

Don and Ruth

Gertrude reported that Don and Ruth both graduated from 8^th grade. They were two of Floyd’s cousins. Don was Donald James Phillips, the son of Mayme Stanton and Charles Floyd Phillips. Ruth was Ruth Josephine Phillips, was one of Guy’s nieces, the daughter of Harriet B. Warren and Edmund B. Phillips

Carrie and Ada

Gertrude mentioned Carrie and Ada in her letter saying that Carrie had sold her Nebraska property and was living in Chicago. Sisters Carrie and Ada were first cousins 1x removed of Floyd and first cousins of Guy. Ada, a milliner, never married. Carrie, however, married in Chicago on 19 January 1910 to a widower named John Case Castle. They lived in Brown County, Nebraska. Sadly, the marriage ended with his death on 19 April 1916. After his death, she returned to Illinois where she lived the remainder of her life.

Uncle Rush

“Uncle Rush” was a great uncle of Floyd’s on his paternal side. But, Gertrude had a relationship with the family too in her youth, having lived for a time with Uncle Rush’s parents when she began teaching at the Montgomery School.

Sources:

“Mother” [Gertrude Lovin (Boyce) Phillips] (Montgomery, Illinois) to “Floyd” [Floyd Boyce Phillips], letter, 29 May 1919; privately held by Denise Krueger, Rochester, MN, 2019.

“Home Again! Arrival Here of the Prairie Fighters; Their Welcome,” Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois), 02 Jun 1919, page 3 ( https://www.newspapers.com/image/355037323/ : accessed 17 Jun 2019).

“129th Placed in Quarantine Upon Arrival,” Belvidere Daily Republican (Belvidere, Illinois), 03 Jun 1919, page 3 ( https://www.newspapers.com/image/69812257/ : accessed 17 Jun 2019).

“Citizens Suffer Hardships from General Strike; Danger of Riots Causes Uneasiness,” The Winnipeg Tribune (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada), 24 May 1919, page 5 ( https://www.newspapers.com/image/44222210/ : accessed 17 Jun 2019).

“What Did You Miss the Most?” The Winnipeg Tribune (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada), 24 May 1919, page 5 ( https://www.newspapers.com/image/44222210/ : accessed 17 Jun 2019).

Ancestry.com, Cook County, Illinois, Marriages Index, 1871-1920 (Online publication – Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.Original data – “Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871–1920.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2010. Illinois Department of Public Health records. “Marriage Records, 1871–pr), Name: Carrie A. Congdon; Age: 45; Gender: Female; Birth Year: abt 1865; Marriage Type: Marriage; Marriage Date: 19 Jan 1910; Marriage Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois; Spouse Name: John C Castle; Spouse Age: 51; Spouse Gender: Male; FHL Film Number: 1030472.

Ancestry.com, 1910 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006), www.ancestry.com, Year: 1910; Census Place: Pine, Brown, Nebraska; Roll: T624_839; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0025; FHL microfilm: 1374852.

Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census (Online publication – Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.Original data – United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626,), Ancestry.com, http://www.Ancestry.com, Year: 1930; Census Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois; Page: 14B; Enumeration District: 0648; FHL microfilm: 2340178.

Ancestry.com, 1940 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012), ancestry.com, Year: 1940; Census Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois; Roll: m-t0627-00955; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 103-1145.

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/ memorial/18212359 : accessed 17 June 2019), memorial page for Carrie Amelia Castle (13 Sep 1864–21 Mar 1954), Find A Grave Memorial no. 18212359, citing Grandview Cemetery, Long Pine, Brown County, Nebraska, USA ; Maintained by Deb (contributor 46791156).

The Phillips Family

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