The Merediths Say "Good-Bye" to William Weekes, Lottie's Father

This necklace belonged to Viola Weekes, mother of Lottie Weekes Meredith (my grandmother).  It says "1891" on one side and "Mother" on the other.  One of Viola's children, Leroy, was born in April and died in August, 1891.  It's likely that William Weekes, Viola's husband, gave this to her.  Another child, Walter, died in 1894 and then Viola herself passed away in 1896.  That left just William, Lottie (9) and Lewis (7).

I don't have a picture of William, though perhaps one day I'll find one.  Born in Wilkes-Barre PA on Aug. 14, 1844, William moved to Chicago in 1872, according to his death certificate.  That was the year after the Chicago Fire, when workmen of all kinds were pouring in.  So William, a carpenter, packed up his tools and moved to Chicago, where there was plenty of work to be had.  The following excerpts from Ruth Meredith's 1928 diary are not in Pieces of a life. 

Tuesday, Sept. 25, 1928  -  "My Grandad (Mama's father) had a stroke & Mama & Papa had to go & take him to a hospital.  He's not expected to live long.  Folks just got back & ate a little supper.  9:50"

Thursday, Sept. 27, 1928 -  "Grandpa is not breathing so hard now.  Isn't expected to live past morning."

Friday, Sept. 28, 1928  - "I am almost sick with a cold & just at present am alone as the folks are at the hospital and Jimmie is at a parade."

Saturday, Sept. 29, 1928 - "Grandpa died at 6:30 this morning.  Mama, Papa & I had a lot to do to arrange matters besides go to register so as to vote."  Ruth also mentions her cold again.

Sunday, Sept. 30, 1928 - "Cold worse.  The whole family including John went to the Undertaker this afternoon for a few hours.  Irene came in the evening.  At lunch we gave Mama her birthday gifts instead of tomorrow on Mama's birthday."

Monday, Oct. 1, 1928  - "Felt terrible all day.  Had the funeral & service at 2:45..  Mama feels quite sad."  Ruth mentions a few friends of her mother's whom came to the funeral.  She also said that her parents were out for a walk that evening.

 Lottie felt very close to her father, who ended his years in a boarding house, working occasionally as a handyman.  Younger brother Lewis died in the 1920s after having been mustard gassed in World War I.  He lost his balance while riding on a wagon and was trampled.

Sept. 20th, 1915: A Postcard from Grandpa Olmstead

I think I've seen it all in my mother's collection of diaries when out pops this 100-year-old postcard.  It was sent to my grandparents, the Merediths, by James' grandfather, William Henry Olmstead, age 92.  William was living with relatives, the Conners, in Saranac MI.  Olmstead? It was James' mother's maiden name.

         RR No. 2
         Saranac, Mich.
         Sept. 20, 1915

Dear James & Lola,
     Please accept this card as a token of our remembrance
of you and of your birthdays - which occur, we think, James' 35th on Sept. 23rd and Lola's on Oct. 1st.

    We hope they will prove joyous change to you both, such 
                                                          that you will live to enjoy many holiday returns and may the  
                                                          Dear Lord's blessing attend you all the way.
                                                                 Your aunt, Mary G. Conner
                                                                  Your Grandfather, Wm. H. Olmstead

My grandmother, Carlotta Lola Lucretia Weekes Meredith, was called "Lola" and "Lottie."  She was to turn
29 on Oct. 1, 1915, but perhaps William Olmstead was unsure of her age.  It was difficult to read the faded brown ink and tiny, fine writing, especially  in the second paragraph when William was running out of room. William lived to be 93, dying on June 1, 1916.  James' father, Nathaniel, was a Civil War veteran, and had died in 1907 at 63.  Oddly enough, that was the age at which James himself would pass away in 1944.

At this time, the Merediths lived at 3855 Park Avenue in Chicago, according to the postcard.  Their two children, Ruth Viola and Jimmie, were 9 and 4.  This postcard was not in Pieces of a Life.