Rose Query & Family

My grandmother, Rose Query passed away in 1930 when my dad was only 9 years old. My dad’s older sisters, Violet and Mildred helped to raise him after their mom passed away. Dad didn’t speak of his mom often but when he did, tears would flood his eyes.

Dad kept a large framed picture of his mom in a small workshop storage area of our basement on McFarland Road in Indianapolis. I was intrigued by her picture from very the first day I saw it. One day, in the mid 1970’s, I saw him sitting near it and asked him if could have it one day. I told him that I’d take care of it and hang up on a wall. He initially hesitated and didn’t reply for a while. I wondered if I hurt his feelings by asking to have it. I think it was one of only a few things that he had to remember his mom by. A few moments later he looked at me and told me I could have it “one day.” His eyes were red, as if he’d been crying.

“One day” came a few years later in 1978. After suffering from the effects of polio half of his adult life, he succumbed to metastasized lung cancer at age 58. As hard as it was to see my dad suffer with cancer, it was even harder when he actually passed away. And while mementos are just tangible objects, there’s a particular comfort in having mementos of our loved ones that are no longer with us. In addition to the picture of his mom, I have one of my dad’s Bibles, some vintage White Castle coffee cups, some video cassette tapes of guitar sessions with his friends, a 45 RPM record in which he played guitar, titled, “Feets too Big,” photos, and a handwritten notebook of their 1926 family train vacation from Indianapolis to Los Angeles.

The notebook diary is really pretty cool. Written entirely by hand, my grandmother, Rose wrote 27 pages of their most memorable moments from their 1926 vacation to Los Angeles and back. It gives me a glimpse of a piece of time in my family heritage. I imagine it was a well planned and much anticipated family vacation. The family trip included my dad, his sister Mildred, his brother Chester, and their parents, Fred and Rose. My dad’s oldest sister, Beulah, passed away in 1925 at age 20. My dad’s sister, Violet did not go with them on this trip as she married in 1925.

Their trip started on the morning of July 6, 1926, by car from Quincy, Indiana to Green Castle, Indiana where they boarded the train. As they crossed over the Wabash River, my dad, who was 5 years old said, “Is that the ocean?”

The train made several stops on the way up to Chicago where they stopped and ate supper on the banks of Lake Michigan facing the famous Stevens Hotel. It was still under construction but was already famous as it was to become the largest hotel in the world with 3000 hotel rooms. What a sight to see for a young family from Quincy, Indiana!

Rose often mentioned the corn and wheat fields, thrashing machines, the weather, and the terrain they saw throughout their train trip. They slept in berths; my dad got an upper most berth. When they crossed over the Missouri River on Wednesday, July 7 at 9:30 a.m. Rose noted how muddy the ground was and and how swampy the river seemed.

Continuing on, they stopped at Kansas City and she noted seeing several large companies such as Montgomery Ward and Sears and Roebuck, and mentioned how hot it was there.

On Thursday morning, July 8, the train passed by Canyon, TX where she noted that the land was flat, however noting it was “the prettiest scenery so far.” After passing by two more Texas cities they arrived in Clovis, NM.

During a stop at Vaughn, NM, my dad saw a Ford “Roadster” and said, “I’ll bet that’s Opal and Edd” which I’m not quite sure what he meant by saying this. Perhaps they were character’s associated with Roadster’s in some way. When he saw the mountains from afar he told his mom that the mountains were “blue.”

They arrived in Gallup, NM on Thursday evening, July 8 at 8:40 p.m. and she noted that it was difficult to breathe as it was near 10,000 ft altitude.

On Friday, July 9, they crossed the Colorado River at 6:45 a.m. and then crossed the state line into Needles, CA at 7:00 a.m. and noted the weather was very warm.

They arrived in Los Angeles at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, July 9 and took a taxi to their friend’s home at 1826 Marne Avenue. The taxi ride cost $3.70.

They rested on Saturday and then went to the beach on Sunday, July 11. After a swim in the Pacific Ocean they ate lunch and then took a sightseeing drive through Hollywood.

On Monday, July 12 they went to Venice Beach where they saw a replica of Noah’s Ark and a huge road sign of a whale swallowing Jonah, as we know of from the Bible. They enjoyed the Fun House, a 40’ steep stair walk, a barrel ride, and the roller coaster!

July 13-23 included shopping, sightseeing, visiting some friends, and several beach visits which resulted in my dad getting “sunburnt.” The sunburn put a halt to their activities for a few days.

July 24-25 they visited Long Beach, Naples, Seal Beach, Anaheim Landing, and Wilmington Boat Landing. They also rode a ferry boat to San Pedro Bay and visited Fort MacArthur. The fort is named after Lieutenant General Arthur MacArthur. His son, was Douglas MacArthur, who later became the commander of our American forces in the Pacific during World War II. Their return trip on the ferry included the transportation of 11 automobiles and a spectacular up close view of two large steamboats going in opposite directions.

July 27-29 they visited a theatre, Exposition Park and Lincoln Park where they enjoyed seeing a variety of animals, plants, and trees. They took the opportunity to weigh themselves on a scale at the zoo: Fred 183 lbs, Rose 146 lbs, Chester 86 lbs, Mildred 88 lbs, and my dad, Herman weighed in at a whopping 50 lbs.

On August 1, 1926 they departed Los Angeles at 8:42 a.m. by train. Their return route was the reverse of the route they took coming out: California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Illinois, and Indiana. They arrived safely back home to Quincy, IN on August 5, 1926, thanking God and remarking, “no tongue can express our gratitude for this grand trip and of the many things that made the trip an enjoyable one.” Signed: Rose & Fred, Mildred, Chester & Herman

My grandmother, Rose Matilda Hunsicker Query, passed away approximately 3 years later after having complications from a goiter (thyroid gland) surgery. Her memorial mentions that her family was with her at the time of her passing and that “Her Savior called her to come up higher.” She passed peacefully away at age 46 at 12 o’clock on Sunday, March 2, 1930 at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Indianapolis.

Fred passed away in 1947.

Violet passed away in 1986.

Mildred passed away in 2000.

Chester passed away in 1985.

Herman passed away in 1978.

And,

Beulah, who was the firstborn and also the first one in their immediate family to pass away. I don’t know what illness took her life but understand she had a long history of ill health. Her memorial speaks of a gracious young girl with a host of friends. Upon realization of her impending death she began making her own funeral plans. She selected the songs, pallbearers, and the minister who was her pastor when she first trusted in Christ at age 14 and who also officiated at her marriage just 7 months earlier. She passed away in 1924 at the young age of 20, but understood “the beauties of Heaven” and that “Heaven is made up of all ages.”