Uncle Alonzo Ted Arthur at Log Cabin

 Mom's uncle standing next to his fathers log cabin, he has his sixgun stapped on his waist. His wife cut the woman in the picture off the photo! Later on they built a larger home around the cabin and then used it as the kitchen. Mom and I saw it in 1971 but didn't take a picture. They had torn down the house and kept the cabin and used it as a ear corn crib. Aunt Lola was with us and said we could have a few pieces of scrap metal that was piled in the corner. She would talk to her brother Lincoln about it. I gave the old coffee pot to our son Dennis and he has it and a picture of John "Paw" Arthur on display. Lincoln's daughter Christine still lives in the house that was built to replace the cabin. It is a gathering place for the Arthur Clan to this day. Someone told Mom that the cabin was moved to a Kentucky park and put on display but Christine said she thought it had been sold for wood.

John Arthur was Mom's grandpa, Lincoln, Ted, Lola and Grandma Maryetta were four of his kids.

At Moms house Nov 1978

 We stopped in to see Mom before we moved to Germany.

Dad and His Car 1930's

 

I posted this picture of Dad and his car but I don't know for sure if this is the same one from the "Bonfield Roadblock" story but Mom thought it was.

 

 Dad’s 95^th birthday was Friday, 20 July 2012. I was back to make my monthly visit to Mom and went to the Herscher Historical Society Museum. While there I met a lady from the newly formed Bonfield Historical Society (which I joined) and I talked some about our roots in Bonfield. The first home they lived in was in Bonfield. I told one story from 1937 (one of many that Mom passed on while driving in and around Kankakee together over the years). The Arnold family was living on the Taylor farm just NE of Bonfield. When Mom and Dad were dating (she was 17 and he 19 or 20) he would roar through Bonfield, drop her off and then go SE a few miles home to the Miller farm. This night the town cops waited for him just south of town near Stone Creek by blocking off the road with their cars. He usually dropped her off about the same time every Saturday night. Dad always drove a big GM car to go along with his heavy right foot! He saw the roadblock, went down into the east side ditch and waved at them as he went by. He swung up and got back on the road to roar through town, stopped at Arnolds, said goodnight, and spun his tires headed towards home! With the cops in pursuit! The three cars made a lot of noise approaching the Miller house with a very long lane and his Dad came out with his shotgun loaded. When his son told him what was going on Grandpa fired off two rounds into the air! The cops turned around and went back to Bonfield. I still remember how Mom told this story in great detail many years ago. So I went back to the spot and took this picture. Happy Birthday Dad!

Gramma Cuzz and the boys in Tooele

 Doug, Mom in back. Rich, Darian, Denny, and Devin in front. This was our house at 546 S 380 W. The Mormon method for numbering was simple: the Mormon Temple was at the center of town and as we were five point four six blocks south and three point eight miles blocks of it that was our address. You could never get lost under this system! The inflation of the time (1977-78) saw our house almost double in value when we moved to Germany in '78. We had done some upgrades and  Toolele was growing at the time but the run-a-way inflation after Nixon was most of it.

Mom, Dorothy and the boys in Tooele, Utah

 Mom, Rich, Dorothy in the back row, Denny, Darian, Devin, Punkin, and Doug, June 1977. Mom enjoyed travel to see her family anytime, anywhere. Her sister Dorothy came with her this time,and saw Elvis on the street in Salt Lake City. It was all desert but still had a lot of local greenery.

Desirae note to Great Gramma Cuzz

 A sweet little girl wrote a note to her Great Gramma back in 1993. That little girl has a baby of her own now and it's time to return the note to Desirae Nichole Watson because Gramma said so! It went out in todays mail.

Drawing of Dawnetta

This is a charcoal drawing of Dawnetta Watson, one of Mom's many grandkids. It hung in Mom's home for years. Mom wanted me to give this to Dawnetta so it's going in the mail today. Dawnetta asked me to mail it to her daughter Desirae instead as she just had her first baby, a boy named Rylan!  A belated congratulation to all!

Berle and Walwers 3-19-84

 Scotty, Marilyn Rose, Matt, Brian, Berle.

5 Arnold Girls & Steph 3-19-84

At the Martinton house. 

Rich at Moms for Baptism party 1963

 Picture taken in front of Mom's house at 368 Tanner Ave. My big, bad, '57 Olds 98 had red and black leather interior.

Maritta Keerbs Wedding Picture

 Sarah Keerbs was Mom's first cousin. Mom always enjoyed seeing them at the Herscher Labor Day Parade, dinners, parties and such. Bob has passed away but Maritta attends our parties and we enjoy time together. Mike McVey was in the wedding.

Aunt Dora on her birthday March 20 1989

Picture taken at their house in Martinton near the park where they lived for so many years.
 

Lucille Arnold and Lola Arthur about 1935

 Lola was a sister to Grandma Arnold. She lived in Kankakee for a while in the 1930's, first with the Arnolds then on her own. She and Mom saw "every show that came to town" and there were three movie theaters then.

Welty Arnold and Sophie Arthur about 1935

 Quite the dressers! She was a daughter to Oscar Arthur.
 

Welty Arnold and Opal Lewin about 1935

 

Edith Arnold about 1935

Dad dated Edith before he dated Mom.  

Opal Lewin and Lavern Miller about 1935

 

Bud Baker and Lola Arthur about 1935

 He was a brother-in-law to Lincoln Arthur.

Sophie Arthur, Welty Arnold, Lola Arthur about 1935

 Welty was Mom's brother, Lola her Aunt and Sophie?

Lola Arthur about 1935

 Grandma Arthur Arnolds sister Lola.

Desirae Watson 1987

 

Walwer kids and Desirae 3-22-88

 Jason, Natasha, Mat, Tim, Brian (Walwers) and the baby in front is Desirae Watson.

Mom and Desirae 1-18-88

Mom with another baby on her lap.

Walwer Kids

 Top right is oldest: Cathy, Pam, Butch, Donnie, Scott. They are the children of Marilyn Rose Walwer Schultz, Mom's middle daughter, best friend and caregiver.

Mom and Desirae Watson 8-5-88

 She is the daughter of David and Dawnetta Watson.

Ad: Randys 20th birthday

 Mom saved some good memories.

Joyce Thorson 40th birthday joke clipping

 Edith's daughter Joyce was a victim of her husband Walt with this ad in the paper.

Berles wedding (clipping from the newspaper)

 

Seven Arnold Grandkids and Mardene 1944

 

 

My brother Bill is on the left. Mardene is one happy baby! My sister Marilyn Rose is next. Then Donnie Arnold (Welty's oldest boy). Me in the center. Loren (Welty's second son), then Betty and Jerry Thorsen (Ediths kids). Mom will never forget Bill in his uniform. Bill was slim and trim and wore the uniform with pride both in himself and in his country. He made a point to come to our apartment to see our first baby when he was home on leave. My wife always reminds me to drop in on Mardene because she has a soft spot in her heart for her. She really loves it when Mardene says "Hi Barbara," never ever forgetting her. Marilyn Rose and her husband Charley and the two of us partied down together many times. My wife and Marilyn Rose had babies together, then grandbabies and now great grandbabies. Donnie lived in rural Clifton for a while and was a fuel oil customer of mine. My wife went to Herscher schools for 5 years and was in the same grade as Loren and she rode the same bus as Welty's kids. Betty went to Bradley High but married a guy from my class('61) at Kankakee. Jerry's wife and my wife went to Olivet College together. Sadly, Bill, Loren, Donnie, and Jerry have passed on.

Uncle Berle's Obit.

 I think of him often. We were close. Arter midnight calls and all. He was proud to have everything paid for before he died.
 

Uncle Berle and Devin at our home in Rapids City, IL. March 1984

 He liked the big yard and the woods behind the house.

Berle and Devin at my home in Rapids City, IL March '84

 He walked all the way around the house.

Arnolds at Berle's grave May 27, 1985

 Dorothy, Dora, Welty and Lucille on their Memorial Day tribute.

Larry Arnolds first wife and baby Amber, maybe 1988?

 

Aunt Dorothy's Mothers Day Ad 1986

 Vickie did this and I hope she adds her comments.

Linda Thorson's Wedding clipping

 I worked with him at Ropers and went to high school with his sister Anna. They were good people.

Seth McVey clipping

 Seth married Gerty after he his first marriage ended in divorce. He married again after Gerty. I believe it was 1976 when he passed. Homer Reynolds was once married to Len Redman's sister. Len was once married to my sister Phyllis.

Mom and her little house in Martinton

 She loved this little house and took good care of it.

Maurice Cousin Obit

 This was Mom's second husband.

Ronnie Wingerter kids

 Tevis's grandkids Krystal and Rog.

Betty Thorson Porter and son Danny Sanford 11-23-88

Betty is Ediths older daughter. We are the same age. She lives in Missouri. 

Mom and Gertie 3-13-89

 Look at that stove. House was in Pittsfield, IL.

Linda Thorson's Twins Meggan and Mallorey 5 1/2 months

 Ediths grandkids.

Christmas 88. Mom and my 5 sons

 Darian and Devin in front. Rear is Doug, Rich and Dennis on right.

Christmas 88. Sons and grandkids

 Our 5 sons and two grandkids, Nicholas and Kristina

Christmas 88 Mom, Doug and his kids.

 

Christmas 88. Doug and his kids. I'm holding Nick.

 

Christmas 88. Mom and our 5 sons.

 

Arnold Sisters on Lake Michigan 7-7-88

Sisters Dora, Velma, Lucille, Dorothy.

Devin's confirmation 6-22-86

 Mom, Devin, Darian, Barb.