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1936 Diary of Lola Felty Wright of Phoenix Arizona. Mother Homemaker & Cook Churchwoman Caregiver Craftsperson Farm hand Hunter Fisherman & Partner of an Active Lawman.
1936réf. 030251Phoenix Arizona 1936. Very legibly handwritten 365 pages aside from a few compressed days' worth of memories at the front pages & a couple of 'Memorandum' pages at back with a few names and addresses. Compiled in1936 by repurposing a 1930 blank diary with appropriate changes of dates written-in. Lola Felty Wright was the wife of Charles H. Wright 1882 - 1943 a 40-year law enforcement veteran in the West which was mostly spent with the Phoenix police. In addition to being a mother and homemaker churchwoman & the partner of an active lawman Lola F. Wright took care of the family farm fished hunted had the care of older children and extended relations and reports on all the activities in which she was involved along with those of her husband and noting the details of shopping cooking & menus at home and when dining out church affairs and visiting speakers and a very active social and family life. At this point of her life she's in her mid-'50s and continuing a rigorous round of life active in country and city. The diary is a good record of the times as well with day-by-day notes on political social and family life as well as that of the U.S. and mostly frugally coping daily living in the throes of the Great Depression. Interwoven throughout the daily recorded life-detail is a great sense of interpersonal & community cooperation and interactivity that was helping folks "get by" together. Jan. 1 1936. "…Husband worked all night last night on radio Patrol. Will work from 10 to 6 all this month… Jan. 20. "…went to Republican club meeting at Y.M.C.A. Mrs. Eva Robinette was reelected state president. Saw many old friends as this was my first time to attend for over a few years. Sat by Mrs. Rodney Macdonald…We are going to the board meeting at the Church tonight and I will take husband to work at 10. Quite cold for Phoenix. Blizzard in the east & west." Jan. 25. "…heard Al Smith's talk over the radio which we enjoyed very much…" Jan. 26 At church "…Bottle for pennies for piano fund was passed and $ 1.53 collected…Bob & Goldie were here and told us that Bob lost his job last night…" Jan. 27 "…Goldie & Bob here as they came from the trial of Chief of Police Johnson. He was fined $ 200 for contempt of court for arresting owners of vending or slot machines when the judge had issued a restraining order…" Feb. 3 "…Bob got his civil service decision from board and they ordered him to work as jailor…" Feb. 7 "…we had a wonderful dinner of fried chicken hot biscuits & gravy turnips and greens brought a chicken home with us also eggs & milk…" Feb. 8 "…bought our groceries; then home where I prepared a quick lunch of fried pork steak cabbage salad and apple pie…Bob is working at Nu Way Market. Jim was here has chance to sell his lot for $ 1500…." Feb. 15 "…I arose at 7:30 prepared breakfast and dressed chicken made an apple crumb pie and a bread pudding. Cooked a stew…I bought a wine colored crepe dress at the Boston store. Came home & washed dishes washed off car wheels. I ironed some & pressed my dress also did some alterations on it…tuned in on Police radio & heard all calls." Feb. 28 "…Got up at 4:30 and prepared breakfast and lunch for our fishing trip to Stewart Mountain Dam. We arrived at the dam about 7:30 and fished until ten and did not even get one bite never saw a minnow. The lake was up and more water coming in; and water was very cold…" more encouragingly a further fishing trip to the same location in May on the west side of the lake landed crappies striped bass and several perch Mar. 1: "…Jim Peck was here he lost his position with the Indian service at Keams Canyon…" Mar. 11: "…Floye brought little Jimmie over about 9 and left him while she went to work at the Center St. store. They are still having a rush due to the War on cleaning prices…Her maid failed to come back after she had advanced her $ 7.50 on her wages. She left for Okla…" Mar. 21: "…As usual I got dinner. I made two pies one custard and one chocolate dressed a nice fat fryer. Had hot biscuits and gravy & pinto beans with chile…" Mar. 24: "…Jimmie came over & spent the evening he had just had a long talk with John Udall newly elected mayor. He thinks his father can be chief of police if he wants to be…" Mar. 27: "…they found the wrecked plane & 4 bodies of the Phoenix man. Harold Marks & 3 others. Sad accident…" May 16: "…Geneva has left Albert. He beat her with a rope. He is a brute poor girl she looks so sad. They had Albert arrested & he is in Mesa jail. They got Herman Lewcovitz for his attorney…" later "…Albert got out on bond…very repentant…" July 17: "…Bob & Charlie went to work on street car. Irving Hays is motorman on streetcar they ride down on every night…" July 22: "…Bob jailor had a hearing and was suspended today for 30 days for failing to search a prisoner and a loaded gun was found on him. Bob says it is a frame-up…" Oct. 23: "…Charlie came in at 2 o'clock this morning with his face bleeding where a drunk had him in the eye. Broke his glasses rim & frame & pushed one lens out but did not break it. He went to the hospital…we went to Dr. Ploussard…Charlie's face looks bad but he is going to work tonight…" Oct. 29: "…The radio programs are all on politics. Roosevelt & Landon spoke tonight. They both made good talks…" Nov. 3 "Today is election day we are taking it easy as we are not anxious to see any candidate elected…" Dec. 4: "Mr. Hamman the lumberman and Mr. Morgan the architect were here today. They are making plans to build a duplex 2 story on the lot in the back of our house. We have been talking of that ever since we bought the place but can't make up our minds as it will cost about $ 10000 and that is more than we want to go in debt. It would make us a nice income and we are undecided about it…" And more. Snippets: Mention of getting a letter from an uncle reporting television location unspecified; radio is regularly listened to and is an important source of news and entertainment at front of the diary is a note regarding the Death Valley Days program. Shopping at Kress store downtown; use of street cars to get around; "Old age pension meeting"; All-day missionary meeting at Mrs. Blair's; Revival at Glendale with Bro. Volk as evangelist; visit of Charis corsets lady; "doing some typing" often; many anecdotes about people losing changing trying to get jobs and work; Tucson funeral service for Rev. Hoffman; Fannie Marlan and a talk on Pioneer days; Mr. Sloane of the W.O.W. Woodmen of the World fraternal/insuring group; Happy Days market; Phoenix night of the national broadcast of Amateur Hour; temporary appointment of Gen. Glassford as chief of police a measure made in order to clean up the dept. Very involved with the W.C.T.U. Temperance society; KTAR radio broadcasts; ex-chief Johnson suspended; Red Cross instructions at police dept; Vernon Wilson & wife "came in and brought the Navaho blankets…" further on the Wilsons borrow some money and leave rugs for security; the diarist notes that her husband and his police officer partner are the only officers on patrol on Sunday a 'choice' day for others to take off; "Road Trip" to Long Beach driving and mentioning stops and details staying at the Del Mar Hotel "…a nice room for $ 8 per week…Daves Cafeteria again for nice baked ham dinner…"; Mr. Wright has to attend court on various cases; Mrs. Wright has heart problems and eventually needs 'electrical' treatments and heat 'radiotherm'; hunting deer at Kaibab Forest outside of Prescott and other events and occurrences including lots of family illness and coping with sickness and care of family friends and relations. People & families mentioned: 'Jennings' Charlie Wright 'sees' often in town; Stella Martin Steel; Reverend Line; Rev. Carson Taylor; Rev. Sturgis; Johnnie Moore Wrights law enforcement partner; Mrs. Duclow; political figures including John Udall elected mayor; Mrs. Ruggles; Bro. Dodson; Martha Knapp; Mrs. Sexton; Mrs. Welch Mrs. Godfrey; Mrs. Patten; Sr. Fitkin Sr. Young Sr. Patton Bro. & Sr. Perkins who are returned missionaries from Africa in Pentecostal church; Mary & Bill Rickman; Geydes Smith; Angeles Goodykoontz; Dr. Flaherty; Judge Ling; Jack Tarbell; Juanita Spuro granddaughter of Mrs. Wrigley; Donna Jean Shavers; electrocution of Hauptman Lindbergh kidnapping; dust storms cleaning constantly; boils on face & neck; husband Charlie gets knocked down by a car while on duty at 2:30 in the morning driver says he didn't see him; Brock Morrison appointed asst. chief of police; Miss Thompson returned missionary from China; Mrs. John Gardner McAlister; Gus Dobrinski; Juanita Rathburn; Rev. Gomez & wife; Lauranna Sturgis; Christine Anderson; Mrs. Ball; Emmett Harris; Lester Flake; Gerald Veyter accidentally shot and killed himself coming home from rabbit hunting; Dr. Rowland; and others. C.H. Wright died while still serving as assistant chief of Police of Phoenix. Our research on biographical information for Lola F. Wright is limited; her husband's 'find a grave' shows his marker & a news obituary clipping which mentions his surviving family and no further details of any of his relations. A notation at the front of the diary in a later hand notes the famous arrest which Charles Wright participated in of the ".pair of desperadoes charged with the murder of a policeman." the Irene Schroeder case; who later became the first woman to be electrocuted for her crimes. Diary approx. 5" x 7 3/4" size bound in worn brick-red cloth that has lost some of its original color. Edge tips wear to the binding; securely sewn and in good condition. . Diary. Hard Cover. Good. hardcover
Certain Books, ABAA · États-Unis275,00 $US≈ 245,21 €
