Stirpes, Volume 34, Number 1, March 1994 Page: 52

ALIRJL MARCH 1994

Father noticed a sore on his lower
lip which did not heal and was growing
worse all the time so in February after the
storm, he came to stay with us in Galveston.
We had heard of a famous cancer specialist,
so he went to see him. There was nothing to
do but operate, which the doctor did. He
made a remarkable come-back and was soon
home with me. When he felt strong enough,
he went to Houston to visit Jennie and
Emma. We had only been there a short time
when he returned to Galveston. He was so
despondent, as he felt the trouble had started
again. He had another operation, which only
proved how futile it was. He lingered until
June, when he was released from his suffering.
We had his remains taken to Houston
and placed beside our mother.
The latter part of June, Emma had
another daughter, Anne Elizabeth. We stayed
in Galveston until the following year and
then went back to Beaumont. The big oil
boom started soon after that and everyone
was rushing there. I started to keep boarders
and soon had all I could handle. It was so
nice to be near Eva and Emma. We were
very happy together.
In 1903, we went to Portland, Oregon,
which was a very happy move for all of
us. We loved the change of climate and way
of living. The Portland Fair was held in
1905. Emma, Dorrie, and Betty came out for
the summer. It was such a happy time for all
of us. Emma's fourth daughter was born a
couple of years after and named Martha
Clement, shortened to "Pat." The following
fall, David's sister, Annie, and her two
daughters, Beatrice and Betty, came and
spent the winter. Emma, her three girls, and
Alice Shaw came too. They rented a house
together and enjoyed the experience of a real
winter.
In 1911, we built a house on the
timber claim I had taken up in Klickitat,
Washington. We called it "Seven Oaks." We
started to clear the land which was heavily
timbered with pine, fur, and oak. It was very
hard work, but we were all well and happy.

Laurie worked for a lumber company
who was logging off the land toward Mt.
Adams. A young English girl I had corresponded
with came out on a visit to us. Her
name was Alice Denham. She and Laurie fell
deeply in love and were married on the 2nd
of December, on Mother's birthday. On the
21st of September, our first grandchild was
born and named Alice Marion. She was such
a beautiful darling.
Sister Eva and Carol came from
Beaumont on a visit to me. Emma, David,
and their family had moved from Texas and
located in Los Angeles, so Emma visited me
at the same time. It was such a happy reunion!

Eva had only been with us a short
time when Tom was taken seriously ill and
passed away, a very sad loss to our dear
sister. Her sons kept on with the laundry
business their father had started, and are still
all together and have made a huge success of
it. They have branch plants in Houston,
Beaumont and San Antonio. No one in that
part of the state is more respected than the
"Shepherd Boys."
There were sad losses in the family.
Harry, the middle son, and president of the
company, passed away several years ago.
And a few years later, his oldest son, Walter,
joined his father. He left a young wife
and little son with another baby expected in a
few months.
David went in the lumber business
and had several yards in and around Los
Angeles. The summer before Harold's 21st
birthday, he went to Los Angeles to work
for his Uncle David. They all gave glowing
reports of southern California, Laurie decided
he would go and see what he could do.
Eva was engaged to a boy from Goldendale,
Washington, Chester Chapman. He went
south with Laurie. Alice was expecting another
baby and as soon as that event was
over, we all planned to go to Los Angeles.
Helen Beatrice was born May 26th, and in
August we closed "Seven Oaks" and went
south by boat from Portland.

52

TIR PES

MARCH 1994