tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12914027719207192842024-03-12T23:51:07.275-05:00Ink Wash Letters WWIIBruce Fleming Jepson was with the 14th Army Air Force (Flying Tiger replacements) under the command of General Chenault. This is his family story.
Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-20171457014340609392022-08-24T18:06:00.004-05:002022-08-25T15:35:54.853-05:00Omaha World Herald Article on Bruce<p>Their Dream Realized</p><p>The three sisters wanted their brother "To Be Remembered" in his hometown, Omaha, Nebraska.<br /></p><p>My mom and her sisters were talented artists and each had successful careers in the industry. They always said to us kids growing up that our Uncle Bruce was the absolute most talented artist in the family and that none of them could compare. They also said that he loved flying as much as painting. So he was also a pilot and WWII hero. As a young girl, intrigued with American history and admittedly, handsome men, I was hooked. </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmHx2im2-WNxISpwvQKZAY_4mlmAlRWA2Lzr7rtQOnV1_22A3-COc2W5y5s3eWFUkDcOdDZrRBtKVX05vy4aVb7IiTvyI5NFoPWyNgO8otDe1l9N0Yw421zdbP7mc8C55Rv2Vpjj8j5_GEjNx6l1hEp3J23YxfADMSM2RIw4_UBYgLU9bfopFn-Ad/s259/%232woolcoatBFJ136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="202" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmHx2im2-WNxISpwvQKZAY_4mlmAlRWA2Lzr7rtQOnV1_22A3-COc2W5y5s3eWFUkDcOdDZrRBtKVX05vy4aVb7IiTvyI5NFoPWyNgO8otDe1l9N0Yw421zdbP7mc8C55Rv2Vpjj8j5_GEjNx6l1hEp3J23YxfADMSM2RIw4_UBYgLU9bfopFn-Ad/s1600/%232woolcoatBFJ136.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruce F Jepsen<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Buu2d05lFJVTWjm6UmQ7dFuboib2RwCXReMWr7mNnsBzZSajBtFXfWhI8-fGx5phyci4-kS1sOzEVnYs72rdiuJuExfVHj82HGFccmo3UjnehcO_KXWoUWvJB_qYYNqnXAF9mA0rkyXCwXpgD4vCzhparG2pQabH1eNOjVb204dD0h0jYYbuvE8B/s257/BruceEaster1941068.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="257" data-original-width="181" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Buu2d05lFJVTWjm6UmQ7dFuboib2RwCXReMWr7mNnsBzZSajBtFXfWhI8-fGx5phyci4-kS1sOzEVnYs72rdiuJuExfVHj82HGFccmo3UjnehcO_KXWoUWvJB_qYYNqnXAF9mA0rkyXCwXpgD4vCzhparG2pQabH1eNOjVb204dD0h0jYYbuvE8B/w141-h200/BruceEaster1941068.jpg" width="141" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruce F. Jepsen Easter Sunday 1941 Art Studio, Omaha<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MUfxRmB8lcduFtWm6F7v28YXDJKel_2zm-vtqQPaIqf1B5tuiFCDFkr58cgI-IpVUe4XXHIq0GqCGSVviXN4jqh1HDkPdYe8wztd2d4PrSNKGV5G5ivcX5Rb8da_imO6RHevmTbEnoqkgZdPWQ-AxtQot8-7MdG9UjkRO_wwupWf6iR0cIJA6Mts/s1010/Bruce%20on%20Wing334.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="712" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MUfxRmB8lcduFtWm6F7v28YXDJKel_2zm-vtqQPaIqf1B5tuiFCDFkr58cgI-IpVUe4XXHIq0GqCGSVviXN4jqh1HDkPdYe8wztd2d4PrSNKGV5G5ivcX5Rb8da_imO6RHevmTbEnoqkgZdPWQ-AxtQot8-7MdG9UjkRO_wwupWf6iR0cIJA6Mts/s320/Bruce%20on%20Wing334.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flight Officer Bruce Fleming Jepson About 1944<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p>I had help with my history homework from my grandmother (Bruce's mother) but in the 60's-70's (no internet) our learning was limited. Naturally my grandma was somewhat reluctant to talk about her son Bruce. We should work hard today to support our teachers and our education programs and funding. I truly believe that had I any inclination of my own significant family contribution to the founding of America, it would have made all the difference in my learning. I will add that every person, every student no matter when or where they come from, has a significant history and contribution. It is my belief that this is something we should be celebrating in America. Anyway, at that time my interest in learning was totally dependent on whatever the family could give me in detail, which was limited. Still, I hung onto every word from my family and once I became a genealogist, I fell in love with the research.<br /></p><p>One thing that helped was that my mom and dad took us on vacation in the summer months. They educated us as we traveled through America. This was my bliss. I reveled in the dreams of living in the past. I believe my soon to be 11 year old grand daughter does as well. I just had a "Hamilton" costume delivered for her and she is thrilled. I can only hope that her interest in history persists as mine did. By the way, she knows how to do some Ancestry.com research and should soon graduate to Wikitree.com.</p><p>Though my Gold Star Grandmother, mom and Aunts have gone from our sight, I hope that somehow they and Uncle Bruce know their contributions are not forgotten. I'm proud to have accomplished this article. I'm grateful for family support and help with this article from my daughter, and for Steve Liewer at the Omaha World Herald.</p><p><a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/history/the-life-and-art-of-bruce-jepson/collection_acbc524e-deb5-11ec-825b-db6540479752.html " target="_blank">https://omaha.com/news/local/history/the-life-and-art-of-bruce-jepson/collection_acbc524e-deb5-11ec-825b-db6540479752.html </a></p><p><a href="https://www.adoptaclassroom.org/">https://www.adoptaclassroom.org/</a></p><p><a href="https://www.nea.org/about-nea/grants-funding">https://www.nea.org/about-nea/grants-funding</a></p><p><a href="https://historyforkids.org/">https://historyforkids.org/</a></p><p>Ancestry.com has been helpful in making sure my grand daughter appreciates her heritage which in my opinion is a great way to keep her interested in not just American history but world history as well. The research might at first be dull and tedious for some students, but if they understand their own personal significant family heritage, they might just enjoy the research.<br /></p><p>Wikitree.com is advanced. It requires resources for every detail, which ensures accuracy. Also, it's free.</p><p>© Julie Ann Cambridge, Inkwashletters, 2022. Unauthorized use and/or
duplication of this material without express and written permission from
this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and
links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Julie
Ann Cambridge and Inkwashletters with appropriate and specific
direction to the original content.</p>
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</div><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-32904699958587909602022-04-27T22:56:00.082-05:002022-04-29T20:45:20.186-05:00Nebraska Heritage, The Jepsen Journey<p>State To State</p><p>Though Bruce Jepsen was born in Florida, his is very much a Nebraska story. When I first began my research I wondered how we ended up in Nebraska. Bruce's father Harry was born in California. Bruce's mother Edwina was born in Alabama. My mother, Grace and her older brother, Bruce were both born in Florida. Grace graduated from St Petersburg High school in 1947, two years after Bruce died. But Bruce entered the war from Omaha, Nebraska. There is the immigrant story from Denmark to Nebraska in 1873. There is the story of Bruce as a young boy growing up in Florida and the story of becoming an Ad man in Nebraska. Then there is the training and his journey to China.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegBn8JXcbncaPxk9ULAaExNyFB4QePfxVTYrH5eeCEjAjj2XGNKOZIB3vXDRfy5tcbKkyjKs57giP9vSC2nm_y5Jd8Ii0YTL7TyywxdtXpXzoyWc2U8ApwpA1mDYLFAuJ8pk09sc2786GboFFzAz7orBUiLTHHnmlIFtF3Ht6xvntwyqaux7np56M/s422/1941BFJartstudio133.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="328" data-original-width="422" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegBn8JXcbncaPxk9ULAaExNyFB4QePfxVTYrH5eeCEjAjj2XGNKOZIB3vXDRfy5tcbKkyjKs57giP9vSC2nm_y5Jd8Ii0YTL7TyywxdtXpXzoyWc2U8ApwpA1mDYLFAuJ8pk09sc2786GboFFzAz7orBUiLTHHnmlIFtF3Ht6xvntwyqaux7np56M/s320/1941BFJartstudio133.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruce Fleming Jepsen, Artist for Allen and Reynolds Advertising, 1940 Omaha, Nebraska.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOmhRc9oJpnTB1sIvymmNJvSXpAd0QF-2fVhAsZu2i1sj4fDyW8JrXGKsEicEodMm_0Mp1gKTRZRta9-1bOPn9ujEnp2RBIL6DJNa3_DDFDT-mfrKzS6SsVt4VVaFHfdHZ3pSLjrNdw3i5koF9mAi_AdHJEBauMxl6I2FWfUJZno_9SDD4ErIE6vdz=s1801" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1206" data-original-width="1801" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOmhRc9oJpnTB1sIvymmNJvSXpAd0QF-2fVhAsZu2i1sj4fDyW8JrXGKsEicEodMm_0Mp1gKTRZRta9-1bOPn9ujEnp2RBIL6DJNa3_DDFDT-mfrKzS6SsVt4VVaFHfdHZ3pSLjrNdw3i5koF9mAi_AdHJEBauMxl6I2FWfUJZno_9SDD4ErIE6vdz=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruce Fleming Jepsen WWII Draft Card 16 Oct 1940<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Immigrant Peter Jepsen, From Denmark To 1870's Nebraska. </p><p><br /></p><p>My great grandfather, Peter Jepson (Bruce's grandfather) was born in 1854 Denmark. He immigrated to Nebraska with his parents on the ship Tarifa, arriving in 1872 Boston. Peter's uncle had immigrated earlier to Wisconsin and was a member of the Danish Land and Homestead Company that was organized to start a Danish colony in Nebraska. He was one of an advance party of five men who came to Nebraska in 1871 to find a location. The recommended location was near the Loup river, Howard County. The following year at age 18, Peter's destination was Dannebrog, Nebraska. At age 24 Peter purchased 80 acres of land near his father's homestead in Howard County. The land was purchased in November 1878. In that same month Paul Paulsen and his younger sister Christina, age 18 arranged passage to America. </p><p>Much of this account is with the help of my cousin, Linda Berney, author
of "Nine Danish Immigrants". Paul Paulsen was Linda's great-grandfather. According to Linda, Peter Jepsen was
largely responsible for for the Paulsen family's decision to immigrate to America. Christina Paulsen age 18, along with her older brother arranged passage to America in November of 1878, their destination, Nebraska. They arrived in January of 1879. Can you imagine a voyage on a ship in the dead of winter? On March 5 of that year Peter and Christina were married. In 1880 Christina's younger sister, Marie 17 and older sister, Ingeborg, with her husband and infant daughter arrived. In 1882 the entire Paulsen family were reunited when the parents immigrated along with Christina's three young siblings. They all lived for a time at the Jepsen home.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqK5LJBBUy9mPbzm9t_o4gxRoVfk-qIliNVcsUmPXTs20D5oIHs0iAdWr8rtjW2Cn-yJuH8b1yyddzc1SAXZC0z0w6SJ5KCicEgAFqCSusSzFOpTb5UOgfYq4FOhpm4dOnoZSqy_H2Q_K3-vd3GKfLRR1PP8OBz50-SLDakpaIWSsd3z3DMDYECkBX/s1181/ChristinaAnnDoraPaulsen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1181" data-original-width="903" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqK5LJBBUy9mPbzm9t_o4gxRoVfk-qIliNVcsUmPXTs20D5oIHs0iAdWr8rtjW2Cn-yJuH8b1yyddzc1SAXZC0z0w6SJ5KCicEgAFqCSusSzFOpTb5UOgfYq4FOhpm4dOnoZSqy_H2Q_K3-vd3GKfLRR1PP8OBz50-SLDakpaIWSsd3z3DMDYECkBX/s320/ChristinaAnnDoraPaulsen.jpg" width="245" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daughters Ann and Dora with their mother Christina Paulsen Jepsen, Dannebrog, Ne. Probably taken before the move to Florida in 1911.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p>You can learn more about Dannebrog here <a href="https://www.dannebrognebraska.org/things-to-see-things-to-do/" target="_blank">https://www.dannebrognebraska.org/things-to-see-things-to-do/ </a></p><p>and here <a href="https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nebraska/unique-village-dannebrog-ne/">https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nebraska/unique-village-dannebrog-ne/</a></p><p>Read more about Peter Jepsen here, <a href="http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/topic/resources/OLLibrary/Comp_NE/cmp1076.htm" target="_blank">http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/topic/resources/OLLibrary/Comp_NE/cmp1076.htm</a> <br /></p><p> </p><p>Nebraska To California </p><p>It has been documented that Christina was in poor health. Perhaps it was that ocean journey in winter of 1879. In 1889, Christina, pregnant with my Grandfather, Harry was suffering in the Nebraska summer heat and humidity. Peter took her to California for some relief. My grandfather, Bruce's father was born in Oakland, California in August of 1889. Their time in California was brief, the family soon returned to rural Nebraska where Harry grew up.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbnSKD8_fyAbQ73E49wes-YmKz7FDiVDSmICxrPKgW6lZH_pC05bPHpce1UBMeSLoiA3fD4ivgn8enbSE5cig8pDQLzRhRb4OkchMlSh-DJymCH6o6jJA-i6nhnCFKZTSL8HyC3nTcdaF5_Q_G_XIJYnV0TZi0kkLgl0JnzkYpWYgo_SmbzP9Ed9Y/s1359/HarryDoraABT1895%20copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1359" data-original-width="1180" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbnSKD8_fyAbQ73E49wes-YmKz7FDiVDSmICxrPKgW6lZH_pC05bPHpce1UBMeSLoiA3fD4ivgn8enbSE5cig8pDQLzRhRb4OkchMlSh-DJymCH6o6jJA-i6nhnCFKZTSL8HyC3nTcdaF5_Q_G_XIJYnV0TZi0kkLgl0JnzkYpWYgo_SmbzP9Ed9Y/w278-h320/HarryDoraABT1895%20copy.jpeg" width="278" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harry and his sister, Dora about 1895-96 Dannebrog, Ne.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p> Move To Florida In 1911</p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuOwDGJEklErvUKwKgacoZI-4cWWpPMxEw6A-UdMdHB0ztxWiZfsUhYPh-1nwwZ83cCgAe_e_qrpZPImDAbs0ekkMiP3URnpS4DNiNQbUzuR2qz0LdWefuvrPjNLnLFLN5o-CgamaJRh2_SP-M-m6u2xBWT_1270wP3lSIdLu5Aojq2q67jjVqcQEe/s456/1913%232.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="367" data-original-width="456" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuOwDGJEklErvUKwKgacoZI-4cWWpPMxEw6A-UdMdHB0ztxWiZfsUhYPh-1nwwZ83cCgAe_e_qrpZPImDAbs0ekkMiP3URnpS4DNiNQbUzuR2qz0LdWefuvrPjNLnLFLN5o-CgamaJRh2_SP-M-m6u2xBWT_1270wP3lSIdLu5Aojq2q67jjVqcQEe/s320/1913%232.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peter and Christina Paulsen Jepsen, Indian River City, Florida 1913. Three years before Christina died.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Peter purchased land in Florida. When Harry was age 21, the family moved to Indian River City. At that time there was a land boom in Florida. Harry, his brother, Lawrence along with their father Peter were partners with the Indian River City Fruit and Land Company. My cousin, Linda asked me why they chose to leave Nebraska. As I researched and tried to answer that question, I discovered the documentation of Christina's health. Peter made a few attempts to keep her in good health with ideas of that period, such as spring waters. But Christina did not survive to know her grandson, Bruce. She died Mar 15, 1916 in Brevard County, Indian River City, Florida at the age of 55. She would not have known that Harry and Edwina would very shortly be expecting their first child. Bruce was born January 24, 1917. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmkuPaGg9NzIPe6Pf5yQEtvMJQUuQ8_HIZxcgD9Ocj9MHR2dSJ0eMOzCO6Gp-PH11jaxsKBPfv0cGuFk0oDPR0758K5EroNzBXbJAYiYTJePjXuENqeBZAG7JxRbt5HYONVFttuVyB7Sw-yVd_QkoMeAf0DgyRRYItUeV8RBEqEFvHy4hykMOh7Oo/s1512/BabyBFJBiscayneBay2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="887" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmkuPaGg9NzIPe6Pf5yQEtvMJQUuQ8_HIZxcgD9Ocj9MHR2dSJ0eMOzCO6Gp-PH11jaxsKBPfv0cGuFk0oDPR0758K5EroNzBXbJAYiYTJePjXuENqeBZAG7JxRbt5HYONVFttuVyB7Sw-yVd_QkoMeAf0DgyRRYItUeV8RBEqEFvHy4hykMOh7Oo/s320/BabyBFJBiscayneBay2.jpg" width="188" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harry Jepsen holding his son Bruce, "First outing" at Biscayne Bay 1917<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p></p><br /> <p></p><p>Peter did marry again to widow Sarah Gardner, a Florida socialite and hotel
owner in May 1921. That's an interesting story for later. Peter died in
1923. The family story of his passing sounded grand with the masons carrying his casket, all dressed in their uniforms, musicians playing bagpipes. I've done a lot of research regarding Peter's estate so that's another story for later. </p><p> </p><p>1930 Miami<br /></p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSe7TjkRrDJFYeFQZd3EvIEqLnj-4Jf5BGdKOxv4T6lWS_1EZDnhv8qdMI0p5PEcnC3fSeIWleubWyRKlwYKNiLqc4sYL99NOabON1lSlAgpTUGgAbxOm-ozn-J3wHFoV355r8-5hmVFynJudyooacbFr2hfEjyX63C3CK8wD0LakVqaa8ZGb2R3Vg/s4076/1930MiamiCen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2860" data-original-width="4076" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSe7TjkRrDJFYeFQZd3EvIEqLnj-4Jf5BGdKOxv4T6lWS_1EZDnhv8qdMI0p5PEcnC3fSeIWleubWyRKlwYKNiLqc4sYL99NOabON1lSlAgpTUGgAbxOm-ozn-J3wHFoV355r8-5hmVFynJudyooacbFr2hfEjyX63C3CK8wD0LakVqaa8ZGb2R3Vg/s320/1930MiamiCen.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1930 US Census Record Miami, Florida<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>It was the end of the 1920's era of bootlegging and confinement at spring waters and milk farms. My mother was born in 1929 at an Orlando, Florida hospital. After losing income in the great depression which hit Florida early on, Harry takes his infant daughter and the family from Indian River City to Miami in 1930. Perhaps he was finalizing some financial matters, possibly trying to pay some property taxes. The story in the family was that he was there to visit a sanatorium, what we would today call a clinic or a rehab center. Grace was born in May 1929 and in about May of 1930 she was a happy tot in her carriage with her father as he and a crowd of curious spectators awaited Al Capone's exit from the Miami courthouse. She was always told that her father was smitten with her and that on this day, waiting for Capone's courthouse exit, he was proud that a local news photographer captured the moment with a snapshot of sweet Grace in her carriage. <br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxjV7REMsXzaAa6Fuly5ikWAG0zZqBGxVI2P68_22yqxR6-OymmD7oR5psqvh8gBdByE9QwVXU4JFWFxoCmBYOm3-5N1_M8iUG-qmJy0vg77tIYcwJ2RFzBcX60OxRYqVHiz6E_S7oblViLW--kCa_Figot1tliZDF3A_WE8AdiS0IT4a7gnDnHHE1/s1026/HarryMiami1930.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="1026" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxjV7REMsXzaAa6Fuly5ikWAG0zZqBGxVI2P68_22yqxR6-OymmD7oR5psqvh8gBdByE9QwVXU4JFWFxoCmBYOm3-5N1_M8iUG-qmJy0vg77tIYcwJ2RFzBcX60OxRYqVHiz6E_S7oblViLW--kCa_Figot1tliZDF3A_WE8AdiS0IT4a7gnDnHHE1/s320/HarryMiami1930.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harry Christopher Jepsen, Miami Florida 1930. Last photo taken of him.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr44ixV9I21duVDUkPqrXbvjRhQ2z9lDIKjrXUqxG1UdMD8Lw_rOfS46xeQYUMZW1D6bbmAa6SgZqeEwxfYf-IcAa2Q0DhH6wJA2bmewfMIl7nmqj96FqJ99rjaB2X1jisgL7TYU2nvfSrd3Uxzutnx12ILkmyxK7yvzhiSKqdBBBfJ2b0Jbv1T7Dw/s1769/Grace1930.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1769" data-original-width="1182" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr44ixV9I21duVDUkPqrXbvjRhQ2z9lDIKjrXUqxG1UdMD8Lw_rOfS46xeQYUMZW1D6bbmAa6SgZqeEwxfYf-IcAa2Q0DhH6wJA2bmewfMIl7nmqj96FqJ99rjaB2X1jisgL7TYU2nvfSrd3Uxzutnx12ILkmyxK7yvzhiSKqdBBBfJ2b0Jbv1T7Dw/s320/Grace1930.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet baby Grace, Bruce was age 13 when this photo was taken. captured by a news photographer outside the Miami Dade County Courthouse on the day Al Capone was released from a year of jail time in Spring 1930.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>Edwina, the early immigrant <br /></p><p>Edwina, Bruce's dear southern mother and my dear grandmother was a force in the family. I think of her everyday. In my research I often find it easy to get historical info on her branch of the family as they began arriving from the British Isles in the 1600's. It is largely because of my gma Edwina I became a genealogist. <br /></p><p>Southerner or Northerner<br /></p><p>Though their father was born in California, he was raised in Nebraska and his parents immigrated from Denmark to Nebraska. Bruce and Grace were both born in Florida which makes them southerners. But Bruce came of age in Omaha and had an appreciation for the city life. The family in Florida would refer to him as "citified". Grace was mostly raised in Nebraska. So this, in my humble opinion makes them Northerners for the most part. It's hard to say. And does it really matter? Born in Indian River City, Florida, Bruce was a Southerner first. As he became a young man in Omaha City, as it was called then, he became a Citified playboy. After Army Air Force training in Texas and stationed in the Florida Gulf, he was a southern officer and a gentleman. My mother always said that Bruce being responsible for his mother and sisters didn't have to go to war, that he wanted to go. So mostly, Bruce was a volunteer warrior who loved flying and remarkably became part of the 14th Army Air Force. He wrote home to the family that he was proud to be considered a part of Chenault's volunteer group, the Flying Tigers. </p>When Grace graduated from St Petersburg High School in 1947, she took a bus from St Pete via Chicago to Omaha, alone at age 18. She wanted to attend Omaha University, now UNO. It was Bruce's wish that their mother stay in Omaha so that the girls would get a better education. The only reason they were in Florida at that time towards the end of the war was a failed attempt to see him before he went overseas. The family in Florida wanted Edwina to stay but it wasn't meant to be. Due to my mother, Grace's bravery and ambitions, our family remains in the Omaha Community today. <br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>© Julie Ann Cambridge, Inkwashletters, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or
duplication of this material without express and written permission from
this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and
links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Julie
Ann Cambridge and Inkwashletters with appropriate and specific
direction to the original content.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-45433305725743737872022-04-07T21:54:00.001-05:002022-04-07T21:54:57.719-05:00<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nbTfvdyIeV0/YUgD9PC28UI/AAAAAAAAA78/QJmFPO1WdIok49tI_3Vmf0kVDmpOXJ-BACLcBGAsYHQ/s422/1941BFJartstudio133.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="328" data-original-width="422" height="249" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nbTfvdyIeV0/YUgD9PC28UI/AAAAAAAAA78/QJmFPO1WdIok49tI_3Vmf0kVDmpOXJ-BACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/1941BFJartstudio133.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruce Fleming Jepson late 1930's, early 40's. Bruce at his drawing table. Photo taken at the first Woodman of the world building in Omaha, Nebraska. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>My Favorite Photo</p><p>This is one of my favorite photographs of Bruce. I think he was probably at the height of his career at this point. I believe this photo to be one of great influence on my mother, as well as the rest of the family. Even long after his death, he inspired all of us growing up. Bruce's experience in army training changed him, but this photo shows his personality before the war. He had great ambitions. He would pursue the best that life had to offer. Notice the ship in the back ground. He also loved sailing and fishing. While stationed in Florida, he was able to spend time with family, many of them old family fisherman. Bruce enjoyed memorable fishing excursions with them.<br /></p><p>Lasting Inspiration</p><p> </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ofAaDWiuP6hLg2U1ao70vt72xY2yvTDNqUzOEZb-1ruW8poq9EloTqaYOgGk0N-Z9PnJ00MUtQMikDUDK6rZWCIGYGcyVSBnA7O_yJh1_i7Hax1LSKa31lM23ELDtt9ilk-TR7GTkAr3Kbwa-LaJhLd-PpL_7SiCZI4cQWokDBMT9XulXO-GcwlJ/s640/GracePastels.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ofAaDWiuP6hLg2U1ao70vt72xY2yvTDNqUzOEZb-1ruW8poq9EloTqaYOgGk0N-Z9PnJ00MUtQMikDUDK6rZWCIGYGcyVSBnA7O_yJh1_i7Hax1LSKa31lM23ELDtt9ilk-TR7GTkAr3Kbwa-LaJhLd-PpL_7SiCZI4cQWokDBMT9XulXO-GcwlJ/s320/GracePastels.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grace used Bruce's Grumbacher pastels from the 1940's and beyond. I still have some of these pastels. I don't recommend using vintage. The old pastels were toxic. Most newly made are safer to use. Isn't this a pretty picture of an artist's life and journey!?! <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </p><p>My mother, Grace used Bruce's art table through the years, as well as his personal set of Grumbacher pastels for her fashion illustration and portraiture. I think that he continued long after his untimely death to be her teacher and her inspiration throughout her life. She would often try her hand at some of the pieces that he did, without any expectation of achieving his quality and expertise. She just would occasionally try to go there; the unachievable, the impossible, she would at least try. He was her and her sister's ideal in perfection, their master in illustration and painting. He had achieved so much in his short life. What he was unable to achieve was always on their minds, what might have been. What would his achievements have brought him and how would it have affected them. They were certain Bruce would have furthered his career as an artist. My mother always said she just wanted him to be remembered as a gifted artist with life long ambitions, and the love and care he had for his mother and his sisters. She would also repeatedly point out that he didn't have to go to war. It was his desire to go and fight. He volunteered to serve. The family was extremely proud of that. <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p>Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-54800974787792123602021-09-19T00:09:00.069-05:002021-09-25T17:55:22.636-05:00Bruce Was The Idol Talent For His Sisters<p><span style="color: #45818e;"><b><i>Late 1930's And Early 40's Artwork</i></b></span></p><p><span style="color: #45818e;"><b><i> </i></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wnIJ721Fljk/YUa7L1VtFmI/AAAAAAAAA7w/odm58Gq8xk0E_pup8vzZaeGAUkuy2VcWACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/BFJartRing.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1613" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wnIJ721Fljk/YUa7L1VtFmI/AAAAAAAAA7w/odm58Gq8xk0E_pup8vzZaeGAUkuy2VcWACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/BFJartRing.jpg" width="252" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This
illustration was one of many portraits of the same unknown model by Bruce Fleming
Jepsen. I'm grateful for this generous donation from the Jepsen-Buckinghams. My
mother, as a young babysitter for the Buckingham children, recalled seeing this hanging in the
Buckingham house in the Dundee neighborhood in Omaha, Nebraska.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="color: #45818e;"><b><i> </i></b></span><br />
<br />
Chris was older
than Grace and Harryette by about 10 years. She was Bruce's generation,
just two years younger than him. She always said that she was not the caliber of
artist that her brother was. Each of his sisters though, were talented.
They were extremely disciplined and practiced every day. Grace and Harryette wrote
letters to their elder siblings, enclosing they're artistic efforts for professional
critiques. In the wwII letters between 1942-1945 Harryette at the young
age of about 11, was drawing pictures of all kinds of animals. She especially loved
horses and eventually became an expert in the area of horse drawing.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Grace
was becoming a young lady at the age of 13 and was interested in being
an artist professionally, like her older sister and brother. She worked
hard to get to where she might have a chance at some kind of career in
art. Her first love being fashion, it made sense that she would become a
fashion illustrator like her sister Chris who had quickly established herself as one of the best fashion illustrators in Omaha. After graduating at St.
Petersburg high school in 1947, the logical thing to Edwina and all was
for Grace to leave Florida and join Chris in Omaha. Grace, being young and new to the illustration advertising world, had to work at it. Chris
was her teacher. Bruce, though no longer with them, was still her high ideal. A career at Mutual of Omaha
doing mail work and whatever office girl tasks were needed,
Grace would be asked to do artwork for various flyers. She was on her way to a career in advertising art at Mutual, but in the early 1950's women were asked to leave their jobs as soon as they became
pregnant. It would take years, and four children later, but Grace would
have herself a career in advertising art. After balancing freelance art jobs and raising four kids finally, in the late 70's with the
children leaving home, she began working full-time for the local department store,
Richman Gordman. It was more than a decade of success but somewhat short lived. Fashion
illustration came to an end in the early 1980's when
photography took over. While fashion was her first love, Grace had worked hard at portraiture on the side.
Again with disciplined practice, art group participation and lots of
love and appreciation for fashion and beauty, Grace became accomplished in pastel portraiture.<br />
<br />The three sisters, having unique skill and talent, wishing they were as talented as their brother, Bruce each had successful art careers. Bruce's work
was a measure for all of them. There is no doubt that he would have
contributed to the world of art in a profound way, given the chance. </p><p> </p><p><span style="color: #45818e;"><b><i>Early Artwork By Grace Ann Jepsen Cupak</i></b></span><br /></p><p><br /> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-axWiKmFJtLg/YUa5D74pqTI/AAAAAAAAA7Y/bHP_QQix0dc5CvyY0P2WtzHiQ3mLsDMbwCLcBGAsYHQ/s917/GCfashionIllurations187.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="601" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-axWiKmFJtLg/YUa5D74pqTI/AAAAAAAAA7Y/bHP_QQix0dc5CvyY0P2WtzHiQ3mLsDMbwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/GCfashionIllurations187.jpg" width="210" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fashion Illustration by Grace Jepsen Cupak circa late 1940's early 50's<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />Grace and Harryette wrote
letters to Chris and to Bruce, enclosing they're artistic efforts for professional
critiques. In the ww2 letters between 1942-1945 Harryette at the young
age of about 11, was drawing pictures of all kinds of animals. She especially loved
horses and eventually became an expert in the area of horse drawing.</p><p><span style="color: #45818e;"><b><i>Early Work By Harryette Jepsen Bondesson</i></b></span> <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KKIIb4LxGuM/YUa5poqyowI/AAAAAAAAA7g/0Cf-xakOe240Caybx9R366Cpo6-4ElRUwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_0054.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KKIIb4LxGuM/YUa5poqyowI/AAAAAAAAA7g/0Cf-xakOe240Caybx9R366Cpo6-4ElRUwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_0054.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three Horses by Harryette Jepsen Bondesson, expert horse illustrator. I love her signature!</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p> <br /><p></p><p>I'm still scanning Chris's artworks that I have in my archive and will share in another post. If you are family or friend and have anything of Chris's you'd like to share with me, please let me know. <br /></p><p><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>© Julie Ann Cambridge, Inkwashletters, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or
duplication of this material without express and written permission from
this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and
links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Julie
Ann Cambridge and Inkwashletters with appropriate and specific
direction to the original content.</p>Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-82454269232796474652021-09-11T11:27:00.098-05:002021-09-18T22:06:15.962-05:00New found Items to Share<p>My beautiful mother passed away May 11, 2021. She would have been 92 years of age on May 29, 2021. I've always tried to imagine what life would have been like in her birth year of 1929 and her next 10-20 years of life. She and her family, overcome with grief after their father died, survived the great depression. The two young sisters, my mother, Grace and my Aunt Harryette overcame the challenges of the 1930's. When the war began in 1941, they were just starting out their new lives with great hope. Like many families, for them WWII resulted in devastating loss. Everyone has a story. This is why I write. I'm telling my mother's family story for future generations and fulfilling her wish that her brother would be recognized and remembered.<br /></p><p>The house is full of memories and our parent's antique collections. Besides being lifetime artists, they were avid, weekend antiquarians, so we've had a lot to deal with. I'm excited about discovering items that have been hidden away for 80 plus years. Items Bruce sent home from India and from China. I'll start with some Omaha history first. These things are in the process of scanning. One thing at a time, I'm excited to share with you.
<b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>Omaha Central High School Yearbook 1937<i></i></b>
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dTmAjDDNvGQ/YUZnW9d1LfI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/EYbrAFxSM80pjc8dEZUNpKMh5XRBYlN8ACLcBGAsYHQ/s438/BruceCentralHigh1938067.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dTmAjDDNvGQ/YUZnW9d1LfI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/EYbrAFxSM80pjc8dEZUNpKMh5XRBYlN8ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/BruceCentralHigh1938067.jpg" /></a></div>
<p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oG8uPLR0OZI/YTv-vdBvp1I/AAAAAAAAA2Q/cHw7NYY2g-ArW5OXQqXwP3aImGo3ihxeQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/BFJ1937Obookcover595.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1463" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oG8uPLR0OZI/YTv-vdBvp1I/AAAAAAAAA2Q/cHw7NYY2g-ArW5OXQqXwP3aImGo3ihxeQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/BFJ1937Obookcover595.jpg" width="229" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruce Fleming Jepson 1937 Obook, Cupak/Cambridge Archive<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p>Bruce graduated from Omaha Central High School in 1937. Awhile back I was able to find his yearbook online at <a href="https://central.ops.org/STUDENT-LIFE/-O-Book-Yearbook">https://central.ops.org/STUDENT-LIFE/-O-Book-Yearbook</a>. Of course I always wondered if he had his own yearbook, which would give more personal insight. I am thrilled to have found Bruce's personal 1937 Obook and it's even more exciting than I could have imagined. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-umLRw4XBOAs/YTwAlJqQw1I/AAAAAAAAA2g/-peB3A8lk2QMTyVWfNUeUlIbFoTpTb36QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/BFJObookphoto594.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1363" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-umLRw4XBOAs/YTwAlJqQw1I/AAAAAAAAA2g/-peB3A8lk2QMTyVWfNUeUlIbFoTpTb36QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/BFJObookphoto594.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1937 Obook grad photo of Bruce F. Jepson</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>A quick history here <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha_Central_High_School">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha_Central_High_School</a><br /> <p></p><p>
<b>King Fong's Cafe And Friendship<i></i></b> </p><p> Growing up in Omaha, my family, as with many Omaha families have a special place in our hearts for the Chinese restaurant King Fong's. I have fond memories of my parents taking us to dinner there in the 60's. They would tell us the stories of dining there when they were young. Bruce had taken Grace and Harryette for chop suey many times in the 1930's and early 1940's. We were told it was his favorite restaurant and favorite food. In February 1943 Bruce had 10 days leave from Flight School in Texas. It was at the King Fong's Cafe, Grace and Harryette enjoyed their last meal with their brother and father figure, Bruce.</p><p>In letters, while Bruce was in training, his friends often mentioned King Fong's, sometimes in a teasing way. In one letter dated October 20, 1943 a friend wrote, "have been hitting the King Fong joint and eating the favorite dish fried rice and egg foo yong (flied lice)." This may have been a jarring comment for Bruce. A particular jab since Bruce was so fond of this iconic restaurant. </p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SLGBffBhV7A/YTwLC_8EwxI/AAAAAAAAA2o/J1jXJn4LYYAsDI2Qfqmkd3aVHEWjBE_ygCLcBGAsYHQ/s996/chinatown-article-early-interior-of-omaha-famed-king-fongs.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="996" height="201" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SLGBffBhV7A/YTwLC_8EwxI/AAAAAAAAA2o/J1jXJn4LYYAsDI2Qfqmkd3aVHEWjBE_ygCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/chinatown-article-early-interior-of-omaha-famed-king-fongs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior of King Fong's Cafe<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>You can learn more about King Fong's here,<a href="https://www.omahamagazine.com/2018/03/03/302119/preservation-of-king-fong-cafe"> https://www.omahamagazine.com/2018/03/03/302119/preservation-of-king-fong-cafe. </a></p><p>To donate <a href="https://www.blogger.com/">https://restorationexchange.org/2019/05/13/omaha-gives-2019/</a>
</p><p>I often wondered just how much Bruce was dining there and how familiar he was with the owner and family. I think my mother indicated at one point that he was very friendly with them. I was happy to find this to be true when this Obook was discovered. I love how Bruce was learning Chinese long before arriving there to help the Chinese people win the war with Japan. As an artist, he surely had an appreciation for Chinese Calligraphy. Maybe he even requested his friends autograph in their own traditional script. <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EAQHsY2FGjY/YTv_x1pjROI/AAAAAAAAA2Y/mU967C0oVzosBaUKz6h2ORfESM0J3HmigCLcBGAsYHQ/s1870/BFJ1937Obookautographs596.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1720" data-original-width="1870" height="294" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EAQHsY2FGjY/YTv_x1pjROI/AAAAAAAAA2Y/mU967C0oVzosBaUKz6h2ORfESM0J3HmigCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/BFJ1937Obookautographs596.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1937 Obook Autograph signatures from the sons of King Fong founder/owner, Gin Chin.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Here is just one example of Bruce's desire to master the art of the Chinese language and calligraphy.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LlEvhFyB9dw/YTzK5DPbCQI/AAAAAAAAA3Q/99iZXCXMgO4xSDVDOgqRbHRdxu2df0NJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1580/CaroleBruce2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1580" height="182" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LlEvhFyB9dw/YTzK5DPbCQI/AAAAAAAAA3Q/99iZXCXMgO4xSDVDOgqRbHRdxu2df0NJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/CaroleBruce2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruce sent a Happy New Year sentiment from China January 1945<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-urJgQex5Ny0/YTwLeAjLYgI/AAAAAAAAA2w/TyLVUkKqkQA3VktLnLaxYQhGlNgkqAs7gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Bruce%2Bat%2BDrawing%2BTable333.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="218" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-urJgQex5Ny0/YTwLeAjLYgI/AAAAAAAAA2w/TyLVUkKqkQA3VktLnLaxYQhGlNgkqAs7gCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Bruce%2Bat%2BDrawing%2BTable333.jpg" width="218" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruce at his drawing table 1938-1941. First Woodman Of The World Building Omaha, Nebraska. Perhaps he's lunching at King Fong's Cafe and learning Chinese calligraphy.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b>The China Doll</b> </p><p> Finally, a cute story from my "Grace Notes". Christmas 1937 Bruce had
graduated from Central, Grace was 8 years old and Harryette was 6 years
old. The family was living on 24th Street, close to Joslyn Art Museum
and Creighton University. The duplex house has many great stories, which
I'd love to share another time. My mother shared with me a story that
was dear to her heart. It came up many times in my talks with her. Bruce's
two young sisters were about to enter into the Fremont Masonic
Home. This was the era of the great depression and the family was
struggling, following the premature death of their beloved father, Harry
C. Jepson. Grace had no memory of any previous Christmas
that included a Christmas tree and gifts. This particular Christmas left
her with lasting memories. It was their final Christmas together. The
two girls were in the Masonic Home for just over 4 years. Under the tree, for Grace
was a special doll and a box of chocolates. It was a Chinese doll. She
recalled getting chocolate on the doll, making a mess, then carefully cleaning her up. She loved this doll and cherished the
memory through the years. I've often wondered if that doll might have
been purchased at King
Fong's Cafe.</p><p>Learn more here, <a href="https://www.meshc.org/">https://www.meshc.org/</a> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AU8Iu1SCbTc/YTwNVo-d8TI/AAAAAAAAA24/ez63MRlG8ykSyG_5REqMvNw2uMu2oAOkACLcBGAsYHQ/s1763/FremontHome.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1763" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AU8Iu1SCbTc/YTwNVo-d8TI/AAAAAAAAA24/ez63MRlG8ykSyG_5REqMvNw2uMu2oAOkACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/FremontHome.jpg" width="194" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harryette, Grace and friend at Fremont Masonic Home 1938.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IRDHX4hTQ1c/YUZ3xMTM4CI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/TWxM1ncNZCM_vQ0a-Csi3bkkiVRePnLBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/ChinaDoll014.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1994" data-original-width="2048" height="312" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IRDHX4hTQ1c/YUZ3xMTM4CI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/TWxM1ncNZCM_vQ0a-Csi3bkkiVRePnLBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/ChinaDoll014.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">China Doll Sketch by Bruce F. Jepsen 1937 Notice he often signed his work as "Jepsen", not Jepson.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>© Julie Ann Cambridge, Inkwashletters, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or
duplication of this material without express and written permission from
this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and
links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Julie
Ann Cambridge and Inkwashletters with appropriate and specific
direction to the original content.<br />
</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-49764317607822322062019-02-28T23:54:00.000-06:002019-03-01T00:11:32.710-06:00India Summer 1944 <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4E0SRvHxu8s/XHjBzc_zdAI/AAAAAAAAAok/-WVoHzIKb58xJ6tpJCagPSQXK3bf08MkACEwYBhgL/s1600/Bfjboating44098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="448" height="212" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4E0SRvHxu8s/XHjBzc_zdAI/AAAAAAAAAok/-WVoHzIKb58xJ6tpJCagPSQXK3bf08MkACEwYBhgL/s320/Bfjboating44098.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Bruce In India July-November 1944<br />
CBI 10th AAF Pre-hump-Pre-14th<br />
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I will share letters from India. Here is a little bit of photography for you to enjoy. Bruce loved India but became ill and was extremely anxious to fly the hump. He did, so more to come from China.<br />
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Enjoy the pictures. If you have any way to help identify his buddies in India, please let me know. I'd be honored to hear from you.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jx8IyVlb_1s/XHjATvuUetI/AAAAAAAAAoA/aVF4nGM-cVwd10o-fQgpt6PCz-7jwexoQCLcBGAs/s1600/Bfjdesert44097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="237" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jx8IyVlb_1s/XHjATvuUetI/AAAAAAAAAoA/aVF4nGM-cVwd10o-fQgpt6PCz-7jwexoQCLcBGAs/s320/Bfjdesert44097.jpg" width="185" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruce Fleming Jepsen, India 1944. Probably taken before his 2 week hospital visit due to Jaundice. He flew the hump almost as soon as he was released from hospital November 1944. Ready.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bXcHFNTtXik/XHjATZvjmuI/AAAAAAAAAn4/DUO1C7165iw1Fe8r4CFV1jMO08wwNNbZgCLcBGAs/s1600/BFJw%253AmatesIndia44104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="239" data-original-width="403" height="189" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bXcHFNTtXik/XHjATZvjmuI/AAAAAAAAAn4/DUO1C7165iw1Fe8r4CFV1jMO08wwNNbZgCLcBGAs/s320/BFJw%253AmatesIndia44104.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">India buddies, Hamilton, Reynolds, Sumney and Jep</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I12s7gZT9Fg/XHjATo4Nq-I/AAAAAAAAAn8/qplTkR7a1F0c40Ko96aYIDRWgYYgJt1wQCLcBGAs/s1600/IndiaStreet44115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="295" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I12s7gZT9Fg/XHjATo4Nq-I/AAAAAAAAAn8/qplTkR7a1F0c40Ko96aYIDRWgYYgJt1wQCLcBGAs/s1600/IndiaStreet44115.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Busy India Street, a day in town for an American soldier.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gCZ86Pk-QmI/XHjAT_LMeyI/AAAAAAAAAoE/KVMkx-SwSHQdSY6WLFzM2u98aib4waWfwCLcBGAs/s1600/JepIndia44111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="405" height="189" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gCZ86Pk-QmI/XHjAT_LMeyI/AAAAAAAAAoE/KVMkx-SwSHQdSY6WLFzM2u98aib4waWfwCLcBGAs/s320/JepIndia44111.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left to right, Hamilton, Reynolds, Sumney and Jep</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ybNvf67QipQ/XHjA6Y3-vHI/AAAAAAAAAoU/n0umDJJ5PYooiKNZBvhqUYphy2jkK7ANgCLcBGAs/s1600/JepIndiabackside44112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="408" height="196" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ybNvf67QipQ/XHjA6Y3-vHI/AAAAAAAAAoU/n0umDJJ5PYooiKNZBvhqUYphy2jkK7ANgCLcBGAs/s320/JepIndiabackside44112.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Backside notation from Bruce (Jep). Also a notation from Bruce's mother, "rec'd 20th Sept. 44".</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4E0SRvHxu8s/XHjBzc_zdAI/AAAAAAAAAog/mOha-OwAElIKmIhTd8vdDr-oeegsFZPMwCLcBGAs/s1600/Bfjboating44098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="448" height="212" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4E0SRvHxu8s/XHjBzc_zdAI/AAAAAAAAAog/mOha-OwAElIKmIhTd8vdDr-oeegsFZPMwCLcBGAs/s320/Bfjboating44098.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1944 Cool. Yes, they went on a fishing excursion in India. Bruce on left, with pipe. What was cool in 1944? This.<br />
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© Julie Ann Cambridge, Inkwashletters, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or
duplication of this material without express and written permission from
this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and
links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Julie
Ann Cambridge and Inkwashletters with appropriate and specific
direction to the original content.<br />
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Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-50528039053779152902019-02-28T22:47:00.001-06:002019-02-28T22:54:43.502-06:00Portfolio of Bruce F. Jepsen, Advertising Art pre-WWII Omaha, NebraskaArt Portfolio Of Bruce F. Jepsen 1937-1942<br />
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© Julie Ann Cambridge, Inkwashletters, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Julie Ann Cambridge and Inkwashletters with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.<br />
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<br />Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-57932637709427178442018-10-04T21:51:00.000-05:002018-10-04T22:54:29.051-05:00American Artista<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m93QgT37u0M/W7bYyQjqJSI/AAAAAAAAAmg/DoEbfcxD5NMW0nTF1Qryv-RRsL9QpZ-oQCLcBGAs/s1600/BFJprofileShot.1941046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="201" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m93QgT37u0M/W7bYyQjqJSI/AAAAAAAAAmg/DoEbfcxD5NMW0nTF1Qryv-RRsL9QpZ-oQCLcBGAs/s1600/BFJprofileShot.1941046.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruce working at his art table in about 1941 at the Woodmen Building on 14th Street, downtown Omaha, Nebraska.<br />
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American Artista, Bruce's Trip To Mexico<br />
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I have yet to figure out why Bruce seems to have traveled alone to Mexico in the summer of 1941. Maybe, at age of 24 he was trying to get away from his family, as his mother was extremely over protective. Possibly he was wanting to get away from his girlfriend, who was a married woman. Possibly the traveling "alone" was a rue, and his girlfriend was actually on the trip with him. We really don't know for sure. The 1940 census record tells us that he was living in the same building as his mother and sister, though it was a separate apartment. The evidence given in the correspondence indicates that he was alone in Mexico. Perhaps with his success in advertising art, he was finally able to fulfill a life long dream. Just a young, handsome artist doing what artists should do...travel with paper aplenty.<br />
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While traveling that summer, Bruce would have been unaware of the coming events that would change their lives forever. Germany, Italy and Japan, the Axis powers had been waging war across Europe and China, but America was yet to become involved in the second world war. Bruce was someone who would read the daily newspapers, so he would have been not only aware but likely nervous about the war. Less than a year had past since Hitler invaded Denmark and Norway. This must have had an emotional impact on Bruce.<br />
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Grandfather, Peter "Jeppe" Jepsen and great grandfather, Lars P. Jepsen (a decorated Danish soldier) came to Nebraska from Denmark in 1873 followed by Christina Paulsen who would become Bruce's Grandmother. In 1911, along with their son Harry, the family left Nebraska to invest in real estate and live out the remainder of their lives in Indian River City, Florida.This is where Harry met a young woman from Alabama, Bruce's mother, Edwina. Bruce was born and raised in Florida until the age of 13 because of Peter and Christina Jepsen's wishes to live the remainder of their lives among citrus groves. His mother, Edwina Wilson was a descendant of early settlers. I am a member of the DAR, Daughters of the American Revolution, through her long line of patriots.<br />
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In 1941 the French were under German occupation and Great Britain had suffered with the Germans nightly bombing of London, which was referred to as "the blitz". As a pursuant of all things planes, Bruce would have been keeping himself informed on the progress of the RAF, the Royal Air Force. He would not know that after earning his wings, he would be invited to fight along side the Royals.<br />
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But keeping on story with the Artista in Mexico, on June 11, 1941 at 11PM, Bruce arrived in San Antonio, Texas. This was his first time there, but not his last. He would send another telegram from San Antonio later as a cadet. This first time he sent a Postal Telegraph addressed to his mother, Mrs. H.C. Jepson, South 31st Street, Omaha, Nebr. He dictated, "Plane arrived in San Antonio. 7:00 AM taking bus to Monterrey. Love Bruce." I'm not sure how it was possible for him to fly, but I suspect that he had friends in the air travel industry. His girlfriend at the time was the daughter of a mail delivery pilot with rank. In my research I discovered she was not only the wife of a man who founded an airline in Miami, Florida (possibly as part of the war effort) but she herself, was one of the first American women to serve as a WWII mail delivery pilot. Bruce may have already begun flying lessons or at least had caught the flying fever. It's also interesting to note that the very day he flew south for the first time to Texas and then Mexico, the U.S. government announced new restrictions on private flying.<br />
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US News Headlines June 1941<br />
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The day he left Omaha for San Antonio, newspaper headlines would read, "$75,000,000 War Materials To Great Briton, President Reports Aid Program." and "Uncle Sam Bomber Will Out Perform Nazi Stuku." And "U.S. Probes Sinking of Robin Moor". There were also reports of a simulated attack off the coast of Cape Cod by the Army Infantry, which shows a general feeling of nervousness. The following morning Bruce most likely purchased a local newspaper as he boarded a Greyhound bus from Laredo, Texas to Monterrey, Mexico. The headlines read, "Report From American Consul in Brazil; Nazi Sub sank the Moor, 11 Survivors." And "Report states, Commander of German Sub was fully Aware the Robin Moor Was An American Vessel." <a href="http://newspaperarchives.com/">newspaperarchives.com</a> This may have been the last U.S. news for the duration of his adventure in Mexico. One has to wonder if Bruce did have some idea of what was coming.<br />
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© Julie Ann Cambridge, Inkwashletters, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Julie Ann Cambridge and Inkwashletters with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.<br />
<br />Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-57486993770272314502018-04-02T21:45:00.000-05:002018-06-21T20:15:02.872-05:00The Three Sisters As Artists<br />
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Chris was older than Grace and Harryette by about 10 years. She was Bruce's generation, just two years younger than Bruce. She always said that she was not the caliber of artist that her brother was. Each of his sisters though, were talented. They were extremely disciplined and practiced every day. They wrote letters to each other and enclosed their efforts for each others critiques. In the ww2 letters between 1942-1945 Harryette at the young age of about 11, was drawing pictures of animals. She especially loved horses and eventually became an expert in the genre.<br />
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Grace was becoming a young lady at the age of 13 and was interested in being an artist professionally, like her older sister and brother. She worked hard to get to where she might have a chance at some kind of career in art. Her first love being fashion, it made sense that she would become a fashion illustrator like her sister Chris. After graduating at Florida's St. Petersburg high school in 1947, the logical thing to Edwina and all was for Grace to leave Florida and join Chris in Omaha. Chris had begun her career as a fashion illustrator and was doing quite nicely. She had the advantage of Bruce's superior reputation. Grace had to work at it. Chris was her teacher. Bruce was her highest ideal. A stint at Mutual of Omaha doing some newbie mail work and whatever office girl tasks were needed, Grace would be asked to do artwork for various flyers. It may have been possible that she could have had a career in advertising art at Mutual, but at that time women were asked to leave their jobs as soon as they became pregnant. It would take years, and four children later, Grace would have herself a career in advertising art. In the mid 70's with the children leaving home, she began working for the local department store, Richman Gordman. Within a short time she was one of their top illustrators. It was at least a decade or two of success but somewhat short lived as illustration advertising came to an end in the 1980's and photography took over. While fashion and especially art deco fashion, was her first love, Grace had worked hard at portraiture on the side. Again with disciplined practice, art group participation and lots of love, Grace became an expert in pastel portraiture.<br />
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I'd love to share with you some of the artwork these 3 sisters put out in their lifetime of creativity. Each of them having skill and talent, yet each wishing they were as talented as their brother, Bruce. His work was a measure for all of them. There is no doubt that he would have contributed to the world of art in a profound way, given the chance. So enjoy these works of the three sisters. I'll share some of Bruce's early work later. There will be more coming, I promise!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Circa 1945-1950 Creighton University, Omaha, figure drawing class with instructor Agustus Dunbier. Grace and Harryette took a class together. This painting is unsigned but believed to be one of the sister's paintings. Grace maintains that she was asked to stay at the end of class by Dunbier. The story is that she declined an invitation for a "date" as she was "engaged". My bedroom is done in a traditional/British colonial style and this painting works perfectly.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are a few examples of Grace's successful career in advertising fashion illustration, years after her brother, Bruce's awesome career start in the late 1930's. These examples are from the 1980's Richman Gordman Department Store advertising. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a simple sketch by Harryette Jepson Bondesson. There are so many paintings to share and this is just one tiny sample of her talent. We will share so much more very soon. Harryette loved horses as you can see here. She made their anatomy one of her foremost studies as well as actually riding. I love sharing this simple study.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't have many examples of Chris's early artworks for stores like the Zoobs and the Daisy in Omaha circa 1940-1970's. The women's fashion shop was a "go to" destination for women of all ages and all walks of life. This photo was published in Glamour Magazine 1940-41, I believe. Chris was working at the bomber plant and was a star female artist. Bruce was proud of her and shared this photo with buddies, as he was descending into the Army Air Force.</td></tr>
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I am so proud of these three sisters. Their WWII sacrifice and perseverance is an inspiration to me. If I could ever let go of the past, it would be through this blog. As I tell their story I might be able to move on to the future (or the present). But aren't we here to remember and honor them? Yes, I think so. It's history as told by the people who care. We who honor the past and will never forget. That's me, the family history teller. I think they are beautiful and it's all done with love. Comments are welcome. Please follow me, it does help. Thanks so much!<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">© Julie Ann Cambridge, Inkwashletters,
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written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.
Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to
Julie Ann Cambridge and Inkwashletters with appropriate and specific direction
to the original content.</span></div>
Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-51121742722689076182018-02-09T21:00:00.000-06:002018-07-07T23:13:07.404-05:00Pre-WWII Gifted Artist In Omaha<style><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><font size="3"><i>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">After Growing Up In Florida, Bruce's Career And Life In The City</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">"Must provide deadlines, Evan's job, Aksarben Races-23 sketches".</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Bruce's 1941 datebook gives us a good idea of how busy he was. He most certainly began his art career as soon as he graduated from Central High School, if not before but in 1940-41 he is overwhelmed with jobs coming his way. </span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">The 1940 census record shows Edwina, Bruce and Chris living at 315 South 31st Street. This part of Omaha at the time was close to downtown where Bruce worked. The home was torn down in the 1970's. It was just steps away from Turner Park which is now part of Midtown Crossing at Turner Park.</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So in 1940 Edwina and Christina lived on the main level of the 31st Street home. It had a very small kitchen. Their space had a family room with a fireplace where Edwina hung one of her many ocean paintings. She had it framed at the early Omaha downtown art store, Standard Blue which is now known as Dick Blick. That painting hangs on my fireplace mantle, today, though I do sometimes hang it in my bedroom as well. Edwina slept in the main room, while Grace has fond memories of sleeping with Chris on the chaise in the sun room, Harryette slept with Edwina in the main room, possibly on a sofa bed or pullout bed. Bess Haas, a friend of Christina's rented a room on the second floor. </span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bruce had a loft, or attic apartment which gave him some privacy. He worked at an art table there near a window facing S. E. toward downtown. Grace often visited him there and had many conversations with him while he worked. He almost surely gave her some quick art lessons, as well. She recalls his model airplanes dangling from the ceiling above his drawing table. She maintains that he was always fascinated with flying.</span></i></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">1940 U.S. Census Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Earliest photo of the home at 315 S 31st St. Originally the Bishop Williams residence. Photo from Memories.nebraska.gov</span></i></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></i></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The 1940 U.S. Fremont Nebraska Census record shows Grace and Harryette living at the Masonic Home. I will be writing another blog on this subject. For now I will focus on the girls return home to 31st Street and its impact on Bruce. </span></span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>1940 U.S Census Fremont, Nebraska</i></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Inmates"</span></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Grace, age 12 and Harryette, age 8 came home to 31st St. in Spring of 1941. Bruce was well immersed in his art career. No one would know the coming future that would be the start of WW2. </span></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the photo I found of the home at memories.nebraska.gov you see the loft window Bruce worked at, as well as the sun room Grace and Chris would have slept in. Grace has fond memories of making fudge in the tiny kitchen. She also recalls walking to Mrs. Hart's home in the nearby neighborhood of Gifford Park. She would return with a basket of homemade lemon merange pie, Bruce's favorite. </span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I love this photo of Bruce walking on the streets of of 1940-41 downtown Omaha with the VP of the firm, Smith, Kaplan and Reynolds. The VP must have been impressed with Bruce.</span></span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Bruce Fleming Jepson (at right) on the street in Omaha with the VP of his ad company, Allen and Reynolds, circa 1940-41</span></i></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gtl44LdFBkQ/Wn5ju77tpfI/AAAAAAAAAdg/5mt_m2tIm1ExrmsvMcEoLYBWJpVKmJ55wCEwYBhgL/s1600/BFJ%2Bwith%2BVP2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="774" height="282" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gtl44LdFBkQ/Wn5ju77tpfI/AAAAAAAAAdg/5mt_m2tIm1ExrmsvMcEoLYBWJpVKmJ55wCEwYBhgL/s320/BFJ%2Bwith%2BVP2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></i></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Edwina wrote on the back of the photo of Bruce on the street, "Bruce-snapped on the street-with vice president of the firm he's contracted with"</span></i></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></i></span></td></tr>
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More to come on Bruce's Advertising career pre-WWII</div>
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Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-12824483940092740292018-01-24T22:28:00.000-06:002018-06-21T18:56:08.425-05:00Artista 1941<div style="text-align: justify;">
1941</div>
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Artista in Mexico</div>
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January 1941 Bruce celebrates his 24th birthday and in a few short months he celebrates his success as a career artist, not in Omaha, but in Mexico.
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Tax statements show Bruce’s income at approximately $1400.00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1941 he increases that income to over
$2100.00. The average yearly income in 1941 was $1492.00. From my research on inflation and equivalents, I think that $2100.00 today would be between $20-25,000, maybe more. It's important to keep in mind the number of hours that might have taken. Bruce was hired by many advertisers as a freelance artist. He was also working at Allen and Reynold's (now Smith, Kaplan and Reynolds, or SKAR), one of the most successful ad agencies in Omaha at that time. It's also important to understand the cost of living. A quart of milk was 14 cents, a pound of coffee 24 cents. Did they have a refrigerator yet? They did not own a car. Bruce took cabs, and as of yet, I haven't been able to figure out what that might have cost. How was Bruce able to travel to Mexico in 1941? One wonders where the money went, so I am going to break it down and gather up some idea as to what their lives were like in 1941 Omaha, Nebraska, which was at the time, still referred to as Omaha City. </div>
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More to come on, "Artista in Mexico" </div>
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Please share your thoughts and follow. I cannot do this without your input. Thank you.</div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">© Julie Ann Cambridge, Inkwashletters,
2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and
written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.
Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to
Julie Ann Cambridge and Inkwashletters with appropriate and specific direction
to the original content.</span><br />
<br />
For more info on income and inflation history, go here;</div>
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<a href="https://historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?action=read&artid=250">https://historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?action=read&artid=250</a></div>
Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-37191239403626249182017-09-01T23:25:00.000-05:002019-03-01T00:50:05.765-06:00Update 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Post 2016<br />
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For medical reasons in 2016, I've been away for awhile. I'm still here, thanks to a higher power and some really good Doctors. My husband has been ill as well. We've been through a lot. But we are enjoying two beautiful grandchildren and doing well with our health now. Still researching and sleuthing. Appreciating help from family members. You know who you are. Thank you.<br />
<br />
After much excitement with former Brigadier General Reynolds, I'd say things have taken a slow turn, which is to be expected. Bruce's remains are still a remote possibility. A dream that is not attainable. The family is fine with that, however. We are in the camp of, A-Okay. But there is always hope.<br />
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So what's next?<br />
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I'm researching, interviewing and writing, writing, writing. I know that I have a great story. My interviews with mom are key to moving forward. I'm a survivor like my mom. She is the only one left to help tell their WWII story.<br />
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I appreciate all of the efforts on Bruce's behalf. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. for following my blog My mother thanks you on behalf of her beloved brother. <br />
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This is the story of one gifted artist who was also a pilot with the 14th AAF. I want to share his fine art and advertising art as well as his sister's art. I'm still working on all the scanning. I can't wait to share with you.<br />
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So, it's not that I have been slacking. Forgive my absence! I have so much history, it overwhelms me. What I have in my hands is special. I'm working on it and doing the best I can.<br />
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I appreciate your patience. I adore it. Please follow me. Let me know you are interested. I need your support. Everyone of you. You give me hope.<br />
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I'll leave you with one of my favorite pics of Bruce. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EoCTaIcAhjo/Wyw96MDsHCI/AAAAAAAAAiY/d7FZyYYx3yUgPo8t4N3PxnonhoOxMMyVQCLcBGAs/s1600/BruceEaster1941068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="257" data-original-width="181" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EoCTaIcAhjo/Wyw96MDsHCI/AAAAAAAAAiY/d7FZyYYx3yUgPo8t4N3PxnonhoOxMMyVQCLcBGAs/s1600/BruceEaster1941068.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruce Fleming Jepsen Easter 1941 A&R Omaha, Ne. </td></tr>
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Thank you, thank you, thank you.<br />
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<br />Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-57846463652815673022017-05-27T18:49:00.000-05:002017-05-27T18:59:22.339-05:00KC Trip With Grace, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency April 2017<style>
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Happy Memorial Day! Before the trip
to Kansas City for the <a href="http://www.dpaa.mil/" target="_blank">Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency</a> meet and greet
conference in April 2017, I spoke with Cindy Holland from the Agency via phone
re: my Uncle Bruce’s case. I was able to inform her that I had contact with
retired Brigadier General Jon Reynolds and that we were not in high hopes of
finding Bruce’s remains. Cindy sent me Bruce’s personnel file and a DNA kit.
She also sent my mother, Grace a DNA kit. Cindy was very kind and helpful. I
felt I could call her at anytime with questions. The file contained detailed
accounts from crash witnesses and past efforts to find Bruce and bring him
home. </div>
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My grandmother, Edwina had received
official army letters that told her in minimal detail about the crash, where and
how he died. She wrote to the Army several times requesting more details of the
crash as well as any info on efforts to find him. The area where he was shot
down was still enemy occupied territory. Edwina was aware that it was too
dangerous for someone to go into the area to find his remains. What she didn’t
know was that the local village people buried her son, saving his body from the
enemy at the crash site. There was a second burial by the American catholic
missionary. The Priest was concerned about communist militants taking the
remains. According to the Army, the first burial was by the Japanese, which
wasn’t really a burial. The second was by the local villagers. The Army
considered the missionaries to be a third burial. Though she lived to the age
of 87, when Edwina died in 1978, I believe she was not aware of the efforts being
made on her son’s behalf.</div>
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I had already seen many of the
reports contained in the file, however there was new information for me. As far
as what his mission was, what might have caused the crash and how he may have
been killed, there wasn’t anything new, but there were detailed witness
accounts of the crash that were helpful in understanding what happened to him. Particularly
what followed after the crash, the condition of his body and the burials. It
was good to learn that there were efforts by the Army and underground groups to
recover him and his dog tags in 1945 and again in 1947. </div>
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At the conference in our one on one
meeting, we met with Cindy Holland and Erin Epp, Analyst with the DPAA assigned
to Bruce’s case. She nicely gave Grace their account of what happened to Bruce.
At the point where we discussed what she considered to be his final burial, I
was able to tell Erin about Jon Reynolds and his story about efforts to find
Bruce’s remains in 1987. Jon had nicely offered to have a phone conference
during our meeting. I suggested this to Erin and she was very glad to do so.
Jon was available, as I expected and we had a conversation with him regarding
his experience as China liaison in1987. Erin was able to have further
discussion privately with Jon. They shared contact info and Erin said she and
Cindy would work with him on Bruce’s case. There is more to the story. Stay
tuned.</div>
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Grace was present for the full
meeting, as well as John Cambridge and Dan Cupak. I asked Grace a long time ago
if she’d like to have a phone conference with Paul Crawford (Bruce’s tent mate)
and/or Jon Reynolds. She declined because she felt she would not be able to contain
her emotions. As I expected when Grace began to talk about Bruce with Erin and
Cindy, she became emotional and cried. She enjoyed talking about him and when
Erin commented that her brother Bruce was quite handsome, Grace gave her usual
response, “He was also a gifted artist”. My mother also wanted to tell Jon how
much she appreciated his work but was unable to gather herself at that moment. At
this meeting, my mother was honored to hear Jon Reynolds speak for the first
time about her brother. </div>
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I learned more details about Bruce
through the work of the DPAA. I am sure Edwina would be pleased to know that
there are people who care and are devoted daily to bringing fallen soldiers
home to their families. They were organized, respectful and kind. I am glad to
have met Cindy and Erin and will continue working with them on my mother’s
behalf. Grace may not ever be able to see her brother’s remains returned, and
without remains there is no repatriation. What this trip did for my mother is it allowed her to feel that she herself made efforts to help in the search for her brother's remains. I think she should feel good about that. Also that he is not forgotten. There are people who work very hard to bring each of them home. There are still some 2000 unaccounted for in China and thousands more lost in the Pacific. Those remains may never be recovered. What Grace has always wanted is simple. She just wants her brother to be remembered. This is my task.</div>
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This year we celebrate the centennial
of Bruce’s birth and we will celebrate my mother’s 88<sup>th</sup> birthday on
Memorial Day. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uyBvXcHbavo/WSoNAzl93FI/AAAAAAAAAaI/P0kKqz2Gc5spnRmaAWh9cWzNr89nHz35ACLcB/s1600/Edwina%2526girls%2540Connors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1338" height="193" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uyBvXcHbavo/WSoNAzl93FI/AAAAAAAAAaI/P0kKqz2Gc5spnRmaAWh9cWzNr89nHz35ACLcB/s320/Edwina%2526girls%2540Connors.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left to right Harryette, Chris, Edwina, Grace. Taken in Omaha at the Connor's residence about 1944. This photo was sent to Bruce in China. It was the last photo he would see of his mother and his sisters.</td></tr>
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Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-85909603348746479612016-09-06T23:13:00.003-05:002018-06-21T19:33:50.211-05:001920's Titusville<style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"MS 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"MS 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} --> </style>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">H.C. Jepsen home, Titusville, Fl date unknown, possibly 1915, the year Edwina and Harry married.</td></tr>
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A letter from Titusville, 1921</div>
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I am fortunate to have a copy of a letter written by my great grandmother. Though it is just a really bad copy of the original, I am so pleased to have it, especially since we do not have a single photo of my Great Grandmother. This letter contains details of my grandparents, Harry and Edwina Jepsen in 1921 Indian River City, Florida. It is my summation that at some point, my Aunt Julia, the recipient, made a copy for her sister. Unfortunately, it is a very poor Xerox copy. Much of the letter is not legible, including the signature. For me, though it's a given that it is signed, Mother or Mama.<br />
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The 1920 Florida census record shows each adult mentioned in this letter to be in the Harry Jepsen household. I believe the following letter to be written by Kelon Fleming Wilson Weaver. Kelon, Edwina’s mother was born in 1872 Alabama and died in1926, five years after the letter was written. She is buried in Mims, Florida, just north of Titusville.<br />
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There is some helpful information to know as you read my transcription. Kelon refers to Edwina as “Ed”. She writes of her son Tom. She also mentions her daughter Euphamia (Aunt Femie). The children in the household are not mentioned in the letter. DeVerde (Aunt Vergie) is Kelon’s youngest daughter, Edwina’s baby sister. Grace says that a woman they referred to as “Mammie” watched after Bruce and Christina. Mammie must not have been living in the household since there is no mention of her in the census record.<br />
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In order to fully understand the letter, I would need to see the original, if it still exists, but I do have details that allow us a glimpse into their lives. Hopefully, I’ll be able to meet with cousins one of these days and possibly get a better copy made. Yeah, Florida trip! So here’s the letter with the transcription following. I welcome your comments.</div>
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<style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"MS 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} --> </style>
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Transcription 1921 Letter</div>
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Titusville, Florida, Aug 12, 1921, Kelon to her daughter Julia</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dear Julia,</i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Your welcome letter arrived yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was getting right anxious to hear from you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well I have never heard of so cheap board you had better stay there as long as they will let you.</i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I had a telegram from Tom Monday morn saying he would be home on 5th.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was joy in the land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had to get on or stay in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wages were cut and the food bill cut by 20 per cent so while going was good he got.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Am sure glad he did, as he is so thin it makes him look taller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is well and so happy to get out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t know what he will do just yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has a ______ discharge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Character and deferment perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sobriety and Work perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is looking around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has no love of fishing, something will turn up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They clipped his head when he first went in, never been cut since and it’s pretty short now and thin, is nearly bald on top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s driving Ed’s car, sleeping at her house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They eat dinner and supper here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Harry left for Atlanta Sunday ______, ______.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Left with Bill and wife, all have gone to sanatorium for ten days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bill has been there before, knows the roads and after they get settled out they visit her sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Harry says he will go in country some place and drink ________ milk and rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ed is in store all the time, very busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is entire manager as Jepsons have bought it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Last week I had a letter from Euphamia saying she was packing to leave for Ft Worth that night as D___ was leaving for Oklahoma and she was going with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Said she would write as soon as they stopped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No news yet, looking for letters everyday.</i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mr. Jno Walker died last Wednesday night about ten minutes after getting home from a A____meeting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heart failure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was buried Sunday at 3:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The children and relatives gathered from the far winds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were over twenty five hundred dollars worth of flowers from everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never saw so many and such pretty ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know he was a member of everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three or four lodges buried him, some from house to church, others from church to grave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The band furnished music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also had special song solos as well as a big selected quire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sure hurt us all, he was such a good fellow to everybody.</i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Well I know of no house yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell me when you want it and how much pay and I will try further.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Coffers has gone, haven’t seen about his house yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Robins house in front of schoolhouse is to let.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>T____has the big _____ house soon as Jepsons get out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mary Mitchell’s dad, they say is moving down to Merritt, how about their house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know little, later there will be none anywhere so hurry and say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lots of love to all of you,</i></div>
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_____________________</div>
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The 1920 Titusville, Fl. Census</div>
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Harry C. Jepson household </div>
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Harry, age 30, Manager</div>
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Edwina, age 24</div>
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Bruce, age 3</div>
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Christina, 11/12 (11 months)</div>
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William Weaver, age 41, fisherman</div>
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Kelon Weaver, age 43</div>
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Euphamia Wilson, age 19 (Aunt Femie) Citrus grove worker</div>
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Tom Wilson, age 16 (Uncle Tom), fisherman</div>
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DeVerde Wilson, age 14 (Aunt Vergie)</div>
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Harry is head of household. He owns a furniture and hardware store.</div>
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Harry and Edwina have been married 5 years.</div>
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Harry gives his correct age. He was born in 1889 and at the time the census was taken, he had not yet celebrated his 31<sup>st</sup> birthday. Edwina tells the census taker she is 24 years of age. Those of us, who knew her, were very much aware of her tendency to lie about her age. My mother, Grace still questions me on this subject. Unfortunately, we will never have a birth certificate for her, as the 1890 Alabama records were destroyed in a fire. With the other census records in mind and Edwina’s 1978 death certificate showing her age to be 87, I’ve concluded that she was born in1890. This makes her age 30 in 1920.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NnQhVuThkMk/V89z1HOr9-I/AAAAAAAAAXw/ajY6--UCZcI9R8GAQxzU0W9WUGnQDTIswCLcB/s1600/BrucebabyChris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NnQhVuThkMk/V89z1HOr9-I/AAAAAAAAAXw/ajY6--UCZcI9R8GAQxzU0W9WUGnQDTIswCLcB/s320/BrucebabyChris.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruce with baby Christina, Titusville, Fl. about 1920</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Let’s talk about Harry</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>“Harry left for Atlanta”, and “all have gone to Sanatorium for ten days”, indicates Edwina’s ability to manage things in her husband’s absence, but what does it tell us about Harry? Did Harry simply work too hard and needed a break, or had he been ill and was in need of a health remedy? Had he been drinking too much and needed to sober up?</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harry Christopher Jepsen, Titusville, Fl. Early 1900's</td></tr>
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“Jepsons have bought it all”, gives us a bit of truth to the family story of lost wealth. It also gives us an idea of Harry as a businessman and family man. His father, Peter Jepson was a widower in 1920. The census shows him living with Harry’s sister, Ann and her husband and son. Peter was not a widower for long, though; he remarried in 1921 and died in Titusville in 1923. He was the Danish pioneer, banker; community leader and land developer. Our Aunt Chris had vivid memories of his elaborate funeral service. The Nebraska pioneer will be another post. I have a good amount of detail on the Peter Jepson family. Grace has always said that Edwina and Harry didn’t care much for the second wife. They had been in a fortunate economic situation, but after the Patriarch died and the estate went into probate court, Harry’s older brother and the second wife were appointed executors. It was at that time that Harry and Edwina lost the furniture store.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At left possibly one of Edwina's sisters, Edwina in the middle and Harry at right in front of the Jepsen Furniture Store, Titusville, Fl. early 1900's</td></tr>
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In Florida, the great depression came early in 1926, when much of Miami, Dade County was destroyed by a hurricane. It has been called a “pinprick” in the bubble of the Florida real estate boom. Harry had purchased a lot of land along the east coast, including land known as Dade County. This puts much of his investment into land- that had been destroyed and deemed unfit for habitation. The story from Aunt Chris was that Edwina asked for help from family to pay the taxes on that land but no one was willing to invest in it, calling it "nothing but swamp land". But I do think that the Dade County land was the last bit of land that Edwina sold. I have deeds and correspondence letters. The Jepson real estate will be another post. I think that Peter’s death and the estate going to probate in 1923, was the first “pinprick” in the Jepson family bubble. Financially, the hurricane was another pinprick and then the stock market crash in 1929.<br />
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So we get a picture of their economic situation. “Gone to sanatorium”, adds mystery. My imagination runs wild sometimes. Prohibition began nationally in 1920. In Florida the new governor, elected in 1919, ran on a theme of pro-prohibition. But, there was a lot of bootlegging going on and as long as you had money, you could get booze. Florida in the twenties prohibition era was called “the leakiest place in the nation”. Read about it here and be sure to watch the short video, <a href="http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/sixty-years-before-the-cocaine-cowboys-miami-was-the-wild-west-of-prohibition-8269399">http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/sixty-years-before-the-cocaine-cowboys-miami-was-the-wild-west-of-prohibition-8269399</a>.<br />
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Grace has always maintained that in 1930, the family was in Miami so that her father, Harry could visit a sanatorium there. The 1930 census shows them in Miami, 9 years after the 1921 letter and about a year before Harry died in 1931. I have another post coming soon about the family in Miami. It’s Grace’s story about a stroll with her father and a somewhat infamous court case. </div>
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Moving on. Bonus! A letter from Harry to Edwina written about the same time as Kelon's letter. It’s a short letter and it is not dated, but the details show the approximate age of Bruce to be a toddler. It gives an intimate picture of father and son.</div>
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“Bruce is on my lap, trying to help me write this, Hi Mama, see his writing”. I do not know where Edwina was, but it does indicate that she could have been taking care of some business, “Saw Bill Morgan today and he said that you made connections ok. Write as soon as you can and let me know how you are getting along and when you expect to return. I don’t believe it will take very long, I hope not”.<br />
I’d say both Harry and Edwina did some traveling in the twenties. We have heard it said that Harry was a drinker and enjoyed smoking cigars. It has also been said that Bruce and Chris adored their father. It's important to mention too, that Edwina practiced temperance her entire life. Bruce may have been around three years old at the time of the above letter. Harry died in 1931 from cancer of the esophagus, at the age of 42. Bruce was fourteen years old. </div>
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Edwina<br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>“Ed is in store all the time, very busy”. This shows Edwina’s strength after fairly recently giving birth. It shows us she was managing a baby, a 3-year-old boy, a house full of people and the family business on top of all that. “She is entire manager as Jepsons have bought it all”. This indicates there was more than one business venture. We know from family stories that there was a black maid the children called, “Mammie” and that Bruce and Chris loved her and played with her little boy. With Mammie, her mother and sisters, we may assume that Edwina had some help.</div>
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“Tommy drives Ed’s car”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grace has said that Edwina was the first woman in Titusville to own an automobile. She thinks there was a newspaper article with Edwina pictured. Searching a newspaper archive is tedious and time-consuming. I have a Jepsen-Paulsen cousin who is a whiz at it. Anyway, I have not found such an article.</div>
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Before marrying, Edwina was a music teacher in Alabama and she did continue to teach music and Shakespeare, mostly as a volunteer in Titusville and surrounding communities. Titusville at that time had a country schoolhouse. We know that Edwina took it upon herself to tutor her children in cultural arts. Bruce’s 1945 letters from overseas indicate that he did not want Grace and Harryette to be taken out of school in Omaha, saying they would do much better with their education there.</div>
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In my conversations with Aunt Chris, I learned that Edwina wanted to to be a writer, and that she never really gave that up. She also had wanted me to play the piano and I remember feeling her disappointment in me for not pursuing that. But when I was around 12 years old, she told me that I could write well and encouraged me. I didn’t believe her. I didn’t think about it again until many years later. It has taken me most of my life to realize that I am a writer, like my Grandmother. When we’re young we don’t listen. I wasn’t focused. I could have learned so much more from her.</div>
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We fondly called her Pudgie. She didn’t like being called “Grandma”, yet I never thought of her as anything else. As I do the family research now, I’m amazed at the things one might find. Here we can really appreciate her. There will be plenty more to share about Edwina later but I think you get the picture. None of us really knew the kind of strength that woman had while she was still alive.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edwina in her garden about 1920, Titusville, Fl.</td></tr>
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Putting
it all together<br />
<br /></div>
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In 1921, Harry and
Edwina Jepson are generous and successful enough to have much of their family
living under the same roof. They own their home. They own more than one
business. Edwina’s mother has come with second husband in tow for an extended
stay. Her siblings are there to help. Euphamia, is working at a citrus grove, probably the family business, Titusville Fruit and Farmlands Company. Tom
drives Ed’s automobile. Tom was in the navy (verified by Grace), and had an honorable
discharge. He isn’t fond of fishing, but with family support he seems to have been
managing well. According to Grace, her Uncle Tom was a much, loved brother and
he adored his sisters. They are all having dinner together. There must have
been plenty of fish and citrus on the menu. Harry is able to leave for 10 days without
worry over business. Edwina is possibly a kind of celebrity in her small
community. </div>
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<br /></div>
In the last paragraph of the letter, Kelon is
answering Julia’s request for help in finding a home. “The big house”, “is to
let, soon as Jepsons get out”, probably she is speaking of the Peter Jepson
home on Coquina Ave. Peter’s second wife was a wealthy widow. She owned the Hotel
Dixie, which she sold in 1921. Kelon’s comments sound as though she was
speculating that the Jepsons might be planning to live at the hotel. I found
this little news bit, with the help of our Paulsen cousin, newspaper archive expert, Linda.
<br />
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<span style="color: #386eff; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15.0pt;">Miami Herald, June 6, 1921, p. 2</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16.0pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Titusville - The Hotel
Dixie has a new manager, C. Fielding, a well-known hotel man of Lakeland.
Mr. Freiding (sic) took possession of the hotel last Wednesday, having
purchased the interest of Mrs. P. Jepson. Mr. and Mrs. Jepson will move
to Indian River city and reside in the Jepson home.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cV8YypEDbrM/V8-ENaqWLdI/AAAAAAAAAYk/V6b4DznjM2AOGgSwVSbKOjaZqgQq4QLKQCLcB/s1600/h-HotelDixie.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cV8YypEDbrM/V8-ENaqWLdI/AAAAAAAAAYk/V6b4DznjM2AOGgSwVSbKOjaZqgQq4QLKQCLcB/s1600/h-HotelDixie.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LFjOeH2dngQ/V8-K6Vp2r4I/AAAAAAAAAZY/qM-A_c5xZiApEbnqbGL61_JdmzfZq_TawCLcB/s1600/TitusvilleFruit%2526FarlandsCo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LFjOeH2dngQ/V8-K6Vp2r4I/AAAAAAAAAZY/qM-A_c5xZiApEbnqbGL61_JdmzfZq_TawCLcB/s320/TitusvilleFruit%2526FarlandsCo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Titusville Fruit and Farmlands Company, "The big Jepsen House". </td></tr>
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<br /></div>
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Julia and her
husband did settle in Cocoa. The 1945 Florida Census, 24 years after
the 1921 letter, shows Edwina, Grace and Harryette in the Parrish household. The
state census was taken around the time of Bruce’s death. Bruce is listed in the
Parrish household, but we know that is incorrect as he was in China. The fact
that he is listed, I think, shows Edwina’s inability to face her son’s death.</div>
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It is a great
thing our ancestors have given us in the form of a 1921 handwritten letter,
even if it is just a bad zerox copy. Thanks go to whoever it was that sent the
copy, probably Julia. As I said before, I hope to meet the owner of the letter
one of these days. </div>
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Other
worthy mentions</div>
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The funeral
service Kelon describes may have been a cousin since Kelon’s ancestry includes
Walkers. She writes his name as Mr. Jno (Johnathon) Walker. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I might research that further, if I ever find
the time. Her description of the flowers, music and the organizations that
honored him really give a picture of what funerals were like. Harry’s father,
Peter Jepsen’s funeral service would have been very similar. I will write more
on that at some point. Chris recalled his service in detail, bagpipes, swords
and all.</div>
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The story of
Kelon’s oldest son, Douglas Wilson who is not mentioned in the letter, would be
an interesting one to research. I was told that he disappeared due to gambling
debts and that Julia hired a private detective to find out what happened to
him, “Euphamia is packing for Fort Worth”. I also remember Grace saying that Aunt
Femie went to Texas in an effort to find Uncle “Dougie”. I found his WW1 draft registration
form dated 1918. He was in Arizona. Ironically, in a town called Douglas.</div>
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Kelon died in 1926,
five years after writing the letter. Possibly, she, like her daughter Ed, lied
about her age when the 1920 census was taken, saying she was 43. That would
make her 49 when she died. We have 5 sources for her age, including the
Find-a-grave website and an obit, which shows Kelon Fleming Weaver born 1872,
died 1926 at age 54. Like mother, like daughter.</div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">© Julie Ann Cambridge, Inkwashletters,
2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and
written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.
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Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-77694878436154486742016-08-19T12:25:00.000-05:002016-11-03T20:51:42.205-05:00Grace Notes<br />
Grace, Shirley Temple and Bruce's early art.<br />
<br />
In 1934, Grace's idol of the day was Shirley Temple. Grace and Shirley were the same age, just a month apart. Through my genealogy research, I discovered that they were also distant cousins. In May of 1934, I imagine Grace got to go to the movies for her 5th birthday. She might have seen Shirley Temple's breakthrough film, <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand_Up_and_Cheer%21" title="Stand Up and Cheer!">Stand Up and Cheer!</a></i> Which was released in May of 1934, check it out here, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Temple" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Temple. </a><br />
<br />
Grace also idolized Bruce. He must have been quite touched by that. Of course, he was continually practicing his drawing and tutoring all his sisters. Perhaps the sketch of Shirley temple was a birthday gift for Grace.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XUI6mRfrbVQ/V7c0ZZSjJwI/AAAAAAAAAVI/DKPfgidS0O44pFrSDIFG1AHf7nn1z7cWwCLcB/s1600/BFJshirley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XUI6mRfrbVQ/V7c0ZZSjJwI/AAAAAAAAAVI/DKPfgidS0O44pFrSDIFG1AHf7nn1z7cWwCLcB/s320/BFJshirley.jpg" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shirley Temple "To Grace" by Bruce F. Jepsen, 1934</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
So this is one of my favorites, Bruce's 1934 sketch of my mother, Grace while she was sleeping.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zWwv8IFxZPI/V7c1i3WTOvI/AAAAAAAAAVM/nLEScwsJ18gRoJqEbb7C15ekyYtiPTcaACLcB/s1600/GraceAsleepBFJ34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zWwv8IFxZPI/V7c1i3WTOvI/AAAAAAAAAVM/nLEScwsJ18gRoJqEbb7C15ekyYtiPTcaACLcB/s320/GraceAsleepBFJ34.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grace Asleep, by Bruce F. Jepsen, 1934</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-62nzbXOkzxE/V7c7txYnj0I/AAAAAAAAAVw/dDu3Wvlsay4xVYerWeZfWSnC7KvA8Kx4gCLcB/s1600/Grace1935%2522justlikeJepsens%252Cquiet%2522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-62nzbXOkzxE/V7c7txYnj0I/AAAAAAAAAVw/dDu3Wvlsay4xVYerWeZfWSnC7KvA8Kx4gCLcB/s320/Grace1935%2522justlikeJepsens%252Cquiet%2522.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grace 1935</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
By the time Bruce graduated from Central High School in 1937, he had won art awards and was being hired by various local business's in downtown Omaha to do signage and newspaper ads, as well as murals. See previous post on mural painting and the early Omaha Bee Newspaper. Bruce also did a few self-portraits, which I will share later. Happy Friday!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dcdZXzPYg80/V7c7WH8M4GI/AAAAAAAAAVs/yGytW9cpP_gASmNmHWgqvNWFFn2yL7ncgCLcB/s1600/BFJCentralHigh1937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dcdZXzPYg80/V7c7WH8M4GI/AAAAAAAAAVs/yGytW9cpP_gASmNmHWgqvNWFFn2yL7ncgCLcB/s320/BFJCentralHigh1937.jpg" width="217" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruce Fleming Jepsen, Central High School, 1937</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">© Julie Ann Cambridge, Inkwashletters, 2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Julie Ann Cambridge and Inkwashletters with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.</span></div>
Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-36667906263334379812016-07-28T22:59:00.000-05:002018-06-22T10:16:40.392-05:001945 Tentmates<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #444444;"><u><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Tentmates in 1945 China</i></span></u></span></span></h4>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cadet Jepsen 1943</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flight Officer Bruce Fleming Jepsen 1944</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ACWAiSGLV9s/WyxHpp5JRxI/AAAAAAAAAjI/yt935f-mey0dF9Tj_YFeNad4EL08bCcEgCLcBGAs/s1600/xmasww2china.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="483" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ACWAiSGLV9s/WyxHpp5JRxI/AAAAAAAAAjI/yt935f-mey0dF9Tj_YFeNad4EL08bCcEgCLcBGAs/s320/xmasww2china.jpg" width="234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USAAF CBI Christmas card</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bruce wrote descriptions of his best buddies and tentmates while in China. Bruce's favorite buddy was Paul Crawford who called me a few years ago and told me a funny story about their time together. I don't want to get into detail about that story here but let's just say there was a lot of drinking. It was such a great honor for me to be able to talk with him about my Uncle. I felt I could have spent hours and hours chatting with him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When he called me he introduced himself as Bruce's tentmate. In all my research and writing I have learned that the word, tentmate holds more meaning than I realized the first time I read it in Bruce's letters and the first time I heard Paul Crawford say it. The word tentmate is not to be taken lightly here. To these pilots of the 14th Army Air Force, it meant so many things. It meant friend and brother. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">They were buddies, as Bruce referred to them. They were together in close quarters night and day, sharing their food packages from families back in the states. They were family. They would fight in</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the skies together side by side.Bruce and his fellow tentmates were flying a lot of missions while in China. They were working hard and were sometimes weary, but I can tell you that Bruce was having the time of his life there. He loved the Chinese people and most especially loved his tentmates. I believe these photos were taken by Bruce or a buddy with Bruce's camera. As you have seen in previous posts, Bruce was a talented photographer. He sent the negatives home and wrote that he intended to share copies with his buddies.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wHJ2-lt7_rQ/V5qypFF73DI/AAAAAAAAAS0/0rwpmKHmpUo8lbN8OVGhLluwvHHoB8QKgCLcB/s1600/Bruce2P51.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wHJ2-lt7_rQ/V5qypFF73DI/AAAAAAAAAS0/0rwpmKHmpUo8lbN8OVGhLluwvHHoB8QKgCLcB/s320/Bruce2P51.jpeg" width="264" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee; font-size: large;"><u><span style="font-size: small;">Bruce F Jepson <span style="color: #0000ee;"><u>beside the</u></span> P51</span></u></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--GEaFmTjdRk/V5qypKT-7dI/AAAAAAAAASs/Euyv9xvlMkQwrgTxakJnK5tiy3hIv5OVgCLcB/s1600/BruceWmates%2Bcopy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--GEaFmTjdRk/V5qypKT-7dI/AAAAAAAAASs/Euyv9xvlMkQwrgTxakJnK5tiy3hIv5OVgCLcB/s320/BruceWmates%2Bcopy.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee; font-size: large;"><u><span style="font-size: small;">L to R-Unknown, Bruce, Sweeney, and Lt Bauman (also from Nebraska</span></u></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l5ozWSmikO0/V5qypMI0V_I/AAAAAAAAASw/muLalmoh9ro4TsM4pheOuDUkJW5huU1WACLcB/s1600/BruceP51%2Bcopy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l5ozWSmikO0/V5qypMI0V_I/AAAAAAAAASw/muLalmoh9ro4TsM4pheOuDUkJW5huU1WACLcB/s320/BruceP51%2Bcopy.jpeg" width="246" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee; font-size: large;"><u><span style="font-size: small;">Bruce Fleming Jepson</span></u></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Possibly some of the negatives were given by my grandmother, Edwina to Bruce's buddies who contacted her after the war. I'm still scanning more photos and have some saved on different computers so I'm still figuring out how to be more organized! Finding things can be a challenge, but the originals are safely archived. I use 100% rag paper in an archive safe sleeve. They are carefully attached to the paper using a tiny piece of 100% rag tape which is easily removable. If I want to display in a wall frame I will make a copy for that purpose. These are photos that should never be exposed to sunlight. For the copy, I still use rag paper, rag backing, and glass with UV protection.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Photos with Paul Crawford are coming soon. Check out his interview with the Veteran's History Project here <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd-iSp24644">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd-iSp24644</a></span></div>
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Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-16655027477369878062016-01-16T19:46:00.000-06:002016-08-01T08:46:14.801-05:001941 Midtown Omaha <div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">WW2 Era Midtown Omaha<br /> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the late 1930's Bruce Fleming Jepson was busy painting. He was <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">excited and energetic as he became a successful <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">artist and illustrator</span></span>. My mother, Grace, remembers <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">the</span> long hours her brother spent at his drawing table, sometimes missing school. He was the kind of artist that <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">would start a painting and <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">not stop</span> until it was completed. He worked</span> in <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">his</span> studio loft apartment of a <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">two-story home on the east side of 31st Street<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The only</span> photo I have of that house during the period the family lived there, is actually a photo of the Clarinda-Page Apartment building. It<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">'s the tiny little house just behind the Clarinda. <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">My mother described the house as very large with many rooms. <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The living room</span> had wood floors with a fireplace and sunroom off the back of the house where Grace would sleep on a chaise<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">. I</span></span>t ha<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">d a tiny little kitchen, where <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Edwina would make Bruce's favorite lemon pie</span>.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span>Many of Bruce's letters from overseas were addressed to this house. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Grace has happy memories of th<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">eir time there from about 1939 to the summer of 1944 when Edwina and the girls moved to Florida in hopes of seeing Bruce before he left the states.</span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The house was torn down many years before t<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">he Clarinda building would share the same fate. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KpmIA89_ixc/Vyi1yD1BriI/AAAAAAAAAOI/FfOg_rb6Vfwh_W0ROUYO5s5vG9dBlh_CgCLcB/s1600/Clarinda-PageBldg.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KpmIA89_ixc/Vyi1yD1BriI/AAAAAAAAAOI/FfOg_rb6Vfwh_W0ROUYO5s5vG9dBlh_CgCLcB/s1600/Clarinda-PageBldg.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clarinda about 1930</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photo found on https://<a href="http://www.facebook.com/savetheclarinda">www.facebook.com/savetheclarinda</a>. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">http://memories.nebraska.gov/cdm/ref/collection/opl/id/3458</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Omaha Public Library Nebraska Memories site, is a great historical reference place for early Omaha. The Mr. and I just love going through old photographs of homes and buildings in Omaha. We found th<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e above photo that</span> shows the original home of Rev Arthur W. Williams at 315 S 31st Street, looking across Harney to the West early in the 1900's. In this picture, you can see that the house was large, as we were told. You can even see the "loft" window where Bruce would possibly have done his artwork.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The house no longer exists. The area is known today as Midtown Crossing. Edwina and the girls lived on the main level. There were other tennants. Many of Bruce's letters from overseas, were addressed to this house. <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bruce <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">took</span> a p<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">hoto</span> of the First Unitarian church across the street. <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Taken about</span> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>1941.</span></span></span> It is one of the views from the front yard of the house at 315 South 31st Street. To the left of the church is Harney Street and to the right is Farnam and Turner Park.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k1-qGZW7jjs/VyYl8bEe6EI/AAAAAAAAANQ/z4YNuzVhvdgAyAjWOsXD1BixchcsgYMggCLcB/s1600/31stStreetchurch2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k1-qGZW7jjs/VyYl8bEe6EI/AAAAAAAAANQ/z4YNuzVhvdgAyAjWOsXD1BixchcsgYMggCLcB/s320/31stStreetchurch2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">First Unitarian Church, 3114 Harney St. <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">about</span> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">1941. Photo by Bruce Fleming Jeps<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">en.</span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I imagine Bruce was thoughtful when taking th<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">e above</span> photo.<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> If <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">it was taken in 1941, it would have been shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, which obviously had a profound affect on him.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow day in Omaha 1941</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I love th<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e</span> photo of traffic on a snow day, which would possibly have been taken about the same time as Bruce's photo of the church. It is looking west on Farnam, with Turner Park at left. Perhaps Bruce took a cab to work that day. We know that Bruce loved city life. Photo found at http://<a href="http://worldherald.tumblr.com/search/1941">worldherald.tumblr.com/search/1941</a></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vintage postcard of Turner Park neighborhood Omaha, Nebraska</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In th<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e</span> postcard it is easy to see why the girls were happy living in this area. It looks perfectly dreamy. Photo again from Omaha Public Library, Nebraska Memories. You can read more about the Turner family here, <a href="http://memories.nebraska.gov/cdm/ref/collection/opl/id/248">http://memories.nebraska.gov/cdm/ref/collection/opl/id/248</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of my favorite<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> photos that Bruce took</span> is <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">of the three sisters</span>. This photo was taken in the 31st St. house before Bruce left for his<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> pilot training in Texas. </span>Chris and Bruce were art instructors for the two young girls. Chris was just beginning an art career. <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">She</span> became <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">a</span> top fashion illustrator in Omaha. Perhaps in this photo, Chris was tutoring <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Grace and Harryette</span> on <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">some basics of advertising</span>. </span>At the time this photo was taken, the two young ones had no idea they would also become successful in the Omaha advertising world. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vAeFXUMUYow/VprZvO9J4uI/AAAAAAAAAKg/KkzcpwC0jqk/s1600/3sisters.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vAeFXUMUYow/VprZvO9J4uI/AAAAAAAAAKg/KkzcpwC0jqk/s320/3sisters.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The three Jepsen sisters. Photo by Bruce Fleming Jepsen. Taken about 1941.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Harryette is at left, Chris in the center, and Grace at right. The photo was taken at 315 South 31st Street.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Bruce with his <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">fellow artist friend, Walter LaHue. Eventually, the two young men would establish themselves as professionals among well-known artists. This photo was possibly taken at Fontenelle Park, overlooking the Missouri River. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I bel<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">ieve Bruce may have set up this photo and that his mother, Edwina<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Wilson Jepsen </span>acted as photographer</span>, or possibly <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Chris</span>.</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Walter LaHue and Bruce Jepson, Plein air excursion Missouri River, 1937-38.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We have a painting by <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Edwina</span> of the Missouri River and the Bluffs beyond, which may <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">have been<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> painted at</span></span> the same location. I'll be doing more on <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">her artwork at some point. </span>Unfortunately, we do not have <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">a painting</span> from Bruce that m<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">ight</span> have been done during this outing. Bruce was busy in the 1930's. He gave many of his paintings and drawings away to friends and admirers. He was <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">extremely</span> generous. Our family has a good archive of his work but we are aware, there<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">'s</span> a lot out there that we <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">have not seen</span>.</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> If <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">you have any of Bruce's work, please consider sharing. I</span>t would be a thrill to see it. More importantly, it would be a blessing for his only surviving sister, Grace. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2I8nEGGYspU/VyYx9p9zxzI/AAAAAAAAANk/fHtVH-bNgqEGtKuf5LQgg3TteHItS63VACLcB/s1600/WLaHueBruce1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2I8nEGGYspU/VyYx9p9zxzI/AAAAAAAAANk/fHtVH-bNgqEGtKuf5LQgg3TteHItS63VACLcB/s320/WLaHueBruce1.jpg" width="205" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walt and Bruce scouting a place to paint, Near the Missouri river about 1937</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The photo above is of Walt and Bruce walking toward what looks like a farm. Perhaps they are trying to find the perfect spot for painting. Taken possibly somewhere along the Missouri River about 1937-38. If Edwina was the photographer here, she was pretty good with that camera.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grace ready for work about 1949</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Grace<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">'s first entry job was with Mutual <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">of Omaha</span></span>. She would eventually do artwork for the company brochures. After marriage, Grace would stay in th<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">e midtown area, moving just to the south to an apartment overlooking Dewey Park. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">More about the Clarinda here:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarinda_%26_Page_Apartments">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarinda_%26_Page_Apartments</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I will post more of the fashion illustrations from all three sisters soon. You can read more about 1930's fashion here, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1930%E2%80%931945_in_Western_fashion">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1930%E2%80%931945_in_Western_fashion</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">For a look at some fun fashion illustration from that period go here, <a href="http://glamourdaze.com/2012/11/the-1930s-the-golden-age-of-glamour-for-womens-fashion.html">http://glamourdaze.com/2012/11/the-1930s-the-golden-age-of-glamour-for-womens-fashion.html</a></span></span>Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-4509462943991971122015-10-21T09:49:00.001-05:002018-07-07T23:46:43.171-05:00Edwina on Quote Day<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1qkWjbAEG_o/W0GWJjhZu7I/AAAAAAAAAlg/Ug_JBkXbzWYZAOOhGifjL48DmaXdjz2uQCLcBGAs/s1600/LittleEdwina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1542" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1qkWjbAEG_o/W0GWJjhZu7I/AAAAAAAAAlg/Ug_JBkXbzWYZAOOhGifjL48DmaXdjz2uQCLcBGAs/s320/LittleEdwina.jpg" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edwina Wilson Jepson Alabama c1894-95 about age 4-5. What a nice thing is it to have this photo of my grandmother at a young age. She made many accomplishments in her life despite many tragedies. </td></tr>
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Wednesday quote day and Happy Fall!<br />
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"If it's not hard you're not dreaming big enough." Oprah <br />
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"Hard" is what I'd say trying to write regularly is for me! It is continually on the back burner. Yet it is the single most important thing for me. Although, if I say this I am possibly hurting the feelings of others since there are very important people in my life who are effected. I miss friends. I don't have time or energy for my group activities or possibly a night class. Even now, I should not be writing because I need to get ready for work. However, in this moment and nearly every moment of my days, spending time with my mother and writing are the most important to me.<br />
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That said, I am remembering my Grandmother, Edwina. I am asking myself what the word, "hard" must have meant to her. On a daily basis and in every moment of her day. She lived a good long life but dealt with tragedy that many of us are not capable of understanding and there are those who do deal with her kind of tragedy. She was a gold star mother before the term existed. I am fortunate. I can't help think about how Edwina wanted to be a writer. I have recently discovered some of her writing which I hope to share later. How wonderful it would be for us now had she written about her life.<br />
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I heard an interview on NPR the other day with writer Sue Monk Kidd who wrote "The Secret Life of Bees".<a href="http://www.npr.org › Arts & Life › Books › Author Interviews." target="_blank"> <span style="background-color: white;"></span></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">www.npr.org › Arts & Life › Books › Author Interviews. </a>In describing one of her characters she said she wanted to tell this character to "Press on!" During the questions at the end of the interview an audience member explained her transition from writing non-fiction to writing fiction and how hard it was. Kidd's advice was simply, "Press on!" So keeping that in mind, I will press on. Edwina is always in my thoughts. I have it so much easier than she did. So once again, the WW2 slogan, which I've used in past postings applies. I will "keep calm and carry on" as Edwina did while her son was fighting a world war.<br />
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You can read more about the slogan here, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_Calm_and_Carry_On">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_Calm_and_Carry_On </a><br />
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Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-32169121612893223832014-10-09T21:41:00.000-05:002016-08-02T09:10:31.408-05:00Sitting on the front porch with Edwina, what Ancestor do you wish to sit on a porch with?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edwina Wilson Jepson. House party at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Hughes in Florala, Alabama, 1911.<br />
J. R.Wilson family history notebook.</td></tr>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Why I chose Edwina and Kelon to sit with on the front porch.</span></div>
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Through my research, I've found that my grandmother wasn't making things up as my mother and Aunts once thought. Edwina's family came to America early, as she always said. If I could join the 1911 porch party in this photo, I'd be sitting with my Grandmother, Edwina Wilson Jepsen 1890-1978.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would be hopeful to also have her mother, Kelon Fleming Wilson by her side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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First the Danish Immigrants</div>
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First let me give a little info on Edwina's husband's family. The Jepsens came to America relatively late, in comparison to Edwina's ancestors, from Denmark in the 1870’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been so fortunate to have found a few Jepsen cousins. One in particular is Linda Berney, who has written about the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/Paulsens%20and%20the%20Jepsens.%20She%20has%20been%20a%20huge%20help%20in%20my%20research.%20She%20works%20with%20Find%20A%20Grave,%20http://www.findagrave.com/" target="_blank">Paulsens and the Jepsens. She has been a huge help in my research. She works with Find A Grave, http://www.findagrave.com/</a> and is a sleuth at finding old newspaper articles! There are several sources available but here's one to check out,<a href="http://www.nebraskahistory.org/lib-arch/whadoin/newspapr.htm." target="_blank"> http://www.nebraskahistory.org/lib-arch/whadoin/newspapr.htm. </a>One of these days I will make a trip to Denmark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Jepsens were Nebraska pioneers <a href="http://www.dannebrognebraska.org/">http://www.dannebrognebraska.org/</a> and we are fortunate to have historical documentation that allows a glimpse into what their lives were like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Small town newspapers are a genealogist’s dream!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plaque at Dannebrog, Nebraska</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Nine Danish Immigrants, by Linda Berney</td></tr>
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Understanding the Jepsen story is an important part of understanding Flight Officer Bruce Fleming Jepsen 1917 Florida-1945 China.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope to do much more on Jepsen family history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love the nostalgic British ww2 poster, “Keep calm and carry on”,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have another one I like to keep in mind, “Keep calm and travel to Denmark”.<br />
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A bit Of My Own Bohemian Story </div>
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Please indulge me here and I will get to the very early American history soon. I am a proud Nebraskan. My paternal grandparents, the Cupaks and the Kozliks came from Austria and Bohemia (Czech Republic) in the early 1900's. Their story after arriving in America is somewhat complicated and at the same time quite simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a struggle for my father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Considering how his story began and the strength and hard work it took in order for him to become successful, one realizes what a remarkable story it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> They immigrated to Omaha and settled in the community called "Little Bohemia". </span>My cousin, Linda and I also share early Nebraska Bohemian history. There were many Czechoslovakian immigrants who became farmers in Nebraska. I also happen to have a longtime friend who's farm family was from Prague, Nebraska. My sister has asked me why I don’t do more research on our Bohemian side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please understand this genealogist’s perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our Grandparents came in 1905, which means, we have people that remained in "the old country<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">", not all that long ago. </span>I will be meeting those cousins who, I hope, will have family stories to share. I will be writing about it one day and it will include a trip to Prague.<br />
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The House Party</div>
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Now, back to Edwina and the porch party. Edwina wrote on the photo, "June 1911, house party at Mr. and Mrs. Hughes, Florala, Alabama." There's a group of people sitting at a table playing cards. On the other side is an older couple, possibly the hosts, sitting in rocking chairs just enjoying the breeze. Next to Edwina is a couple of young women possibly enjoying a bit of gossip, perhaps Edwina's sisters or her mother, Kelon. If Kelon is on this porch, it would be the only photo we have of her (sad me). Edwina is very well dressed, as if she has just come from church or possibly there was a special event that had taken place before the "house party." She was just coming of age and would, herself, marry in just a few years. While I was growing up, Edwina may have had a tendency to flower things somewhat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was hard to take her very seriously. My mother regrets that now. As a genealogist, I can assure you that I do not make things up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are professionals who seek the truth. As a writer, well, the raw facts are what make a story interesting. Edwina was correct when she stated that her family had been in America a very long time. She was correct when she stated they were Scot-Irish and French. She may not have been aware how British she was.<br />
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Grandmother's Nickname<br />
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We called her "Pudgy". The nickname was a southern one, pronounced Poogee. My mother says it started when she was young. Edwina's mother and sisters gave her a pet name which is still quite common in the south. Her mother later called her daughter "Ed". Why "Pudgy"? It may be that she was a heavy child but the photos don't show this to be the case, and as an adult, she was quite thin. Rather than being called Grandma, she preferred her nickname. So I’m sitting on that front porch with Pudgy. I loved my grandmother and I love this photo of her. She also had a tendency to destroy photos of herself. This is one she kept. I think it's such a great photo of the quintessential south.<br />
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Early History</div>
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I've traced Edwina's mother, Kelon's history back to 1400s but we'll start with the early 1600's Virginia. They were part of the earliest groups of people who came from the United Kingdom. There are many surnames and ship names, which I may list later. Cary Cox, who served in the Revolution was born in Va. and moved to Putnam County, Ga. His daughter Bethany Cox married a Frenchman, named Edmond Dismukes (The American version of the French name, DeMeaux). It was their daughter, Henrietta who married William Walker Fleming of Georgia. Their son Thomas Jefferson Fleming moved to Alabama in the mid 1850's prior to the Civil war. He married Julia Solomon and their daughter, Kelon Thomas Fleming was born in Alabama in 1872. She married John Robert Wilson, the son of the Scots, in 1889. John Robert's grandfather also served in the Revolution. Edwina, the oldest of six children, was born in 1890 Alabama, and she had quite the patriotic history in her family. <br />
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The Wilsons</div>
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The Wilsons came to Virginia and Pa. eventually moving south to North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Some of the Wilson family went to Ohio and also ended up in Ga. Our Wilsons, John Robert's father, David Wilson moved to Alabama on a land Grant in 1858. J. R. helped work the farm and attained more land. He became a logger and a successful businessman. Edwina was raised Baptist. She was educated at an all ladies school, now known as Troy State University, where she studied music and Shakespeare. She became a teacher of music and at the time our "house party" photo was taken she was working as a music teacher. She moved to Florida where her step father had a home in a small railroad town near Orlando. Eventually, Edwina's mother moved to, close by, Mims, Florida. Harry and his father, Peter Jepsen were well known Danish immigrants from Nebraska who were developers of the community called Indian River City. Edwina married Harry Jepson in 1915. Their son Bruce Fleming Jepson was born at their home at Indian River City, Florida in 1917.<br />
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I plan to share more about Bruce Fleming Jepson's family history. I hope you enjoy it. I love doing the research! If you have questions or comments please feel free.<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">© Julie Ann Cambridge, Inkwashletters, 2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Julie Ann Cambridge and Inkwashletters with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.</span></div>
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Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-32012202827292819902014-08-30T11:59:00.000-05:002014-09-16T21:27:25.426-05:00The Question Not Asked, On Interviewing Your Parents and Grandparents<style>
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I have read many articles about how to interview parents and
grandparents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of them seem to
pertain to me for some reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think
many of the questions have already been asked and documented.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What was your favorite subject in
school?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I come from a long line of
artists in the family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My 2 1/2 year old
grand daughter is already fully aware of this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I want to get to the real important questions.
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Most of our youth today are not all that interested in WW2
history or any history for that matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I was young I would light up and listen intently when my parents
would talk about the past and their unique stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Electronics have taken over and we all forget
to look up, look around and just be with people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The young parents of our day in my opinion need
to be more interested in the past. My mother has always said, “If only I had
asked my mother these questions when she was alive.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think this means that I am asking questions.</div>
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I heard this from both my Aunts as well many times before
they died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all forgot to ask my
grandmother anything about her past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
felt their guilt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I forgot to ask my grandmother
questions too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mother is 85 years of
age and I struggle to find time to just sit with her for an interview. Am I
asking the questions that need to be asked?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What are the right questions?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God
willing I will be asking the right ones before it is too late!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I worry about these things.</div>
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My parents were both fairly open with us and I grew up
listening to the stories of their early life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My dad was a great storyteller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He really had a sense of humor about it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is gone now and we all miss him dearly but
every now and then someone will tell one of his stories and we all have a good
laugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am grateful my mother is still
with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But how much do I really know
her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched my older brother register
for the draft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I lived through the protests
at Memorial Park in Omaha in the summer of 1971.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember for her it was 2 or 3 days of agony
not knowing whether he and some of our friends were safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Protests were not her thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mother was deeply conflicted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her father died during the depression when
she was only 2 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She lost her
brother who had become her father figure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The oldest child in the family flight officer Bruce Fleming Jepsen was shot
down over China in 1945.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was 15
years of age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was the most talented
artist in the family and he was supposed to come home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a mother she wanted to move to Canada
rather than have her oldest son go to Vietnam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My mother would have to deny the tempting desire to escape and just as
her mother had done before, sacrifice her oldest son for God and Country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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My mother lived through the great depression and the premature
death of her father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A five-year stay in
a home for girls, WW2 and the loss of her only brother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She raised four children all while managing
an art career of her own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is the
last surviving sibling and a widow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How
did she live through all of this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> This is the question that I want to ask my Grandmother now. If only she could answer.</span></div>
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These questions are not easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do we do this as genealogists, without
offending or bringing out tears?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As family
members move on with their lives. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must
ask.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ask the hardest questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is my duty as a genealogist and an
historian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a daughter, mother and
grandmother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am the only one who
will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want heartbreak and
sadness but sometimes it is the tears that bring out the best in people and the
most memorable, important and historical stories come to life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel that my mother knows this and is
mostly willing to share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There might be
times when we have to stop and take a break but in the end we are both
happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can feel good that we have
contributed to future generations. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those
who are busy living and didn’t think to ask will have plenty of documented
history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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We are easy going and forgive any negligence in questioning
family history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We understand you are
busy with making ends meet or just enjoying life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are still here for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we have not asked the question you would
ask.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We beg you to ask it. My mother is
85 and I am not young anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are a
fun bunch of boomers who also enjoy our smart phones, especially the photos of
the grand kids!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We look good, feel good,
and are right there with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would
love it if some of the time you might be right here with us too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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In the end there are no right questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any question will do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just start the conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We just want to prevent that one day down
the road, you may be asking the one and only wrong question,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“If only I had asked my mother these
questions when she was still alive!?!”</div>
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Teatime at 4.</div>
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Of Note:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My Uncle, Flight
Officer Bruce F. Jepsen was a volunteer as many of the greatest generation
were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t have to go because he
was responsible for his mother and young sisters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He became one of the over 291,000 combat
casualties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the Vietnam War my
brother had to register for the draft and many of his generation were not
willing to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Vietnam casualties were
not on the same scale as WW2 but our friends were either not coming home or
coming home wounded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each of us had
known someone who had died or lost limbs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suicide became a huge issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I grew up knowing my older brother might have
to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1971 the Vietnam War had been
going on for 16 years and my brother was 16 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boomer generation had become war weary.</div>
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Also of Note: My Uncle Bruce F Jepsen's name is inscribed in the WW2 memorial at Memorial Park in Omaha, Ne. Along with my father's Uncle Jerry Kozlik and my husband's Uncle Gene Goodwin. Tom Brokaw got it right, they were the greatest generation</div>
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Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-10702938533452171882013-06-13T10:23:00.001-05:002013-06-13T10:23:48.230-05:00Membership - Society of Genealogists<a href="http://www.sog.org.uk/membership/#.UbnjyznGbN4.blogger">Membership - Society of Genealogists</a>Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-33739959537869816082013-05-16T20:39:00.000-05:002013-05-16T20:39:03.259-05:00A letter from Paul Crawford & the other tent mates. I will share more of the letter later but wanted to share what was mentioned at the end of the letter. It was written to Edwina, my grandmother in June of 1945, about a month after she had received official notice of her son's death. It is the standard letter that a Mother gets from the fellow soldiers who were in combat with their loved one. Not only is it a well written letter, it is also very heartfelt. I am sure that it had a major impact on her ability to cope with her loss. Lt. Paul Crawford & his family, and the other tent mates should be proud that they helped in her recovery. In the letter Lt. Crawford mentions that he has enclosed some photos of Bruce's. This is what was at the end of the letter...<br />
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Mrs. Jepson,<br />
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I have kept out one of the negatives and am having a few prints made of that particular one showing Bruce in the cockpit of the plane. I hope you don't mind and I will return it as soon as possible.<br />
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Sincerely,<br />
Paul Crawford <br />
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I'm not sure I have the picture that is mentioned but I do have this one probably taken at Flight School in Texas.<br />
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Flight Officer Bruce Fleming Jepson 1917-1945 in the cockpit, probably taken in summer 1943 at Garner Field, Uvaldi, Texas. He was proud of his flying suit. I think it is very becoming & he made his Mother and sisters very proud.<br />
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It is nice to know that photos of Bruce were appreciated by someone other than the family. I cherish the letter as I'm sure his mother did as well. <br />
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<br />Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-78654121070348682912013-04-29T08:35:00.001-05:002013-04-29T08:35:29.203-05:00Online Historical Directories: GA, IN, KY, MN, MO, NY, OH, PA, and WV New Pages and Updates<a href="http://onlinedirectorysite.blogspot.com/2013/04/ga-in-ky-mn-mo-ny-oh-pa-and-wv-new.html">Online Historical Directories: GA, IN, KY, MN, MO, NY, OH, PA, and WV New Pages and Updates</a>Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-79011785112290625142012-11-25T15:23:00.000-06:002018-07-07T23:36:08.329-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to go to Washington DC to do family research. I spent two days at the DAR library, which was a dream! I hope to go back before too long to do more research. I have sent in a request for a membership application at DAR. I'm excited to know more about our family history & hope to share it here. It is hard to find the time to do all of this. Working full time makes it a challenge. I am also a first time grandmother, which is the most important & beautiful thing ever! I do believe that traveling backward to discover who we are helps us to move forward in our lives! It has helped me & my purpose here is possibly help others to do the same.<br />
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I also recently had the opportunity through a dear friend to teach a little about genealogy to a 5th grade class. It went really well & I had a great time. They were awesome students! Those 5th graders were more interested than anyone! It was a pleasant surprise! It gives me hope because I worry that we have lost our ability to give our children a sense of belonging. A connection with our ancestors, and a sense of our families contributions to our society. I know in my own case, if I had as a child growing up any idea of my family history & contributions, it would have made a huge difference in my life. So, I have to say that I am a bit of a crusader for education. Will have to see how exactly I may become more involved. My friend, Jackie must be an excellent teacher because her kids were the best!<br />
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So, there will be more to come on the DAR membership as well as the EDU crusade. On this Thanksgiving weekend my sister asked if I would tell a story my Dad used to tell. He told this story on Thanksgiving last year, which sadly, was his last Thanksgiving holiday. We all miss him very much. He was a person who had profound influence on each of us in the family. So, as I sign off for now, I'd like to encourage you to look back. Ask questions & listen to the stories from the parents & grandparents or the Aunts & Uncles. Give thanks & be glad for them now because life is short.<br />
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The Pocket Watch<br />
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My father's grand parents came to America from Austria & Bohemia (Czech Republic) in the early 1900's. They settled in South Omaha. An area that was called "Little Bohemia". They had to overcome many obstacles in those early days. It was a tough childhood for my dad. He was a street smart kid at a very early age. His Grandpa & Grandma Kozlik owned a Bakery. It was next to Joe Tess's in South Omaha. My Dad, Frankie, hung out at the bakery & at Joe Tess's. He would go fishing with his father Frank Sr. & they sold their catch to Joe Tess. My Dad's favorite dish at Joe's was the catfish. His favorite thing at the bakery was the barrel of pickles & the jar of raisins which he said ruined his teeth! These were all wonderful treats. He used to say, "It beats potatoes!" Which they had for dinner nearly every night of the week. My Dad told many funny stories about growing up in South "O". <br />
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So one day, Frankie was running around town. I think he was about 10 years old. It seemed to me he was on an errand of some kind, maybe for his mother, Bessie. While out & about he happened to run into his Grandpa. Grandpa Kozlik was a Bakery owner but he was known to be the somewhat absent proprietor & it was Grandma Kozlik who actually ran the store. It's possible Grandpa was somewhere he shouldn't have been. Maybe at the local bar! There wasn't any spare money to be had or many valuables in the family at that time. The women didn't like the men spending any of it on liquor! These were hard working people who didn't need much but a little drink now & then must have been nice! When Grandpa Kozlik saw little Frankie on the street, he called him over for a chat. Grandpa showed him a pocket watch. Frankie was so impressed with it, Grandpa gave Frankie the watch. At Christmas time, Frankie didn't have any money to buy presents. So he decided to give the watch, along with a photo of his Uncle, Grandma's son, who had died in WW2 to his "favorite" Grandma Kozlik. He loved Grandma very much & wanted to give her something special. He was too young to fully understand that the watch had history. When she opened the gift she was surprised & thrilled to see the pocket watch! Everyone in the family asked Frankie, "How did you get this?" He was not even aware why they would be asking him such a question. But all was well. The missing family keepsake was returned! It was a beautiful loving gift & Grandma was happy! My Dad would always tear up when he talked about her emotion as she opened the gift & saw the pocket watch.<br />
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I don't know where that watch is today but it doesn't matter. The story is so much better. <br />
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<br />Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291402771920719284.post-42548281654968536412012-03-20T10:15:00.000-05:002012-03-20T10:15:21.430-05:00Jepsons, the Danes!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M4Z6QtL_ofA/T2iZvg5QjBI/AAAAAAAAACA/biiWmJi9TeU/s1600/SSTarifa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M4Z6QtL_ofA/T2iZvg5QjBI/AAAAAAAAACA/biiWmJi9TeU/s320/SSTarifa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> The S.S. Tarife 1873<br />
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It's been some time since I've done this. I am vowing to blog more frequently. 2011 was a sad year as well as a happy year. Happy to be first time grandparents to our beautiful little Fiona! Have been doing more research on Ancestry.com. Found a ww1 draft record for Harry Jepson. It's dated 1917. It was filled out just a couple months after the birth of his son, Bruce Fleming Jepson. It shows Harry was in real estate with the Titusville Land Co. Also found a ship passenger list. The record shows Lars & Gertrude Jepson & son, Peter age 18 (my g-grandfather) arriving in Boston on May 23, 1873. Our family history already shows that Peter left Copenhagen on May 2, 1873. And arriving in Dannebrog, Ne. on June 2. That was a long trip for them! I have a newspaper archive that states they were meeting up with Peter's uncle by the name of S.M. Peterson, who may have been a brother of Gertrude's. Will do more research on that. They are noted as the original locators of the Danish colony of Dannebrog, Howard County, Nebraska. More on our visits to Dannebrog later! Happy hunting & happy, happy grand parenting!Julie Ann Cambridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00156020888224849367noreply@blogger.com2