Mother's Journal - Elizabeth Irene Bryan-McCabe

My Mother's Journal Part One

Elizabeth Irene Bryan-McCabe, born July 9, 1914, daughter of Charlotte Lucinda Mawrey-Bryan and William Bryan in Washington, D.C.

(Click photo) Charlotte Lucinda Mawrey-Bryan, age 22 Mother of Elizabeth Irene Bryan-McCabe. Photo taken in Washington, D.C., at Bishop Photograph Shop, 905 Pennsylvania Avenue in 1898. More Photos

The Importance of Your Personal History

Around 1970 or so, I asked my Mother to begin writing her Personal History. I am so glad that she did! She wrote about many things that I had not heard about. She passed away in 1996. I have put all of her writings into a Word document which I named Journal. It is full of historical data as well as a chronical of her life and mine too.

If you know of anyone who lived in the Washington, D.C. area during the early days, I would love to hear their stories. Consider writing your Personal History! I have begun writing mine! My children and their children will have something to read and pass on to future generations.

Here are a few pages of notes from the life of Elizabeth Irene Bryan-McCabe, born 1914 in Washington, D.C.

My mother, Charlotte Lucinda Mawrey-Bryan, passed away October 15, 1918, at age 45 of the Flu epidemic which killed over 20 million world wide. I was 4 years old. My brother, Raymond Mawrey Bryan also died of this epidemic, on October 10, 1918. He was only sixteen years old.

My father's name was William Wilson Bryan. He was born March 18, 1874 in Staunton, VA. He passed away in 1956. He worked for the United States Post Office as an armed guard in Washington, D.C. View Photo

Three Sisters:
Eva Sarah
Born September 13, 1867, Wilkes Barre, PA. Married W. Edmonston. Son, Earle. Passed away in 1942.

Emma Elizabeth
Born September 11, 1871 in Wilkes Barre, PA. Never married. Passed away September 24, 1924

Elsie Irene
Born February 15, 1876, Charleston, S.C. Married Richard Kane Harvey. Passed away May 1936.

Marriage of Charlotte Lucinda Mawrey & William Wilson Bryan, May 3, 1900, Washington, D.C., 10 "K" Street N.E., Washington, D.C.

Children of Charlotte Lucinda Mawrey & William Wilson Bryan

Raymond Mawrey Bryan
Born November 11, 1903, Washington, D.C. Brooklyn, N.Y., passed away October 10, 1918 at age 16 of worldwide flu epidemic.

Ralph Rebb Bryan
No children, passed away June 27, 1986.

Ruth Lydia Bryan
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., September 17, 1907. Passed away December 26, 1974. Married Joseph C. Murray June 17, 1934

Elizabeth Irene Bryan-McCabe
Born July 9, 1914 in Washington, D.C. Married Albert Philip McCabe November 16, 1936.

A Valentine Card from Albert McCabe to his new bride, Elizabeth Irene Bryan-McCabe. Valentine's Day 1936

Children of Elizabeth Irene Bryan-McCabe &Albert Philip McCabe

Aimee Louise McCabe
Born January 22, 1942, Washington, D.C.

John Philip McCabe,
Born January 11, 1943, Washington, D.C.

Linda Lucille McCabe
Born June 27, 1945, Washington, D.C.

Michael Mawrey McCabe,
Born October 27,1946, Seattle, Washington.

Here are a few pages of notes from the life of Elizabeth Irene Bryan-McCabe:

My mother Charlotte Lucinda Mawrey-Bryan, passed away October 15, 1918, at age 45 of the Flu epidemic which killed over 20 million world wide. I was 4 years old. Brother, Raymond Mawrey Bryan also died of this epidemic, on October 10, 1918. He was only sixteen years old.

My father’s name was William Wilson Bryan.
Born March 18, 1874 in Staunton, VA. He passed away in 1956. He worked for the United States Post Office as an armed guard in Washington, D.C.

It was a warm night and my father and sister, (Ruth Lydia Bryan-Murray) were waiting in the front yard for me to be born. I finally arrived around 2am.

Earliest Memories.
I do not recall too much of my life as a very young child. I do remember my mother asking my brothers and sister to please close the door. No one did, so I climbed out of the crib and shut the door and climbed back into my crib again.

Another time, we were all standing around the little gas stove and my mother was melting cheese on saltines and giving us each some.

The Flu Epidemic
My brother, Raymond Mawrey Bryan, caught the Spanish flu. He was only sixteen years old and worked for the Red Cross. He got wet and didn’t change into dry clothes. He died on October 10, 1918. My mother caught it and died five days later on October 15, 1918. Twenty million died of this worldwide flu epidemic.

Aunt Bessie promised my mother she would take good care of me. I remember being carried in to kiss my mother good-bye. I was four years old.

Aunt Bessie’s name was Emma Elizabeth Mawrey. She was born September 11, 1871 in Wilkes Barre, PA. She passed away on September 24, 1924 at the age of 53. I was named for her and aunt Elsie Irene. Aunt Elsie Irene was born February 15, 1876 and passed away in May 1936. She was 60 years old. My middle name is Irene. Aunt Bessie never married. She worked making heavy canvas mail bags for the Post Office. It was very hard work.

She took real good care of me. She fed me and made me pretty clothes. She taught me to sing and I brushed her long brown hair. She took me to Woolworth’s on Saturdays and she would treat me to a hot dog and a banana split. Aunt Bessie passed away and I went to live with aunt Eva. Very traumatic times.

Slate and Slate Pencil.
My first day at school and there were no pencils or paper. It was September 1920. The teacher Said to tell your parents to get us a slate and slate pencils.

I told my Aunt Eva that I needed a slate and pencils. She went to the hall closet and brought down a package all wrapped in heavy brown paper and twine. She cut the twine and unwrapped it. There were three slates bolted together with a white slate pencil in between each slate. She took out the bolts and there to my surprise was handwriting in pink, blue, yellow and white. My Aunt said they were messages from my Grandfather’s relatives and friends who had died. Many were from England where his parents came from in the early 1800’s.

My grandfather liked to go to seances and he took the slates all wrapped and never let them out of his sight. When he returned home, he opened it up and read all the messages. I often wonder what was written. I could not read then. My aunt gave me a slate and pencils and I took them to school the next day. I wish I knew how they got there.

Jeanette Rankin - First Congresswoman 1916 - Montana.
She voted against entering World War I. While I was a student at Dennison School, Washington, D.C., Jeanette Rankin came and talked to my class about her vote against entering World War I. I was in the fourth grade and we all had to write a composition about it.

Even then, I felt men should talk it over and solve their problems without resorting to going to war and killing and maiming our youth. We are all told that we should get along and not fight or leave the room. We would be punished for disrupting the class. Even today, there is too much emphasis on weapons. Spending money, our money on nuclear bombs, fighter jets and other military items that should be used to better purposes, such as health and education.

Roller skating around Washington, D.C.
I remember my first pair of roller skates. They were Union made and they had clamps to fasten to the soles of my shoes. I skated all over my neighborhood and even skated down to the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument. It was downhill going but uphill coming home.

I skated until I was almost eighteen. I skated by the Synagogue and one of my friends was standing outside with her friends. She was very upset with me for skating on her holiday.

Tennis!
I bought my first tennis racquet for one dollar and ninety eight cents. I saved my allowance and bought two tennis balls. I made an imaginary line on the outside wall of our apartment. I hit the ball over that line. One day I started playing tennis with a brother of one of my classmates. We found deserted tennis courts and we would play a game of tennis or two. We would each put in a nickel any buy a big sour pickle. It would sure taste good after playing tennis on a warm day.

Art Classes and The Washington Post.
I took art classes with Mrs. May Ashton. I did a big charcoal drawing of "Three That Are Blind and Two That Can See". I re did it in water colors and it was hung at the top of the stairs at the "House of Seven Arts". The Washington Post took my picture standing beside it. It was in the paper. I lost it because of our moving so often.

Washington, D.C. during the 1920’s and early 1930’s.
Living in Washington, D.C. was so different than it is today. One could ride a street car from one end of town to the other. Housing stopped at Florida Avenue. Henderson Castle was on one side of 16th Street, N.W. and Meridian Park was across the street.

The Henderson Castle.
The castle was very authentic. Red bricks and red cement blocks. The wall was a good three stories high and there were openings for guns and at the entrance there was a jail with iron bars. The castle itself, was on top of a big hill. Often I would see Mrs. Henderson working in her garden. She was a tiny lady, always dressed in long black dresses. There was a swimming pool and tennis courts.

The Henderson’s came from one of the New England States. He was a Senator and his wife was very much involved in the social life of the Nation’s Capital. Although she would not serve alcoholic beverages, she was a very popular hostess. The society folks came to her parties to enjoy the surroundings.

When she and her husband passed away, the city tried to make the castle into a home for single girls during the New Deal Era. Unfortunately the plumbing was hardly adequate. It was torn down and a modern building was built to accommodate all the young ladies who came to work for the New Deal agencies. I wish something like that had been available when I went to work for the Resettlement Administration.

They did build a new, modern YWCA building after I married. They only let the young ladies live there just a few years, and then they had to find a place to live elsewhere. When I lived at the old YWCA there were women who moved there during the First World War.

During the 1920’s and ‘30’s there were open spaces beyond Meridian Park. Horses and carriages were replaced with limousines with uniformed chauffeurs who stood by waiting for their owners to return.

The Italian Embassy.
It was different. On top of a one story building they put umbrella tables and chairs, flowers, balloons whenever they entertained. Very festive! Whenever I skated or walked by, I was amazed at the informality.

The Canadian Legislation, Force School classes from sixth to eighth grades, was next to my school. One day, some dignitary came and we were allowed to look out the window (of our classroom) to see the footman all dressed in baby blue satin jacket, lace shirt and cream satin breeches, silk stockings and blue shoes. He looked very elegant. He opened the door to the horse drawn carriage and helped a man of importance out of the carriage and up the steps.

Shopping in the 1920’s.
It was a chore. Especially since I was only nine or ten years old. My Aunt Eva sent me to the store. She never left the apartment. We lived on the fourth floor, so it was up to me to get whatever groceries we needed. My sister, Ruth, who was seven years older, was never asked to do anything. She believed if she never learned, she wouldn’t have to do anything.

Aunt Eva gave me a list and the exact amount of money needed to do the grocery shopping. If chuck roast was 25 cents a pound, she would give me one dollar and expected exactly four pounds. The butcher did not like to see me coming. It was impossible for him to cut meat to weigh exactly four pounds.

Aunt Eva was not much of an everyday cook.
She cooked cabbage until it was black. She did make a delicious coconut layer cake. We had a big market not too far away. There were individual stands. I would go to the stand that ground fresh coconut. Than I would be sent to "O" Street Market to buy buckwheat flour. We either had buckwheat pancakes made with yeast or kidney stew and a hot roll for Sunday breakfast.

Church and Sunday School.
My sister, Ruth, and I were sent to Luther Place Memorial Church for Sunday School and stayed for church services. I would be starving by the time it was all over and I invariably fell over and fainted. No one could understand why I fainted. I was too shy to say it was because I was hungry. We had breakfast after church.

Suicide Prevention.
One morning, 3am, my Aunt Eva awakened me, saying "Hurry, get up! Earle, (Aunt Eva’s son) has gone out and swore he would commit suicide." I dressed as fast I could and ran down the four flights of stairs. I caught up with him and we walked and walked down Sixteenth Street and then down Constitution Avenue. He never said a word as we walked. I was glad it was a clear night. Earle was about forty years old and almost blind. He had never worked. He was spoiled and bad tempered.

We finally got to the Lincoln Memorial and sat with our legs hanging over the side. We sat there and watched the sun rise, and the sky became brilliant red, orange and golden in colors. Earle finally got up and then I got up and we started walking back home. It was all uphill.

I ate breakfast and went to school. I fell asleep. The teacher couldn’t understand why I was so sleepy. I couldn’t very well tell her why.

The Christmas Pageant.
Every Christmas, I took part in the Pageant. "The Other Wise Man." We had to take our dresses, shoes, socks and coats off and put on colorful rags. We dressed in a building adjoining the church. It seemed to always be snowing or raining and we had to run through rain and puddles. Then run down the church aisle screaming. I never did get to see the whole pageant. So I never knew why we were screaming. I always seemed to catch a cold after Pageant, running out in the cold wet weather with only a ragged dress to wear.

1922. Our apartment floor is on fire.
It must have been around 2am when we smelled smoke. The floor in our living room was on fire. There was a small cafeteria below us. Evidently, the owner left the coffee urn on and it caught fire. The owner of the cafeteria tried to run away. But he was caught and put in jail.

They wrapped me in a blanket and carried me down the street to a larger cafeteria. All white and bright. The fire trucks were so long in coming. The horses slipped and slid on the ice. The snow was piled high along the curb.

Painted nuts and bolts: Knickerbocker Theater,1922.
There was a bigger calamity than ours. The roof of a big movie theater collapsed. It couldn’t handle the snow and the roof tumbled down and killed and hurt a lot of people. It was the Knickerbocker Theater at 16th and Columbia Road. Now it is the Ambassador Theater.

The ticket office was separate from the movie itself. A man sitting in the end aisle seat managed to get out; told the cashier what happened. For many years after that, people were said to fight for the aisle seats in the back of the theater.

After all the debris was cleared away, the inspectors found the reason for the roof’s falling. The builders had put painted dots where the nuts and bolts should have been. The roof was literally just laying on top of the theater. So many people were involved. It became a scandal. There were a wave of suicides. Those responsible for the many deaths and injuries.

White House Easter Egg Roll.
Easter Sunday always reminds me of my going to the White House and watch the children roll colored Easter eggs on the lawn. I didn’t have anyone to take me in so I would wait for a big family and then go in with them.

The big event was when the First Lady came out and mingled with us. Grace Coolidge was the first one I remember. She was very gracious and pleasant. Mrs. Hoover always seemed sedate and always wore her Girl Scout uniform. Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt really seemed to enjoy being with the children. The Easter Egg event was discontinued until the war was over.

Easter Egg Roll around the coffins.
It was not my favorite Easter memory. It was a wet Easter and Easter Monday was no better. My Uncle Dick Harvey owned an undertaking and embalming business in Washington, D.C. The whole family went to his funeral parlor and rolled Easter eggs around the coffins. I must have been six or seven years old. I was afraid to look in the coffins to see if they were occupied. My Aunt Bessie made me a pretty Easter dress and I had a wide pink satin sash on my dress. Aunt Elsie, Uncle Dick’s wife had boiled the eggs. Guess she didn’t boil them long enough. Kenneth, their son, threw one and it splattered all over my dress and sash.

The Bottle of Bootleg Whiskey.
Aunt Elsie’s apartment building was on fire. It was after midnight when we were awakened to the sound of fire engines and the smell of smoke. The apartment across the street was on fire. The flames were shooting skywards a good forty feet. My Aunt Elsie and Uncle Dick lived there on the fifth floor. The janitor was drunk and set the elevator shaft on fire. Aunt Elsie, Uncle Dick and their son Kenneth were trapped. The only way down to the ground was the flimsy fire escape dangling at the back of their apartment. How they ever got down, I will know. Aunt Elsie and Uncle Dick were both heavy-weights, weighing over three hundred pounds. Their son, Kenneth, was big too. Kenneth was listening to his little homemade radio and had earphones on. The firemen had to break a window and drag him to safety.

The next day, Aunt Elsie and Uncle Dick gave me a big handbag and told me to tell the guard that Mr. Harvey asked me to get something out of their closet. I made it up the five flights of steps, most of which had been burned. The skylight had shattered and pieces of glass were all over the steps. I went inside the apartment which was smoky and wet. Everything was ruined. I looked inside the closet and there it was. A bootleg whiskey.

I put the bottle of bootleg whiskey into the big handbag and made my way back down the burned stairs. And then I still had over four flights of steps to climb to our apartment. If the bottle of whiskey had been found, my uncle would have had to pay a fine. I think I got an ice cream for my help.

Richard Kane Harvey, husband of (Aunt) Elsie Irene Mawrey. R. F. Harvey and Sons, Undertakers and Embalmers, 928 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., since 1848. Their office was connected with the telephone system No. 323 and was open day and night. James M. Harvey established the business. Richard F. Harvey, nephew, managed the affairs for the widow for several years, and afterward he succeeded to the business.

During his career as an undertaker and funeral director. Richard F. Harvey officiated at thousands of funerals, and he never refused to perform service for those unable to pay. He directed the funerals of President Lincoln, Vice President Wilson, Secretary Stanton and many other prominent men. R.F. Harvey, died in 1892. Richard K. Harvey followed in his father’s footsteps. He died in 1942 at the age of 70.

Richard F. Harvey Undertakers, Washington, D.C.
"BUSINESS ESTABLISHED 1840. R. F. HARVEY’S SONS, Undertakers, 928 Pennsylvania avenue nw. Service prompt and terms reasonable. Funeral chairs furnished free of charge. Tel. Call, 323."
USGenWeb Archives
by: Jamie M. Perez jamiemac@flash.net
This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Jamie M. Perez jamiemac@flash.net

An Inquiry regarding Richard R. Harvey Undertakers, Washington, D.C.

Theaters and Movies. In the 1920’s Uncle Dick took us to the Keith Orpheum Theater. Vaudeville singers and dancers performed there. I remember hearing the Dolly Sisters sing "All Alone" and "What Will I Do When You Are Away?"

I went to the Tivoli Theater on Park Road.
They had a long show. For only 20 cents. I would get a quarter allowance. I would buy candy for a nickel. They would show two movies, newsreel, comedies, and then the organist would play and the words were on the movie screen and everyone would sing along. (like Karoke today) Then they had an Operetta or guest star to sing or dance. I was so happy when the Radio City Music Hall in New York City did the same thing in 1975.

I attended Force School.
It was unlike the other public schools. It was one floor and set back and with a front yard full of trees and shrubs. One tree was planted in memory of Quentin Roosevelt, President Theodore Roosevelt’s son who lost his life in World War I. He had attended Force School.

Bus loads of students came from Ft. Meyer Cavalry, VA. The children of the Army officers made the trip everyday. They ignored me. My father was not an officer.

Cafeteria Helper.
When I was promoted to the sixth grade I helped in the school cafeteria ,for which I was given lunch. I ate every bite. All the lettuce - I was told. No one else ate the lettuce. It was put there for decoration. I ate it anyway. I didn’t last long in that job. I wonder if those girls ate lettuce later on in life.

Inconsiderate Streetcar Conductor.
After I graduated from 8th grade, we moved to Harvard Street about seven or eight blocks above Florida Avenue. I took the street car to old Business High School. It was three floors and it seemed I was going up and down steps to get to classes. We could buy a book of street car tickets. Ten for thirty cents. I ran out of tickets.

Washington, D.C. during the 1920's and early 1930's.
Living in Washington, D.C. was so different than it is today. One could ride a street car from one end of town to the other. Housing stopped at Florida Avenue. Henderson Castle was on one side of 16th Street, N.W. and Meridian Park was across the street.

The Henderson Castle
The castle was very authentic. Red bricks and red cement blocks. The wall was a good three stories high and there were openings for guns and at the entrance there was a jail with iron bars. The castle itself, was on top of a big hill.

Often I would see Mrs. Henderson working in her garden. She was a tiny lady, always dressed in long black dresses. There was a swimming pool and tennis courts. The Henderson's came from one of the New England States. Her husband was a Senator and she was very much involved in the social life of the Nation's Capital. Although she would not serve alcoholic beverages, she was a very popular hostess. The society folks came to her parties to enjoy the surroundings.

When she and her husband passed away, the city tried to make the castle into a home for single girls during the New Deal Era. Unfortunately the plumbing was hardly adequate. It was torn down and a modern building was built to accommodate all the young ladies who came to work for the New Deal agencies.

I wish something like that had been available when I went to work for the Resettlement Administration. They did build a new, modern YWCA building after I married. They only let the young ladies live there just a few years, and then they had to find a place to live elsewhere. When I lived at the old YWCA there were women who moved there during the First World War.

If you know of anyone who lived in the Washington, D.C. area during the early days, I would love to hear their stories. Consider writing your Personal History! I have begun writing mine! My children and their children will have something to read and pass on to future generations.

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Love,

Aimee Louise McCabe-Walker
Daughter of Elizabeth Irene Bryan-McCabe
And Albert Philip McCabe

Please check out my Maiden Name Page if you are interested in the subject of losing one's true name when marriage occurs ... Maiden Name Site

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