A Very Precious Find
Posted on October 8, 2009 - Filed Under Family history
This afternoon my Mom gave me an old ledger book she found among my aunt’s papers. The book belonged to my grandfather, Henry John Pulskamp, starting in 1918. The first page includes a little table of contents, listing a number of interesting things in it, including a collection of Odd Information starting on page 35. But the item that caught my attention first was Family History Page 75.
On Page 75, my grandfather listed data about his birth and my grandmother’s birth, then their wedding information. The next part was where the fun really started. He wrote a description of the night my father, his first child was born. The text is included here. (I am at my Mom’s at the moment, or I would scan it for you all to see.)
************************************************************
John Joseph Pulskamp (Son)
On Thur. evening, Dec 16th, Agnes and myself retired at the usual time. (10 P.M.) Both slept sound until 1 A.M. Dec 17th, when Agnes complained of intense pains in certain organic regions. I at once, diagnosed them as the beginning of things important, so I dressed and left the house at 2 A.M. to notify Mrs. S– an old maternity nurse. She not being at home, went to Agnes’ Ma’s house and requested her to come to our home at once. She agreed, so I left and very hastily returned home to Agnes, to find her resting easily. Then I phoned for Dr. Cubbison at 3 A.M., and he arrived at 3:45 A.M. , shortly after Mrs. O’Keefe and Julia arrived.
After a brief consultation, the Doctor decided to wait a few hours, so we sat in the kitchen speaking of general topics.
About 7 A.M. we again went in to see Agnes, to ascertain the intensity of her pain, and after learning of them, the Doctor decided to begin work. From 7 to 7:45 A.M. he coaxed and tenderly urged Agnes to put forth her best efforts, and after about a dozen attempts, she was successful.
The dear child, John, was born at 7:45 A.M., and entered the world with a lusty yell. Agnes, my dear wife, bore it all so bravely and patiently, then when the crisis was past, she seemed quite weakened and tired.
I, the daddy, was the first one to hold the child after he was born, and too I was the first one to kiss Agnes, after the difficulties were over.
The weather was fair and about 30º above zero. Snow was on the ground, and at the time the boy was born, it was already daylight. The new moon was in the first quarter.
Baptized Sunday Dec 26th 1920 2 P.M. St. James Church, Wilkinsburg, Pa by Fr. Stephen Walsh, the same priest who married us, and also the one who baptized Agnes, at St. Agnes Church in 1894. Sponsors Geo. W. Scott, and his wife Kath O’Keefe Scott.
Received First Holy Comm. Sund Apr. 14th 1929. Sacred Heart Church Los Angeles. Rev. Geo. Donahue Msgr.
Comments
2 Responses to “A Very Precious Find”
Leave a Reply
what fun! thanks for transcribing. 🙂
Great story Ellen! How lucky you are to find this precious piece of history.