HASKELL Family Reunion

Home
Family History
Family Tree
Photo Album
Reminiscing
Reunion Info
Family News
Address Book
From Our Kitchen
Lydia
by Jean Loesch Krauklin

Lydia
Her name was really Alida, she told us, but she didnt care for the unusual name, so she transposed it into Lydia. She was the eldest of five children born on a farm in southern Quebec, not far from Sherbrooke, in the village of Coaticook, on December 1, 1894. Her mother, Anna Gilbert, died when Lydia was only six years old, and after this tragic event the children had to be sent to relatives, although Lydia did take care of the other children for a considerable time.
She must have been a healthy little girl because she outlived all her brothers and sister, and even at 87 was still perky and as smart as ever. As a youngster Lydia spoke French, she rode horseback (bareback) and once had quite an accident when her horse rode into the barn knocking her off as he bounded through the door.
Lydia lived the rest of her childhood in Quebec or in Manchester, New Hampshire, with an aunt or an uncle, and it was difficult for her to get in much schooling. She spoke only French until she started school, but learned English readily. Her school days ended before she even finished 8th grade; however, during her working years and her long marriage, Lydia educated herself by reading and by her friendships over the years with many university educated people. Given today's opportunities, Lydia probably could have been a physician or a social worker.
Working to support herself, Lydia spent some time working in one of the textile mills in Manchester. The hours were long, but she found time in the evenings to go to the theater, to the movies, even the opera when she could afford a ticket. Even as a teenager Lydia had a keen interest in cultural things. (Years later, when her daughters were taking piano lessons, she too found a teacher who would take adult students and practiced her lessons when the kids were in school.)
Lydia found a better job later as a children's nursemaid. Many of the wealthier families in Manchester had helpers to take care of their children, and Lydia found that she enjoyed this kind of work very much. She learned much about the finer things of city life. Being fond of children and used to caring for her own brothers and sister, she got quite attached to these families. She never forgot these children, and she kept track of them for years after she left the families.
By the time she was 20 or so, Lydia met a young man, Charlie, to whom she became engaged. He had to go off to war in 1918, and unfortunately was killed. I still have the gold bracelet Charlie gave Lydia, and recall how fondly she spoke of her sad experience with her first love.
There was a great need for nurses at this time, not only because of the war, but the subsequent outbreak of Spanish influenza that killed thousands across this country and Europe. Lydia decided to study nursing. She found she could sign up for training without any cost; you earned the privilege with long hours of apprenticeship work, and night duty was expected frequently. A stipend was paid to the student nurses for their work. Before starting training, Lydia had to get a high school equivalency diploma; she took courses in chemistry, biology, pharmacology, etc. and succeeded. Her determination and persistence in achieving that, plus successfully passing her state board exams after nursing training at Sacred Heart Hospital, prove that she was an emancipated woman long before most of her contemporaries.
At 26 Lydia's career as a registered nurse began, and she did private duty work. Some of Lydia's nursing cases took her out of Manchester, to other towns in New Hampshire. She found herself for some months in the city of Berlin. Here she met Benjamin Stacy Haskell, a good-looking and ambitious young man from Maine who had a good job as a bookkeeper at the E.M. Cross Machine Company. Lydia was just the woman he was looking for as a wife; she was pretty, modest, easy to get along with. He and Lydia had a very quick courtship - they were married by a justice of the peace six weeks after they met. There was a short honeymoon in Portland, Maine before they both had to go back to work. Ben had a car, and not many young men did. It was quite exciting, and he let her drive part of the way to Portland. It was 1921, and by marrying Ben, Lydia automatically became a U.S. citizen (the last year this law applied).
Four children were borh from 1923 to 1934: Jean Elizabeth, Ruth Anne, David Phillip, and Robert Elliot. Raising this family was probably the most important achievement in Lydia's life. She gave the children all the love, support, and devotion that was in her to give. She made sure they had the best of care, music lessons, etc. She encouraged them in their studies, and created a home atmosphere in which they felt comfort, security, and love.
Ben eventually became the owner of the machine shop and foundry, and even during the Depression of the 30's he made a success of it. Now the young couple could afford a maid and a washerwoman to help with the maintenance of the large new house Ben had built in 1928.
(Continued on page 2)

Any comments or questions? Contact
louise@loesch.net
S i t e d e s i g n b y W e b f a i r

Home Family History Family Tree Photo Album Reminiscing Reunion Info Family News Address Book From Our Kitchen		Lydia by Jean Loesch Krauklin Her name was really Alida, she told us, but she didnt care for the unusual name, so she transposed it into Lydia. She was the eldest of five children born on a farm in southern Quebec, not far from Sherbrooke, in the village of Coaticook, on December 1, 1894. Her mother, Anna Gilbert, died when Lydia was only six years old, and after this tragic event the children had to be sent to relatives, although Lydia did take care of the other children for a considerable time. She must have been a healthy little girl because she outlived all her brothers and sister, and even at 87 was still perky and as smart as ever. As a youngster Lydia spoke French, she rode horseback (bareback) and once had quite an accident when her horse rode into the barn knocking her off as he bounded through the door. Lydia lived the rest of her childhood in Quebec or in Manchester, New Hampshire, with an aunt or an uncle, and it was difficult for her to get in much schooling. She spoke only French until she started school, but learned English readily. Her school days ended before she even finished 8th grade; however, during her working years and her long marriage, Lydia educated herself by reading and by her friendships over the years with many university educated people. Given today's opportunities, Lydia probably could have been a physician or a social worker. Working to support herself, Lydia spent some time working in one of the textile mills in Manchester. The hours were long, but she found time in the evenings to go to the theater, to the movies, even the opera when she could afford a ticket. Even as a teenager Lydia had a keen interest in cultural things. (Years later, when her daughters were taking piano lessons, she too found a teacher who would take adult students and practiced her lessons when the kids were in school.) Lydia found a better job later as a children's nursemaid. Many of the wealthier families in Manchester had helpers to take care of their children, and Lydia found that she enjoyed this kind of work very much. She learned much about the finer things of city life. Being fond of children and used to caring for her own brothers and sister, she got quite attached to these families. She never forgot these children, and she kept track of them for years after she left the families. By the time she was 20 or so, Lydia met a young man, Charlie, to whom she became engaged. He had to go off to war in 1918, and unfortunately was killed. I still have the gold bracelet Charlie gave Lydia, and recall how fondly she spoke of her sad experience with her first love. There was a great need for nurses at this time, not only because of the war, but the subsequent outbreak of Spanish influenza that killed thousands across this country and Europe. Lydia decided to study nursing. She found she could sign up for training without any cost; you earned the privilege with long hours of apprenticeship work, and night duty was expected frequently. A stipend was paid to the student nurses for their work. Before starting training, Lydia had to get a high school equivalency diploma; she took courses in chemistry, biology, pharmacology, etc. and succeeded. Her determination and persistence in achieving that, plus successfully passing her state board exams after nursing training at Sacred Heart Hospital, prove that she was an emancipated woman long before most of her contemporaries. At 26 Lydia's career as a registered nurse began, and she did private duty work. Some of Lydia's nursing cases took her out of Manchester, to other towns in New Hampshire. She found herself for some months in the city of Berlin. Here she met Benjamin Stacy Haskell, a good-looking and ambitious young man from Maine who had a good job as a bookkeeper at the E.M. Cross Machine Company. Lydia was just the woman he was looking for as a wife; she was pretty, modest, easy to get along with. He and Lydia had a very quick courtship - they were married by a justice of the peace six weeks after they met. There was a short honeymoon in Portland, Maine before they both had to go back to work. Ben had a car, and not many young men did. It was quite exciting, and he let her drive part of the way to Portland. It was 1921, and by marrying Ben, Lydia automatically became a U.S. citizen (the last year this law applied). Four children were borh from 1923 to 1934: Jean Elizabeth, Ruth Anne, David Phillip, and Robert Elliot. Raising this family was probably the most important achievement in Lydia's life. She gave the children all the love, support, and devotion that was in her to give. She made sure they had the best of care, music lessons, etc. She encouraged them in their studies, and created a home atmosphere in which they felt comfort, security, and love. Ben eventually became the owner of the machine shop and foundry, and even during the Depression of the 30's he made a success of it. Now the young couple could afford a maid and a washerwoman to help with the maintenance of the large new house Ben had built in 1928. (Continued on page 2)
		Any comments or questions? Contact louise@loesch.net S i t e d e s i g n b y W e b f a i r