Listen to Part 1:
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Listen to Part 2:
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On September 21, 1975, Mary Biswell made a tape for her cousin-in-law Sam Graham about her husband, Charles Biswell, from the time that they met at the wedding of mutual friends in 1929. The Biswells were living in Woodstown, NJ, at the time of the recording. Sam lived in Phoenix, AZ. Charles introduces and concludes the recording which was copied from another tape.
Mary had rheumatic fever as a child which damaged her heart valves and was a chronic affliction for the rest of her life.
In part 2 of the recording, Mary reads from a book that was given to Charles on his retirement from DuPont on May 1, 1968. There is some confusion about his year of birth. DuPont records it as 1905. Family records show 1904.
Mary grew up in the Baptist church and Charles grew up in the Methodist church. They joined the First Baptist Church in Woodstown and were very active. What did Mary mean by describing the church as "progressive" as the term was used in those days?
Charles and Mary were teetotalers.
Timeline:
1929: Charles graduates from Central College in Fayette, MO, with a bachelor of arts degree and teaches chemistry there over the summer. He meets Mary Yancey.
1930: Charles enrolls in graduate school at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln to pursue a doctorate in chemistry.
1934: Charles graduates from U of N-L with a doctorate in chemistry. Mary and Charles marry on March 24. Charles gets a job as a research chemist at DuPont's Jackson Laboratory on the Delaware River in southern New Jersey on May 1. They move to Delaware.
1935: Charles and Mary move to Woodstown, NJ.
1968: Charles retires from DuPont on May 1.
The CH house sold for $37000,we sold it ourselves in just a few weeks.
ReplyDeleteDid not join the CC b/c of the neighborhood pool.
Diane Ferrier
I have heard this story several times but have learned new things this time. My Father was a real romantic guy. He would write love notes to my Mom and leave them around the house
ReplyDeletefor her to find when she woke up in the morning. I never heard them argue or raise their voices to each other which to this day I find strange. I feel I had a really great childhood while growing up in the 40's and 50's. Diane Ferrier
This is an excellent historical account of CBB. I learned a couple of things I did not know. It was great to hear my Mother's voice for the first time in 35 years.
ReplyDeleteUncle David