Friends of Betty MacDonald

Forum

Topic: Newsletter

Last Reply: Jun 18, 2010 1:46 PM

Joined: Feb, 2005

Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana

May 16, 2010, 11:55 PM	5007
I have received several emails asking when I was going to resume the newsletter. I would love to continue but I have run out of ideas. Do any of you have any suggestions or, topics that you would like to see?

Linde Lund

Joined: Dec, 2009

May 18, 2010, 10:02 AM	5008
John, May I ask you why all our info has been deleted from Wikipedia - even the Fan link? Yours, Linde

johnftwa48in

Joined: Feb, 2005

Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana

May 18, 2010, 2:24 PM	5009
Linde, this is a topic that you had already emailed me about. I do not know who deleted your stuff from Wikipedia, i do hope that this is not an accusation.

Jean Louise

Joined: May, 2008

Location: rural lovely green Indiana

Occupation: owner of 3 borzois and book lover

May 23, 2010, 5:06 AM

5015

oh dear, like a silly goose, I noticed i put a comment in the "forums" category instead of one of the topics. John, you requested ideas for your newsletter, and
Bless you for that newsletter. I just re-read every single one. If people don't know, Cathy B. posted an exhaustive Bibliography on all things Betty. I certainly am grateful for Debbie's meticulous research. And John, if I didn't hate to go to our downtown library so much (funny story about this to come)...I would copy all the book reviews on Betty's books. Maybe if legal permission is not too tricky, you could put parts of good reviews and if there is a nasty review, in the newsletter, though I can't imagine that. (a bad review i mean)

Jean Louise

Joined: May, 2008

Location: rural lovely green Indiana

Occupation: owner of 3 borzois and book lover

May 23, 2010, 5:34 AM

5016

Here is another library story and the connection to the topic of newsletter ideas is looking at some of the original older reviews of Betty's books.

With Cathy's fantastic bibliography of all things Bettys in my hot little hand, down I traipsed with trepidation to our downtown main library. I hate going to our downtown. If you so much as burp as you park your car, a nazi like walking parking ticket giver rushes over and writes you up. And there is a homeless shelter or two within blocks of the library. I don't care if I do offend anyone, I am an old lady, and pardon me if scruffy dirty looking people with wild eyes make me uncomfortable. Library has security, but they hang around inside, never outside in the meager parking lot, so every woman I know is tense from the time she parks to the time she gets in the library.

The magazine section is on the 3rd floor. I won't take elevators, too claustrophobic. And this section of the library is totally different from other floors in that it is low ceiling-ed, dark and there is never anyone up there but...homeless people napping or using their cell phones. I dont have a cell phone. ok, here is my story, I am squinting down at the tiny tiny print in the magazine index, a bit nervous because it is dark and I am trying to keep my purse clutched between my knees since a homeless person keeps moving closer and closer to me. bang, all the lights go out. What the....my first thought, hey, thank God I ain't in that tiny elevator box!! Second thought, get the heck downstairs somehow in the dark. The 3rd floor became a veritable Night of the Living Dead movie Set, with the homeless people waking up and stumbling around like zombies and me looking for a safe house in the dark!.

Well, cause of power outtage was a fired close-by, but the odd thing is the timing and the numbers. I go to that library maybe once a year. There hasn't been a power outtage for probably 20 years. But, wouldn't you know, that when there was...I would be there. on the 3rd floor.

ONe of Betty's Chapters is titled "I won't dance, don't ask me", which, by the way, is a song sung in the movie "Grey Gardens"!!!!, so my library chapter is titled "I won't go, don't ask me".

johnftwa48in

Joined: Feb, 2005

Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana

May 24, 2010, 7:49 PM	5017
Jean... I have said it before and I will say ot again; I love your writing style, I wish you would write something for the newsletter. John

mike40

Joined: Dec, 2009

May 25, 2010, 10:53 PM

5018

John,
I have been told that you are the Betty expert in the forum I have one question,
I keep hearing about Mary and Dede and Alison, Gammy and Sydney - what about the men in the Bard family? Darsie? Cleve? They get almost NO mention! Why is that? I also see that there are over 200 members of the Friends of Betty MacDonald so, why are there so few posts? Surely with this mamy members there are others who are as intrigued as I am!

Mike

johnftwa48in

Joined: Feb, 2005

Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana

May 26, 2010, 5:44 PM	5019
Mike, Thank you for the compliment but I would hardly say I am an expert on Betty. I agree, not enough has been said on the men in Betty's life. I will see what I can do to fulfill your request... I mat even have a document or two I can post with the help of Debbie

mike40

Joined: Dec, 2009

May 26, 2010, 7:27 PM	5020
Thanks John, I would love to know about these people, especially Cleve and Gammy’s husband. Was he really a gambler who ran away with everyone’s money?

johnftwa48in

Joined: Feb, 2005

Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana

May 28, 2010, 8:43 AM	5023
Mike, I haven't forgotten about you. I am working on a newsletter and my files are scattered everywhere. I do have one problem... I have very little information on Cleve. I am going to do a seperate post on each of the Bard men, sort of a mini bio.

johnftwa48in

Joined: Feb, 2005

Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana

Jun 06, 2010, 6:49 PM	5027
Mike, I am sorry for the delay in posting the information your looking for. I will have somthing posted by the middle of this week. John

johnftwa48in

Joined: Feb, 2005

Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana

Jun 15, 2010, 8:50 PM

5028

Mike, I am sorry for the delay getting this posted. I have been busy working on the newsletter and various other projects related to Betty. These mini bios are in no way complete. There is a lot of information on Cleve and Don that I just don’t have. If you have any questions please, feel free to ask.

john

Grandfather: James Fletcher Bard, born 1845. Died 1903 (?) Wife: Ann Elizabeth Campbell, born 1850, in West Virginia,. Married in 1877. Children: Darcey Campbell Bard. Betty portrayed her Grandfather a “gambler with Yellow eyes”. It may be the case that James was an abusive alcoholic but was portrayed as a gambler by Betty in order to romanticize him for literary sake. 1900 census records show that James, Ann and, Darcy were still a family and was living in Portland Or. It also shows that James sold life insurance

Father: Darcy Campbell Bard, born June 15, 1878 in Hannibal, Mo. Died, January 24, 1920, Butte, Mont. Wife: Elise Thalimar Sanderson. Born 1878, died, August 18, 1957. Married, Boston, Ma 1902. Darcey is listed in Builders of Our Nation: Men of 1913, Chicago. IL: Men of 1913, 1914, Important MEN OF NINETEEN_THIRTEEN, page 54. Which reads as follows: “Bard, Darsie Campbell, mining engineer; born Hannibal, MO., June 15, 1878: son James Fletcher and Elizabeth (Campbell) Bard; Grandnephew of Alexander Campbell, A.B, Harvard University 1903. Married Elise Thalimar Sanderson Dec. 15, 1902 in Boston, Mass. Professor of Geology and Mineralogy, Mont. State School of Mines. Clubs: Silver Bow and University (Butte). Member Am. Inst. Mining Engineers, Mont. Soc of Engineers, Harvard Engineering Club and, Seismological Society. Contributor to technical press. Residence: 1039 W. Granite St. Office: Mont. State School of Mines, Butte Mont.” Darsie attended Harvard University in 1899 and graduated in 1903 with an A.B. For a short while during his senior year in 1903, Darcy worked in a diamond mine in Butte, Montana. In early 1919 he and J. C. Johnson formed a partnership under the title of Bard & Johnson in Seattle, WA. In January 1920, while testifying as an expert witness in some litigation in Butte, he had an attack of pneumonia while staying at the Silver Bow Club, and died several days later. He was cremated and his remains where brought back to Seattle where they were interred

Robert Eugene Heskett: Born October 28, 1895, Cedar Falls Iowa. Father: Otis Heskett born 1875 (date of death unknown). Mother: Marie Foote born 1878 . Sisters: Florence Heskett, born 1898 died 1982. Louise Heskett, Dorothy Heskett , Katharine Heskett. Robert, like his father, sold life insurance. Some accounts have Otis listed as a Judge, it may be that he was a Justice of the Peace as he preformed the marriage ceremony for Robert and Elizabeth. On July the 18th 1918, at the age of 21, Robert enlisted into US Marine Corps during the First Word War. One year later, on June 12th, 1919 Robert was discharged from the US Marines with honors. From 1919 until 1926 Robert sold life insurance in Seattle Wa. . Both of Robert’s maternal grandparents were from Norway. Between 1931 and the time of his death in 1951, Bob went from job to job. In July of 1951 Bob was living in Oakland, California. It was during this time that an altercation with his then girlfriend’s (Thelma Blake) ex husband, Thomas James Blake, Bob was stabbed in the heart. He was 55

Sydney Cleveland Bard: born 1908 died 1980. Third child of Darcy and Elsie Bard. Little is known about Cleve. Cleve was married twice His second wife Mary Alice bard (1921-2003) proceeded him in death.

mike40

Joined: Dec, 2009

Jun 16, 2010, 11:35 PM	5029
John, I had read some old magazine articals that were comprised of interviews with residents of Chimacum. These people claim that both Cleve and Bob were moonshiners. How true are these claims? Mike

johnftwa48in

Joined: Feb, 2005

Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana

Jun 17, 2010, 8:44 AM

5030

Mike, I think I know the articles that you are referring to. Please don’t base your perceptions of Cleve and Bob on these stories. The people that were interviewed were either Bishops or relatives of the Bishops. Ever since the release of the Egg and I there has been bad feelings amongst the Bishop clan towards Betty that is present even unto this day. I have spent several years researching Bob Heskett and NO WHERE did I find any evidence that Bob Heskett was anyway near the man that he has been made out to be. Bob’s only failing in life was, he wasn’t able to be the father he wanted to be. As far as Cleve is concerned I doubt seriously that he was a moonshiner. All I know of Cleve what brief information I shared with you. After Betty and Bob moved to Chimacum, the Brads followed here there and tried to start a small farm but a case of TB wiped out their few cows and they packed it in and returned to Seattle. Mary, however, didn’t move to Chimacum but stayed in Seattle.

mike40

Joined: Dec, 2009

Jun 18, 2010, 8:53 AM	5031
John, if there was this animosity towards Betty, why did the reporter interview these people? You would think they would want positive memories. Also, what is up with this fan club ob Betty, is it an affiliation of Friends of Betty MacDonald?

johnftwa48in

Joined: Feb, 2005

Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana

Jun 18, 2010, 1:46 PM	5032
Good question, Mike. I don’t think that the author’s of the articles went out purposely looking for negative comments on anyone. There are not too many outsiders that know of the feelings that the Bishop’s and their descendants have towards Betty. As far as the Betty MacDonald Fan Club/Society: we are not affiliated with them in way, they are a totally separate entity.

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