The three Rute Brothers: Ellis, John and Joe

The Rute brothers: Ellis, John, Joe

I can only imagine the work Great Grandma had cooking for these three.  Aunt Laura, their oldest sister, told of having to help her mother in the house.  One of the biggest chores was washing clothing for a family of 8.  Aunt Mabel once told me everyone except Laura and her mother was expected to help on the farm.  The girls were not permitted to wear pants...ever.  Mabel, L'Nora spoke about dragging long dresses through the corn stalks as they picked corn by hand.

So why did the Rute family leave the family in Pennsylvania?  I was told by my  Aunts Ruby Rute and Lorene Rute their mother-in-law Martha Elizabeth Snyder Rute didn't want her boys working in the coal mines.  Land prices in Centre, Clinton, and Clearfield in Central Pennsylvania had become expensive, and she knew her boys would not be able to make a living if they remained in Pennsylvania. 

Hidden Gem from Crofton, Dixon Nebraska and the story of Great Aunt Eva Guern

Crofton, Dixon County, Nebraska

I purchased this photo from an antique store in Hinton, Iowa.  When driving by myself, I'm free to wander, and often stop at antique stores.  This store had a pile of photos and I purchased them all.  I think the bunch cost me $20.00.  This photo has been part of my collection for about a year, and even though I  looked at it, I missed the writing on the dark gray cardboard to which the image is affixed. This is a lesson, examine your photos carefully, and shine a light at an angle to the photo.  The writing says "Great Aunt Eva Guern 1913".  The sign the young boy is holding says "Crofton 2nd Primary Oct-9-13."

First I will say, this photo will not be going back to the family, instead, it will reside with the Dixon County Historical Society.   

So first I'm going to research little Miss Eva Guern, who is in the top row 7th in from the left. The 1910 census has Eva Guern living with her parents Emil Car. Guern who was born 3 Sep 1865 in Germany and his wife Martha Marie Lehman Guern who was born in Germany in 1871 and died in 1961.  There were 3 daughters and 1 son who were alive at the time of his death in 1930, one daughter Hattie Guern Bennett died in 1929. Leaving daughters Sylvia and Loretta.

From the obituary, it looks as if Eva married later in life (age 60) and never had children. I am hoping to take this photo to the preservation pad in Conroe, Texas to have it scanned before I send it to its forever home in Nebraska. 

Ellis Rute: Letter sent two days before the German's sank his ship.

My Grandfather Ellis T. Rute was a soldier in the 42nd Aerosquadron based in Dublin, Ireland.  On the 8th of October in 1918, he sent this letter home to his eldest sister Laura Rute Olson it is dated two days before the US Leinster,   mailboat  he was traveling on was struck by a German Torpedo, just off the Kish lighthouse as it was on its way from Kingstown (Dún Laoghaire) to Holyhead England. He was the only one in his squadron being sent to France. I have included his letter dated 8 Oct 1918, and his photo.  I also included his letter and a letter written by a woman aboard.

This is a first-hand account of the sinking of the Leinster by Hilda Dudgeon, a woman aboard the ship.

“Glenfield Old Connaught

Bray

Co Wicklow

October 11th, 1918

My dearest darling Peter,

"Here I am snatched once more from the jaws of death. How grateful I am -grateful, above all, I had no one I loved with me to worry about. I am quite fit and well and will try and give you a true account of my experiences and send you a paper for the facts.  Of course, I have lost nearly everything- all my clothes, my cheque books, receipts, our invoices, bills, your fountain pen and cig case-which worries me most, our 7 G’s music etc but it would be wicked to fret. Oh! And your valise which I was taking back. Don’t mind if I appear to doodle do, it isn’t swank just to show you that you would not have been ashamed of your Little One in the face of Death. I was lying in my cabin in my petticoat with my coat and hat and skirt off and a rug over me -thinking I was probably going to be seasick as there was a very big sea running-when I heard a sickening crash. Thinking “that’s done it this time” I got up and opened my door. Looking down at my scant attire and realising what was coming ran back and put on my Burberry, grabbed skirt, coat, purse, hat and life-belt and hurried on deck. I could not put the life-belt on properly and remember asking some men how it went but they were too dazed to answer. Somehow I found myself on the Hurricane deck where some men were loosening a boat. Colonel and Mrs Blackbourne followed-he with only one arm. He said to her “stay here, dear, and I will go and look after the children”. Shortly after that, the boat was over the side and something told me to jump.  I did. A long way to the heavy sea. We could not free her and every minute I expected to be capsized and share the fate of many others. Sailors yelled directions “get out the oars”. I struggled hard-the oar broke like a match. I seized a boat hook and pushed off with all my strength. The high seas flung us hard against the vessel and we were in danger of being smashed to pieces. I put all my strength into my oar so did four or five men and we got clear.

There were three other women in my boat too sea sick or too collapsed to be of any use along with some panic stricken worms(?) of men. Alderman Joyce took command or tried to for a bit and Lawrence Crowe, myself, the second mate and Chief Steward Lewin did the work. The rudder was gone and it took us all our time to keep her head to sea and avoid being swamped.  The boat began to fill-a girl tried to bale. I left my oar and got into the bottom of the boat and baled and was seasick in turn. Then went back to my oar. After about one and a half hours someone sighted a destroyer. Would they see us? The excitement turned some of the weaker men’s heads. They cursed the politicians for prolonging the war, wanted Peace-(and after that too) cursed fate etc. it made my blood boil. I told them to keep their minds on the sea and our boat or they would never get out alive. Somehow they were so surprised to hear a woman’s voice they settled down.

I tried to sing. The man beside me, (Crowe), was bleeding from the head the ?Cork way lying near me. I stooped down and rubbed the poor woman at my feet to keep the life in her. I had last seen her husband and child sinking in the water. I found myself saying “God, God”, out loud, “send help” .  I never once felt frightened having sent up a prayer at the beginning. I set about helping myself and others when possible. I refused to think, refused to look on horrors I could not assist.    Soon we picked up two men and a woman who were clinging to a raft-the woman was on her last gasp. A little way off was an officer on a wee raft. Whenever we rose up I waved to him to cheer him up.-he was alone-and the brave fellow waved back. Then someone shouted “Hoist a signal”.   There was nothing to hoist. I began to take off my blouse but the men found my coat in the bottom of the boat (where I had flung all my belongings to row) and put that up. My skirt was round a sailor and was drenched through and me in my petticoat but warm still from rowing with my scant hairs all over my face. The worst was still to come. The destroyer, HMS Lively” made for us. Our mate yelled “we are alright, go and save the man on the raft” The weak men protested and swore but we didn’t heed and shouted “yes, go”. It was an awful feeling seeing the destroyer pass on.  After a time she came back and then the trouble began. We got along side with a crash that sent me sprawling again the seat and nearly winded me. Our boat rose on the waves to almost a level with the destroyer. Someone jumped and we descended again. Again we rose and this time I jumped, caught the rail and hung on with my body and legs dangling over the sea and the ship tossing like an eggshell every moment expecting to be crushed by the rising boat. Several sailors dragged me over. Then the second officer said “come along, kiddie. I’ll look after you” and put me in his cabin where I sat on the wet floor for two more hours ‘til we landed in Kingstown. The sailors gave me tea, called me “dear” and were so good Soon after the men from my boat came along to shake hands with me-said I had been a brick and had kept them up-invited me to dine with them and they hoped we would meet again. I felt so proud to be praised by these splendid fellows. No one has any idea of their courage-their fearless behaviour in the face of death and their wonderful tenderness to the women. They called me “kiddie” and it was so ?funny and put their arms round me at every opportunity!! I suppose it was the round face and short hairs.

I am sending you the Times and I wired you on landing. I had hoped that nobody here would know but they heard at once and all Dublin was waiting. When “Hi” heard he ran for David thinking that two would be better than one and took a taxi to Kingstown. David promptly fainted- Hi shook him and told him to act. Then they heard everyone was saved. Where upon David collapsed again-poor boy-he is rather bad with his heart and nerves.  Miss Holloway drove me home and here I am. The telephone has not ceased all day-everyone seems to have heard I was on board. I am A 1 darling and only minus clothes. £50 at least gone down but I’m going to get more. I expect our 7 G to see to that!! I have written all this to him and the girls and wired both."

Ever yours

XX

A copy of the actual letter describing the horror my grandfather survived.