The Early Years
The 40’s and 50’s
The tent Josie made
Back in the St Louis Days during WWII about 1945-6, the war was over, but a lot of memories were floating around. It was always right there in front of you. The soldiers did it on the European front so why couldn’t I do it also. I wanted to camp. This is not to mention the artifacts of everything from GI gear to aircraft parts. The air was thick of stories of returning vets and all their tales, something that an eight-year-old boy would soak up. I had always wanted to go camping and to sleep out in a tent on the ground. Unfortunately, at that time there was a dearth of camping gear and, even if it were available, we couldn’t afford to get it. It just wasn’t part of our consciousness. I really wanted a tent just to pretend that I was camping.
Well Grandma Josie Davis came to my rescue. She acquired an old FW Woolworth awning that 
had been discarded from my dad’s or my uncle Don’s store and made me a tent. I can still see that brown and white striped canvas hanging over a clothesline in the backyard of our house in Baden (north St Louis). It had sides and flaps on both ends for coming and going. It was my pride and joy. I also had a veterinary tool roll up kit (sans tools) that I used for a sleeping bag. It really didn’t work well but for an eight-year-old it certainly sufficed. The odd friend and I but mostly my self-played and played with these things as that was all there was. I had great fun going in and out of my Woolworth tent hanging over that clothesline. The accompanying sketch says it all. It is great to be able to see in my mind all the things that I did because I didn’t have a camera at the time. I just use mind recording and no one can dispute what I saw. I can still see that yard with a short chain link fence around it and the garage on one corner adjacent to the alley. There was a concrete “ash pit” next to the garage where we dutifully deposited the ashes from the coal-fired furnace of the time. Periodically my dad hired someone to come and dig out the pit removing the ashes that had accumulated. This usually happened about once a year. Next to the house was a metal cover over an opening in the wall where the coal was dumped into a coal bin in the basement. A truck would come and deliver the ordered amount of coal for either a furnace that burned large lump coal or finer lumps used in a stoker that automatically fed a furnace so that a six- or eight-hour supply could be stored and fed. I must say that things have changed and for the better. I can still smell the fumes from the coal fires around the city.
Early Years, Photos
The Thomas Family
The Thomas Family is the family of Velma Reta Thomas Davis, mother of P. Thomas Davis. They originated in Murphysboro, IL in the early 1860s with the arrival of GGrandfather of Velma, David and his son Thomas Benjamin after their arrival from Wales, UK. They were listed in early guides to the area; David was involved in the mining industry and later became a notary public and was known as Judge David Thomas. His son TB became a merchant and
Willis Thomas with grandson Tom in about 1939 in the backyard of 1828 Edith St in Murphysboro, IL.
in turn his son Willis became a plumbing contractor. Willis’ daughter married Paul E. Davis of Anna, Il and they became my parents (Thomas Davis) in 1938. Thus are recorded the major family names Davis (Emery paternal grandfather) and Fulenwider (Josie paternal grandmother) along with Thomas (Willis maternal grandfather) and Rees (Myrtle maternal grandmother). For present and future generations this is the makeup of the family. We are immigrant stock as are all Americans, some long ago and others more recent. We have worked long and hard through difficult times to be at this point and to record this information for generations to come. May it give insights into the makeup of this group who preceded and may all who follow live up to the foundation provided by the labors and good example provided. May all who have gone before remain in our memories along with their accomplishments and rest in God’s peace.
Photo Gallery
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