Memorial Day

I would like to take this moment to pay respect to the military and all the men and women who sacrifice their time, energy, skills and sometimes lives in honor of freedom! In our family currently, my brother Bruce is on a nuclear submarine based in Washington State. My stepbrother Jack is in Iraq in the Army and my nephew Anthony is at Fort Bragg, NC, also in the Army. God be with you!

And here is proof that there is nothing new under the sun.

Bismarck Tribume (ND) Jun, 2, 1917

MATRON OF SEVENTY-SIX
CARDS AND SPINS YARN
TO KNIT FOR SOLDIER BOYS

The scarcity of yarn has no terrors for Mrs. John Halcrow of Bowesmont, Pembina county. Recently Mrs. Halcrow, who is in her 76th year, "teased" carded and spun the yarn she used in knitting socks and sweaters for boys in khaki. In all she has spun two fleeces of wool and has knitted the yarn into scoks and sweaters. This she did besides knitting her full share of supplies for the Bowemont Red Cross chapter. This devotion to our soldiers by one of the pioneers of the state is a stirring example of the great patriotism with which the women are backing the government.

Mrs. Halcrowis one of the best known women of the state. She is a woman of splendid Christian character and a mother of a most representative family, Mrs. J. G. Moore and Mrs. C. W. Moses of this city, Mrs. John Booth Cooley, Mrs Harry Tisdale, wife of Dr. Tisdale of Grand Forks; Mrs. J. Shingler wife of Rev. Shingler of the Milton Methodist church; Mrs. G. B. Wylie of Bowesmont, state corresponding secretary of the W. C.T.U; Mrs. A. O.D Frate of Jamestown; Miss Mae and Robert and John Halcrow of Bowesmont are her children.

Mrs. Halcrow brought the spinning wheel which she used from her old home in Scotland upwards of 50 years ago. She was among the first to join the Red Cross and has given splendid support to all its activities. The Bowesmont chapter has a membership of 147, while the town proper only has a population of 110. The other members are from the surrounding districts.

Mrs. Halcrow devotes most of her time to the knitting of Red Cross articles.


This lady came from the Shetland Islands, first to Ontario, Canada and then to North Dakota. She is the mother of the wife of my Grandmother's Uncle, Harry Tisdale (noted in the article). In some other writings it mentions that she brought the wheel with her from Scotland when she came. Can you imagine packing up all your belongings in a trunk and sailing across an ocean to begin a new life? We jet set around today and think nothing of it. It was a big thing back then and I'm sure she didn't bring her wheel solely for amusement purposes, it was probably a necessary part of her every day life at that time. It was interesting to read that she had spun two fleeces for socks and sweaters for the boys in WWI...and we do it today...several of my friends are making socks for soldiers and some are making helmet liners...the beat goes on. Thank you everyone who is helping encourage and support all these soldiers!