The Spanish Influenza
A Firsthand Account of the Spanish Influenza at Camp Fremont in 1918
October 1918 was the deadliest month of the Spanish Influenza pandemic. Menlo Park, CA was hit in September. Camp Fremont, located there on land leased from Stanford University, housed 28,000 soldiers training for WWI action. Most soldiers here never saw combat, but the Spanish Flu hit the base hard. Over the course of six weeks, 2,418 patients suffering from respiratory diseases were admitted to the base hospital. Hundreds more with relatively mild cases were cared for in camp infirmaries. Of the 408 related cases of pneumonia reported, 147 soldiers died: 6% of admitted cases; 38% of those developing pneumonia. [Ref: Barbara Wood {correction, should be: "Barbara Wilcox," ed.}, World War I Army Training by San Francisco Bay (2016), p. 97]
This is my grandfather Perlie Melvin Phinney’s account of his time at Camp Fremont in that deadly month of the flu and leading up to Armistice day. Some letters were dated, others just had the day of the week, but all were still in their postmarked envelopes. These are in order by date. The handwritten letters were at times faded, but these are direct transcriptions as closely as I was able to write. He signed some letters P.M.P, and the rest either Perle or Perlie.
Mary Ann Ruiz
March 2020
Camp Fremont, California
October 3, 1918
Dear Folks at Home: -
I hope you haven’t worried any because I have let several days go by without writing.
I have been out to “movies” or something every evening until late and so have neglected my correspondence. The Y.M.C.A have had some very good shows recently and as they are free, I have been to about every one of them.
Things are about the same. I am not getting ahead as fast as I had hoped, but I am a little impatient I suppose. Nothing else from Washington since I last wrote.
I have some news. To-day is pay day. I shall put some of my money in the local bank. I ought to have about fifty dollars coming. I still have some money left.
The idea of taking us out and trying to lose us was to test us out for “scouts”. They always have to have scouts to send out after information, to make maps, etc. I expect this is the idea that they have.
The Ford must look very fine if you have washed it underneath the engine with distillate. I know it must have been a very dirty job.
I told you in another letter that I received the fever tablets and thank you very much. So far there are no cases of Spanish Influenza in Camp Fremont that I know of. The twelfth Infantry are quarantined but on account of measles, we think, but don’t know.
I still have some cookies left but not many. I am writing this morning because we have a night class in search light work. The talk is that we will stay here a long time. The fellows all say that everyone gets a ten day furlough at Christmas just by asking for it. They all got ten days last year. I may get a five day “pass” soon and that will give me some time. I will be able to ask for it after I have been in 90 days.
Several times you have asked me to tell you something “if I was allowed to tell”. So far, I don’t know anything that I am not allowed to tell. Of course, if I found out we were going through Orange Calif. or any other place for that matter, I could not telegraph ahead and tell about it. The Red Cross are the only ones who know that a troop train is coming through a town.
When we were on our way south we could not telegraph or telephone or tell anyone where we were going or where we came from. That is the only thing we have been told to keep secret so far, and that was for our own safety.
No, signal work is not dangerous. We have wires running along the trenches and are stationed in the dugouts where the officers are. We take and send messages. The only dangerous part is repairing a broken wire but this is generally done at night. But I don’t take this work seriously. I don’t believe I will ever get a chance to receive a message. I want an officer’s job and intend to stick to it as long as I am in the army. This is good experience for me as it will make me a more efficient officer or private as the case may be.
As far as my health goes it was never better. I haven’t got weighed this week but intend to go to
Palo Alto Friday or Saturday and will weigh myself then (144-1/2 last time)
You were asking me about the subjects of conversations. First comes “Smutty” Stories or “experiences” next comes Home (cooking, and state boosting. I hold up California’s end or New England which ever happens to be under dog). Next comes war. We never have politics discussed. Some of the boys didn’t even know about the state primary election.
Well I must quit now and write to one other. With love, P.M.P.
October 4, 1918
Dear Pa: -
Just a few lines.
I received my pay and had $58.20 coming to me. One fellow had drawn on his account, he had but $.60 on pay night and he told me he already owed $8.00. A lot of the fellow are broke from “shooting” dice and are trying to borrow money. Mine is safe. I don’t take chances on anything.
With lots of love, Perle
October 7,1918
Dear Folks at Home:
I received a letter from you some time Saturday while I was away and another on Sunday. You said you thought I was getting careless now that I receive so many letters. It is not that, but I have not so much time because there are so many places to go and there is so much talk about quarantine that I want to go while I can.
Saturday three of us went to Frisco immediately after dinner and didn’t get back home until 12:15 Sunday night or rather Monday morning. We had a dandy time and I will tell you what we did.
The three of us (Nelson, Owen & I) went to Frisco on the train at 2 o’clock Saturday. Round trip fare was $1.00. We got good rooms for $.50 and then bought some tickets for the Orpheum in the evening. Then we went around and bought some stuff. Nelson bought him some dress shoes as both the pairs that were “issued” to him by U.S. were work shoes. I was lucky and drew one pair of work and 1 pair of dress shoes. I bought me a pair of dress leggings as you probably noticed the pictures showed how shabby my leggings were. We could get some issued us but would have to wait too long.
We had a good supper that night of Hamburgers or “Liberty” steak and onions. The Orpheum was fine. We then went to our rooms and believe me we just layed from one corner of the bed to the other. I sure enjoyed sleeping in a real bed again (we have canvas cots here). We didn’t get up until nine o’clock.
OWell after a good breakfast of mush, ham & eggs & chocolate with whipped cream we went to Golden Gate Park. Here we “bumped’ into a big parade. The San Francisco “Chronicle” had a lot of “movie” cameras there and took the pictures of everyone in line. Lots of people carried little signs with “hello George” “our mother” etc etc. These films will be shown “over there” and the idea is to let the soldiers see their friends and relatives. It was a long parade. They took six reels so you see nearly everyone had a chance to pass in front of a camera. They passed close too so the pictures should be very large.
They had quite a few soldiers and boy scouts in the front section of the parade. It was quite a sight. It took so long that we didn’t wait for the whole line to pass. We finished going through the museum and then after visiting the animals and the children’s playground we went to the Cliff House and had a shore dinner down by the surf in a little place where Fred and I ate in 1915. He may remember.
From there we went to the big plunge “The Sutro Baths” where we enjoyed the saltwater for about two hours or nearly until six o’clock. We got a lot of kids and had a big water fight. Then we each got a kid on our shoulder and let them wrestle each other. My neck’s lame today. It was going around like a piece of rubber yesterday and today it feels as if it needed some stiffening on the sides. It is better tonight.
After the plunge we went back to San Francisco where we had supper and then went to see Charlie Chaplin and Mae Murry in a double headline bill at the “movies”. We caught the 10:45 train out of Frisco and there was such a crowd at Menlo Park (our station, it is 1-1/2 miles from the Camp) that the buses were all full and we had to walk home.
We had just a dandy time and I may go again if we stay here long enough and are not in quarantine. I don’t want to go again for several weeks anyway. It breaks up the monotony of army life; I felt for the 1-1/2 days as if the war was over.
The paper looks fine this evening but you can’t tell what a day may bring forth. The boys here at camp are all anxious to have the war end. It is all “hot air” about the fellows being crazy to go. All the fellows here would be “tickled to death” if the morning’s paper said peace was declared.
All “us soldiers” figure the thing will be over by Christmas. We may be wrong but judging from everything we think things are slacking up a bit. At one time about the first of September and when they were rushing us, Sundays, rain or shine etc it looked as if we were wanted somewhere in a hurry. Now things have “eased up” and we are not drilling so strenuously as formerly. We sit around the black board in the field and talk a good part of the time now and then we have “sham battles” and other “time killing” stuff.
Well I want to get to bed early tonight so will say good night for this time. With love Perle
Answers:
1. No we do no ironing
2. Tell Mrs. Rudolph there are no cooties or bed bugs
3. We get mail from two to five times each day
P.S. I would like to go fishing for mackerel
Am getting sleepy
No Spanish Influenza here yet
October 8, 1918
Dear Folks at Home:-
Well I feel quite natural again. We are in quarantine again. This time it is the whole camp. No one can come in or go out. It is on account of the Spanish Influenza. There are so many cases around camp that they don’t want the soldiers and civilians to mix.
So far there are no sure enough cases but they have several suspected cases in the camp. The quarantine isn’t so bad as we can go to the outdoor “movies” But no going to Menlo Park or outside of the 13th Infantry in camp. Each organization must keep in its own quarters. The tents are down each day and the blankets hung out to sun. the sides of the tent and the “door” must be open all night. An officer comes around each night about 12 or 1 o’clock and looks after things. He reports any violations to the company commanders.
They believe that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and are taking no chances.
It looks as though things were nearly over doesn’t it. I hope you will be feeling a good deal better when this letter reaches you.
We were issued our woolen underclothing this week and I have mine for now. They want to keep us warm. We have got in a lot of wood and will eventually put in stoves this winter. They have a stove for each tent.
Base Hospital Tuesday
Dear Folks at Home: -
Well I am still here my temperature still stays at 100 so it is milk for yours truly. My stomach is just about touching my backbone. This is bad paper for a sick fellow to write on. The lines are so close together that one has to write a book in order to fill up two pages.
My cough is very loose. I have a little cup on my stand to spit “oysters” in. I manage to the make the nurse dump it twice each 24 hours. I don’t have to leave my bed for anything. The nurse gives me an alcohol rub each morning. It sure makes my back feel stronger. I have felt the best this afternoon of any since I came here.
The biggest trouble with me now is my cough. My throat has been strained so much that it is quite “raw”. Of course, I am very weak from the fever and little food but that don’t bother me any just now because I don’t move. My head has ached continuously (until this afternoon) from last Wednesday night. That makes a fellow tired too. I don’t know how long I will be here. It will take some time to get my strength back when I start eating.
I first refused my afternoon ice cream. Everything tastes too sweet. The doctor happened to be in at the next bed and asked me if I didn’t have any appetite. I told him I wanted something sour and he suggested some lemonade or orange . I chose the orange and just as soon as I finish up this letter I intend to call the nurse and tell her what the doctor said.
With love, Perle
Base Hospital Thursday
Dear Folks at Home:-
It is hard to get stamps here, we have to depend on the Y.M.C.A or the Knights of Columbus man .
My temperature was down to normal and to celebrate this morning the nurse let me make my own bed. I didn’t realize how weak I have grown. I feel fine this morning. I have no headache and my cough has not been bothering me so much for the past two days.
I can have all the oranges I want now and I am not bashful about asking. They are small but very sweet juicy Valencias. It seems I have not had any so nice for a long time.
I want to caution you people about the Spanish Influenza. Take all the pre-cautions you can not to get it because it goes very hard with fleshy people. There are about twenty of the nurses down with it already, and I heard the Dr. and some nurses talking this morning and some of the nurses are very sick. If you get it don’t try and experiment and cure yourself. Believe me you would be surprised to see all the fever tablets they have given me trying to break my fever. They have some powerful capsules which will make the sweat come out on you like rain. I have taken six or eight of these alone besides lots of others less strong.
When I left camp there was a rumor going around that we were going to move again but I don’t believe we do much of anything until we know how the Peace move is coming out. Then there are so many sick that I doubt we would move just now.
You know I can think of all kinds of nice things to do if the old war was only over.
Base Hospital Friday
Dear Folks at Home:-
All of my fever has gone and I am feeling fine. I have had a square meal but strange to say couldn’t eat it all. I was up and shaved today and I feel fine except for weakness. Including the two days at camp this makes nine days that I have lived on milk only. Less than a quart a day too.
Be careful and don’t get this “Flue”. The Dr. examined my lungs a little this morning. He said “Pretty Good Pretty Good”. That was all I could get out of him.
I guess we leave for New York or some other place soon. Some boys who came in yesterday said the 8th infantry was leaving yesterday. There are about 40,000 troops here and it will take some time to move them all. They are not going to give any “overseas” exams this time until they reach New York. This is the stiffest of the exams and is conducted by “Overseas” doctors because they know the conditions better. Out of ink, with love, Perle
Base Hospital, Saturday
Dear Folks at Home:-
I received the letter you sent me here, yesterday. I am still here and may stay for several days yet.
Don’t address me other than at Base Hospital. I will tell you why. My outfit (13th Infantry) have gone. Every company a,b,c,d,e, - all the companies left yesterday for New York. I don’t know what I shall do when I get out. I don’t know where they left my things or anything. A soldier who came yesterday told me this. He told me everything was going - Horses, wagons, machine guns, office furniture, typewriters, everything and everybody.
Everything is in quarantine and the fellows with wives in Palo Alto got left with no chance to say good by to them. Well I don’t think they will have a chance to go farther than N.Y. I look for peace very soon, don’t you?
Well if I wasn’t here I would be a thousand miles east humming along on the train. I sure hate to lose my old crowd and start with all strangers again. Such is life and war in particular. I am getting kind of used to it now. I have had so many new crowds that I can soon get acquainted with anybody.
Base Hospital, Sunday
Dear Folks at Home: -
You must not expect the mail from me with much regularity as I can’t always get stamps and then I can’t get them mailed after they are written. There is nothing regular. They go with the mail and after it when they have time. That is as much as can be said.
I received a letter from a chum in Camp saying before he left he packed all my stuff and sent it to the hospital so that is taken care of. I imagine when I get out of here I will stay around and when a crowd gathers we will follow our original companies and eventually overtake them. I just assume, this, - I don’t know.
I am glad Pa that you are using the Ford for your Santa Ana rounds. I know you will use it more and more as you find out what a help it can be to you. Yes ,Pa ,I got your letter with the leave of absence from School “Board”. Walnuts are pretty high aren’t they? I am glad you are trying to keep away from the S.I. by having carbolic acid around
Tell Ma and Fred to be very careful. An ounce of prevention is very valuable in this disease. If they had seen the cases I have they wouldn’t need to be cautioned. I have seen fellows drop off with in 24 hours from the time they were taken sick. Be careful is all I can say.
No, Ma, I didn’t write any at first because I kept getting worse for one reason and then I didn’t feel much like writing anyway. You don’t need to worry about me getting up too soon or eating something that will hurt me. The nurse knows exactly what each fellow is to get and you don’t get any more. It is too bad that Harvey and Lorena have the Influenza.
I have failed to find the “war thirsty” soldier yet in any camp. They all have the same talk. You wouldn’t see their heels for dust if peace was declared.
? I have lost my car and my paper route two Sundays ago, and now I have lost my pardner Raymond Owen, he died in the hospital last week with the “flu”, so you see my paper business has all gone to smash. Such are the ups and downs of a “business man”. I was sorry to lose Owen; he was in Frisco two weeks ago to-day with Nelson and I.
The 13th Infantry have hoisted the flag of victory at Spanish American War, at Phillipine Insurrection, Mexican border trouble and every other fight since ’98 so I expect it is up to the 13th to settle this European trouble and raise the flag over Berlin. The 13th Infantry is one of the oldest “outfits” in the army. This is a little history I am putting in here because it may interest you and it does fill up my letter.
. Remember me to all the friends and tell them I think often of them
With love and kisses
Perle , Base Hospital, Camp Fremont, Calif.
Base Hospital, Oct 22
Dear Folks at Home:-
I received several letters yesterday but of course the one that pleased me most was the one from you folks.
The Dr. has just been to see me he said he was going to keep me here for a couple days and then send me to the “convalescent ward. (the ward where the fellows are just getting back their strength)
One fellow just grabbed up all his blankets and they just stopped him as he was going out. He said he was going home. He was delirious with fever and didn’t know what he was doing. We have only one real sick man in our ward and he is inside so we talk and make quite a little noise when the big nurse isn’t around.
It seems to me, Ma, that you have not been so well since I have been away. Almost every time you write you are just getting over a sick spell. What’s the matter?
The wife of the fellow next to me sneaked in to the grounds yesterday and smuggled in a box of candy. She couldn’t come in and the attendant soon discovered her and sent her on her way. She says she is going to try and sneak in again to-day. I hope she does because she has promised to bring me some gum.
I am getting pretty low on stamps but will write as long as they hold out
With love to all
Perle
Base Hospital Friday Nov. 1
Dear Folks at Home: -
I did not write yesterday because I thought my address would be changed but now I guess I am good for another day or so. I received two letters from you people yesterday and will answer the questions.
#1. I don’t know about filling up the camp again. We hear that they are but no definite information has come to me yet.
#2. I did know several of the nurse’s names but can’t remember one now.
#3. I am pretty strong now as I walk around considerable
#4. Yes I have talked several times with the Masons at the Y.M.C.A
#5. Now we all have spit cups, made of paper put in a little square tin mug.
#6. No we don’t were a gauge mask hardly any in this ward
#7. We get new masks once a week at least and as much oftener as we want to ask for one
#8. I don’t know about having the “flue” more than once, but think once is enough
#9. No I have plenty of stamps.
I am chewing a piece of Los Angeles gum as I write, thanks for it . how are your hens laying? I should judge by the price of eggs that most hens are taking a vacation.
The war news sure looks good doesn’t it? We have quite a little excitement over the arrival of each paper. The boys are all talking about going home or getting a furlough.
The doctor is here to examine us and I will perhaps yet be able to tell you a little something. Well I will finish the letter after the examination.
Good news
I leave the Hospital and go back to Camp but don’t know my address. I am feeling fine as a fiddle. I did a little K.P. today and found a big bowl of preserved pears. It was actually juice so I took another bowl and filled it half full of milk and then turned in the juice. Then I fixed another bowl of half juice and half milk. I sure had a stomach full.
Well I will hurry and put this in the box. I asked the Dr. if we would get a chance to follow our regiment to France and he said no chance
In haste
P.M.P.
Love to all
Camp Fremont, Calif.
Development, Battallion
Dear Folks at Home:-
Well I am over to camp again but have no definite address except the one at the top of this paper and that is not permanent.
We are located i9n a big horse stable but have regular beds. I got all my stuff except the bag I had my stuff in some one swiped that and tied up my “junk” in the old red blanket and it is the worse for the wear so I will send it home as soon as I get something for a bag. I really don’t need the extra blanket In this climate as I already have 2 heavy ones.
Someone gave me two pair of drawers and four undershirts & 4 towels so I am well supplied. I now have four pair of underdrawers and six undershirts; only 2 sets are woolen, the others are heavy cotton. I also have a pair of barber shears which I borrowed from the mechanic in I. Company. Just as soon as I get so I can I will send home some of the junk (?). Well I can’t think of anything more so will say goodby for this time. With lots of love Perle
Sunday P.M.
I am still at sea about address. We have a dry place to sleep and I am comfortable because I have plenty of clothes. Some of the fellows are foolish to stay with the few clothes they have. They will be back in the hospital. All the hospital patients are put in the Development Battalion and reexamined and reclassified. They are sending about 300 home from this battalion with discharges. They have all kinds of crippled here and some are off in the “upper story”. The 300 are going home Monday.
They put them into different departments and some go back to full A1 Class duty. That’s where I will probably go. Well I will mail this at the Y.M.C.A. It has stopped raining now
With love
Perle
Camp Fremont, Calif
November 5th
Dear Folks at Home:-
Well just a few lines. I just received a letter from you dated Oct 5th. It was brought to me from the hospital. My mail is having a hard time finding me.
I am feeling very fine and strong. In fact, I think I feel the best of any of the boys who came out with me. I lost but three pounds and now weigh 142 which isn’t so bad for me.
Things look very bright for me to-day. Yesterday I got a haircut and then after fooling around and going about everywhere I put in my application for admission to the officer’s training school. Let me tell you how sure the government is that we won’t have much more war. Today they told us that we could all have a chance to go up to Washington State and work in the Spruce Camp. All men class A1 or any other so you can see how badly they need trained men when they give a trained A1 soldier a chance to work at a logging mill. Two months ago they wouldn’t have thought of letting anyone but limited service men go.
Well I though a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush so when we lined up for Spruce I lined up too. When the officer came around to take our name he says “I thought you was going to Officer Training School?” I says “I put in my application but I don’t know what chance I have to go” “well” he says “ I can’t say for sure you will go but I can say you have the best chance in the world.”. “Alright,” I says “if you feel pretty sure I will go I won’t sign up.”. So it looks very much as if I would go to O.T.S. Don’t say anything because “there’s many a slip twixt the cup and the lip”. I may fail to pass the examination but I doubt it.
. We have a canteen where we can buy stuff and a picture show where they show a 2 reel comedy and a 5 reel feature film each evening. They hold it out in the open and it is quite a sight to see the 300 or 400 of us sitting out under the trees all bundled up with overcoats and sweaters. I enjoy it very much after the monotonous hospital life.
The paper looks better each day and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see things end before a couple of weeks.
Well I am writing under difficulties so won’t write much. We are still in the barns and the flies are bothering me so that I can’t do much. With love to you all
Perlie
Camp Fremont
November 9th
Dear Folks at Home:-
Well it is Saturday and I have been here a week and I may be here a good deal longer and I may move before night. It is not a very pleasant sensation to be waiting all the time expecting to do something or go somewhere any minute. One fine thing has happened we will be out of quarantine at 5 o’clock to-night. We have been “in” now for about six weeks and it sure will seem good to get “out” again.
We were all examined and reclassified the other day and I am glad to say that I was put into Class A1 again which shows that the “flue” left me O.K. Some of the boys went to class b, some to C and some to D. it leaves the lungs in poor shape in some cases. All the D class boys are up for discharge.
Well the war “news” was a fake we found to our sorrow, but by the time you get this I expect we will get the real stuff and I expect it will be “peace”.
To-night I am going to Palo Alto and patronize the $.05 & $.10 store. I am also going to get me some hamburger steak & onions. We get good food here but I want some “liberty” steak. I also want some licorice. By the way, whenever I get a permanent address I want you to send me about $.25 worth of penny licorice. I am going to try to get some to-night.
I have not been paid for over a month and I still have $52 and I may get $58 on the 1st so you see I manage to keep considerable ”pin” money.
We have a fine crowd of fellows in our “provisional company”. I hope we can stay together for a little while. I have got so I can make up with any crowd now and I am soon known by everyone. I cut hair, put initials on mess kits and settle arguments so in that way I am pretty well known. Just now i am having exceptional luck at playing horse shoes. “Shorty” and I beat nearly everyone.
No news papers say Kaiser abdicates. Am going for my steak & onions now.
With love
Perlie
Company H
Dev. Bn
Camp Fremont
Camp Fremont, Calif
Nov 11, 1918
Dear Folks at Home:-
Just a few lines to let you know that I am all well and happy. We were on a big parade at Palo Alto yesterday and it was a pretty long jaunt but was just great fun. We paraded for three hours today.
Everyone here was crazy yesterday! Machines were going with bells & tinhorns and flying flags. It seemed as if everyone was happy.
They treated us fine wherever we went yesterday and it was very inspiring to march between the thronged sidewalks and everyone cheering. I shall not soon forget it.
I don’t think they will hold the officer’s training school as they had planned although they are preparing for it and to-day we took our first examination. It was a written examination and I did well.
We are going on another parade this afternoon and I am hurriedly scratching a few lines while I have time. We have been quite busy for a few days. We have fixed a place to have a fire in our tent. We have mended the top and dug drains around the edge so we are prepared for the cold and rain.
Nov.14
There were no pictures at the Y tonight and I am sitting in my tent writing. It is trying to rain and is not very cold so we have let our fire go out, put the “cap” on our smoke hole, tied up the door and fixed everything up for a big blow and rain. The wind is flapping the canvas and now the rain is pelting on the roof. I can always go to sleep quickly when it rains on the tent.
Hope to eat Christmas dinner at home
Yours in haste
Perlie
Address: P.M. Phinney
Div. Hdqtrs
Personnel Office
Camp Fremont
Perlie Melvin Phinney Biographical Information
Transcribed from letters home to father Benjamin Franklin Phinney, mother Cora Phinney and brother Fred Phinney, in Orange, CA. – the “Folks at Home.”
Perlie M. Phinney was born on November 27, 1888 in Middleborough, Mass. His family moved to CA sometime in the early 1900’s, and P.M., as he preferred to be called, was living in Huntington Park, CA and teaching elementary school at Hooper Ave. School before the war.
In March of 1918, P.M. received his draft board classification of Class 1, putting him subject to “call when the Government “may have need of your services”. He was inducted into the Army on July 19, 1918, and initially sent by train to Fort Lewis WA. By Aug 14 he was in quarantine (for measles) with his outfit, and all being moved by train to Camp Fremont, where they arrived on Aug 19.
Jan 29 of 1919, his division (the 13th Infantry), was moved to Fort Kearny in San Diego for the remainder of his time in the Army. He was assigned to a Personnel office there. After the war, P.M. married Bertha Ames on Jun 23, 1920 in Pasadena. They settled in Bell, CA where they raised their 3 children, Jack, Virginia, and George, and built a lovely home with surrounding gardens and fruit trees, chickens and lived there until his passing in 1965, with Bertha living there until her death in 1979.
The letters were stored in P.M.'s old trunk, repurposed from one his mother had brought with her from MA. Granddaughter Ruiz ended up with the trunk after her parents both passed away.
Scanned photos and documents relevant to P.M. Phinney:
P.M. Phinney in uniform (1918)
P.M.'s trunk: photo 1 and photo 2