Clinging to Kin

As I considered the picture for today’s post, I got caught up in the idea of clinging. I think the pandemic forces clinging on us, really. Quarantining means we have to linger with each other the way odor ‘clings’ to a room. And you can’t very well get away from COVID news, like the way a wet shirt might ‘cling’ to your body.

More than that, though, I think we’re clinging in the “holding on tight” sense. I’ve certainly been clinging to my family, to my friends (some of them old friends whom I haven’t talked to in years). And I’d ventured to say that all of us continue to cling to the hope that “this too shall pass”.

In the above picture, my grandmother’s brother and sister (Clara and Ferris) have hopped onto their companion in a way that shows him to be an agreeable sort. In fact, what I found is that he – Bob Ketcham – was actually a cousin! He’s 28 in this picture and a year away from being a dad himself, to Robert Ketcham Jr.

He’s a Dunning cousin through his wife Blanche (same age) whose maiden name was Gardner. I can’t figure out an easy way to explain the relationship but maybe one of these will work for you:

1. Robert Ketcham’s wife (Blanche) was the daughter of Grandma (Clara) Dunning’s brother (Emmet Van Rensselear Gardner).
   
2. Merritt and Robert Ketcham are 1st cousins by way of Merritt’s mom (Clara) and Robert’s wife (Blanche)’s father…Emmet Van Rensselar.

At any rate, Bob Ketcham lived at 40 Washington Street at the time. He worked as a tool setter (a toother, according to the 1920 census) at a saw factory. The building where he worked – Clemson Brothers – has since been restored into a brewery in Middletown.

In the 1930 census, Bob’s wife Blanche was listed a registered nurse at a private practice. In 1936 became the Treasurer of Graduate Nurses’ Club of Middletown State Hospital. I also found that she taught Sunday School at 1st Presbyterian Church (the church I grew up attending).

By that time, Bob Jr. had graduated from Middletown High School (class of 1931) and also Purdue University, from the School of Mechanical Engineering. Daughter Janice (born December, 18 1919) also graduated from Middletown High School and graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in Art Education. You can read more about Janice’s life here.

Look at how Bob has grabbed on to Ferris’ feet (maybe to protect that beautiful suit). Note how pleased Ferris is to have clambered up there and how hard Clara’s working on the other side. One thing I can say about children during this pandemic is that – for all the trouble they may give – no one’s better for making an occasion lively and fun.

Hope you all enjoy this first day of Autumn 2020. The noise of the season in my neighborhood, to date, is the off-again, on-again chainsaw sound (probably taking care of Hurricane Isaias leftovers). Occasionally the neighbors’ hens will get ruffled and squawk squawk squawk squawk SQUAWK at something.

Here’s to hoping that if you’re clinging with someone during this time that it’s of the ‘cozy ball of yarn’ variety and not the bad odor one.