Young Bruce Haworth Pilcher

by Thomas B. McDavitt

In Olathe, Kansas, on a hot August day in 1882, a boy child was born to James Ruthven Ferdinand and Louise Catherine Haworth Pilcher.  He joined a family of four, including his half-sister, Grace Rowena, and his sister, Edith Blanche.  He was named Bruce Haworth Pilcher.  No birth or death records were kept in Johnson County, KS, until after 1911, and no written record has been found to date to document this event.  A search of extant newspapers of the area is still underway. 

Bruce’s family grew by one when, in June of 1884, his sister Georgia arrived on the scene.  One more baby girl, Lua Catherine, joined the Pilcher family briefly in 1887, before dying on January 16^th.  Bruce was just a few days older than 5 years and seven months when his father died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage, on 19 March 1888.  His mother maintained their home, until, in 1894, she entered the Indian Service as a teacher at the Uinta Agency in Whiterock, Utah.  The children stayed in Olathe and attended school.  It is supposed that Grandmother Elizabeth P. Haworth lived with them and was their surrogate mother, since she moved to Lawrence with them and lived in Louise’s home until her death in 1902.  As near as can be determined, Grace graduated from Olathe High School in 1887 and went to St. Louis to study kindergarten teaching.  She went to Fort Mohave in 1899, to teach in the Indian School there, and later moved to Rice, Arizona, to work for the San Carlos Apache Indian Agency. 

Blanche, Bruce & Georgia attended the primary school in Olathe, where Blanche graduated from the Olathe High School in 1898.  Louise moved her family to 1133 Kentucky Street in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1898, so that Blanche could attend the University of Kansas.  As a result, Bruce and Georgia attended Lawrence High School, where Bruce graduated in 1900 and Georgia in 1902.  Both Blanche and Georgia graduated from KU.  In a number of citations, Louise is credited with “giving each of her children a University education.”  In the account of his wedding, Bruce is cited as completing the “Engineering Course” at the University, although the University Archives do not contain the records of students who were not granted a degree.

The family oral history is that Bruce met his future wife, Caroline Kasold, at the Lawrence Business School, where they both took the business course.  There is no record of Caroline attending high school, so she most likely entered business school in 1903, at age 16.  If Bruce had matriculated at KU for some time in the Engineering curriculum, it is possible that he also entered business school about that time.  The curriculum for the business school is not available so there is no record of the duration of the certification process.  Bruce wanted to be a cartoonist but his mother advised him that being a cartoonist was not a fit profession for a man.  Two samples of his work appear at the end of this edition.  Bruce is said to have worked in a haberdashery on Massachusetts Street, perhaps Campbell’s, which at its closing a few years ago was the oldest men’s clothing store in Lawrence.  All the pictures of Bruce in Lawrence, and subsequently in Barstow, California, attest to the fact that he was a very natty dresser and chose his clothing carefully.  Caroline worked for the shoe store and then in the business department of the Lawrence Telephone Company.  Bruce left Lawrence about 1907, reportedly working for the Santa Fe Railroad in Newton, KS, and Barstow, CA.  He sent many postcards back to Kansas, addressed simply to Carrie Kasold, Lawrence, Kansas, the earliest one in our files dated June, 16, 1907, from Needles, CA.  Depending on the train schedules, the postcards took as little as one day or as many as three days to reach Carrie in Lawrence.  It only takes ten days now.

By this time, Louise H. Pilcher had established a home in Laguna, NM, where she taught at the Indian School for a number of years.  Her obituary states “for several years Mrs. Pilcher spent her time as a busy mother in the home; later, that the children might have a chance at an education, she entered the Indian Service, as teacher of music.  In this capacity she served in a number of places, including Haskell Institute, Cheyenne, Santa Fe, and the Laguna community near Albuquerque.  When the children had completed the university, Mrs. Pilcher returned to Olathe, to her old friends and to her old job as organist in the church.”

When Bruce was working in California and later in New Mexico, his mother made her home in Laguna.  As a result, the entire Louise Pilcher family had opportunities for visits together, including trips to California and New Mexico. 

A Young Man in Barstow in 1907

Bruce and his mother were close, as evidenced by her letter to Carrie Kasold on February 20, 1908, after Bruce told his mother that he had proposed to Carrie and she had agreed to be his wife.  Her letter begins with greetings to Carrie and an explanation that Bruce had just told her of their betrothal. Louise said that Bruce was her only son

and I have been best girl – so if I seem a little jealous you do not need to be surprised, but my jealousy is a kind that is only anxious for his happiness and I am sure you will forgive that.  I wish I was near enough to see you but this country is too large.  The girls, Bruce’s sisters, may be in Lawrence before very long, and if they are they will hunt you up.  Bruce can tell you all about us, and also that you will receive a cordial welcome as a daughter and sister.  I do wish you all the happiness I hope for my boy, for his pleasure now is yours.
Affectionately yours,
Louise Haworth Pilcher
Laguna, New Mexico, February 20, 1908

On a postcard from Barstow, CA, on December 11, 1907, Bruce wrote to Carrie saying

Dear C.  Hello – Well the big event will happen on the coming 15^th.  Will try to get a pass back to Kansas for a visit if I can.  Address will be the same as before until further word.  Everyone except 16 in our department on this division will be out of job.  Will write a letter first chance.  Yours, B

This seems to be the occasion when Bruce and the Santa Fe RR parted company.  In the summer of 1908, Bruce worked for the Department of the Interior, United States Indian Service.  In September, his work was completed and he received the following letter of recommendation,

SUPERINTENDENT OF IRRIGATION
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
UNITED STATES INDIAN SERVICE

Blackrock, N. M., September 19, 1908.

To whom it may concern:

Mr. Bruce Pilcher has been in the employ of this Department for the past four months in the capacity of rodman on topographical survey.
  He has proven himself a faithful and willing worker, and I take pleasure in recommending him to any one desiring an efficient man in similar lines of work.
  He has only severed his connection with the Indian Irrigation Service because of the shutting down of the work on which he was engaged.

H. F. Robinson
Superintendent of Irrigation

It appears obvious that the employment with this topographical survey was the entrée to the next twelve years of work with the United States Irrigation Service.  A familiarity with engineering principles and practices would have been very useful in this work.

On May 24, 1908, Bruce sent a postcard from Albuquerque, written at 8:30 p.m. and postmarked at 11 p.m.  On it he wrote simply, “Only 67 weeks more.  B.”, an allusion to their marriage date of September 1, 1909.  The last postcard in the family file is dated May 27, 1908, from Winslow, Arizona, and says, “Hello – Adios for a few days.  B.” 

Bruce worked for the U.S. Irrigation Service and lived in Blackrock, a “town” built for the people working for the U.S. government in various capacities, but particularly those working to construct the dam and lake to the north of the town.  Zuni Village, the historical pueblo of the Zuni people is only a mile or so west of Blackrock.  The accommodations were basic as can be attested by the letter Louise sent to Carrie on May 25, 1909, in which she said she and her girls wanted to go to Blackrock to visit Bruce.

“Laguna, N. M.  May 25, 1909

My Dear Carrie,

            Thank you so much for your picture.  I am so glad to have it, and think it a very good one too.  I have placed it in the family gallery.  I keep the home folks all where I can see them every time I look up and call it the Pilcher crew.  I’m using a fountain pen that won’t write all the time is the reason this writing looks so dreadful.  I told Bruce to tell you that I would send you some pictures of places around here.  I printed some a few days ago, but they are not good.  I was in too great a hurry to do them right, but I will pick out the best and send you soon.  Just now we are busy with reports and extra papers, then one month more school and then vacation.  I don’t know just where we will spend it – but likely in Albuquerque. – We wanted to go down and spend a while with Bruce but he didn’t think we would be comfortable – so we will give that up unless he decides later that he can stand us for awhile. – I think it would be fun to take our tent and cots and tin dishes down, cook over a camp fire, and live the simple life.  Don’t you?  I am expecting Blanche and George soon, perhaps the first of the week.  They were uncertain about going to Lawrence, but said if they did they would hunt you up.  I would like to see you and all the Kansas folks that are so dear to me, but I don’t think I will go any farther east than Albuquerque this summer.  I am very tired and feel that I must rest – I could enjoy a good visit back there tho’ very much.

            I don’t write you often, but I think of you and will be glad when I can know you personally.

Affectionately yours,
Louise Haworth Pilcher”

It was apparently not too difficult for Bruce to travel between Blackrock and Laguna, a distance today of about 110 miles, and he visited his mother and sisters there.  Apparently Louise, Blanche & Georgia did go to Albuquerque for the summer, returning to Laguna in late August.  The following letter gives some insight.

Laguna, N. M.  August 24, 1909
My Dear Carrie,

We reached here last night, found Bruce ahead of us.  Now he is eating his breakfast and says for me to write a note to you so he can mail it on a delayed train that will be here in a few minutes.  We all regret very much that we can not go back with him, but it is not possible.  Blanche hopes to go but will not leave here until early next week.

I sent Bruce a list of a few relatives that would be glad to receive the invitations.- Perhaps his Aunt and cousins can come, but the Ohio relatives are too far away, but I left one name out and hope you can send one to Mrs. M. E. Dawes, Tongonoxie, Kansas.  I am sure she will be so glad to get one, tho I do not believe she can be present as she will have to return to this country before the date.

Bruce will bring you out here and then we can all enjoy the few days we will be together and hope the time will soon come when we can all be located near enough to see each other often.

But I’ll miss the train unless I hurry.

Love from all of us.
Affectionately yours,
Louise Haworth Pilcher

Enclosures: [15 names and addresses]

When you study the names Louise sent to Carrie, more of the family genealogy appears, with the Wilmington, OH folks from her father’s family and California, Kansas City, and Olathe folks from her husband’s family.  But that’s another story.

Bruce’s Cartoons

From Cro$$Ties, the Pilcher-Kasold Newsletter authored by Thomas B. McDavitt
January – March 2005 Edition