Notes |
- Edward William ("Ed", "Willie", "EW") was born 3 July 1864 in Spring Lake, Wisconsin, the son of John and Elizabeth Jardine. According to his obituary, "His early life was spent on the farm of his parents near Muscoda, Grant County [Wisconsin]." After his mother died, Edward lived in an orphanage until he was old enough to work on local farms.
Willie wrote to his sister Mary Ann in 1883 asking her if she would write and tell him how old he was. He said that his brother Henry claimed he was 20 but he thought he was 19. He writes "I know I have kept my age straight since I can remember, but whether it was kept straight until I could remember or not I don't know." At the time, he was working "for Mr. Robinson for two years at 7% if you are earning $1.50 per day you are doing well. I get only $ .75 per day husking corn. Wages are low." He stated he did not know where he would be the next summer. He wrote the letter from Pleasant Hill and it is postmarked in Wisconsin.
In 1886 Will was in Muscoda, Wisconsin and wrote to Mary Ann that he would be heading for Chicago and then on to Canada to resolve his dealings with the family farm his mother inherited. There is no evidence at this time that he ever did go to Canada.
On Dec 29, 1888, Ed wrote from Visalia, CA: "I came here with Charles Cooper and went to his Uncle Dave Williams to get work and got just enough to start-up and then he was through with us."
In a letter dated 17 Mar 1889, he wrote: "I left Wisconsin on the 3rd of Dec and got to Cal. on Dec 10th, '88."
In a Nov. 10, 1889 letter to sister Mary Ann from Visalia, California Ed states "My girl sent me the ring back and I am a free man again and now the girls can go to the __________." and continues "I am well. I am out of the Mts. again and I am cutting wood again or will be when you get this, for a man by the name of Evens. I get $1.75 per cd and do my own grubbing. I can cut a cord a day very easy... I have cleared about three hundred dollars since I came to Cal. I think I can make a hundred more this winter." From the letters it is evident that his brother, John Henry Jardine, is working in the same area. The following April (1890) letter says "Yes, I am stuck in Cal. for awhile. Make more money here in a year than I can in Wis. in three. "
Jan 1890, Ed writes "I am not making much here I can make my board and expenses and a little more you see my expenses are pretty high and it raises so much I can't get to work more than half of the time. [his brother John] Henry is working for a man as a gardener if he gets in and rustles a little he will have a job for all the summer. I don't know how much he is to get a month but I don't suppose he will get less than $30 per mo."
Edward married Evelyn Mae Thompson on June 21, 1899 in Muscoda, WI. Their wedding announcement listed they would be "at home after July tenth, Tuttletown, California".
Ed and Mae are listed in the 1900 census in Toulumne County, CA. Ed's occupation is listed as gold mining. Edward William's obituary stated that he "engaged in gold mining in California and discovered a vein. Later he studied medicine and started his practice."
In a letter to his sister Mary dated 3 May 1903, Bonanza, OR, John Henry writes "E.W. and wife were here to see me last fall in Sep and stayed a week."
On March 22, 1904 Ed and May had a daughter, Margaret Beth Jardine. In a letter dated 23 Apr 1904, Ed writes "On Mar 22 a baby girl was born to us. Six days after, May took down with Typhoid fever and died on Apr 18. I bured her at Muscoda Apr 21. Sister Ella has the baby and will keep her for me." In a 1907 letter, EW Jardine wrote to his sister that "we named her after her two grandmothers. Margaret Beth and call her Beth. She lives with her Aunt Ella Thurber at Muscoda Wis." Ella Thurber, of Muscoda, WI was May's sister who married Phillip Thurber. It appears Beth stayed with Mae's sister Ella Thurber and her husband Phillip for her entire childhood. She was living with them when the 1910 census was taken. At the time, they had no children of their own. Ed wrote often that he spent time in Muscoda, visiting his little girl.
In an Oct 15, 1905 letter from siblings John Henry to Mary Ann, John writes "Have you heard from Ed lately I haven't heard from him for a year. He will get his diploma next spring I guess and then will put M.D. after his name."
Edward "...spent some years in mining and loggin camps in California. It was there that certain events determined his future profession; in cases on injuries or sickness in the camp, the camp doctors came to depend on young Jardine for assistance, as he showed a natrual ability to minister to those who were ill or hurt. He came east and studied medicine, being graduated from Keokuk Medical College, Keokuk, Iowa, on May 3, 1906. The same year of his graduation, Dr. Jardine came to Alma [Wisconsin], in October, 1906, to practice his profession, and remained here the rest of his life, a period of thirty years lacking a few months. For more than fifteen years past he was city health officer here." (Obituary, Buffalo County Journal, 2 Apr 1936, pg 1; cont. on pg 5)
Ed is listed in the 1906 roster of graduates the Keokuk (Iowa) College of Physicians and Surgeons.
In that 1907 letter to his sister, Ed writes "I came to Alma (Wisconsin) Aug 29, 1906. For the first six months I did not make expenses but since that I have done fairly well, although I am still in debt. My baby [Beth] is a big stout hearty girl. I measured her yesterday and she is 41 1/4" high and wighs 36 lbs. When I was nine years old I only weighed 20 lbs more than she."
Edward wrote to his sister Mary Ann on letterhead reading "Office Of Dr. E. W. Jardine, Physician and Surgeon" dated 29 April 1909, "Say, Mary where was father when you last heard from him? Was it not Lake City, Minn.? That is the second station above here and if that is where he was I will go up there sometime and see if I can learn anything of him.... Beth is growing fine. Had her nose broke and it left a little depression just above the bulbous extremity."
Ed wrote in 1909 "Had my leg broke last fall both bones just above ankle and ankle was displaced sidewise backwise and every other wise. Had to get another M.D. to fix it couldn't get at it myself. Too fat. Sat up next day and dressed sore ear and foot. But missed lots of work." He continued "Tell Lume [referring to his sister Mary Ann's husband] I weigh 237 ? lbs and if I should sit on him he would know what it meant to have his own relations come down on him."
In the 1910 census Ed was listed as widower and working as an M.D. in Alma, WI.
The summer of 1919, Edward married Mary McDonough Myers [note: one account states Mary McDonough, but all others show Mary Myers] of Nelson [or Modena] Wisconsin. The wedding was held in Fountain City [or Alma] WI. Mary was 30 years old and Edward was 55. It was Mary's first marriage and on the marriage certificate her occupation is listed as "at home". The Buffalo County Register account states that it was Mary's first marriage and lists her father's name as J.J. Myers, her mother Anna Riley.
On 17 December 1919 Edward and Mary had a baby boy, John. "Dr. and Mrs. E.W. Jardine are the happy parents of a bouncing 11 1/2 lb. son, born to them at La Crosse on Saturday. Congratulations." (Buffalo County Journal; 1 Jan 1920). John M. was listed as one month old in the 1920 census. He was attending high school when his father died.
NOTE: in other accounts, Mary is listed as Mary Myers. In the 1940 census, her mother is listed as Ann Myers. Perhaps Mary's father was McDonough but her mother later married a Myers?
Ed noted in the 1930 census that he was not a veteran.
In an April 28, 1930 letter Ed writes "I have been kept in this house all winter and spring not able to do more than office practice... I had a minor operation performed a year ago and I guess I'll have to have another soon.
Edwards William Jardine died at his home in Alma at the age of 71. "For several years before his death Dr. Jardine had been in poor health. His death, which occured early Monday morning, Mar 30, 1936, followed a severe attack of illness the previous day." (Obituary, Buffalo County Journal, 2 Apr 1936, pg 1; cont. on pg 5) His death record (Buffalo County Register, Vol 11, Pg 310) states he died at 3 a.m. of Cardia Renal, Cardiac failure after being ill for five days. He is buried in the Alma cemetery. [2]
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