CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR

We had bought a small four door Ford in 1954. We left Davenport, IA mid-summe 1955 for Massachusetts. We drove to Taylor, MI where brother Norman was then living with Grace and my first nephew, Clarence Moses. We stayed with them for a day or two and then crossed over to Canada. We drove east to cross back over to the US at Niagra Falls. I had been there before when visiting Canada on a High School Band trip. Betty had never seen the Falls before. We then crossed NY State to Massachusetts. My first cousin and her husband were serving a Church with a large parsonage near Boston so we stayed with them for a few weeks until I obtained a student Pastorate in Woodville, MA. Woodville is a village in Hopkinton where the Boston Marathon begins. I was to serve this Church for four years. Cousin Alice and Hugh Smith would later become ABC Missionaries. After graduation from seminary we relocated to Jersey City. But I get ahead of myself. A medical doctor was on the staff at Andover Newton. Betty had had some “spotting” on the way. I contacted Dr. Elia. He chastised me for not seeking help along the way, but took her as a patient. When the baby was due to be born we determined that she should be induced since the doctor was in Boston and practiced at Mass Memorial Hospital. Woodville was 45 miles out. He examined her and told us to go into town and come back later. He delayed the procedure so that David was born two years to the day from brother Jimmy’s birthdate. I think they tended to think of themselves as delayed twins. David is the only sib who felt led to speak at Jimmy’s memorial service.. During the final pregnancy Betty was spiking her blood pressure and the Dr. suggested induction. Since it was already late October Betty suggested that Pete be born on his Grandmother Clarkson’s birthday, Oct. 26. So it was done. So there were children born in WV, IA, MA, NJ and MT. Then we stopped moving. I’ll deal with Seminary and health matters later.