| Tiwanaku ruins Bolivia. I took photo. About 25 mi |

|
| from John F Kennedy International Airport La Paz. Altitude both 13,300 feet. |
The worlds most famous author 110 years ago F Marion Crawford, was born Bagni de Lucca Italy 1854 and
died Sorento, Italy 1909 lived all over the world, seems to have been most familiar with Italy judging by his many
books that take place there. "Corleone - A Tale Of Sicili" Copyright 1896, an old in good shape hardcover, I
found in my attic along with 31 other of his books all in good condition although all over 100 years old, is a
love story about priesthood, marriage, and more. Wikipedia gives the community of 12,000 today as famous for
its Mafia Chieftans. An old dusty chest in my homes high attic I found 32 books by F Marion Crawford in the chest, all hard
cover bound in good condition, all over 100 years old. Some are initialed Ivan Wright my grand stepfather. However
my belief is they were purchased given their copyrights by his father Horton D Wright the prominant mason, lawyer and Fulton
County, New York District Attorney (see Cornell University Alumni publication note on father and son, Horton
D Wright and Ivan Wright, Cornell University November 15, 1905). Horton D had been a graduate of Cornell and
Ivan son was now enrolled in mechanical engineering at Cornell. Later he worked with his father in his fathers law office
in Gloversville, N.Y. Ivan Wright for a time moved to Los Angeles, California and practiced law there. His daughter
Helen married one of the Dorr family of California and remained in that state. As of September 15, 1944 her children
were Marjori 5, Bob 3 and Dick 1, and they resided at 3004 Blaisdell Ave Redondo Beach, California as given on the
back of a photo of the three I found in the attic. Ivans son Horton Wright my stepfather worked for the U.S. Post
Office in Hollywood California a number of years and delivered mail to actress Lucile Ball, wife of Desi
Arnez, Lucile Ball who he never got along with. Perhaps because when Hells Angels was a group for the sons
of the well to do, when more youthfull, he used to rumble his Harley up the steps and into local LA Mexican cantinas.
It did not bother Dezi Arnez. As regards his employment with the post office someone reported him stuffing
advertizements too many for his bag down a manhole and he was let go. Lawyers told him they could get his job back but his
father had gotten his cantina rumbles "washed" to get into employment and he did not want to get people
in trouble. Ivan moved back to his home at 73 East State Street, Gloversville, New York after twice in California and
some years later son Horton my stepfather followed him. There is a shipping sticker on the trunk to Ivan Wright
name, address 73 East State St, Gloversville, N.Y. but I can not make out the shipper, probably the RR. The trunk
is one of the most beautifully crafted trunks imaginable. It would cost today year 2011 $600.00 to make. I
think it was crafted in Spain or in Mexico. I have seen chests like it in antique shops in Mexico City where there
is money to buy such a work of art, at least $1,200.00 front window price. I do not know how to price it. I do not think
the books by F Marion Crawford were shipped back to Gloversville in the chest but were earlier down in a small room lower
level second floor off of the smaller back attic. But that is a guess. He could have purchased them in California along
with the chest or on a trip to Mexico City when he still had practical and functioal credentials being employed to practice
law in California. I do not know how to price the books nor the chest. Some of the other books are The Witch Of Prague and
Dr. Claudius as well as a book on the modern day India copyright 1882.
|
|
There is some evidence from more old letters turned over in the high attic that Ivan Wright by the
time of WW2 had seen better days in his investments in minerals, oil, gas. He was in California twice and it does not seem
he practiced law there long, or he was barred from practicing law within a few years by lack of qualifications these becoming
more rigirous. He took out from California with the help of brother Alan a real estate brokers NYS license which he gained.
He returned to New York State with still some money to invest in homes but lost out leaving the only money in the family to
his mother Gertrude who had a great deal of it, and posibly brother Alan some money. His mother Gertrude sent son Ivan money
in California 1946-47 that she was happy to but she could not send those amounts for long she writes. Then in a letter February
1947 Gertrude writes she is happy about his new job and does he like it and does it take him all over Los Angeles. But a month
later he is back at the Los Angeles employment office looking for a job giving his talents as Radio Repairman 2 and Escrow
Officer. He then moved back to Gloversville N.Y. where he was living at home 73 East State St with his mother and Alan
also living at 73 E State Street Gloversville N.Y. with his DAR president Mother Gertrude Wright. He never returned
to California again. He had returned to California the second time it appears practically out of money given the necessity
of monetary support from his mother Gertrude. A letter of a friend to Ivan summer of 1947 says he should have stayed
in California the first time and might have fallen into something good instead of returning to New York. However
the soup lines were growing in California. Make his own decision. He had some interest in Cloverdale, California on the
gold bearing Russian River north of Santa Rosa, California. In a letter to him in California his mother writes Alan excited
about California and becoming a 49er.
I have taken Alans gold panning equipment out of the garage attic which he used in the Adirondack mountains for my own
use and he also tied dry flys, had expensive bamboo fly rods, and made his own gun powder loads. Alan tried to help
Ivan out in a lengthy letter of stationary letter head 31 Kingsboro Avenue, Gloversville, N.Y. giving next
to it in letterhead "Antiques", on a past real estate dealing of Ivans gone awry prima faci. He considering
the man Ivan dealt with crooked. The mother Girtrude had all the money and it is not clear if she hung on the the 31
Kingsboro ave home while living at 73 East State St., Gloversville, N.Y. and sold Antiques out of the enormous exclusive Kingsboro
home. I mention all of this as the storage trunk I came across in the high attic of my home at 73 East State St
is not an ordinary trunk. It is a crafted work of art. In her letter to her daughter Helen Dorr 329 W 93rd St, Los Angeles
California Gertrude Wright (Mrs Horton D Wright of the Hon Horton D Wright) asks about the children (her grandchildren) and
tell her about them. This Dorr address is the address brother Ivan uses his second time to California unsuccessfull in
finding employment. Reiterating Gloversville was a glove city but with WW2 approaching Californial developed into a booming
state with Ivan wanting to increase his money. This went well the first few years but then there was tightening up on
lawyers without full credentials. He returned to Gloversville NY and then back to California and was thinking of a third
time in California but a friend in California informed there were growing soup kitchens and employment lines in
California. His choice.
At some time following his rumbling with his Harley into Mexican LA cantinas young Horton Wright joined the Merchant Marines
in the Pacific. As already given he worked for the Post Office as a mailman delivering on his route mail to actress
Lucile Ball.
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|