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Lenny and Edna: 1924

June 3, 1924. "Leonard and Edna Wilbur," children of Navy Secretary Curtis Wilbur. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

June 3, 1924. "Leonard and Edna Wilbur," children of Navy Secretary Curtis Wilbur. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

 

On Shorpy:
Today’s Top 5

Wilbur children

Curtis D Wilbur had 5 children...
1. Ralph 3/18/1903 - 3/24/1906 age ~3
2. Leonard 3/2/1907 - 3/24/1940 age 33.
3. Edna was 25 in this photo, and Leonard 17.

From Pathways: A Story of Trails and Men (1968) by John W. Bingaman--
The Ledge Trail: "In 1871, James M. Hutchings had been guiding parties of hikers to Glacier Point over a most hazardous trail, which he had blazed up the Ledge and through the chimney and which climbed 3,200 feet in approximately one and a half miles to Glacier Point. This was the Ledge Trail.
In 1918, it was repaired by the Park Service. It was a dangerous climb because it was partly built of solid rock, and extremely steep, much like a staircase. Rock slides occurred frequently causing accidents to climbers. Only up-travel was permitted by the park regulations in later years. After several major floods, rock slides, injuries, and deaths to climbers the park authorities deemed it necessary to close this trail to all hikers. The Author assisted in rescue parties several times on this trail."
Edna hiked the Sierra's of California until she was 90.
4 & 5. Paul and Lyman lived until they were 100.

Sorry, Miss Edna.

I guess you weren't the flapper I took you to be. The sly gleam must have been that look you gave your students to let them know you meant business.

Dr. Leonard Wilbur's mission

Young Leonard would lead an inspiring, but all too short, life. After graduating from medical school at Stanford (where his uncle had been a president) he and his wife embarked upon a mission to Northern China, starting a hospital in the province now known as Shanxi. First the communist insurgents invaded (and the Wilburs were reported missing) in 1936. They resurfaced, but in late 1937 the Japanese invaded Shanxi (and the Wilburs were again reported missing but resurfaced). On Easter in 1940, during the Japanese occupation, Leonard died of typhus. He was only 33. His wife survived, and became one of the heirs to father-in-law Curtis Wilbur's inheritence when he died in 1954.

Leonard or Lyman, perhaps Paul?

I've been doing some research on Curtis Wilbur and all the sites list his children as Edna, Paul and Lyman. Perhaps Leonard was a nickname or is this a typo?

[Leonard Wilbur's name makes dozens of appearances in the historical archives of various newspapers. See the next comment up. - Dave]

Edna Does D.C.

Atlanta Constitution, 11 July 1924

New Cabinet Daughter
Lands in Capital
And Looks it Over

Washington's newest cabinet daughter has been spending her first few days in the capital just like anybody's daughter here on an excursion trip -sightseeing.

Miss Edna Wilbur, whose father is secretary of the navy, arrived last Thursday from California. She came through the Panama canal with her brother, Leonard Wilbur, and then up the Chesapeake bay and the Potomac, from Hampton Roads, on the neat little yacht Sylph, which is at her father's disposal as boss of the navy.

...

Miss Wilbur is Washington's third cabinet daughter of marriageable or debutante age. Both the other two aren't braving hot weather here.

...

Miss Wilbur has another cabinet distinction besides braving Washington heat. She's the only daughter of a cabinet member who knows how it feels to spend money earned by herself.

The daughter of the navy secretary is a California high school teacher and she didn't give up her job just because her father is a member of President Coolidge's cabinet ...

Miss Wilbur is a tall girl, with much pale yellow hair and a fair skin. Not pretty, but attractive looking. And not the debutante or flapper type.

She is quiet and self-possessed. She has the voice and manner of a successful teacher.

And --no, her hair is not bobbed!

A Boston Globe article from April 13, 1924 says Edna graduated from Stanford with a degree in French. She was teaching at Chico High School.

Still waters run deep

Miss Edna has a certain sly gleam in her eye. I'll bet she danced a few Charlestons in her time while Dad was off minding the boats.

Yes, Dave

Yes, the episode wherein the Beav climbs into a teacup and can't climb out and is rescued by the fire department. Amazing how daring Miss Wilbur was - that explains the dress.

[Not quite. I was thinking of the episode where Beaver and Gilbert go camping, get stuck on a ledge and are rescued by park rangers. - Dave]

Tats or Vacs?

Those circular things on her arms. Can I assume that they were vaccination scars? She certainly has a modern attitude or so it seems.

[That's mold on the emulsion. - Dave]

Edna & Ona

From the Lima (Ohio) News, April 9, 1928:

Rescued by forest rangers from a narrow ledge 2,000 feet high, where darkness had trapped her and her girl companion during a trip thru Yosemite valley, Miss Edna May Wilbur, daughter of Secretary of the Navy Curtis D. Wilbur, was home here none the worse for her thrilling experience. Miss Wilbur went to the park with a party of friends. She and Miss Ona E. Ring attempted late Saturday to descend the snow-covered trail from Glacier point to the floor of the valley. Caught by darkness, they lost the trail and presently found themselves on the narrow ledge, whence they feared to attempt further progress. With a biting mountain wind tugging at their clothing, the girls huddled against the face of the cliff and called for help. Tourists in the valley, 2,000 feet below, heard their cries, and notified the forest rangers. Five men reached the girls shortly before midnight, and strenuous efforts succeeded in hauling them up to the trail with ropes.

[Thrilling! I think this was an episode of "Leave It to Beaver." - Dave]

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