Tuesday September 23, 1930

Josephine and six other Louisiana pilgrims boarded the Texas and Pacific Railway Train, Number 47, in New Orleans on this final day of their journey. The train left the station at 7:20 am.

This would be the last day these Louisiana ladies would travel together as a group. Did they spend the time on the train reflecting on all that they had experienced? Did any of them exchange addresses so that they could keep in touch with each other? They probably said their final goodbyes while on the train rather than waiting for the time when the train made its several stops along the way when things would probably be a little hectic.

Assuming all the remaining Louisiana pilgrims traveled on the same train, the first person they would say goodbye to was Mrs. Octavia Hobgood of Baton Rouge.

Next came the goodbye to Josephine, when the train arrived in Morganza. Continuing on the train until they reached their respective home towns would be Josephine’s room mate and cabin mate, Mrs. Edolie Hanks Duhon as well as Mrs. Willie D Eubanks, Mrs. Callie Michael, Mrs. Amanda Norris, and Mrs. Tillie Overstreet.

Josephine arrived in Morganza at 12:37 pm. Joseph was there to meet her. Did he bring with him any of his brothers and sisters or nieces and nephews who lived in Morganza or Schwab? Was Earl able to break away from his farm work to welcome his mother home? Was Josephine’s youngest son John, still a teenager, able to be there to greet his mother? Was her daughter who worked at an advertising firm in Baton Rouge, there?

Josephine’s children and her grandchildren were scattered about the state. Did they periodically have times when they could all get together as a family? When would she get to see her children and grandchildren (she had five grandchildren in 1930) to tell them all that she had experienced?

Daughter Amelia and her husband and son lived in Iberville Parish.

Daughter Ethel and her husband and two children lived in Baton Rouge.

Daughter Juanita and her husband and daughter lived in West Baton Rouge Parish.

Daughter Norma and her husband and daughter lived in Baton Rouge.

Listed in the 1930 Census as living at home with Joseph and Josephine were daughter Claudia and sons Earl and John.

Would Josephine share her experiences by writing letters to her children and other family members? The art of letter writing was alive and well in 1930. However, I don’t know of any family letters that have survived.

On the same day that she arrived back in Schwab, Josephine filled out a form and mailed it to the Officer in Charge, Pilgrimage, War Mothers and Widows, in New York:

I beg to inform you that I have returned to my home safely and in good health.

Unfortunately, Josephine would have only two short years left to be with her family. She died in New Roads, Louisiana, on June 1, 1932. She was 58 years old.

Josephine's death notice described her as an amiable and friendly person and one who made friends readily. It was reported in the paper that one of Josephine's greatest sorrows was the death of her son in the World War, "yet it was a consolation to go to his grave on 'Flanders Fields' with the party of Gold Star Mothers in 1930."

Ironically, Josephine would be reburied just as her son Buddy was reburied (after the war, Buddy’s body was removed from its original burial place at the time of his death and reburied in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery). At the time of her death, Josephine was buried in the cemetery of the Raccourci church, Our Lady of Seven Dolors, in Pointe Coupee Parish. This church and cemetery were destroyed when the Morganza Spillway was built. The bodies buried in the Raccourci cemetery were moved to the cemetery at St. Ann’s Church in Morganza. In the back of that cemetery are the bodies moved from the Raccourci Church. Josephine’s name is included in a document that lists the names of bodies that were moved there.

We have now come to the end of the narrative describing Josephine’s Journey to France to visit Buddy’s grave site and her return home. Josephine's Journey thanks any one who took the time to read this narrative, either in its entirety or parts of it.

The author of Josephine's Journey wants to thank Josephine. Whenever the author needed help or information or inspiration, she had a little conversation with Josephine, and soon after, the help or information that was needed appeared.

This narrative has been a labor of love, Josephine.

I wish I had known you.

One day, in God’s good time, I will.





Source: written by Carolyn Ourso