Copyright © 2021 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
In 1923 Thomas G. Moses wrote, “The New Year found the madam and I in Trenton, N.J. enjoying a visit with Pitt and family, also an annual visit to his plant, which was quite interesting.” The “Madam” was his wife Ella.
Thomas William “Pitt” Moses (b. 1879) was the eldest of four children, the others being Mary “Mamie” Titcomb Moses (1881), Lillian Ella Moses (1886) and Thomas “Rupert” Moses (1889).
Pitt’s WWI draft registration card described him as tall and of medium build, with brown hair and blue eyes. Pitt initially followed “Uncle Frank” Moses, moving to Trenton, New Jersey, in 1900 and working at a gas plant. Frank Deming Moses made a name for himself designing, installing, and supervising the new gas plants that were appearing all across the country. He was extremely well known and respected for his work. Here is my post about Frank Moses: https://drypigment.net2017/07/30/tales-from-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-acquiring-the-fort-scott-scenery-collection-for-the-minnesota-masonic-heritage-center-part-162-frank-deming-moses/
In 1903, Pitt married Stella Martin (1881-1962) of Trenton and soon changed professions. The couple celebrated the birth of three daughters, Eleanore (b. 1906), Ruth (b. 1908) and Dorothy (b. 1913). By 1910, Pitt was working as a pipe fitter for the railroad and was still working in this capacity a decade later. However, Pitt changed occupations again, and began working as a parcel post clerk in 1930. He was still working for the Postal Service in 1940, and eventually retired from the profession.
It is Thomas G. Moses’ letters to Pitt that provided an incredible amount of information about Moses health and financial losses. Copies of letters written by Moses to both Pitt and his wife Stella were collected by Dr. John Rothgeb at the Universtiy of Texas-Austin during the 1970s. The majority of the letters collected were written between 1931 and 1933, providing great insight into Moses’ continued struggles. These same subjects were glossed over in his typed memoirs, an understandable omission; writing it down somehow makes it more real.
Sometime between 1922 and 1923 Moses developed a bronchial cough; a cough that would continue to plague him until his passing in 1934. Moses repeatedly wrote about his “terrible spasms of the chest.” Moses also mentioned that it was difficult for him to walk any distance, especially if there was the any dampness in the air. Regardless of health concerns, during the last decade of his life, Moses continued to design and paint one scene after another, producing a remarkable number of drops during this time.
Health concerns made Moses plan for the worst in his final years. In one letter to his son, Moses wrote, “I want you to know where we stand regarding finances,” outlining the funds given toward business ventures and family emergencies, especially previous attempts to help his children. At the end of this letter, he wrote, “I want you to know all this, because, should I pass away suddenly I want Mother to feel that you would look out for her interests in disposing of the property. While I hope to enjoy a few more years in painting, the sudden death of Illie [sister], Frank [brother] and Lucia [sister] has forced me to realize that I have only a few more years at the most, and when I do pass out, I want to feel that my life has not been wasted; and my work will live for many years after I am gone.”
In a later letter Moses wrote, “I found that my years will not admit of too much hill climbing with my forty pounds of sketching equipment.”
A 1932 diary entry by Moses mentioned his deteriorating health, writing, “I do not feel as good in health as I would like to be, but I hope that Dr. Klumph will pull me through. I sincerely hope that the New Year will lift a heavy load of my shoulders and give me one good year to make up for this past bad year.” On June 23, 1932, Moses enjoyed a brief respite from his cough, and wrote to Pitt, “My awful bronchial cough has stopped, thanks to a new M.D. The first time in ten years that it has stopped while in Oak Park. It leaves in California, but starts again as soon as I get here.” The cough would return.
Regardless of his health or any small improvements, Moses could not stop working. On November 7, 1933, Moses shared his continued health struggles with Pitt, writing, “I jumped into the church job as soon as I arrived and I find it was too much after a trip of 2700 miles and I am now at home getting myself in shape. I see no work in sight, and the heavy expenses of keeping the house going without any help is bearing down on me. Especially with my condition and age against me. It is so hard for me to go upstairs and walk more than three blocks that I fully realize that I can’t last much longer with the added uncertainty of making a living. It is too much. I have been too fortunate in making a good living for the past fifty years to accept this present state of affairs. I dislike to write you a blue letter, but it is uppermost in my mind this morning being a gloomy one. I know without asking that when I pass on, that you will do all you can to see that your mother will be taken care of in settlement of property. I will say no more.”
To be continued…
