Evelyn and Allan Truax Journey Through Life Together
Baby, You Can Drive My Car - Please
Allan and Evelyn Truax 50th Wedding Anniversary
The Truax Projects
To say that Allan Truax 1 was a man given to projects is like saying Tiger Woods is a fellow who seems to know his way around a golf course.
Allan Truax’s interest in horticulture, for example, resulted in his planting trees and shrubs around the Truax home in Crosby, North Dakota, at a time when those “were about the only trees in town”2 as well as cultivating his extensive and much admired gardens. It also led to his membership in the North Dakota Horticultural Society,3 his submissions of mycological specimens to authoritative collections, and and his contribution of articles to botanical journals.4
Once he become involved in genealogy, he … well, he describes what happened next,
By a stroke of good fortune in 1925 I came in touch with Mrs. Thura Truax Hires of Philadelphia, who offered to take up the [Truax family genealogical] work where Theodore Truax left off, and carry it through to completion at her own time and expense. … Having retired 1933, and feeling a great obligation to Mrs. Hires, I assisted her in every way possible. From 1934 to 1945, I traveled extensively, interviewing hundreds of Truax descendants, copying gravestone inscriptions, unearthing old Bibles and consulting local records.
His investment in the Masonic order is typical of the intensity he displayed in all his areas of interest. A Royal Arch Mason, a member of the Council of Royal and Select Masters and The Knights Templar, and a 32nd Degree Master Mason, he was one of the original organizers of Crosby Masonic Lodge No. 108 in 1914 and was elected Worshipful Master two years later.5
Consequently, it is unsurprising that to find that Allan Truax, an autodidact in American History, belonged to the Minnesota Historical Society and was a member, from 1904 until his death, of the North Dakota Historical Society, serving as its President in 1936.6 He also published articles on the Revolutionary War in the periodical produced by the Daughters of the American Revolution, collected and organized an American Revolutionary War Postcards & Photographs Collection now housed at the Institute for Regional Studies, North Dakota State University, Fargo, and wrote “A Guide To The American Revolution,” a multi-volume history of the national struggle for freedom, which is now part of the reference files at the Institute for Regional Studies.
He did not, however, pursue his goals alone. Although Allan Truax was self-motivated, appeared to prefer his own company to that of others, spent hours each day alone in his room reading about or working one of his pursuits, and was reserved to the point of reticence, he had the good luck or foresight to have found, in the best sense of the word, a helpmate.
Allan Truax and Evelyn Baldwin, who taught alongside him in Paige, North Dakota during the 1893 -1894 school year, married on January 8th, 1901 in Minneapolis. They would be husband and wife for over 64 years.
It is clear from my conversations with the family that Evelyn was considered a remarkable woman in her own right and capable of holding her own with anyone - including Allan Truax. And, I have a few (lamentably, too few) anecdotes about her to share at another time but the focus of this post is an episode that, I believe, precisely characterizes their relationship.
It is important that, by all appearances, Evelyn did not share her spouse’s enthusiasm for his projects, but - and this is the telling point - she not only tolerated them but actively supported them. Which brings us to …
The Truax Tours
1935 Ford Sedan. Inset lower left is “trunkback” model. Inset upper right is interior view.
Allan Truax decided that the best means of pursuing his interest in American history in general and the Revolutionary War specifically was to see the areas himself. Consequently, Allan, once he retired from the railroad in 1932, toured the country, starting with the eastern states, visiting historical sites.
In keeping with his pattern of ever-expanding projects, Allan’s travels grew to a total distance of more than 100,000 miles over often rudimentary and,in some cases, almost non-existent roads. He visited every state in the continental and then journeyed through the Canadian provinces and Alaska. He also spent time in Cuba, Mexico, England, Scotland, and Hawaii.
Almost all the North American destinations were by automobile - and that automobile was always driven by Evelyn7 - because Allan’s loss of his right arm in a railroad accident made driving the standard transmissions of American cars8 impossible.
Evelyn, by the way, first learned to drive sometime after her 60th birthday.
And, she and Allan were both 88 when they found themselves in Alaska.
According to Allan’s grandson, Roger, most of the post-retirement travel was accomplished in a 1935 Ford sedan.9 The other living grandson, Richard, adds that the car’s seats were rendered removable to make room for sleeping. Meals were prepared on the running boards.
While the argument can legitimately be made that Evelyn’s assistance on this 100,000 mile journey is evidence of nothing more noble than the subjugation of her goals to those of her husband, it is also possible, and from the family’s descriptions it seems more likely that Evelyn learned to drive, accompanied Allan on a trip of probably minimal interest to her, drove that 1935 Ford, and camped out when no lodgings were available - because that is what one does when one is in love.
And, yes, part of the reason I believe what I believe is that I also had the privilege of loving and marrying a very smart woman, one whose wishes I never refused, and one whose efforts repeatedly made reaching my goals possible. And I’m proud that I was able to reciprocate.
At the least, I am convinced that Evelyn and the family Ford would have been altogether superior models for ads of this sort that ran in the 1930s.
Allan Truax At Heck Of A Guy
An explanation of who Allan Truax is and why he is a feature of the Heck Of A Guy Blog can be found at Who’s Allan Truax?
Identification: Allan Truax, Allen Truax, and A.L. Truax
“Allan Truax” and “Allen Truax” appear with approximately equal frequency in the written material I’ve reviewed, with “A.L. Truax” occurring somewhat less often. The name Mr. Truax inscribed in his books was “Allan” so I use it preferentially
Other Heck Of A Guy Posts About Allan Truax
- The first Allan Truax Post was Allan Truax, A.E. Housman, The Ex, and Me
- The most recent Allan Truax Post before this entry was Allan Truax Through His Grandson’s Eyes: The Relationship
- All Allan Truax posts can be found by clicking on the Allan Truax category
Footnotes
- Those readers now asking themselves Who the heck is Allan Truax? may wish to read Who’s Allan Truax? before proceeding with this post ~back~
- Mr & Mrs A.L. Truax, Richard Truax, A History Of Divide County, 1964. p 224 ~back~
- Allen Lincoln Truax, Who’s Who for North Dakota, Avis Person, ed. North Dakota State Historical Society, Bismark ND, 1954, p 190 ~back~
- Mr & Mrs A.L. Truax, Richard Truax, A History Of Divide County, 1964. p 225 ~back~
- Mr & Mrs A.L. Truax, Richard Truax, A History Of Divide County, 1964. p 224 ~back~
- Obituary, Divide County Journal ~back~
- Evelyn also accompanied him on his other trips with the exception of his solo tour through Britain. ~back~
- The first widely available American car with automatic transmission was the 1940 Oldsmobile with “Hydra-Matic drive.” Yahoo Answers ~back~
- According to Wikipedia, The 1935 Ford was a thorough refresh on the popular V8-powered Ford. The four-cylinder Model A engine was no longer offered, leaving just the 221 cubit inch (3.6 L) V8 to power every Ford car and truck. The transverse leaf spring suspension remained, but the front spring was relocated ahead of the axle to allow more interior volume. The body was lowered and new “Center-Poise” seating improved comfort. Visually, the 1935 Ford was much more modern with the grille pushed forward and made more prominent by de-emphasized and more-integrated fenders. A major advance was a true integrated trunk on “trunkback” sedans, though the traditional “flatback” was also offered. Outdated body styles like the Victoria were also deleted for the year. ~back~
