by Donna Swagerty Shreve
1898-1961
I have been interested in knowing more about Alice as I had a small connection with her. She lived with our family for two weeks back in 1959. During those two weeks she attended my eighth grade graduation and was seen in our family movies of said event. She was a great aunt on my father’s side. Alice was the eighth of ten children and my grandfather was the fourth. I saw Alice at some family reunions and probably was in the same room as her husband but I don’t remember him at all. I am able to give certain statistics plus share family rumors and stories.
Alice was born in Fresno, California in 1898 and was the last Swagerty child born there. The last two children would be born in Oregon. When she was two years old, the family moved up to Douglas County in Oregon where the last two children were born. The last child was Helen who ended up taking care of her sister in her last few years.
The Swagerty family moved frequently between California and Oregon during the child bearing years. By 1917 Alive had returned to Fresno and married Hobert Walter on October 1st. The marriage did not last long and very few family members were either aware of the marriage or willing to talk about it. By 1921 Alice married Clarence Edward Hutchinson who was 14 years older. From stories from various family members, Bud was very controlling of Alice. They lived on a small poor farm where she had a big vegetable garden where Alice grew enough to feed them and had enough left to can. Alice had a hoosier that stored baking goods needed for cooking. She babysat various children of nieces or nephews. Sister Helen’s granddaughter Nancy was bathed in a big galvanized tub under Alice’s care.
Bud was known for having a radio playing country and western music while he milked his cows in the barn. They had a small house that had no electricity or running water. My father and his older brother remember as teenagers being a part of group of family members who dug a well for Alice. It seems over the years Alice’s siblings came to her rescue when needed.
According to family stories Alice was given a sexually transmitted disease and it made her unable to conceive children. The rumors run amok on who was the offending participant. Alice became very compliant to an older and domineering husband. After 36 years of marriage, Bud died and Alice was left without an anchor. To add to her woes, while she was attending to Bud’s death and staying with relatives, the neighbors raided her house and took valuables before Alice and relatives were able to clear out the house.
Alice ended up living with her youngest sister Helen. Helen had been a widow for six years and it seemed natural for the two of them to be together. Alice went into a deep depression without her husband controlling her life. Some family member had Alice committed into the California State Hospital in Stockton California. The incomplete state hospital records are located in Sacramento so who committed Alice is a mystery.
I researched the hospital located in my home town. I wanted to imagine what Alice’s experiences could have been like in this facility. I found an interview given in 2007 of a hospital worker who worked there from 1955 to 1960. The interview was initiated by a woman who knew her mother had been committed to this hospital and then disappeared. It just happened to be during the time Alice could have been there.
I knew Alice had been subjected to electro shock treatments and I tuned in when the psychiatric technician described the procedure. The treatment room was located on the third floor. The patient was escorted to the room and sedated. Wires were attached and shocks were given that resulted in the patient convulsing. There was an interval of a minute between shocks and the usual treatment was a series of three shocks. This type of treatment was several times a week. If a patient was known to be violent, the treatment was longer and more frequent, sometimes twice a day.. This tech was in the room attending a violent patient and was witness to a longer procedure that killed the patient. As soon as it was evident the woman had died, the techs were ordered out of the room. This tech was never put on shock treatment duty again. Alice, by all accounts, was very complacent and probably got the usual treatment instead of extra sessions.
Some patients were put into isolation. If a patient died within 24 hours of any treatment by a doctor, an autopsy was the usual procedure. When there was known family, the county coroner came to get the body and did the autopsy and gave the body to the family. Most unclaimed bodies were cremated and then the whole campus had a definite smell in the air.
Visitations were always supervised and there were no hugs or body contact allowed. I hope Alice had visitors who reminded her she had people who cared about her. The reasoning given for this no contact rule was to eliminate drugs being brought in to the patients. Some patients got pregnant and they delivered in the state hospital. The mother got about a week with the baby and then the social worker came and got the enfant.
In 1959 Elmer, my grandfather came to my father with a favor. Helen needed a two week break as she had an opportunity for a vacation. Another sibling was needed to take up the slack. Elmer was a dairy farmer and had booked a rare vacation to Hawaii. Dad was asked if he would fill in. Alice stayed in our small three bedroom home. She was put on our sofa bed in the living room. Dad had set us four children down and explained we were helping out family by helping Aunt Alice by keeping her company. Mother mentioned that Alice was very sweet natured and the only clue that she would be depressed was her daily indecision on what to wear. It usually took her half an hour to decide. I remember her as quite pleasant and helpful. She helped with the dishes and watched television with us. She came to my eighth grade graduation. She made our family movies all dressed up with her dress, hat and gloves. I preceded her out of the house in my fancy dress and small heels that left me wobbling to the car.
Helen lived near her son Jack and gave him a call in 1961. I heard the story from Jack and from Helen. Helen told Jack that Aunt Alice had finally gone through with it. She had hanged herself in Helen’s garage. The two of them then discussed how Alice had seemed so peaceful the last two weeks like the decision had been made and she was just waiting for an opportunity. Helen had stepped out to go shopping and Alice stayed home. Jack came over to comfort his mother as they discussed signs Alice had given them but they had not seen. Helen then turned to Jack and said maybe it was time to cut her down. Jack explained that he needed to call the sheriff instead.
Various family members felt that Alice came out the hospital more depressed than when she went in. She also started telling dirty jokes which was totally out of character for her. With little first hand knowledge, I have tried to shine a light on a sad life. There are so many “what ifs” in my mind on how Alice’s life could have been could so much happier.
Swagerty-Aldrich Family Web Site 