Conversation with VIcki 3-26-2013

She related the story of their meeting with William Brown Jr. and his wife.

The wife was English. 

John had been contacted by Bill Brown and had several conversations before arranging the meeting.  

Brown kept saying that he didn't know if he "wanted to open the door". After a few conversations, he said he was "ready to open the door". 

They went to their house and rang the bell.  They had to ring a couple of times and Vicki said to John, "I guess they don't want to open the door."

When they were there, Claude was in a high chair. He was throwing his stuff on the floor and the wife made a comment about Claude being a naughty boy.  Vicki said, "He's not a naughty boy, he's just a child and that's what they do. "  Vicki was "right upset".

Vicki also said she talked to Sam SImon quite often.  She said after the twins were born he changed a lot and used to come over every day and visit with them. 

She said Mama suspected that he would go away with other women. SHe would get pregnant and he would take off and come back months later.

She also said she met Harriet Hannig a couple of times and that she was a very nice lady.  She said that when they visited her, she saw a couple of paintings of Cornwall on the wall and liked them very much and complemented Hattie on them.  Hattie said that when she passed, Vicki could have them.  Vicki did have a chance to speak to the woman who had taken care of Hattie after Hattie passed and asked about the paintings and the woman said, "I don't know anything about that."

Con versation with John, 3-26-2013

Also had a chance to speak to John Simon today and he had a couple of tidbits. 

All of sudden when I asked him about Pop's brothers and sisters, he said that one of the brothers had been in jail, and Pop was too, just once.  He said the only one he met was "the one in Chicago".  And also he remembered meeting Bill Brown and wife. He had met him in Penn Station and they went out to their house.  He knew nothing of Flora or Frieda. Then he remembered meeting 2 of the brothers "on a bus". Then he said, "Wait a second. We were on a trolley car and we met one of the brothers.  He was the driver.  We stopped and talked for a few minutes. Then we got off."

 
More from JMS-

When asked whether the trolley driver was much older or just a little older than Sam Simon, JMS said he was a lot older (which means it was William or Joseph).  They knew each other right away. JMS was about 18 years old at the time (1940).

Also mentioned that the one brother was not in jail in the Bronx but further up.  They had to take a train to get there.  It was Sing Sing. He went with Mama one time.

He said he met one of the sisters one time, not Harriet, another one.

He also said that Sam Simon was in a Catholic orphanage in the East 50's which was attached to a church and was closed down later. 

He said one of the brothers was a salesman.Might have been confused with Bill Brown.