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A COLLECTION OF POEMS
Grant F. Cowley
LAMENT AT ION
It was on a wooded hill side Up in the mountains far,
And in a crude built cabin A man sat by the fire.
As he gazed out through the window
On the hills both near and far, C每, the handy work of nature And God's great creative power.
I've traveled o're this world of ours To lands both near and far, I've traveled o're the ocean And in the steam cars too
Propelled by mighty engines power, I've slept beneath the stars at night Around the old camp fire.
I always was so happy With not a thought or care, But now I am so lonely
Up in these mountains far Lonesome for a look into those eyes That mean so much to me
Fraying, waiting, for the hour That will take me back to her.
G. Cowley - 1921 Notation. MY first from G Daddy before we were wed.
I每 KEAVEN
TEERE WILL BE NO UHEMPLOYMENT In that land beyond the sky! There will be no wage reduction In that sweet bye and bye.
There will be no bread line forming On that morning bright and fair! When the saints of earth are gathered To a better home up there.
There will be no big depressions For there'll be no greed for gainl Every soul will have a blessing Every heart be freed from pain.
There will be no strike每 or lock outs Earthquakes, warfare, sin or shame| For we'll gather with our Savior Singing, "Glory to His name."
G. F. Cowley - depression
VACATION TIME
The shades of night were falling The house was full of gloom The mother's chair was empty Within that gloomy room.
No children' s voices singing,
No merry boyish tune, No boyish voice complaining That bedtime had come too soon.
The baby's bed was empty, The buggy, it was too. The quilts were neatly folded And the sheets were tucked in too.
I suppose you ,can but wonder
Why the cause for all this meditation, So if it needs explaining, Their gone on their vacation.
G. F. Cowley
JUST WATCHING
I sat on the bank of Lake Erie Away from the noise and the din Of a city so busy and dirty Just watching the waves roll in.
I sat there so weak and so weary Just glad for a chance to relax
From a day in the hot dirty city Just watching the waves roll in.
I began at once to get sleepy For from work I sure was all in Down in mY chair I could find myself slouching Just watching the waves roll in.
Soon fast asleep I was drifting And the sand man the battle did win As I sat in my chair that evening Just watchi每 the waves roll in.
I dreamed I had gone on to glory Away from this old earth of sin To a city all sparkling with beauty Just watching my loved ones come in.
There on my right side stood Daddy And close by his side stood Mother with him And oh how it made me so happy Just watching mY loved ones come in.
As I looked all around at the splendor and glory No scars or no signs of a life full of sin As I stood at that gateway so pearly Just watching my loved ones come in.
And I thought of my goodwife so lovely Whom I had left on the earth full of sin How some day together we would stand in that glory Just watching our loved ones come in.
JUST WATCHING Cont.
I thought of our ohlldren so happy That someday they too would come in As wQ stood by that beamtlful gateway Just watching our loved ones come in.
Now frlsnds Just believe in this story How Jesus has died for your sins And someday you may stand in His glory Just watching your lowd ones come in.
G. Cowley- 1946
SPRING AWAKENING
It is early in October And the air is sharp and cool The faces of the children All are brightly gleaming As they hasten off to school.
It is the month we all remember As we look back on the years As the time the leaves are turning And the corn has golden ears.
There are signs of fall all over As we look outside the door,
The birds in flocks are gathering To leave for southern shores.
But soon it will be winter With its blustering winds and snow And all the vegatation sleeping In Gods grave yard don't you know?
And after months so cold and bitter With the trees so bleak and bare There will be a great awakening For Spring is in the air.
But brother-sister, Just remember
As we look back through the years We too shall have our seasons
With our trials and foolish fears.
Continued...
SPRLNG AWAKENING - Cont.
But when our span of life is over And our work on earth is done When we reach our bleak December And our last race has been run.
If on Gods most loving shoulder We have leaned with trust through life There shall be a grand awakening Free from pain and strife.
It will be a glorious Spring forever With great things for us in store When we wake up in the morning Ever on that other shore.
G. Cowley- 1945
OUR NEW L ALLE
We bought a new Lasalle
And we felt so awful proud As we parked it by our doorway
So that it could be seen by all.
Its paint was black and shiny And did the chromium glow As it stood there in the sunlight In all its pomp and glory.
We could hear the neighbors whisper As on that car their eyes would fall The Cowleys are in the money Cause they bought a new Lasalle.
But neighbors, brothers, or most anyone at all
Before you criticize too strongly Just listen to our story Why we could buy a new Lasalle.
We no money on cigarettes do squander
Or do we spend a nickel for a drink, We buy no pools or chances Or do we to the movies wander.
You do not find us playing bingo Or are we members of night clubs We do not dance or drink or gamble And so we save our dough.
And so my friends both one and all Just do the same as we do
And save a little money Then you can buy a new Lasalle.
G. F. Cowley- May 16, 1947
OUR LITTLE GIRL
All this I could see as I sat by the side of the fire, I could see a small child with play things piled high on the floor How she would screech with delight when her Daddy would come in at the door.
At the end of the day When exhausted with play And her prayers were all said Her Mother would gently, so gently tuck her in bed.
All this and much more Could I see as I s每t by the side of the fire I could see a young child all ready for school It was to be her very first day I could see tears in the eyes of her Mother As she hurridly kissed her and sent her away.
And again I could see as I sat by the side of the fire A girl in her teens and her countenance beams
With excitement and youth A believer in God and a lover of truth.
I throw on more wood and stir up the fire
To try if at a look in the future I could As I set by the side of the fire I see a young Mother with a child on her knee
He laughs and he giggles with glee So thus a cycle of llfe I have seen As I watch the red embers last gleam.
So perhaps in some future day When the fires in our lives are dying away
And our fling at life we have had You too may sit by the side of the fire And say, Mom and Dad weren't so bad.
Dedicated to our little girl November 2, 19h4 G. Cowley
RAINBOW COTTAGE
We call it rainbow cottage And it's on Lake Erie's shore
The place we go for peace and quiet Away from the city roar.
It stands upon the lake bank Just a few feet 每om the shore We can stand there in the evening And watch the sea gulls soar.
It isn't large and spacious Or velvet carpets on the floor,
But oh what peace and comfort When we step inside the door.
There are no filthy smells to greet us And make our nostrils sore No screaching sounds of autos Or mighty sirens roar.
But all is peace and quiet Clemantis growing o're the door To send its pleasant fragrance
A drifting towards the shore.
And when the sun is setting Upon Lake Eries Floor How we love to sit and watch it Watch it sinking until it is no more.
So when you are weak and weary And from hot pavements are feet sore Just come to rainbow cottage And rap upon our door.
G. Cowley- 1946
THE BIRTH OF A TREE
The wind blew hard as it russeled the leaves in the big maple tree And the air was filled with falling seeds Each on its own little pair of wings As they playfully flitted and fluttered everywhere Liks hundreds of butterflies on the wing.
Some of them landed on hard paved roads
And others among the stones trying to find a place to rest Till at last one found a home right on the gardens crest It nestled softley in its bed, cover by old dead leaves so deep Warmed by the sun by day and kissed by the dew at night Till it quietly fell asleep.
It slept all through the su每aer and on through the fall And then through the cold winter too Till at last the gentle south winds blew Announcing the coming of spring.
The sun came out with its warming glow melting the ice and snow
The little seed awakened from its long winter sleep , All rested and ready to go It pushed and it pushed till out of its side came a wee little shoot.
Then it pushed and it pushed some more Till out of the bottom came two little roots Fed by the rich mother earth Warmed by the warm spring sun and drinking the soft spring rain It had begun to grow.
Thus in the birth of a tree we have seen A miracle only God could perform So brother or sister wherever you are When you think you are so great and of God you have no need Just ask yourself this question. Can I make a tree?
G. Cowley - November 9, 19%
SHOULD I LOSE FAITE IN MAN
As I travel on through life And meet the world from day to day When someone says some unkind thing Or causes me a lot of grief.
When I try to do the best I know And to someone lend a helping hand Someone makes a sharp remark
About it being Just a show.
When I find the one I thought was my best friend Has been the one to stab me in the back The one who when in trouble I was there a helping hand to lend.
Should I lose faith in mankind then? And say that it is no use No matter what I try to do It will turn to evil in the end.
Then I fairly blush with shame As I think of how my Savior When on this earth of ours How they spat upon Him and called him dirty names.
How they crushed the thorns upon His head and nailed Him to the cross How they pierced His bleeding side with spears And placed a sign above His head.
Continue d..
SHOULD I LOSE FAITH IN MAN
When all His mortal friends had fled And left Him hanging on the cross Re did not say tis all in vain As he slowly bowed His head.
Forgive them Father for they know not what they do They heard Him gently murmur As he died for me, for you.
So when it seems that everything goes wrong And people try to push me down By the help of my dear Savior I'll forgive each little wrong.
G. Cowley - May 3, 1946
TÿIÿRÿ GÿWINGOÿ
When November wÿds are blowing And the air is sharp and cold Tÿe days are getting shorter For the year is growing old.
The leaves from off the trees have fallen And piled deep along the road The branches stand so straight and barren Relieved of their heavy load.
When I wake up in the morning And look out the open door The ground is white with frost Like a silver carpet on the earths green floor.
We know theh that summers over And winters on its way That soon the vest wind blowing Will bring snow flakes here to stay.
G. Cowley - 1946
ION nAY IS OVeR
Election day is over and the votes have all been cast some are all elated and others awful sore.
November with its chilling days true tokens of a s每r past leads us to remember that a birthday Is on the way.
My dear loving wife is again about to celebrate the anniversary of her birth a truer, purer, better wife a man has never had upon this earth.
And I thank mY God in heaven for his goodness and his grace when he took this lovely women and gave her unto me.
So with all the love and tenderness as I look up in her face
I wish a Happy Birthday to a dear and loving wife.
Dedicated to my wife November, 1948 Grant F. Cowley
A BLUSTR每 NIGHT
It was on a cold and blustry winter night The snow was drifted to a tremendous height A house upon a highway stood Covered with its wintry head.
Now and then a light was seen Casting o're the snow its silver sheen From a lonely car upon the road Or a truck with a heavy load.
With in that house there sat a man Now guess this riddle if you can
He cared not for the blustry winters night Or for the snow that was drifted to tremendous heights.
The lights 每om them machines Has passed by him unseen He sat like one who was in a dream BUt in his eyes could be seen a gleam A gleam of happiness and love For the one who he called his turtle dove.
But alas a bachelors life he led For from him his love had fled And in going, it is so sad She took with her his little lad.
BUt my friends, now do not weep For within another week This look of gloom will all be gone.
For he's going down to meet her And spend Cbristmas with her sister And when the visits over On the train he'll lead her And she will come back so cheery To the town named dear old Erie.
G. Cowley
TO A CHRiST IA每
When you often get to wonderinE If it's right or if it's wrong! When your friends go on some worldly pleasure And ask you to go along, Just ask yourself this question, Can you take Jesus with you? Can you take your Savior there?
Is it wrong to go in the bar room? For a friendly glass of beer!
They allow it in the army So it 每st be pretty clear That one glass could do no harm And maybe bring you cheer Just ask yourself this question, Could you take Jesus in there? Could your Savior go along?
Is it wrong to play bingo? That surely most be right For it is not sponsored By the very church of Rome, Brother let me ask you In a dirty den of gamblers, Could you take Jesus with you? Could you take your Savior there?
I could go on forever
Naming places here and there But dear brother Just remember If in doubt you are, Just get on your knees in prayer And ask this simple question, Can I take Jesus with me? Can I take my Savior there?
So dear friend, some day You can look up into heaven ad proudly say I am on my way to glory And my Jesus will be there, Oh Lord please let me hurry For my Savior will be there. G. Cowley
It was in the cool September How well I do ÿmember The weather it was fair And the sunbeams cast their glare On the meadows and the woodlands And the beach wiÿh its silver sands.
It was six long years ago And those years have not been slow Since I led her to the altar And our footsteps did not falter ix short years of happiness With not a touch of madness.
A guiding hand to guide me Through my troubles and mY Joy And with our finances strugglinÿ Although at times it seemed they could not meet She has managed like a hero To keep us on our feet.
And I thank God in the highest I will not call it luck For the wonder wife he gave me
With the mÿghty grit and pluck. And to make the band more binding Through the years that are unwinding Two babies she has given me To sit upon my knee To cheer me with their presence And make my life more plesant.
How could I be unhappy And feel blue and crabby With such a wife aÿ she?
Dedicated to my wife on our 6th wedding anniversary
September 20, 1928 G. Cowley
I 每TEM'T WROTE k POEM
I haven't wrote a poem For so long, I don' t know when BUt when n7 wiles' not home For sympathy I plead.
So then, I'll try and write a poem To express my woeful feelings When at evening I come home,
The house is dark and stuffy Sure sign that no one's there The furniture is getting dusty And there' s cob webs on the stair.
No happy childrens voices Come floating through the air No gently wife to greet me As I step upon the stair.
Instead of that, an emptiness That can not be discribed It is a lonely feeling
All that I do declare The ice box is getting empty And the cupboards getting bare.
No truer words have been spoken
Then by some statesman great and mighty Don't Just recall his name That any man can build a house But it takes a wife to build a home.
G. F. Cowley
EAGER PRA VERS
We are Mr. Weavers Eager Beavers
And our Job is very hard| When the wind and snow is howling Across the "Old Coach Yardw.
When the steam traps are all frozen And the platforms full of ice! With no water raising system working Oh no, it's not so nice.
But we are Mr. Weavers Eager Beaverm And we take it with a grin! The generator belts are missing And the axel pulleys broken. We know we have no battery Cause the lights are pretty dim.
As we climb around on snow drifts Or on ou,每 bellies crawl l
To perform our many duties You never hear us gruable
Or from our duties stall For we are Mr. Weavers Eager Beavers
And its our Job, that's all.
Dedicated to our old coach gang and Mr. Weaver, our master mechanic.
G. F. Cowley
MY BRIDE
Four and twenty years have passed Since I took her for my bride Yet it seems but Just a day Since she stood there by my side.
How she stood there frail and trembling With a love light in her eyes How my heart was filled with Joy As she stood there pale and shy.
And when the minister at last had finished
And I kissed my loving bride I asked my Lord and Savior To make my worthy of this girl That stood there by my side.
As we traveled on through life together Two children blessed our world and made us happy and contented For which we thank you Lord.
Sometimes the way has been stormy And full of aches and pains But through it all she has stood steady Through the sunshine and the rain.
But each hardship and each struggle Each laugh and bit of fun Has made our love life stronger And made it more easily run.
As I look back through the years
I can not help but fill with pride As I thank my loving Savior For the gift of such a bride.
Dedicated to my wifeon our twenty-fourth wedding anniversary.
G. Cowley
I had a little friend Her name was Becky Ore
We played and roamed together On old Lake Erie shore.
She had a little brother His name was Diekie Ore And when they were together They were a pair of Ore's.
I had a little rowboat Pulled up on that old shore Sometimes we would go a rowing Until our arms were sore.
And Beckys' little brother could surely make you roar They called him super duper Of funny duper lore.
And when the wind was blowing The waves began to roar
We could not go swimming So we walked upon the shore.
She had an older brother His name was Stanley Ore We had great times together Until he was called to war.
I could go on forever About this Becky Ore And our great times together But I guess I'II say no more.
Dedicated to Alberta and her girlfriend,
Becky Ore.
VACAT DAIS
The evening shadows falling And the sky is turning grey In my soul there is a yearning For my loved ones all so far away.
The children's hearty laughter
As they end a happy day And their little bodies tired and weary As they p每t their toys away.
And their mother gently scolding Imploring them to hurry As the bed clothes she is folding Prior to tucking them away.
All these any many others I could quote till Judgement day Of the duties of a mother Which makes a home so gay.
Thank God the time is coming And it, s net so far away When vacation days are over
And they will be back to stay.
G. Cowley
T每 SIL拢h每T HOUSE
The house was large and roomy
And the rooms were all well furnished They showed signs of happy days In the corner sat a babys chair Rather shabby from constant wear Under the couch were many play things Played by a boy, with tender care.
You could almost hear the walls resounding With the din of childrens voices You could almost hear their Mother calling, "Children please be quiet or you will drive me wild.
Yet a silence has befallen On the house so gay and wild No more the walls resounded
With the childrens hearty laugh NO more you heard their footsteps As they pattered o're the floor.
Now do not be alarmed my readers For they haw only gone to see Aunt Freda A vacation for them all.
G. Cowley
THE LONELY STFt{NGER
I am a lonely stranger From a small town upstate
Who wandered into Erie To try and make my stake.
I know no living creature
On this my first Lord's day So I turn on my little radio To try and find a church.
A church that has a preacher
That will tell the old old story That I love to hear so well Of a good and loving Savior How he sacrificed his all for me To keep me out of Hell.
As I Idly twist the dial around This announcement greets my ear
This is Bethel Baptist Temple Just going on the air每 All those who have no church affiliations will find a church home here.
I listened to the organ As its notes it loudlypeeled, I heard the congregation singing Those good old gospel hymns.
My heart was filled with gladness, My eyes were filled with tears, For I knew I was back home again With my brothers and my sisters Who had the same dear loving Father That had been mine for years.
I listened to the sermon My, but it was powerful As it came across the airl
I knew that I would go to Bethel And with them there blessings share.
Continued...
THE LONELY STRANCER - Cont.
All day I was elated And m每 thoughts were in the air, When the evening service started And I could be amongs't them present When God was there in power.
I could hear the chimes a rin每ing As I stepped outside my car,
Playing good old gospel music It almost made me feel that I could hear the angels singing.
The organ notes were peeling
As I stepped inside the door, Oh I had such a glorious feeling As the usher led me down the aisle.
They had a singsplrat!on,
Singing all the old familiar songs And they made the chapel tremble As they filled it full of song.
After just a few announcements The pastor gave the message, A good old fashioned evangelistic sermen
That filled your heart with fear, For those old hardened sinners That would not lend an ear.
When the invitation had been given And the service was at an end,
I was filled with anticipation As I arose out of my seat, I was sure that amongslt these christian people That I some friends would meet.
Continued...
THE LONELY STPJuNGEX - Cont.
They looked at me so coldly As one by one they passed me by,
I worked my way out to the hallway In the hopes that mayb每 someone
Would give me Just a little welcome, Just a little word of cheer.
I left the church downhearted My heart was full of lead, I Just could not understand That the pastor was sincere I never for a moment doubted
Could it be they were a bit self-centered And for others never gave a thought,
Or could it be that they simply didn't caret
Grant F. Cowley
THE LIGHT I£ESFSR The lights in the Light Houses shine each night To 6uide men and ships from their treacherous shores .ÿnd keep them safe from some terrible plight. They may be built of brick or of stone It matters not which so that each light house has a light to be shone They mÿ.y be built on some rock bound coast Or set far back on a sandy shore The thing that's rÿally important is That each little light house a light of it's own can boast For the thing to remember is this That each of these light houses a keeper must have To keep the lights burning and never to miss It takes men of courage of grit and of skill
To keep the lights burning 11o matter how furious tlÿe tempests may rage Yet I think of the rocks of temptations The bars and the dangerous shoals In this sea of sin and damnation And its terrible toll of lost souls
And I think of the light bright and shining The light of salvation you know Jesus my Lord is the keeper And His light will never burn low If we follow the path of Salvation's bright light Tÿough the way may be hard and we might have to fight It will lead to a harbor of safety Free from pain and sorrow for ever
and OH', what a joy it will be ,ÿen we meet the Light ÿeeper in glory. Grant F. Cowley April 20, 1949
The Things I Could Have Done But Didn't Do] As I live on from day to day In these my Autumn years of life I thank the Lord for His amazing Grace In granting me ÿ little longer stay
But glsncing b-ckward through the years I cÿn not help but t6 remember All the things I could have done but didn't do I think of all the mnny mÿny times In this old wicked world of ours When for my Lord I could have spoken out The times I could have spoken out but didn't do So many times a helping hand I could have given Instead I passed them by The things I could have done but didn't do It may have been that mÿny times A word from me wÿs all thnt it would need To point some one to the Lord Another thing I could hsve done but didn't do As I look backward through the years I realize that it is far too
late
And the time has long gone past For me to do all those things I could have done but didn't do As I go on from day to day I'ii try to do the things I should hÿve done but didn't do As long as my Lord will let me stay
And when He calls me home at l每st If I hnve done my best I know He will understand.
Grant F/ Cowley December 1968
.°.
GRAÿDADDY'S STORY i
BY
GRANT FLOYD CO,ÿTLEY o
i :,.'°.
FOR ELLEN,. CHRISTIÿ. , ROB!]'ÿ, TERIÿ BILL, BON!ÿE
..,,ÿ'ÿ'D nÿm-vÿv,,_
GRAÿ]3kDDY' S STORY !
So you children would like your old grandfather to tel! you a story about how we used to live when I was a boy. Well, gather ÿround me and i will try and see if I cmn rack ÿ old ÿemoÿF to
give you a little idea as to what it was like. I was born on East EleventI' Street in Erie on July h, 189h. The old house still stands although it has been moved to the rear of the !ot and a large brick flat stands Were, the house used to stand.
In those days it was the custom on the Fourth of July to celebrate by shooting firecrackers, black powder cmnnons, caps, and all kinds of fireworks° They would
start early in the ÿrning and keep aL it all day long. It was lots of fun but it was also Very dangerous and many children got badly bu!-ned. Some had their fingers blown off and, some were even killed eye,q{ year. z
,
.
That is the reason that the custom was finally done away with and the safe and sane
Fourth of July was adopted. My father and mother had often told me that on that particular Fourth when l was born the kids were extremely noisy which made my mother veI-g nervous and my
dad had to ,go out and ask them to bea little more qt[iet. Being born on the'Fourth of July my mother felt as if I should be named after some great American so they decided on the name of Grant after the great northern General Grant ÿd also two term President of the U.S.A.
:
Another incident that hapI>ened on the day I was born which might iniÿrest you \
was this:
In those dÿ's it was the custom on the Fo[u'th of July to send up large
baloons made of red, white and blue paper and inflated with hot air° They would go high in the air, and drift for miles and miles before finally coming down. k
2ÿ
It so happened that on the day I was born at approximately the same hour- I was bornÿ on ÿ.ÿ gra:-.dfather's farm that was located out on the Old ÿ,'faterford Plarÿ Road, one of those bÿlloons was coming down. It was chased and captured by your great-great uncles Bert and Ed Cowley who were then small children. They said thai, wÿ_s the balloon ! cmÿ in. That balloon was given to my mother and kept ÿ hÿr for
years. In fact it was still in the attic of the old house on East 26 Street ",ÿhen my dad sold it in 1917. In 1896 or when I was about two years old, my dad sold the little house on Eleventh Street (which incidently he had bought from his grandfather) and built the house at lOhT East 26 Street. At that time it was practically all ¢ountÿ-y with just three or four houses in the block. People used to ask ÿ dad why he ever built so far out in the country. It was there I spent ÿy boyhood days° The cooking was done on an. old fashioned wood and coal siÿve with a reslvoir
---i
for hot water at the back of the stove and a large oven below. When %e kids came in with cold feet in the winter'%line we used to take off our shoes, open the oven door and put our feet in the oven to get them warm° Mother always baked her own bread, cakes, pies and cookies. You could not get them in the stores even if you had the money, and we didntt, We used to have a lot of soups, stews and so forth in the win Zer, all ÿmde at home, none of them coÿng from cans. We also used to have a pig every, winter. Iÿ dad %ÿould cut it up, make his own sausage and head cheese, tÿmn what meat we couldntt keep fresh, he used to pack in a crock packed with salt. The washinÿ was done ÿy brand. I can see m6ÿ mother yet stÿling by the old ÿ,ooden wash tubs that stood on a wooden bench painted green, scrubbing cloZhes on the old 'ash board. All the clothes were boiled in a big copper wash boiler that ÿ6r dad
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would bring up from thecellar along with the bench and the tubs. He would fill the boi!.ÿer for her the night before. She ÿou!d cut up a big bar of yellow soap in
-
sm-ÿs_ll pieces put them in the boilder along with the clothes and boil them, tei<e the clotbÿs out of the boiler into the tub, scrub them on the wash board, wring them out with the ÿTinger you had to turn by hand into the rifle waterÿ rinse them out, wring them and hÿ_ng them outdoors, winter and stunner. Later on we got a washing machine, one of the first ones built. It was called
a 1900. It was a wooden tub and the whole tub revolved back and forth with a little ÿ handle on the side. That was a big event at our house when that was delivered. I remember us all standing around watching as .the man showed my mother how to use it. He said it was so easy to use that even a child could operate it and I guess they took it literally because when I was around I bacame the motor power. I would have
to stand and work that tub baeÿ mud forth with a littlle handle anywhere from y
twenty to twentyfive minutes for each load. The only rent was when we wrung the ) clothes out of the machine into the rinse water and therÿ I tuÿ*ned tÿ,e wringer. •.
If you children ever get a chance to go to a muse,mÿ, look around and maybe you will see a washing machine like that. And then there was teh iroÿzing to do. Mother useÿ_i -to iron with heavy irons
just like the one that Nana has painted gold by the front door. She used to heat them on kitchen stove which meant that you always had to have :, ÿig fire whenever you ironed, winter andstunner. You can imagine the heat. She uÿ'u.:_ÿ¥ had three irons going, two heating and one ironing, I always wondered why they ,::,ÿ,led them sad irons. I guess •it would be enough to make anybody sad just to think ÿ.ÿ,ut it. Later on ceÿ...e the chsmcoÿ_l i!'on. They were ,ÿ biÿ -ÿe!p to a woman as they took her-ÿ
out of the terrible heat ÿnd let he irom outdoors urÿ:,: ,,be trees in the sunnier. They were quite large and had a regular little charcoÿl s,
in them with a smoke stack
on the £roÿ,emÿ. You would fill them with charcoalÿ : ÿ:.ÿIt them and 'ÿ woÿuld ÿ .ÿ ÿiej burn ÿor several hours. They worked fine out of doors beeausÿ
..ÿ could turn tl-:em into the wind
and get a little bettwr draft if they were not burning fast enough. Later on they c.ÿ,ÿ out with a gÿoline iron. We never had one. Fÿana says that heÿ" -T,.oÿther hsÿi one ÿud it. worked fine.
We used kerosene laz,ÿps for lighting. Another one of the jobs ÿ mother had everÿyday was to fill all the lamps, trim the wicks and polish the immp chimneys. The lÿ.ps were very dangerous rand you had to be very careful wheÿ they were lighted° You had to be sure that you did not ttu-n them up too highÿ or they would smoke up the chimney so you could not see anything with themÿ and if they were left go they would carbon up the bummers 'and maybe ezplode.
After a few years tÿey gave way to the gas lights. My dad could not afford to hire a plumber to pipe the house for gas so he did it himself. I csÿ1 remember as a small boy watching him night after night running pipes to every room in the house. He
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would haÿe to run them up through 5he partitions then4up the flooring in the bedrooms to get the pipes where he wanted them and have them all hidden. .'Ynat mÿant buying chandaliers for all the rooms. At last it was done. The gas was tinned on
and we had lightsÿ Although we were not the firstÿ ones in the city to have gas lights, we were the first ones on our street. I can remember yet people walking by the sidewalk, stopping, looÿng in s.nd exclaiming, 'ÿy, there is a house with gas ligÿhts." After the gÿs was in, the old cook stove gave way to a gas stove and some more of my mother's burderÿ rolled away. There were not paved streets and of course no automobiles. It was strictly
horse and buggy days. Almost every yard had a fenoe around it and a hitching post in front of it to tie the horses to. We had an iiron post width a big iron ring on top. Some of the houses had stone blocks called stepping stones or upping blocks for people to stand on in getting in ÿnd ouc of their carriages.
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then my dad built the house he had a small barn built on the back of the loÿ't in heoes that some day he would he able to own a horse and carriage to tÿke his fsÿnily out riding in. That ambition he was never able to fil!.
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The streets were very dusty and the sidewalks, soÿe were of brick, some wood, some j: L
gravel, no concrete. At every intersection theÿe were board walks crossing the streets
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in both directions.
The old oil street lights had been replaced with gas lights. The gas street lights ÿ placed on each corner required a lamp lighter to light them every night and put them out in the morning. One lamplighter for each section of the city went around with a long stick with a wax %per to light the lamp and a hook to turn it off. He also carried a smalllight ladder that he could climb up to the imnp with in case he could not get it lit with the stick. I never held that job but I used to help out when the regular boy would want a day off. Youÿgreat Uncle Albert Ecker used to be a lamp lighter in the section that he lived in. My early life up until the time I started to school is not too clear to me except fo_ •k
a few incidents. At thai period it was the fad to dress little boys in short pants and w, and to keep their hair long and cuÿ'led.
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I had a beautiful head of natural curly hair and my mother was very pÿoud of it. Ever"y daÿ° it would be full of snarls aÿnd when my mother would comb it I would cÿ: and
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holler "Youlre killing me." She would curllt around her fingers and it would hang in lonÿ ringlets clear down around ÿ sho'ÿtlders.
On S,ÿnda[¢ when they took me to church I was quite popu!ÿx with ]all the ladies. rsÿ one ÿnd ÿhen the other would have meÿ ,aziÿring .ÿj cÿirls.
I ÿd to sat ÿ'ter I
grew up that .;hen I was young the ladies all ran after me but now I had to m_n after them. I kept those curls until I was seven years old when I started to school. /"i "2/.
That was a tragic day for rÿV mother. My father had an old friend of the fmÿ_i!y, a barber, by she nmTe of Jake Steiÿhmiller come to the house and cut them ofl. i can
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see her yet. I sat in the high chair in front of the kitchen sink. As he cut off each curÿ ÿucÿ haÿnded them to her, the tears would ruÿ. doÿ.m her cheeks just ÿhÿ much harder° Sh_ÿ.ÿ t, ied a ribbon ÿ'oÿ-d each cÿ:a'l a'",d kept them. Solÿ of them ! still have. Aÿk
Nana to let you see them someday. I was awful glad to get rid of them as the boys in the neighborhood were beginning to call me a sissy. Now at last i ",:as a boy. Life in those days were quite different thmÿ it is today. Of coÿrse there were no electric lights so there was no electric refrigeration° Everybody had ÿ.n ice box told the ice man used to come around and deliver ice. They were usually high ÿvered
wagons painted either yellow or red with the nmne of the company painted on the side drawn by a horse, that had a furÿq< little hat like a dunce cap with his ears sticking out to keep the flies off his head. The customers each had a card given to them with the numbers 2ÿ-ÿ<0-7ÿ-!OO on them. Whatever remount of ice you needed you put the card in your window with that nmÿber up. The ice man brought the ice into the house and put it in the boxÿ The kids always used to hang around the ice wagon asking for a piece of ice rand
getting the chips that fell off when he cut the ice. And then there was the huckster who tÿed to come around with his wagon selling all kinds of vegetables. He would drive along slow yellingÿ "Potatoes, potatoesÿ Cabbabeÿ onions, carrotsÿ" or whatever else he had to sell. The housewives would come rmÿiting om-t in the streSt and buy whatever they wmnted. It aÿ ....gave them the chance to visit a few manures with their ÿeighbors. Thoÿe days their next door neighbor wash' t a stranger to them. Of couÿ-se there wÿ=ÿ the ÿ'ag man driving a!onÿ with his old horse calling, ÿ'ragsÿ rubbersÿ rags ." And once a week there was the fish mml drivin,z along blowing a long tin horn you could hear two or three blocks away. The women would come out to the wÿgcn with their dishes. He would show them the fish not clemned. They would pick out th ones they wanÿed and he would weigh them and clean them eight on the wagon. He aÿ*ays weighed them mnÿJ you paid for them before they were cleaÿ,ed.
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About two or three times a year there would be a meÿi come around pushing a little cart and ringinz a bell shouting, "scissors to grind, mTÿbrel!as to mend°" The ,ÿ£abre!la m£q.
He would repmLr yo;lr ÿ,nbfellaÿ even put new covers on tÿem if you s,s
desired. He would oÿind your scissors or youa- kitchen hnives. All in all ne was ,a pretty hs.ndy sort of m&n to have around. We had no movies, no radio, or television, not\eÿn a phonograph for amusement. ' But the people managed to have a pretty good time never the less. It was a cow.non I
thing for two or three of the neighbor families %o drÿp infor a win+ÿr evening. They would sit and ÿisit. Sometimes they would play game_s, sometimes if there were enough J
of them they would have a spelling bee. And then again they wouldÿzther around the old family reed organ and sing songs, usually the good, old fashioned gospel hymns. They would always end up ÿith a xuÿh to go home on. Later on the old organ wss traded for a piano and then my. sister Ethel started to take lessons. The piano was a volby made by the Colby Piano Comparÿ¢ of Erie, Pa. That compaÿny has been out of business for many years. They mÿde a very good piano. One of them won first prize at the
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Chicago Worlds Fair. That pisÿno can still be seen at Weiss Library, Fairview, Pa. About the tirÿ I was born, hoÿse cars were ozrÿheir way out. ÿnd electric street cars were on their way in. The nearest street car to our home ran over East 18 Street. If we wanted to ride the street car, we would have to walk from 26 and Penn Ave. to
18 ÿnd East Ave. (About i mile) About the only tÿme ! e-ÿr got to go downtown was once a year at Cÿistmas to see the toys. I can remember on a cold winterls night with my folks walking down to the street car ÿiding doÿnto-ÿn, walking around the stores b
and then back ho,ÿ mÿd that. long walk up the hill so col.J mud tired I could hardly go. One of the big events of the ÿem- was alwÿTs the 3uuday School Picnic at ,-< .i Waldameer. We would talk about it and plan for weeks. The mothers would all pack a big basket wlth enough for their own family and then •.hey woÿ!d put it ÿII togeÿheÿ . when we got there. Wÿat a feed! /
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The church used to charter street cars to take up. ÿey were open street csi-s
with long foot boÿds running the full length of both sides mud two or three cars hoÿ<ea to:,ether to ,m_ÿke a t, ratn. ".',ÿe would have a big ba_nner on the s-ldes of the cars ±±i..ÿ. the nm<:e J
our Sÿ.ÿdaj o,=ÿloo!
As wÿ rode aliong through the cÿ ty and0 ,.ÿ 'ÿb
into the country because it was all country out West 8 Street in those da}ÿ, we would sing ÿvÿ.,ms, holler aÿud laugh and have a good tivÿ. After a long day of riding merÿygo-romnds and other rides, .ÿnd of co,ÿse a trip down the old board walk to ÿ'ÿ nÿ b,ÿh ÿ+ house and going bathingÿ we would get on the street cars and go home, dead tired but hapgy with something to talk about for another year.
I started to school when I was seven years old at old #15 school which stood at 23 and Ash Street. It has been tomÿ down for a great many years. ! only went, there two or three weeks when I was trÿsfered to #17 school which was a new school and I was one of the first pupils to attend there. It is located at 23 and East Ave. and was ÿk, first school in town at the time
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is now known as McKinley ÿ ' ÿC,qOOl.
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Ethel ÿ,nd I always walked to school a distance of about a mile. We had one hour for r
lurÿch and always w-7,ÿ,_<ed home for a hot dinner ÿ,nd then back.
Sometimes we had to move
pretty fast. We walked no matter how bad the weatÿher was. I cm-ÿot ever remember car, rying a lurlch. There was a iÿge vac&nt lo'c in back of our house in fact it was all cou_ntrÿI south of 26 Street. There, us kids used to play. In the }ÿinter time we would play
fox and geese and other gaT@s in the snow. Sometimes the kids in the neighborhood would get together and build two forts out of snow about 25 or 30 feet apart. Then we would -me_ke a lot of snowballs and on Saturday we would have a battle. The side that captured the other fort wÿ the wLÿuzer. !n the spring we played marbles rand fÿew kites. Later on it was b asebÿl =ÿ_nd =.oÿ,ÿii in Lhe fall.
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The kids in ou/- neighborhood were always too busy pla,j-ing games and haÿ]g good f'mÿ
:: to be getting into trouble spoiling people's property like the kids do around here now. u
Eveÿr stumrÿr I spent a good deal of my vacation out on my grandfatherZs farm. I" grew to love that farm very much. I can remember when I was just a small child they would out me uo on a horses back and let me ride ÿile ÿh_ horse pulled the
cultivator back rand forth through the fields, Later on I used to help with the chores. Go and bring the cows in-from the pasture. So many things that the average city boy
would never know iaJnything about. On Saturday my,grandmother used to make the boys get out the. surrey ÿnd wash mud polish it for-Swÿday.
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On Sunday morning we would get into that surrey. It had fringe al! aromnd the top. Patent loather'mud e=uards"and,two beautlful, ooaohÿlmmps that burned candles. •
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.. We would drive into Erie, to chruch., Most always to"ÿthe Old First Baptist Chruch of .;.
which they were members. Sometimes they'would go to the Second Baptist Church where '
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,,my. folks were members and then I wou!d be able to see ÿy father, mother and.sisterÿ
And then the long diive home. ;
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There used to be Sunday school in the old 'shcool house about a ÿile up the road from thefa.ÿ and sometimes we used to go there instead of driving to Erie, it was on the , ,
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farm as ,a small boy ÿthat I learned how to hunt ÿnd trap°, When ! was still too smal! to 2
carry" a gun I used .to go hunting with rÿ uncles Bert and Ed and sometimes Frank when he
would be homÿ. They would make me wÿ_k right behind them so I wouldn't get hÿt. They ,
used.to run 'a trap line during the winter .and I used to love to go out there during the ' '
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Christmas vacation and go around Withÿ them on the trap ].ine. Ln the stammer I got a big
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' ', ÿ kick.oÿat of haÿng tÿeoÿ They. would always lift me ur., so that I coÿ.ÿnd ride .into the . •. ,'
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.. barn..on the top<of, the load.
I could go on for hours telling you of the many things that happened. Sÿch as when \
grandfatherx died. The snow was so deep and the roads ÿere so bad that they were mÿ' able to get out there with the Hacks and the hearse so ÿhey had to put him on a pair of A"
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/- .ÿ babsleds.with aÿl tenm of horses and bring him-to Erie tr: :.-.ury him..The snow was so
, deep in the eemetary that; they had to put his body in ÿ?ÿ .au!t and wait ÿntil soring to bury him.
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!ÿbj school boy de<ÿ wen% on about normal for boys of that time. Rushing to school in the morning and at noon and then loafing on the way home at night jÿupÿnoÿ over all the hitching posts ÿnd fences, maybe playing marb!esÿ a gaÿne we used to call crakk &nd sÿn, ÿe would play all the w<i home. One of the things we used to look forward to was when the grind organ man ÿnd his monkey cÿme arotund. We used to beg our mothers for money. We would give it to the merukey, a little fellow dressed in a red coat and hat, he would take the money and put
it into a little tim cup and take it to the grind organ man who would play for us on the grind organ. Another group that used to come around playL.ÿ for money was the o14 German Band. A group of six or eight German men dressed in blue mÿiforlÿs mud playing brass horÿ,%s and dr'ÿms. They would play old Gelnnan songs and then come to the door for money o
;ÿd then there was the Bÿnÿa mÿ.n tha5 cÿme around with his push cart calling "Banana:s, Bananas." And the ice cream man with bÿis little Wagon risging this bell
When the people heard the bell they would get a bowl and go out on the street and wait ÿ.or hLm. It was all bulk and he dished out what ever abount you wanted. In 1909 mybrother Bernard was born. }ÿ mother never fully recovered. She went
into sorÿ of a mental melancholy and in 1910 she died. That was the greatest tragedy our family was ever called upon to face. Jttst the time a boy needed his mother the most, I was left without one. I was a pretty lonely boy. ].Pj sister who was going to ÿhigh schoolÿ quit and started to keep house for us
and be a mother to my brother. The following year I left school in the last year aS grade school and went to work. ÿf dad wanted me to finish high school and go to college but he left the decision up to me. I didn't have the heart to go slnead. I got a job and i ÿ:as a r'anÿ If this was mn autobiography which it is not and was never intended to be, I co-aid go on wit.h pales and pages telling about my early mÿood daysj different job experiences in the Navy, ÿz finally finding and marryin[ your wonderful grandmother and the peace ant total'oft that it has brought to meÿ about the birth ÿd raising of
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m%r two wonderful children, their marriages and presenting me with the most wonder[u.l grandchildren on earth. I realize that these sÿe just <.he discorm.ected wandersings of an old man's mind %'ho has been living in the past. But. I dedicate this stoÿj to .ÿD'- grandchildren, both thus@ who are with us now and any who might come in the future. And I wmut to thaÿ< God for the wonderful privelege that He gave me in allowing me to be the son of Christian parents° and also fÿr the love and 'fellowship of a Christimn wife without which no perfect marriage c&n exist. And again I want to
%hazJc Him for the two children that He blessed us with and above all the fact that they are both Christians. To ÿy grmudchildren I would mÿke this charge, Love mud obey your mothers, do eyerÿhiÿig that you can to help them to make their burderÿs light. Your mothers ÿe the best friends you will have on this eaÿ'th so guard them carefully. Above-ÿll I hope and pray that each and eve-,o'ooe of you may ÿr¢,w up -;n the knowledge of the Lord and as you grow up will ex accept tÿhe Lord Jesus as your own personal Savior. It would make me veÿ- happy if each and ÿvelÿ one of you as you grow up could ti<-e some sort of special training and go out in full time work for t!ÿ Lord. And that sometime in the future we may all meet together in Heÿ,ven as one, big, happy
f aÿily.
Your lowing grandfather,
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Grant F o ÿoÿey
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