What This Story Means to Me

          Dad always told stories about his childhood and early adulthood.  Those stories add flavor to genealogy.  It gives it color.  I may have talked about these stories before when I’ve talked about Dad.  If so, oh well, they deserve to be repeated.  If not, you are in for a treat.

The Tractor

         This took place shortly after the family moved to Galvin and settled down (in the early 1940’s).  Dad can’t remember if it was something that Grandpa William and Uncle John built or if it was Papa and Uncle John.  It was built while Grandpa William was still on the farm out past Adna.  Anyway, they had taken an old Dodge pickup (at least that is what Dad believed it to be) and converted it into a tractor (wish I had a photo). There was a spot that was just perfect for a little boy.  Dad said he would hold on to the edges of this platform.  One day, his hand was hit and did some damage to one of his fingers.

         Dad indicated that Papa had to put extensions on the clutch, brake pedal, and throttle so he could even reach them.  This was shortly after they had moved to Galvin and he was 6 or 7 at the time.  Its last rumble was when he was taking it from the driveway to the orchard, turning the corner into the orchard that was on the farm.  There was this little bump on the shoulder of the road that jumped up about 4".  Evidently, the tractor motor didn't like that bump and that was the last time it ran.  Seems like a piston broke about that time and the bump up was what caused the piston to break.  It probably had a crack in it to begin with.  It wasn't too long after that Papa bought a little Model L John Deere which was a crank start.

 

The Go-Cart

         Another story from Galvin youth.  Dad was about 8 years old.  He and a friend had built a go-cart (Uncle Clyde

may have been involved on this one).   Dad talked about how they built it and what type of wheels they used (see photo to the right).  He also talked about riding it down the Lincoln Creek road into Galvin.

         One time, after Papa had obtained a small, gas-powered engine that was used in a washing machine, the boys had dismantled it (it wasn’t working), cleaned up the parts using either gasoline or oil, then put it back together.  Added a little bit of gas and started it up.  It worked!  So, they then attached the motor to their cart.  They zipped up the road until it ran out of gas.  As they were pushing it back home, a deputy sheriff pulled up (actually, it was the Sheriff).  He asked them some questions, then escorted them home to talk to the parents.  Guess Grandma was upset, and Papa tried really hard not to laugh.  However, those two were back at it again!

         Another story (I’m not sure if this was before the motor was attached or afterwards), the boys were out and the steering broke.  The cart ended up crashing into the local blacksmith’s brand-new car.  Did some damage.   Well . . . guess who had to go to work to pay for the repairs.  Dad ended up doing a lot of odd jobs around the blacksmith’s place.  The best was in the shop – Dad learned a lot about welding using both an arc welder and a settling welder.

That’s just a few stories.  There are many more from his youth.  There’s one he loved telling about when he was in National Guard.  Oh, the twinkle in his eye and the smile on his face,  you knew he had good memories.  I’ve been slowly trying to write these stories down and add them to my family history – it’s what makes genealogy more interesting – not just names, dates, and places.