Autobiography of William James Baumbach

Fixed By: William J. Baumbach II 08-23-96 most of the spelling and grammar has been left alone.

My father sat at a computer and wrote his just before he was struck with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

This is his live story of William J. Baumbach born March 15, 1909 and died on October 02,1993 and the age of 84. he never made it past the fifth grade.

About William James Baumbach written life story

Here is the background on how this information made it way to the internet.

In 1987 at the age of 78, about 6 years before my fathers death, and about the time that Alzheimer's and Dementia had started, my father took an old Altos computer with the CPM operating system the had several years previously been used for the plumbing business and started writing about his life.

As you can see below, he was saving the information to file names such as history.1Bau and history.2Bau, etc. I think he may have accidentally overwritten some of these files the next time he worked in his life story, so I think some of his information is missing.

Shortly after he started his life story the old computer broke, and he was no longer able to access what it had worked so very hard on, there were no backups. For quite some time my father was very concerned, sad and upset that all that he had written about his life was gone.

Needing a new modern computer system for the plumbing business I wanted to get one, but my mother would not let me purchase a computer unless I promised to learn how to repair it when it broke, this is because over the many years my father had several deferent types of computer systems for the business going back to the kind that had paper cards with holes punched in them. My mother said they really never worked, broke down a lot, and my father spent more time and money then they were worth trying to use them. So I purchased some books about computers, one was DOS FOR DUMMIES. I read these books, and very little made much sense to me, I really did not understand them. I was able to convince my mother that if she let me get a computer I could fix it. In 1989 we purchased a 286 Compaq computer from Costco, I think for about $2,200. (equivalent of near $5,000 in 2022) After getting the computer, I reread the books, and this time the books make a lot more sense to me, and things clicked, and I was off to a career with computers.

It was not long before I knew how to remove the hard drive from the old broken Altos computer that would not bootup, and recover the data of my fathers life story. I was so glad that I was able to do this, and show my father I had his life story he worked hard to write, it was so very important to him, he was very happy.

Now you know a little about how the below story case to me, here it is...

Beginning of life for William J. Baumbach

Original file name history.3Bau

Beginning of life for William J. Baumbach born in North East Washington near 15th and Rode Island Ave, at 12:00 noon March 15th. 1909.

My father's name was Andrew G. Baumbach, my mother's name was Lillian May McStay, they had four children & #1 Virginia #2 Charles #3 William #4 Andrew they separated when I was approx. 4 years old and my brother Andrew 2 years' old later was called Bernie. 

The family divided, they took Virginia and Charles to my fathers mother 11 N Street SE Washington, D.C. Where my grand father owned and ran a very large wheel write shop making all kinds of horse drawn equipment and shoed horses for many German businesses and owned beside the shop two brick three story homes until approx. 1923 then things began to fall apart after he passed away.

William and Andrew who where the youngest where sent to live with my mothers mother at Military Road and Lee Highway in Arlington County VA.

My grandmother's name was Mary E McStay and she had married John N. Toombs our step grand father was a father to me we fished and hunted together.

I was too young to remember much about my first four years except that I was told that I had on an Indian Suite with fringes on the sleeves. I reached over a candle and caught on fire my right arm from above the wrist to the end of the little finger to the bone. The little finger is still deformed and I have a 4"x 1 " scare that is still there 70 years later I remember the treatment that was used in those years they had to run me down and most times pull me from under the bed to make it heal from the inside it would be treated with Vaseline and stuffed with Cotton and wrapped each week for many months, they took care of us as best they new how.

He was a union painter and worked in Washington his income was barely enough to survive she took in many people and helped them survive.

We had a small frame 3 room school for 3 grades we could jump over the fence and be at the school after the 3rd grade we walked from Lee Highway in Cherry Dale to the Ballston school at Glebe Road and N. Quincy St. Approx. A 3 mile walk. One Year later we moved to Ballston and continued in that school until I was 14 years old.

I had a cousin Henry McStay 17 who was my mother's brothers son and was working with a group men and boys who traveled to Washington in a pickup truck to work at a construction job known as Waterman Park by the Waterman Construction Co. One day Henry McStay was taken to the hospital. I was taken to fill his job as the money he earned was needed very badly at home. We had a house full to take care of much had to be done to survive!

My grand mother had a good following that came to the house to have their dreams read to them by cards, they could have Home Brew or Root Beer at one point I was the caretaker of a small Distill working in the attic this was made by a Plumber living close by Mr. Stevens made out of a milk can to hold the Mash and a Wash Tub with a Copper coil built in and several wash tubs to hold cold water the milk can full of mash sat on a one burner gas stove and as this turned to vapor and went into the copper coil that was submerged in the water and condensed to 100 proof whiskey that we ran through charcoal then through raw cotton and colored it in a pan of Purnt Sugar production approx. one quart a night any and all means was used to survive.

Henry McStay did survive and moved to Pittsburgh, I was not old enough, but it was a large job with many people and I was using McStays payroll tag this had to hang on the payroll board when you arrived only the men I was working with new that I was not McStay I still carry this brass tag #3-24 64 years later, it is my good luck charm and many people thought I was much older and is the reason that I have letters from 1927 recommending me my Master Plumbers License in VA. is #20 in Washington, D.C. Is #29 in Maryland is #431 and still active in 1987. 60 Years of work and success. This is near the end of my active life but there is sometime left and more will be added to this .

I learned the value of a Dollar

history.3Bau

I learned the value of a dollar and how to make it work, the value of a customer, and the need of friends that I could depend on, to be fair and reasonable, and separate pleasure from business, and how to work with employees. And I was on my way to conquer anything that was in my way, I would take on all size jobs, the first was Buckingham that developed into over 3000 apartments starting in 1935. $500.00 from the old dominion bank putting up everything I had as security. When this project was started everyone was trying to get a part of it. They were very slow awarding contracts, to many changes were coming from New York. I spend weeks on end revising the price so much so I could give the cost of the change with out looking at the plan. They had a Plumber put in the sewer line for the first building and still had not signed a contract. And found them selves with the concrete contractor working without the Plumbing and Heating pipes in the Plumber who had put in the sewer. Did not know what to do and I was called in to find out what could be done. I was lucky enough to have worked on concrete construction in Washington and said I could do it, they gave me the job I made a metal sleeve so they could pour the concrete, this would leave holes to bring my pipes thru. And I was on the road to a very successful business. More later 3:33 P.M. Sunday September 20th , 1987

At this time I was living and working out of my home at 4439 North 15th Street it had very small rooms a living room, bed room kitchen and bath heat and hot water came off the same system of used cast iron radiators and small boiler in the one car garage that was my Plumbing Shop. And as I prospered I built a large house on the front of the lot and lived there until 1955 as time went on and I purchased property at Wilson Blvd in Arlington VA.

One of Many Such Trips Same Crew

HISTORY.1BAU

Any and all means was used to survive and we did, it was a total disgrace to ask the county or any one else for charity. My grandmother some how had picked up a 1914 model t ford touring car, her son in-law Calvin Hill was the only one who could fix it or run it I hung around and helped any time my grandfather and Calvin Hill worked on it, in the act I found out how it worked and could tune up the car the know how paid of in the future, his car had 4 spark plugs and a compensator between the 4 coils and each coil had to be fine tuned to make the car run smooth.

Calvin Hill was married to Pearl Marceron and he lost interest in taking his spare time running the car. One day my grandmother was sitting on the front porch unhappy and restless as I walked past she said Willie can you run that car I was 11 years old but large for my age I said that I could she tossed me the keys and said run it. I did and for the next 3 years on weekends, when we could we looked like the movie "Tobacco Road". We went to New York City and the State and most places in between. My grandmother was quite large and she sat in the middle of the back seat giving orders and direction and to balance the car. My younger brother sat in the front seat with me Ann reason and Francis Waters who also lived at the house also sat in the back seat. We had not less than two spare tires tied to the back of the car the running board had racks to hold other things we were moving all the time, we ate and sleep in the car and on the ground we arrived in Atlantic City late at night in the dark we had been run of several beaches in the past this was our last beach we ran the car on the beach and settled down for the next day it turned out to be owned by a very large Hotel, police was called and we were put off the beach and told to get out of the town. We did and coming back in the middle of the Jersey Marshes my grandmother had me stop by a service station that was closed but had a small light she insisted that I take off the bottom pan on the motor to fix the problem I tried to convince her that the noise was from the wrist pins the only reason she could hear them was that it was 2:00 A.M. and no noise but mosquitos.

She won Frances Hunter held a flash light I took off the pan and found it ok as I was under the car with a flash light to guide the bugs in I had grease hands and when I slapped a mosquito it would stick in the grease, when I finished I looked like I had the mumps, to this day a mosquito buzz makes me shiver.

I passed the Arlington Masters Exam

I passed the Arlington Masters Exam July 5th ,1928 as #20, 18 years old and continued to work in Washington and lived at 20 third and l street with my wife and daughter, she was born January 1st , 1929 and within the year my wife was not well, the doctors said she should move back to VA. I had passed the Washington Master Plumbers Exam as #29 and we moved to VA. This is the end of my working life in Washington D.C.

Two years later the Watterman Park job

history.2Bau

Two years later the WatterMan Park job was finished and I went hunting in Washington D.C. At that time there was very little Building in Arlington County I was lucky to find a large Apt-project at first St. and New York Ave. NE. not far from my fathers blacksmith shop. D. H. Alsop was the mechanical contractor and the job was just starting. The foreman from my last job had been hired and with out a question I was put to work. The contractor took a liking to me one day when his model T Ford was not working well, I fixed it I had been working with this type car since I was big enough to hold a wrench in my hand. From then on I was called on to do all kinds of jobs. After I had worked for him for approx. 6 months he ordered the foreman to put me to work as a journey man installing fixtures in kitchens and bathrooms. For the next 3 years I worked for him on many Hotels and hi rise buildings. This kind of work trained me for what I was able to do in the future. In 1928 Arlington and Fairfax did not have the type of buildings that I was trained for. I also went to the Abbot Trade School at night to study the theory and Mathematics on Plumbing-Steam and hot water heat as I felt installing it was not enough I had to know why and how it worked.

The next part of my working life starts in Arlington

I ventured out to try and expand. When I was living in Washington and working on the Ambassador hotel I came in contact with Morris Cafritz the owner of the construction company the foreman on the job his name was John Fish he was in his mid forties a very good Plumber and new the owner very well, he lived in the same house with me on the top floor with several unmarried construction workers lived. At this time I did not have a Washington master plumbers license, but I did want to have Cafritz work. I convinced John Fish that I was to young and they may not give me a license, if both took the Exam the odds would be better. I was better at reading and could see small print, for 2 months at night we went over the code until we thought we had it made he was a heavy drinker and I had keep him quite dry when the time came for the test as we were leaving the house an old lady fell down in the door way, this shook John Fish up and he would not leave with out a drink. We got to the District Building ok, when we started the test he said he did not understand the Exam Questions and very loudly wanted the inspectors to read the questions to him and I felt our chance go to zero after the test we went home with out any conversation. The following week John Fish got a card in the mail that he did not pass, I did not get anything I took this to mean that my test was not worth a card. All for know 9/15/87

We got the Caritz work. But I still had to find a license, I had worked on a job with a Plumber Art Donaldson who I had did work for while he worked at the Navy Yard he had a Master Plumbers license in Washington I convinced him that he would be better off working with John Fish and my self, he agreed to supervise the houses in Petworth D.C. John Fish was to supervise apartments West Virginia AVE NE D.C. and I was to handle all the service in Washington. This worked very good. 1929 the depression was on and building was down and drove John Fish heavy drinking and he could not control the job people we removing in some sewers and water service was not in as Donaldson was the license Plumber he was called in and was told to finish or get out. He called me in to take over the Apartments or we all would be kicked out. I turned over my truck to Gantt a service man working under me until I could finish the Apartments. John Fish was a very good friend of mine this time he had slipped to far to save. The next morning early 15 men were ready to go to work, Donaldson told John Fish that he had orders to fire him, (I was 22 years old) he told John and the men that I was totally in charge, John went wild and made quite a seen for about 5 min- that seemed like an hour, the men consisted of 9 Plumbers and 6 labors to dig the ditch only one Plumber came up to me and said he would leave his reason was that he could not work under his helper, he was the first plumber that I had worked under at 14 years old. He then went to work for the D.C. Inspectors Dept-. I called Mr Cafritz at his office for direct approval to purchase rain gear for the men to work in the rain with I then used most of the Plumbers it was raining the reason for this was the Plumbers could work faster by digging the ditch putting the water pipe in and filling the ditch in 6 hours I had 6 to do were people was moving it took 3 days to ketch up in the mean time the regular labors were getting the not so rushed ditches ready for the plumbers to put the water service in and the job was finished quickly. The depression finally caused the building to shutdown and all that was left was Auther Donaldson, myself, and Earl Gantt, who I had turned my service truck over to and we were dividing the small jobs up to live. Then one day Albinno the second in command drove up the alley while we were trying to divide up the work and he said fellows I came up the alley to talk, he told us about how bad things were and he said that he had to make some changes as Donaldson had the license the change would have to be, if I would take the service truck back he would pay $1.00 Per- hour and if I did not he would pay Earl Gantt $.75 I took the truck in those times I would have been nuts that was as close as I came to no work. We continued with Cafritz I was drumming up any kind of work on the side to make ends meet and was working on a house for a booker in Cafritz office. There came a day when I needed a new truck and I asked Donaldson to call Cafritz for a new truck. Cafritz told him no. So I called Cafritz and he asked me if I really needed it, I said yes, he said go to Orsman on H St. SE and pick what I wanted I did. I picked a nice 1/2 ton red panel chevy- Donaldson was some mad in addition I controlled the gasoline he had to come to me to get a purchase order for gas. To add to this as I was stocking the red truck off the old truck I was giving him things I did not need. And handed him a set of planes of his, he opened them and blew his top they were for a house for a Cafritz book keeper, long before this I had taken the master plumbers test again and had moved to VA. again I did not hear from them, and I was getting smarter so I went to the Plumbing office and I had passed it the first and second time. I found out if you don't pass the inspector sends a card If you did pass it would sent to the District commission for approval approx.-30 days, I had moved to VA. and my notice was not forward. They sent it to the old address again when Auther Donaldson saw the plans he told me that I would have give up my Master Plumbers license or quit I said I would think about it I had work to be done, I was on Georgia AVE NW DC, I was on the roof putting a flange around a 3" vent, he came to the job and hollowed to me (have you made up your mind) I said yes I quit, now finish the job your self. That was the end of that relationship. And work was hard to find the depression was still on. I went to the phone and called the second in command Al Albino he told me not to pay attention to Donldson he did not have any authority ignore him I told him how I appreciated working with him and the Cafritz co. That was the turning point in my working life and I was ready the depression was good for me it was a great tutor.

End of history.2Bau sep/20/87

Brain trained over many years

This letter was written to Reid, he  was a plumber that had worked for Baumbach, first as a plumber then later as a manager, then went in business for himself.

May 30, 1990

Mr. Reid Bennet: 

I feel that there is a special reason in my case, a brain trained over many years to perform a given task and work hard. The boy in the attached letter, his mother gave him advice that is as good today as it was 113 years ago. The boy was my grandfather.

I was raised by my grandmother on my mothers side and she took in many who had no place to go. I was on my own at 14 years of age, my grand father came over at 16 to live with his cousin. He started as a horseshoer. I remember his shop and two 3 story red brick homes, his shop was about 100 ft. square 2 stories high, their where 6 forges and 6 men.

All beer and bakery companies where ran by Germans with 6 big gray horses and he gave all type of services for horse drawn equipment and shipped them around the country. He had three sons, two went to work for the federal government, my father stayed on with his father at #11 N Street NE.

I firmly believe I inherited the drive and the ability to work with many people. I was always sure of what I was doing. My grandfather Baumbach must have felt the same. You must Always stand firm and believe completely. You have the above. Confidence should carry you to success

GOOD LUCK!

W. J. Baumbach

Plumber who has had one five by-pass operation

Dip Mole read the mfg description attached then read the test findings of a Plumber who has had one five by-pass operations in 1986. and two had to be red one July/3/86, 17 months ago the operation was a success. Then walking became a problem my feet was cold and the calf of the legs was sore to the bone and it was very hard to walk up hills or stairway apparently lack of circulation. I stood the misery and pain yo march 1987 and first had the blood flow to the legs checked (no problem) Next had the blood flow around the heart checked (no problem). But still no circulation nothing more can be done, I was taking dipridamole tablets 3 times a day and dyazide once a day for hypertension, I read the booklet on dipridamole and could not find anything pertaining to the problem, I stopped taking it within 3 days all singes of bruising left my hands and legs the circulation in my legs was fine, I could feel the heat going to the feet and coming back up the leg. The first time in 17 months. My theory is the heart was made to pump the consistency of regular blood, dipyridamole changes this to the consistency of water, the heart valve was also intended to work full blood and could not hold back all of the thin blood and is the reason why when I stopped taking the thinner the heart and valve having a thicker substance to work with could prevent the back flow increasing the force of blood to the legs.

End. W. J. Baumbach.

Letter from Catharine in Germany the mother of Bernhard August Baumbach

This letter from relatives in Germany was very important to my father, he really liked the message that it conveyed

This letter is 151 years old (as of 2023.) My father was very impressed with this letter and felt that it contained very good advice that even today can and should be used. He made a note to himself on the letter that reads " with time proven advice, is as good in 1987 as it was 115 years ago." The boy in the letter to whom it was written too was my fathers grandfather. (added 12-2000 letter came from the town Schweina, Germany. June, 30th 1872.

"The letter below from (Catharine) the mother of Bernhard August Baumbach. With time proven advice is as good in 1987 as it was 115 years ago."

The day before yesterday we received your letter and we were very glad to hear that you arrived safely at your cousin Valtint we were very sorry that you were sick most of the trip and even arrived sick in Washington. We hope this letter reaches you feeling well and may God's kindness give you health and strength for your profession in the future so that you may become a very capable man. Most of all follow your dear cousin, be help full attentive a hard worker and not lazy so that your dear cousin can enjoy having you there and would not have to complain and be sorry to let you have come. Through pleasant and modest behavior one acquires friends and love dear son we cannot tell you the best about our health especially your fathers. His bad leg gets worse all the time he cant find peace day or night because of the pain and about your mother you know that she is week. Ferdin and Therese and Johannes are well so far but little Rickelchen had diarrhea and almost died. You can imagine that we think of you a lot and we feel very sad about your absence but we have wonderful comfort we know you are in good hands and we thank Gods guidance that takes care of the fates of all human beings and makes things turn out well. But also your friends are thinking of you the neighbors Reich your weaver uhlig asked many times about you he even came over this morning since he heard that you had written. Unfortunately you did not think of anybody in your letter not even a greeting when you write again which we wish and hope will be soon and you will do it too if your family is close to your heart please don't forget the greetings because even if we don't feel bad about it its for the other people because it is matter of tact other wise we don't know anything new except our neighbor Valtin Kellenbbach installed a bowling alley in the big hall and through the old house it is supposed to be 56 feet long when there is dancing he has to unscrew the planks, they are bowling a lot and the noise is like thunder. They are still drilling at the "Sower Well" and they are 60 feet already. We will see what's going to come out of it. Best regards to your dear cousin Valtin and family Cousinheinrich and family cousin Therese and Karoline and family and cousin Schonden and children. All the best may God keep you healthy. Take these wishes from your loving parents and brothers.

Note to self, based on below, I'm missing some information example, History.4Ba clubs politics associations etc. I should still have paper copies, I need to look at them.

History.Bau starts with the name 1246-1872

history.1Ba travel and the years 1920-1925

history.2Ba 2 years after waterman park.

History.3Ba begining of wjb life to to 14 years.

History. 1935-1983 Jobs willson blvd prefab

work luster rock inventions fixit systems.

History.4Ba clubs politics associations etc

history.5Ba family life and pleasure travel.

History.6Be 2nd family life and pleasure travel.

End of life story

Translation from gothaer directory of German nobility.

I think this is an index of files he had, this is what make me think some information is missing.

( Baumbach )

History. Bau from 1246 to 1987.

By W. J. Baumbach birth 1909

Reformed and Lutheran hessian original nobility with the parent house of the same name (now village) near Rothenburg on the f. River which is first documented with her degnus de Baumbach knight 66 in 1246 (state archives of Marburg cf also dr landauthe hessian knightly castles and their owners kassel 1836 and begins the family roots with helmericus de Baumbach, knight of the castle in Rothenburg, 1295-1316. The issue belongs to the old-hessian knighthood coat-of arms: etc. The family association(incorporated) was founded on July 5,1903 and conducts an annual family reunion at Kassel...(Etc).

1.Line

Ancestor: Helmerich, 1330-1369, lord of the castle Ofrothenburgon the Fulda river a few miles south of Kassel Hesse

1.Branch

Ancestor: Reinhard....(Etc)

1. Bough: Nentershausen (village below Tannenberg.) (Etc)

2.The beginning of the present Baumbach family starts with my great grand father Farrier Bernhard August Baumbach.

National Archives

History.2Bau

We have to go to the National Archives located on Penn- Ave N.W. at each side of 8th St. go to the 4th floor for 1880 censes record will be ok if there children under 10 year old information is on micro film he was born in 1855 and came over hear in 1872 Approx. in 1880 he was 25 years old. To find out if he had any children under 10 but over 6 years find out about August death and uncle Wills and aunt ruth and my father Andrew. The Cemetery on N. Capital St.. May give a clue this information is a must. Also Valtin Aschenbach his cousin that he lived with when he came over here.

Information on birth and death and marriage of Bernhard August Baumbach, Ruth, will, August and the Koch family that changed name to Cook follow my grand mothers line back to Germany as recorded also follow my grand mother Mary E Linkens who married a Thomas H. McStay the father of my mother Lillian McStay find out were he is buried. "Bye"

Document of release

The undersigned dual ministry of the state of the interior hear with certifies that the single 16 year old farrier Bernhard August Baumbach be released from his citizenship of the duchy of St. Meiningen on the grounds of his intention to emigrate to America. This certificate causes the loss of the citizenship of St. Meiningen for the above mentioned Baumbach at the time that the certificate is handed to him. If however the released should not within 6 months after the issuance of this certificate have settled outside the federal territory or taken the citizenship of another federal territory this certificate become void.

Paragraph 18 of the law concerning the acquisition and the loss of the federal and state Citizenship of the 1st .of June 1870 Federal law book page 355 Meiningen 2ND March 1872 ducal Ministry of State Department of the Interior

Birth and christening record

( Father ) Ferrier

Friedrid Baumbach

#3

Birth and christening record. In accordance with this churches birth and christening register the wife of this place is neighbor and Ferrier Friedrid Baumbach Mrs. Catharine margaretheneeaschenbach gave birth to a son 7th who was Christened on the 22nd and named Bernhard August. God father was Mr. August Baumbach school vicar at bad Liebenstein. Rtified the above hweina, April 30th 1872. The Ducal Saxon Meiningen Parish.

Memories I have of my father W. J. Baumbach

Memories from dad

Here is a collection of sayings and statements made to me by my father that I have remembered over the years.

I thought I would write them down before I forget them. They are not in any particular order, I just put them down as they came into mind. I am sure I do not remember every saying or story I was told by my father but here are some of the ones I can.

You can't drink and be friends with the people you are manager/boss of. 

Making money and family come first, playing and fun are last because with out money love goes out the window and you can not take care of your family.

When I was just a kid I was working in a high-rise hotel building in Washington D.C. installing the piping for the swimming pool in the basement, I had left the building to get something to eat and when I was walking back to work down the street I saw all kinds and fire trucks and many people standing outside the building I was just working in. I went and asked the rescue workers who where franticly trying to get into the building what was going on? They said the building has just collapsed in to the swimming pool and the plumber was trapped! I told them I was that plumber! If I had not left at that time I would not be here today. 

I often go out on my boat and fish to think and solve problems with the business. When I was in my 30's, one day when I really had a lot on my mind and was very worried about some business stuff I took a carton of cigarettes with me out on the boat and while fishing I smoked cigarette after cigarette and before I know it I was hanging over the edge of the boat coughing and choking spiting up balls and tar and nicotine. I thought to myself, what the hell was I doing and I took all the rest of the cigarettes and throw them overboard and have never smoked a cigarette since then.

My father would say... If I have a problem on my mind and can not come up with the answer or solution I will go to bed and sleep on it and usually the next morning I will have the answer.

The time here burnt his arm ADD HERE

The gas lamp ADD HERE

He was drafted during the War and went to his farm in Fairfax Station to pack up and close of the house. He was moving a farm tractor wearing . Kaki baggie pants, they were very loose and baggy in the pants leg and the tractor tire has caught a hold of his pants leg and pulled him off and under breaking his leg. He laid there for a long time until the mail man came by and found him but let him there until he had finished his route delivering the rest of the mail and then came back and got him to drive him to the town of Clifton, Va.  were the only doctor in town was a horse doctor who patched him up. Needless to say with his injury he did not get drafted and enter the WWII. He told me many time that if he has not broken his leg and had to go to War that I would not have ever been born.

Give then something price break ADD HERE

Leaves on the trees turn up-side down when its going to rain..

The cider trees on the hillside from a distance look like soldiers marching up the hill.

Its going to be hot tomorrow because the locus are making and lot on noise this afternoon. When they are noisy in the late evening like this, its going to be hot the next day.

I once heard a whippoorwill bird singing and I swear he was saying "whip poor Willy" over and over again

In his 70's he showed me target shooting with a 22cal rifle at a target, he bet me even though he was in his 70's and ware tri-focal glasses he could shoot the target once and then on the second shot putting the second bullet in the exact same whole in the target that the first shot had made. Well guess what, he did.

He lived with his grandmother, and that she made money telling fortunes. He said he learned all of her "tricks" and that all fortune tellers were dishonest people taking advantage of their clients. He said that his experience learning how his grandmother told fortunes convinced him to never believe in anything that was supposed to be related to psychic type of fortune telling, no matter the method. 

Used to tell me that he was born with a "veil" over his face that had to be cut away, and he told me that the "old wives tale" said that was supposed to make him psychic.