1921: Wyoming Tire and Rubber Co.

 

My great-grandfather Edward Charles Williams invested $320.00 in this company in 1921.

 

I wonder what happened to them?

 

Can I retire now?

  

Memorial Day 1933

To date, this is the oldest pic I've found of my great-grandfather Edward C. Williams playing the fife and, in this photo, dressed up in portrayal of the Spirit of 1776 by A. M. Willard.

 

I'm guessing it was on Memorial Day in 1933.

 

Check out the crowds.

 

 

I could spend hours studying the people and things in the pic above.

 

Above: Eddie and unknown drummer.

  

Another Letter from Aunt Elvira

Some interesting family facts that, until this letter,  I never knew.

 

 

 

 

 

1790-1830: Holding History

According to the two octogenarian watchmakers that have been giving the watch below a long overdue lube and tune-up, the "movement" ( their term for the internal gears, springs and such ) of the pocket watch below was manufactured between 1790 and 1830, with an absolute hard stop at 1830.

Evidently, one of the two gents that had to tag team working on the watch because of its age and internal complexity is a history buff and horologist extraordinaire. According to our conversation yesterday afternoon, its internal workings include a fusee, a chain-type mechanism which has been around since the 1500's, and it is definitely one of the oldest watches either of them can remember working on.

All I can say at this point is: WOW! To think this watch possibly dates back to the late 1700's and has been passed down through ~five or more generations  of the Williams, Stewart or Clemow families just boggles my mind. My great-grandfather Edward C. Williams was born in 1880, and his father Samuel in 1855. The history buff claims with absolute certainty that they stopped making this watch's specific type of movement in 1830.

Other than being made in the USA, I have little more to go on at this point. When I get some time, I will track down one of those Antique Roadshow-type folks and see if I can learn some more about this second piece of family history ( so far ) that possibly dates to the late 1700's. For those that would be inclined to convert this watch to cash on the open market, suffice it to say that this gem's fate is to be passed down to many yet-to-be-born future generations of the Williams family.

Tempus fugit indeed.
  

Kingston H.S. Buddies meet in Japan

 

More boxes...more finds.

 

 

 

Ummm...49,000 miles from home? Not possible on this planet...

  

 

 

Above: My Dad is on the left. The original "ham & egger".

 

 

The Letter "K"

Tucked away in boxes and closets, and sometimes underfoot, I continue to find pieces of family history. Trash to some...treasure to others. 

This paper was on the floor in the basement. It was folded so the text and border was not visible, and didn't look much like anything of importance. I do not recall it falling from any of the boxes I was moving, and it looks like it had been stepped on more than a few times over the years.

 

And yes, I have the "K" letter my Dad was awarded for football some ~65 years ago.

 

 

And, tucked away in a box or album somewhere,  I know I've seen at least one photo of my Dad wearing this sweater when he was a senior @ Kingston High School in Kingston, Pennsylvania. 

 

Many more days of discovery lie ahead.

 

I cannot wait.

 

Another Memorial Day Frozen in Time

Found this pic in a bag of other photos in the bottom of a metal closet.

 

Memorial Day @ Kingston Corners, PA circa 1955

 

Date stamped on back says "Enlargement 1955".

 

The Harris Hardware & Supply building was torn down many years ago. The drummer is unknown, my father is in the middle in his khakis, and my great-grandfather is on the right. It's the first photo I've seen with Eddie using a cane.  

 

More to follow, I'm sure.