This Week's Picture

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John Walter Pearce, c. 1920

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This Week's Stories

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THE PHOTO ALBUM MY MOTHER LEFT ME

By Joe Pearce, Collingswood NJ

My mother died in July 2002 at the age of 89. The last six months of her life were spent in a nursing home, and she didn't leave much behind.

One thing I do have is an old photo album ~ along with the stories she told me about the album. Before my mind gets much dimmer I am going to put these stories on paper.

My father's father was Arthur D. Pearce. Born in 1881 in Hertford County NC, he was the son of Isaac Pearce, a Civil War soldier from Hertford County, and Maria Ann Salter of Beaufort, Carteret County NC.

During the Spanish-American War my grandfather attained the rank of corporal in the 119th Coast Artillery. After he left the service, he moved north and in 1902 was living in Delaware.

On Sept. 8, 1902, Grandfather Arthur married his first wife, Anna B. Clark, at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Phoenixville PA, and my father, John Walter Pearce, was born in the Germantown section of Philadelphia in 1904.

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My father told me that he only went to the fifth grade in school. In December 1920 he joined the Navy, claiming that he had been born in 1901. (He then held to the 1901 birthdate. In November 1936 when he filed for a social security card he listed his birth date as 1901.) In December 1922, he received an honorable discharge, and stayed in the New York City area where he met his first wife, Monica Rita Smith. They were married in 1923, in Monica's home town of Arctic RI. In November 1923, my oldest sister Rita Marie arrived.

Later they moved to Bristol Township in Bucks County PA, where my father joined Grandfather Arthur in the building of homes. The photo album has pictures of 10 buildings they put up, the first dated 1926 and the last dated 1930. My brother John Jr. was born in 1929, about the time that Wall Street collapsed.

My mother said the houses they built had been rentals, but with the Depression, people couldn't keep up their rents and all the houses were lost to the banks. My mother said that my grandfather Arthur became near-despondent after everything was lost, and he and Anna were divorced and he returned to North Carolina, his native state.

My father's first wife, Monica, died in 1932, and Rita and John Jr. went to Rhode Island to live with their grandparents (Monica's parents). Later that year my father met my mother, and in 1933 they were married in Elkton MD.

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My mother told about the hard times they had in the Depression. She said that at one point they traveled with a carnival, and at times all they had to eat was cotton candy. She said that some nights they would sleep in jails to stay warm. They white-washed trees, shoveled snow off the frozen river and did everything else they could to make a little money.

In 1934 my father owned a 1928 Chevrolet, registered to my mother's parents' address in Riverside NJ. Later in 1934 they lived in Buffalo NY, where mother said that dad worked in an aircraft factory. There are pictures in the album of Rita and John Jr. in Buffalo.

When my father filed for his social security card in 1936 he was living in Philadelphia, working for a construction company. He hurt his back very badly while at work, and was in the hospital for several weeks. In those days, they did not have the benefits we have today, but somehow they survived.

The photo album has pictures of John and Rita around this time, and also of our grandmother Anna's home. John and Rita were at Anna's home in Croyden, Bucks County, in October 1936, when she suffered a heart attack. Rita ran for help, but grandma died.

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In 1938 I was born. At that point, my father had a neon-sign shop on North Street in Philadelphia. He sold, designed, built and installed the signs. We lived in an apartment on the next street, and you could get to the shop by way of a narrow alley.

My mother talked about all the traveling we did. She said I had been in 38 of the 48 states, and the album has a lot of postcards from different places. I was told I had the back seat of the car to myself. (Where were Rita and John Jr.? I don't know.) In 1940 my parents purchased a new row home on "I" street in the Juanita section of Philadelphia, and we lived in that house until March 1956.

My father was forced to close his business in 1943 because you no longer could get metal to make neon signs. In August 1943, my grandfather Arthur wrote a letter saying that my father John had been born in 1904 (rather than 1901), and on Aug. 26, 1943, a new birth certificate was issued for him. On Sept. 27, 1943, my father graduated as an ensign in the United States Maritime Service. He started sailing convoy duty between the United States and England. After my father went to war, my mother's mother moved into our "I" street home.

We had a telephone on "I" street. Most people did not have telephones. When a neighbor would get a telephone call at our house, it was my job to get the neighbor for the telephone call. Most of the people would give me a nickel for my service.

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The Philadelphia school system at that time had two starting dates. You could start in September as most people did, or you could start in February. My father came home on leave in the spring of 1944, and wanted to know what I was doing home. "Why was little Joe not in school?" (My mother didn't want to send me.) My father marched me down to Hopkins School on "L" Street, and into Miss Riggs' first grade we went, with my father in the full dress-blue uniform of a lieutenant JG. School had been in session for a few weeks. When recess came, I thought it was lunch and I ran all the way home, where my father saw me. Back to school we marched, and I learned about recess and lunch that day.

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John Walter Pearce with Emma, WWII

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Joe Pearce, son of John Walter (1957)

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THELMA AND GEORGE STUCKEY

By Rebecca Parker Pearce, Raleigh NC

About a year and a half after Thelma Christine Leonhirth was born, her household was blessed with the arrival of a second child ~ her brother, George Stuckey Leonhirth.

Thelma's upbringing was acutely attuned to the mores and fashions of small Southern towns in the very, very early 1900s, where and when children, especially young ladies, were brought up to always act "properly" and to do "the right thing."

Thelma learned to be satisfactorily shy and retiring ~ seldom seen and only rarely heard. George Stuckey learned no such. From the beginning, he made his presence known loud and clear.

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The Leonhirth children were told never to ask neighbors or strangers for anything ~ that to do so was much more than just plain improper.

"George Stuckey," said Mama Livvie Leonhirth, "I see Dr. Hawes coming down the street.

"Now, I'm warning you, don't you dare ask him for a nickel."

George Stuckey eyed his mother warily as Dr. Hawes approached, and then stepped boldly in front of the good physician.

"Dr. Hawes," he said, "give me a quarter."

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Back then (before the days when big US companies set up the "Banana Republics"), bananas were a scarce commodity and were looked on by the young as a great treat. Thelma dearly loved the taste of bananas, but seldom could afford to get and enjoy one.

The Leonhirths lived next door to a small grocery store that Thelma and George Stuckey often visited, either on errands or just for the pleasure of seeing what was new on the counters. On occasion the storekeeper would get in a big new bunch of bright yellow bananas. The sight of those big bunches of bananas made Thelma's mouth water. She wanted one so badly that she could almost taste it. She loved bananas so much that she hoped at some point in the future to buy a whole bunch and just sit and gorge to her heart's content.

One day the storekeeper greeted her as she entered the door. "Hello, little Thelma," he said. "How are you today? Would you like a banana? I have a big new bunch and you can have one, no charge."

Thelma wanted that banana in the worst way, but she decided it wouldn't be proper for a young lady to accept the offering for free, so she hung her head, looked away and said, "Oh, no, thank you, sir."

George Stuckey was right behind her. He stepped out front and held out his hand. "Well, yes," he said, "I sure do want one of those bananas. Gimme!" And the kindly old storekeeper handed him a beautiful big banana.

Thelma stood there, hurting with hunger for a banana and watching George Stuckey stuff his grinning face. He never offered her one bite.

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On Christmas Day, the Leonhirth family had a special treat. They had four bananas. One for Papa George, one for Mama Livvie, one for Thelma Christine and one for George Stuckey.

George Stuckey's banana disappeared into his big mouth almost before the others had managed to even start peeling. Papa worked on his casually, but Mama Livvie didn't touch hers. Drawing her happy moment out as long as she could, Thelma took tiny bites.

George Stuckey sat there banana-less, staring hungrily at the other three ~ particularly Thelma, as she daintily savored the delight of the special yuletide treat.

Mama Livvie, overcome with pity at the sight of her only son sitting there with nothing while everybody else was eating, handed him her banana. Four big gulps and it was gone. By the time Thelma finished her one Christmas banana, George Stuckey had done away with two.

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This Week's Verse

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If I should die tonight
and you should come to my cold corpse, I say,
weeping and heartsick o'er my lifeless clay ~
if I should die tonight,
and you should come in deepest grief and woe ~
and say: "Here's that ten dollars that I owe,"
I might arise in my large white cravat
and say, "What's that?"

If I should die tonight
and you should come to my cold corpse and kneel,
clasping my bier to show the grief you feel,
I say, if I should die tonight
and you should come to me, and there and then
just even hint 'bout payin' me that ten,
I might arise the while,
but I'd drop dead again.

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(Ben King. 1857-1894)

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This Week's Mailbox

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...... I have been trying for a very long time to find the sheet music to the song you quoted ~ "I'll Be Back in a Year, Little Darling" (Poor Town News No. 34). I want to get it to surprise an old veteran who loved this song. Do you have one that I could buy or do you know of someone that I could contact? I have searched eBay and other sites but no luck. I would appreciate anything you (or your readers) could do. ~ Jennifer Orrigo, Newark, Delaware.

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...... What a pleasant surprise to find (ourselves) on the distribution list for (The Poor Town News No. 52). I'm printing it out as I write this note. Will be doing so in the future also ...... This past weekend without power made me think of our house on Parker Avenue, down from the Baptist parsonage in Ahoskie, during the '30s and early '40s. I had to bring in the wood and coal, which was not my favorite thing. Our dining room was between the kitchen and the front room where we had a space heater. There was no heat in the dining room, so we ate in the kitchen. But we did have some heat, which is more than we had after the power went out here (last week). Three nights going to a Comfort Inn made me appreciate those old stoves, for which I hated bringing in the fuel ...... Don't sell that clock ...... Happy holidays to you and Becky. ~ Joe Parker, Raleigh, North Carolina.

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...... Love that picture of Rebecca and her clock. We have one kind of like that ...... belonged to (my wife) Linda's dad. ~ Fred Phelps, Tallahassee, Florida.

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..... (We) enjoyed the clock stories (Poor Town News No. 52). Just letting you know that (we) do read these things. Merry Christmas! ~ Fred and Sandi Pearce, Key West, Florida.

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...... Loved it! After reading it, I ran to examine our oldie clock which belonged to my husband's grandfather and was a gift to his grandmother. Ours doesn't run as well as the one you described, and seems to have been made in Germany. Probably of no value to an antique dealer. The "Grandfather's Clock" song brought back many memories, although I forget the artist who sang it best ~ perhaps, Ernie Ford? ...... Thanks to you for doing this heartwarming work. Thoroughly enjoyed! ~ Aggie Green, Traverse City, Michigan.

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...... Jim and Becky: It is so interesting to read stories about people and things that I have known all my life. I have never heard the story about that clock (Poor Town News No. 52). I knew it was old, but not that old. It is really cool to know the history of something that I have been so used to seeing all the time. The mantel would not look the same without that clock and the house would sound so empty without the chiming every half-hour. Thanks for keeping this website going. I enjoy reading all the stories and seeing all the pictures, especially the old ones of our family that I know. It brings back so many memories. ~ Barbara, Willow Spring, North Carolina.

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...... For some reason, I have stopped getting the weekly updates via eMail, and I really look forward to reading the weekly Poor Town News. I have really missed your report the past couple of weeks, but did catch up on your website. Continue sending them if you can. If not I'll just return to the website. Much thanks. ~ John R. Bracy.

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...... I was fascinated with the story about the Seth Thomas clock (The Poor Town News No. 52). Being the old Nutmegger that I am, we know all too well about the Seth Thomas clocks. I also remember about 10, 12 years ago running into a John Thomas at the Family History Center researching his family line ~ who else, but of course, Seth Thomas. For your information: The following history of the Seth Thomas Clock Company ...... Seth Thomas was born in Wolcott, Connecticut, in 1785, went to work for clockmaker Eli Terry in 1807, bought out Terry’s factory (together with Silas Hoadley) in 1810, and in December 1813 bought out Heman Clark’s clockmaking business in Plymouth Hollow ...... Thomas continued Clark’s wooden-movement tall-clock production, and about 1817 began making the wooden-movement shelf clock. These were cased in pillar and scroll cases until 1830, when the bronze-looking glass and other styles became popular. In 1842, brass movements were introduced, and first cased in the popular O.G. case (which was made until 1913). Wood movements were phased out in 1845. In 1853 Mr. Thomas incorporated the Seth Thomas Clock Company, so that the business would outlive him. Mr. Thomas died in 1859, and Plymouth Hollow was renamed Thomaston in his honor in 1865 ...... Mr. Thomas was very conservative, and after his death many new styles of clocks were introduced by his sons. Regulator clocks were introduced in 1860. The patterns and machinery for these had been purchased in 1859 from the creditors of bankrupt clockmaker Silas B. Terry. Spring-driven clocks were introduced ca. 1855-1860. Perpetual-calendar clocks were made from ca. 1863-1917. Some of the most popular later types include walnut kitchen clocks, made from 1884-1909; marble clocks, 1887-ca. 1895; black (Adamantine finish) wood mantel clocks, ca. 1885-1917; black enameled iron-cased clocks, 1892-ca. 1895; oak kitchen clocks, 1890-ca. 1915; tambour clocks, introduced in 1904; and electric AC clocks, introduced in 1928 ...... Many Seth Thomas clocks from 1881 to 1918 have a date code stamped in ink on the case back or bottom. Usually, the year is done in reverse, followed by a letter A-L representing the month. For example, April 1897 would appear as 7981 D ...... In 1930 a holding company named General Time Instruments Corporation was formed to unite Seth Thomas Clock Company with Western Clock Company. In 1968, General Time was bought by Talley Industries, and in 1979 the headquarters was moved to Norcross, GA ...... In June 2001 General Time announced that it was closing its entire operation. The Colibri Group acquired Seth Thomas. The NAWCC (the National Association of Watch and Clock collectors) purchased from Seth Thomas their collection of historical records, drawings, photographs, advertisements and documents. ~ Norma Scott, W. Melbourne, Florida.

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