IN MEMORY OF GRANDFATHER'S DAY

Written and given by Minnie Frisbey Charles, granddaughter of Catherine and James Boyd, at the Boyd Reunion at the home of Urias Boyd near Montgomery, Michigan on August 20, 1933. Minnie of LaGrange, Indiana, the daughter of ELizabeth (Boyd) Frisbey.

Grandfather and Grandmother have gone to their reward. Last Sunday, we laid our dear mother to rest, she having lived the longest number of years of any of the Boyd family, over 91 years. Only one brother Urias, and one sister, Corrinda, are left of the eighteen children.

We of the third generation are the gray haired grandmothers and grandfathers; but a tie of affection binds and we forget any shortcomings, emulate the good and there lingers with us many blessed memories.

The children of Catherine and James Boyd called and addressed their parents as "Mam" and "Pap". This a custom for some families in those days.

When we hear of the wonderful times that the children and young folks had in Grandfather's home, we almost wonder whether there are any good times left for the young folks of our own itme to enjoy. We wonder whether a family of three or four children can have the enoyment of a large family of eighteen boys and girls.

It seems that Grandfather and Grandmother were of entirely different dispositions. Grandmother was of a very quiet, good natured make up, never scolded, never worried, never punished. Mother has told of one time when she was helping Grandmother wash dishes and mother got to laughing so hard she couldn't stop. Grandmother asked her to stop but she did not mind; at last Grandmother swung her hand around so that the back of her hand touched mother's face. It nearly broke mother's heart as it was the only time in her life that Grandmother had ever slapped or punished her in any way and she never forgot it nor the great surprise that it brought to her.

The strong point in Grandmother's character was affection. She loved every child and grandchild, her neighbors and her church. She was at the bedside of every sick person in the neighborhood. Beside her eighteen children, she raised one grandchild and one fatherless, homeless boy; and a stranger to her was in her home at the time of her death. Everyone loved her and to express a wish was sufficient for her children to obey.

With Grandfather it was different. To him was left the control of the boys and girls if they needed correction. While he was quick to grow angry, he was fully as quick to get over it. If he started to slap a child in haste and they dodged the blow, they never got it. Strange to say they all learned to dodge. So full of mischief were they, sometimes they turned the tables by playing tricks on him.

One time they went to the haymow and dug tunnels all through the hay until they had and underground city. Once when he was gonig to whip one of the boys, the boy struck for the haymow, slid down a tunnel and out the other side. Grandfather fell down the hole, did not know the way out and called for help. The same boy came back and innocently said "Why, what's the matter Pap?", took his hand and helped him out and the punishment was entirely forgotten. One of his strong precepts to his children was "never let the sun go down over your head being angry at anyone."

Grandfather's strong point of character was his hospitality and sociability. Their home was a center for old friends and neighbors to gather. They would sit for an evening around the fireplace, eat refreshments of bread and coffee and tell stories. Among these neighbors were the Carnahans, the Lattas, the Eatons and the Allens.

Buck Creek ran right back of the barn where they often fished. Several would stand in the creek till others went farther down and chased the fish up to them and they scooped them up for a fry.

The boys had to work in the fields every day but Saturday which was their day for fishing and play. One time the boys thought their brother Edward had not done his share of work that week, so they tied him to a tree so he couldn't go fishing with them. After they had left, he got loose, circled around them, ran and had two fish caught from the creek before they arrived.

They always like to get jokes on their father and Grandpa thought he could do whatever the boys did. Grapevines hung from the trees along the creek and the boys would take hold of the end and swing across the creek. Grandpa thought he oculd do that too, so he got hold of the end and started to swing but did not make it across and went down in the water. He made the best of it going for dry clothes but the boys had a good laugh after he had left for the house.

The children went to school at the Saylor school house which was between a half and a mile south of their home. In the winter they often had exhibitions at which time all the boys and girls took part in some way or other and often had some hilarious songs and recitiations. It was the time of bustles for girls so Jim Boyd dressed up with a big bustle and came out singing on the stage and at the end of his song turned around did a deep bend and sid, "How do you like my grecian bend?"

Another time John Boyd, Sam Carnahan and Bob Allen came out on the stage. One sang "Whoopee for Mudsock, whoopee for Possumtrot"; the others then said "Whoopee, Whoopee." This was repeated twice, then all together sand Whoopee, whoopee, we'll all whoop together for we all live in a row..Sam, Bob and John with the remainder of the crew."

Often when the crowd gathered at some place for the evening, the young folks played games but dancing was taboo, so they told their parents they wanted to play "Cotillions" (really a dance). So as long as it was a game it was allowed. At the end the hostess said that was the nicest game she ever saw.

The fourth of July was to be celebrated at LaGrange, so Doug and four brothers wanted to go. Grandfather gave each five cents to spend. They walked four miles and spent the money for firecrackers. On the way home a neighbor's flock of geese were in the road and a gander lit into the boys. They caught the gander and tied their last package of firecrackers to his tail, lighted them and turned him loose. The gander was scared to death and as each one cracked, he bounced up and down and just flew. This was lots more fun than the celebration.

As grandfather and grandmother were very strict about going to church, the youngsters took advantage by having a grand good time while they were gone. They had heard their parents talk, til they had a clear idea of how to conduct a church meeting. One boy was "Jimmie"; Aunt Mary was "Katy", grandmother's nickname; another was "Preacher Miller"; one was "Sumney", etc. and they held a lively meeting. Uncle Jake was the clown among the boys and Aunt Mary the lively one among the girls. "Polly" was the church member brought before the elders.

On one of the jolly days they were playing a game where they took hold of hands and circled in a ring. One of the boys stumbled over a pail of water on the floor and sat down in it. As he had no change of garments, he had to go stand by the fireplace until his clothes were dry.

As Grandmother did all the spinning and weaving, sewing and braiding the boys hats out of straw, you can see she did well to keep one suit apiece for each one.

Another time a strange girl in the neighborhood happend to be in the crowd at a party. She wasn't one of the "gang" and wasn't so popular. A dish of sorghum molasses set on the upboard and as the circle of merrymakers went round and round, each time this girl passed the cupboard, she would swipe her finger through the sorghum and lick it off her finger. That was too good for our clown Uncle, so he slipped the sorghum away and replaced it with the same kind of dish of soft soap. The next time round the finger went into the dish but when the finger went into the mouth, there was such a commotion as to break up the game.

Grandfather was very fond of horses and liked to show their good qualities by letting no one go round him on the road, but he wouldn't trust the boys with them. One evening after the parents had gone to church to communion, the young folks who were already organized for a sleigh-ride, took the fast team and went to communion too. They knew they had to be late to church, get their crowd home, and have the horses safe in the barn before grandfather got home so he wouldn't know they had taken them. But he got ahead of them and there was nothing else to do but drive fast and pass him, but when they went to pass, he whipped up "Old Jane" and the race was on. After a long chase and a great deal of anxiety, they succeeded in going around him and got home in time to put the horses in the barn before he got home and were in bed fast asleep.(?). Next morning he told the boys about his race and ended by saying, "Golly, if I had only had "OLd Bally" they wouldn't have passed me." He did not guess nor never found out that it was "Old Bally" that won the race.