robert2clr.gif (69092 bytes)

woodlogo3.gif (25149 bytes)

lettie2clr.gif (57965 bytes)

 


Civilian Conservation Corps Alumni web site

Civilian Conservation Corps History (1) (2)

My CCC Experiences

Memory Lane

Robert's Memoirs
Stories as told by my Father (1) (2)

Stories as told by my Mother

My personal memories
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)

My childhood memories
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Lettie's Memoirs

Photo Gallery
Strawn Photo Gallery

memory_lane.gif (4059 bytes)
Robert's Memoirs Page 1 (1933 - 35)

bowtie_sm.gif (400 bytes)    In 1932-33 we moved from Woodlawn Rd. to West Morehead St. then on to the Plant Manager's house on Donald Ross Rd.. It was built by Mr. Stone for Walter Puckett, Plant Manager. There was an auto junk yard just below Donald Ross Road. A couple named Lonnie and Boogy Whitener owned this company. I spent a lot of hours around the junk yard being fascinated by the cars. I remember a junked Stanley Steamer that had a wooden chassis. Many of the junked cars I played in and helped dismantle can be seen in car museums today. I was 15 and could drive any car or truck that was around at that time.

bowtie_sm.gif (400 bytes)    There was an electric car even before this time but I never got a chance to drive one. There was one in Franklinton in the 1920's. I think it was owned by Mrs. Henley that owned a store where Dolly worked while she attended school.

bowtie_sm.gif (400 bytes)    Lonnie Whitner was one of a few that had a business that made good money. He kept a new car and owned an American Eagle Pusher single seat airplane. He kept it at the Cannon Airport located at Ashley and Tuckaseegee Roads. They held air shows there and in the middle 1930's the first commercial airline used Cannon. The runways were of gravel and very short.

bowtie_sm.gif (400 bytes)    I remember Charles Cannon Jr. (owner) was killed during W.W.II while ferrying a transport plane into or out of Charlotte. Among others, I remember Dr. Boldridge that flew a Stinson Biplane. I also remember a Waco. I believe it had a radial engine. There were several W.W.I planes in the area.

bowtie_sm.gif (400 bytes)        When living with Dolly and Puckett in the house on Donald Ross Rd. in the middle 1930's, I was very strong and when playing with Catherine I would pitch her up into the air and catch her. I did not know the danger of such play until several years later. One day when I came in from work, I had a lead pencil in my shirt pocket. When I pitched Cathy (spooking dike) up in the air on her way down her skin caught the point of the pencil and opened the skin leaving a mark. Cathy was crying. I am so glad the pencil had a rounded point and not a freshly sharpened point. I think the nick name "spooking dike" was given to her by her father.

bowtie_sm.gif (400 bytes)    While on one of my many trips to see Dolly when she was sick, I asked Cathy if she had a scar and she said yes. I have thought many times how lucky she was this instance and all the other times when she would go with me to pick up the maid and driving out to Mr. Baxter Puckett's Store in all kinds of weather and did not know the danger of driving fast.

bowtie_sm.gif (400 bytes)    We would visit at Mr. Baxter Puckett's house and store most of the Sundays. After one of Mrs. Puckett's meals we would drive over the country to see the places that were of interest to them. I don't know why but I drove the car. I guess I drove careful or they would have driven themselves. When on one of these Sunday visits we were out in the yard and I pitching Cathy up in the air and catching her. She seemed to like the rough playing. I pitched her up into the air until I was tired then I would let her straddle my neck and sit on my shoulders. I was playing as if I was a horse riding her around the yard. I got tired and stopped and was over with the other guests when my neck and back suddenly got warm and Cathy had wet my Sunday shirt, Since I only had one shirt it only took a good rinsing and I was ready to go again.This was an accident with Cathy but when Maynard did it I know he was taking dead aim.

NEXT PAGE >>

 

Use the links below or above and to the left to navigate the pages of this website

Photo Gallery
Strawn Photo Gallery

          Robert's Memoirs          

Stories as told by my:   Father (1) (2)   Mother
Civilian Conservation Corps History: (1) (2)
Memories from my childhood: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
Personal memories of my life: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)

HOME PAGE


Site Maintenance by Pegasus Creations, Copyright 1999, 2015
All rights reserved
.