MY FATHER WAS

MY FATHER

MY FATHER WAS A GENTLE  MAN. HE WAS BORN ON MARCH 19, 1895. HE WAS A MAN OF LITTLE FORMAL EDUCATION. WHEN HE COMPLETED THE SIXTH GRADE HE WALKED AWAY FROM SCHOOL AND NEVER WENT BACK, HE WAS A MAN OF IDEAS AND DREAMS. HE COULD ADD THREE COLUMNS OF NUMBERS IN HIS HEAD WITH SIMPLE EASE.

WHEN HE WAS TWELVE YEARS OLD, HE FOUND OUT HE WAS ADOPTED. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT HE LEARNED THAT HIS MOTHER WAS A FULL BLOOD INDIAN. HIS ADOPTED MOTHER WAS ACTUALLY HIS AUNT. HE WAS ADOPTED TO REPLACE A CHILD THAT SHE HAD, WHO HAD DIED EARLY IN LIFE. HE WAS APPROXIMATLY THE SAME AGE AS THIS DEAD CHILD, SO WHEN HIS FATHER BROUGHT HIM TO CINCINNATI AND ASKED ONE OF HIS SISTER'S TO RAISE THE BOY, THE ONE, WHO HAD LOST HER CHILD, AGREED TO ADOPT HIM..

HOWEVER, HER HUSBAND LAID DOWN CERTAIN RULES. THE BOY WOULD BE NAMED AFTER THE DEAD CHILD AND WOULD NEVER BE TOLD OF HIS INDIAN MOTHER OR OF HIS HERITAGE. AT THE TURN OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY BEING INDIAN WAS A TERRIBLE THING, AND BEING A HALF BREED WAS EVEN WORSE. BEING A CHILD OF COLOR WAS THE ONLY THING MORE UNACCEPTABLE. HIS ADOPTIVE FATHER WAS NOT A CRUEL MAN, BUT BEING A LOGICAL MAN, HE COULD SEE NO FUTURE FOR THE BOY, UNLESS HE KNEW NOTHING OF HIS HERITAGE,

HIS ADOPTIVE MOTHER'S SISTERS WERE THE ONLY ONES WHO KNEW THE BOY'S TRUE HISTORY AND THEY WERE SWORN TO SECRECY ON THE BIBLE. THEY WERE AFRAID THEIR FATHER WOULD ALIENATE HIMSELF FROM THEIR SISTER, IF HE LEARNED ABOUT THE LITTLE INDIAN BOY. HIS WIFE, HOWEVER, FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS LITTLE BOY WITH THE BIG EARS AND WAS, ALONG WITH HIS ADOPTED MOTHER, THE CHILD'S MOST LOVING RELATIVE.

MY FATHER'S BLOOD FATHER CAME TWICE TO CINCINNATI AFTER HE BROUGHT THE BOY. ONCE WHEN MY FATHER WAS SEVEN AND AGAIN WHEN HE WAS THIRTEEN. MY GRANDMOTHER, AS I ALWAYS KNEW HER, HAD VIOLATED HER HUSBAND'S WISH AND TOLD MY FATHER OF HIS TRUE HERITAGE. HOWEVER, HIS NATURAL FATHER WAS GLAD ENOUGH TO BE RID OF HIM, AND RETURNED TO HIS HOME IN ARIZONA. HE NEVER RETURNED. HE DIED A YEAR OR TWO LATER IN A FIRE.

MY FATHER TOOK TO HIS HERITAGE LIKE A DUCK TAKES TO WATER. WITHOUT PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGEING IT, HE STUDIED ALL HE COULD ABOUT INDIANS. HE BECAME QUITE ADEPT AT BEADWORK BOTH LOOM AND HAND SEWN. IN HIS LATE TEENS HE MADE HIS GIRL FRIEND AN INDIAN GOWN AND DECORATED IT WITH FLOWERED BEADED PATTERNS,

WHEN AMERICA BECAME INVOLVED IN THE GREAT WAR. MY FATHER AND HIS FRIENDS HURRIED TO ENLIST. MUCH TO HIS CHAGRIN, HE WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT DIDN'T PASS THE PHYSICAL, THE DOCTOR SAID HE HAD A BAD HEART. HE IMMEDIATELY APPLIED FOR A JOB WITH THE GOVERNMENT HUNTING DOWN DRAFT DODGERS, WHO HE CONSIDERED COWARDS AND TRAITORS. WHEN THE WAR WAS OVER HE TOOK A JOB AS AN UNDERCOVER MAN LOOKING FOR ILLEGAL WHISKEY STILLS IN THE MOUNTAINS. HE BECAME A 'HILL BILLY.' HE THEN REPORTED ON THE LOCTION OF THE STILLS TO THE REVENUE AGENTS, WHO RAIDED THEM.. HE WAS ARRESTED WITH THE REST OF THE MEN, BUT WAS ALWAYS RELEASED. THE MOUNTAIN MEN FINALLY CAUGHT ON TO WHAT HE WAS DOING AND HE WAS WOUNDED IN A RAID, MY GRANDMOTHER MADE HIM QUIT. I ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT HE STILL DID WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT, EVEN WHEN MY SISTER AND I WERE IN OUR TEENS.

HE THEN WENT TO WORK FOR THE ACE DETECTIVE AGENCY. HE ALWAYS TALKED HIGHLY OF THE GYPSEYS, WHO CAME TO TOWN ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR. HE SAID THEY COULD READ THE FUTURE AND HELPED HIM SOLVE MANY OF HIS CASES. IT WAS FROM THEM THAT HE BECAME INTERESTED IN THE SUPERNATURAL,

IN 1920, HE WAS DOUBLE DATING WITH HIS BEST FRIEND AND FELL IN LOVE WITH HIS FRIEND'S DATE. THE FEELING WAS MUTUAL, SO THEY MARRIED IN JUNE OF 1921.

IT SNOWED ON THEIR WEDDING DAY. AS FAR AS I KNOW NO FAMILY MEMBERS ATTENDED THE WEDDING. THEY SPENT THEIR HONYMOON AT A HOTEL IN KENTUCKY OWNED BY ONE OF DAD'S FRIENDS, WHO HAD SERVED IN THE WAR. THE HOTEL WAS A TOURIST ATTRACTION WITH COTTAGES ALONG THE RIVER, AT NIGHT THEY GATHERED ON THE BANK, BUILT A GREAT BON FIRE AND ROASTED WEINERS AND MARSHMELLOWS. THEY SANG ALL THE POPULAR TUNES OF THE DAY. MY MOTHER HAD A BEAUTIFUL CONTRALTO VOICE.

MY MOTHER'S MOTHER HAD GREAT PLANS FOR HER TWO DAUGHTERS TO MARRY WELL. SHE SENT THEM TO A CATHOLIC GIRL'S SCHOOL WHERE THEY LEARNED TO PLAY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, PAINT, AND DO FANCY NEEDLE WORK. IF MY FATHER HADN'T LOVED TO COOK WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE STARVED. ONE OF THE GIRLS DIED YOUNG, THE OTHER MARRIED MY FATHER, MUCH TO MY GRANDMOTHER'S CHAGRIN. ON THE OTHER HAND MY MATERNAL GRANDFATHER, A TAILOR BY TRADE, TOOK AN INSTANT LIKING TO MY FATHER.PERHAPS HE DID SO BECAUSE MY FATHER STOOD UP TO “QUEEN VICTORY” AS HE CALLED HIS WIFE, BEHIND HER BACK. HE AND MY MOTHER BOTH SANG IN THE MAY FESTIVAL EACH YEAR. HE INTRODUCED ME TO MUSIC, PARTICULARLY GILBERT AND SULIVAN AND READING THE CLASSICS,

MY FATHER, HIS BROTHER AND SISTER HIRED OUT PLAYING BACKGROUND MUSIC FOR SILENT FILMS. EMMA PLAYED PIANO, WILL TRUMPET, AND DAD DRUMS. HE ALSO PROVIDED ALL THE SOUND EFFECTS. GRANDPA USED TO HOLD FAMILY REUNIONS. HE WOULD CLEAR OUT THE STORE AND WE WOULD EAT, DRINK AND MAKE MERRY. THE SECOND FLOOR OF THEIR HOUSE WAS ONE BIG ROOM, THEIR LIBRARY. HERE THE FOOD, PREPARED BY THE LADIES, WAS PUT OUT ON A LONG TABLE, AND SERVED. SKITS AND OTHER ENTERTAINMENT WAS PROVIDED DOWNSTAIRS IN THE STORE. UNCLE WILL WROTE THE SKITS, DAD BUILT THE SCENERY, AND AUNT EMMA PROVIDED THE MUSIC, ALL THE KIDS WERE RECRUITED TO PERFORM, WHICH IS WHERE I GOT MY FIRST TASTE OF ACTING. I SANG, DANCED, AND GENERALLY GOT INVOLVED IN THESE AMATEUR PRODUCTIONS.

AFTER HE MARRIED, MY FATHER STARTED HIS OWN BUSINESS PAINTING AND PAPERHANGING. HE WAS QUITE GOOD AT IT AND THE LADIES, WHO HIRED HIM WERE VERY IMPRESSED WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE OF COLORS AND DESIGNS. hE THIS DESPITE THE FACT THAT HE WAS COLORED B LIND. HE TOLD ME ONCE THAT HE DELIBERATELY MADE ONE MISTAKE WHEN DOING A PIECE OF BEAD WORK. IT BECAME HIS SIGNATURE.

I WAS BORN IN MARCH OF 1926. MY SISTER CAME ALONG NINETEEN MONTHS LATER. WE LIVED IN A HOUSE OWNED BY MY FATHER'S FATHER, IN THE WESTEND OF CINCINNATI. MY GRANDFATHER HAD A VERY POOR BUSINESS SENSE. HE WAS TREASURER OF THE SHOEMEN'S ASSOCIATION AND THEY SAID HE KEPT THE ASSOCIATIONS MONEY IN ONE POCKET AND HIS OWN IN THE OTHER. HE RARELY BOTHERED TO KEEP TRACK. HOWEVER, BEING A METICULOSLY HONEST MAN, WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR AN ACCOUNTING HE ALWAYS MADE SURE THAT ASSOCIATION HAD MONEY IN THE BANK. IF IT WASN'T FOR MY AUNT EMMA , GRANDPA WOULD HAVE ENDED UP BROKE. SHE KEPT HIS BOOKS. MY UNCLE WILL INHERITED AN INTEREST IN THE SHOE BUSINESS. IF GRANDFATHER HAD LET HIM OPEN A SECOND STORE, I'M SURE HE WOULD HAVE MADE A SUCCESS OF IT. BUT GRANDPA WOULDN'T HEAR OF IT. AS A RESULT ALL HIS COMPETITORS ENDED UP WITH CHAINS OF STORES, WHILE GRANDFATHER HAD THE ONE HE STARTED WITH. HE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS INVESTMENTS. HE BOUGHT HOUSES IN THE DOWNTOWN, RATHER THAN THE SUBURBS. HE COULDN'T BELIEVE PEOPLE WOULD EVENTUALLY ALL MOVE OUT TO THE “COUNTRY.”  WHEN THE CRASH CAME IN '29, HE LOST EVERYTHING. BEING THE PROUD, STUBBORN MAN HE WAS, HE WOULD NOT GO BANKRUPT BUT WAS DETERMINED TO PAY ALL HIS DEBTS. BECAUSE I HAD HIS NAME, THE PHONE COMPANY TRIED TO GET ME TO PAY OFF HIS PHONE BILL WHEN I APPLIED FOR MY FIRST PHONE IN 1949. THE HOUSE, STORE AND ALL THAT WAS IN IT WAS SOLD AT A SHERRIFF'S AUCTION. UNCLE WILL'S WIFE BOUGHT UP ALL THE MERCHANDISE AND SHELVING AT ROCK BOTTOM PRICES, THEN SHE AND WILL OPENED A STORE IN PRICE HILL. ONE OF CINCINNATI'S SEVEN HILLS. MY FATHER SWORE THAT SHE HAD CONNIVED TO CHEAT MY GRANDFATHER AND HE HATED HER UNTIL THE DAY THEY DIED. AS A RESULT MY SISTER AND I MISSED OUT ON GETTING TO KNOW OUR ONLY CLOSE RELATIVES, WILL'S TWO SONS.

IN THE 1930'S WE WERE CAUGHT UP IN THE GREAT DEPRESSION. I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL AFTERWARDS THAT MY PARENTS MADE ARTIFICIAL ROSES AND SOLD THEM TO STORES. DAD WAS POSSESSED WITH MAKING THEM AS REAL AS POSSIBLE. HE DIPPED THEM IN PERFUME AND BOUGHT GREEN TUBEING WITH RUBBER THORNS TO COVER THE WIRE STEMS. WHEN ROOSEVELT WAS ELECTED AND INTRODUCED THE WPA, NRA, AND CCC TO PUT PEOPLE TO WORK, MOM JOINED THE WPA CHORUS THAT TOURED THE CITY GIVING CONCERTS WITH THE WPA ORCHESTRA. SHE ALSO PLAYED VIOLIN IN THE ORCHESTRA. DAD GOT A JOB AS A CREW FORMAN. HE WAS GLAD TO BE WORKING AGAIN BUT HATED BEING PAID IN RELIEF VOUCHERS. HE SAID THE PEOPLE IN THE STORE DIDN'T KNOW THAT HE HAD EARNED HIS PAY.

THE 1937 FLOOD RAN US OUT OF OUR HOME. MY FATHER WAS HIRED AS THE JANITOR AT ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH AND SCHOOL ON LINCOLN PARK DRIVE IN THE WEST END. WE LIVED ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE PRIEST HOUSE. UNTIL 1940. MY FATHER STEPPED BACK INTO THE COAL HOLE AND FELL ABOUT TEN FEET. HE GOT A DOUBLE RUPTURE AND BROKE BOTH ANKLES. THE PRIEST FIRED HIM WITHOUT COMPENSATION AND WE MOVED TO A HOUSE OWNED BY A FRIEND IN OVER-THE-RHINE. MY FATHER WENT THROUGH A PERIOD OF HATING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. HOWEVER ONE DAY HE ASKED MY MOTHER TO REHANG THE HOLY PICTURES AND THE CRUCIFIX. WHEN I ASKED HIM WHAT MADE HIM CHANGE, HE SAID THE BLESSED MOTHER TALKED TO HIM.

IN THE SUMMER OF 1941 MY FATHER AND I WENT TO WORK FOR THE CINCINNATI RECREATION COMMISSION, AT CALIFORNIA WOODS NEAR CONEY ISLAND. WE WERE HIRED TO PUT ON INDIAN SHOWS FOR THE PLAYGROUND CHILDREN BUSSED TO CALIFORNIA WOODS. CHARLES WILLIAMS, THE PRESIDENT OF WESTERN SOUTHERN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, PAID EXPENSES FOR THE TRIP. HE HAD A BIG GRILL BUILT AT THE WOODS AND HIRED A COOK TO PREPARE LUNCH.FOR THE KIDS. THIS GAVE BERT LAWSON, A SELF TAUGHT NATURALIST, WHO WORKED AS THE CARETAKER AT THE WOODS, THE IDEA TO TALK SCHOOL TEACHERS INTO BRINGING THEIR CLASSES ON FIELD TRIPS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.

DESPITE DOCTOR'S PREDICTIONS THAT HE WOULD NEVER WALK AGAIN MY FATHER DID WALK. HE SAID WALKING ON THE SIDE OF THE WOODED HILLS AT CALIFORNIA WOODS HELPED TO STRENGTHEN HIS LEGS. SINCE HE STILL COULDN'T WORK AT HIS OLD JOB, THE RECREATION COMMISSION HIRED HIM TO LIVE IN A LITTLE CABIN IN THE WOODS AND GUARD AGAINST POACHERS AND KEEP OUT THE NECKERS. I USED TO STAY WITH HIM ON WEEK-ENDS. I LOVED HIS BAKED BEANS AND PANCAKES.WE HEARD THE NEWS ABOUT PEARL HARBOR OVER A CRYSTAL RADIO SET MY FATHER BUILT. THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO SEAL OFF THE WOODS SO SABATEURS COULDN'T FOLLOW THE CREEK TO THE MAIN WATER WORKS AND POISON THE CITY'S WATER SUPPLY. THE RECREATION COMMISSION MOVED MY FATHER TO WESTERN HILLS PLAYFIELD IN PRICE HILL. I STILL VISITED HIM ON WEEKENDS AND STARTED A MILITARY GROUP OF LOCAL BOYS, WE CALLED 'BLACKY'S RANGERS' . WE DRILLED AND WORKED OUT ON THE OBSTACLE COURSE THAY HAD BUILT AT THE PLAYFIELD.

IN THE FIRST YEARS OF THE WAR I PERFORMED AT RALLYS SELLING WAR BONDS. MY FATHER MADE ALL MY DANCE CLOTHES. IN THE SUMMER OF 1942, MY WHOLE FAMILY AND I TOURED THE CHATAUQUA CIRCUIT IN A SHOW CALLED “SPIRIT OF THE HETUCK.” I PLAYED TECUMSEH'S BROTHER, MY SISTER PLAYED AN INDIAN GIRL IN LOVE WITH A WHITE MAN, MY FATHER DRUMMED FOR THE DANCERS, AND MY MOTHER WAS THE WARDROBE MISTRESS. I WENT INTO THE ARMY ON JUNE 6 (D-DAY) 1944. WHEN I CAME HOME AFTER THE WAR I USED MY STATE BONUS MONEY TO HELP MY FOLKS BUY THE HOUSE WHERE THEY LIVED IN OVER-THE-RHINE. THEY GAVE ME TWO ROOMS ON THE SECOND FLOOR AS A WORK PLACE AND BEDROOM. I HAD STARTED TO SCHOOL AT THE CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC STUDYING STAGE PRODUCTION AND VOICE. I ALSO DID SOME WRITING.

THE PLACE WHERE MY MOTHER WORKED GOT GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS, SO THEY HIRED ADDITIONAL PEOPLE. MY FATHER WENT TO WORK FOR THEM IN 1943 MAKING BLUE PRINTS. THEY WORKED THERE UNTIL THEY RETIRED IN 1954. THEY BOUGHT A PIECE OF LAND IN MASON OHIO. IT WAS MY MOTHER'S DREAM THAT MY SISTER AND I WOULD MOVE TO MASON AND BUILD HOMES ON THE LAND. AFTER AWHILE. MY SISTER AND HER HUSBAND DID MOVE TO MASON BUT BUILT THEIR HOME DOWN THE ROAD

I MET MY FIRST WIFE WHILE WORKING AT A SCOUT CAMP IN ILLINOIS. AFTER WE MARRIED, WE MOVED INTO MY PARENT'S HOME IN CINCINNATI. MY FATHER AND I HAD REDECORATED MY TWO ROOMS, INTO AN APARTMENT FOR MY WIFE AND I. THE PROBLEM WAS MY MOTHER KEPT WALKING IN ON US UNINVITED. I TRIED PUTTING A LOCK ON THE DOOR BUT SHE GOT SO UPSET, MY FATHER DEMANDED THAT I GIVE THEM. A KEY. THE ONLY TWO TIMES I HAD A FALLING OUT WITH MY FATHER WAS OVER MY MOTHER. MY WIFE AND I MOVED OUT.

IN 1952, I BECAME THE SCOUTMASTER AT SANTA MARIA INSTITUTE IN CINCINNATI. MY FATHER BECAME THE INSTITUTIONAL REPRESENTATIVE. HE HAD AN ANNUAL POT-LUCK AT THEIR HOME IN MASON AND MADE HIS BAKED BEANS FOR IT. ALL THE SCOUTS, CUBS, AND THEIR PARENTS WERE INVITED. AFTER I LEFT TO TAKE THE JOB WITH THE BOYS SCOUTS, DAD CONTINUED WITH THE TROOP AND CONTINUED HAVING THE ANNUAL POT-LUCK.

WHILE MY WIFE AND I WERE LIVING IN ILLINOIS, WE GOT A CALL THAT MY FOLKS HAD BEEN HIT BY A TRUCK. THEY WEREN'T TOO BADLY HURT BUT RETIRED. THEY LIVED ON A SETTLEMENT THEY GOT FROM THE ACCIDENT AND THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY.

MY DAD HAD AN INDIAN MUSEUM IN HIS BASEMENT USING PICTURES HE HAD COPIED AT WORK AND THE DANCE CLOTHES HE HAD MADE FOR ME. I HIRED HIM ONE SUMMER TO COME TO ILLINOIS AND BE THE CRAFT LEADER AT THE SCOUT CAMP. IT WAS WONDERFUL HAVING HIM WITH ME AGAIN. AFTER THAT HE GOT A JOB AS THE TRAFFIC GUARD AT A NEW SCHOOL THEY HAD BUILT NEAR THEIR HOME.

THEY SOLD OFF ALL THE LAND, EXCEPT FOR AN ACRE ON WHICH THEIR HOUSE WAS BUILT. EVENTUALLY EVEN THAT GOT TO BE TOO MUCH FOR DAD TO TAKE CARE OF.

IN 1970 MY SISTER BUILT AN ADDITION ON THEIR HOME DOWN THE ROAD. MY FOLKS SOLD THEIR HOME AND MOVED THERE.

IN 1971 MY PARENTS CELEBRATED THEIR 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. MY WIFE AND I GOT INTO THE PLANNING AND CARRYING OUT OF THE EVENT WITH MY SISTER. IT WAS HELD AT ST.SUSANNA'S CHURCH IN MASON. WE HAD A MASS IN THE MORNING AND A RECEPTION IN THE CHURCH HALL THAT EVENING.

IN 1973 A TORNADO HIT MASON. IT TOOK THE ADDITION OFF MY SISTER'S HOUSE AND DUMPED MY PARENTS ANNIVERSARY SOUVENIRS AS MUCH AS THREE MILES AWAY. WE INVITED THEM TO STAY WITH US UNTIL THE ADDITION COULD BE REBUILT. ALTHOUGH THIS WAS MY SECOND WIFE, MY MOTHER COULD NOT GET ALONG WITH HER.  SHE TOLD MY SISTER WE WERE CHARGING THEM FOR LIVING WITH US. ONCE AGAIN MY FATHER AND I TANGLED. THEY MOVED BACK TO MASON AND WE NEVER DID QUITE GET ALONG AFTER THAT.

I TRIED TO MAKE EXCUSES FOR MY MOTHER'S BEHAVIOR. SHE NEVER FULLY RECOVERED FROM THE AFTER EFFECTS OF HER BREAST CANCER. HER RELIGIOUS FANATICISM WAS SO BAD, AT ONE POINT, THAT WE HAD TO HAVE HER COMMITTED TO A SANITARIUM WHERE THEY GAVE HER WITH SHOCK TREATMENTS. NOW THAT I'M OLDER, I ASK GOD REGULARLY TO FORGIVE THE WAY I TREATED MY MOTHER. SHE WAS A CLINGING VINE. SHE LEANED HEAVILY ON MY FATHER. WHEN HE DIED, SHE COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT HIM. SHE DIED A YEAR AFTER HE DID.

I ASKED MY FATHER ONCE WHAT I COULD DO TO REPAY HIM FOR EVERYTHING HE DID FOR ME. HE THOUGHT FOR A MINUTE AND THEN SAID: “DO THE SAME FOR YOUR CHILDREN”. I HOPE I FULFILLED THAT CHALLENGE. NOW IT'S UP TO MY CHILDREN TO CARRY THAT CONCEPT ON TO KEEP THEIR GRANDFATHER'S SPIRIT ALIVE.

MY FATHER DIED ON MARCH 15,1977. FOUR DAYS BEFORE HIS 82ND BIRTHDAY. I CAN STILL FEEL HIS PRESENCE WHEN I SIT OUT ON MY PORCH ON A WARM SUMMER'S DAY. MY SON MICHAEL ONCE SAID TO ME THAT HE EXPECTED TO SEE HIS GRANDFATHER ON THE OTHER SIDE. I'M SURE WE BOTH WILL ONE DAY.