Ann Fraleigh Eck. Undated

Over the past couple of weeks I have interviewed Ann Eck, Mariel Hawley and Bob Brott. I have done this by simply sitting down with them and taking notes. So, far I have not done video recording, though I Hope to eventually. Over the next few days I will post all three. Today I post Ann’s. Ann Frahleigh Eck has lived her entire live in the Casnovia area. Ann was born and raised on the family fruit farm west of Casnovia.

Ann’s father was John “Jack” Fraleigh. Jack was born in 1907, and died in 1970. Years ago, the name was originally spelled more like Fralagh, and pronounced in the old German way as “Fray Lick”. Ann’s mother was Marie Furlong who was born in 1908, and died in 1977. Ann’s mother later changed the spelling of what is now Fraleigh, slightly and the pronunciation of the name to what it is today. The family farm was about three and a half miles west of Casnovia on M-46. It was a mile long and ran from M-46 to Laketon. Ann was born in a small home on the Farleigh farm and later the family moved one mile to the other side of the farm where they lived for years in a big house. Ann is one of three siblings. Ann had an older sister named Jane who was married to Hugh Lautner and a younger brother, John W. who just passed away this past March in Saginaw. Ann married Robert Eck and has three children. Their names are Bradley, Kimball and Cynthia Van Buskirk. Robert passed away in 2010.

Lela Waters was a cousin to Ann’s father. The family called her “Aunt.”

Ann remembers the Prisoners of War from the Sparta POW Camp worked in Ann’s parent’s orchards. Her parents had mostly Cherry Orchards at the time. Ann has very early childhood memories of the Prisoners of War working in her father’s orchard. She remembers this work as having taken place more in the spring time during pruning time or doing other similar work. Ann does not remember it as being harvest time. Ann does remember the prisoners of war were brought out in an open truck from Sparta. The men seemed to be a happy bunch. Ann does not remember any guards with them or any people carrying guns to supervise them. She remembers the prisoners just being happy to be with them to work. Her parents let her go to and from the house and play in the yard at will when the prisoners were there. Ann does not remember that there seemed to be any worries about anything. Ann’s mother made soup and fed them, when they were there. Ann thinks the men must have provided their own cups and spoons for eating, as she does not remember her family providing any eating utensils to them.

Ann’s father was also born and raised near Casnovia. Ann’s father went to and graduated from Casnovia High School which was on Waterloo Street and burned in 1926. Ann remembers it being said that he had less then twelve in his class. Ann went to the Canada Corners School, kindergarten through sixth grade. For seventh grade her father wanted her to go to Sparta School so she would ride the Greyhound bus from Casnovia to Sparta to attend School. At that time several men worked third shift at Continental Motors in Muskegon who were from Casnovia, Sparta and beyond. These men would ride the Greyhound Bus home to Casnovia and Sparta after working the third shift. These are the people that Ann rode the bus with as a child. Ann remembers the experience of going to Sparta to school as broadening her circle of friends. She feels she was lucky enough to have Casnovia, Sparta and Kent City friends at the time.

Ann worked her sophomore year of high school for Hammer Jewelry in Sparta. Ann had time after school got out to get to Hammer’s and begin her shift at four and work until six p.m. then catch the Greyhound bus at 6:20 in Sparta to go to home to Casnovia.

Ann remembers having good times with friends at the Sparta Rodeo. Her father would haul her horse down there and she would hang out with her friends during Rodeo time.

Ann and her family attended the Casnovia Methodist Church. After the the Casnovia Methodist and the Kent City Methodist Church’s merged she attended Chapel Hill United Methodist Church. The two Churches merged in the 1960’s because of dwindling attendance at each. Rev. McNary was the minister at the time of the Merge.

Ann was Director of the Chapel Hill Folksingers for twenty-five years. Ann began with the group in 1965. The group was first called the Chapel Hill Players and as they added members from other Church’s they changed the name a bit to the Chapel Hill Folksingers. At one time the group had members from five denominations playing with them. The Folksingers would dress up and it was often said they would “Go fifty miles for fifty dollars.” Some of the members of the group Ann remembers were John Moore, Lela Waters, Ann’s brother, Deb Longcore, Rev. Charles and Mrs. McNary, John Vins, Beth VanLente, Norm Weston, Fred Nelson, Henry Schuitema, Karen Edgar, Darrrel Coxon, Paster David Morton, Mrs. John Humphreys, Mrs. Eldon Eck and Mrs. Donald Austin as well as others. . The group formed so as to do fund raising for the Chapel Hill United Methodist Church. They began having at first, a Spring Concert. This did so well they began doing two concerts and sometimes more. Favorite songs the group sang were: “Go tell it on the Mountain,” “500 Miles,” “Sama Wacky Brown,” “Early Morning Rain,” “Daddy Sang Bass,” “Num Bi Ya.” After a while it got to be too much for the members of the group and they cut back and finally disbanded.

Ann is known for having taught many of the people who are now adults how to swim in the swimming lessons she taught for years at Half Moon Lake. Ann did these classes through the American Red Cross, in partnership with Casnovia Lions Club and Casnovia Township. Children had to be eight years old and older to take instruction. Ann did this for several years.

Thank you Ann for letting me interview you and helping the fifth graders out. If there are any corrections please let me know. I will go in and edit right away.