Welcome to the Kent City Area Society of History and Genealogy
Charlie Harrison
My Story of My Grandma Harrison (Alice D. Grabe Harrison 1858-1931).
By: Charlie Harrison
This interview with Charlie Harrison was first published in the Historical Societies newsletter: Tyrone Gleanings. Vol. #5. Issue #23. March-April 1992, pages 3 and 4. I have updated it so as to post it here today.
We lived where I live now at 3169 21 Mile Road, on the corner of 21 Mile and Peach Ridge and Grandma lived in a log cabin about a ½ mile north of us.
Grandma had two cows and two pigs, two of my brothers, Frank (1919-2007) and Lowell, (1921-1944) and I took turns going each night to help Grandma do her chores. We would spend the night and go home in the morning so we could go to school. She gave us a choice of what we wanted for supper and whatever we asked for we got. One-time Frank and Lowell were sick, so I had to go 18 days in a row, and I did not mind at all. I heard my grandma tell Pa that she would be glad when the other boys were well again because every one of the 18 nights, I requested mush and milk for supper. She kept what was left over in a bread pan and would slice it and fry it for my breakfast and it was so good with our own home-made maple syrup on it. (It just does not seem like they can make maple syrup like that anymore!) Grandma let us drink all the coffee we wanted and always had the best home-made sugar cookies.
I was just nine years old at the time and one night I milked one cow and Grandma milked the other. We then always put the milk from the pails through a very old-fashioned water cream separator. This was a tank that held about 10 gallons, stood up on legs about four feet high, there was a tube and faucet, cone shaped mesh strainer, kept in the kitchen, we poured the milk in the top and as it set, the cream separated to the top, there was a glass gauge so we could tell the cream line and we opened the faucet and drained off the skim milk. The cream went into clean five-gallon cans and sold to a creamery. The skim milk we fed to the pigs. As we got to the house on this night, Grandma said, “Charlie, you will have to wait for supper, I don’t feel well.” She went into the bedroom and laid down. Soon she called “Charlie, get your Pa!” I did not know if she said to get Pa or Tommy Austin, who was a near neighbor and always willing to help. So, I asked, “Did you say Pa or Tommy?” I glanced into the room and knew she was extremely sick. So, I ran for home as fast as my legs could carry me. Pa and Ma jumped in the car and drove up there. I turned around and ran right along behind them and got there as soon as they did. I just felt I had to be there to help Grandma. When we got there Grandma had already died. I cannot tell you how deeply I felt this sorrow and loss. I was nine years old, and it was my first experience with death in the family and most of all I knew our Grandma was not going to be there for us anymore.
Grandma died March 18, 1931, and it is interesting that McKinley’s funeral undertakers came to the home and brought a casket and embalmed the body and it was kept in the home until the funeral. Our family all stayed right there in the home, all the time too until after the funeral which was at the Kent City Baptist Church. She was buried in Seaman Cemetery next to her husband, John Harrison.
My grandpa, John Harrison, died when I was only five months old, so I never knew him … As we were writing this story, Frank brought us the obituary of Grandpa. Interesting to read how much they wrote in obituaries in 1922.
This story was told to Elsie Harrison, by Charlie, with Frank’s assistance.
The obituary of Charlie Harrison’s grandfather was first published in the Historical Societies newsletter: Tyrone Gleanings. Vol. #5. Issue #23. March-April 1992, 4. I have added some information to it to post it here today.
My grandpa, John Harrison, died when I was only five months old, so I never knew him … As we were writing this story, Frank brought us the obituary of Grandpa. Interesting to read how much they wrote in obituaries in 1922.
Obituary
John W. Harrison was born in Trumble County, Ohio, February 25, 1857, and died at his home in Tyrone Township, Kent County, October 14, 1922, at the age of 65 years, seven months, and eighteen days. He leaves to mourn his loss a wife and one son, (Dea Harrison 1888-1964), five grandsons, (John: 1913-1970), (Lessel: 1918-2008), (Frank: 1919-2007), (Lowell: 1921-1944), (Charles: 1922-2000), one sister, (in Wexford County), nephews and nieces and scores of friends. His father, mother and three brothers have preceded him, he is the last of his family.
He came with his parents to Michigan, (first settling in Algoma Township and showing up in the 1870 Federal Census there) when a small boy and he was a resident of Tyrone for over forty years.
He was united in marriage to Mrs. Alice Murray in 1886, to this union one son was born.
He united with the Disciple Church at Bailey many years ago and always remained a member.
A life has closed, a light has been eclipsed, and a good man has gone. He was an honest, upright citizen and possessed a fund of good spirits which were almost inexhaustible. He ever strove to see good in others and spoke well of them at all times, he was master of hard work, he gave his life to his family, and was faithful to the last and died trusting in the one who gave him life. The funeral was held at the Chubbuck School house, Wednesday, October 18, conducted by Rev. Rexford of Sparta and he was laid to rest in the Seaman Cemetery at North Casnovia where Harrison’s have a lot.
“A precious one from us has gone,
A voice we loved is stilled,
A place is vacant in our home
Which never and be filled.
God in his wisdom has recalled
The boon his love has given
And the body moulder’s here
The soul is safe in heaven.”