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Note: From the memory of William F. Fenn, Grandson (8/4/2000):
Dad told me that he had very little contact with Granddaddy Fenn as a teen and after he was in the service. It appears as though he and Granddaddy Fenn only became close again after I was born. Dad's Military assignments were mainly on the east coast, so we would head to Charleston in the summer and at Christmas. Charleston was close to Tarboro, Granddaddy Fenn and Papa (William Jessen) became friends and he would normally come to Charleston for Christmas, while we were there.
Granddaddy Fenn didn't own an automobile, so all of his travel was either by train or with another party. We would generally pick him up in Tarboro and take him with us. He did own a car at one time, but failed to check the oil after buying it. When the engine burned up, due to no oil, he sold the remains and never bought another car.
In December, 1965 Bonita and I traveled from Manchester, N.H. to Charleston and picked Grandaddy Fenn up in Tarboro for the Charleston Christmas get together at Dad's house. It was right after that when he moved to Charleston to live with Mom and Dad. I believe he had spent one other extended period with them prior to 1965. I have pictures taken of him at Dad's house in the summer of 1966 somewhere amongst the boxes here in the basement. When he died, Mom either discouraged me from coming down for the Funeral or possibly didn't let me know about his death until after the Funeral, my memory is not quite clear on this fact.
Granddaddy Fenn loved his corn whiskey. I remember when Dad was driving back to New Port News, Va (I must have been 4 or 5 years old at that time) and was picked up for speeding in one of Virginia's speed traps. It was around 10 or 11 AM on a Sunday. Dad was real nervous because Granddaddy had already had a few sips of Corn Whiskey while we were traveling and Dad thought the police officer might smell the whiskey on his breath and assume everyone had been drinking. Dad ended up at a JP's court and ,since he was wearing his uniform, was able to convince the JP that he didn't have any money to pay a fine. The JP was sympathetic towards Dad and felt that he should be forgiven this infraction for his service to the country during the War. Dad didn't get a ticket and Mom was happy because all they had was about $50 cash on them (and possibly to their name), .... that could have been the fine.
Come to think of it, I never remember Granddaddy Fenn drinking anything but Corn Whiskey. Papa owned a liquor store in Charleston and I remember him always making sure there was a bottle of Corn Whiskey there for Granddaddy Fenn. I don't remember the brand, might have had the label "Old Crow" even though I associate that with bourbon. Maybe they bottled corn under this label.
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