|
a.
|
Note: H00002
Note: Aris was born on June 1, 1911 in Gowen, Michigan (Montcalm County and Montcalm Township); second child of Alfred and Vera Harris Haskins. His father was 22 and his mother 19 years when Aris was born. In 1923, when Aris was 12 years old, his parents divorced in Greenville, Michigan. Aris and his younger sister June went to live with their father's parents Aris and Eunice Haskins, probably on their farm in Spencer Township (Kent County) until Alfred married his third wife in 1925. Alfred and Laura then purchased an 80 acre farm north of Gowen and West of Turk Lake and Aris and June returned home. My father Ward Haskins was born on this farm in 1930. During the Prohibition Era, when Aris was in his teenage years, Alfred operated a speedboat between Detroit, Michigan and Winsor, Ontario running alcohol from Canada into Detroit. It was during this episode that Aris became addicted to vodka and remained an intermittant alcoholic for the rest of his life. Aris married Helen Madelene Gould of Belding, Michigan on August 3, 1929 in the town of Greenville, Michigan and they presumably stayed on the farm until the farm mortgage was foreclosed in 1938 and sold at a Sheriff's sale for $990. Aris (he went by the name of "John") then moved with his wife Helen and children in Muskegon Heights, Michigan. They settled at 3130 Highland Ave, Muskegon Heights, Michigan until their eventual passing. Although he only obtained an 8th grade education, Aris was a master mechanic, metal worker, and electronics technician. He was an artist at repairing smashed car bodies. He could repair almost any engine or mechanical system known during his active years. The same for TV sets, radios, etc. From 1938 - 1941, Aris repaired cars in his two car garage, but the complaints of the neighbors eventually caused him to take employment with Robinson's Body Shop in Muskegon Heights in 1942. He drove the wrecker and towed in wrecked and disabled vehicals as well as repairing and mending car bodies. In 1943 or thereabouts, Aris went to work for Hooper's Chevrolet Sales as a bodyman and mechanic, and also ran the body shop there. In 1945, Aris opened his own body shop at the corner of Summitt and Merriam roads in Muskegon and had 3 employees. His son Ward also worked there after school. Aris bought and rebuilt wrecked cars for resale and also built several race cars for the local circuit. The race course was at "Whiskey Ridge" outside of Muskegon. Both Aris and Ward drove the shop built racers at the track. Ward raced for two years until he rolled one over and ended up downhill in the creek. He decided the odds were better as a mechanic. The Aris Haskins method of preventing theft of parked cars: take one Model T ignition coil (50k volts) and ground to car frame. Feed live wire of battery to coil with on/off switch. Weld metal washer of suitable size to fender wall of engine compartment. Attach high tension line of coil to metal rod and suspend metal rod in hole of the metal washer without it touching the sides of the washer. Leave clearance between metal rod and wall of washer at one sixteenth inch or less. Throw on/off switch to on position and leave thief to his fate. [A thief attempting to pull open a door or raise the hood will shake the car sufficiently to cause the metal rod to make contact with the side of the metal washer - releasing 50,000 volts instantly into the car body. As the thief will be in contact with the car body and the ground, the full current - with amperage increased due to resistance of car body - will pass through the thief]. The screams of the thief will serve as the alarm for the police to be summoned. An ambulance is also recommended. Sometime between 1952 and 1953 Aris sold the business and went to work as a sheetmetal restorer for Norge Refridgeration in Muskegon. He worked there until the plant was sold in 1963 or thereabouts. He next went to work as a security guard for Pinkerton's in Muskegon at various job sites. In or about 1974, Aris left Pinkerton's and worked as a security guard at Ottawa Tanning and Leather until his retirement in 1981 or 1982. Aris died at home in 1985, ostensively from heart problems due to drinking. Dad says Helen (who was exceptionally stubborn and strong willed) drove him out of the car body business and into future job shifts. This constant spousal conflict may have kept Aris drinking his vodka and schnapps. [Sources - Recollections of Ward, Meradene, and Roger Haskins; 2000].
|
