|
a.
|
Note: section I 093 Autobiography
June 12, 1968
"The chronicle of events of ones lifetime is rather hard to adhere to, as ones thoughts do not always put the events in the proper order. Therefore- you will find passages interposed as the thoughts rearrange themselves.
I was born November 5, 1898 at 8th & Barclay Sts. in the City of Chester, PA., (723 Barclay St.) the third child of Wm. Elias Eby & Mary C. Pressler Eby, who were the first couple to be married in the new Ev. Chirch of the Holy Trinity (Lutheran) on Kerlin Street above Third St. The other children of the above couple were: Edward Daniel Eby, Edna Mae, both older than me, and Margaret, for years my junior.
We were no doubt just an average family and amused ourselves with the offering of the times which were few.
As a child, I believe my earlies recollections was after school started. I recall my teachers of the early grades and my bout with the dread diptheria, which was also contracted by Edward & Margaret.
As I grew older, I naturally entered into the activities of the neighborhood boys, which sometimes led into strict disciplinary action by my Dad. However, I do not feel that I was abused, nor did I at the time have any reason to think I would like to carry a card and start a movement. Possibly we were not free thinkers in those days.
I believe I have had my share of the excitement and also pain of growing up years. The excitement and joy of special days- Christmas-Birthdays-picnics, and vacations which were few and generally spent at Chester Heights Camp Meeting grounds. The pain of emergency trips to the very handy Chester Hospital for cuts considered too severe for home treatment and a badly injured right eye.
I spent my early years going to Lincoln School (5 years). Sixth Grade in first floor back of original C.H.S. 7th & 8th grade at Larkin School (Broad & Crosby Sts). Then back to Chester High School.
During High School vacations after Sophomore year, I worked at Penn Steel Casting Co. at Front & Penn St. Chester, PA. My first summer as office boy and my next summer I worked on Cost Estimates for Mr. Frank Briner. I returned to High School for my Senior Year and had Monday & Tuesday afternoons free. This was during the war in Europe and before we actively became engaged, but because we stepped up war work in our industries, I was asked to return to Penn Steel on my afternoons off and was paid as much for my time as I had received for a full week during the summer. Needless to say this was a windfall for me, for as you know, senior years require much larger expenditures and it was a good feeling to be able to pay your way without calling on Dad for everything.
Before the end of my Senior Year at C.H.S. the U.S. became actively engaged in the war in Europe and industry was clamoring for men.
The Benzol Products Co. of Naaman's, Del. (later National Aniline & Chemical Co.) had sent a request to C.H.S. for graduating students who had some chemistry training. John Diggins (now Judge at Media) and I were sent down for an interview as we both had 2 years chemistry- and went to work as Lab. Asst's in the Research Department.
Now to digress:- The summer before I entered High School as Freshman (1913), I had gone to N.Y. with Bertram Wilde, My socusing to visit our Aunt Edith. Here we renewed acquaintance with our Uncle Jacob Spielman who was on from Oklahoma City and met Frank Nagle who later married Aunt Edie. While in N.Y. I received word that my brother Edward was seriously ill. He had typhoid fever and died. He was a very popular young man, very well known throughout the city. He had been working at the Penn Steel at the time he was taken ill. Our Father was Book Keeper and Cashier at Penn Steel, which explains no doubt why & how we happened to get employment at the Plant.
To resume: We left school 2 weeks early to accept the jobs at Benzol Products, and received our High School Diplomas unsigned by the Principal, J.G.E. Smedley as he had suddenly died before commencement. His death was a great loss to the Chester Schools for he was generally well liked, a great educator and disciplinarian. I had read recently where the school board had set his salary at that time at $2500 per year.
Our family moved to Ridley Park, #5, around Sept. 1917.
While at National Aniline, I met Margaret Ferry and we dated and attended dances & parties together. We were married and had one child- Berniece Margaret.
We lived with Mother & Dad Ferry until I was sent to Lewistown, PA by the Viscose Co. to break in Laboratory Control Crews at the Plant which was not yet in production but which started operations after we arrived there. We lived at the Lewistown Hotel for a few nights (Phew! had to get out of there) then went to the Y.M.C.A. Even with the activity of starting a new operation it was a lonesome life, so I made arrangements for a home and came back to pick up loose ends in Chester to prepare your grandmother and mother for the trip to Lewistown. We lived at 424 So. Wayne St. in a new row house- smooth concrete blocks with black morter- flat roofs- what a row. Brand new but what architecture!! Being 10 houses in the row, we called "it" the "Ten Commandments" along with such fond names as "The Barracks" and "Prison Row." These houses had been built by local B & Loan Assn. which had an eye for business as they knew the town would soon be jumping after the Viscose Co. started hiring and got into full operation.
We left Lewistown in Oct 1925 and returned to R.P. and spent the winter at #5. I went to work at Eddystone Print Div. of Bancroft in Laboratory on special assignment in endeavor to perfect processes which would give the company a product which was so necessary in those days to give business a shot in the arm. I was sent to Wilmington plant when new Arrestox Div. was opened. The division was a plant for applying special waterproof finish to the famous Bancroft line of window shades..."
|
