How did your grandfather look? Tall, short??

Vinnerzz · Jul 1, 2016

Hey guys,

The reason why i asked this is because i love to know how others grand parents were. What did they do for a living? What for work have they done? Were they in the military?
My grandpa was in construction and working on rice field.

Ken The Kanuck · Jul 1, 2016

This is my maternal grandfather from around 1900, he served in the army under the name Alderman as his mother was some kind of mucky mucky in England and got knocked up 6 months before she got married. So Gramps was an embarassment to his folks. (fook em). He was around 5'-6" and was a boxer. He used to tell me about his time in India, which is one of the reasons I went there. Picture is on tin.

KTK

Vinnerzz · Jul 1, 2016

Ken The Kanuck said:

This is my maternal grandfather from around 1900, he served in the army under the name Alderman as his mother was some kind of mucky mucky in England and got knocked up 6 months before she got married. So Gramps was an embarassment to his folks. (fook em). He was around 5'-6" and was a boxer. He used to tell me about his time in India, which is one of the reasons I went there. Picture is on tin.

KTK

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Nice. And what for job did he do? Besides serving in the army. And how long did u'r grandpa boxed?

Biak · Jul 1, 2016

My Paternal Grandfather on the right. That's his brother-in-law on the left. Taken in 1917. Us old codgers reach a ways back! Growing up I remember Grandpa as being like John Wayne, seemed like he was 6'4" but really around 5'10" 200lbs & shoulders that would make Paul Bunyon jealous. Living was tough back in the 1920's-1940's and he had a number of jobs; township road commissioner, Millwright, coal miner (he had his own small coal mine for a while), guided hot shot Chicago honcho's during the Duck season and a few other odd jobs to make ends meet. One was supplying the local saloons with fresh fish and wild game. Seasons & limits were just suggestions

Ken The Kanuck · Jul 1, 2016

He was a machinist by trade, but during the depression he did whatever it took to put food on the table, sold carved coconuts, etc. He was born in the 1870's and died in the 1970's, we shared a couple of acres in the 50's and a house after that. I don't know when he stopped boxing but he used to give me lessons in the 60's when he was in his 80's.

I will look for his army book, but this story has been told before.

KTK

Vinnerzz · Jul 1, 2016

Biak said:

My Paternal Grandfather on the right. That's his brother-in-law on the left. Taken in 1917. Us old codgers reach a ways back! Growing up I remember Grandpa as being like John Wayne, seemed like he was 6'4" but really around 5'10" 200lbs & shoulders that would make Paul Bunyon jealous. Living was tough back in the 1920's-1940's and he had a number of jobs; township road commissioner, Millwright, coal miner (he had his own small coal mine for a while), guided hot shot Chicago honcho's during the Duck season and a few other odd jobs to make ends meet. One was supplying the local saloons with fresh fish and wild game. Seasons & limits were just suggestions

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So your grandpa had to be strong... quite tall for someone in the 20's and 200 LBS wow... he had to be strong... You remember him good? How was he in his old day still fit and strong?

Vinnerzz · Jul 1, 2016

Ken The Kanuck said:

He was a machinist by trade, but during the depression he did whatever it took to put food on the table, sold carved coconuts, etc. He was born in the 1870's and died in the 1970's, we shared a couple of acres in the 50's and a house after that. I don't know when he stopped boxing but he used to give me lessons in the 60's when he was in his 80's.

I will look for his army book, but this story has been told before.

KTK
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I would love to hear it sir!. I love old stories so im intrested.

Vinnerzz · Jul 1, 2016

Ken The Kanuck said:

He was a machinist by trade, but during the depression he did whatever it took to put food on the table, sold carved coconuts, etc. He was born in the 1870's and died in the 1970's, we shared a couple of acres in the 50's and a house after that. I don't know when he stopped boxing but he used to give me lessons in the 60's when he was in his 80's.

I will look for his army book, but this story has been told before.

KTK

Click to expand...

Nice sir. Did he ever told u about his life in the army? Did he fought in some war? How was the training?

Ken The Kanuck · Jul 1, 2016

He fought in the Kyhber Pass in the Hindu Kush and he was wounded. While he was in the hospital he was tattooed from arsehole to breakfast. He talked more about the Indian people than the army. If you have ever spent any time in India you would probably understand why. He got a merit rating or whatever for swimming.

KTK

Vinnerzz · Jul 1, 2016

Ken The Kanuck said:

He fought in the Kyhber Pass in the Hindu Kush and he was wounded. While he was in the hospital he was tattooed from arsehole to breakfast. He talked more about the Indian people than the army. If you have ever spent any time in India you would probably understand why. He got a merit rating or whatever for swimming.

KTK
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Well sir, my ancestors coming from India(He left India to work for Surinam(South America colony of Holland) But u'r grandpa was quite fit... I'm sure about that. I't was a tough time.

McCabe · Jul 1, 2016

My paternal grandfather had a background in precision machinery, auto repair, and repairing clocks. After high school, he worked in several departments of the federal government as a clerk, before landing at Aberdeen Proving Ground, where he was a laboratory mechanic and technician. He helped test and repair all types of combat vehicles. Deemed a necessary asset to APG's National Defense Program, he received several deferments before finally being drafted into the Army in early '43. He went to service school at Fort McClellan, Alabama, and shipped over to North Africa in November of '43. He received his permanent unit assignment with the 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division just a few days before they landed at Anzio in January of '44, and he was with them for the rest of the war. After his return to the U.S. and discharge from the Army, he worked for his brother in a store in Baltimore. He got his pilot's license and started flying small aircraft, and I think he gave lessons. Later on in life, he opened up his own (sports?) store with my grandmother.

LRusso216 · Jul 1, 2016

Both of my grandfathers were Italian immigrants in the late 19th Century. Neither served in the military. My maternal grandfather was a barber. I got my haircuts from him until I was 12 or 13. I'm not sure if my paternal grandfather ever worked. I remember him being the "Mayor of S. 10th Street" in Philadelphia. When the sun was on his side of the street in the morning, he kept his lawn chair there. When it moved to the other side of the street in the afternoon, he would carry his chair across the street to follow it.

Ken The Kanuck · Jul 1, 2016

Vinnerzz said:

Well sir, my ancestors coming from India(He left India to work for Surinam(South America colony of Holland) But u'r grandpa was quite fit... I'm sure about that. I't was a tough time.
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You should visit India, I am pretty sure that you will be blown away by the place. I was.

KTK

Slipdigit · Jul 1, 2016

My maternal grandfather was a tall man, nearly 6 ft, 4 inches, but was a gentle giant. We were close, talking several times a week on the phone until he died in 2003. By then, he had shrunk about 6 inches and was shorter than me. It was disconcerting, as I always remembered him as a tall, muscular man who worked like a government mule in the cotton mill and around the house. During most of the 1960s he worked two jobs, the mill as a loom fixer and delivering mail on a rural route. He would be up at 6am or before to sort, then deliver the letters and packages. He would get home about 1 pm, eat and freshen up a bit then go to the mill to work the 2-10 shift, fixing the looms, getting home about 10:30pm.

Here he is at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, enjoying the gentle summer climate offered by that training facility.

View attachment 24558

Here he is "teaching" me how to shoot a BB gun at age 3. Note that I am not left handed. I still have that BB gun, BTW.

View attachment 24560

In the distance, you can barely see The Big House, my great-grandfather's home which was build in the 1860s. It was the setting for my cousins and I to play "the Dirty Dozen." It was a large, imposing Greek Revival house that was a wonderland for a gaggle of boys to play around. It has a secret room and trap doors and all kind of treasures in the out buildings. With several hundred acres of woods and what not around us, we fought WWII over and over.

My paternal grandfather did not serve in the war-he had a large family by then and was a farmer. He was about 5-6 and every bit a bantam rooster. He didn't start a lot of crap, but for sure didn't take anything off of anyone. He'd fight at the drop of a hat. He worked hard, also, farming until 1962, when a barn fire devastated his farm. They lost three tractors, eight horses, a large number of hogs (that were going to market the next day), several other animals, including a puppy, and a large amount of hay and feed. The barn was nearly an acre in size. Electricity went to he house, then to the barn, then to the pump house, so they lost water fairly quickly. The fire consumed the barn, then caught another building between the house and barn alight. Without power to the pump house, they were unable initially to fight the secondary fire, which would threaten the home. The pump house housed an open well, so they were able to open it, dip water out, and form a bucket brigade with neighbors to keep the second building from burning down. He left farming, working various jobs including foreman of a road mowing crew, prison guard, and at a farm supply company. He died of malignant melanoma that formed on his scalp, which was odd because I never saw him outside without a covering of some sort on his head, usually a brown suede cowboy hat.

Here he is in the 1980s at the beach with one of his grandsons, a cousin of mine who was about 11 years old at the time. Note the dark brown arms and white legs-a classic farmer's tan.

View attachment 24559

Vinnerzz · Jul 2, 2016

McCabe said:

My paternal grandfather had a background in precision machinery, auto repair, and repairing clocks. After high school, he worked in several departments of the federal government as a clerk, before landing at Aberdeen Proving Ground, where he was a laboratory mechanic and technician. He helped test and repair all types of combat vehicles. Deemed a necessary asset to APG's National Defense Program, he received several deferments before finally being drafted into the Army in early '43. He went to service school at Fort McClellan, Alabama, and shipped over to North Africa in November of '43. He received his permanent unit assignment with the 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division just a few days before they landed at Anzio in January of '44, and he was with them for the rest of the war. After his return to the U.S. and discharge from the Army, he worked for his brother in a store in Baltimore. He got his pilot's license and started flying small aircraft, and I think he gave lessons. Later on in life, he opened up his own (sports?) store with my grandmother.
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That is a quite intresting story sir . It was a pretty tough time, and did he got any physical problems after the world war 2 ends?

Vinnerzz · Jul 2, 2016

LRusso216 said:

Both of my grandfathers were Italian immigrants in the late 19th Century. Neither served in the military. My maternal grandfather was a barber. I got my haircuts from him until I was 12 or 13. I'm not sure if my paternal grandfather ever worked. I remember him being the "Mayor of S. 10th Street" in Philadelphia. When the sun was on his side of the street in the morning, he kept his lawn chair there. When it moved to the other side of the street in the afternoon, he would carry his chair across the street to follow it.
Click to expand...

Nice Italian immigrants, And how did ur grandpa cut your hair You liked it? He would have had a good life i think

Vinnerzz · Jul 2, 2016

Ken The Kanuck said:

You should visit India, I am pretty sure that you will be blown away by the place. I was.

KTK
Click to expand...

I have visited India sir. But what place should i go than? maybe i can go to that place i would love to see that place what u will advice me

Vinnerzz · Jul 2, 2016

Slipdigit said:

My maternal grandfather was a tall man, nearly 6 ft, 4 inches, but was a gentle giant. We were close, talking several times a week on the phone until he died in 2003. By then, he had shrunk about 6 inches and was shorter than me. It was disconcerting, as I always remembered him as a tall, muscular man who worked like a government mule in the cotton mill and around the house. During most of the 1960s he worked two jobs, the mill as a loom fixer and delivering mail on a rural route. He would be up at 6am or before to sort, then deliver the letters and packages. He would get home about 1 pm, eat and freshen up a bit then go to the mill to work the 2-10 shift, fixing the looms, getting home about 10:30pm.

Here he is at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, enjoying the gentle summer climate offered by that training facility.

Grandfather.jpg

Here he is "teaching" me how to shoot a BB gun at age 3. Note that I am not left handed. I still have that BB gun, BTW.

BBgun.jpg

In the distance, you can barely see The Big House, my great-grandfather's home which was build in the 1860s. It was the setting for my cousins and I to play "the Dirty Dozen." It was a large, imposing Greek Revival house that was a wonderland for a gaggle of boys to play around. It has a secret room and trap doors and all kind of treasures in the out buildings. With several hundred acres of woods and what not around us, we fought WWII over and over.

My paternal grandfather did not serve in the war-he had a large family by then and was a farmer. He was about 5-6 and every bit a bantam rooster. He didn't start a lot of crap, but for sure didn't take anything off of anyone. He'd fight at the drop of a hat. He worked hard, also, farming until 1962, when a barn fire devastated his farm. They lost three tractors, eight horses, a large number of hogs (that were going to market the next day), several other animals, including a puppy, and a large amount of hay and feed. The barn was nearly an acre in size. Electricity went to he house, then to the barn, then to the pump house, so they lost water fairly quickly. The fire consumed the barn, then caught another building between the house and barn alight. Without power to the pump house, they were unable initially to fight the secondary fire, which would threaten the home. The pump house housed an open well, so they were able to open it, dip water out, and form a bucket brigade with neighbors to keep the second building from burning down. He left farming, working various jobs including foreman of a road mowing crew, prison guard, and at a farm supply company. He died of malignant melanoma that formed on his scalp, which was odd because I never saw him outside without a covering of some sort on his head, usually a brown suede cowboy hat.

Here he is in the 1980s at the beach with one of his grandsons, a cousin of mine who was about 11 years old at the time. Note the dark brown arms and white legs-a classic farmer's tan.

SG.jpg
Click to expand...

Hello sir,
What a nice story sir How lovely that u'r grandpa learned u to shoot very nice And did he learned u good? Are u a good shooter 6'4 u know how TALL THAT IS !!! even 6ft is still tall and definitely in his time when he was a young man, did ur tall grandpa had a good life? I think he had, and he made some hours wow, most people are not even able to do that. I feel so bad for u'r farming grandpa that he lost his farm but did he got any money from the goverment? Was u'r farming grandpa strong? I think he was farmers from those old times could work very hard and had big hands and could lift 100KG

OpanaPointer · Jul 2, 2016

This is "Dump" and "Roonie", my mother's father and mother, on their wedding day in 1928.. Everything Dump is wearing was borrowed, he didn't own anything but bib overalls. He was about 5' 10" IIRC. They were dirt farmers until after WWII, then Dump got a job building cars. Both pure Irish descent, as were the Y-donor's parents.

Ken The Kanuck · Jul 2, 2016

Vinnerzz said:

I have visited India sir. But what place should i go than? maybe i can go to that place i would love to see that place what u will advice me
Click to expand...

I landed in Calcutta from Rangoon, fom there flew to Nepal, after travelling around there took a train to New Delhi, then to Agra,Ajanta,Ellora to Bombay, boat to Goa then bus to Madras, then train to Puri and back to Calcutta, then train to Dargeeling, then train to Varanassa and then train back to New Delhi, from there flew to Surinagar and then to Amirisar from there to Kabual.

My apoligizes for my terrible spelling and my use of the old names. Which places interest you?

KTK

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How did your grandfather look? Tall, short??

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Ken The Kanuck Member

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Biak Boy from Illinois Staff Member

Ken The Kanuck Member

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Ken The Kanuck Member

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McCabe Active Member

LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

Ken The Kanuck Member

Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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