Wow, thanks to cousin Dan I now know my Grandpa was a moonshiner. Well, not quite. He made wine during Prohibition, not rot-gut whiskey. I wonder how he did it? Where did he get grapes? The only grapes I remember spotting in Michigan were wild Concord grapes, very blue, tart and with not much meat around the seed.
But, I also remember that Grandpa had a deep love of green grapes, so without any empirical evidence, I bet he made white wine. The irony here is he was no drinker himself, as Dan notes. He was a strict follower of Christian Science. But he also apparently hated any government interference in a man's personal life; thus his Prohibition-era activities.
One thing I don't yet know is whether he gave this home-made wine away or sold it? I imagine some family member much more in the know than I can supply the answer.
I could never get close to my grandfather. He was too intimidating, and dismissive of my oddness. He could not appreciate that I was born lacking all engineering skills. These many decades later, another irony is that I work only with engineers.
Plus this: He and I share a deep resentment of gratuitous government power. My immigrant Grandpa and I were much more alike than I ever realized when I was young. The only way I've discovered this is through this blog.
If anyone ever needed a reason to begin this kind of personal blog, maybe this story will help them start one.
-30-
2 comments:
David,
There is indeed some evil in the hearts of all men. We've all known small people who would claim credit for the work of others.
If it is higher level collusion and intrigue that interests you, exploring Dad's early experience at Chrysler Corporation might fascinate. The same qualities that propelled his early automotive career at Fisher Body came squarely against the corruption at Chrysler in the late 50s. As the youngest General Superintendent at Chrysler, heading up skilled trades at the then new Twinsburg Stamping Plant, he uncovered a scheme involving a corporate vice president who was getting kickbacks from a sham business operated in his wife's name. In spite of attempts to threaten and bribe him, he exposed what he knew, leading to a corporation wide shake up in 1959 and 1960. A well known Detroit based attorney, Sol Dan, moved legal action which eventually blew the lid off and ultimately changed the Chrysler board. At one point, Dad threw a corporate rep out of his office when the rep told him it would be a shame if anything were to happen to his young family. On another occasion, Mother called him at the plant to say there was a strange man attempting to leave an expensive shop tool at our home. He had her put the man on the phone and told him that if he and the tool did not leave immediately, he would call the police to have him arrested.
This had a lot to do with Dad's resignation from Chrysler in 1959 and our family's move to Florida (it was also a good time to be near Grandpa and Grandma as they were facing some difficult times).
Somehow, I think Dad's remarkable life would make a far more interesting book than two spoiled brats from the baby boom generation. What do you think?
Dan
Agreed. Uncle George is a hero.
Post a Comment