— GMU —

The foregoing was written by my father somewhere between 1923 when he remarried after the death of my mother, and 1926 when his wife (Margaret) became mentally incapacitated. He never again saw her in good health. She eventually made a total recovery after about twenty years in a N.Y. State Hospital, and is living in reasonably good health today (1954). In the meantime, my father died June 26, 1935, aged 83.

I shall now take up the story with a few reminiscences of my own in the course of which I shall include the highlights of his life from where he left it to the end.

My boyhood was in great contrast to his. I was born Dec. 11, 1883, and was the youngest of four children, Florence, Edna, William, Edgar, Jr., and myself. In 1895 my sister Ruth was born, whereupon my family rank advanced from ultimate to Penultimate.

From 1880 my father had several years of prosperity and before I began to take notice of or interest in my material surroundings he had bought and remodeled a large "detached" house set in spacious grounds on Dean Street, Brooklyn. This house was my home until 1907 when "the panic" swept it and everything else out of my father's possession. It was a beautiful home. There were 14 rooms, each one spacious. In remodeling it selected fancy woods were drawn from my father's warehouse, both lumber for trim and veneers for paneling. Those which I remember were Mahogany, White Mahogany, Quartered English Oak and Walnut. The furniture- rugs, drapes - were in keeping and in excellent taste, according to the styles or vogue of the period. It was a beautiful home in the best sense. It was primarily for living, not for show, and as presided over by my dear matchless mother, it extended warmth and hospitality. How tragic, it seems to me, that my children never knew their grandmother. I am happy that they had many years with their grandfather. Had they had the opportunity they would have loved their grandmother equally well.

The house was set in large grounds, 114 feet in width, and a full block in depth. It was shaded by two very large sycamores in front, and two large elms at the side. The "backyard" was divided by a long grape arbor. On one side was a lawn which we used for tennis and/or croquet, and on the other side there were four cherry trees (sour, white and two Black