LATER TEEN AGE AND TWENTIES - Parties and Sledding

With this post, the next section of Alfred's writing begins covering his late teens and twenties. 

"When I was about 18 yrs. old I had saved enough money to buy a horse and buggy.  The horse was a colt and I had to break him to drive and also ride.  I soon had him broke though and had a nice set of harness with white celluloid beads & loops and a set of spreaders also decked out in white beads (we called these spreaders Martingales.)  Of course the buggy had rubber tires.  It was my proudest moment up to that time when I drove out of the barn lot for the first time and drove to Lebanon Church for my first time. 

Now about this time there were several parties at various homes and for some reason a party at Bill Bovenschen was always a high light.  I don’t know if it was because of his six fine daughters or if it was him who always took a big part in making sure it was a good time for all.  The first girl I ever called for and went out on a date with was Grace Bovenschen.  Some how at a gathering or a party, Baker Letterman wanted to take Bertha Strietelmeier to a Childrens Night program at Howesville and she wouldn’t go unless another couple went along.  Some how the four of us got the dates arranged.  I still was plagued with the idea that I was not on a par with the rest of the crowd.  I was still a poor “waif” the victim of a circumstance I couldn’t help.  With this in mind I didn’t ask Grace for another date.  I felt she was a level above me, plus the daughter of one of the most prominent families in the neighborhood. 

William Bovenschen Family c. 1910 Grace is 2nd from left
From the Moehlmann Family  Collection

 So with this complex I started to mingle with young folks farther away from home.  Don’t get me wrong, I did not shun the young folks in the neighborhood nor was I shunned by them.  I still was invited to the parties and church social affairs, skating parties, chivories [shivaree], etc. and always had a good time. 

And when speaking of skating I must mention the parties held on the pond or reservoir on the Herman Schloot farm.  This body of water was the biggest and also the deepest for miles around.  We had to be sure that the ice was frozen thick enough to be safe.  One moonlight night a skating party was arranged and we had really had a ball.  But “Aunt” Tress had had one of the “hardest” falls I ever saw.  It seemed like both feet went out from under her at the same time and she lit on what you usually sit on.  It was a jarring fall, the hardest I ever seen any one have.  I imagine the ice cracked where she hit.  I do know the party broke up after the spill.

 Another thing that comes to mind that occurred in the winter had to do with a heavy snow fall probably about 1913 or 14.  Everything was tied up as far as work was concerned and I went over to my friend’s house, Ed Kramer.  We were in the barn just talking, when Ed’s father came in.  Now Old “Bill” Kramer just couldn’t stand to see anyone idle, so he said “Why don’t you boys make a bob sled.”  Of course we had never seen one of the type he explained but it sounded like fun and we got busy.  Saws, axes, augers and shaving blade was our main tools.  We cut the lower two Hickory saplings about 2 or 3 inches in diameter and about 16 feet long.  The idea was to make the runners and shafts all in one piece.  About the middle of these poles we shaved about half the wood off, built a fire, bent the poles so the shafts would stick up, held the shaved off part over the fire to bake and make it rigid.  Then we cut down another tree about 6 inches in diameter and about 4 feet long.  We bored 2 holes (1 inch) in each runner being careful not to bore through.   We made four stakes about 4 ft. long, whittled and shaved each end so they would fit the auger hole. We gauged the width so it would be the same as the wagon or buggy, then we bored holes in the 6 inch log at the proper angle, set it on the stakes and our sled stood up about 3 ½ feet high.  We put a bolt in each shaft to fasten the tug too.  Then with a lap robe and horse blanket draped over the log which was our seat, we were ready for a ride.  It was bitter cold but we tried it out that night.  I got my horse and believe me he was “raring” to go.  For a harness we only used a bridle & reins, a collar, harness & tugs.  (No hold-back straps.)  We took a wild ride, with snow from the horses hoofs so thick we couldn’t see – just turned him loose and hung on our seat.  After about a mile or so running I suppose the horse began to tire and he settled down to a trot.  We went to Sommerville Church where they were having a “revival meeting.”  After church we got our “rig” out and very few had ever seen such a contraption.  The horse was cold and wanted to run, so off we go again.  Even as cold as it was the horse was covered with foam from sweating.  We hovered with 2 horse blankets so he would not chill and catch a cold.  We went out every night with our sled, alternating my horse and Ed’s horse.  Uncle Dietz had a black stallion called Max and he said why don’t you hitch Max to the sled?  We did and Uncle Dietz went along.  This horse was big and strong and he gave us one of the wildest rides I ever took.  He ran at full speed for over 2 miles; I never went over the Henry Bovenschen hill any faster, even in an automobile.  We took one of the longest rides on this night.  First to Sommerville Church and then to Vicksburg; from there to Brownstown and back home.  This snow stayed on for about 2 weeks and it was a good thing we had 3 horses to alternate for we had them pretty well “gaffed out” befor the snow melted.  Most of the roads were clay and as a rule even the gravel roads would get bad during the winter.  We would either ride horse back or hitch a horse to a light cart that we had to break colts in to drive.  There was only room for 2 on the cart and that made a good load for a driving horse to pull."

Bill (William) Bovenschen is the son of an 1854 German immigrant, Diedrick Bovenschen. You may be sensing what Alfred's future holds as he talks about the  Bovenschen's. There will be many more stories about the Bovenschen family who lives just down the road from Alfred.  Right now Alfred is still suffering from the fact that his parents divorced and his "poor" circumstances.

The Kramer's are also German immigrants to Greene county. "Old Bill Kramer" as Alfred called him was the son of  the 1850 immigrant August Kramer.  William's land was just across the road from the Tendick's and Alfred and Ed Kramer grew up together.  I marvel at the ability of the two boys to make their horse drawn sled. And what fun they had afterwards.