I was the second oldest great-grandchild and the
first great-granddaughter. I spent quite a bit of time
(summers) in Munith with grandma Susie and great-grandfather
Anson during my early childhood. Anson gave me a lot of
special attention which I loved, of course. He and I would
walk up town fairly often. He would take me to the beauty
shop for a 15 cent haircut, and we usually had an ice cream cone
to eat while walking back home. He walked with a cane so
it was a fairly slow trip.
I have a paper from the military advising him that his pension
would be increased a small amount because of incorrect figuring
of the original amount. I think the final amount was about
$75 per month.
He bought a home in Munith for his daughter Susie and him.
After my grandfather's death at an early age, the farm was sold
to one of the children.
Great-grandfather bought me a pair of fairly tall rubber boots
when I was about 5. My first day of school my mother was
insisting that I wear them because it was raining. I
resisted even though we lived across from the school. My
mother prevailed, and I wore them but was tardy my first day of
first grade. (no kindergarten at the school)
Great-grandfather bought my mother a Ford of some kind for $600
so that she could drive back and forth from Carsonville to
Munith to visit with 3 fairly young ones in tow.
I remember when mother got a telegram from grandma saying
"grandpa very low; come at once". We left right away
arriving in Munith after about 4 hours. When we got to the
street in Munith we could see the wreath on the front door which
meant that he had passed away. Visitation was at the house
with his casket in my grandmother's bedroom.
There was an interesting article in the Jackson paper in 1937
about a missing key with Anson's name and Civil War
insignia. It had been lost at their house 30 years
before. They weren't sure how it disappeared but what
later happened strengthened the theory that a boarder at my
grandmother's had left suddenly with the key. A doctor,
originally from Munith, stopped in Colorado during a gunfight
and robbery between Colorado Springs and Pueblo. He got
out of his car to check the wrecked car and found the key lying
on the ground. He knew Anson but acquaintances told him
that he had passed away. Many years later when he was
visiting Munith to attend a veterans' function, there was
Anson. The doctor had the key, gave it back, and the
story broke about the mystery. I have the newspaper
clipping and also the key, ring and insignia.
Walter Koelz, a world-renowned naturalist, was born in Waterloo,
MI. where Anson had settled when he came to Michigan.
Walter was an eccentric person, labeled a "kook" by those around
his home area, but he headed many expeditions all over the
world. He kept his home in Waterloo and would return to it
every few years for a few months.
He and my great-grandfather were life-long friends though they
didn't see each other or communicate very often.
Occasionally, he would write to Anson and I think every time he
returned to his home for a period, before taking off on another
expedition he would come to Munith to visit great-grandpa.
I can remember seeing him there at least once.
Great-Grandpa loved Limburger cheese. When he and grandma
were still on the farm my grandmother made him keep it in a can
in a back room. He was okay with that and could still get
it when he wanted it. I don't remember him having it
after they moved in town.
Great-Grandpa always had a supply of pennies in his
pockets. He gave some to me often as well as other
children who might appear.
Marjorie Robinson, August 23, 2016