Random Clear Memories by Julia Clear of the Clear Family

Random Clear Memories
As recalled by Julia May Clear

I was swinging in a stanchion in Grandpa Henry's cow barn. He turned the cows loose. I got scared and jumped down catching my knee on a nail. I still have the scar. Also, I remember playing by the ramp going up into the barn from the road. Caroline fell over the side and got cut badly. We were quite small at the time.

Margaret visited a school near Mackinaw that started before ours did at Hebron and she got the Cuban itch [a mild form of smallpox] from the kids at school. Every child in our school got it, too. We all had huge sores on our arms, legs, and hands. Whenever the pus from the sore ran it started a new sore. My ear was covered and my right hand, I remember. I was trying to turn the separator for Aunt Deen and it was hard to do. The county nurse came to the school and gave us, I think, mercury salve to put on the sores. There was no point in closing the school down. I know Grandpa Henry poured Japanese oil on Margaret's legs. I don't think it did any good but she sure yelled. He thought it was funny.

I stayed at Grandma's quite often and one day Grandma told Florence to go to the old house and empty a certain crock. Florence told me to do it, and I emptied a whole crock of fresh cream that was to be used to make butter. I don't think Florence told me to do her job again. I think we were both in trouble that day.

Bill Shinnaberry stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Clear for a while. He was there while we lived up there during 1932 to 1934. Ray Clear lived there, too, and he would pick on Bill so much. At the table he would push Bill's head down into his cup or stick his finger in Bill's mouth as he went to take a bite, etc. All of the Clear's liked to pick. My dad as much as any of them. They just loved to get something on someone and keep teasing until something happened but they couldn't take a joke themselves too well. The Armantrout boys used ro come down here when Oscar and Deen lived next door to us. If they didn't find anyone home they would rig up a pale of water over the door. It would have to have been at night. When Oscar opened the door, he got doused with water. He didn't think that was funny at all. But, he played all kinds of tricks on the boys up north.

Henry Clear, seated in center, with family on porch of home he built in Carp Lake, Michigan

I remember Aunt Nome, Betty, Emma Lee, Tillie and Oren, and Uncle Hen Martin being at Grandma's house. Also, Uncle Charlie Stillwell one time. Betty had what she called a 'wind blown bob'. I thought it was beautiful. I walked home in a blizzard that day. I know I wore Dad's overcoat. Aunt Nome said she would not have gone out in that storm for anything. I thought it was fun! What I didn't think was fun was eating frozen potatoes. We kept them in Grandma's cellar and by the time we could carry them home a mile and a quarter they were frozen.

The highway I75 passes right over where Grandpa's house stood. The old Knowlton house is gone now, too, along with the lone pine tree that used to stand in Grandpa's yard. So, it is hard to find the old farm from the highway. It is south of Mackinaw City and east of the Maples corner on the road that goes to Carp Lake.

I remember when Grandma was sick in bed for so long. The cat had scratched her hand and it never healed. She had sugar diabetes and dropsy. She got so big and bloated. They took her out of the house in a long basket. Junior Shinnaberry and I stood there and watched as they took her out. He was only six years old and could not understand what had happened.

Also, I remember one time when Junior Shinnaberry crouched down in his seat in school and cut off all his eyebrows and eyelashes.

Florence, Grandma and I used to pick wild huckaberries just east of Grandpa's farm, spend all day in nearly the same spot and bring home a washtub full of them. They would pour them from one container to another and let the wind blow the leaves away. Also, when we lived in Mackinaw, Dad and Ray used to pick and bring home mushrooms by the bushel. They sure were delicious.

Grandma 'Em'
Emeline Stillwell

[Note: The Florence referred to in this story is Florence Ruth Clear, daughter of Clarence Raymond Clear and his second wife, Jessie Lillian Taylor. Florence was born June 24, 1916, at the home of her grandparents William Henry and Emma. She lived there after her mother died in 1921, and stayed there until the death of Grandma Emma in 1934.]

I also remember staying with Aunt Deen when Oscar would go to Ohio. As he came around the corner from Grandpa's he would really blow the horn on the old Model A Ford. It sounded good.

One time Dick said he was trying to get some wild bees down out of a tree. He cut the limb off thinking he could get the queen bee to go into the hive and the others would follow. Oscar was lying on the ground and laughing as the bees went after Dick. When the bees got too bad Dick ran over and laid down right beside Oscar. Oscar jumped up and ran for the bushes and stuck his head right into them. It wasn't funny anymore. Because the bees left Dick and went after Oscar. Aunt Deen laughed so hard she cried every time she told this story.

I remember us kids going into the old house where George Stillwell used to live (just north and and east - in the woods - in back of where Oscar and Dena lived) and there was a skunk in there. The lilac bushes are still growing and blooming where George Taylor lived east of Grandpa's house, after all these years.

One time when we lived in St. Johns...no, I think it was on the Gower Farm at Eureka - Grandma, Ray, Florence, Oscar, and Deen stopped and stayed overnight on their way to Ohio. Oscar had a green rubber snake and he just about scared us kids to death with it.

Aunt Goldie and Florence each had a black dress with a white collar and cuffs that I liked. They would get dressed up and go dancing at the Maples. Aunt Goldie made a bolero dress and a white blouse for me one year. Mom made me a green print dress and an orange dress.


Charles Stillwell, Oscar Clear, & Dick Coleman.

I wish Grandma and Grandpa could come back now and see all the things we have - such as television - and all the electrical appliances. I have ironed with her old sad irons. They were rightfully named, that's for sure.

Julie May Clear