Blodgett - Pierce Family --- Family Stories

Stories of my Father's Experiences (Forrest Milo Blodgett)

by Alan Blodgett

Winter Snows:

The family lived on the north end of Bear Lake,
and at other times directly across the road to
the east of the lake. Sometimes, when there was
deep winter snow, he was allowed to take their
one horse and sleight to carry he and his siblings
to the one room elementary school in Stockton
(near where we now frequently have reunions).

Winter at Bear Lake

The down side was that the horse got hot pulling through the deep snow and had to be rubbed down
till dry and then to tether him before father could join the others in the school room. Arriving late to
the class room meant the teacher had already given his group of older students a self directed
assignment and moved on to teaching the younger children. Father had to get the assignment by
interrupting someone else much to his and their disgust.

The Old Large Wheeled Bicycle:

Father went to high School in Brocton. He had an old fashion bicycle which at that time had an
enormous front wheel with the pedals welded to the wheel, so one had to keep his feet on the pedals
to have any braking control. There was no coaster brake. Leaving home near Bear Lake the road was
dirt and rutted, and goes down a steep hill (as it still does, in its paved form, to this day).
He invariably gave up the pedals as he gained speed and flew down the hill to a cross road at
the bottom, where he crossed that road, went over the far ditch and into a fence. He would then
pick himself up and continue on to school. A daily occurrence.

Working off Property Taxes

Father was often pressed into service to help contribute to family property taxes by maintaining
the dirt road by Bear Lake and down the hill to the north. The road maintenance was a family affair.
At times he was tasked with taking the horse and wagon and loading it at a gravel pit. Then going
along the road to fill in washed out ruts. He also helped maintain the ditches to control water
run off. I don't recall his saying how much this helped the tax situation.

Silas Bird Blodgett's "New" Automobile:

This story of my grandfather was mostly word of mouth to me. Silas learned to drive a Model T Ford
early in the 20th century. By the mid thirties new model T's were not available. But he never managed
the transition to a gearshift and clutch of the newer model cars. His old model T, held together with
bailing wire, was slowly coming to an end, when one day, passing a junkyard, he noticed a Model T
that appeared to be in good (better) condition. The junk yard unit was only good for it's weight in scrap.
He affected an even swap. I do personally remember his showing it off to my father (Forrest) and me
in the mid thirties. He was proud of his "new" car.