SYLVESTER BEECHER ENNES—MARGARET HARDY FAMILIES—1863-1957
SYLVESTER BEECHER ENNES, painter, timber cruiser,
son of Alonzo Havington Ennesand Olive Bird, was born in York township,
Union County, Ohio, June 26, 1863.
When young, Beecher Ennes helped his father on the
farms at Texas, Ohio, where they had lived since he was two. Later he traveled
with his uncle, Albert Brown who ran a huckster wagon in northern Ohio.
Beecher Ennes told the following story about a visit
to his mother’s folks, the Birds, in Union County, Ohio.
“In 1877, when I was 14 years old, I visited relatives
in Washington township in Union County.”
“That spring, father had the shoemaker on his annual
trip to Texas make a pair of shoes for each member of our family. He made
me a fine looking pair of leather boots with shiny brass toes.”
“Father told me I could visit my mother’s folks, uncle
Gorham Bird and other relatives living south of Mount Victory in Union
County, Ohio after the spring crops were planted.
As it was only 60 miles from Texas to uncle Gorham’s
farm, I walked. I had gone only a few miles when I found my new brasstoed
boots were too tight. They pinched my feet. I took them off and walked
bare-footed. In two days I was there. I was treated royally by all the
relatives. Everywhere I went, they kept me stuffed with pie, cake and goodies
for I was the only member of the Ennes family at Texas who had ever visited
them.”
“On the morning of my third day, there, uncle Gorham
came to my cousin and me and said “Boys, mother is sick. I want you to
go to Mount Victory and get the doctor.” Uncle Gorham had many fine riding
horses. We each mounted a horse and galloped to town. Just as we were entering
Mount Victory, a circus was erecting its tents. We had never seen a circus.
The wild animala thrilled us. We were so excited we forgot all about getting
the doctor. We tied our horses to fence posts. We had no money. We wanted
to see everything.We got a job feeding elephants and carrying water for
admission. We had our work done and were about to enter the tent when we
looked up the road.—
There was uncle Gorham., riding like the wind, his long whiskers parted as he rode toward us. He dashed up. He shouted, "Where is the Doctor!" You scampers, your mother dying, and your attending a puppet show! Get home at once. We jumped on our horses and rode home. Uncle rode on for the doctor. When we arrived at the fam, there was my aunt Arcadilla sitting in a rocking chair on the large front porch, serenely smoking a
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