''Roland'': And the Crankenbeal Family

By Roger M. Hart

As a boy Roland Harris, to say it gently, was what might be called erratic. His phobias and unexplained behavior was enough to keep his dad guessing what hed do next. His mother, on the other hand, always seemed to know what to expect from their youngest son. Then when the Crankenbeal family moved into their neighborhood Rolands growing relationship with them went from thinking they might be crazy to falling in love with Ida Crakenbeal. Get to know Roland and Ida and fall in love with their story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 3, 2013
• ISBN: 9781483600857

Roger M. Hart

I am married to my wife Joan. We have two married sons, Warren and Christopher and six grandsons who all reside in Ohio. In my retirement I have time to reflect on my past, sleep late and write about a life that might have been.

Book preview

Copyright © 2013 by Roger M. Hart.

Library of Congress Number:    2013905232

ISBN:

   Softcover   978-1-4836-0084-0

   Ebook       978-1-4836-0085-7

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 04/30/2013

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

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Contents

Chapter 1.    A New Neighbor

Chapter 2.    A Yucky Old Girl

Chapter 3.    Young Farley Crankenbeal

Chapter 4.    The Promise

Chapter 5.    Farley’s Reward

Chapter 6.    A Loaf of Bread

Chapter 7.    The Giving Spirit

Chapter 8.    Helping Santa

Chapter 9.    An Unforgettable Christmas

Chapter 10.   An Era Passes

Chapter 11.   Roland and Ida

Chapter 12.   The Crankenbeal Scandal

Chapter 13.   Crankenbeal and Harris Kids

Chapter 14.   Three Happy Roosters

Chapter 15.   A Family United

Chapter 16.   The Brood Scatters

Chapter 17.   Harry Jr., The Preacher Man

Chapter 18.   The Corn Pickers Return

Chapter 19.   Crazy Korn Pickas

Chapter 20.   The Second Four

Chapter 21.   Lloyd Crankenbeal Grows Up

Chapter 22.   My Brother’s Grave

Chapter 23.   Christmas 1928

Chapter 24.   Meriwether Lewis Clark

Chapter 25.   A Bay and A Chestnut

Chapter 26.   Epilogue

Reviews from readers of The Little House By

The Edge of The Woods series:

Benjamin and the Fredrickson Girls.

Benjamin and the Fredrickson Girls by Roger M. Hart is a book of such tenderness, love and selflessness that any single page is likely to bring tears to your eyes as well as make you laugh. I could not put it down.

Barbara H., B.S.E., M. A.

I really enjoyed Benjamin and the Fredrickson Girls. As a retired language arts instructor and freelance editor/ proofreader, I simply have to say Well done.

Karen T. B.

Benjamin and the Fredrickson Girls is a heartwarming story of life and love in the mid-west following the Civil War. I enjoyed learning of the joys and difficulties of those days. The break for young Benjamin being befriended by a father figure, a German immigrant named Hans Fredrickson. Together they worked hard to build homes and farms and enjoy life and family.

Michael B.

I would highly recommend the writings of Roger Hart to obtain a better picture of how life was lived in mid nineteenth century rural mid west America. His first book on this subject, Benjamin and the Fredrickson Girls was very enlightening in many ways and provided an enjoyable and easy read.

Alan M.

Benjamin is a good down-to-earth read. This is a really hard working young man. The mealtime descriptions made me want to join them. Looking forward to the story continuing.

Jim R.,

Author of A lifetime of Memories.

This book gives us a glimpse into what life use to be and looking forward to more. It showed us how we intermingled with immigrants and how we all depended on God.

Wasn’t it simple!

Joyce H., Librarian

A fascinating story of a young man seeking and finding the true meaning of life through God’s love and his love for all people he meets in his walk.

Carl P.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Benjamin book written by Roger Hart. I found it intriguing, fascinating and genuine. It made me wish I could have lived during that time in history and known him. I recommend it as a great read.

Glenda B.

Roger, please accept my congratulations on the success of your recent book Benjamin and the Little House Series. You have a gift in writing that shows your personal touch and true love of family and faith. Truly enjoyable reading. Thank you and may God continue to bless you.

Dr. Monty Trammel

Pastor, Gospel Baptist Church,

Galion, Ohio.

Little House

By The Edge Of The Woods series:

Book Two

Other Books Include:

Joys and Tears

A mixture of personal poems plus

Poems From The Heart

Devotions and Poems From The Heart

A book of poems, devotions, illustrations & scripture.

Little House By The

Edge Of The Woods Series:

Book one:

Benjamin and the Fredrickson Girls

Now book two:

Roland,

and the

Crankenbeal Family

About The Story

The fictional Harris family was growing in Northeast Missouri having started with one man, Benjamin Franklin Harris. The year was 1869, five years after the Civil War ended; he was one of the survivors.

Upon his arrival he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of farm land where he soon encountered Hans Fredrickson, a German born immigrant. One year later he married Hans’ eldest daughter, Althea, and started his own family.

After the passing of Hans a new family moved into the old Fredrickson house that were secretive, annoying and sometimes provoked Benjamin into actions he wouldn’t have otherwise done.

Benjamin’s youngest son Roland would further complicate their relationship when he… , well read on and enjoy how the story unfolds.

Roland and The Crankenbeal Family, is the continuing story of how Benjamin first, then his son Roland, dealt with the new Crankenbeal family.

Chapter One

A New Neighbor

April 1886

Althea knew her time was near, her husband of fifteen nearly sixteen years, Judge Benjamin Franklin Harris, hitched his team to the buggy. He was going after her mother to stay with her while he was gone to town. Bessie had been with her when Daniel, Charles and Presley were born and he wanted her there again.

By the middle of the month she was ready to have her baby but it wasn’t ready until Monday the 26th. Late Sunday night she woke Benjamin and told him to go after Mama. About three o’clock Monday morning she had another boy they named Roland Frans Harris, Frans for Roland’s Grandpa Hans Fredrickson’s oldest brother who died in a German war.

Roland was four years old when the last baby came, Althea finally got her a little girl. She named her Jeniva Bess Harris after her mother Bessie. After twenty years of trying Althea had only five children but they were precious to her, possibly more precious than the ten babies her sister Mariea had with no problem.

Althea’s Uncle John died two days before Roland was born, it was a hard time for her. When Jeniva came in 1890 Grandpa Hans had been gone two years, he didn’t live to see Althea’s last grand baby born. He passed on quietly one night having become what he considered, and there were none to argue differently, a rich American.

Benjamin and Althea’s Daniel was seventeen years old in October the year Jeniva was born and the same age as Ruth Whitaker. Joseph and Louise Whitaker, with four girls, Ruth, Grace, Sarah and Rebekah had been attending the church at Chariton as Benjamin and Althea did, their kids grew up together. Ruth, being the same age as Daniel, attended school together part of the year until they were sixteen then they were needed at home, especially Daniel. Now courting Ruth was paramount on his mind.

It was no longer miles between neighbors like it was when Hans and Bessie brought their family to this area. Along with Benjamin other families had moved west and settled nearby. Children now lived near each other and needed a school, Louise Whitaker was their teacher.

The area’s population had grown since Benjamin first arrived. There hadn’t been any single men nearby to court Althea until he came in 69. Hans was quick to take Benjamin home with him to meet his family who were concerned about Althea getting old with no one to court her, she was twenty one already when they met.

Benjamin and Althea knew that Daniel had marriage on his mind, they could hardly keep him home. After working all day he would jump on his dad’s riding horse and go to the Whitaker’s for supper.

Don’t you like your Mama’s cooking any more? Althea asked only to receive a red faced;

Yes, Mama, your cooking is still good but I like to eat with Ruth.

He always went home with the Whitakers on Sunday after church for Sunday dinner. It left an empty place at the table for Althea, he was her first born and she would always have a special place in her heart for him. But he was growing up and all the forces of nature wouldn’t stop that from happening. Benjamin remembered all the supper and Sunday meals he sat across the table from Althea when they first met. He knew he couldn’t keep Daniel at home more than another year or two and began thinking about what he could do for his son to help him get started.

The Whitaker and Harris families both agreed to persuade Daniel and Ruth to wait until the fall they were going to be twenty. It was November again in 1893 when Daniel and Ruth were married at the Chariton Church. Benjamin signed over the northern most fourty acres of his farm to Daniel as a wedding present. Daniel and Ruth Harris built a house on the fourty acres and started their life of housekeeping together.

After Daniel was gone life settled down to its normal routine again. Benjamin and Althea had persuaded Bessie to come live with them and sell the Fredrickson farm. It was a hard decision to leave her home but Bessie finally agreed and sold the Fredrickson farm to a new family, the Crankenbeals.

A year had passed since Bessie moved from her house. It was a cold and windy Friday December 1st, 1893 when Albert and Clara Crankenbeal along with their children; Farley, Maxine, Harry, Ima and Ida came rolling up the road one day in two wagons. Albert drove the first wagon with his wife huddled beside him, the oldest boy Farley who was fifteen, drove the second wagon. Benjamin was at the barn when the wagons went up the road. Later he told Althea and Bessie;

It looks like the new people have brought everything but the house.

I’m afraid the old house won’t ever be the same. They may even tear it down and build a new one, in a few years no one will ever know that we lived there.

Bessie’s comment reflected the sorrow she felt every day. Since her Hans had passed on she felt there was very little left for her to live for. Now, seeing the people that would actually live in her house pained her deeply. Next year she would be seventy but it looked like she was pining away before her time. She no longer had that sparkle about her that Hans could bring out in a person.

Over the years Benjamin had gotten to know most everyone in the county but he didn’t know of this Crankenbeal family. He left word in the land office at Limonia that Bessie wanted to sell her farm (they handled the sale) and hadn’t actually met the Crankenbeal’s prior to their arrival.

Curious about where they came from and wanting to meet his new neighbors he didn’t waste any time in attempting to meet the Crankenbeal family. That afternoon he saddled his horse and rode up the lane that he had walked so many times. It seemed strange today going to the house he grew to love as a young man. Bessie had that special knack in knowing how to make her house feel homey. He was pleased that Althea had learned that from her mother and made their house the same. He wondered if this new family would be anything like Hans and Bessie but at the same time knew no one could be like them.

He wasn’t the young man any more that he was nearly twenty five years ago and chose to ride the two miles rather than walk. It was mostly uphill between the two houses and his legs didn’t carry him as easily as they used to.

He rode up to the barn that he was so familiar with and left his horse. Their four horses stood in the lot next to the barn. The Crankenbeal’s had emptied the first wagon that contained their personal belongings but as he walked past the wagons he noticed something large still sitting in the second wagon and wondered.

For such a large family it seemed unusually quiet after just arriving. He knocked at the front door and wouldn’t have been surprised if Althea opened it with her, Hi Benji. He waited, but not hearing any sound knocked again. It didn’t seem right to be so quiet in the middle of the day. He was about to leave when the door opened slowly just enough for a small girl to peer out.

Are your Mama and Papa inside?

She spoke quietly, Pa is taking his afternoon nap and Ma has to lay down with him to be quiet. We all have to be quiet when Pa takes his nap so we won’t wake him. He gets awful mad if we make any noise.

I understand. Benjamin now spoke more softly too. I wouldn’t want to wake him if he gets awful mad.

The little girl shook her head in agreement then closed the door quietly obviously having been the recipient of her daddy’s temper. Benjamin wondered what kind of man Albert Crankenbeal was to raise his kids in fear of his anger. As he left the old Fredrickson house that day again Benjamin said, Thank You Lord for allowing Hans and Bessie to be here when I needed them. He didn’t tell Bessie about his visit to her old house that afternoon.

The next morning Benjamin had Charles and Presley finishing his chores while he harnessed his horses to go pick corn. On week days Charles would jump on his riding horse to get to a Preparatory School down toward Limonia, it was required before entering medical school. Presley and Roland would run to school at the last minute and he would be left alone to do his chores. But Saturday morning he was putting them to work cleaning out the barn. It was the second of December and snow could be flying any time, he knew he needed to get the last of his corn picked.

As he did so Albert Crankenbeal drove his wagon down and stopped. It was the first time Benjamin had a good look at the man. Not a very tall man, 5' 7 or 5' 8 he supposed, not his height of 5'10. Slight of build, not as Hans would have said, Vat." A little cocky looking on his wagon seat somewhat like the rooster Hans used to have that sat on top of a fence post to crow. He never did know what happened to that rooster, Bessie may have boiled him one day and made chicken and noodles, he smiled at the thought of finally getting his revenge.

Howdy, neighbor, Albert said like an old friend. My name is Albert Crankenbeal, my friends call me Al. I just moved my family into that old house up the road a couple of miles. I wanted to be neighborly this morning and come talk to you, man to man.

Benjamin noticed a certain ring to his words, different than he had heard before and wondered where he was from and what this man to man talk would be about. When he told him his name the man joked;

Ben Franklin huh, I knew a man once that knew a man that knew Ben Franklin. Are you as thrifty and wise as old Ben?

He laughed at his own joke as he climbed down from the seat and reached over the side of the wagon.

Here, neighbor, have a pull on this jug before you go to work, the morning will go easier for you."

No thanks, Benjamin responded, I’d rather not. I’ll get along fine without any liquor.

Well, if you don’t mind I’ll have a drink. It makes me feel young again, like I could take on the whole world.

Benjamin was beginning to understand why all of his family had to be quiet for him to sleep after noon. He was probably drunk by then and didn’t care who he hit.

Albert was working up to asking Benjamin for something so after his drink said:

As the good neighbor I’m sure you are, I know you’ll want to help me out. Being late in the year and having just moved I need feed for my horses this winter. A wagon load of hay and a load of corn would be greatly appreciated by my horses.

Benjamin saw through the man immediately, he didn’t come to be neighborly he was out to mooch off of his neighbors and he was the first to receive a visit. Benjamin didn’t plan on letting anything get started.

I’m going to a field this morning that’s up toward your house. If you want to drive your wagon with me you can pick your wagon full while I fill mine.

Oh! I’m afraid I can’t do that, Albert was quick to let Benjamin know he didn’t come to work. My heart is bad and I can’t do any hard work. You wouldn’t mind bringing it on over to the house for me after you pick it, would you neighbor? I can have my boy unload it for me.

Benjamin was always willing to help his neighbors remembering when he first arrived, but he didn’t have any patience with a drunkard. As a kid he remembered how Mr. Pauley starved his family by drinking up his money and wasn’t going to let this Crankenbeal man get off that easy, satisfied the only heart problem he had was from drinking too much liquor.

Benjamin had never thought of himself as a ‘wheeler dealer’ but when the right situation presented itself he could be quick to make his own deals. Albert, he said not ready yet to be considered one of his friends, I can see your problem. But if you want a load of corn I’ll make you a deal. If you help me get it from the field I’ll pick your wagon full. You’ll have to follow behind the wagon and pick the down row, after that I’ll give you thirty dollars and the load of corn for your team of horses. That way you won’t have to feed them all winter. If you are interested, come along, I’ve got work to do.

Benjamin climbed into his wagon and clucked to his horses to go ahead. Albert stood a moment as if he was in shock, uncertain about what to do next. He wasn’t used to having anyone get the better of him and hadn’t planned on giving up a team of his horses that morning. But after Benjamin left him standing alone he climbed back up on his own wagon seat and followed.

Benjamin didn’t look back he could hear the wagon following him. He smiled, this Crankenbeal man had a thing or two to learn if he planned on getting his help. Maybe if Albert worked a little this morning he wouldn’t be drunk by