The businesses owned and operated in Greenwood were named JE Armstrong and Son. You have heard the stories of JE, Jesse, Jack and Muriel; now, it is Jay D's turn....the son of JE Armstrong and Son.
Here I am with Dad in 1941. As you can see I had been drafted into WW2. But, lets step back and talk about the time leading up to this first.
I am Jay D Armstrong, the only son of Jesse Earl and Muriel Lillian (Darling) Armstrong. I was born on May 17, 1919.
Here's a picture of me at my old school Odessa before I came to Greenwood. Just thought you would like to see it.
We didn't originally live in Greenwood. So, I will skip on by those details as I believe Mother may have shared a bit and get right to our time in Greenwood.
I attended Greenwood Central School and played on the baseball team, basketball team and I guess my secret is out, I also played the saxaphone. It seems that the Greenwood School News outed me by featuring the fact that I passed my Music Exam in 1933.
When we were young and foolish, we would ditch school and ride the NYP from Greenwood to Whitesville and sometimes even to Ceres.
But, baseball was my passion. Just ask my high school buddies, Guy Murdock, Morris Freeland and James Burd. They will tell ya, I loved baseball and wanted to play professionally. In 1937 when I was 18 years old, I even went to a camp in Titusville, PA for a try out with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Speaking of college, I attended Ithica College and majored in Athletics, Physical Education to be specific. Of course, with the intention of not using it while I chased my dream. The United States government had other ideas for me. In 1941, the Department of Defense enacted the draft. My birthday, May 17, was the very first one pulled. So, I left college and was inducted into the Army on July 23, 1941 as, over time, were my buddies. Good ol' service number, 32-027-632; that was me. Most of you know that James didn't make it home and that Morris, well, he was a Prisoner of War and came home with severe injuries. I think Stanley Murray told you about him. Guy and I made it home. But, not before some adventure and a bit of tragedy.
I can't speak for Guy, but, I will tell you my tales of WW2. I went to bootcamp at Camp Croft in Spartansburg, SC. I was then stationed at Fort Dix in New Jersey, doing Army Intelligence work. I had not been there long when on April 5, 1942 I was in a major accident. Six car to be exact.
I was travelling in the back seat of an Army patrol car one Sunday afternoon in Asbury Park, NJ with 4 other soldiers. Similar to this one:
We struck another vehicle in an intersection and veered out of control and into a taxi, turned over twice and stopped, jammed against two parked cars. The two sitting on each side of me died in the accident. Another soldier and I were badly hurt and transferred to the Army Hospital at Fort Dix. The last two from the front seat had cuts and bruises, but were okay.
I had a head injury and spent quite a long time in the Fitkin Hospital; but, was able to return to duty. After that I spent some time at Fort Monroe in Virginia, Southeastern Sector at Raleigh, NC and Little Creek Mine Base also in Virginia. It was during my time at Fort Monroe that I married Mary Margaret O'Heron of Hornell. You know her as Peg.
Peg here. Yes, I used to take the train from Hornell to visit Jay D. I was living with my parents there on John Street and my dad was working for the Erie Railroad. We had a lovely wedding. Isn't Jay D handsome in his dress uniform?
Peg worked at Rice's Department Store in Norfolk. I completed my duty to the Army. Then in 1945, we moved back to Greenwood. Our son Jay David was born on Feb. 27, 1946 and Jeff on Jan. 16, 1948. The third, Jon made an appearance, after we had left Greenwood.
The "and Son" was back. I worked with Dad at JE Armstrong and Son. We bought and fixed up the Warriner Place next door to Blanche Wallace's house. You know, where the town telephone switchboard was.
Jay David, Peg and Jay D's oldest here. Dad remember telling us about the time that you and Reed Lowery were in our backyard target shooting and knocked out telephone service for that whole side of town.
Yes. Blanche was not happy.
Here is a picture of our Greenwood Family. This is from the summer of 1948. From left to right are my dad Jesse, mother Muriel (holding Jeff), my Grandmother Darling, and then me of course. Kneeling in front is Peg and she is holding Jay David.
Irene Wallace Chaffee here. I remember my boys out on the porch at Mother's and Jay D walking by on his way to and from home. They would shout "Hi, hi, hi." I don't know if Jay D was just a bit shy or had a lot on his mind. Maybe, he had just said hi to them so many times before that he just stopped after awhile.
You know, I always have to bring it back to baseball. Dad and I were huge Yankees fans. We went to the World Series a number of times.
Jon, son number 3 here. While I never lived in Greenwood, I visited often and have always felt a part of the community. Back to Dad, baseball and the World Series. I have a number of their game tickets from the mid 30s.
Jay here. We did feel like part of the community. While visiting, I would go sit on the steps at the Masonic Hall with the locals and sneak a cigarette once in awhile so Grandmother wouldn't know.
Professional Baseball was a dream of the past; but, I played some more baseball on the town team in the Octagon Baseball League. Archie Stephens was the manager, I was the director and a player, a pitcher of course. A couple of the other players were Stanley Murray and Ralph Coates.
Jon here again. The family keeper of all things. I have a game schedule from 1946. Wish the Win-Loss record had been added. Or at least Dad's stats. But alas, no such luck.
In addition to working at the station in Greenwood, I was a claims adjuster for Nationwide Insurance from the late 40's into the early 1950's. Dad passed away and Mother and I decided that it was time. We sold the businesses and my family moved to Canandaigua. As Mother shared, she did not give up our family home in Greenwood. This allowed my boys and me to visit quite often with and without Mother.
The house sat empty most of the time during the 60s, 70s and until 1986 when Mother passed away. My boys have shared a few stories about their times with their grandmother back in Greenwood. I just have to tell this one.
Most of you probably already know that Mother was not a great cook. She cooked everything in an iron skillet. But, one time, Jay David and I were with her in Greenwood and she decided to make us an apple pie for dessert. Did I mention, that the house sat empty for years. Well, the lard she used for the pie must have too. It was rancid. Oh what a laugh we had at Mother's expense. She took it well.
Jay, Jeff and Jon here. Now Dad, you have to admit that her Half-Moon Cookies were good.
On the other hand, let me say that Peg was a wonderful cook and a great baker. Maybe the reason she was sending dinner to the station in the evening as previously shared. She used her mother's cookbook from England. Oh, she made the best plum pudding at Christmas.
The boys back. Youngest first, Jon here...my favorite of Mom's cookies was her cut-outs at Christmas. Jeff...Frosted Delights. Jay...l liked them all, even her Oatmeal. They were nice and crunchy.
Jay with more. I remember having to help peel and peel more tomatoes when Mom was canning. The smell of chili sauce on the stove meant it was Fall.
While Greenwood was sandwiched by other towns, it was where I became an adult, worked with Dad, found my true love and started my family. And, because of Mother, it was somewhere that my boys could still cherish as a part of their childhood long after we moved.