My Remembrances of Grandpa Pfenning
Marcia Lincoln Honey Staunton - November 2000
When I was born my parents lived in the little house in the back yard of 3936 N. E. Grand Avenue, Portland, Oregon.
In the big house lived my Grandpa John Pfenning and Aunt Elizabeth Leonardini, hereafter referred to as Abeth. Her son, Richard also lived these.
Our little house had just two rooms. A bedroom for the three of us and a living room and kitchen combined. Our bathroom was a separate room that we had to reach by going outside and walking to the end of the porch.
It was a good thing that we lived in this house and we were close to family as my dad was in the Navy during World War II. I was never without someone to take care of me.
Abeth worked at the candy factory and Grandpa was retired form the he railroad. Mommy stayed home and took care of me.
When I was able to toddle around I spent a lot of time with Grandpa. He would spoon freed me from his coffee cup. Coffee, sugar, cream, and a little whiskey. I loved to have him give me that. My mother said it wasn’t good for me but Grandpa would say “but she likes it”.
When I got older Grandpa would take me for walks nit he afternoon. We would walk to Union Avenue, to the Wooden Shoe Tavern and he would have one beer and I would have Cake. Then we would walk home. In those days Oregon didn’t have a law about being 21 years old before you could go into a tavern. He never went out without his hat on, even on a short walk.
Abeth cooked for the whole family every so often and she would do the special dishes, glace (a dumpling that was a bit heavy) chili, cabbage rolls, etc. If Grandpa wasn’t feeling good she would have to make glace for him. Always said it made his stomach feel better.
Grandpa really like to go places. He was always ready to go for a Sunday ride. If we went to the beach we would take a stool along for him to sit on. We usually ate our lunch on the beach and wind would blow and sand would get on the he cantaloupe but that never bothered him. He was a good sport. Never complained.
We had a garden in the yard between the two houses. I don’t remember all that was grown but I do recall that we had lots of raspberries. Also had a wood shed because they still had a wood stove in the kitchen. Also where I would get my spankings.
Had a big box seat swing that was hung on the large red metal poles. My Grandpa Lincoln built the swing for me and it even had a safety strap to keep me safe. Loved to have somebody push me so that my feet could touch the wires between the houses. Used to make Aunt Pauline nervous to watch them go that high. Grandpa would say “let the child be.”
Grandpa would have visitors occasionally. Old men who had come over from Russia in their younger days. Probably from the same village he came from and am sure that many were related to him. I would hear them talking but never learned the language so I missed out on lots of good stories.
Grandpa was not a big one for going to church every Sunday. But he never missed if one of his grandchildren had a part in a play or something special was going on.
There was no television so he listened to the radio a lot. His chair was right next to it. If my folks went out he and Abeth would take care of me. If I was going to get to go I would have to take a nap in the afternoon when I got home from school. I wouldn’t take a nap unless I could over in the big house and be with Grandpa.
This house had a large enclosed front porch, living room/fining room, an alcove where the organ was, a bedroom and bath downstairs off the kitchen. The other bedrooms were upstairs. There was a pantry off the kitchen. Abeth kept full cookie cans there. The laundry was done in the basement and when Abeth made gerbil they were cooked down there. There was also a large enclosed back porch.
Grandpa and grandma Pfenning came from Russia in 1892. They already had one child Henry. Always told that they landed at Castle Garden, New York and went directly to Lincoln, Nebraska. After a time they moved to Mississippi but they didn’t stay long. While they were there infant son, John died. His high chair was knocked over by visiting cousins. At least that is the family tradition. Where in Mississippi they lived is not known or the exact amount of time spent there. They moved back to Lincoln and then to Portland, Oregon. Abeth and John were born in Lincoln and Pauline and Flora and Louis in Portland. Henry, Abeth, Pauline and Flora survived to have families of their own.
Grandpa worked for the Northern Pacific Terminal Company for 37 years, 11 months and 26 days. He was a passenger car inspector.
He was born in Norka, Saratov, Russia, 3 September 1868. His parents were Nicolaus Pfenning and Katharina Dick. He married Amelia Schwartz in Nora, 11 January 1891. He died 25 June 1954, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon and is buried with his wife and one brother, in Rose City Cemetery.
I really wish that I could have had him around longer and had been able to ask him more about his early life. However I feel blessed to have known this wonderful man. He really was a GRANDpa.