more about Grampa Kleckner. Grampa told incredible tales, such as the number of men who fell into the wet cement of the three bridges he worked on his life. At one time we all knew those numbers. When a man fell in, nothing could save him. He became part of the structure! Most of his tales were embroidered, like claiming he went up the Hill with Teddy--I have yet to find any reference to this though I have his war records. As a child I proudly could say my Grand Fathers name was on the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the traffic circle at Hamilton and 7th Street in Allentow,n. The monument has been moved several times but a plaque remains on the entrance to the old Court House. Walter was as far as Puerto Rico--but Allentownians appear to have been in one of the worst battles of the war since a hand written sign on a tree near the bloody battle site read only xxx miles to Allentown fairground--the place he mustered in! I found online a biography of Willard McSherry. which fills in the adventure. A visit to Tampa. Florida told part of the same story. An architecturally fantastic building with historical markers nearby explain how unprepared and uncoordinated everything was. It was a short war! The Roughriders were mostly men from Theodores western days who could ride well and were able to shoot. There were other men, too but mostly it was the cowboys who rode and fought up Kettle Hill then San Juan Hill. Could Walter Kleckner have been among the others...certainly. But if so it isnt in his records. I do wish I could share the wisdom and peace imparted by Gramma Kate Steigerwalt Kleckner, the complete opposite of spoiled Walter. Men of that day had an arrogant way of treating women. Women were chattel, owned, used and often abused. Grampa used a cane, a heavy, dark, thick abomination which he swung though never made fleshy contact. Mam as he hollered and cursed her help me up the stairs!!! And she would come, calmly, helping him out of his chair, standing behind him, supporting this larger than herself man up the twisting staircase. My young eyes watched, wondering, the older relatives questioned out loud, what if he falls hell hurt Gram. MAM it still rings out in my much older head, the tyrant and the quiet one never protesting. You need to know how for all those years Gramma Kate said nothing as a woman of her time. But while in her final comma age ninety nine she sat up in bed and cursed Walter. My generation was taught the same place in the hierarchy. But lesson learned, not to wait till I was near death to begin to live.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 15:12:35 +0000
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