Frank was buried about 5- 6 hours before I was born. All that I say about Frank has come through at least one or more persons. It is so easy to for us to pick up on someone’s glaring defects of character. While we must take some time to evaluate their attributes. Some of the things I have heard about Frank was his control of his children especially Clemmie. Another was his altercation with Eligh Cruse and Grace Crouch. These things are easy to spot and make good conversation around a pot bellied stove. From this point on I will look for the bright spots in Frank’s life. I have heard or remember what I heard very little about Frank before 1910 when he and his family moved to Hammondsville. On April of that year Frank’s wife Nellie had died of childbirth. My information on the child is mixed and I will not comment. I am not sure how he was providing a living for his family, but the grief stricken father moved to Hammondville with five children ages 7-18 to work as a tenant framer for his brother-in-law (husband of his dead wife’s sister).
Everything I hear from family and others was that Frank taught his off springs a work ethic that was a conversation piece in Hammondville. That included all. Aunt Clemmie became the matron of the household. Some say that Frank objected highly to her considering any marital leaning. Aunt Clemmie never married.
Some may say that Frank held onto his children to a fault. I think he did it it for his own financial, emotional, and social reasons as well as those same reason s for his children. Let us deal with the fact we know and make up our own mine. 5 years into the Hammondsville move J. W. (second child first son) got married, guess what, he moved into a little house on farm. He live there for 3 year having two children. When his wife and youngest child died, he and his oldest child moved back into F.H.’s house. Less than one year later Barnett got married and move into the same house that J.W. had just moved. Oct. 1921 J. W. married again but no place to go he and his wife move in to Frank’s house. His father-in-law started building him a house of the southern part of the farm. They were no longer tenant farmers (explain later). Shortly there after Barnett build his home a few hundred yards north of J W, house on the old Hammondsville Road. 1928 Arthur got married again he move into house that J.W & Barnett. In mid 30 Mary got married and moved to Illinois, but stayed only one year, then moved back to the house the other three married siblings had lived. Fast forward to 1947 when the last member of the third generation was born. 5 members of the 2nd generation, 4 spouses of 2nd generation, 15 children in the 3rd generation and one(2)spouse 2 children of the fourth generation were living on the the farm that F.H. came to in 1910. Total of 28. Shortly after Coman was born David Dale third member of 4th generation was born. At the point all 29 member of the Ard family were living on the farm although it was divide up into four or five parts it was still the same farm.
These fact. are from my memory as they were relayed to me by others not necessarily family members and very easily challenged. I encouraged all family members to do so.
Author: harold