1884 were an election year and Jess Green, our State Senator decided he were gonna retire. He says 70 be too old fer a man to keep running to Sacramento Town! He stopped by one Sunday, after church to be sociable, but I knew that old sly devil, he were after something! We was sittin on the front porch, enjoyin' the spring weather, when he sprung it on us, "Joe, I want ya' to run fer my seat in the State Senate!"
Poor Joe started to protest, but I told him it were better than somebody who don't know seeds from rocks! Between us, we wore down Joe's objections and he finally agreed to stand for election. Jess were smilin' like coon in the hen house, he "just happened" to have filing papers in his pocket! Joe done got that trapped look in his face, there were no way out, he had done agreed! After his term as Sheriff, he were skittish of politics, but I were certain he would look after our interests in the State Senate.
He begun stumping through the district, but it were no contest, nobody else filed! There was a few write in names when the ballots was counted, but not enough to affect the election, he were now Senator Joe Blount!
When it were time for Joe to go to Sacramento Town, Kelly told him that he would look after his place while he were gone. He took Eldon with him to be like assistant foreman whenever he went over to Joe's place. Eldon were turning 16 and he were a fine son, tall and big boned, he could do a man's work all day long. That fiery red hair, he could be seen from a mile away! There was girls always alookin' sideways at him, but he had his eye on the preacher's daughter, Jessica Leigh.
On cool morning, I were having me a second cup of coffee and Eldon come down the stairs and sat besides me. He said, "err, ah u, Papa, I.."
I smiled at him and asked, "Jessica Leigh Trask?"
His eyes got big and he said, "How did you know?"
I laughed, "Son, I am not as old as you think I am, besides, I got eyes to see you making Goo, Goo eyes at her!"
He face got as red as his hair and he asked, "Well?"
I couldn't tease him any more, so's I replied, "Go ask her Daddy." He were gone out the screen door in a flash, the poor dog barely could scramble away from bein' stepped on! Tim give me the whatfor that I shouldn't tease his nephew.
Maggie come in the door laughing, "What you send poor Eldon after so fast?" I told her what happened and she were laughing so hard, she had to sit down. We figgered there would be another wedding come summer!
The boys was all busy plowing, those boys what I adopted took to farmin' like ducks to water. The big steam tractor were too big for all, except Eldon, but they sure could run the smaller steam tractors and the harvesters. They would surely like to be in the tractor seat than in the class room learning their numbers, but Jeff were still school master and he insisted on reading and counting.
Tim were comin' to be a canny grain salesman and little Steven were just like him, they was always cookin' a deal. Heck, them two could jack the price of wheat up and make the buyer think he were getting a special deal! The only buyer what knew how to handle them two boys were the man from Anchor Steam Beer, he could horsetrade them back down to the "real" price, iffin' it took him all afternoon. It were a game to that bunch!
Joe come back from Sacramento Town and were surprised that all his farm work were already done, he were amazed that Eldon were doin' most of the work and that all Kelly had to do was an occasional oversee. His brothers were proud of their big brother, Little Nathan were tellin' folks his Brother, Eldon were Joe's Farm Foreman. Joe thought about it and did make Eldon his foreman, a job he would hold as his favorite!
Joe had to go right back to Sacramento Town, the Governor called a special session of the State Senate, they was considering putting levees around some of the river islands to make farmland out of them.
Time seemed to fly, before I knowed it, it was 1887 and I were turning 45 years old. I looked in the mirror one morning and I saw gray hairs on my head! Maggie saw me lookin' at them and she laughed, "Don't you go pullin' them out, you will get 10 more!"
It weren't the gray hair what worried me, it were the bare skin I could see on the top! Poppa were near bald, maybe I would be too?
That summer saw Eldon and Jessica Leigh married, I wondered what kind of child a red haired boy and a yellow haired girl would make? It weren't long before Carley were telling me that Jessica Leigh were having the morning sickness. That boy be a fast worker! I looked at him with a smirk on my face, his face done turn as red as his hair!
We was farming near 40,000 acres, the grain cars was backed up at Blount Siding six deep, waiting to be filled. We had contracted with Mayflower Mills in Vallejo Town to store our grain for shipment by boat. They was taking almost all of our red wheat crop. Amber Mills in Stockton Town were still contracting for our winter wheat, they wanted as much as we could grow. Anchor Steam Brewery had the sole contract for our rice every year. They was good customers and always sent their own rail cars to collect the crop.
The area had mostly recovered from the drought, we made sure the bank didn't foreclose on any man trying to support his family, nobody knowed that until one day a bank clerk said something to one of the depositors. Soon, we was being hailed by all our neighbors. We wasn't lookin' for thanks, we was just lookin to keep our neighbors on theys farms! I had already seed what happened when folks went broke, theys children paid the price! We still had boys living in Blount House after theys parents left them stranded. Alls I had to do is walk over to Blount House and sit with them boys to know we didn't want no more of that.
By the end of 1887, Jeff reported the Corporation had cleared $385,000. We alls met and decided on bonus' for the hands and foremen and that we would open a branch store in Marysville Town. We also voted to purchase a packet boat of our own, so's we could ship our dairy products direct to San Francisco Town.
Kelly took over that project and had it built special at Rule's Boatyards in Vallejo Town. It were coal fired and could make the trip from Redding Town to San Francisco Town in two days! It were fitted with cold boxes and filled with ice. We started shipping fresh fruit that way, also. Peaches brought a good price in San Francisco!
Joe were spending more and more time in Sacramento Town, he were Chairman of some committees in the State Senate. There were talk of him being nominated for Lieutenant Governor, but he done put his foot down, no way, not ever! He were a farmer, not some starched shirt politician.
Christmas come around again, it were a happy time for the Blounts, everybody were home and life was good. Eldon were all puffed out, his Jessica Leigh were nicely rounded, they was expecting the baby in February. We had built them a home near our own, he were so proud of that house! He had his brothers and Steven over for supper regularly. Steven were getting near 14 now, it were time he should start doin' man things. I had Kelly start him as assistant Foreman at the dairy, he were a sharp man. He spotted several things that should be done differently and took upon hisself to get them done.
He come to me one day and asked, "Poppa, theys a new cream separator out that does the job better and faster. I think it would pay for itself right quick!"
I looked at him and said, "Well?"
He answered, "You mean I can buy it?"
I replied, "Steven, your name is STEVEN BLOUNT, you decide what you need to do your job and get it!"
Eldon was standing just outside the door and he grabbed Steven as he rushed out to go order his separator. He said, "See, I told ya'."
I hollered out at Eldon, "That goes for you, also, ELDON BLOUNT!"
Eldon looked at me, goggle-eyed and said, "yu, u uuh You mean..."
I repeated, "ELDON BLOUNT!" and he sat in the dirt, crying.
I ran to him and he said, "Poppa, you REALLY mean that, don't you?" I just hugged him and he finally got the message, HE IS A BLOUNT!
The steam packet boat was so successful, we commissioned another to be built. This one would have accommodations for some passengers as well as freight. We had named the first boat, THE WILLIAM BLOUNT, the boys insisted the second boat be named, THE ISAAC BLOUNT! I objected, but was quickly over ruled. We had the contract to carry the mail, so with two boats, there were twice a week mail delivery.
1890 come around before I were ready. I were reminded whenever I looked in the mirror, a bald head with a ring of grey hair around it! It really hit home, Steven asked my permission to court Ella Marie Davis! My first thought were, "He ain't old enough yet!" But he reminded me that he were 16 years old, going on 17. I felt like I had been pole-axed!
We was beginning to think Tim were going to remain a bachelor when proudly announced that he were sparking Jenny Garfield. That little sneak, never said a word before. We all congratulated him and asked when he were gonna pop the question to her?
He got real red in the face and stammered a bit, "I eeer ah, already asked her Daddy!" Oh my, our little Dink be all growed! It were all of two days when Tim come riding into the yard, hell bent, his horse lathered and him screaming like a madman, "She said yes, SHE SAID YES!", he screamed.
All the women come out, hugging and kissing him, he were like a dream man, his eyes were glazed and he had the silliest grin on his face. The women began planning his wedding straight off, I decided I had best go speak with John Garfield, so's I rode up to Redding Town to talk with him. He were as dazed as I were. He said he felt like he were tied to a cyclone! He were widowed and Jenny were his only child.
I thought to myself, "I got three more Blount Boys to get married off yet." Jonathon, Nathan and Michael were yet to start even looking, I HOPE!
The activity around the house picked up when Tim announced they would be married in February! Eldon's baby were due in February and Steven had yet to tell us when he and Ella Marie might get hitched. Our little community of Blount Families were becoming like a small town! I got the carpenters started on a house for Tim and Jenny while the weather were still good.
One tragedy did affect us, there were a terrible fire in Marysville Town and Town Constable Ben Hicks come to see me. He said, "We got three boys and two girls orphaned in that fire, can you take them at Blount House?"
I told him we would, no child were going to be left to survive alone if there were a single Blount around! The next day, he brought out the children in a wagon, Maggie and Eliza each latched onto a little girl. They wasn't but three and five years old! The three boys, we moved into Blount house, where there were still a couple of older boys living. The older boys took care of the new ones, but there were a whole lot of tears being shed.
Finally, we couldn't stand it no more, Me, Kelly and Joe went over there and brought us back a new son each! David came to me, Marsh to Kelly and Willie went with Joe. It weren't long before we was up to see Judge Meecham, making them Blount Boys. Here I were, almost 50 years old and taking on 3 year old son!
Christmas come around again, it were a delight to hear a little boy's excitement over Christmas presents again. Tim got down on the floor and played with David and his new wagon, I don't know who were the child and who were getting ready to get married.
They decided to hold the wedding in my house, women was decorating the parlor like no man would ever stand for! The wedding date were set for February 4th, the decorating panic were on. That day rolled around, cold, but clear and dry. The house were full up, Joe were Tim's Best Man and David were dragooned into being the Ring Bearer. Almost before it were started, Tim were a married man and they was off to San Francisco Town for their honeymoon. We sent them off special on The Isaac Blount for two weeks.
They was hardly out of the house went Eldon come running, screaming that Jessica Leigh were having pains! Kelly jumped on a horse, hell bent for Redding Town to get Dr. Boker's new assistant, Dr. Felton. Maggie and Eliza rushed off to see to Jessica, telling me to hold onto Eldon. Poor Eldon were shaking like a leaf, "Oh, Poppa, what if...."
I held him and rubbed his back, "Son, that is in the hands of our Lord God, all we mortals can do is pray." We both got down on our knees, asking Our Lord to keep Jessica and her baby safe.
Kelly came back with Dr. Felton, both theys horses was winded. I had one of the hands walk them down and then get them into the barn with a blanket over them. Kelly and I held onto Eldon, keeping him company. Theys house were right next door, we soon heard a scream, it were Jessica Leigh. Then there were a squall of a baby. We went over to their house right away, Maggie were holding a pretty little baby girl. Eldon looked at Maggie with pleading eyes, she smiled and said, "Go on up, Jessica is just fine!" Poor Eldon went weak kneed, Kelly and I had to keep him from falling!
I looked up and said, "Thank you, Lord God. My Son and my Granddaughter are safe in your hands!" Goodness, I were a Grandfather now!
Summer of 1891 sneaked up on us before we was ready, I would sit on the front porch in the warmth, holding my baby Granddaughter, Isaaca Elizabeth Blount. Every time Eldon come by, he would bend over and kiss her. Jessica was recovering and would hardly let me hold the baby at first, but she finally realized just how many babies I had held already and she relaxed, A BIT!
We had promoted Eldon to Fruits Manager, he was in charge of the orchards and the olive groves. He had built a cold storage building to prolong the life of the peaches, we can now ship peaches out of cold storage all the way into March! Every week, the packet boat goes to San Francisco Town, loaded with fruit, in February, fresh peaches sell like gold bars!
Eldon was in the process of building an olive processing plant and he had hired some men from Greece to do the actual work. His research paid off, our first commercial crop of olives sold out in a matter of two months!
He and Kelly experimented with adding peach chunks to ice cream and now they were hard pressed to fill all the orders, they had to put a special crew on, just to make ice cream! It didn't keep well, so they had to make fresh every week!
Joe were spending a lot of time in Sacramento Town, he keeps swearing he is going to quit, but he never does. Steven and Ella Marie set a date in September that they was to be married, all the women began planning. I wonder if that were a "woman thing"? Lordy, could I stand to be a Grandpa again? 50 were creeping up on me mighty fast!
The next generation of Blounts was starting to take over the farming, some were truly outstanding. Steven were running all the dairy and cattle operations, Kelly were into the business and new products, he were a true salesman, he could probably sell blankets in Arabia! Eldon were running the orchards and they all helped farming the grains. There were more little ones coming along and Jonathon, Nathan and Michael were all busy. Jonathon had taken over shipping, including the two packets, Nathan was busy overseeing maintenance on all the farm machinery and Michael was working with Jeff in accounting. They was all young, but they was Blounts, through and through!
Our foremen was heaven-sent, they kept the hands on an even keel and advised the boys. All the boys knew to listen to the foremen, we had all learned that lesson the hard way! Our three young boys, David, Marsh and Willie were anxious to show us what they could do, sometimes they got themselves into problems, but then a foreman would step in and make it right. They learned through those mistakes, they never made the same mistake twice. David was fascinated by the tractors, he soon was driving them around better than anyone else. Marsh could walk by a tree and tell if the fruit needed to be harvested, our yields went up when Eldon let him help run the orchard! Willie could run sums and numbers in his head, it were scary!
That was the year we closed the books at $501,000 net profit. Jeff didn't believe it, he sat up all night looking for a mistake and could not find one. The hands and Foremen were delighted with their bonus!
After the first of the year, 1892, there were whispering and secrets flying all over. Whenever I come near, everyone changed the subject. It were getting annoying, but soon I were in deep discussions with Jimmy, our tractors was wearing out and needed replacing. He had catalogue books all over his house and office. He showed me a monster thing, it looked as big as a locomotive, but it could pull five gang plows at once! We needed new harvesting equipment, what were good for 10,000 acres couldn't handle almost 50,000 acres! We argued and discussed for weeks, finally we come up with a list of equipment we had to have. Jimmy went to the telegraph office and sent out six pages of equipment orders! Within a week, we was crawling with salesmen, like fleas on a hound. Each were sure his machine would out-pull, out harvest or out last the other fellows machine.
Finally, I screamed, "ENOUGH!" and stomped off to my room. I were tired, so's I laid down on my bed. I could hear talking and giggling in the house, but I were busy being grumpy. Finally, Eldon come into my room, holding Isaaca in his arms. She were cooing and blowing bubbles, I could feel my grumpy melting away.
Eldon sat on my bed, beside me and whispered, "We need you downstairs."
I thought, "What now!" I got up and followed them down the stairs.
When I reach the bottom, everyone jumped up and hollered, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRAMPA!" There was a decorated cake with a big 50 on it! Oh my, I felt so foolish, tears came to my eyes and I looked all around. ALL my Family was there, even Joe.
THIS IS THE END OF BOOK 6. LOOK FOR THE NEXT BOOK THAT TELLS HOW THE FARMS AND BUSINESS CONTINUE TO PROSPER. THE BLOUNT FAMILIES EXPAND AND HAVE MORE ADVENTURES. THE YOUNGER GENERATION IS MATURING!