Ward E Maginity aka Trader Horn, One Eyed Jack

Dad died with his truck and trailer loaded and in line at the Copemish Flea Market Auction line, Sunday morning, in his sleep. He was only sixty-six years old.

We would have lost him thirteen years sooner had he not had the open heart surgery over in Milwaulke, Wisconsin. It was a miracle. From a man who couldn't even get up out of his chair without a series of heart attacks to a man who could ride his bike around the triangle (Hoadley, Wallaker, M 115) just a few short weeks after surgery.

On the left:Virgil, Marguerite, Ralph, Ward, Jean. On the right, Ward, his mother Effie, and Jean.

When Dad was little, his parents had troubles. I have not heard much nice things about my grandfather, Willard Maginity. But one of the worse things I had heard about him, in my childhood, was how he didn't help save Dad’s eye by paying for treatment.

Dad’s glass eye was not much of a handicap to him, though. You couldn’t even tell which one it was unless you really paid attention. (It was the right eye. I had to look it up. I truly could not remember.)

               Dad was in the CCC’s up in Kalkaska, Michigan, and he always held that time of his life in high esteem. The CCC’s was established to help returning World War 1 soldiers and young listless men to find work. Hard work, work that you can see the results with, does wonders for a person’s spirit. The style of life was similar to the military. In fact, old military uniforms were used for the workers. They fought fires, planted tress, and raised a ruckus in the local towns. Dad was golden gloves boxer at his camp.

The merchant marine booklet. The photograph is from CCC camp

               I found the booklet for when Dad entered the Merchant Marines. There are no stamps or any indication that he completed any voyages. A reason for that could have been the start of World War II.

 How did Dad get into the army? Well, it was like this: They were processing the men as quickly as they could. This combined with a little slight of hand allowed him to get in. When Dad got to the eye exam, they told him cover your eye and read this chart. So, he covered his right eye with his right hand. They then told him to cover his other eye and read the chart. He covered his right eye with his left hand. And he got in.

He was found out later on. I like the story about the bar fight with a sargent where Dad took a punch to eye, the right one of course, and the glass eye got broken. This was a myth. Apparently, a wrong  turn to the right did him in when he ran into a post and broke his eye. He must have been found out just shortly before he was to ship out to Germany-I found a post card to his mother that talked about going over. (I don't know where it is now or else it would be included here.)

On his draft card, I discovered that he had listed having an artificial right eye and a scar on his wrist. How did they miss that? If the information would have been on computers they may have caught it before he got in. As it was, they got a pretty good cook and a hard working nurse out of the bargin.

             
When Dad got discharged from the army, he received training and worked for Harry Dreznek Ford Dealership in Beulah.

This was the beginning of Dad becoming a salesman. He next worked at Walter L Heath's in Benzonia and for the Beulah Boat Shot under two owners. After his heart got so bad, he was unable to work and made his money buying and selling. He was learning how to be an auctioneer.

Dad met and married my Mom, Ruth Johnson in 1950. She probably hated this photo. They had good and bad years and four kids.

Dad also drove race cars. 

Sure do miss him.

Plow Day

Driving Drafts is an organization that has its eye and heart set on keeping working horses in the view of everyone. This past Sunday, there was an event-for free!-on the outskirts of Benzonia at the Zenker farm.

There is nothing like working with these huge animals. They are beautiful, often gentle giants. Single horses or teams of two, three, and even six horses pull plows and disc drags over the field. Rides on a small cart or a big ole wagon were available to anyone who wanted to hop aboard. 

  

This group has a driving school available each year. How would you like to hold the reigns to horses like these? 

This event was right on the corner of US 31 and County Line Road at the edge of Benzie County. With the field right beside the highway, People on the road were stopping for front row seats to this event. This was the only event I have seen where people only had their cell phones out to take photos, not to text or talk!

This fellow didn't have his mules at the event, but it is clear he is fond of them!

A couple of  extra surprises were there for me. One was seeing an old friend, the other was the owner of the farm. We are cousins!

There was food available, and pony rides. It made for a great family outing all around. There was also information on the breeds of drafts horses: Present at this event were Clydesdales, Percherons, Shires, Belgiums, Spotted Drafts, Halflingers, and a pair with this color that I can't recall the breed name. Beauties, all of them!

This event was located in Grawn for many years, but sadly, the owner of the farm they used to plow at recently passed away. The horse folk will be holding a beautiful and suitable tribute to their fallen comrade, with a horse-drawn funeral. 

 This group has event dates posted on their website, which is linked in the first words of the first paragraph. Watch for them at the Northwest Michigan Fair.