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Page 36 March 2017 The Catoctin Banner Newspaper www.TheCatoctinBanner.com Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com
Our Neighborhood Veterans
by Deb Spalding first time. Aubrey and Jeanie Courtesy Photo
lived with her parents for a
I am sure that everyone who has been following my column in The Catoctin while after he returned from James Aubrey Houck
Banner for these past several years knows that there is nothing I like more than the war, and he went to work
interviewing and writing about Veterans. I have not done an interview or written at the Fairchild Airplane Plant. need something some day and then
anything for the past couple of months, and I have heard about it several times Jeanie’s father worked as a you can pay me back,” but everyone
from some of my followers. I am back now and would like to present an article mechanic for the Emmitsburg knew he wouldn’t accept anything.
for you to read, about my father. I first wrote this story, and it was printed in The Railroad Company. One day
Catoctin Banner, back in March of 2012, almost five years ago. I hope you enjoy it. Jeanie’s father went for a walk Aubrey had a mild heart attack
in the woods behind his house. and the doctors said he should
Pfc. James Aubrey Houck He was gone longer than usual, think about slowing down. So,
so someone went to see what after operating heavy equipment for
On January 1, 1923, a New Year’s arrived at the barn, it was unloaded was taking him so long. He was Hempt Bros. Road Construction
baby arrived in Johnsville, Maryland. and put in the mows by a very found sitting on a rock where for over thirty years, he retired. He
The new baby boy was delivered at large cradle fork that was tied to a he had passed away from a had another heart attack, and was
home on the farm his parents owned large rope, run through a block and heart attack. Shortly thereafter, recuperating to have surgery, when he
and operated. He was named James hooked to the horses by a singletree Aubrey moved his family, suffered a massive heart attack. On
Aubrey, and his parents were Roy and lifted to the hay mow. including his mother-in-law, to April 15, 1980, he passed away at
Walter and Mary (Blessing) Houck. Hunt Valley, Maryland, where fifty-seven years of age, in the CCU of
His mother gave him the name Aubrey grew up working and he began working for Shawan Gettysburg Hospital. His mother had
Aubrey, because she had gone to a playing on the farm and going to Farms. Shawan Farms consisted passed in January and his sister in
movie and that was the star’s name. school at Elmer Wolf School in Union of around three thousand acres, February of the same year.
She liked the movie so much that she Bridge. He was old enough to drive owned by the Miller family.
said that was going to be her next his father’s car by 1939, and his dad Aubrey began driving a team of I am sure by now you know that I
boy’s name. would lend him the car so that he mules to do farm work. Aubrey am writing about my father (some of
and his brothers could go to the local and Jeanie had two more you called him Orby, some called him
Aubrey grew up helping on the fire hall dances. That is where he children while there. Orvy; he would smile, but he never
farm and playing with his three met Mary Jean Wantz. They started corrected anyone). I can’t remember
brothers and one sister. He really dating, fell in love, and got married. The family eventually moved to ever hearing him say anything bad
liked feeding and riding the horses, Shortly after their marriage, Aubrey Taneytown, Maryland, to the Bob about anyone. He was the hardest
but he wasn’t fond of milking the was drafted into the Army Air Force Bankert farm and took over the working, kindest, and most giving
cows. Of course, he made the best of to fight for our country until the war farming for the rent of the house. man I have ever met. I am sure if you
it all, because he really wasn’t one to was over, or our President said he Aubrey also got a job working at had the good fortune of meeting him,
complain. The field work was done could come home. the Cambridge Rubber company you would be in complete agreement.
mostly by horse and hand back then. making rubber boots. While living You became his friend instantly upon
The most modern piece of machinery Aubrey was only in the service and working there, they had another meeting him.
the family owned was a thrashing for a short time when he got word child, bringing the total to four. The
machine. that Jeanie (that’s what he called his oldest son was six years old now, I didn’t write much about his time
wife) was pregnant with his child. having been born in 1943, and was in the service during WWII. He never
Aubrey had to cut corn with a He was trained as a mechanic and in first grade. He helped on the farm spoke much about it, and when you
sickle and shock it; later, he would worked on airplanes. He was then by putting the automatic milkers mentioned something about it to him,
come around with the horses and sent to Germany and fought in the together, so that when his dad got off he would just smile and change the
wagon and load it all by hand. The infantry. Aubrey kept in touch with work, he could go right to the barn subject. I do know that he was proud
hay was also done mostly by hand, Jeanie by writing her when he had and start milking. Aubrey was very to fight for our freedom and was very
except for the sickle bar mower that the chance and reading her letters good at operating heavy equipment patriotic, and that’s enough for me.
was horse-drawn. The hay, after from home. His son was more than while in the army. So, when he heard
drying, was loaded on the wagons two years old when he stepped off of a job opening operating a horse God Bless America, God Bless the
with long pitch forks. When the hay the train and saw him for the very drawn grader, and about the money American Veteran, and God Bless
they were paying to operate it, he You.
Is it Spring Yet? jumped at the chance.
Get Your Lawn & Garden Supplies Now!
He moved the family back to
Lime • Fertilizer • Grass Seed Emmitsburg, where he would reside
Onion Sets • Seed Envelopes for the rest of his life. Aubrey was
Common Garden Seeds in Bulk a member of VFW Post 6658 in
Thurmont Feed Store, LLC... and more!!! Emmitsburg, American Legion Post
-OPEN- 121 in Emmitsburg, and the Indian
M-F 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Lookout Conservation Club. Aubrey
Sat 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. and Jeanie finished their family with
another son, making the total of
children four boys and one girl—the
same as his mother and dad. He built
a house along the Waynesboro Pike,
just one mile outside of Emmitsburg.
It seemed there was always someone
there for him to work on their vehicle
(trucks, cars, and even tractors) and
he would not accept anything for it.
He would always say, “Maybe I’ll
301-271-7321 • 36 Walnut Street, Thurmont MD We Invite You to Share Your Good News!
[email protected] • Message Line 240-288-0108 • Publisher’s Line 301-271-1050 • Fax 301-447-2946
Our Neighborhood Veterans
by Deb Spalding first time. Aubrey and Jeanie Courtesy Photo
lived with her parents for a
I am sure that everyone who has been following my column in The Catoctin while after he returned from James Aubrey Houck
Banner for these past several years knows that there is nothing I like more than the war, and he went to work
interviewing and writing about Veterans. I have not done an interview or written at the Fairchild Airplane Plant. need something some day and then
anything for the past couple of months, and I have heard about it several times Jeanie’s father worked as a you can pay me back,” but everyone
from some of my followers. I am back now and would like to present an article mechanic for the Emmitsburg knew he wouldn’t accept anything.
for you to read, about my father. I first wrote this story, and it was printed in The Railroad Company. One day
Catoctin Banner, back in March of 2012, almost five years ago. I hope you enjoy it. Jeanie’s father went for a walk Aubrey had a mild heart attack
in the woods behind his house. and the doctors said he should
Pfc. James Aubrey Houck He was gone longer than usual, think about slowing down. So,
so someone went to see what after operating heavy equipment for
On January 1, 1923, a New Year’s arrived at the barn, it was unloaded was taking him so long. He was Hempt Bros. Road Construction
baby arrived in Johnsville, Maryland. and put in the mows by a very found sitting on a rock where for over thirty years, he retired. He
The new baby boy was delivered at large cradle fork that was tied to a he had passed away from a had another heart attack, and was
home on the farm his parents owned large rope, run through a block and heart attack. Shortly thereafter, recuperating to have surgery, when he
and operated. He was named James hooked to the horses by a singletree Aubrey moved his family, suffered a massive heart attack. On
Aubrey, and his parents were Roy and lifted to the hay mow. including his mother-in-law, to April 15, 1980, he passed away at
Walter and Mary (Blessing) Houck. Hunt Valley, Maryland, where fifty-seven years of age, in the CCU of
His mother gave him the name Aubrey grew up working and he began working for Shawan Gettysburg Hospital. His mother had
Aubrey, because she had gone to a playing on the farm and going to Farms. Shawan Farms consisted passed in January and his sister in
movie and that was the star’s name. school at Elmer Wolf School in Union of around three thousand acres, February of the same year.
She liked the movie so much that she Bridge. He was old enough to drive owned by the Miller family.
said that was going to be her next his father’s car by 1939, and his dad Aubrey began driving a team of I am sure by now you know that I
boy’s name. would lend him the car so that he mules to do farm work. Aubrey am writing about my father (some of
and his brothers could go to the local and Jeanie had two more you called him Orby, some called him
Aubrey grew up helping on the fire hall dances. That is where he children while there. Orvy; he would smile, but he never
farm and playing with his three met Mary Jean Wantz. They started corrected anyone). I can’t remember
brothers and one sister. He really dating, fell in love, and got married. The family eventually moved to ever hearing him say anything bad
liked feeding and riding the horses, Shortly after their marriage, Aubrey Taneytown, Maryland, to the Bob about anyone. He was the hardest
but he wasn’t fond of milking the was drafted into the Army Air Force Bankert farm and took over the working, kindest, and most giving
cows. Of course, he made the best of to fight for our country until the war farming for the rent of the house. man I have ever met. I am sure if you
it all, because he really wasn’t one to was over, or our President said he Aubrey also got a job working at had the good fortune of meeting him,
complain. The field work was done could come home. the Cambridge Rubber company you would be in complete agreement.
mostly by horse and hand back then. making rubber boots. While living You became his friend instantly upon
The most modern piece of machinery Aubrey was only in the service and working there, they had another meeting him.
the family owned was a thrashing for a short time when he got word child, bringing the total to four. The
machine. that Jeanie (that’s what he called his oldest son was six years old now, I didn’t write much about his time
wife) was pregnant with his child. having been born in 1943, and was in the service during WWII. He never
Aubrey had to cut corn with a He was trained as a mechanic and in first grade. He helped on the farm spoke much about it, and when you
sickle and shock it; later, he would worked on airplanes. He was then by putting the automatic milkers mentioned something about it to him,
come around with the horses and sent to Germany and fought in the together, so that when his dad got off he would just smile and change the
wagon and load it all by hand. The infantry. Aubrey kept in touch with work, he could go right to the barn subject. I do know that he was proud
hay was also done mostly by hand, Jeanie by writing her when he had and start milking. Aubrey was very to fight for our freedom and was very
except for the sickle bar mower that the chance and reading her letters good at operating heavy equipment patriotic, and that’s enough for me.
was horse-drawn. The hay, after from home. His son was more than while in the army. So, when he heard
drying, was loaded on the wagons two years old when he stepped off of a job opening operating a horse God Bless America, God Bless the
with long pitch forks. When the hay the train and saw him for the very drawn grader, and about the money American Veteran, and God Bless
they were paying to operate it, he You.
Is it Spring Yet? jumped at the chance.
Get Your Lawn & Garden Supplies Now!
He moved the family back to
Lime • Fertilizer • Grass Seed Emmitsburg, where he would reside
Onion Sets • Seed Envelopes for the rest of his life. Aubrey was
Common Garden Seeds in Bulk a member of VFW Post 6658 in
Thurmont Feed Store, LLC... and more!!! Emmitsburg, American Legion Post
-OPEN- 121 in Emmitsburg, and the Indian
M-F 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Lookout Conservation Club. Aubrey
Sat 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. and Jeanie finished their family with
another son, making the total of
children four boys and one girl—the
same as his mother and dad. He built
a house along the Waynesboro Pike,
just one mile outside of Emmitsburg.
It seemed there was always someone
there for him to work on their vehicle
(trucks, cars, and even tractors) and
he would not accept anything for it.
He would always say, “Maybe I’ll
301-271-7321 • 36 Walnut Street, Thurmont MD We Invite You to Share Your Good News!
[email protected] • Message Line 240-288-0108 • Publisher’s Line 301-271-1050 • Fax 301-447-2946
