William Barton Folks
Born at home on Pohatten Ave. Moved to Lincoln Ave. & Mac Dade Blvd when I was about 2. Moved to 224 Sylvan Ave. Rutledge when I was 4. Lived there until 1948. Lived in Greentown, PA (Poconos) while working at Skytop Lodge for a short time, then Miami Fl. Next 101 E. 23rd St. Chester until 1951. We moved to 327 E. Woodlyn Circle, Woodlyn, PA on 12/20/51.
As a child growing up during the depression it was a hard life for all. We had gardens and chickens, both of which meant work for everyone. Gardens had to be weeded and cultivated by hand, and picked. What we grew we ate or canned. Things we canned were vegetables, fruits, chickens, sausage and other pork products.
By the time I was 7 I was cutting lawns with a push mower. I had as many as 23 lawns to cut a week plus our own. Very few could not be cut until Thursday. So that meant most of the work at home was done from Sunday to Wednesday.
In the winter, fall, & spring I worked on odd jobs like storm windows, screens, cleanup leaves, washing windows, shoveling snow for the same 23 houses I cut the lawns for. Served papers for Ernie’s paper route. (Served Daily News, Chester Times, Phila. Bulletin, & Phila. Ledger) Also worked part time in green houses.
When I was 7 my mother had an operation and couldn’t do anything for several weeks after she came home from the hospital. She had to stay in bed. I had to help her by cooking for her and being her personal nurse. I stood on a chair to cook, kept the coal furnace going, also the bucket a day hot water heater going. Did the laundry and ironing. Helped mom bathe and helped her get dressed when she could finally get out of bed. Pop had to leave for work at about 4 A.M. and didn’t get home until about 9 P.M. Ernie - well you know! [Ernie did as little as possible]
My schooling was 1st to 8th grade at Rutledge Institute (Grade School). It has since been torn down and apartments built there. I then went to Swarthmore High School 2 yrs. Left there to go to work at Sun Ship & Drydock Co., Chester, Pa. Worked as a pipefitter in the pipe shop until I was 18 when I got “greetings from Uncle Sam” or the President requesting my presence.
Inducted in the U.S. Army 2/20/45. Went to Indiantown Gap, PA. From there to Camp Blanding, Fla for basic heavy weapons (infantry) then to Camp Maxey, Texas for advanced training. From there I was sent to Fort Ord, Ca. for POE (Point of Embarcation). Signed enlistment papers for 1 year. Went home on leave. Reported back to New Cumberland, Pa. They didn’t have my papers (records) so they sent me to Fort Meade, Md. Still couldn’t find my records so they sent me back to Fort Ord, Ca again. After being there for approx. 1 mon. I was moved to Texas. There were 2 large prison brakes from 2 federal prisons in Texas. Approx. 100 of us were sent to help. I ended up in North Camp Hood, TX as prison guard. After several different jobs there was one of which was mess sgt. Mess hall serving approx. 280 men. I got this job assignment because I knew how to cook. Sent from there to New Orleans, La. As an M.P. From there to Fort Crockett, TX Galveston, then Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Tx in supply work transferred to Army band until I was discharged. I played a baratone horn in the band.
Jobs
Worked in green houses, helped a carpenter, a painter, and a plumber. At 16 I worked at Sun Ship & Drydork Co. in the pipe shop and in 1 ½ yrs I was classified as a 2nd class steamfitter. The shop superintendent wanted to raise me to 1st class steam fitter and have me deferred as essential from the draft. I refused. 1 month later I was in the Army.
After I was discharged I went to work for Lester Piano Co., Lester, Pa making pianos. Left there and went to autobody & fender repair school. Went to work for Springfield Body & Fender Repair Shop. I got labor pneumonia and had to give up this work because of my lungs (fumes from paint & dust).
Went to the Poconos & stayed at mom’s place in Greentown where we went to work at Skytop Lodge. I was a busboy and room service worker. Only there a short time. Left there and went to Miami, Fl. Got a temporary job in a body shop until I went to work at La Gorse Country Club - Miami Beach as a waiter.
Went back to Pa. where I worked for:
Sears Roebuck & Co. - salesman
Filter Queen Vacuum Cleaners - salesman
Hummer & Green Lumber Co. - salesman
Pennsylvania Life Insurance Co. - salesman
Philenthropic Life Insurance Co. - salesman
Penn Life Insurance Co. - salesmanThen DuPonts in Claymont, Delaware - instrument technician, then retirement.
My impressions of 2WW era - total commitment by majority of patriotism. Korean war - Happy era- many protested, low ebb in patriotic values. Vietnam War - Shameful actions towards veterans. Persian Gulf - Country as a whole on upswing of patriotism.
Now God only knows. We can only hope and pray that our nation and the whole world will wake up and turn to God and our faith in him.
Written by Marie E. DeLand-Folks
Told by William Barton Folks
Circa 1998Transcribed by William Dee Folks
Information in “[ ]” added for clarification.
Notes from William Barton Folks(W.B.) Uncle Max and Grand Mom Folks lived in Death Valley and had and worked a talcum mine in the 1930’s. Uncle Max was drafted into the Army and was an instructor for engineers in Louisiana until he developed rumatism so bad that he was discharged, approx 1943.
(W.B.) Christmas 34. Picture book is a present from Grand Ma Folks when she visited us. We lived at 224 Sylvan Ave. Rutledge Pa.
(W.D.) Grandfather died in Kansas of cancer (poss 1931 or 1932). Grandmother died 1936 or 1937 (late 30’s).
(W.D.) Uncle Max in Louisiana - rumatism from working in the swamps.
(W.D.) When Grandmom came to visit she had pipettes (glass tubes sealed both ends) filled with samples of talcum (different colors) from the mine.
(W.D.) Uncle Max & a cousin were partners working in the talcum mine. Carried pistols because of snakes. When Uncle Max was drafted that was the last that was heard of the talcum mine.
(W.B.) I drove the last trolley car (single axle front & back) that ran out of Folsom Car Barn, either 1937 or 1938. The trolley operator was a friend of the family, Steve Magill, from Holmes.
(W.B.) Pop Folks drove trolley then drove a bus. He worked for PTC (PA Transit Co.) and PRC (Phila. Rapid Transit Co.). His bus route was Media to Chester.
(W.B.) I went to work at Sun Ship Building & Dry Dock in Chester when I was 16 as a pipefitters helper and 2 years later I was 2nd class pipefitter. Worked on oil tankers and built new ones. I was drafted at 18 & 1 mo.
(W.B.) Na spent several years as a child in a home in Mountain Home, Va. Girls school / home. Mom & Aunt Nellie spent time there. When she got old enough to work in the fields she left the school & returned to Lewis Mountain where she lived.
(W.B.) Pop shot off his 2nd toe on his left foot when he was a kid while guarding the chickens from coyotes when they were living in New Mexico. His father was working on the Santa Fe R. R.
Pop was in the Army in WWI - never got out of states. Discharged but soon after joined the Navy (1919-1920). Sailed through Panama Canal - Crossed the Equator twice, was stationed in Guantanimo Bay for a while, also stationed in Quantico, Va, Washington D.C., and New York, when Ernie was born in Queens, NY.(W.B.) Pop met Na when he was stationed in D.C. and Na was living with Aunt Lil.
(W.B.) Pop was on minesweepers & destroyers. Worked in the Chainlocker (anchor) and smashed his left thumb. Was a Bosunmate when he got out.
(W.B.) Uncle Alex (Aunt Laura’s husband) was sparing partner (boxing) for Jack London. Was in the Canadian Army (WWII) or navy fire fighters of big fires on ships and oil field fires. He was an oil field wild catter & fire fighter. The last I heard of him he had gone to Australia.
Written by William Barton Folks & William Dee Folks (told by William Barton Folks)
Transcribed by William Dee Folks
Information in “[ ]” added for clarification.
Pop Folks
Lived in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Kansas, Virginia, Washington, D.C., New York and Pennsylvania.
Enlisted in the Army when he was 16. Got out of the Army and then joined the Navy. Served in 1st WW in the Army. Came out of the Navy in 1925.
After the Navy pop became a trolley car driver with P.R.T. (Phila. Transportation Transit). When they took the trolleys off he became a bus driver. The family (Mom-Pop-Ernie) lived in Lester in 1925 - moved to Folsom late “27” or early “28” Lived in house on Lincoln Ave & Mac Dade Blvd about 2 yrs. Dad [William Barton] was just a little guy. They had to move as they were putting Mac Dade Blvd in & trucks kept hitting their fence. They moved to 224 Sylvan Ave Rutledge until 1952 then to Swarthmore Ave. Folsom. Then moved to Folsom ave in 1956 stayed there until 1985.
Written by Marie E. DeLand-Folks
Told by William Barton FolksTranscribed by William Dee Folks
Information in “[ ]” added for clarification.
From: wbfolks@webtv.net [mailto:wbfolks@webtv.net]
Sent: Friday, February 16, 2001 8:42 AM
To: William.Folks@luke.af.mil
Subject: Re: POPPop was only out of the army for about 6 month before he joined the Navy and he got out of the Navy in or about 1925. I was born in Lester and he had been working for the PRT a short time when I was born. The places he was stationed, he was in Quantico Va., New York, Navy Yard, Norfolk, Va. and Washington DC. He crossed the equator a couple of times; he was not only initiated but took part in initiating others when they crossed the equator for their first time. He took pictures going through the Panama Canal and was in Quantanamo Bay. I think he was discharged from Washington DC.
Date:02/16/2001 9:20:08 AM US Mountain Standard Time
From: William.Folks@luke.af.mil (Folks William D TSgt 607 ACS/DOT)
To: wbfolks@webtv.netDad just remembered pop was on minesweepers, and I think one destroyer. When he came out of the Navy I think he was a bosons mate. He was in Fort Dix when he was in the Army, when he had a plague and he helped to bury a lot of people. Ernie was born in Queens NY while Pop was in the Navy and my sister was born in Quantico Va. and is buried there in a military cemetery there. I will let you know if I can remember anything else.
Love Dad
Died when William Dee Folks was home on leave from Iceland.
Grew up on side of Blue Ridge Mts. Va. near Culpepper. Had 4 years of schooling.
When she was about 16 she went to live with Aunt Lillian Ridgeway in Washington, D.C. She met pop [William Newton] Folks there. She married while pop was in the Navy.
Ernie & Mom were with the grandparents in Kansas for awhile. When they left there they moved to Lester where dad [William Barton] was born. They rented an apartment from “Uncle” Charles & “Aunt” Jess Roberts - dads Godparents.
After pop died she married Paul Naugle around 1963-64.
Written by Marie E. DeLand-Folks
Told by William Barton FolksTranscribed by William Dee Folks
Information in “[ ]” added for clarification.
For DeLand family genealogy, see "The DeLand Family in America"
For DeLand family genealogy, see "The DeLand Family in America"
America's Obituaries & Death Notices
Paper: Press of Atlantic City, The (NJ)
Deceased: REV. LAWRENCE E. MOORE
Date: October 8, 1991
REV. LAWRENCE E. MOORE, of South Seaville in Dennis Township, died Monday at the
Linwood Convalescent Center in Linwood.
The Rev. Moore was a Methodist minister who served in churches throughout New
Jersey. He retired from St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Bay Head in 1982.
After his retirement, he served as the Pastor of Visitation at the Central
United Methodist Church of Linwood. Most recently, he served as the Pastor of
Visitation at St. Peter's United Methodist Church of Ocean City.
A graduate of Drew Theological Seminary and Temple University, he was ordained
in 1951. He was also a U.S. Army veteran of World War II.
He was born in Jamesburg, and had lived in South Seaville since 1955.
Surviving are his wife, Vivian "Penny"; two sons, David L. of San Bernardino,
Calif., and John B. of Philadelphia; two daughters, Sharon M. Aitken of
Hillside, and Linda J. Moore of Naples, Fla.; one brother, Orville B. of
Jamesburg; and five grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Peter's United Methodist
Church in Ocean City. Funeral services and burial will be private and at the
convenience of the family. Friends may call 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Robert C.
Neary Funeral Home, 39 South St., Manasquan.
Contributions may be made to the Southern New Jersey Conference United Methodist
Church Pension Fund, 1995 E. Marlton Pike, Cherry Hill 08003, or the American
Cancer Society, 1540 Route 38, Suite 303, Wall 07719.
Section: Obituaries
Page: B3
Copyright, 1991, South Jersey Publishing Company t/a The Press of Atlantic City
He was in the U.S. Navy in 1942. Went to boot camp in New Port, Rhode Island, then Jacksonville Air Station.
He lived with his mother after his divorce from Maymie until she [Margaret Alice Lawson] married Paul - then he lived with us [William Barton Folks] for 1 yr. He then purchased his home on 1212 Villanova Ave. Folsom. Shortly after that he married Anne.
Written by Marie E. DeLand-Folks
Told by William Barton FolksTranscribed by William Dee Folks
Information in “[ ]” added for clarification.
Died when William Dee Folks was home on leave from Iceland.
Grew up on side of Blue Ridge Mts. Va. near Culpepper. Had 4 years of schooling.
When she was about 16 she went to live with Aunt Lillian Ridgeway in Washington, D.C. She met pop [William Newton] Folks there. She married while pop was in the Navy.
Ernie & Mom were with the grandparents in Kansas for awhile. When they left there they moved to Lester where dad [William Barton] was born. They rented an apartment from “Uncle” Charles & “Aunt” Jess Roberts - dads Godparents.
After pop died she married Paul Naugle around 1963-64.
Written by Marie E. DeLand-Folks
Told by William Barton FolksTranscribed by William Dee Folks
Information in “[ ]” added for clarification.