Page 13 - REALLY What A time Book IX
P. 13
REALLY SO WHAT
What A Time
IN THE BEGINNING
th
The first several decades of the 20 century were pretty
ruckus. Large populations had immigrated to the United
States through Ellis Island, including my mother’s father.
Migration continued to move from rural America into cities.
Our economy had recovered from the 1890’s, jazz and booz
had hit the speak-easy trail creating the ‘Roaring Twenties’.
By 1929 life in the fast lane had begun to slow down. Our
nation’s economy and the infamous ‘Black Monday’, stock
market collapse led to a generation that was far more careful
and thorough than in previous years.
My parents had lived through the ‘Roaring Twenties’ and by
the end of the era were about to meet. Pop was much older
and settled, while Mom was in her early twenties, 22. Neither
of them showed much inclination toward making a quick
decision. After all my father at 35, although being settled into
the work force, working on building the Delaware Memorial
bridge, still wasn’t married.
They met in Philadelphia. Mom was working at The Banker’s
Trust and living with her brother Rodger. As you can see by
the single share of stock she was serious about setting a
financial foundation for herself. However, in a couple of
months she would be out of her job, the stock, worthless, and
the bank closed.
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