|
 William Frank Heiden - There was another
small house down the road on the east
end of the
Wakefield farm and that is where Mary Lou was born. They
had that little house for the guy who worked the farm to live in.
Wakefield lived where Jesse Barnes lived
(8750 Dixon Rd) and they didn’t want to
work the farm. Old man Wakefield gave me a cow on the condition that
I would give them some of the milk. I used to take over a couple of
quarts a day to them.
When Wakefield died, he gave me a gold watch and he left
Art a horse
and buggy.
Marie (Heiden) Tommelein - That was a nice watch.
William Frank Heiden - Here it is. I still have it.
Brick Tommelein - Does it run, William?
William Frank Heiden - Yes we had the movement replaced. It’s got a porcelain
dial.
 Helen (Henning) Heiden - We took it down to a jeweler to see how much it might be
worth in case somebody might break in and take it. They told us it’s
not pure gold because it wears off over time.
William Frank Heiden - I’ve had it seventy years and I rarely carry it in my
pocket yet it’s all worn off. Old Wakefield must have carried it for
a long time before he died.
Brick Tommelein - Some of those old railroad watches used to be worth
something.
Ralph Heiden - Why did Mr. Wakefield leave things to you boys?
William Frank Heiden - Well, we always waited on him and did things for him all
the time.
Brick Tommelein - Mil, was that when
Art started courting you when he had that
buggy?
Mildred (Roggerman) Heiden - No, he had an old Model T Ford by the time we starting
going out.
 Marie (Heiden) Tommelein - Remember we used to play tricks on old Wakefield? It was
after we got a telephone. When Ma and Pa would be gone, we would
watch to see when he was outside and then we’d call him up. As soon
as he got in the house, we’d hang up. Later he would tell Pa,
“Somebody kept calling me all day today. By the time I got there,
they’d hang up!”
Ralph Heiden - I didn’t think you guys did that kind of stuff.
(laughs)
Marie (Heiden) Tommelein - Oh, yes we did but Pa never knew it.
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Pictured
is what was called a cassette tape back in pre-digital
times.
Over
the years, we have also received written memories and
remembrances about this person or topic from various family
members. 
Wilma, Jeanie, Wm Frank, Helma & Marie were
children of 
