Uncle Ennalls

Ennalls the Great was born this day in, I believe, 1898. (March 2nd)

Wow he would have been 113. That would have made him the oldest WWI vet
alive. If he was still alive.

I just saw in the newspaper that the oldest known WW I vet died at
110. he was 16 when recruited in 1917.

Well, he basically drank himself to death dying in hospital at age 65. well, i guess bachelors have to find some commiseration. He liked some women, but was a dedicated celebate. I don't know why except for Christian dedication.

Instead he drank. He drank every day except during lent when he would give up either booze or cigarettes [of which he smoked 2 packs a day!] for Lent.
and no other man I've ever met could have done either, except, perhaps some priests?

Well, he was a very difficult man who could have the most engaging personality when he was not in a bad mood [frequently], at which times he could slice you dead in one sentence. Mother told me never to try to speak with him at breakfast. I thought I'd give it a go. Once.

He rarely spoke to women, they never had any thing interesting to say, and they would be segregated into the drawing room after dinner until it was nearly time to leave at which hour he would usher the gentlmen in for a few sentences. chit chat was of no interest.

I was his namesake, the son of his beloved brother who died so young, and was treated to a couple of trips to Europe. I, like many others of the family, lived at 1303 from time to time. Bill and Henry Patterson, Bitsy and Henry Berl, Aunt Quita and Edith, and the Brodhead boys from time to time. A couple of Berls or a few Pattersons might show up. And others from all over the country dropped in from time to time, all graciously received. Still, he was a renowned lawyer, the head of a leading national corporate law firm, the Chairman of the state Democartic Party, and how he managed to fit all this together is likely due to Allen and the staff Allen would sometimes bring in to help.

Allen is a book. But it's Uncle's birthday.

I am trying not to cry, but tears are running down my 79 year old cheeks.

Happy Birthday, Uncle.