Goat Island

My dad was the eldest of 4, with twin brothers and a little sister. There is a story he used to tell that was always one of my favorites.

I'm not clear on all of the details, but I want to write what I remember. It had to be in the 1930's. Grandma and Grandpa had taken the little sister Leah to have her tonsils removed. Back then doctors often had their offices in the home they lived in, and they removed tonsils right in their office! They left my father Russell, and the twins Gene and Dean, at home on the farm. They didn't know when they'd be back, so I'm sure a list of instructions were left for the boys. One of them was that a load of coal had been ordered and was to be delivered that day; they were to help the coal man.

Their house was located in a valley; and there is a quarter mile gravel lane leading down to it. So on this day, the boys were left on their own for a good part of the day. Dad said they fooled around, and eventually became bored. So they decided to walk to a friends house. I'm sorry I don't know who the friend was. But whoever it was, it had to be a walk as neighbors were quite far apart. They found this friend and decided to go play along the Tuscarawas river, near the White Bridge on Rt 800.

While playing there they found a rowboat. Well, what do you think 4 boys would do when they found a row boat on the shore of a river? And there was an island nearby. I think he called this Goat Island, and said someone kept a herd of goats there. So these boys took that boat and rowed around Tuscarawas River and went to Goat Island to explore/play.

They were gone a long time, hours by now probably. During this time the coal delivery came. There is a basement window where a coal chute from the truck was placed and the coal easily slid down into the basement in the coal room with a little persuasion with shovels. The coal man had no one to open the basement window, so he drove back up the lane and dumped that load at the top by the main road.

When Grandma and Grandpa finally drove home with little Leah, Grandpa was angry to find his coal laying by the road. And when they drove down to the house, the boys were gone. They were in big trouble. So the wait began for Russell, Eugene, and Dean to make their way home.

But...there was a big problem. The boys played all afternoon on that island, but when they decided it was time to leave, the boat was gone! (I remember something about it's owner coming over to get it and leaving them there on purpose on that island, because he was angry they stole it, and was going to teach them a lesson. But that detail I'm not sure about) The boys had no option but to wait for help. Dad said they called and yelled and called some more. But no one heard them.

As it got later and later, Grandma became more and more worried (I can only imagine!). I think they had a phone but I'm not sure. I know they didn't have electricity. Grandpa had to get in his Model T, or whatever they drove, asking around had anyone seen the boys? The news came to them that the boys had been seen heading toward the river. Can you imagine how frightening that must have been for them? Eventually he had a lot of people out hunting for them. And finally someone heard them calling and they were rescued.

The next day, the punishment was that Dad and his brothers had to carry the coal by buckets to the basement. I can only try to imagine how hard that was, but it seems like a pretty good punishment to me.

Added 5/31/09-My brother said I had the story right. He said Dad also was sent to bed without supper, but that Grandma took plate of food to him.