LIFE HISTORY SKETCH written by Tammy Grimes Hardy

The Life of John Seward Grimes as told by his granddaughter, Tammy Grimes Hardy. -Thanks to the many family members for help with this story.

This information came from interviews with Dorothy Grimes (Aunt Dot), Hattie Grimes (Aunt Hattie), Henrietta ( a daughter of Violet Grimes) and lots of help from other family members. "Aunt Dot" as I always called her told me that she was part of the "last bunch". There were 11 children. The first four (Vi, Frank, Oscar, and Paul) then Hattie (who was called "the middle child"), the two who died young Robert and Florence, and then the last bunch (John, Dick, Dorothy, and Dave).
John spent most of his married life in Millersport, Ohio. Before living in Millersport, John worked as a dance instructor in a dance studio in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. After working in Pennsylvania he ran a restaurant in Thurston, Ohio. John and Margaret’s oldest daughter, Violet, met her husband (Harold Crutcher) at that restaurant
Later, after moving to Millersport, John worked at the ice plant. His wife, Margaret, worked cleaning houses. Margaret and her sister whom the children lovingly called "Aunt Clara" would clean houses together. With both parents working the older children had to watch the younger ones. In an interview with their youngest daughter, Dorothy Grimes (whom I will now refer to as “Aunt Dot”) told me (Tammy Grimes Hardy) about her growing up years.
"Aunt Vi took care of us", said Aunt Dot. Mom (Margaret Grimes) also worked as a cook at the restaurant in the Summer Land Hotel that was next to the lake. The hotel was going to be torn down so her dad bought the hotel. Aunt Dot remembers no one wanted to deal with the hotel. He was told that he had only so much time to tear down the hotel, then what was left after that time he would have to leave. He worked really hard and salvaged all the useable lumber etc. from the hotel. Then, when they came back and said he had to tear out the foundation he told them that they said after his time was up that he would have to leave what was left. In Aunt Dot's words, "He was a smart old guy." He got what he wanted and left them with the tearing out of the foundation. From the materials he built some homes and a new home for his family on his Millersport property. When the property (about 1 acre) was first purchased it had a "shack", a little house the family lived in. Now he could build a home for the family to live in and rent out the little house they used to live in. Renting didn't work out very well. So they sold the little house and paid the bank for the hotel purchase. Today there are 3 homes on that property. Aunt Dot remembers that the large piece of property in Millersport was a great place to play softball. She remembers playing a lot with brothers and sisters there.
Her mom was a very hard working, busy lady. She was brought up in a very strict religion that believed you couldn't work on Sunday; and because she did she was asked to leave. As children Aunt Dot and Dave (my father) walked to church. Their parents didn't go with them. They would attend the Methodist church. They walked where ever they went. The family never owned a car. Aunt Dot said. "You could count on one hand the number of times I rode in a car."
John Seward Grimes died on 9th of December 1942 when Dot was 14 years old due to heart problems and diabetes. According to his obituary he had been ill since last spring. Which goes along with what Aunt Dot said, "He lay for a year before he died. He was decayed from the waist down." He died at his home, not in a hospital. Margaret died 27th of Sept 1948. She also died from heart problems. Dot was 20 at the time and had been married just a little over a year. Dave was still living at home when his mother died, so Dave went to live with his brother Paul.
John was 5'8" tall, weighed 167 pounds, had gray hair, a ruddy complexion, and blue eyes. (This comes from a registration for selective service May 1942.)
When I interviewed Harriet, whom I called “Aunt Hattie” and Aunt Dot called the middle child, She told me more about my grandfather, John S. Grimes and her mother, Margaret May McCall. Aunt Hattie remembers that John Grimes had red hair which turned white as snow. He was a dance instructor. He loved clogging. He would sprinkle salt on the kitchen floor so he could "shuffle." He spent hours and hours teaching all of his children to dance.
He was a Jack of all trades. He loved to wear a white shirt, even when he worked in the factory and when he dug ditches for the W.P.A. He also worked at an ice house for a time.
John raised his family in Millersport, Ohio. He built the home he raised his family in from a dorm/hotel he salvaged from a beach resort at Buckeye Lake. The resort in its heyday had marble baths, concerts, and big name bands. He also moved a house to the site. Now on the corner. As a child he was an orphan. When he was 12, he ran away from a farm/foster home.
John had heart trouble, angina, sugar, hardening of the arteries. Lingering illness, about 6 months to a year, before his death that created a bad smell.
He loved opera, fine arts, and ballet. He loved people, crowds, and was very hospitable. Often inviting people to "stay for supper." There could be as many as 20 sitting down to a meal.
I never met my grandfather in life but I know that when I get to heaven I will and he can tell me more about his adventures in life. Because of Jesus Christ I know I will see my grandfather in heaven. Because of Jesus Christ I will see all of my family that has passed on. Because of Jesus Christ we will all live again.