Ancestors

Michael Watson Mundis, "Pap", the patriarch of our family. I grew up under the influence of Victorian ideals and teachings. No wonder I feel like such a fish out of water! Loved this man so much and I treasure every minute I had him in my life. Living just across the street made it easy to spend time with him and my grandma. Pretty much where Pap was, I was by his side. From him I learned my love of the past and to honor the ancestors. He knew the old ways of natural medicines and healings. If only I would have been older that I could have remembered more of what he shared.

Pap was fit for his age and still a handsome man. He took pride in his appearance, dressing in slacks, dress shirt, suspenders and bow tie each day. He took long walks, and I mean several miles daily, until he was about 95. One of the funny things I remember is that I would help him "sew" the newspaper for easier reading. We would open the newspaper flat so there were no folds, then take a large upholstery needle with twine on it and put a few stitches up the center to bind it. He hated loose pages falling on the floor so this was a daily routine. 

Michale and Sallie lived in Winterstown when they married in 1891. Pap was a farmer in his earlier years. In the 1900 Census the family is living in Hallam and his occupation is listed as a quarryman. By 1910 they moved to East York (Springettsbury Township) and he is once again farming. He talked about being a tenant farmer and if I recall correctly it was either on or next to the Avalong Farm. During the later1910s they were living in Thomasville for a short time. By 1920 the family moved to West York and were living at 1421 West Market St. where they would live for over twenty years. In this census Micheal is listed as a foreman but I cannot decipher the name that is listed for the company.  In 1940 he is listed a John in error and his occupation is carpenter. I know he worked odd jobs as a carpenter before he retired. I thought it was interesting that he and my Great Grandpa Emenheiser met many years before my mom and dad married. Pap was helping to build the church where Great Grandpa Emenheiser was assigned and both of them worked together building it. 

In the early 1940's Pap moved his household, which included my mother and grandmother, to the home at 736 West King St. where he lived until he passed there in 1968. My grandma lived there until she passed in 1977. I didn't realize when I was really young that he was my great grandpa, not my grandpa. Since Ralph, my mom's father, wasn't there, it just fit that there was a "Pap"! Next to my dad, I have to say Pap was the greatest male influence on me during my childhood. His death when I was ten was the first death of a close relative I had to deal with and one I took very hard. But he lived 97 years and up until the last year of his life, he was in good health. A well lived life to be celebrated and he left his family with wonderful memories!

Sallie Elizabeth Brenneman passed in 1950 so I never had the chance to meet her, but felt I knew her through the stories my mom, grandma and Pap would share.  When I was little I used to walk with Pap to visit the cemetery and we would sit on the bench near her grave and he shared memories of her with me. She was the mother of 10 children, 9 boys and 1 girl. 6 of them, including my grandmother, lived to be adults. She would see 3 of her sons go off to fight in WWI and one would die in the Argonne Forest in France. Another son would fight in WWII. Sallie lovingly cared for her family through the depression. My grandmother Helen lived with her parents while raising my mother & uncle. So my mom had the benefit of learning from both her mom and grandmother as she was growing up. All good cooks and bakers for sure!