Grandpa's Pocket Watch

I am often amazed at the things that catch the eye and hold the attention of children. When I was a child it was my Grandpa's pocket watch. As a small boy I only knew that it was gold and had a chain that kept it securd to Grandpa's overalls. Every so often he would slip it out using his thumb and forefinger. He would then gently cradle it in the palm of his hand and glance at it momentarily and then return it to the front pocket on his overalls.

Years later I would learn the story behind Grandpa's pocket watch. For starters it was an Elgin railroad series watch and was made somewhere around 1925. It originally belonged to Doc Rader who was a distant cousin to my father Ben Rader. Doc was in something of a financial bind and needed to borrow ten dollars. He approached my uncle Albert and uncle Amos who both agreed to loan him five dollars each. However, they thought it wise to have some sort of colladeral. The only thing Doc Rader had to his name was a pocket watch so my uncles decided to hold the watch until the loan was repaid.

The loan was never repaid and my uncle Albert and uncle Amos were now the proud owners of a pocket watch. However, neither of them needed a watch at the time so they gave the watch to their younger brother Claudie Rader. I never knew my uncle Claudie. He died as a young man while swimming in the Stones river. After the funeral someone asked about the watch. No one knew for sure but my father thought he might know where the watch was. All the boys, my dad included, had a secret hiding place underneath the root of a tree that grew beside the bank of the river. Whenever they would go swimming they would always hide their valuables there. My Dad went to the river and sure enough the watch was hidden under the root of the tree. My Father, Ben Rader, carred the pocket watch until he went into the Army during WWII. Soon after enlisting he sent the watch back home, stating that a wrist watch was much more practical in the military. From that time on my Grandpa, T.H. Rader carried the pocket watch. At his death my uncle Willie (Bill) took the watch and kept it until just before he passed away. One day while visiting with my Uncil Bill, I asked him if he had promised the watch to anyone. He stated that he had not and would be glad for me to have it. He gave it to me that day.

The old railroad watch is now in my possession. At different times it has belonged to each of my uncles, Albert, Amos, Claudie and Bill, my Grandpa Thomas Henry, and my Father Ben. I have no sons but I do have a grandson. I thought it wise to write down the history of the watch. Perhaps someday Easton will learn to appreciate it as I have.

P.S. The chain that is now on the watch was given to my Grandpa by one of his daughters on the occasion of his 50th wedding anniversary.