Louis left home in England at the age of 12 for reasons unknown and earned his passage to America on a sailing vessel while working as the captain's cabin boy. After landing (probably at New York City) he signed on again for a voyage around Cape Horn to the west coast of America. He landed (probably at San Francisco) and was discharged with the captain's written recommendation to be taken on as an "Able Bodied Seaman" if he ever went to sea again--he never went. On his way East, he stayed at a cabin in the Rockies where he made his own skis by forming the curved tips between the logs of the cabin walls. Somehow, he got to Pennsylvania and worked for a Dutch farmer (probably an Amish farmer) for a year or two. He was there long enough to learn a little German. It was a case of "Learn to speak German or you won't eat!". His next stop was Canada and the beginning of his family life. He had sown his wild oats!

Louis had many real-life stories for his grandchildren at bedtime. Everything from hand cutting wine bottle corks as a boy in England to catching sharks and flying fish at sea. Some of his tales were so intriguing that they became standard fare and were repeated time after time by popular request.

He was a gentle man, and within his means, a generous man. He loved a good game of chess with his grandson, Roy, and a smoke now and then.

THANK YOU LOUIS