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MOTM for March 2018 CMD

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  • MOTM for March 2018 CMD

    Click image for larger version  Name:	6C963175-6CBD-4EB7-AB27-C65E7468485B.jpeg Views:	1 Size:	162.7 KB ID:	288678 This man needs no introduction, and we all know how much he means to this site! Please give a very long overdue thank you to our March MOTM, Charlie, CMD!
    Thank you for all you do Charlie!

    Well, I'm a life long Rhode Islander and proud enough of that fact that I would have made one great tour guide for the places and history of my home.

    In childhood, I had two homes. In the summers, I lived across the street from these guys:




    The guy with the rake is Bill Yoman. He and the other guy, Bill Lacy, were the last of the rivermen on the Narrow River, aka the Pettaquamscutt River. Bill Yoman's brother, Joe, had the strongest Yankee accent anybody ever heard, archaic English, as if he had just stepped off the Mayflower. He also had the delightful habit of howling and barking at every full moon, while shaking his fists angrily at the bright disc. I remember one night my cousin and I had to lead him out of the street to his back yard, and tell him "Joe, ya gotta stay out of the street. Too much traffic these days".

    One year, Bill Yoman planted the spare field next to our home with corn, and there I found my first point. About 1957 or 58. The base of an argillite Atlantic, still got it. Hands down, no contest, no way, the best years of my life. The Yoman's in particular still lived as people did in the 1800's. As I grew older, only then did I realize what a unique privlage it was to know all of them. Summer nights by kerosene lantern in the Yoman's kitchen, or by the bridge with Lacy, listening to his tall tales. Enlarge the closeup of Lacy's face. I swear you can see into the man's soul. Bill Lacy was murdered one night, his body dumped in the river. The police never solved that crime; I don't think they cared enough.

    The rest of the year, my folks and I were the only Irish family in an all Italian, mafia dominated neighborhood on the west side of Providence. Across the street, an Italian social club, headquarters for one of the gangs belonging to the Patriarca crime family. Patriarca sat on the mob council that controlled rackets in the United States. A don's don to all the other dons. I liked that neighborhood too. Got to walk bare foot in the wine press. In the Boy Scouts, ran a casino in the basement, miniature slot machines, roulette wheel, shake down the other scouts, lol. I knew my best friend was gonna be a fine made man in Patriarca's family. Imagine my great surprise when, instead, he bacame one of the leading child psychology theorists in the country, lol. I still find that hard to believe.

    In high school, my classmates included the actor James Woods. We hated each other, lol. And Walter Mossberg, who would go on to be the kingpin of electronic technology in America. If he gives a thumbs up to your gadget, you're golden.

    From there, off to college and grad school at the University of Rhode Island.

    I have more interests and passions in my life then I could list here. But, as for hobbies, it's always been about deep time. Just very attracted to deep time. Fossils, the deep time of life on earth; artifacts, the deep time of man in America, and meteorites, the deep time of the solar system. The older it is, the more I like it, lol.

    I think I've been blessed to live in a Yankee neighborhood, an Italian neighborhood, and a Jewish neighborhood full of geniuses.
    And blessed to know people who still lived in the 1800's, only to wind up addicted to an iPad, lol.


    Last edited by SDhunter; 04-01-2018, 07:15 PM.
    South Dakota

  • #2
    Hey Charlie, Congrats and thanks for the stories.
    Michigan Yooper
    If You Don’t Stand for Something, You’ll Fall for Anything

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    • #3
      I love to see it. Well written and congratulations on the honor
      Can’t find em sitting on the couch; unless it’s in a field

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      • #4
        Neat information congratulations on the honor.
        South East Ga. Twin City

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        • #5
          Charlie, no secret about how I feel about you. This honor is so well deserved. Thanks for being my friend & like- minded compatriot. 😘
          Last edited by Havenhunter; 03-02-2018, 09:06 AM.
          Child of the tides

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          • CMD
            CMD commented
            Editing a comment
            Right back at ya, Deb!

        • #6
          Congratulations Charlie on Motm, although it doesn't feel nearly sufficient enough to express my debt of gratitude to have been able to share this forum with you. I've learned so many valuable lessons from you and I often read your post like an enthusiastic child in suspense of every word. Your as gifted a writer as any and an inspiration to me as to what a knowledgable collector and lover of history (or deep time as you call it) should be. I know we've only known eachother for a few years now, but very few people have influenced me the way you have in that short span of time. I don't know what's going on with me today but I'm very sentimental and grateful for the folks who I'm lucky to call friends here on this site. Its a special place to me as I know it has been to you . That's an awesome bio, you've got a way with words that is truly special and I would love to just sit and have a good long chat with you about everything! Lol well I guess I've went over my allotted time here but I can't say thanks enough man!
          Josh (Ky/Tn collector)

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          • Havenhunter
            Havenhunter commented
            Editing a comment
            Okay Josh, you made me cry & smile.

          • CMD
            CMD commented
            Editing a comment
            Thanks, Josh. You're making me blush! But, that's OK now and then, lol. The feeling is mutual, my friend.

        • #7
          Congratulations Charlie well deserved and long over due.
          Look to the ground for it holds the past!

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          • #8
            Congratulations Charlie, well with all that information I’ll be reading your posts and threads in a different light .
            Thats a great childhood you had there , full of diverse religions and ethnic backgrounds .
            I would say it was good to have the mob in your side in the friendship department .
            I always enjoy your input and knowledge in your posts . When I was 7 I always wonder what was before all the planets , just black and what came before that ?? I can still see the look on the elders faces . I to enjoyed people from the
            late 1800’s .
            Happy MOTM for March ...
            well deserved ...

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            • #9
              Charlie you are a huge part of what makes this place great thank you and congratulations!
              N.C. from the mountains to the sea

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              • #10
                Congratulations on your selection as MOTM. I hope the health issues you've been having will soon be things of the past and that you continue to enjoy those activities and interests that you love so much.

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                • #11
                  Way to go Charlie. Great story. I love the way you write. I could see parts of your childhood in my mind’s eye. Beautiful.👍👍
                  Wandering wherever I can, mostly in Eastern Arkansas, always looking down.

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                  • #12
                    My heartiest and deep felt congratulations to you Charlie. That was an absolutely grand intro and perhaps the best one I have read on here. I hate to admit it but Josh stole my thunder. All that he said, in his post, goes for me as well (No offense meant Josh) - I just couldn't say it any better. Charlie - I to have known you only for a short time but in that time I've come to admire you for what you bring to all of us here. Your interests in "all things old" has sparked my interest and cause me to embark on another hobby - fossil collecting. I don't think my wife is as avid as I am cause in her mind they're just more rocks to clutter up her house ;-) I don't think I've missed many, if any, of your posts because I find them just that interesting. Being of similar age, I also appreciate your candor because I find I tend to be the same way. But I think most of all I have come to think of you as a friend that I'd like to personally sit down and spend some time with. So - If and when the wife and I get back to Rhode Island, I intend to look you up and do just that. Now - I'll give up my soapbox. Thanks so much Charlie for being who you are and sharing so much of yourself with us here on AH.com.
                    Pickett/Fentress County, Tn - Any day on this side of the grass is a good day. -Chuck-

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                    • CMD
                      CMD commented
                      Editing a comment
                      Thanks, Chuck. Appreciate the kind words. Glad I got ya into fossil hunting. I did not realize that, and hope you find some nice ones!

                  • #13
                    Congratulations on MOTM Charlie. That was a great read. It sounds like a movie script. That fella you mentioned sure looks like an interesting character and James Woods lol...he always plays the part of a jerk...go figure!!! Looks like you were raised in a very unique environment. Thanks for all of your input over the years...
                    The chase is better than the catch...
                    I'm Frank and I'm from the flatlands of N'Eastern Illinois...

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                    • CMD
                      CMD commented
                      Editing a comment
                      Lol, yeah, I should only say kind things about people, but Jimmy Woods was the same in life as he was in his movies, lol! Thanks!

                    • OnewiththewilD
                      OnewiththewilD commented
                      Editing a comment
                      Lol, R.I.’s really small, ive met him too, we redid his roof,he was pretty stuck up. Everybody around here’s got a James Woods story but I’ve yet to hear one that person actually liked him, lol.

                  • #14
                    Congrats Charlie. Well deserved. Your life description is fantastic. Thanks for all you do.

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                    • #15
                      Thank you all for your very kind words. This is, hands down, the friendliest, and best, of the internet's artifact forums. I've always felt that way, and have enjoyed the privlage of sharing thoughts and finds, and enjoying all your thoughts and finds. It's very humbling to know I've been able to help out in the manner you have described, and hope I can continue to do so in the future. Internet families grow on a person, and that is certainly the case here. I can get cranky sometimes, lol, but that's just what being passionate does to a body. I hold you all in high regard. Thanks to each and all for being you!

                      Here are a couple of photos of the Pettaquamscutt River. It's a tidal estuary, so the water is brackish, not completely fresh. At the head sits the homestead of Gilbert Stuart, famous colonial portrait painter. That's his picture of George Washington on our $1 bill.

                      I took these photos just a few years back. That's the family summer home. It's next to Lacy Bridge, the uppermost bridge of the three that crosss the river. Named for Bill Lacy of course. My uncle bought the homestead in the late 50's, but my folks let me stay there with my aunt, uncle, and cousins every summer too. One of those cousins still lives there with his wife. So glad it stayed in the family. It will always be home to me as well, more so then any place I ever lived. For years, the Mrs. and I spent one day each summer screening river bottom for points. Got some nice ones that way.

                      Second photo was taken from about where one of my cousins lives on the east side of the river. He did not move too far from the homestead. Bill Yoman, the farmer across the street told us that there was an awesome electrical storm one summer, and lighting actually split the house! Seems hard to believe, but he swore he helped repair it.

                      Click image for larger version  Name:	IMG_9877.PNG Views:	1 Size:	1.24 MB ID:	288775
                      Click image for larger version  Name:	IMG_9878.PNG Views:	1 Size:	1.29 MB ID:	288776 Here's an old photo of Bill Lacy's place. To really appreciate the double take the sight of his home caused, it stood upon a very steep slope, making it look like it just had to slide down the hill into the street just anytime, now. Lol, it never did. One year, Yankee Magazine ran a cover story about Bill. Said he had no electricity, no modern conveniences. But, no, that was not the case. I remember watching TV with him one night. It was actually his neighbors, Bill and Joe Yoman, who had no concessions to the 20th Century. The Yoman's and Lacy feuded. We never really knew why, but knew enough not to bring their names up to each other, unless you liked hearing Yankees cuss like no tomorrow, lol. They all meant the world to us kids. Amazingly, the Yoman's who were the last 2 of 14 kids and parents, had leased their farm for $1 per year(!) since the year 1900. From a Judge Watts, who owned the entire west shore of the Narrow River at one time.

                      Click image for larger version  Name:	IMG_9879.PNG Views:	1 Size:	86.4 KB ID:	288777
                      I'll tell ya another cool story about Joe Yoman. W.E.R. La Farge was a famous poet, playwrite, and enviornemtalist(founder of the Narrow River Preservation Society), who owned a few hundred acres on the lakes at the north end of the river. While walking the property one day, I bumped into the property caretaker, George Weeden. He told me this. Back in the early 1900's, the Yoman's held square dances or ho-downs in their living room every Saturday nite. Now, old Joe spoke loudly, in that archaic Yankee accent, every waking minute. Seemed like he spoke to an imaginary companion. But you could just walk up to him and interrupt, and he would shoot the breeze with you just fine.

                      Anyway, Weeden told me, nobody could play the fiddle like Joe Yoman. But, while the band carried on, Joe would close himself up in his bedroom, and play the fiddle there. He would never allow a soul to actually see him play. Band in the living room, Joe in the bedroom. But, Weeden said nobody but nobody could play a fiddle quite like old Joe Yoman. Once his brother passed, he lived for years on his own, talking loudly ever waking minute, and my uncle would check on him daily until the day he passed. When you're a kid, you don't always realize how rare it was to know guys like that. Wish I heard him on that fiddle, lol.....
                      Last edited by CMD; 03-02-2018, 09:04 AM.
                      Rhode Island

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