YesterYear: Frank Holloway - Part 1
 | Author:
Linda Huth
Linda Huth: MT43 News Board Member and Copy Editor |
YesterYear: Frank Holloway - Part 1 Linda Huth Editor's Note: Frank Holloway was a well-respected, well-loved member of the Broadwater Community. There are many people here who remember Frank. This is a 3 part article about Frank as remembered by Linda Huth.
Frank Holloway
A few times I have been asked to write something about Frank Holloway and I am happy to do so.
He was my grandfather. But not really; he was my step-grandfather; my mother’s father died before I was born and my dad’s father died when I was pretty young, so Frank Holloway is the only “grandfather” I really ever had.
In her bible, my mother kept obituaries and/or funeral programs of those who were dear to her. I knew she had Grandpa’s obit in there so when I went to get it to help with information for this article. I thought it was interesting that I opened the bible to the EXACT page of his obit and there are a lot of obits in this little bible. It is a travel through time…for sure.
His obituary tells us that he was born in Daventry, England on June 11, 1890, the son of John and Annie Holloway. He died at his home in Townsend on November 21, 1980.
When he was a young boy, his father left the family. They were very poor and as a result, there was no waste in his life!!! Because of having been so poor, when Frank saw a single glove, piece of wire, or piece of wood on the street, he picked it up and brought it home. After he died, the family found all sorts of these “prizes” tucked neatly in the corners of the sheds in the yard.
He had a fetish for wood, probably because he was so poor as a child and they couldn’t get wood in England as easily as they can here. Grandpa and Grandma burned wood in their home. They heated with it and cooked on a wood stove. There was no other heat or cooking source in the house. At that time, people could go to the mill here in Townsend and get wood for free, Frank’s yard was packed with wood from the mill. The piles were all neatly stacked according to size. One of his partners who went with him to get wood was Terry Love.
Terry reminded me of his “Frankisms” and unfortunately, I only remember “Linda did you look out the winda”, but there were many more.
He had three cars, a Model T; a black 1938 Buick, which he bought new; a 1950s Plymouth. But he walked everywhere, except to get wood and on his Assessor visits. He was a perfect grandfather. At Christmas time, my younger sister and I would join him and we would walk all around town to look at the Christmas decorations. She and I would stop at their house at noon when we were returning to school. He always had a treat for us; a piece of candy for me and a pickle for her because she liked pickles!! They took us to Helena to the Vigilante Parade one year. AND HE TOOK HIS CAR!!! He drove pretty slowly and all of the cars on the highway were passing us. He wondered if he was backing up. He had a terrific sense of humor!
Article Images
Click on Image Thumbnail(s) to view fullsize image
PhotoCredit: Linda Huth
Image 1 Caption: Frank Holloway
