Lots of Old Wife Tales in This Town

 

You probably know lots of old wives tales ...

As I was growing up in Greenview, lots of old ladies used to get together for church meetings and other lady functions to talk and drink coffee and eat cookies, cakes and pies. Grammy told me they also talked about old wives tales....and were always exchanging information and to see who had the best old wives tales.

As both grammy and I aged, I loved to sit with her and hear her tales about everything. She was in her nineties but she was sharp. She knew lots of things so I was always curious and always had a piece of paper around to jot things down. I asked Grammy about some of these old wives tales and the following are some of the tales she told me.....and for some, she swore by them as did a lot of the older folks around Greenview.

1. If you sneeze you must put your hand over your mouth to prevent your soul from escaping. Be sure someone says "God Bless You" to drive the devil away or he will enter your body. (hmmmph...I'm gonna cover my mouth for sure)

2. The old wives sneeze tale: Sneeze once for sorrow; Sneeze twice for joy; Sneeze three times for a letter; Sneeze four times for a boy; Sneeze five times for silver; Sneeze six times for gold; Sneeze seven times for a secret that never will be told. (note: Allergies probably caused the sneezies)

3. Hold a buttercup under your chin and the color will shine on your face and this person will become rich in the near future.
(Note....I did this several times, but to no avail.)

4. If you hear the cry of an owl, someone will soon die. (false)

5. If you crack your knuckles, you will get arthritis. (Note...I asked and doc said this is not true, but he said don't crack your knuckles)

6. When you drive by a cemetery you must hold your breath or you will breathe in the spirit of someone who recently was buried. (false)

7. If a bird flies into your home, there will be a death in the family.
(false....the bird was probably following a bug or trying to build a nest in your door wreath.)

8. Touching a toad will give you warts. (Note....false)

9. Fish is brain food. (TRUE; omega 3 fatty acids fish oil boosts brain power)

10. Bad Luck caused by:

• spilling salt...throw some over your left shoulder to redeem
• putting your shirt on wrong side out
• rooster crowing at night
• bad luck all day if your left foot comes out of bed first
• 7 years bad luck for a broken mirror
• bad luck if you give away an item which was a wedding present
• bad luck to the household if umbrella opened inside the house
• bad luck to stare at the moon over left shoulder
• bad luck if you sing before breakfast
• bad luck if you find a five leaf clover

Grammy knew best so I listened and believed in some as she did. It's not always easy to ignore something you heard as a child. We were impressionable then and as far as I'm concerned, I still believe in some of these! Maybe I never grew up!

Miscellaneous Vintage Photos

(on most photos, you can click on photos to get an enlarged view)

 





 



 

 

 

This was printed in the Petersburg Observer in 2004.

 

 

 

 

 

The Pavilion at Chautauqua

 

 

 

 

This was when the old skating rink was torn down.  This

building was contracted by the Armour Packing Company in 1923 and operated as the Armour Cheese company.  Four years later, the cheese operation was moved to Wisconsin and this building became the home of the New York Dressed Chicken Company.

Later in years this became home to a dairy, a skating rink and an auction house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Marbold.  The founder of the Marbold farmstead.  John was born Johann Wernsing on May 7, 1800 in Hanover Germany.

 

Because his childless aunt could only pass her estate, without thegovernment seizing it, to a legal heir with the same surname,

the aunt adopted Johann in 1820 and his name was changed to John Marbold.  John's brother lived in Petersburg and returned to Germany to convince his brother John to moved to America.   John's wife had died in 1843 so he was apparently ready for change.   John and his children moved to Petersburg and lived there for 3 years before moving to Greenview to buy 200 acres from Charles Montgomery.  He began to build a home called Elmwood.  The home was built 1850 to 1853.  John's wife was Marie Shearborn and they had six children.

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. H. H. Marbold (Margaret Hackmann) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B. F. Marbold, son of H. H. Marbold. 

 

 

 

 

 

Springfield Drive In which was off old route Business 66, otherwise known as 31st street and later known as Dirksen Parkway.  This drive in was located behind Guiffre Buick.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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