By Richard Mabey Jr.

In the early 1920’s, my maternal grandfather, Edmund C. Kemmerer began building a rock wall that would eventually run along the front yard of his entire home on the 600 block of Boonton Avenue. Grandpa worked for himself, as an electrician. In his spare time, he worked earnestly and diligently on building this incredible rock wall.

My grandfather did have the help of some neighbors, now and then. Specifically, Mr. Hill who lived in the stately home directly across the street. And, Grandpa also had help building his rock wall from Mr. Baker, who lived right next to Grandpa, on the right-hand side of the Kemmerer Homestead.

My mom was the youngest of Edmund and Lydia Kemmerer’s nine children. So, by the time that Mom was born, Grandpa had finished building his incredible rock wall. I remember that all of my aunts and uncles agreed, that it was Mom who most appreciated the beautiful rock wall. For Mom would spend hours and hours, sitting upon the rock wall, reading one book after another.

Mom got most of her books, that she read while sitting upon the rock wall that her father pain stakingly built, at the Holmes Public Library that stood just to the left-hand side of the infamous State Theater, on Boonton’s Main Street. During her senior year at Boonton High School, Mom landed a job in the Bakery Department at the A&P Grocery Store in Boonton. This gave Mom money to buy her own books. Many of which, Mom gave to me during my years in grade school and even through high school.

There was a maple tree that proudly stood in front of the Hill Homestead, directly across from the very spot where Mom would sit and read books. It was under this tall maple tree, that my dad first saw my mom, when he was visiting his brother Earl, during Dad’s leave between his basic training and his departure to Hickam Air Field.

Dad often told the story how he fell in love with Mom at first sight, as Mom looked up from reading her book, and shyly waved at the man standing beneath the tall maple tree in his Army Air Corps uniform, standing beside his brother. Dad would love to tell the story of how he told his brother Earl, right then and there, that he was going to marry the pretty girl sitting upon the rock wall.

I often wonder where I would be if Grandpa Kemmerer had not ever built his infamous rock wall. Perhaps Mom would have taken to reading her books at somewhere in her backyard. The Kemmerer Estate took in over three acres of land. Dad may never had seen Mom, if she was sitting upon a chair in her far backyard. It all makes a person wonder about fate and destiny.

I have not been to New Jersey in about four years. But, whenever I would visit New Jersey, I would make it a point to drive by the lot where the old Kemmerer Homestead once stood. Some time during the 1980’s the Kemmerer Homestead was torn down and three homes were built on the Kemmerer Estate. I am happy to report that Grandpa’s rock wall still is intact.

Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@hotmail.com. Please put on the subject line: I Remember Mom.