Another Tidbit about Jack

 Today was better. I can stay upright for about 20 minutes, and then need to lie down for a while again. My brain doesn't feel like it's running on all cylinders yet. I can almost see enough to read.

I have learned a very interesting tidbit about Grandpa Leary (Dad'a adoptive father). You may remember that he was a second-generation Irish farmer.

This info comes from a book written about a settlement about 6 miles from where Jack lived, but this was apparently significant enough news that it made it into the book. On June 10, 1906 (so this was before they adopted my dad), "Someone stole all Mr. O’Leary’s fowl and chicks, Buff Orpingtons, a large English breed." It doesn't say how many chickens.

This is what Buff Orpingtons look like.

There nust have been a local chicken rustler since a week later, at a farm about 4 miles from the Leary's, another 40 chickens were taken. It's not like the sudden appearance of 60+ dressed chickens for sale in that rural area wouldn't be noticed. You have to wonder what happened to them. Were they butchered and quickly carted to a city?

Anyway... I think this is an amazing little detail from Jack's life as a farmer.

See The Jack that Built the House