This picture was taken by my nephew's wife -- Elizabeth Cain -- of her son Christopher. Elizabeth is a real artist with her photography. I love this with the boy in a suit standing on some newly-fallen snow. Though his dress is modern and the picture was taken recently, it somehow takes on the look of a hundred-year old tintype when paired with the pump. Great job, Elizabeth!
I remember for over 50 years seeing this pump on Grampie Jim's farm. Here are Uncle Clifford's -- Elizabeth's father-in-law's --comments about it:
"That old pump has a lot of history behind it. It most likely was put there by Chris' Great Great Great Grandfather Tingley,on whose farm Chris now lives. (and, yes, I know it's not a bloodline, but Chris has been "absorbed" into our family - to our delight!). It's provided water for countless people, cows, horses, pigs, chickens, etc. over the years. Although it no longer supplies the house, the water is still cold and delicious, and I still love getting a drink from that old well."
About a half mile or so from this pump, our little homestead had a similar one. Until I was ten years old, we hand-pumped every drop of water we used. Grammie Muriel and Grampie Ellery had it "fancy" in those days. They had a little hand pump attached to the counter by their sink. One memory I have is of Grammie hand-pumping the cold water over her freshly churned butter to work out the buttermilk before forming it into pounds and wrapping it in parchment.
I wonder if our great grandfather Watson or Grampie Ellery had anything to do with the drilling of that well?
Grammie Ruth is pretty sure that Grampie Ellery drilled that well...so probably it was Grampie Jim's father that put the pump there. Also, Uncle Lawrence set up his drill and "cleaned the well out" in 1960 or 1961...before Grammie Ruth and Grampie Jim were married.
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