Musing on Montgomery’s past

A retired farmer recalls a serene life of white picket fences and litte word from the outside

By: Allison Musante
   MONTGOMERY — Charles W. Grayson, a lifelong resident of Montgomery Township and retired farmer, has published a book about the "good old days" of growing up on a township farm in the 1920s.
   "Gleanings From the Past — Memories of an Old Farmer" has been a project of his for 13 years.
   At 87, Mr. Grayson chose to write the book on his life working on his family’s farm in Belle Mead, and about his love for the beautiful, undeveloped Montgomery Township.
   "Neat, well-kept bountiful gardens adjoined charming white-painted homes surrounded by white picket fences," Mr. Grayson writes about Belle Mead. He recalls the days when railroads ruled as a means of transportation, the days before the omnipresence of automobiles, the days of the horse and buggy and when hard work was often enough to lead to a happy and successful life.
   A retired township tax assessor and former school board member, Mr. Grayson said he always enjoyed writing.
   "I’ve never written a book before," Mr. Grayson said. "But I always liked to write in high school and I wanted to record what was going on back then."
   In the epilogue, Mr. Grayson remarks on the old saying "ignorance is bliss." He writes about the serene days of secluded country life, when a daily newspaper that arrived two or three days late, was the only source of news. He refers to the peaceful days before news of crime, murder, corruption and other horrors became readily accessible through television and now the Internet.
   "We see the guilty with our own eyes on TV," Mr. Grayson writes. "We now have so much bad happening every day that we are concerned and worried about the future of our great nation. Morality, honor, dignity, respect, religion, and sanctity of marriage and the family seem to be fading away."
   Although Mr. Grayson offers his personal perspective and many opinions in the book, he hopes that it will serve as a historical text and record of life in Montgomery Township that will educate current residents and future generations. Other longtime Montgomery residents have helped to verify his descriptions and memories for accuracy, he said.
   The book was no instant undertaking.
   "I was writing it off and on for 13 years, bit by bit, on an old IBM typewriter," he said laughing.
   "I stopped writing for awhile, then my wife said, ‘You better get it done before you’re not here to write it.’"
   Mr. Grayson dedicated the book to his mother. He said she was a great help on the farm and a terrific cook.
   "Respect your parents," he said. "Keep them with you."
   In addition to writing and publishing the book, Mr. Grayson also handles the publicity and sells it for $15 through word of mouth and posting fliers around town.
   "I didn’t expect it to make money," he said. "But that wasn’t the point. I wanted it as a record to be put in schools and libraries for people to learn from."
   Mr. Grayson emphasized that the 20-chapter book is not solely on farming, but on "life back then" with a different topic for every chapter. Its chapters include "Early Area Businesses," "School Days" and "Effects of World War II." The book also has 80 black-and-white photographs.
   He hopes his readers will see how Montgomery Township has changed as he has watched it change over his life.
   "As I sit back, relax, and let myself drift into a reminiscing state of mind, it is amazing how faded memories of those early years of my life seem to vividly return," Mr. Grayson writes in the book’s prologue. "One thought leads to another as I recall with great clarity the neighborhood and its folklore of so long ago."
   To order a copy, call Mr. Grayson at (609) 759-3201.