Edward Jerome Houck My grandfather used to tell me stories about Lake James. He liked tofish at a place called Jaynes' Bottom. But his best story was about thetime he and his friend 'Nervy Jim' Simmons were doing more drinking thanfishing. They came to the old iron Canal Bridge and Nervy Jim declared,'My name is Nervy Jim; I'll walk this bridge or break a limb.' 'And byGod,' Grandpa said, 'He walked off across the top of that bridge and felloff and broke his leg.' He also told about the time he and Uncle Elmer went out west and hedidn't have any money to buy a train ticket back home. So he preached inthe street and passed the hat, and earned his ticket home. My grandfather used to box, and he played clarinet in the MorgantonBand. I guess that's how that instrument was chosen for me when I joined5th grade band. When I realized that band was going to lead to mandatoryattendance at every football game, I quit. It was Grandpa who came up with the names Scampy John and Bobo Remusas names for the Boston terriers; maybe that's why we have a leaningtoward 'unusual' names for pets. He lived at
Morganton, Burke Co., North Carolina. He was born on 8 March 1884 at
Morgantown, Burke Co., North Carolina. He was the son of
William Kelley Houck and
Nina Virginia Nelson. Edward Jerome Houck married
Bertha Lee Fleming on 18 December 1907 at
Morganton, Burke Co., North Carolina. Edward Jerome Houck died on 10 June 1964 at
Morganton, Burke Co., North Carolina, at age 80.