Susie asked--- "Has anyone noticed that as a pattern or a common transition as the world moved from horses to horseless carriages?' My grandpa Willard moved into welding on farm equipment, and whatever else came his way to weld. He made some nice umbrella shaped outdoor flower pot hangers, and did some wood working. I don't remember whether he ever got into auto mechanics or not. Pat

Hello, I'm continuing our Mecartea/Mccartea blacksmithing family sage from the Southern Mines. Judy in California ============================================================================================================= From: The Big Oak Flat Road to Yosemite, by M. Schlichtmann & Irene Paden, first published in 1955. This begins on page 132 near end (Chapter VI The Big Oak on the Flat) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ...James Mecartea moved his family from Chinese Camp to Big Oak Flat in 1872 buying a pretty frame house, already old, which had belonged to the merchant Michael Noziglia. Next to the house but separated by an ancient grape arbor was a stone building which the latter had used as a general store and which Mecartea converted into a smithy by adding a layer of earth on the roof as a precaution against fire. In spite of this forethought the building was gutted many years later, laying bare a neat hole under the cellar steps which had been the hiding place of Mr. Noziglia's gold dust. In considering the two men last named it seems a good time to (page 133) say that we disclaim all responsibility for the spelling of the proper names so well known in the Southern Mines. Members of the same family often had varying ideas and even individuals refused to be coerced and, from time to time, used a bewildering assortment of spellings. Where we have found a signature on a legal document we have adopted it as probably correct and, to save confusion, have used it to designate all members of that family. To the eleven Mecartea children who had arrived in Chinese camp were added two more, born in the new home. The last child before they moved was Austin. The first after coming to Big Oak Flat was Eugene. These two brothers became landmarks in the town and never left it. At some time Mecartea ran a smithy farther went down the main street on a lot just east of what is called "the big stone building," but the exact date is not known. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------