Granddad was Frederick Martin "Fred" Reinsmith, and he founded Reinsmith Electric (later Reinsmith Battery Company) in Monett in 1908. I can't tell you the precise address of his factory and store, but someone on the Barry Co. list has a city directory for 1928, I think, and can give it. Reinsmith, at one time had over fifty employees with stores in Aurora and Monett and manufacturing in Monett. They made all varieties of automotive and radio batteries, sold under the "Reinsmith" and "Victor" trademarks. My granddad, who didn't finish eighth grade, was a very wealthy man until around 1934, when a lawsuit nearly cleaned him out. He closed the store in Aurora and pared the business down to a two-man operation, figuring to make enough to live on and no more -- that way, no one would try to get him again! I'm learning that Granddad (who died in 1962 at age 80, when I was six) was a bitter man who didn't have friends and distrusted most people in general, except for anyone whom society had made an underdog. He was buried in the Spring River Cemetery, near Verona. My mother, Frances Reinsmith Jackson, graduated from Monett High in 1948. There's an awful lot more to the story, but some other time...... -----Original Message----- From: Roulx@aol.com <Roulx@aol.com> To: MOLAWREN-L@rootsweb.com <MOLAWREN-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Tuesday, August 15, 2000 11:15 PM Subject: Re: [MOLAWREN-L] Monett race riots >Paul, what business did he have? 1937 is about the time I moved there, and >remained through high school. > >Pat >