Alma John Hancey

Alma Hancey was affectionately called "Pat". He was a jack-of-all-trades and could do most anything, carpentry, butchering of small animals, pigs and sheep, also the town barber. He was very witty and had a great sense of humor. He helped get the dead ready for burial. Someone asked if he ever got frightened doing this/ "No he replied, I just ask them if the razor pulls and if they don't answer I go on shaving. I am more afraid of the living than the dead." He also did a lot of carpenter work helping build the Hyde Park Central School in 1904. His brother Jesse was General Contractor.

He was a self-taught musician. He played the drum, harmonica, fiddle, and accordion plus most any other musical instrument he ran into. He could not read music. He also spoke several foreign languages. He played the snare drum in the Hyde Park Band for many years in his younger days. There were seven Hancey's in this band. Later on he played in the "Silver Gray Band"; a fife and drum band that consisted of nine men from around the valley. They played in parades, reunions, old folks parties, and gained wide recognition.

He was a hard worker and a kind and loving father. He suffered with asthma for many years. We were very poor, but mother worked, and helped support us. She helped many Hyde Park people in sickness and in their time of need. He died at the age of sixty-six at our old home north of town out in the fields.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Apr 14 2018, 13:02:36 UTC