Charles Woods MacDonald

GEDCOM Note

Name changed from McDonald approximately 1907 based on spellings in Erie City Directory

GEDCOM Note

Recollections from Charles Burgoyne (1931-2013) on Charles Woods MacDonald as told in 1998:

Charles Burgoyne always referred to Charles Woods as "grandpa MacDonald".

Charles Woods, in the 1930s, would spend the 3 months of summer (coinciding with school vacation) with the Burgoynes at their summer cottage on Lake Erie, east of Erie, Pennsylvania. Elizabeth remained at their home on West 31st St in Erie.

Physically, Charles Woods was "a real horse", a tremendously strong man. No one in the family inherited his strength (the girls were all slight, especially Callista and Agnes). Although a "great big man", he was kind and gentle and quiet, a man of few words. Charles Burgoyne believes his "deafness" may have been more his desire fro privacy.

Charles Woods kept a very large rowboat, which he had made, at the cottage. [Likely the same boat in which Uncle Ted told of being given rides in]. It was boat only he could handle, using block and tackle to pull it up the beach.

He was very handy, could "lift and build anything". His prized possession was a homemade toolbox, wooden with a wooden handle, in which he stored a huge assortment of tools. One day, after sitting on the running board of John's car, resting, (a favorite spot of his after working in the garden) he accidentally left the tool box on the running board, on the passenger's side of the car. The following morning, John took the car to work, to the New York Central and Pennsylvania railway station. The tool box, which was very heavy, remained on the running board throughout the trip. When Charles Woods awoke and could not find his tool box, he was terribly distraught, complaining that "I'm a poor man", (his favorite expression). By noon, he was frantic. He walked to a neighbors home, where he could use a phone, and called the station. To his great delight, John found the tool box, still sitting on the running board of the car.

Charles Woods was "so good to us Burgoyne boys". If they were ever in mischief, he would cover up for them. He lived in a "shed", a small room attached to the garage which the Burgoyne's had built for him. He preferred private quarters, went to bed at dusk and was up at dawn. He loved his room. Behind the shed were two very large rain barrels. He would use the water for his substantial garden, preferring not to put a strain on the well which served the needs of the cottage. Once, some of Jack's friends were over at the cottage, Charles was down at the boat. The kids went into Charles's room, took what few possessions he owned (including his pocket watch and Ben Franklin type reading glasses), and put them in the rain barrel. Charles had to drain the rain barrel to regain his possessions, regretting the loss of his water. He was naturally upset at the prank played upon him but never told John and Agnes, whose response would have been swift and severe punishment on Jack. Instead, he spoke to John's sister, Sarah, who spoke to Jack and the other boys. Agnes and John never heard the story.

Charles Woods was a wonderful gardener - had a true green thumb. His garden was very large, a size only he could manage. Charles Burgoyne remembers there being stakes everywhere, for all of his vegetables. On a cool afternoon, Charles Burgoyne was sitting on the porch with his parents. From the porch, they had a good view of the garden. Charles Woods was working there, wearing his favorite jacked, a heavy Macintosh [probably a fishing jacket]. They noticed the jacket was smoldering with wisps of smoke rising above the plants. Quickly running to the garden, they alerted Charles that his jacket was on fire. Charles Woods was a pipe smoker and had inadvertently placed a lit pipe in his pocket. He was upset at the large hole burned through his favorite jacket.

Charles Woods loved the Jew's Harp, owning several of them. (They, too, went into the rain barrel). He would play them in the evening when in his shed, playing himself to sleep with "old Scottish ballads".

When young, Charles Burgoyne spent more of his time with his father's family, the Burgoynes. His older brother Jack, however, would stay with Charles and Elizabeth. Jack "really knew the MacDonalds".

Charles Burgoyne saw little of Charles Woods between summers. During the winter, Charles Woods would "hibernate" in his Erie home. During Christmas, he would build the tree stands for the Burgoynes, Wittmans, and Earl's family. After his death, Elizabeth spent most of her time with her three daughters, mostly Audrey Wittman, and occasionally went to Philadelphia to stay with the Morrisons. Elizabeth Ryan was "very good, a kind woman". Of all her daughters, Elizabeth Ryan was closest to Audrey.

[other family notes] Chuck Wittman and Thomas Morrison were younger (than Charles Burgoyne) and so didn't get to know Charles Woods nearly as well.

The Wittmans were great fans of Notre Dame, and were frequently taking trips to South Bend. Audrey always liked Uncle Bob.

When Agnes died, Jack inherited the photo albums. The last ten years of Jack's life were spent in California, a move made for his wife's health and to be closer to their only child, Patricia. It's possible the photo albums were thrown away when they moved. Charles does own a film canister from the early 1930s which features Charles Woods.

Recollections from Charles Burgoyne (1931-2013) on Charles Woods MacDonald as told in 1998:

Charles Burgoyne always referred to Charles Woods as "grandpa MacDonald".

Charles Woods, in the 1930s, would spend the 3 months of summer (coinciding with school vacation) with the Burgoynes at their summer cottage on Lake Erie, east of Erie, Pennsylvania. Elizabeth remained at their home on West 31st St in Erie.

Physically, Charles Woods was "a real horse", a tremendously strong man. No one in the family inherited his strength (the girls were all slight, especially Callista and Agnes). Although a "great big man", he was kind and gentle and quiet, a man of few words. Charles Burgoyne believes his "deafness" may have been more his desire fro privacy.

Charles Woods kept a very large rowboat, which he had made, at the cottage. [Likely the same boat in which Uncle Ted told of being given rides in]. It was boat only he could handle, using block and tackle to pull it up the beach.

He was very handy, could "lift and build anything". His prized possession was a homemade toolbox, wooden with a wooden handle, in which he stored a huge assortment of tools. One day, after sitting on the running board of John's car, resting, (a favorite spot of his after working in the garden) he accidentally left the tool box on the running board, on the passenger's side of the car. The following morning, John took the car to work, to the New York Central and Pennsylvania railway station. The tool box, which was very heavy, remained on the running board throughout the trip. When Charles Woods awoke and could not find his tool box, he was terribly distraught, complaining that "I'm a poor man", (his favorite expression). By noon, he was frantic. He walked to a neighbors home, where he could use a phone, and called the station. To his great delight, John found the tool box, still sitting on the running board of the car.

Charles Woods was "so good to us Burgoyne boys". If they were ever in mischief, he would cover up for them. He lived in a "shed", a small room attached to the garage which the Burgoyne's had built for him. He preferred private quarters, went to bed at dusk and was up at dawn. He loved his room. Behind the shed were two very large rain barrels. He would use the water for his substantial garden, preferring not to put a strain on the well which served the needs of the cottage. Once, some of Jack's friends were over at the cottage, Charles was down at the boat. The kids went into Charles's room, took what few possessions he owned (including his pocket watch and Ben Franklin type reading glasses), and put them in the rain barrel. Charles had to drain the rain barrel to regain his possessions, regretting the loss of his water. He was naturally upset at the prank played upon him but never told John and Agnes, whose response would have been swift and severe punishment on Jack. Instead, he spoke to John's sister, Sarah, who spoke to Jack and the other boys. Agnes and John never heard the story.

Charles Woods was a wonderful gardener - had a true green thumb. His garden was very large, a size only he could manage. Charles Burgoyne remembers there being stakes everywhere, for all of his vegetables. On a cool afternoon, Charles Burgoyne was sitting on the porch with his parents. From the porch, they had a good view of the garden. Charles Woods was working there, wearing his favorite jacked, a heavy Macintosh [probably a fishing jacket]. They noticed the jacket was smoldering with wisps of smoke rising above the plants. Quickly running to the garden, they alerted Charles that his jacket was on fire. Charles Woods was a pipe smoker and had inadvertently placed a lit pipe in his pocket. He was upset at the large hole burned through his favorite jacket.

Charles Woods loved the Jew's Harp, owning several of them. (They, too, went into the rain barrel). He would play them in the evening when in his shed, playing himself to sleep with "old Scottish ballads".

When young, Charles Burgoyne spent more of his time with his father's family, the Burgoynes. His older brother Jack, however, would stay with Charles and Elizabeth. Jack "really knew the MacDonalds".

Charles Burgoyne saw little of Charles Woods between summers. During the winter, Charles Woods would "hibernate" in his Erie home. During Christmas, he would build the tree stands for the Burgoynes, Wittmans, and Earl's family. After his death, Elizabeth spent most of her time with her three daughters, mostly Audrey Wittman, and occasionally went to Philadelphia to stay with the Morrisons. Elizabeth Ryan was "very good, a kind woman". Of all her daughters, Elizabeth Ryan was closest to Audrey.

[other family notes] Chuck Wittman and Thomas Morrison were younger (than Charles Burgoyne) and so didn't get to know Charles Woods nearly as well.

The Wittmans were great fans of Notre Dame, and were frequently taking trips to South Bend. Audrey always liked Uncle Bob.

When Agnes died, Jack inherited the photo albums. The last ten years of Jack's life were spent in California, a move made for his wife's health and to be closer to their only child, Patricia. It's possible the photo albums were thrown away when they moved. Charles does own a film canister from the early 1930s which features Charles Woods.

Recollections from Charles Burgoyne (1931-2013) on Charles Woods MacDonald as told in 1998:

Charles Burgoyne always referred to Charles Woods as "grandpa MacDonald".

Charles Woods, in the 1930s, would spend the 3 months of summer (coinciding with school vacation) with the Burgoynes at their summer cottage on Lake Erie, east of Erie, Pennsylvania. Elizabeth remained at their home on West 31st St in Erie.

Physically, Charles Woods was "a real horse", a tremendously strong man. No one in the family inherited his strength (the girls were all slight, especially Callista and Agnes). Although a "great big man", he was kind and gentle and quiet, a man of few words. Charles Burgoyne believes his "deafness" may have been more his desire fro privacy.

Charles Woods kept a very large rowboat, which he had made, at the cottage. [Likely the same boat in which Uncle Ted told of being given rides in]. It was boat only he could handle, using block and tackle to pull it up the beach.

He was very handy, could "lift and build anything". His prized possession was a homemade toolbox, wooden with a wooden handle, in which he stored a huge assortment of tools. One day, after sitting on the running board of John's car, resting, (a favorite spot of his after working in the garden) he accidentally left the tool box on the running board, on the passenger's side of the car. The following morning, John took the car to work, to the New York Central and Pennsylvania railway station. The tool box, which was very heavy, remained on the running board throughout the trip. When Charles Woods awoke and could not find his tool box, he was terribly distraught, complaining that "I'm a poor man", (his favorite expression). By noon, he was frantic. He walked to a neighbors home, where he could use a phone, and called the station. To his great delight, John found the tool box, still sitting on the running board of the car.

Charles Woods was "so good to us Burgoyne boys". If they were ever in mischief, he would cover up for them. He lived in a "shed", a small room attached to the garage which the Burgoyne's had built for him. He preferred private quarters, went to bed at dusk and was up at dawn. He loved his room. Behind the shed were two very large rain barrels. He would use the water for his substantial garden, preferring not to put a strain on the well which served the needs of the cottage. Once, some of Jack's friends were over at the cottage, Charles was down at the boat. The kids went into Charles's room, took what few possessions he owned (including his pocket watch and Ben Franklin type reading glasses), and put them in the rain barrel. Charles had to drain the rain barrel to regain his possessions, regretting the loss of his water. He was naturally upset at the prank played upon him but never told John and Agnes, whose response would have been swift and severe punishment on Jack. Instead, he spoke to John's sister, Sarah, who spoke to Jack and the other boys. Agnes and John never heard the story.

Charles Woods was a wonderful gardener - had a true green thumb. His garden was very large, a size only he could manage. Charles Burgoyne remembers there being stakes everywhere, for all of his vegetables. On a cool afternoon, Charles Burgoyne was sitting on the porch with his parents. From the porch, they had a good view of the garden. Charles Woods was working there, wearing his favorite jacked, a heavy Macintosh [probably a fishing jacket]. They noticed the jacket was smoldering with wisps of smoke rising above the plants. Quickly running to the garden, they alerted Charles that his jacket was on fire. Charles Woods was a pipe smoker and had inadvertently placed a lit pipe in his pocket. He was upset at the large hole burned through his favorite jacket.

Charles Woods loved the Jew's Harp, owning several of them. (They, too, went into the rain barrel). He would play them in the evening when in his shed, playing himself to sleep with "old Scottish ballads".

When young, Charles Burgoyne spent more of his time with his father's family, the Burgoynes. His older brother Jack, however, would stay with Charles and Elizabeth. Jack "really knew the MacDonalds".

Charles Burgoyne saw little of Charles Woods between summers. During the winter, Charles Woods would "hibernate" in his Erie home. During Christmas, he would build the tree stands for the Burgoynes, Wittmans, and Earl's family. After his death, Elizabeth spent most of her time with her three daughters, mostly Audrey Wittman, and occasionally went to Philadelphia to stay with the Morrisons. Elizabeth Ryan was "very good, a kind woman". Of all her daughters, Elizabeth Ryan was closest to Audrey.

[other family notes] Chuck Wittman and Thomas Morrison were younger (than Charles Burgoyne) and so didn't get to know Charles Woods nearly as well.

The Wittmans were great fans of Notre Dame, and were frequently taking trips to South Bend. Audrey always liked Uncle Bob.

When Agnes died, Jack inherited the photo albums. The last ten years of Jack's life were spent in California, a move made for his wife's health and to be closer to their only child, Patricia. It's possible the photo albums were thrown away when they moved. Charles does own a film canister from the early 1930s which features Charles Woods.