Posted: 10:29 AM - Jan 19, 2009
From The Winchester Star dated Monday 19 January 2009.
WINCHESTER -- Shane Henry continues to find reminders of his grandfather, the late J.W. "Corky" McKay.
Henry, 35, was working with colleague Jimmy Thomas on Henry's home earlier this week when they found a time capsule created by McKay in 1979.
The home, previously owned by McKay, is located at 124 Broad Ave. in Frederick County -- about four miles east of Winchester.
The time capsule discovered in a kitchen wall included some 1979 editions of the Winchester Evening Star and the contract for the sale of the home for $9,500 including a down payment of $200.
"My grandfather had passed away, and I had purchased it from some family," Henry said of being able to buy it from McKay's daughters, Henry's mom and his aunt.
Henry bought the home in July 2006 for $75,000. Since the purchase, he has found antiques and other items stored in odd crevices within the house.
Thomas' discovery of the time capsule -- the items were wrapped in an old grocery bag -- reminded Henry that his grandfather originally had gotten into the business of creating time capsules more than 40 years ago, when he made one for Bill and Bill's Garage, where he had worked as a mechanic.
"I knew he had done the one for Bill and Bill's Garage -- we had always known that -- but I never knew I was going to find this one when we were remodeling the kitchen," Henry said.
McKay, who would have been in his 60s when he placed the time capsule in the wall, was a big influence in Henry's life.
He served as a role model, prompting Henry to name his chimney-sweep business McKay Chimney Specialists.
"My grandfather and I were really close, and it brings back a lot of memories in the kitchen because for a while, I lived with my grandfather when I was younger," Henry said. "Every morning, he would get me up, fix me breakfast, and send me off to work. We would sit at the kitchen table, where he told me stories about how he sold moonshine during Prohibition [from 1920 to 1933, when alcohol was illegal] and that he was a World War II veteran."
"He and I just became really close, and for years, he would sit right there, have his coffee pot, drink a couple cups of coffee, and eat a grapefruit for breakfast, and it was right under the time capsule."
Thomas, who works for Henry at McKay Chimney Specialists, is the one who looked in the wall and found the items.
"I'm always curious," Thomas said. "I'm finding stuff all the time in these old houses. I've been remodeling houses where I live, too, and I've run into old stuff like mattresses and just weird stuff."
Henry replaced his grandfather's time capsule with one of his own, including recent issues of The Winchester Star, a copy of a parking ticket he received in Winchester, a heating bill, and pictures of him and some friends.
He also included a letter to whomever finds the time capsule, along with a bit of family history to better explain how the home off Senseny Road came to create a time-capsule tradition.
By Drew Houff
The Winchester Star
The Winchester Star
WINCHESTER -- Shane Henry continues to find reminders of his grandfather, the late J.W. "Corky" McKay.
Henry, 35, was working with colleague Jimmy Thomas on Henry's home earlier this week when they found a time capsule created by McKay in 1979.
The home, previously owned by McKay, is located at 124 Broad Ave. in Frederick County -- about four miles east of Winchester.
 |
Frederick County homeowner Shane Henry (left) and Jimmy Thomas of Kingwood, W.Va., hold a 1979 edition of the Winchester Evening Star that they found in a time capsule stashed in a kitchen wall at the home once owned by Henry's grandfather, J.W. "Corky" McKay. (Photo by Jeff Taylor) |
"My grandfather had passed away, and I had purchased it from some family," Henry said of being able to buy it from McKay's daughters, Henry's mom and his aunt.
Henry bought the home in July 2006 for $75,000. Since the purchase, he has found antiques and other items stored in odd crevices within the house.
Thomas' discovery of the time capsule -- the items were wrapped in an old grocery bag -- reminded Henry that his grandfather originally had gotten into the business of creating time capsules more than 40 years ago, when he made one for Bill and Bill's Garage, where he had worked as a mechanic.
"I knew he had done the one for Bill and Bill's Garage -- we had always known that -- but I never knew I was going to find this one when we were remodeling the kitchen," Henry said.
McKay, who would have been in his 60s when he placed the time capsule in the wall, was a big influence in Henry's life.
He served as a role model, prompting Henry to name his chimney-sweep business McKay Chimney Specialists.
"My grandfather and I were really close, and it brings back a lot of memories in the kitchen because for a while, I lived with my grandfather when I was younger," Henry said. "Every morning, he would get me up, fix me breakfast, and send me off to work. We would sit at the kitchen table, where he told me stories about how he sold moonshine during Prohibition [from 1920 to 1933, when alcohol was illegal] and that he was a World War II veteran."
"He and I just became really close, and for years, he would sit right there, have his coffee pot, drink a couple cups of coffee, and eat a grapefruit for breakfast, and it was right under the time capsule."
Thomas, who works for Henry at McKay Chimney Specialists, is the one who looked in the wall and found the items.
"I'm always curious," Thomas said. "I'm finding stuff all the time in these old houses. I've been remodeling houses where I live, too, and I've run into old stuff like mattresses and just weird stuff."
Henry replaced his grandfather's time capsule with one of his own, including recent issues of The Winchester Star, a copy of a parking ticket he received in Winchester, a heating bill, and pictures of him and some friends.
He also included a letter to whomever finds the time capsule, along with a bit of family history to better explain how the home off Senseny Road came to create a time-capsule tradition.
-- Contact Drew Houff at dhouff@winchesterstar.com