Devers Family Home (Site)

Here follows an excerpt from the Spring 2018 edition of the "Franconia Legacies" newsletter published by the Franconia Museum:

IN MEMORIAM
CLARENCE LESTER DEVERS

(Clarence passed away in early February, and an open house celebration of his life for relatives and friends was held at the Franconia Volunteer Fire Department on Sunday, February 11, 2018. I was able to attend the event, and got to see many old museum friends, and share stories with members of Clarence’s extended family. I am going to share some excerpts from a story that Jac Walker wrote with Clarence, and published in “Franconia Remembers, Volume III.” I served as editor on that book, and scanned all the pictures, so I was very familiar with the story. -- Jim Cox)

I, Clarence Lester Devers, am the youngest of ten children born September 20, 1923 to my parents, Mary Elizabeth Talbert and Timothy Noland Devers of Springfield, Virginia. My siblings, Nellie, Pearl, Margaret, Timothy, Jr., George, James, Mary, Dorothy and William have all passed away. After 47 years of marriage to my wife, Mary Austin Grey, I was widowed in 1999. My stepdaughter, Lynda, preceded her in death. I have four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren that live in Luray, Virginia. I am one of four generations of Devers, and many generations of the Talbert family from the Franconia and Springfield areas.

I attended Franconia Elementary Schools, the old and the new. At the old school, one memory stands out strongly. On my very first day of class, an angry dog got me, biting and ripping my pants. I also remember that a student, Dick Higham, constantly picked on me, like locking me in the outside toilet. I was forced to take action — a good sock stopped the teasing. Miss Annie Troth was the Principal and Miss Evelyn Broders was my teacher in grades 1–3. Miss Evelyn called me “bright eyes” because of my blue eyes. At the new school, Miss Dorothy Anderson was my 4th grade teacher. On one occasion, Miss Nellie Lee Nevitt, teacher and Principal, hit me over the head with a book because I was laughing hard and refused to tell her why. It was my brother, George, and Buster Talbert who were the pranksters at the old school. Once, they climbed up on the roof and covered the chimney with boards with obvious results.

I graduated in 1942 from Mount Vernon High School. The Mount Vernon students were transferred from Lee Jackson High School when it closed in 1939. I remember fondly the football team. Mr. Marshall, an Industrial Arts teacher, was the coach. We had only 14 players on the team, which meant we played every minute of the game, both offense and defense. Our uniforms were discards from the University of Maryland, and were a very poor fit. The helmets would slide down over our eyes. We traveled in private cars to play the opponent teams out of the area. I remember walking home every day from practice, about 11 miles. I loved the sport and we had great fun!

I worked at Fruit Growers Express in Alexandria for 42 years, until my retirement in 1986. Many of the men from Franconia worked at Fruit Growers Express or at Potomac Yards. I began work there the day after I graduated from high school in the Stationery and Printing Department Store Room. On July 8, 1943, I was inducted into the U. S. Army. After three years in the army, I went back to the same job. Fruit Growers was a large operation where railroad refrigerated box cars were fabricated and repaired.

Since 1946, I have worked and managed a booth at the Market in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. My booth is under cover, and I have, over the years, marketed garden vegetables, flowers, eggs, chickens, and sausage which I got from Woodstock. My stand has been at the same location for about 80 years.

When my mother ran the stand, she brought me along with her on Saturdays to sell eggs, flowers, chickens, produce, pheasants, rabbits and pork — 20 hogs were slaughtered each week to take to the market. This market was the family’s livelihood. There are many more vendors now, but I have regular customers who have been coming for 34 years. I have a helper, Keith Moreland, who started at age ten or twelve, who has been with me for twenty years. I mostly sit now and enjoy the moment.

In 1982, I was recognized by the Mayor of Alexandria, Charles E. Beatley, Jr., for running my stand the longest of any at the Old Town Market. Besides our garden vegetables and flowers, we raised pheasants, rabbits, chickens, a few ducks, and guineas. Guinea eggs are small, very hard and pointed. They were used most often for hatching. Guineas would lay 20 eggs before setting to hatch. I would ride my horse, Nellie, out to the field every morning to check the rabbit traps. The snared rabbits would be put into a gunny sack, and I would dress them to sell at the market. I would occasionally ride Nellie to school.

In 1954, I bought an acre of land from my mother for $50 and later I was deeded another acre. The original address of my home was Route #5 but I cannot recall the box number. It was changed to Cory Place. The house is no longer there but the street name stayed the same. I lived at this location for 51 years. Even though my address was Springfield, I want to make it clear that I am a Franconia boy.

I served in the US Army from January 10, 1943 – January 10, 1946, three years to the day. I served 25 months in Africa, Italy, Belgium and Germany. My first assignment was as an MP (Military Police) Company 747. I later drove a jeep to pick up the wounded in the field, and transported them to air lifts to be hospitalized.

Our family’s church was Beulah Baptist Church (now Calvary Road Baptist). Before I got a car, my mother and I walked about four miles from our home to the church every Sunday. We attended church together for thirty years until her death.

I have been an active member of the Franconia Volunteer Fire Department since 1946. Over the years, I have held several offices; President one year, Vice President for many years, and Lieutenant several years which is an office that no longer exists. I can be seen at Station #5 twice a week assisting with the Bingo games which support this organization. In February 2006, I was awarded a 60-year service plaque as a volunteer fireman. My dad, Tim, was a charter member of Company #5. Many of my siblings and nephews have served as volunteers. “Life is good in Franconia”. Clarence Devers, 2006

EDITOR'S NOTE: Keep in mind that this story was written in 2006, so some of it might be slightly dated. I lived in Franconia for most of my life, but did not meet Clarence until around 2004, and of all places at the Alexandria Farmer’s Market, on a Saturday morning. I did know three of his nephews, Harvey, Raymond and Lester, who lived down a long driveway across from Edison. Their father was Clarence’s brother James Devers. Clarence is one of the last members of a group of Franconians that used to be fairly common; he attended the Old and New Franconia Schools, Lee-Jackson High School and Mount Vernon High School. He was a World War II veteran, and long time volunteer firefighter/fund raiser for Company 5. Like many old Franconia residents he made a lot of his income at the Alexandria Farmer’s Market, providing agricultural products to the city folk. Alexandria used to be a major east coast railroad hub, and Clarence’s professional career was in the railroad industry at Fruit Growers. He had a unique life and was a ubiquitous (always around) presence at any Franconia Volunteer Fire Department activity. He was a great resource for the Franconia Museum, and one of a group of long term volunteer firefighters that assisted with writing the Museum’s book about the Franconia Fire Department. Anyone playing bingo at the firehouse over the past decades had to have known Clarence. He will be missed by the community. -- Jim Cox