My Grandfather quit National Cash Register in 1917 to go into business for himself buying, selling, and repairing cash registers, mainly because he disagreed with some of their business practices. My brother still has a photo of my grandfather on his horse-drawn wagon with the company name on it. My father took it over from him after WWII but my grandfather still helped out. Toughest old bird I ever knew. I once was working with him in our garage when he ran a ten-inch long, thin screwdriver through his palm clear up to the hilt. He flinched, pulled it out, wrapped an oily rag around his palm and kept going. He also used to make weekend trips from Cleveland to WV and climb the wall of a retirement home to visit his girlfriend.
My father was grooming me to take over but I wanted to go a different direction so I stayed until I trained my brother to take over and I went into electronics. I was dis-owned for a few years but we mended fences eventually I have no regrets. My brother changed the company name after my father passed and eventually closed it a few years ago.
I learned most of my problem-solving skills during those years and they have served me well.
