In the spirit of Fairborn Heritage Days June 23rd and 24th 2007 in downtown Fairborn, I share what I know of my grandparents story. Kudos to Dr. Horton for a great event. If you have not been to Heritage Days, it’s coming up soon, so don’t miss it!
The Story of Sherm and Emma (Smith) Degenhart
Emma Smith’s family came from Fairfield, Ohio. Her parents moved to North Dakota to homestead land at the turn of the century. Emma was born in 1913 in North Dakota only to return to Fairfield 5 years later.
Sherm Degenhart was the son of Barney Degenhart who was a tenant farmer in Princeton, Indiana. Sherm was the youngest of 9 children of which he was the only son. Always mechanically inclined, by the age of 15, he wired an electric generator to dc batteries to provide the family light at night. The family farmed the hard way with horse and plow. Sherm pleaded with Barney to buy a tractor so they could be more efficient. It took so long to plow by horse that Sherm would miss lunch being served because he was so far out in the field. Barney finally agreed to buy a tractor when Sherm was 15 on the strict condition that it would be Sherm’s responsibility to keep it operating as he was always fearful of new technology.
Barney died during the great depression. By this time Sherm’s Aunt Dessie had graduated from Purdue University and was married to an air force officer and became a teacher near Wright Field. They encouraged Sherm in 1932 to come to Fairfield and work at the field.
Through unknown circumstances Sherm and Emma Smith met and were married in 1934. Their first son, Robert Lew, was born in Enon, Ohio. Shortly after the birth of their first son, Sherm and Emma bought a house on Green Street in what was then Fairfield.
Sherm found work at Wright Field and became an aircraft mechanic. He was called ‘Stud’ because he designed and made a tool that removed broken studs from cylinder heads later receiving an award for designing this ‘easy out tool’.
Around this time, the development of Wright View in what is now southwestern Fairborn had failed due to the great depression; the roads were overgrown with weeds and in a general state of disrepair. In 1938 Sherm went to the Greene County Courthouse with $20 he borrowed from his mother and bought 11 lots in Wright View Heights at a public auction. He paid $28 for the lots.
Sherm was still working full time at the field when he told a friend and coworker about his purchase. The friend, disappointed that he was not able to get a lot himself, was more than happy to accept Sherm’s offer of a lot free and clear if hie would build a house. Emma, who was about to live alone amongst the weeds and brambles wanted a neighbor. The friend offered $5 and bought one of the larger lots.
Another coworker of Sherm’s had a small trailer that was parked in East Dayton. The trailer needed to be moved, so they worked out a favorable arrangement and the beginnings of Buckeye Trailer Park took root.
Around Wright View, people built homes with scrap lumber and nails from large aircraft parts crates that Wright Field hauled out for homebuilders.
By the end of the WWII Sherm had 30 lots completed and occupied. Amenities of this early manufactured home community included a concrete block building with a laundry facility and men’s and women’s wash house/bathroom. Sherm rigged up a gas engine to the washing machines to squeeze the water out of the wash. Most Buckeye Trailer Park residents were young pilots; mostly lieutenants and captains, working at Wright Field. P 39’s buzzing and diving overhead were everyday occurrences.
Times were good, there was a lot of work at the field and the entire Miami Valley was thriving.
Around 1948, Sherm sold Buckeye Trailer Park and bought 7 acres of land in Medway, Ohio. His trailer park plans were met with resistance by the village. An opportunity arose to sell the 7 acres for what he had in it and he looked elsewhere to build.
Dayton-Yellow Springs Rd in Fairborn at one time went through the 25 acre parcel of land that Sherm was eyeballing on Beaver Valley Rd. The land was offered for sale at $20,000. Sherm knew this was a great piece of land; however, the $20,000 asking price was more than he wanted to pay. Counter offers were made and the transaction was stalled. One morning Sherm woke up, showered, shaved, had breakfast and told Emma he had not choice but to pay the $20,000. Before he had a chance to call, the realtor showed up and told Sherm that the seller had accepted his last offer of $14,900 for the land that would become Red Oak Mobile Home Park.
That’s all for now…
Rob Degenhart
FHS Class of 83