Androphy family page 2 Early years
Abe and Rose Androphy
Grandpa Abe joined the National Guard either just before or during World War I around 1915 when he would have been about 20 years old. Here is a picture of him in uniform looking proud in his Doughboy hat. He told me that he was a Buck Private. I believe that this is where he received some of his formal training in electricity, a new technology at the time.
I am not sure what he did after World War I. He did tell me that he learned more about electricity and the new technology of radio. He may have been an apprentice at that time since he eventually became a licensed electrician. Although, it would not surprise me if he learned most of these disciplines himself. He was a very quick learner and mastered most mechanical and technological disciplines quickly. He was notorious for not reading directions before assembling or repairing appliances, electrical, and electronic devices. I have worked with many engineers and technicians my entire career and I have never seen a better natural troubleshooter than my grandfather.
Grandpa Abe joined the National Guard either just before or during World War I around 1915 when he would have been about 20 years old. Here is a picture of him in uniform looking proud in his Doughboy hat. He told me that he was a Buck Private. I believe that this is where he received some of his formal training in electricity, a new technology at the time.
I am not sure what he did after World War I. He did tell me that he learned more about electricity and the new technology of radio. He may have been an apprentice at that time since he eventually became a licensed electrician. Although, it would not surprise me if he learned most of these disciplines himself. He was a very quick learner and mastered most mechanical and technological disciplines quickly. He was notorious for not reading directions before assembling or repairing appliances, electrical, and electronic devices. I have worked with many engineers and technicians my entire career and I have never seen a better natural troubleshooter than my grandfather.
Abe and Rose Androphy Wedding Invitation
My grandparents, were married October 24, 1920 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. My parents were also married in Bridgeport. My grandparent's wedding invitation is on the right. You can click it to enlarge it. Grandpa Abe was 25 years old and Grandma Rose Kelman Androphy was 20. They told me the story of their first date many times, so here it is:
Grandpa owned a Harley Davidson motorcycle. (I saw the pictures, it's true!) He picked up my grandmother, Rose, who lived in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on the motorcycle on their first date. It may have been a "fix-up" but I am not sure. My grandmother was riding on the back of his motorcycle and her brand new coat got caught in the back wheel and it was ruined. She told me that she was not happy about this and she figured that she would never see him again. However, my grandmother told me that he showed up at her house the next day with flowers and a new coat. Since it was a couple of hours drive from Brooklyn to Bridgeport, she decided that he was not a bad person after all!
 Deed for Spring Street Derby CT
I am not quite sure what they lived when they were first married, but they ultimately settled in Derby, Connecticut and built a three family house on 34 Spring Street. A picture that I took in June 2014 is on the left. Grandpa's brother Julius and his wife, Rose, lived on the first floor, my grandparents lived on the second floor, and my Aunt Rae Androphy lived on the third floor.
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34 Spring Street Derby, Connecticut
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The town of Derby is part of the region of Connecticut along the lower Naugatuck River known as "The Naugatuck Valley." The Valley consists of the towns of Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, Shelton, and Oxford in the Lower Naugatuck River Valley. I worked in the Valley for 17 years as the Manager of the cable television company there.
As a native of Brooklyn, my Grandfather had an encyclopedic knowledge of New York City and he loved visiting the City. We went there many times when I was growing up. We usually ate at the Horn and Hardart Automat, an automated self-serve chain of restaurants, that was his favorite place to eat. He loved riding on the NYC Subway system and he always looked for his brother-in-law, Joey Kelman, who was a motorman, who may have been driving the train.
When I was a teenager, and newly interested in electronics and Amateur Radio, he took me to visit the Manhattan's legendary Canal Street electronics store where we looked at military surplus electronic equipment for use in my Amateur Radio station that was displayed in the stores and on the sidewalk.. We purchased my first Amateur Radio receiver, a Hammarlund HQ100AC, at the old Henry Electronics store in Manhattan around 1963. I still have that receiver and I wrote an article about it in QST. Here's the article and picture.
Androphy Family Page 3
As a native of Brooklyn, my Grandfather had an encyclopedic knowledge of New York City and he loved visiting the City. We went there many times when I was growing up. We usually ate at the Horn and Hardart Automat, an automated self-serve chain of restaurants, that was his favorite place to eat. He loved riding on the NYC Subway system and he always looked for his brother-in-law, Joey Kelman, who was a motorman, who may have been driving the train.
When I was a teenager, and newly interested in electronics and Amateur Radio, he took me to visit the Manhattan's legendary Canal Street electronics store where we looked at military surplus electronic equipment for use in my Amateur Radio station that was displayed in the stores and on the sidewalk.. We purchased my first Amateur Radio receiver, a Hammarlund HQ100AC, at the old Henry Electronics store in Manhattan around 1963. I still have that receiver and I wrote an article about it in QST. Here's the article and picture.
Androphy Family Page 3