Samuel George "Sam" Alder was the twelfth of fourteen children born to Charles Alder and Annie Lusty Alder in King's Stanley, Gloucestershire, England. The family emigrated to the United States in 1882 when Sam was 7 years old. His father bought a four block piece of land in Dignowity Hill in San Antonio, divided it into 25 lots and built their homestead at 713 Burleson. For years many of his children and grandchildren lived in this area, including Sam and his family.
Sam worked as a boilermaker for the Union Pacific railroad until his lost his right hand, his right eye and a left finger in a hunting accident. After that he worked mainly as a night watchman. He and his wife May had five children, 13 grandchildren and, at the time of his death, 30 great-grandchildren.
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The following was written by Margaret Alder Billingsley, Sam's daughter:
"My father was a master boiler maker, working at the Round House. He could drive rivets with his left hand, as well as his right. His hours were from six in the morning until six in the evening--six days a week. He told me of one instance (among many) when he worked overtime until midnight, with no extra pay. As he was leaving one midnight, his boss, Mr. Ed. Ryan said, 'Sam'll, you make dam sure you're back here at six in the morning!' and he was! Another instance...I was told that one morning when he got up at four to go to work, it was pouring rain, mother begged him not to go until it 'let up'. They lived 3 miles from the Round House, but it didn't 'let up' and he was drenched when he got there. Mr. Ryan looked at his watch and said, 'You are thirty minutes late--you're fired!' Several days later, he sent word for him to come back and gave him a 50 cents a day raise. He had a small consience, at least, and knew when he had a good workman.
"When I was two years old, in 1904, the railroad transferred Dad to Laredo, Texas, to do some special work. One Sunday morning, he and my mother's brother, Henry Jones, went dove hunting. As Dad was walking over an old culvert, the cracks of which had filled with hard mud, he set his shot gun down for a moment, and it went thu a crack to the trigger or hammer. The explosion resulted in his losing his right hand, his right eye, and his left thumb. In other words, he was left with four fingers. He could no longer work at his trade, but he did what he could, which was paint houses and be a night watchman... I would like my children and grandchildren to know that their grandfather Alder was a real Christian in his later life. He lived to be 97. In his old age, when he was asked to pray in the church, two young men would help him to the rostrum, and he would kneel to pray. People who knew him then still speak to me of his beautiful prayers."
Sam worked as a boilermaker for the Union Pacific railroad until his lost his right hand, his right eye and a left finger in a hunting accident. After that he worked mainly as a night watchman. He and his wife May had five children, 13 grandchildren and, at the time of his death, 30 great-grandchildren.
_________________________________________________
The following was written by Margaret Alder Billingsley, Sam's daughter:
"My father was a master boiler maker, working at the Round House. He could drive rivets with his left hand, as well as his right. His hours were from six in the morning until six in the evening--six days a week. He told me of one instance (among many) when he worked overtime until midnight, with no extra pay. As he was leaving one midnight, his boss, Mr. Ed. Ryan said, 'Sam'll, you make dam sure you're back here at six in the morning!' and he was! Another instance...I was told that one morning when he got up at four to go to work, it was pouring rain, mother begged him not to go until it 'let up'. They lived 3 miles from the Round House, but it didn't 'let up' and he was drenched when he got there. Mr. Ryan looked at his watch and said, 'You are thirty minutes late--you're fired!' Several days later, he sent word for him to come back and gave him a 50 cents a day raise. He had a small consience, at least, and knew when he had a good workman.
"When I was two years old, in 1904, the railroad transferred Dad to Laredo, Texas, to do some special work. One Sunday morning, he and my mother's brother, Henry Jones, went dove hunting. As Dad was walking over an old culvert, the cracks of which had filled with hard mud, he set his shot gun down for a moment, and it went thu a crack to the trigger or hammer. The explosion resulted in his losing his right hand, his right eye, and his left thumb. In other words, he was left with four fingers. He could no longer work at his trade, but he did what he could, which was paint houses and be a night watchman... I would like my children and grandchildren to know that their grandfather Alder was a real Christian in his later life. He lived to be 97. In his old age, when he was asked to pray in the church, two young men would help him to the rostrum, and he would kneel to pray. People who knew him then still speak to me of his beautiful prayers."
Samuel George "Sam" Alder was the twelfth of fourteen children born to Charles Alder and Annie Lusty Alder in King's Stanley, Gloucestershire, England. The family emigrated to the United States in 1882 when Sam was 7 years old. His father bought a four block piece of land in Dignowity Hill in San Antonio, divided it into 25 lots and built their homestead at 713 Burleson. For years many of his children and grandchildren lived in this area, including Sam and his family.
Sam worked as a boilermaker for the Union Pacific railroad until his lost his right hand, his right eye and a left finger in a hunting accident. After that he worked mainly as a night watchman. He and his wife May had five children, 13 grandchildren and, at the time of his death, 30 great-grandchildren.
_________________________________________________
The following was written by Margaret Alder Billingsley, Sam's daughter:
"My father was a master boiler maker, working at the Round House. He could drive rivets with his left hand, as well as his right. His hours were from six in the morning until six in the evening--six days a week. He told me of one instance (among many) when he worked overtime until midnight, with no extra pay. As he was leaving one midnight, his boss, Mr. Ed. Ryan said, 'Sam'll, you make dam sure you're back here at six in the morning!' and he was! Another instance...I was told that one morning when he got up at four to go to work, it was pouring rain, mother begged him not to go until it 'let up'. They lived 3 miles from the Round House, but it didn't 'let up' and he was drenched when he got there. Mr. Ryan looked at his watch and said, 'You are thirty minutes late--you're fired!' Several days later, he sent word for him to come back and gave him a 50 cents a day raise. He had a small consience, at least, and knew when he had a good workman.
"When I was two years old, in 1904, the railroad transferred Dad to Laredo, Texas, to do some special work. One Sunday morning, he and my mother's brother, Henry Jones, went dove hunting. As Dad was walking over an old culvert, the cracks of which had filled with hard mud, he set his shot gun down for a moment, and it went thu a crack to the trigger or hammer. The explosion resulted in his losing his right hand, his right eye, and his left thumb. In other words, he was left with four fingers. He could no longer work at his trade, but he did what he could, which was paint houses and be a night watchman... I would like my children and grandchildren to know that their grandfather Alder was a real Christian in his later life. He lived to be 97. In his old age, when he was asked to pray in the church, two young men would help him to the rostrum, and he would kneel to pray. People who knew him then still speak to me of his beautiful prayers."
Sam worked as a boilermaker for the Union Pacific railroad until his lost his right hand, his right eye and a left finger in a hunting accident. After that he worked mainly as a night watchman. He and his wife May had five children, 13 grandchildren and, at the time of his death, 30 great-grandchildren.
_________________________________________________
The following was written by Margaret Alder Billingsley, Sam's daughter:
"My father was a master boiler maker, working at the Round House. He could drive rivets with his left hand, as well as his right. His hours were from six in the morning until six in the evening--six days a week. He told me of one instance (among many) when he worked overtime until midnight, with no extra pay. As he was leaving one midnight, his boss, Mr. Ed. Ryan said, 'Sam'll, you make dam sure you're back here at six in the morning!' and he was! Another instance...I was told that one morning when he got up at four to go to work, it was pouring rain, mother begged him not to go until it 'let up'. They lived 3 miles from the Round House, but it didn't 'let up' and he was drenched when he got there. Mr. Ryan looked at his watch and said, 'You are thirty minutes late--you're fired!' Several days later, he sent word for him to come back and gave him a 50 cents a day raise. He had a small consience, at least, and knew when he had a good workman.
"When I was two years old, in 1904, the railroad transferred Dad to Laredo, Texas, to do some special work. One Sunday morning, he and my mother's brother, Henry Jones, went dove hunting. As Dad was walking over an old culvert, the cracks of which had filled with hard mud, he set his shot gun down for a moment, and it went thu a crack to the trigger or hammer. The explosion resulted in his losing his right hand, his right eye, and his left thumb. In other words, he was left with four fingers. He could no longer work at his trade, but he did what he could, which was paint houses and be a night watchman... I would like my children and grandchildren to know that their grandfather Alder was a real Christian in his later life. He lived to be 97. In his old age, when he was asked to pray in the church, two young men would help him to the rostrum, and he would kneel to pray. People who knew him then still speak to me of his beautiful prayers."
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