Another story of interest that Lois Randolph, here of Williamsburg, passed along to me on a recent visit, involved her dad, his imitating Mary Poppins, and his boxing career. The story took place in the early 1900's right here in Iowa and the St. Paul Minnesota area.
Her father, Arthur Rinderknecht, grew up in the small town of Atkins in Benton County, where his father ran a local lumberyard. When Lois's father was around thirteen years old, he decided to attempt jumping off the loft in family barn* with an umbrella. Obviously, it didn't work out too well and landed below with an injured foot.
In later years, he was encouraged to get into boxing as he grew to six foot six inches tall and weighed around 220 pounds. When he was around 27 or 28 years old, he had been training in St. Paul, Minnesota and then had the opportunity to fight Jack Johnson, who at the time in the mid 1920's, was the heavyweight champion of the world, a black man and also had been released from prison in time or for the fight according to, Lois, his daughter.
Jack Johnson not only was considered the heavyweight champion at the time , but, by some accounts was considered the athlete of the century. Lois's dad went by the name of the "Cornhusker or Rinder." Again, according to Lois, the fight went until the 12th round when it was called because her dad's foot, that he had injured in his "umbrella jump" years earlier, started bothering him again.
No account could be found of this particular fight, but, does make for a great family story. Lots of information can be found on the internet about Jack Johnson. He led a very fascinating life to say the least.
**A lot of homes during the turn-of-the-century had small barns as they housed the horses and then later were used as a garage for the automobile.
He was my great grandfather.
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