Letters... We Get Letters...
Yes, we do get letters, and we appreciate every one of them. We're always eager to get feedback from our readers. We love to hear your story ideas and your feedback on any of our content.
If you'd like to reach out to the Seven Mile Times, you can do so via email at info@sevenmiletimes.com or at PO Box 134, Avalon, NJ 08202.
We were especially happy to hear from Dick Heward. Mr. Heward is the nephew of Cleon Krouse, the first lifeguard in Stone Harbor and the World War I hero you may have read about in our July issue. If you missed the story and don't have the July issue at home, you can always read it online at sevenmiletimes.com. A fantastic story about a very special person.
Thank you for the excellent article about my Uncle Cleon. I am the remaining Krouse of my generation. My son and daughter are the only remaining Krouses of the subsequent generation. Unfortunately, Cleon died before I was born but I did have access to my grandmother and his brothers and sisters to have learned about Cleon.
I am familiar with his gravestone, and I did have military mementos of his and my Uncle Bill, who was also in the American Ambulance Service in France at the age of 16. Cleon, in the Royal Flying Corps (now the RAF) flew Handley Paige bombers over France and that's why he was awarded the Croix De Guerre. My grandmother wore that until she died. I was never able to find the medal but I did have the campaign ribbon until I gave it to my son who has adopted Cleon as his hero. He also has the original advertisement that Cleon used in Stone Harbor, offering to take people for airplane rides from the beach. My grandfather (editor’s note: who was the mayor of Stone Harbor) bought Cleon five airplanes, (two still yet uncrated when he died).
The Krouse family was really fascinating, but detailed knowledge is skimpy now because of aged memory.
I expect my son will give all he has to the Stone Harbor Museum. I had close contact with the museum years ago. The museum, some years ago, put on a presentation of three original Stone Harbor families. I was invited! The families were Krouse, Heward, and Lennon. Both of my parents’ families and I personally remember Mike Lennon, Chief of Police, who was a friend of Clarence Krouse, who hired him when he was mayor.
I would be happy to try and remember any Heward and Krouse information if anyone is interested; but time is running short, I’m 93 with a list of medical problems that won’t quit.
Sincerely,
Dick Heward
Mr. Heward:
Thanks so much for your feedback. You are truly a treasure. We've passed your letter along to the museum. We're sure that you'll hear back from them because they do such a great job collecting and preserving Stone Harbor history.