Re; Clair Slaybaugh - Auctioneer.

When this author was six years old, he had the honor of traveling with Ambrose "Brookie" Myers of Bonneauville, to public sales. The time was the mid 1950's. Grandfather Brookie's friend and favorite auctioneer was Mr. Clair Slaybaugh. Mr. Slaybaugh was one of the most popular auctioneers of the Gettysburg area at the time. Back then the clerk wore a nail bag around his waist. Each bid was paid for in cash when it was struck down. The nail bag bulged with coins by the end of the sale. The majority of the bids at a farm sale were ten to twenty-five cents. As for any unsold items; "Put it on Ambrose's pile" was Mr. Slaybaugh's order.

At the time of this writing (11/15/14) Mr. Clair Slaybaugh is 104 years old and living in an assisted care facility. When he was 99 years old, I met him at a local auction. There was excitement in the air and he mentioned to me that he would "really like to get back to selling again." Clair still remembered his farm friend Ambrose from Bonneauville.

See Cat. No. 2014-24A to 2014-24D for individual sale bills.