The Buzby Family -- An Alaska Pioneer Family

Faces of Alaska: Elton Buzby - page 3

We've not always had enough money. I was caught in 1934 in Seattle. I'd gone out to buy a bunch of supplies. I got everything ready to go, and a strike was pulled down there. And that was our only transportation, that once a week ship. So I ended up there over two months and toward the end I was getting desperate. I ended up coming north on a navy ship. I happened to hear an announcement on the radio that the President was going to authorize a ship to go to Alaska to carry the mail during this strike. So I got to Bremerton Naval Yard and explained my situation to the Commandant. It just happened that my brother and I had this property over where Fort Wainwright is now and we had a float plane field where people like Wien, Pan American and the others could land. We'd put it in for Pacific International, Howard Hughes' outfit. It was the only thing I could think of so that they'd let me on, and it was legitimate. So the radio man got in touch with the Secretary of the Navy, and they got a telegram saying I could go.

Twice something like that has happened to me, and to be Outside and run out of money is something that is very, very difficult. It happened again in 1938 and I was quite fortunate by getting transportation because of the use of our airport again. Wien took me to Valdez and Cordova. Damn near froze to death. I was the only passenger on a trimotor Ford airship. Noel Wien was pilot and Jimmie Stewart co-pilot. Of course, they wouldn't take any money for my fare because they used our field.

These things are a part of life, legitimate trade-offs. Now, if you'd gone out and tried to bribe them to take you, then you'd be no better than a politician. And this goes back to family, and how you're raised. It's the values you learn when you're young that usually carry over throughout your life.

Guidance is so important. It's the family's responsibility not only to keep the kids healthy, but to do the educational type guidance that affects them when they grow up and become adults. The important thing then, when you have the responsibility of a child, is to do some real deep thinking and planning. I don't mean material planning. A lot of people worry about money and anytime you worry about a thing, why you're vulnerable, y'know. If you don't worry about money too much, your needs will be met. Always seemed that way with us.

We've been desperate at times. I remember once just after we moved to the property out here, job I had unexpectedly gave out. So going into winter, we didn't have any money. Things was kind of bad, especially near Christmas time. Then out of a clear blue sky, I remembered I had a payment to make on a tractor we'd bought. The day before the payment was due, two chaps came in here and plunked down more than enough money to take care of our needs, for future work to be done.

Now it's kind of startling to have those things happen, and if you was worrying much maybe they wouldn't have showed up. It takes a kind of atmosphere to make this happen. And this has happened not just this once but in other areas too. The only thing I think that saved us from being very frightened was influence from the family, that the Lord was going to take care of you if you'd just hold up your end.

And that's why we do gardening, to contribute our share. That means you've got to prepare some ground, take care of obnoxious weeds, see it has a little moisture, and harvest it. Then if you can't use it, give it away. But there's that contribution you have to make and you have to be willing to accept it. Forget about the little worries and remember that there is something far greater to look forward to, and try and be a part of it.

We have a sort of unique little deal here. Betty and I were married in 1939 or '40 and we bought this land so we'd have a place to spend the summers and not be in town. We had four kids, two boys and two girls; and the kids helped build the house and had a great interest in it. Then we all liked it so much we decided we'd stay here. That was in 1951 or '52 and we've been here ever since. But the point I'm trying to make is that if kids have an interest in what you're doing, and you let them help, even if it's not the greatest building, they've done it and it means something to them. It's an attitude that shows family cooperation, and this can be lasting. You can't dictate to your kids, y'know, don't try to run their lives, don't try to keep them there in the house if they want to go out and do something. But have conditions so that it would be preferable for them to be home.

I think if I were to try to explain the most important events of my life, it would all hinge upon what the family as a unit was doing. Some of the instances probably weren't too good, could have been better, but they'd have been a lot worse if we hadn't had that closeness.

A lot of people say "Well, I don't know what I'm doing here on this earth." Well, I think everybody should ask themselves that, and try and find the answer, too.

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