Grandpa's Musings

Floyd E. Whitcomb, born in 1882, was a man who was gifted with more talents than any one person I have ever known or heard of. In addition to being a gifted poet, he was a consummate artist in oils and water-colors. He was one of the first professional photographers, communicating with Mathew Brady and others, making a business out of water-coloring photos. (his pictures from a pile of old negatives appear in this book) He was known to be the best shot in the County, and an avid hunter and lover of nature. He was an early member of the Audubon Society and contributed drawings of birds to the books. He was also an expert horticulturist, and worked directly with Luther Burbank in developing new strains of vegetables. He ran three oil wells on his property in Richburg New York at the height of the oil rush there in 1881-1882. In his later years he “ran rod lines” for Empire Gas and Fuel Company (see the two “pumper” poems)