The Making of A Soul

About the Book

       The story here is one of interest pertaining to all who have lived during and through a period of developments like no other time in history.  To grow up as a boy in rural America, Ernie saw changes in the world that advanced from the beginning life of true freedom and hard knocks, through technical advances for an easier life.  With the advances of social caring and political correctness, lives have been improved upon with wonderful results.  However, often times with the improvements, we find it is with a loss of some individual freedoms and personal ingenuity.

       With the invention of the automobile near the turn of the century, it was the year 1900 when Ernie’s father, Merrill O. Fogg, was born.  The world began to speed into the 20th century.  The invention of the flying machine soon after in 1903, brought civilization to a front of unthinkable travel.  It was unimaginable that 60 years later, men would walk on the moon.

       The Town of Freeport, Maine, though very rural, would see it’s parallel of this advancement.  Originally a farming, fishing and shipbuilding town, it soon became a hub of new ideas.  Mr. L. L. Bean founded his sporting goods store soon after the beginning of the century.  Over all these years, members of the Fogg family have worked for the company during it’s advancement.  Many shoe factories

sprung up in the town during this period, giving the people in town and surrounding communities another means of livelihood.

       Ernie worked for the L. L. Bean Co., himself for a time while attending high school.  Retrieving goods and merchandise from the warehouse, he and other boys would supply the packers with the items to be shipped all over the world.  The packers, as remembered, were positioned around an opening,  containing a conveyer that carried the prepared packages to the floor below, the Freeport’s U S Post Office.  The company was a big influence in Ernie’s life, beginning with respect for the way in which it helped the townspeople during the hard times of depression and beyond.  One of Ernie’s most memorable gifts was the pair of leather top hunting boots and warm white stockings, given by L. L. Bean.  At age 3 or 4 years, when the family, at best, could find hand-me-downs to clothe the children, it was a wonderfully generous act for a company to contribute.

       Later, while attending Bentley School of Accounting and Finance, Ernie’s instructor surprised him by relating to the L. L. Bean Co. for it’s successful business and ethical accounting practices. Then again, after beginning his career with National Cash Register Co., Ernie had the opportunity to repair the L L Bean’s one checkout cash register.  It sat on the counter for the customer to check out before leaving and proceeding down the squeaky stairway of their original sales room.  Ernie’s pride still whelms as does that of his wife, Carol (Coffin) Fogg, when seeing the  L L Bean logo as it is observed being worn throughout the world.

       Carol is the daughter of Ned (James Edward) Coffin, who worked as did Mr. Bean, in earlier times, in helping to build a better life for the people of Freeport.  Ned wrote the articles appearing in the weekly paper, called “The River Bottom Philosopher” under the title of “The Eel Skinner”, and later he served Maine and the community as State Senator.

       The early beginnings were the motivating force which led to a greater appreciation of communities and the people of this country.  Hopefully, this story relates to all who grew up in this same period; the people who have experienced the changes of times and to the men and women with whom it was Ernie’s privilege to work and to serve.  Most heartily too, I hope it is a story of interest to generations following and that it will relate to the values and morals of the people and forebares who dedicated their lives in the pursuance of our democracy and freedoms.

About the Author

        Being raised in a small rural town in Maine, Ernie experienced the changes in the country from the depression years, through the great strides of social advancements.  Freeport, Maine was a quiet small community of farms and fishing.  Shoe factories had sprung up allowing people more options of livelihood along with L.L.Bean who founded his sporting goods factory in the early years after the turn of the century.

        Ernie was the youngest of eight children and though times were hard, the family was a close unit with all working the small farm for survival.  It was a happy time, however, with laughter and activities of interesting events.  At a young age, W.W.II broke out, changing life as it had been known.  Telephones were installed in many homes and national security became top priority.

        With a career starting with business finance, it was interrupted during his tour of duty in the U.S.Navy.  During this time, he studied electronics and communications and used that training aboard ships in the Atlantic and the  Mediterranean.  After his Navy tour, Ernie worked as field engineer through the development of computers and related machines and equipment.  Retiring from his own business in computer maintenance, it became appropriate to venture into other phases of life upon the onset of being a cancer survivor.

        In his retirement, Ernie cut some of the pine trees from his land on the Penobscot River in Orrington, Maine.  From those trees, he built a cabin on the river bank where he makes his home with his wife, Carol, - at least in the summer months.

        Ernie prides himself as being a free thinker.  He has felt the power of the creator which he feels free to discuss in broad terms.  Views on politics or morals are shared with ease.  Future writings are certain to be in the works pertaining to more of his life’s experiences with some philosophy and humor in the mix.