August J Rumpf - Honeywell Factory Employee

August J. Rumpf was born on March 17, 1903 in Wabash, IN to Daniel and Mary (Benjus) Rumpf. His parents came to Wabash from the “old country” via
Chicago where they had met and married. Mother Mary was from East Prussia and his father was from the Rhine River Valley where he learned the trade of a stone mason. Known for his fine work, he was responsible for building the columns and pinning on the Wabash Carnegie Public Library.
August attended the old Century school on Manchester Avenue for grades 1-4 and then Eastward Elementary until high school. Spending two years at Wabash High School he quit and moved to Kansas to be with his brother working for the Santa Fe Railroad in their rail shops. Attending work during the day and school at night he eventually became homesick and moved back to Wabash in 1924. Upon his return he applied at the Honeywell factory and was soon given a job where he would spend the next 37 years working.
Starting in the machine shop on the hand screw machines for $15.50 a week, he would stay at this position until 1940 and the gear up for war. With the start of World War II he quickly became one of the most experienced people in the plant and was responsible for machine setups of the younger employees. One of the Honeywell war contracts he worked on was the development and production of telescopes that went on the US tanks. In his interview he talks about working day and night, 7 days a week, and holidays until they could get these produced and shipped overseas.
In his interview Rumpf discusses many different things. From the superintendents who worked the factory floor, his relationship with Mr. Honeywell, and the merger with Minneapolis that changed everything, he is a man full of memories and stories. He even discuses life outside of the Honeywell environment covering areas such as the KKK in the 1920’s, politics, and WAA football and the athletes that played for Wabash.
Taking early retirement in 1965, he was fortunate enough to have his hobby of gardening be welcomed at the Honeywell Gardens where he was asked to come work and tend the massive rose gardens located there.
On Nevember 10, 2074, at the age of 71, August J. Rumpf passed away and was laid to rest in Falls Cemetery, Wabash, IN.
This audio interview was recorded on November 15, 1972 by George Dingledy as part of the Wabash Carnegie Public Library Oral History Project.
From 1970 to 1987 Wabash Carnegie Public Library and members of the community worked on an Oral History Project that interviewed multiple people in Wabash. These were recorded on cassette tapes, which were later converted to CD in 2006.
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