Notes for: Armand Leon Brown

Armand held several jobs as a youth, including doing custodial work at the West Union Post Office and pumping gas at the local filling station. After his 1941 graduation from Doddridge County High School, he worked at the A&P grocery store at the end of Main Street near the court house. He had a knack for working with fresh produce, much of which was displayed outside the store to attract customers. One person it attracted was a pretty teenager who walked by every morning on her way to school. Armand happened to be watching one day and saw her grab an apple and continue on her way. He rushed out of the store and demanded that she either return the apple or pay for it. We don't know what she ended up doing, because at this point in telling the story, Armand would always say "And that's how I met my wife. I caught her stealing apples." That teenage girl was Geneva Gaston, and they married a few years later. Although it was never made clear in the telling of the story, there's little doubt that far from being an apple thief, Geneva was simply trying to get the attention of someone special.