Betty M. Ranck was born in Honey Brook April 13, 1926 to Fred W. Rank, Sr. (1888-1965) and Mary C. Richard (1892 – 1984).
Morgantown has been her home since her family moved to Morgantown when she was two years old.
She attended the Caernarvon Grade School at Chestnut and Main Street. Her school memories include operettas directed by their music teacher Miss Marian Craig (who later married Ed Rodman) of Snow White (Betty was Snow White) and Tom Sawyer (Betty was Becky Thatcher) held in the fire hall. She enjoyed playing the piano and took piano lessons.
One Halloween, Betty and some classmates decided to play a trick on their principal Mr. Noah Good. Mr. Good had a fruit stand in front of his house. (Later this house was owned by Harry and Dolly Martin who owned the Western Auto Store on Main Street in Morgantown). These students then decided to push over Mr. Good’s stand and then run and hide in the tall grass and bushes across the street and wait for him to come out.
They did this dirty deed and then while hiding, Mr. Good didn’t come out to see what the noise was; so they waited and waited and he didn’t come out. Then guilt overcame Betty who said, “How can we face Mr. Good tomorrow in school.” Then they quietly returned and reset the stand.
A young man named Leigh C. Earnshaw (Sr.) had an eye on Betty and would visit her on his motorcycle.
They married April 20, 1946. Leigh was born September 10, 1925 to George C. Earnshaw (1891-1973) and Elizabeth Radcliff (1893-1982) in West Nantmeal Township, Chester County. Elizabeth’s father was Rev. Radcliff, a Methodist minister. Leigh attended grade school in Glenmoore. 10th grade was as far as they could go.
He worked at farming before his service in the Army from 1943-1945. He was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge and received the Bronze Star.
Then he attended Thaddeus Stevens School. Leigh attended Real Estate classes and received his license in 1972. His interest in repairing and working on cars and motorcycles led to opening a garage on East Main Street in Morgantown where they lived for awhile.
They then moved to a beautiful home at the corner of Third and South Street. They built an Amoco Gas station at the corner of Cherry Lane (Route 10) and North Street.
He enjoyed selling real estate and soon became president of the Greater Reading Board of Realtors in 1986-1987. He, and Betty, too, loved going to the races and he even drove race cars. Betty was always an integral part as she worked in the family business.
Leigh and Betty had three children: Leigh Jr. 1947, Patricia 1952 (Married Ralph Huyett) and Teresa 1961 (Married Scott Moyer). They have five grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.
They were active in attending their children’s activities: Sunday School and church, base ball, soccer and attending auto races with Leigh Jr.
One time, Betty was calling for Teresa and got no response. This went on for some time and her calls became more frantic. She went up and down the block calling for her daughter who was only a block away playing in Keli Brady’s play house in the back of the garage.
Betty is skillful at crocheting, knitting and sewing. She enjoys crossword puzzles. She was secretary of the Morgantown’s Women’s Club and secretary for four years of the Morgantown Caernarvon Historical Society. She spent 30 years serving as secretary with the Caernarvon Cemetery. She sang in the Morgantown Methodist Church Choir.
At Christmas Eve Services, she would play the piano while Edith Hartline (1929-2013) would play the pipe organ.
Betty lived with her parents and siblings in the Morgan Homestead during her growing up years. It was especially thrilling when in 1986, she and Leigh Sr. bought the historic home of Col. Jacob Morgan which has a date stone indicating 1783. They restored it beautifully removing portions to make the facade as it was originally. It was featured at the Historical Society of Berks County Open House in 2006 with the Col. Jonathan Jones home, the Zook / Brady catalogue house and St. Thomas Episcopal Church.
The Earnshaws went camping with their children visiting the parks in United States and Canada. They visited all fifty states. They spent twenty winters at their place in Florida. They took a sixty two day cruise to Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands. Leigh met yearly with his 83rd division of the Battle of the Bulge. A highlight trip was when the 83rd division traveled from Omaha Beach to the path the battle took.
The Earnshaws have seen a one street Morgantown expand to a multi-street village and have always been a part of its growth.
