As the first born child of Tom and Margaret Hanifin, and the only son, I was born on November 1, 1931 at Riverside Community Hospital and was baptized on November 22, 1931 at St. James church. My Godparents were Charlie and Edna Farrell.

My first home was on the corner of 2nd and F Street. We lived there for 2 years until our family moved to the Mitchler Ranch on Rider Street. In 1936 we moved back to town & lived at 315 E 1st Street in a house that my Uncle John Brosnan, my mother's uncle, and my father built. In 1939 we moved to 285 E 1st Street, in a house with more room for the growing family. We lived across the street from the Hoadley's. Mr. J.F. Hoadley was the principal of the Perris Elementary School.

I started 1st grade in 1936 at Perris elementary. My first teacher was Mrs. Guthridge. Some of my class mates were Don Martin, Dorothy Foss, Richard Yanez, Leo Espinoza, Tony Hernandez, Sid Martin, and Roger & Patty Chung.

When I was in 3rd grade I became an alter boy at St. James church and every other week, in the morning before school started, I would ride my bike to church and serve mass for Fr. Scanlin and Fr. Pare', I served as an alter boy for many years.

I was in Boy Scout troop 40 for about 5 years and enjoyed working on my merit badges and I have good memories of my scout outings. My scoutmaster was dick powers, assisted by George Fraley.

Gus Almquist lived nearby the family house on 1st Street and I enjoyed many hours watching him redesign fishing reels and talking to him. His shop was behind the concrete pipe plant. In the early 40's the Almquist's turned a shop building at their pipe plant into a roller rink, his son Dan Almquist ran it. I, along with many other children in Perris enjoyed skating there for many years.

In 1943 our family moved to a house at 900 Park Avenue, the property had barns and 13 acres which I helped farm. I was my dad's right hand man, helping with the cattle, the garden and even at the cemetery. After I got my driver's license I used to haul the cattle to the stockyards and auction for my dad, my best friend Don Martin was always there to help.

Beginning in 1943 1 remember the army was training at Camp Hahn north of Perris and on many occasions they would bring their tanks, Army trucks and Howitzers into town and set up training exercises. The air force at March Field would try to locate the tanks and large guns along the streets in Perris and drop paper bags filled with flour for practice bombing. Phil Hoadley, who was in the army air corps, would fly his plane very low over the neighborhood when he came to town so his parents would know to pick him up at March Field.

During the 1940's I worked for Howard Johnson at the Farmers Market on northwest corner of D & 3rd Street, in the meat department, boning beef. I also worked for George Seilig at the signal station on the southeast corner of d & 3rd street.

In 1948 1 worked for Bob Johnson hauling granite rock from the quarry northwest of the Cowie Ranch on Gavilin Hills Road. After Bob or Walt Johnson blasted the rocks, Bill Connell would break the stone into pieces about 50 to 100 lbs. with a 16 lb. Sledge. I would haul the rock to the Sante Fe Depot flat cars in Perris. Each flat car would carry about 110 ton. It took 10 loads on our 1942 Ford truck to fill a flat car. Bob Johnson would pay $1.50 a ton. My friends, Don martin, John Jones and Walt Schull, to name a few, would always be there to help. It kept me in spending money.

My senior year in high school I drove a school bus for Roland Williams who was in charge of the buses at Perris High School. I drove the Mead Valley Route that ran up to Cajalico Road and Wood Road. And back to Perris. I also was active in the Perris High F.F.A.

My hobbies when I was growing up were stamp collecting and taxidermy. Robert Warren and I worked on stamp collecting in a small building in back of the people's store. To learn taxidermy, I enrolled in a course with the N.W. School of Taxidermy along with my friend, Richard Larson.