Interesting Stories from History – Ida M Fisher

Every so often you find a story as you search that is interesting. Ida M Fisher – The wife of Paul Scheffler apparently shot herself according to the newspaper article.

causeddeathWhat’s even more interesting is that the newspaper article not only tells what the cause of her death was, they tell the whole story.  They even include that she playfully kicked the boat with her foot, intending thereby to make Mrs. Lavar unsteady and spoil her aim….  Apparently Mrs. Lavar aim was thrown off (being a cripple according to the article) and Ida (Fisher) Sheffler was shot in the forehead causing “a gloom over the happy crowd”.

This was from July 26, 1906.  The Plymouth Tribune and is saved in the Library of Congress.  I’ve found a few articles cut from papers in photo albums my aunts had collected.  They include articles such as Mrs Richter went visiting to her daughter and son in law on Wednesday.

For small country towns, even going into town was a newsworthy even before the advent of cars (and when cars were first available, having a car was a BIG event)…

The event in the article is such a sad event, but yet the way it’s written gives a little look into the way newspaper reporting was viewed at the time.  Personally I almost view the newspapers of the time as ‘gossip rags’?  They are a great place to get information for family history though.

 

 

 

Source:LOC Newspaper Copy

 

 

Ciao! – Finding Family

My great grandmother came to the US by ship in the early 1900s. My great grandfather was sent over first to find work and then my great grandmother followed within a couple years with three girls. I can’t even imagine how difficult that journey was! I’ve visited Ellis Island and I know how difficult it is to even travel domestically for a few hours with a small child. At that time there was also the fear of illness causing entry to the US to be denied, quarantine upon reaching the US, not to mention the language barrier!

My great grandmother was an amazing women that I never got to meet… my mother tells stories about asking her if she would like to go back to Italy to visit and her always answering it’s “too far”. She did receive citizenship, but even that was delayed. My g-grandfather had applied and was in process when he passed away of the flu in 1918 (He was a coal miner). My g-grandmother would have received citizenship based on his. Yet because of that, she stayed in the US after, always afraid she would be sent back. After coming to the US she went on to have several more children – losing two, one that came to the US with her (Theresa, same name as my grandmother and Francine). My grandmother was the last of the children, and was born shortly before my g-grandfather died of the flu – leading me to believe there may have been more if not for his untimely death.

My great grandmother did keep in touch with family, but contact was lost when she passed away. I was hoping to get back in touch and so a few years ago I wrote to all the Negris in the town she was from.

Ciao,

Il mio nome e’ Karla Andrew. Abito a Bowling Green, Kentucky STATI UNITI. Mio bisnonne si chiamavano Caterina Maria Negi, e’ nato a Locana ed emigrato negli Stati Uniti nel 1905. Vorrei mettermi in contatto con qualche mio parente ancora residente a Locana.

Non saprei dire se sono imparentato con qualcuno che port ail cognomen Negri residente a Locana. Mi rivolgo a chiunque porti il cognomen Negri ed abbia lo stesso nome di battesimo di mio bisnonne. Mio bisnonne e’ nato il 17 Nov 1874.

Qualora Lei ritenga che possiamo essere imparentati, Le sarei grato se vorra rispondere a questa lettera. Nel caso, invece, che fosse dell’avviso che non fossimo imparentati ma dovesse conoscere qualcuno che si chiama Negri che possa essere imparentato con me Le sarei grato se vorra’ consegnare questa lettera a quella persona.

Voglia gradire I miei sinceri saluti.

Karla Andrew

The town was very small and so there weren’t many to write to. I was very excited to get a reply and now try to keep in touch! Right around the same time, my husband put me in touch with someone that was familiar with the area that my great grandmother was from and they were able to translate letters that my family still had that she had kept! Both my mother and I hope to one day visit!

Locana, Italy

 

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Locana, April 10th, 1951

Very dear godmother, Today it is with great pleasure that I reply to your
letter, in which I read that you are all in good health. We are all [in good
health] too, thanking the Lord. This winter was very sad for all of us,
specially for the elderly people. I thought a lot of you, who are a bit old
too. I wondered how my godmother is doing, since many elderly people died here,
even some of our relatives. I told you already of the Casetti[s] in the letter
I wrote to your son-in-law Firmino. Take care of you and try to shelter you
from the cold, and also do not worry about us; here we work and have fair
meals, we are not starving. I thank you of your dear present. May the Lord to
repay you. Should you need anything from us, let us know. I will immediately do
it. Meantime, I wish you and all your family good health and luck. Many kisses
to you all and to your son-in-law Firmino. I think he should have already
received the letter I sent him. Take care and best wishes from all of us and my
wife. Yours godson Battista Gianotti

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Locana, October 8, 1951

Very dear godmother,

with great pleasure I reply to your dear letter, where I read that you are all
in good health as we all are, thanking the Lord. Dear godmother, you asked me a
pair of earrings but I do not know how to send them to you. I am afraid someone
could steal them on the way, and you will not receive them. Well, let me know
in your next letter how you would like them, big or small gold earrings? I will
then think of a way to send them to you. If someone steals them n the way, oh
well… I thank you with all my heart of the present you sent me. May the Lord
repay you. I should now say goodbye to you and your dear family with all my
heart. Say best wishes to your son-in-law Firmino and his family. Tell your
daughter to be strong. It was destiny’s will. This [eartly] world is only a
passage. Best wishes and kisses to everybody. Best wishes from my wife. Stay
well. Yours, forever, godson Battista Gianotti

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LOcana, March 12th 2952

Very dear godmother and family, Today, with this letter I want to give you news
of our health. We are all well, although I am suffering a bit because of a pain
to my shoulder. I suffer from arthritis, and I could not sleep at all for
several nights. I do not know if [the cause] is that I walked in the rain, or
this winter is very cold and windy, or I am getting old and sicker. Anyway, I
reply with all my heart to your letter, that I [just] received. I am glad to
hear that you were in good health. May the Lord to keep it for a long time, we
wish you this very much. I heard that it was very cold there. Here too, it was
always windy but we had snow only once, just a little. Let’s hope that nice
weather will come soon. Meantime, I thank you for your present. May the Lord
pay you back. Receive many wishes and kisses from all of us, and best regards
to all your dear family and to your son-in-law Firmino and his family. Receive
best regards from my wife. Dear godmother, take shelther from the cold and get
lots of kisses. Yours godson Battista Gianotti

Locana, May 14, 1952

Very dear grandmother and family, Today I reply with all my heart to your
letter I received, where I read that you are all in good health, though you too
have some minor pain to an arm and leg. I am very sorry you suffer. I know how
painful is, but I hope the warm weather will help you to recover a bit. Despite
this, the health is very good, as it seems is good for all of you too. Dear
godmother, I heard some time ago at the radio that vthere in Illinois you hade
floodings with a lot of damage. I immediately thought of you. Let’s hope with
all our heart that you did not suffer any damage. Meantime, I thank you of your
present. You always worry about me. May the Lord repay you with a lot of good
luck. Receive best regards from all of us and many kisses to you and all your
family. Best regards from my wife and best regards to your son-in-law Firmino.
Yours, forever, godson Battista Gianotti

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Locana, December 13th 1952,

Very dear godmother, After a long time I did not hear from you, today I thought
to write you forst of all to give you news of us. We are all in good health, as
we hope you and all your family are too, my dear godmother. I often think of
you, who are already old, how were you doing this year, were you well? I hope
you did, always. This fall I had a strong back pain, I had to rest a while.
Then I found from a friend of my some American [incomprehensible]. I put it on
my back and the pain went immediately away, and now I feel no pain, I am
healed. I hope that also all your family is in perfect health, and your
son-in-law Firmino too. I have nothing left to say, so I send my regards with
all my heart. Best wishes of merry Christmas and happy new year to all of you.
And you, dear godmother, take care of you and receive lots of kisses. Yours,
forever, godson Battista Gianotti.

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Locana, August 14th 1954

Very dear godmother and family,

today I have to give you very bad news. My daughter gave birth to two twin
daughters on June 4th. The delivery went well, but then after a few days she
had a strong pain to her stomach. We thought we were going to lose her. She
always had high fever. The doctor then cut one of her breast. The fever went
away and the babies are well. This was not enough… On July 24th a tragedy
occurred to us, we will never recover from it. Our son who had a job at
Ceresole went fishing early in the morning. He slipped in the water and died
suddenly. You can imagine what sorrow for us when we got the news. He was our
only son, he was a pretty boy, tall and strong, 25 years old. He would have
married this fall. His fiancee was a good girl. He was our pride. Now instead
we only despair. We cannot be well anymore. We raised a son till he was 25
years old and now we cannot see him anymore. You understand, all the
neighborood is grieving. Everybody knew him and he was good to everybody. At
his funeral in Locana nobody remembers having seen so many people. But for us
this is not important. We lost our son, and we always grieve and think of him.
We send you his memento. The picture is not so good though. Receive lots of
kisses and kisses too to your son-in-law Firmino. Yours godson Battista
Gianotti

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Locana, April 15 1955

Very dear godmother and family,

it is with great pleasure that I reply to your letter, which I received some
time ago. I am sorry for the delay in replying to you. After we lost our son
Battista, we have no peace of mind left. We lost all interest in things, we do
not want to work anymore and do anything. Losing a 25 years old son chokes us
with pain, and as time goes by our life becomes harder and I hope this letter
will find you all in good health, as we all are, the children too are well.
Receive our best regards and lots of kisses to all you all. Best regards to
your son-in-law Firmino and his family. Take care of you dear godmother. Yours,
forever, godson Battista Gianotti thanking very much of your […] that you
always do for me.
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Locana, June 6th 1956,

Very dear godmother and family,

today I come with these few words to tell you that I received news of you in
the past days. I did not get news of you since last year. I read in your letter
that you wrote me after I sent you the picture of the kids, and that you
enclosed a present with the letter. We never received it. I do not know what
happened, I even asked the post office. Never mind, we were all happy to
receive news of you, and that you all are in good health, as now we also are.
This winter was very bad, specially February, it was the coldest [February] since many years. Many people were sick with a bad flu, specially the elderly
and the children. Many elderly died, and we thought a lot of you, who are old.
Tare care of you, dear godmother, because you and aunt Francesca of Santo are
the only survivor of the Negri family; nobody else is left. We wish you and all
your family good health, and best wishes to your son-in-law Firmino and his
family. Yours, forever, godson Battista Gianotti. Many kisses to all of you.

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Locana, December 7th, 1956

Very dear godmother and family,

today I received your letter. We were very happy to hear that you are in good
health, as we all are here. Dear godmother, last time you wrote I immediately
replied. I also wrote that at that time Antonio Pezzetti, uncle Celetto of
Castigne’s son [Note: the spelling could be different, I can’t really decipher] had just passed away, he was only 64. He has a throat cancer, ie a cancer in
his neck. We are very sad. Still we cannot convince ourselves this tragedy
really happened. We are almost alone here, [our?] daughter stays here just a
little, she has to go home because her son-in-law works in Torino. So we are
very sad, it would be better to be dead than to live this way, sometime we wish
not being alive. I would like to let you know that the mother of Bocia, whom
Marietta of Tonio got, [the meaning could be “whom Marietta of Tonio married”
or “whom Marietta of Tonio adopted”], Felicina is 100 years old and she is
still in good health. Okay, dear godmother, take care of you. Happy holidays
and happy new year to you and your dear family. Best wishes to your son-in-law
Firmino and his family. Many kisses to all of you, and happy holidays. We wish
you all the best with all our heart. Yours, forever, godson Battista Gianotti.
——————————————————————————–
Locana, January 9th, 1957

Very dear godmother and family, first of all I want to write you these few
lines to give you news of us. We are all well, as we hope you also are. I want
also to tell you that some time ago I received a certified letter from you, and
I immediately replied. I think you received it. Anyway, I want to write again
[that letter] to have news of you. Now we have some time to write you. Here it
snowed, about 35 centimeters, but it is not so cold. Anyway, this is winter so,
dear godmother, take shelter from the cold because elderly people are more
affected than us. We wich you with all our heart a happy new year to all of
you, adults and children, young and old. Take care of your health. Best wishes
and kisses to all your family and your son-in-law Firmino and his family.
Yours, forever, godson Battista Gianotti. Take care, I will look forward to a
reply.

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Locana, February 18, 1957

Very dear godmother, we thank you with all my heart for your letter, which we
received some days ago. We were very happy to hear that you all are in good
health, as we all are right now. I should tell you that it was not necessary
you troubled to write. It is sufficient you write me from time to time to give
me some news. You are in my heart because there are few Negri[s] left. Here
[only] Felicina is left, she is in good health and she still works like she
were young, and my wife’s aunt, Ciesca di Santo. Now I want to tell you that in
the family of your uncle Michele, who had three sons, one of them married
cousin Mariella. They now live in Castellamonte and they are not doing so well.
He had much sorrow too. He lost two daughters, one was 25 years old and was not
married. She was a pretty girl. The other was 24, she was married and had a
daughter. [Her daughter] is now with her mom. Her husband was taken prisoner in
Russia in 1945 and nobody heard from him since. Now our cousin is living with
her son and her grand-daughter. Uncle Michele had other two sons. One died. He
was married and had a daughter, who was also married with two children. I have
nothing left to say than to thank you and your family very much with all my
heart. If it would cost only 30,000 lire, I would very much come to see you and
all my relatives there, and I would stay some time with you. But it is too far
away. We will see in the other world, if it is true what people say. Take care
of you and try to pass next year in good health. Receive lots of kisses from
us, and best regards and kisses to you all and to your son-in-law Firmino and
his family. Yours, forever, godson Battista Gianotti. Take care.
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Locana, January 4th 1958

Very dear godmother and family,

yesterday I received your letter. We were very happy to receive your news. I
could not resist and I really wanted to write to your son-in-law Firmino to
have news of you. In our family we wondered many times why my godmother does
not write anymore, is she ill, or what else did happen? I do not know anything
of her. But finally we were very happy to receive news of you and that you are
in good health. At your age, may the Lord to keep you in good health. You are
like Felicina here, who is still in a very good health. I would like to let you
know that on November 23rd we got the news that [Ghetto or Chetto] di Santo
passed away in America. He was only 64, but it was a long time he was
paraplegic. I read in your letter that you had flu this fall. The flu was
everywhere. I also had flu this fall, and my family members have it too. Now
they are all sick, my wife and daughter, and specially the kids. The doctor
came three times. I hope they will recover. We were very surprised that you
have many things in your yard. We have little here. Now I should thank you of
your present. May the Lord pay all of you back with good health and luck. I
wish you and your family a happy new year and lots of kisses from us, both to
you and your family. Best wishes to your son-in-law Firmino and his family. And
you, dear godmother, take care of you. Despite your age, it seems to me that
you are well. Yours, forever, godson Battista Gianotti, wishing you all the
best with all my heart, [I hope] to get a reply.

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Locana, February 19, 1958

Very dear grandmother and family, Today I would like to all my heart to give
you news of us. We are very well, as we hope you all are. I read in your letter
that your son was ill after going hunting We thought that he sweated a lot and
got pneumonia or some other fever. We hope he recovered by now. Once my good
[…] also got sick. He sweated a lot and drank cold water. He got a strong
pneumonia and thought he would die. So tell your sons to be careful because
getting sick is very quick matter, but it takes a lot of time to recover. You
asked me of my brothers. They are all here with me and they are in good health
and are well off. The two younger ones work at the electric company and are
well off. The elder is also well and all his three sons are already married.
One is a tailor, another is a driver [not sure] and the daughter married a very
nice guy who is also a driver [not sure]. They have a hotel and grocery shop.
The youngest also lost a 16 years old son because of tiphoid fever. But they
also have another son, who is now 12 years old, a daughter who is already
married, and a third son, who has two married daughters and a 16 years old son
who lives with him. Her daughter married in Castellamonte with a guy who was
living in the Pezzetti farm of Castigne, our relatives, and she has two sons,
one of whom has already been drafted and the other is younger. They are well
off.. [All the above is very confused] The important matter is to be in good
health and have your family close to yourself. This is the best thing. One does
not starve, it is OK even if one eats only grits. Rather, when you miss a dear
person, nothing is really well. It seems OK for some time, some other day one
falls into despair. But we should be patient… I have nothing left to say than
goodbye with all my heart and thank you very much of your present. You always
worry about us. Best regards to your son-in-law Firmino and his family and lots
of kisses from all of us to you, dear godmother, and all your family. Best
regards from all my relatives and Felicina. Take care.

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Locana, April 14, 1958

Very dear grandmother and family,

I am going to reply to your letter, which I received some time ago. I am sorry
if I reply with delay. We were very happy to hear news of you, that you were in
good health and your son recovered well too. May the Lord give us good health.
We’re in a harsh world, let’s hope at least for good health. We are also in
very good health and were happy to hear that your sons work as carpenters. It
is a good job. They will not have to go underground [in a mine]. My dear son
loved to be a carpenter, although he did not learn it [as an apprentice], but
now he is no more. that’s life. Now I’d like to let you know that yesterday
and today it snowed a lot. There is 70 centimeters of snow on the plain.
Nobody remembers such a snow fall in this season, mid-April. It snowed a lot
everywhere, even in France and Switzerland, even on the sea coast. I have
nothing let to say than to thank you of your present. You always worry about
us. We wish you good health and luck. Receive our best wishes and kisses. Best
regards to your son-in-law Firmino and his family. Take care of you, dear
godmother, shelther yourself from the bad weather, you and all your family.
Yours, forever, godson Battista Gianotti and family. Take care.

——————————————————————————–
Locana, December 1, 1959

Dear godmother and family,

today I come to you all my heart to give you news of us and also to have news
of you. I wrote you a letter some time ago but I do not know if you received
it. As I did not get any reply from you I write again the news I had written in
my previous letter concerning (our) health, which is not so good. I had pain in
my knee and my wife had pain in her thigh. We do not know if it is because we
are aging or what it can be, but it is likely that the cause is the humidity,
as the doctor told us. We have to suffer and be patient. And you, dear
godmother, let us know how you are doing, you who are much older than us. And
let us know how your family is doing, we talk of your family as it were ours. I
would also tell you that this year it rained so much that we didn’t need to
water the fields. In the last 3 or 4 days it rained and snowed, the weather has
been awful. If it were summer, the weather would cause much damage to us. Now,
I have nothing left to say than send my regards with all my heart, and lots of
kisses to you, my godmother, and all your family. And best wishes to your
son-in-law. Firmino and his family. Your godson Battista Gianotti Be all well.

Generation after Generation!

So my father is a farmer, his father was a farmer, and his father and so on….. At what point do you admit that the line ends at your generation? Can you call yourself a farmer if you know you will take over and just cash rent out the land? What about when you pass the farm to your kids and they have never driven a tractor?

My father raised field corn and soybeans. He has finally retired, but they are right next to the field. The farm shows are still on, the magazines still show up and they still attend the seed dinners each spring. I can tell you if a field is corn or beans as we drive down the road – Years of my dad making me go out to watch corn grow with them umpteen times every season! I am a serious corn snob when it comes to eating sweet corn. That comes from eating sweet corn every meal while it was in season for my entire childhood. My kids will never have that though. They have never run across a newly planted field, hunted for arrow heads in a newly ploughed field, or even had to sit for hours on end in a field with just a book for company. They also didn’t walk beans in 4th grade or even walk beans ever.

My kids haven’t even had a dog (yes they had hamsters, and my husband once agreed to chinchillas) – but a dog was too much for him. Growing up I remember the time we had 32 dogs. People would just drop them off and my parents would let them stay. We had favorites and then there were just the ones that just were. They always had unusual names like Scuder, Dipstick, Waldo, Sandy, and even Peanut and Butter. To top it off, we would come home to find my dad’s latest odd addition to the collection…. We had everything from Fallow Deer to a Buffalo at one time or another.

I’m afraid things like this just can’t skip a generation. Of course my kids also aren’t facing things I grew up with like sharing their bedroom with a lamb that needed bottle fed every few hours, power going out for a week at a time, and coming home from school to find the kitchen table had been converted to butcher the latest hunt…. So even though I miss my kids not having the same childhood I had growing up; I’m fairly certain my kids would say that you don’t miss what you never had.

Here Comes That Dirty Cop!

It’s funny (funny strange) thinking back now on how funny and well liked my dad was.  Right now he mostly sits in his chair and watches tv. When people come over he doesn’t really talk much to them, and that includes me. It’s hard to reconcile the person he is today with the person he was.

My mom called to tell me that my Uncle Tom was in the hospital. He will be ok from the sounds of it – though it also sounded like the family grapevine had worked pretty well, but it reminded me of the story of each time he would drop by on patrol as a state trooper in Illinois while we lived in a trailer in my Aunt Margaret’s yard.  My dad had taught me (2 or 3 year old me) to run out screaming here comes that dirty cop every time Uncle Tom showed up.

I remember my dad telling a story about getting pulled over and getting something like 40 warning tickets on an old grain truck… Hmmm wonder why. He said the officer was a friend of my uncles and told my dad he would have given him more, but his hand cramped up.

Dad even has stories about talking a police officer in Georgia out of a ticket on their honeymoon. He made friends with the officer and invited him up to Illinois to go fishing.  I think mom even said he gave him directions.

I remember my dad playing outside with us, especially during the winter. He did everything from make go-carts with drills for motors, to use the tractor to let us sit in the scoop and make it an amusement ride going up and down and around in circles. As we got older he would make us our own race tracks for larger go carts, and finally we moved on to him giving us old beat up cars to drive around in the fields.

– I also remember the day he told me to go drive around in the disced part of the field with this old cadillac they have aquired…  Not the ploughed!  After being towed out by a tractor, I’ll never get those two confused again! I think I was only old enough to see over the steering wheel.

Despite dad doing all sorts of pranks – yes he once threw a snake onto my foot and then shot the snake. Gave us flares to light fireworks, and I think I’ve already mentioned the canon contest previously….  My dad was pretty serious when he was worried about us too.

I also remember walking beans and passing out one year (6th grade I think). My dad picked me up, threw me over his shoulder and carried me out of the field. He then drove me to my Aunt Margaret’s where he left me. Then despite my (for some crazy reason, and I think it involved that I was the only girl out there) wanting to walk beans that year, my dad banned me from the field for the year.   I was probably the only farmer’s kid around that wasn’t forced to work in the field that year.

Uncle Tom and I

Uncle Tom and I

Dad pulling me in the snowI’m pretty sure hooking a sled up to a lawn mower and pulling it would be frowned on now —- especially with a 2 year old on it, but back then it was what we did without ipads, and TV and electronics.  You can even see the tracks where my dad had been pulling me around and around the yard. I recognize Aunt Margaret’s yard from the picture. I keep saying that I’m fairly amazed that myself (and most of my friends) survived childhood on the farm. But I also know that our parents were usually with us. I remember lots of times, trying to convince mom and dad to let me stay home while they drove around to ‘watch corn grow’ and even one where dad kicked my door in and broke the lock because I didn’t want to go. But we survived to adulthood.

Snow Days

Kentucky is having a lot of snow right now.   It made me a little nervous to venture out, knowing I don’t have my dad to come rescue me if I venture into a snow drift!  Growing up, dad was the person everyone called to pull them out of the snow drifts as they went off the road.  He would get into his khaki work coveralls and work boots and get onto his tractor and head down the road to rescue them.

In Illinois the snow would blow across the roads and pile up in huge snow piles on the side of the road, and even create big snow drifts across the road.  My parents always kept snow mobiles for us to ride.  We usually had Snow Cats, but my dad’s was an El Tigre that had been a racing snow mobile.  It could really fly across the snow.  My dad would make sure each year that the river had really frozen solid and then we would take long trips down the river also.  I also remember a few wrecks, but most memories were of us bundled up in snow suits with every exposed part of our body covered and helmuts mashed down over our heads so that we could go ride.  My brother and I would go inside long enough to warm up and then head right back out again.

My dad would also take his tractor and plow the driveways and roads around us. Not so much so that the vehicles could get anywhere, but so that we would have a big pile of snow to play in.  My brother and I would then make a snow fort in the snow piles, complete with tunnels to slide through.  They would end up solid enough the snow mobiles could zoom over them. Usually that would be a lot of fun, but I do remember the accident involving Brian, a snow mobile, and a swing set….  The piles were always so high you couldn’t see anything on the other side.

Our power would then go out for extended periods at a time.  My parents finally hooked up a wood burning furnace that was hooked into all the vent work for the house.  The house also had a fireplace in the living room and a wood burning stove in the kitchen.  My mother would usually have something on the wood burning stove – deer jerky drying, maple syrup cooking down to remove the water, or some other unusual thing.  Every so often she would even have a flock of chicks under a heat lamp in the kitchen – but I don’t necessarily tie that memory to the snow.

During the big snow storms, friends and relatives would still drop by – just on snow mobiles.  They would pull into the drive, and we would run out all bundled up and hop on ours and join the caravan for the day.

Twinkie Break

Over the years, I remember taking canoe trips many times each summer.  Many were family trips and some were just our family.  Usually a whole group would go!   Sometimes aunts and friends would ride in inter-tubes, some would take canoes, and the kids would get their own canoe.

We would get a chance to stop a few times throughout the trip and play on sandbars and usually had a collection of mussels to play with by the time we got done.  I remember most though going on a trip with friends.  We had decided to take a twinkie break every time we saw a rock.  Someone would scream twinkie break and we would all stop and eat twinkies while our boat slammed into the twinkie.  At one point our red canoe hit a rock hard enough to put a hole in the side.  We had to stop at my cousin buddy’s house to try to patch the canoe…..  For years after we would point the rock out, still marked with red paint from our canoe.

Years later I took friends while in college and remember my dad telling me ‘ don’t park that truck on the riverbank in the sand.  He neglected to say don’t drive it down onto the sand.  Needless to say I tore the 4 wheel drive out of the truck.  Another time I was 8-9 months pregnant with my first and my husband and I decided to take his family canoeing.  Keith parked the truck at the take out point and then took the keys back to my mothers and put them away.  After canoeing we arrived and the truck to find we couldn’t get out.  Keith and his brother George had to walk all the way back to my mothers and get keys and a vehicle…

My parents owned several spots on the river (still do)…  We had spots we viewed as short trips, long trips, and medium, and my parents could tell you how long every put in and take out point would take and they could recognize every spot that you could find help along the way if something came up.  The longest distance put in point is at the Ranch.  A farm that my parents own with my dad’s first cousin Don.  It was the location of a town known as Konky Town long ago.  We would then go along the river to the place my kids called the dangerous bridge, the old bridge is gone now and has been replaced but there is still a spot to put in canoes.  Going further was the bottom field, my parents have sold that field but they still are friendly with the owner and he would allow us to put in and take out there.  (That’s the spot I tore out the 4 wheel drive and the spot that we were stuck with no keys!)  Going further, if you want an all day trip, is Bailey’s Bottom.  I am sure there are other spots that you can put a canoe in and take out canoes, but all these spots have tons of memories for me!  Everything from swinging over the river on a rope to trying to find mussel shells in the river while our parents packed up the boats.

My kids haven’t been on a canoe trip in years (never for the little one).  I keep thinking one day we’ll go again.  Maybe a big family canoe trip, family reunion style!

Family get-togethers?

Our family (Richter side) has always had one type of get together or another.  It has moved around through the years and I’d swear it’s even changed reasons.  I remember getting together at my Uncle Frank’s (and Aunt Tootie)!  My memories mainly consist of us kids playing with the heads from snapping turtles – yes they keep biting for  a LONG time after you cut them off.  I’m amazed none of us broke or lost a finger.  Somehow we always managed to just use a stick to stick in the turtles mouth.  I also remember using pillows to slide down the stairs to the basement.  I can see in my mind the layout of the stairs – the top of the stairs, the landing at the bottom and the turn into the basement.  We would take all the cushions we could find and pile them up and then ride them down the stairs.  I think that was probably one of the only places in the house I ever went since that’s the only place I remember.  Outside I just remember that walkway going to the house where we would get the turtle heads to play with.

Later we moved on to hanging out at my Cousin Buddy’s house. He’s the same age as my dad, but dad’s nephew.  My cousins Kristi, Kevin and Kirk first lived in a house that had bushes out by the road a good distance from their house.  I don’t remember that house, but I remember playing out in the bushes by the road.  They moved shortly over by the river by Singing Bridge and were building a house but 4th of July kept up.  (Kristi’s Birthday)  Each year the adults would all drink and the kids would run around with small fireworks and try not to hurt each other.  At some point someone had come up with the bright idea to have a contest to see who could build the best cannon.  My cousins built some little cannons and my dad decided to trump them all and built a huge cannon.  It then had to be hauled over each year to be shot.  Watching people try to light it after they had been drinking always amazed me that there was never a trip to the ER.  As kids we would run around trying to find things that could be shot out of the cannon.  My dad would prime it with gunpowder mixed with flour (about 8 oz) and then tamp paper in on top of that.  Then anything we found would be added.  I remember sand being a choice one year and even a frog at one point.  The sand did put little wholes in all the trees.

For the winters, Thanksgiving and Christmas, my Aunt Margaret would host a family party in her basement.  Her basement included a pool table, fireplace, card table, dress up area for the kids, living room area, kitchen, and a bar – So this was not a hardship.  Every holiday she would make a punch with oranges and other fruit in alcohol (Southern Comfort maybe). If I remember right it’s the first place and the only place I’ve had a grasshopper.  Sooner or later everyone would show up with a dish to share and we would get to see all our family.  I have pictures in my album from every year in that basement.  Everything from high school on up to my oldest kids.  Those parties continued all the way until we lost my Aunt Margaret.   I miss those parties and I miss her too!

Now we are left with my cousin Don that has a party each August.  It’s kind of a Richter Family Picnic – I think that’s what they actually call it.  They get a bounce house for the kids and have tents set up so that it’s not too hot.   Everyone that can tries to come.  It’s always after my kids have started school and it’s on a Sunday so it’s tough for the kids to come with, but I try to make it for at least an hour myself every year.  – 12 hours of driving, 1 hour to see family… What’s funny is, it’s really worth it!  One year I went with a horrible kidney infection.  I drove home debating stopping at every urgent care we came close to passing…  but I didn’t regret seeing my family!

 

 

DAR?

Yes, My mother and I joined the DAR the other day.  Not only that but we joined the Cameo Society in the DAR.  My mother seems to be enjoying it and I really wish I could make it to the meetings – I joined the same chapter since really I feel more at home there.

What’s interesting is while talking about it, my middle son made a comment that made me realize he has no clue how much I care about my family history (and current family).  I have a super amazing family that has done a lot of things for the country, the family, and themselves.   Personally I’m pretty proud of the fact that I’m a farmer’s daughter that went on to college and not only got a bachelors degree but also a masters!  My mother was a coal miner’s daughter that lost her father at 3 years old.  Her mother (my grandmother) who was not only first generation American, English as a second language, and the only one of 10 kids to go to high school went on to own a bar for a short time and keep my mother and herself fed and housed.  My great grandmother came to the US with three kids by herself through Ellis Island to meet up with my great grandfather and kept having kids until she lost my great grandfather when my grandmother was 3.  She cleaned houses to support them all up until she wasn’t able to anymore and the oldest kids could take over.

On the other side of the family my father lost his mother at 13.  That side of the family has some amazing stories also that go all the way back to the founding of the country!  They even include Rev. John Corbly whose second wife and children were scalped by the Indians by Fort Garard PA.  I’m descended from wife 3 but his story is no less amazing with all the things he went through in his life – from being part of the forming of the first government to forming a section of the Baptist Church.

Personally, I’m pretty proud of the family I come from – I’m not sure the best way to instill in my kids that same feeling.

And It’s a Girl!

Yes we have added one more member to our family!  A girl this time.  Actually she’s an exchange student, but for this year we are a mixed family.  3 boys and a girl!

We are learning a lot this year, besides the experience of spending about 3 hours a day driving the kids one place or another in the car each day.  As crazy as this year has been and will be – I wouldn’t trade it.  I do have to wonder what Konnor thinks of the situation – one day we just suddenly added another teenager. I’m not sure what he will think also when she goes home.

Having an extra family member has definitely inspired us to do more fun things as a family this year.  Last weekend we ventured out to Jackson’s Orchard to try out the pumpkin patch and corn maze!  It brought back memories of my cousin Don’s pumpkins (though these were super small in comparison!) and his apples.  Konnor is hoping to ask dad to make him a corn maze.  I don’t think it will happen anytime soon (dad’s not really up to it anymore), but it does make me think I should talk to mom about if they have a patch of unused field that might work for next year.  Apparently Kentucky has a law protecting farms from being sued if they are engaged in agritourism – I really need to check if that’s true in Illinois too!  They are just now combining by the house at home so the timing could be perfect.

While at the orchard we got to take a hay wagon out to the patch.  I think my last hayride was in grade school with the cub scouts and the Flessners.  At least that’s the last one I really remember.  I DO remember though helping drive the tractor by the house while dad and company through hay onto the wagon.  I also remember being banned from participating after accidentally running over dad’s foot with the wagon and stopping the wagon ON his foot when he hollered at me to stop.  – My allergies were so bad that I was always delegated a task that involved me being in air conditioning (yep, they make International Harvester Tractors with cabs that are air conditioned and my dad had a big one!)

I really wish my kids would get a chance to know a little more about farming.

Kevin's First Pumpkin

Kevin’s First Pumpkin

Konnor at the Pumpkin Patch - Jackson's Orchard

Konnor at the Pumpkin Patch – Jackson’s Orchard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the Pumpkin Patch

At the Pumpkin Patch

 

 

 

 

Growing up on a farm for Halloween is completely different though.  There isn’t trick or treating quite the way there is in a neighborhood.   Normally parents drive kids around to friends and family to show off costumes and collect some candy.  My parents probably won’t even bother to buy candy this year.   When we were kids I do remember my mother driving us in to trick or treat with the Peak family in Oakwood once or twice.  I don’t remember the trick or treating itself as much as just that we did it at least once.

Living in a neighborhood the kids will probably get enough candy this year to go into a sugar coma if they eat it all.  Would I change it?  No, not really – all in all I’m glad my kids get the chance to have both worlds. It would be nice if they were a little more ‘farm savvy’ but it’s great that they have a chance to experience some of both parts of life.

Morettos

One of the notes my grandmother had written was about how close a family the Morettos were.  It’s funny that now that side of the family never seems to get together.  This month we lost my godmother, Jane Ann. Her brother Bernie was my godfather and had passed away many years ago.  She was brought home for the graveside service.  She was an amazing woman!  A few family members did make it to the service, but it’s surprising how scattered the family has become – and how little we see each other.  Everyone had to be introduced to each other and in many cases either hadn’t seen each other in years or had never met.

Jane Ann was a nurse in the uniformed service and had pioneered programs to help save limbs in diabetics.  She also had helped direct hospital programs for lepers.  It’s pretty amazing all the things she did during her many years of service.  She also though is remembered for almost losing her leg in a motorcycle wreck!

I remember each of the times we visited her and I remember each of the things she gifted me. Each one was special to me – everything from the cross engraved pens to the dual alarm clock and even the rosary made from pressed roses.  For our wedding she brought us a waterford crystal container and I still remember her talking about having to unwrap it for airport security   (before 9/11)  – The lead in the container won’t allow it to be xrayed.

She even came with her best friend Celeste to visit us at our current house.  I remember when they arrived (getting lost on the way) – they called for directions.  I had no clue where they were!  We had just moved here.  They finally made it to the school and went to grandparents day with my Kevin and Kristopher.  Kris introduced Jane Ann as his other grandma from Florida.  Then that evening we all headed out to eat at an Italian restaurant here in town.  Kevin was upset that someone was smoking and my mother asked them to stop since Kevin was having trouble breathing with the smother.  Afterwards the person said he totally understood since he had asthma.  I think that was the topic of conversation for the next hour.

I’d love to see more of my family both the Richter side and the Moretto (and McArdle) sides.  It would even be great to see more of the Andrew side.  I wish there was a way for people to get together for more than just funerals.