Letter to Lulu Irish

From her Mother Alice Marin Irish

Dated 1932

Provided by:

Dorothy Schlieman Huse

And

Pam Duimstra

Transcribed by:

Pam Duimstra

And

Linc Haymaker

December 2001
Copied as written, page numbers in ():

Sketch of Alice Marian Kinley Parr Irish written in 1932:

(1)  Sketch of my life from my birth up to my 73rd year.  Am no writer but please accept this as a gift for your birthday with love from mother Alice Marian Irish.

 I was born 22 Feb. 1859 in Linn Co Ia.  In a log-cabin near Buffalo Creek which empties into the Wapsipinicon River at Anamosa Iowa.  My Father & Mothers names were Leonard and Ruth Marian Parr.  I had one brother whose name was William.  He was the oldest of us 4 children.  Next to William came Emma, then Ella May, and I was the youngest.  When I was a few days old my mother was taken very ill with brain fever which left her in no shape to take care of her home and family.  She became very weak and melancholy and neglected her work.  My father was obliged to separate his little family and mother went to Mt. Pleasant where they were in hopes to restore her mind and health. She however lingered along a few years at that place and died.  I do not know where she was burried. (2) she was rather tall with dark eyes and heavy long dark hair, I was told.

 Father at that time owned a good farm and had considerable property but his home ties being broken and his family scattered he became discouraged and restless and when a cousin of his suggested going to California to the gold mines they decided to go together.  At the time of the separation of our family some people by the name of Shafer took brother William who must have been about 12 years of age at that time.  When he became a young man he went to California and married a Catholic girl.  They had born to them two girls.  The priest and a woman relative of Williams wife started trouble between them which resulted in a divorce.  William came to Iowa on a visit.  Then went to Mich. And married again while there.  I have no idea where he is now.  He may not be living.

 (3)A family by the name of Beltnap in Anamosa, took sister Emma to their home.  They were wealthy people and gave Emma every advantage that a rich mans daughter has.  She lacked nothing in the way of food clothing and education even had a piano and music teacher.  She was voted the best looking girl in Anamosa for her complexion was perfect, her form lovely, her hair the color of gold, her eyes a lovely blue. I never saw her but I have a neighbor, Mrs. Geo. Peety who used to see her quite often and says that she was a beautiful girl.  She wrote poems.  But the sad part of her girlhood days which could have been full of happiness (if Mrs. Belknap had been a mother to her) were made perfectly unbearable because Mrs. Belknap was an old maid when she married Mr. Belknap and they had no children of their own and with her selfish, jealous disposition it was well that she had none. (4) of course she had no mother-love in her heart.  She scolded my dear sister and whipped her until there were purple marks on her arms and shoulders in fact until the blood runs.  Emmas schoolmates begged her to tell them what caused those marks on her body.  Until she said if they would not let Mrs. Belknap hear of it she would tell them.

 My mother who raised me started with me to go and see my sisters and before we got to Anamosa we learned that they never told her anything at all about her own people and would not allow any of them to come to see her.  But my fathers sisters people, Aunt Sabre Conklin and her sons, in some way learned that Mrs. Belknap was cruel to Emma.  For instance, Emma and a young man who was well respected there in Anamosa were in love with each other, and as he was a poor man, she forbid them even seeing each other.

 Emma left home (5) (which was really more like a prison) as she had no privileges or rights as to her own hearts desire.  She met a man Perry Brown by name.  He almost worshipped Emma.  They were married.  They were quite happy.  After a year or so passed by, a baby boy came to their home, which rejoiced their hearts for a short time.  Only as when little baby Guy was 11 days old the young wife and mother was in a world where there is no sickness, sorrow, or pain.  Perry was almost wild with grief.

His mother who was not kind to my sister, took little Guy and raised him and the little fellow never was told anything about his mother and when he was old enuf to read he read the name Emma Brown on my sister tombstone and asked who was Emma Brown, your mother.  When Guy was a young man he worked and paid for his own college education.  A girl that he loved, proved false, he joined the standing army.  I hear no more of him or his whereabouts.

 (6)  Leonard Noyes and wife, Yankee people and well to do farmers adopted my sister Ella May.  They sent her to school and she had everything for bodily comfort.   Also Mr. Noyes's had a daughter Delia.  She was jealous of my sister and treated her with contempt.  She had a brother Laverne who was a genius.  He became one of Chicago's multimillionaire's.  Gave freely of his money to his workmen and donated large sums of money to Chicago for the beautifying of parks.  Owned splendid marble front houses in Chi. But when he died and his property and money was divided not one cent came to his adopted sister Ella May Noyes.  They very thotfully neglected signing the adoption papers.  So my sister was not a Parr, was not a Noyes (in writing).

 (7)When she became a young woman she taught district school and earned her own living.  She was a good looking girl, rather tall and in good flesh.  Dark brown eyes, auburn hair, quite a rosy color on her cheeks.  Was a good mixer with young people.  The people who raised me took me to see her once when she was 13 yrs old.  I was 11.  When I was 17 yrs old, she came from her home at Noyes's (which was on a farm Northwest of Springville, Ia. about 3 mi) to Newton, Ia. Where I lived at that time.

Ella was engaged to marry Israel Mason Irish but they broke the engagement and she married an Englishman who came from New York City with a lot of orphan boys, who were brought out here to Linn Co. to find homes..  A man by the name of Horace Brown, raised him.  Mr. Brown was a wealthy farmer, had in his home a wife (no children) a mother an aunt, a niece, a nephew, an old Irishman who was(8) handyman, and the source of a lot of amusement by his ever ready witty speeches.  Henry Danker was the Englishman's name.  Pat once said while we were visiting at Browns, well Mister Brown and Henry & I can go west and run a big ranch.  Brown can do the head work, Danker can do the hand work & I can do the jug work.

 Mr. Brown once sold a fat steer & told Pat to take him to his owner and bring back the money.  He took the steer to the right place & himself to a saloon and when he came home Mr. Brown said.  Hello! Pat, where's the money?  Pat began to blubber.  An shure, an I wisht the damn steer had died when he was a calf.  They just laughed and forgave him because he was, outside of that one fault of getting full, a good fellow.

 When Henry and my sister were married they had very little money.  Mr. Noyes was planning on giving Ella a 40 acre piece of timber land to clear off and make them a home. (9) But Mrs. Noyes said if any one gets a deed to that land it will be me.  Henry's rented land here in Linn Co. for awhile.  Two boys were born here, Floyd and Fay.  Then they went to Kansas, took up a claim, planted a peach orchard.  Had no crop of and kind, grasshoppers came.  Had nothing to feed their team but corn. Not much to eat themselves, not even salt.  One boy born while out there.

 Came back to Iowa started with covered wagon and their little bunch of household goods & clothing not much of that.  Their horses were both blind.  One mare had a colt.  Henry traded her and her colt for a larger better horse with one good eye.  When they arrived at the home place where Ella was raised, Henry was so sick he went to bed and Ella went across the road to a neighbors and she, too, was down bedfast and they were so poor and starved that I wouldn't have known them if I had met them any where else.  After awhile they were able to go to see their old acquaintances and friends. Who did not seem overjoyed to meet them.

 They lived a short distance from the Noyes place the 1st year.  Another boy was born to them while in Iowa.  They decided to go west again they got as far as Omaha.  Were living there when a man told Henry where he could take up quite a lot of homestead land near Riverton, Nebr.  They went there liked the location.  Thot it a good chance to get a good home for themselves and their children.  Took up several hundred acres.  Built a good house,  one room at first, but built 2 or 3 more rooms on to that one later.  Built sheds and shelters for their stock.  Had good luck with all of their crops (11) their stock, dug a large cave, walled & roofed it.  It was a fine place to store eatables.  They set out orchards and grape vines, evergreen grove, plants, shrubs & vines and built a nice large frame house later on.

 They adopted a little girl Marguetite 8 yrs old and raised her to young woman hood.  She called Henry uncle & Ella aunt.  They taught her to work and gave her an education and she married a well-to-do young minister.  His father is also a minister.  They farm and he also preaches.  They have 3 boys.  2 of which are twins.

 Floyd-Henrys oldest son married and lives on part of the land they took up as a claim.  Is an up to date farmer, with good buildings of all kinds needed on a farm.  The farm is well stocked and most of it under cultivation. Floyd has two sons & one daughter Mattie.  They are all 3 married.  The daughter teaches school most of her time.  I cannot think what her husbands occupation is but he gets good (12) money out of it and they own a modern home at Franklin, Nebr. The boys have good education and are prosperous.  Dells wife's name is Sallie.

 Fay-Henrys 2nd son wife's name is Anna.  They have 3 girls.  They live on a farm near Ringgold, Nebr.  They were pretty well fixed financially until here of late the depression affected them some what.  Fred or Bud (as he is nicknamed) his wife's name is Bertha.  They have one daughter (Lucille).  She is married.  Buds live out near Ringold too on a farm.  Are quite comfortably situated but not wealthy.    The boys all own their homes and so does Marguerites husband.  Uncle Henry's gave Marguerite a great many nice presents when she was married and 2 or 3 hundred dollars, because they said she had worked hard while at home and deserved it.

 Earl-Henry's youngest sons wives name is Lura.  They have a daughter Clara, who is married to a Mr. Martin Hay, have a son Montie.  Earl's have a (13) son Henry Junior.  A young boy about I suppose 12 yrs old.  Earls have a restaurant at Riverton.  They make a fair living there, and they certainly have an up-to-date place in every respect, give such perfect service.

 Henry and Ella left the farm or homestead several years ago, as Henry was troubled with rheumatism.  He went into the furniture and undertaking business at first and bought 3 residences at Riverton. They first lived down in the business part of the town but it was so hot and dusty and not enuf ground for shrubbery & plants of different kinds.  They also wanted a garden, some small fruit, grape vines etc. And wanted chickens, a few pigs and a good cow.  So they moved to the edge of the town and have several lots.  A pasture for their cow and Henry Juniors pony, a piece of timber land at one corner, a creek running (14) across it and are contented there.

 Henry made a large pool for gold fish in the yard and a place for water lilies & some other water plants.  So after days and months and years of worry toil and tears and not near enuf to eat or wear they are in pretty comfortable circumstances at last.  They are by no means extravagant or wasteful tho at that, remembering how awful poor they were.  And not knowing what might happen to them yet for they have lost some money in the bank and so did Henry Junior.

 They were married 55 yrs a week ago last Saturday Feb 20, 1932.  Henry is 77 yrs old Mar 3, 1932.  They own a residence just east of where they live-just a drive way between.  They belong to the M.E. Church at Riverton.  Henry is Sunday School Supt.  He is janitor at the Riverton school hose which is located only a few steps from home.  (15) they are very kind to me and often help me with something to eat or wear and once in a while a dollar.

 My father was a rather tall fair complexioned man with blue eyes and brown hair (so I was told).  I cannot remember him.  On his way back from Calif. He and his Cousin Chauncy Couklin were on board a large ship and my father was taken sick while on their way home and father died and they burried him in the ocean.

 I never knew that until last summer when one of my cousins Mrs. Louanna Penn was burried.  One of the sons of Chauncy Conklin was at the funeral and told it to me there.  I lived to be 72 yrs old before I ever knew that.  I have a lot of relatives living north of me but I have never had a chance to get acquainted with them.  My very own flesh & blood relatives, O well.  I have lived.  God has made me (16) and has also taken care of me and will until the end of this life, when a new and better life shall have begun.

 When I was first taken from my mother I was only a few weeks old.  My mothers father Schoonover and her mother took me home with them a little while.  Then a family by the name of Hale had me a short time and then Tom Wilmots father and mother had me.  Tom Wilmot afterwards married my Cousin Rhoda Schoonover, my Mothers brothers daughter.

 While I was at Wilmot's a man by the name of Frederick Kinley and his wife Elizabeth Houver Kinley were living at Marion, Linn Co, Ia.  In a brick house near where the water works are now.  They had 2 children living.  A son Oliver Cromwell 15 yrs old a daughter Martissa leason 13 yrs old.  A daughter died in infancy they called Martissa "Mattie" she was wishing all of the time for a little sister.

 Frederick and (17) his wife heard that I could be adopted.  They drove to Wilmot's not far from the place where I was born and decided to take me home with them.  Altho they said I was the puniest palest sickliest baby that they ever saw.  They wrapped me up and started for Marion with me.  They looked at me several times on the way home to see if I was alive they said.  For there was no color in my face and my lips looked blue.  They got me home alive.

 Their daughter Mattie was delighted to have me for her little sister.  They could only give me a little cows milk at a time.  But gradually I began to liven up under such good care.  And get a little pink color in my cheeks, and grow.  They used to have a little sleeve that I wore when they got me, it was the length of my middle finger (when I was a woman) and they rolled it up an inch because it was too long. (18) and I was 7 months old when kinleys took me to raise.  People used to call me the runt.

 I was always small for my age and then until I was 13 yrs old then I began to grow taller.  And when I was 16 I weighed around 110 lbs and when I was married at 18 yrs I weighed 115 lbs.  Kinleys soon after they adopted me moved onto a farm near Newton, Jasper Co Iowa.

 Father Kinley had a splendid farm and it was well stocked and we were all so happy and contented. The country was new there did not seem to be one bug or worm or any blight or anything to destroy what ever anyone planted.  They surely had a rich harvest of every thing they raised whether garden orchard or field.

 All of a sudden the war cry came..  Every man that was able bodied and considered to be fit for the service enlisted,  leaving mothers, wives, sweet hearts (19) little children and home far behind.  At first I did not understand it at all, for I was too young.  But as time rolled on I remember how new recruits passed by in stage coaches.

 My sister Mattie was a good singer.  She learned all of the then new war songs and she taught them to me.  When the soldier boys went by I would sing a war song, and they cheered and waved their caps.

 My mother and my sister were not strong enuf to do all of the heavy farm work alone.  They used to hire an Englishman, his name was Tom Charity.  He was not much of a hand and I used to be afraid of him.  While mother and sister were getting supper ready in the kitchen they used the lamp and there was no light in the room next to the kitchen.  Tom would get down on all fours and growl and make faces and scamper after me and I would scream and almost have fits. So I did not like him

 (20) The Indians a friendly tribe that father used to swap corn to for venison or deer meat used to come a whole string of them on their ponies and ask for food and corn.  Once my sister was getting them some eggs out of a big steamer and an old Indian squaw had a big heavy piece of canvas filling it with corn down at the rail corn crib. She tied the corners of the canvas in a hard knot and threw the corn on her back and hooked the knotted corners on her forehead and carried that load of corn out to the road and balanced it on her ponys back.  They strapped their papoose to a board and hung it at the ponys side.

 Those Indians camped down East of us a few miles.  We used to have a sugar camp down near the river where we tapped sugar maple trees caught sap in pails had a large pan to boil down the sap and o the sweet smell of that lovely maple (21) syrup and also the good taste of it and the cakes of maple sugar cooled down in 6 qt tin pans fine to eat with sausage and buckwheat cakes.

 Well the Indians were friendly.  We used to visit them when our men were at home to take us to their camp.  They had several tents.  It was fun to watch the Indian kids swim and play.  We saw the squaws making bead baskets & slippers and other pretty bead work cushions and purses etc.  Fancy colors.  They used to roast muskrats tho, that made me feel sick.

 Our men all enlisted in the war. We took the war papers and read of the battles and what a horrible thing that war called the civil was was.  Civil! Is it civil to kill your brother?  One day while we were visiting at a neighbors, mother saw a man come limping down the road toward us dressed in the army blue.  Mother threw up her (22) arms and shouted "O there cames Fred!" and we all went to meet him.

 He had been wounded in the leg.  He had the rifle ball with him that wounded him.  He had lain in the hospital until he was able to come home on furlough for a few days.  He once made a speech at our school house while he was at home and the house was so crowded with the people that some stood outside of the door.  How the people did cheer and cheer him.

 We went home so happy to have him with us but when we went back we all cried because we felt that we might never see him again and we never did for he was killed at the battle of Chattanooga near Lookout Mountain.  A rifle ball severed the jugular vein in his neck and in a short time his life was gone.  The boys rolled him in his blanket and burried dear father on the cruel battle field.

 While he was at home on furlough there were some friendly Indians came to (23) see him.  He had them come in and sit down to dinner with us.  They ate like we did.  They had bowls of water tho to drink and when they got thru eating they took up their bowls and emptied the water that was left onto the floor.  I wanted to laugh but mother motioned with her eyes for me not to.

 Father walked over his farm while at home too, and looked it over.  I went with him.  He lead me by the hand, he picked some big lilies and gave them to me and smiled so kind.  I shall never forget it.  Father returned to the service.

 Finally one evening after the days work was over a man came riding up horseback.  He came in and sat at the end of the log fire place.  He just sat there and said nothing.  Finally mother asked if he had any news.  He said yes, there has been an awful battle, and said nothing more.  Finally mother (24) asked him if father was killed and he said yes.  About the middle of the afternoon the day before.

 I shall never forget that nite as long as I live.  Widow and orphans at that home, all heart-broken.  When shall wars end?  Of what use are they?  I have seen two or rather seen the men leaving their homes for two wars and many never returned.

 Mother sold our home we moved into a smaller house for a little while and she and Mattie and I went to Indiana to see her mothers Mrs. Beverly.  Mothers maiden name was Houver but her mother married Hiram Beverly.

 While we were at Grandma Beverlys the big cannon at Attica, Indiana were fired announcing the close of the war.  What a time of rejoicing.  All of our young men relatives came back home with out a scratch.

 Guss Hinsdale (25) my sister Matties sweet heart came also.  They loved each other all of their school days and after he came home from the war, they were married.  They had two daughters, Louana and Frederika or Fritz they nicknamed her.

 When we came back from Indiana mother rented the whole upper story of a large farm house of a rich farmer until the boys came home and she would then know whether to buy another farm or not.  She bought one and some timber land not far from her farm, but the excitement of the war and absence from home and home duties caused my brother to feel uneasy and dissatisfied so he did not take to farming very much.

 We had one summer when it rained almost all of the time when I was 8 or 9 yrs old.  It seemed as if the sun simply refused to shine, so he was discouraged, mother it seemed too (26)  (seem to me) never spent an idle moment.  She kept 2 cows and milked them and saved all of the cream not needed for the table or cooking and made butter and shaped 1/2 lb cakes and printed a sheaf of wheat on one side of them.  What sweet fresh butter and what wonderful bread she made.

 She never baked biscuits but she made perfectly lovely loaves of light bread and I never saw such sweet salt-rising-bread as she could make.  So we always had good bread and good butter.

 No one canned fruits or vegetables those days but we always had a good supply of preserves and dried fruits.  And always sorghum molasses and quite often maple syrup and maple sugar plenty of good pickles.

 We lived well.  And I only wish I could keep my house and all of my work inside and outside of the house done up as well as she did.  Her garden was a beautiful (27) thing to look at.  She spaded it deep and worked the dirt up fine then shaped into beds and planted seeds in rows across the beds.  All laid out with paths between so even and neat.  Through the middle of her garden how well I remember that broad smooth walk with a border of short green foliage covered with little pink flowers then just on the other side of that, old fashioned flowers. 

Marigolds, bachelor buttons and I never could name all of the kinds that she had.  The balsam of so many different colors and spotted one ragged ladies etc.  Then a flowering currant bush smelling so sweet & spicy a cypress vine with such lovely staring red flowers, morning glorys at the window, rows of honey locust trees that sure called the bees in warm weather while they were in bloom.  Those were my happy happy child hood days.  I used to love to gather wild flowers which were to be had in great abundance.

 I had a pet yellow hen with a red brown head & neck.  Mary was her name.  She only had one eye.  I could hold her and she would stick her head on one side and look up at me (28) it made me laugh and she would talk hen talk to me.  I loved Mary.

 I had a little brown rat terrier, he got the wiggles so bad when you tried to hold him and pet him.  He was not very much comfort.  He got to sucking eggs, so I finally missed him and asked where tippie?  So they said they killed him.  I cried of course.

 Then my brother went to a neighbors, where they had lots of sheep.  They had so many ewes that had twins & triplets that they went around killing all but the best lambs.  My brother brot me one for a pet.  It was all wet from the rain and chilled but mother made a nipple out of a goose quill & rag and put warm milk in a bottle and dried her nice and dry.

 In a few days she was wobbling about pretty well. When I came home from school she came to meet me in the back yard.  We had a cave out there and it wasn't long until Lucy (that was her name) and I (29) were running and jumping with all out might up & down & around the cave and I would run up the steps and into the kitchen and Lucy right at my heels.  After awhile she would run at me and butt me off of my feet.

 We sheered her and sold the fleece and mother got me a beautiful skirt with so many stripes of gay colors in it and a long strand of sparkling glass beads that were cut so that they sparkled.

 I had no children to play with but I had a doll I called Julia.  I made capes and the funniest looking hats for her.  Once I made a hat out of pasteboard and put red calico streamers on it and red ties and I went up to our old turkey gobbler and tied it on his hear.  I don't know now how I ever did it, but I remember how squirmy those lumps on his neck felt to my fingers while I tied his hat on.  And would you believe he strutted around with that silly hat on and mother sure did laugh.

 Mother sold the (30) farm and I went over to visit the folks who bought it.  Their name was Tompson.  They had one child, Jennie, she was a young lady.  We sat down to dinner. They asked me if I would like a piece of meat, I said yes.  I ate it was tender and sweet as could be.  They said how do you like the meat, I said it was good.  They said that is some of your lamb.  I was all through.  I ate no more dinner.  If they had said that was a piece of your grandmother I don't believe I could have felt any worse. 

We moved to Kellogg a little town between Newton and Grinnell.  Went to school while there.  We moved from Kellogg in a year or so to Wamego, Pottawottamie Co, Kansas.  Mothers sister in law and her husband and family had moved out there just outside Wamego on a little farm and wanted us to come to Kan.  There was a great boom on there at that time.  All sorts of people from all parts of the country pouring in. (31) A lot of people fooled too.  Hard-pan soil around there and great buffalo wallows, black jack timber, coarse buffalo grass, and scarcity of good water.  We only stayed about one year.

 There came a terrible storm while we were there and Wamego is on the bank of the Missouri River and bluffs on both sides of the river.  Our cellar was soon full of water.  We were frightened almost to death.  A lumber yard and one house floated away and quite a lot of damage was done.  We came back to Iowa.

 I had a beau while at Wamego.  He took me to the Christmas tree.  I thot as much of him as a 12 yr old girl can think of her sweet heart.  He went over across the river to work and the day we left Kan. I thot I would never see him again.  But just before the train started he came to the car window and gave me a locket and chain and bid me goodbye.

 We moved to Moberly, Randolph Co, Mo.  next.  The place (32) was full of democrats and darkies.  Mother was a strong Republican.  Of course it was so soon after the war that the South could hardly bear the sight of the Republicans and they still treated the "niggers" as they called them as rough and mean as they could.

 On the 4th of July out came the Moberly darkies all dressed in white with gay red & blue trimmings.  And a great big fine looking darkey dressed fit to kill riding on a large iron gray horse with white mane & tail.  The colored gentleman wore a high shiny hat and wore a long scarf of red white & blue.  Any they paraded thru the streets with more style than wisdom.  For before night the town was in an uproar and fights and shooting going on and darkies thrown into jail and locked in.

 It was almost equal to some of the half breed Indians and tough scraps in Kansas.  Where they had a drunken (33) crowd at a dance one nite and they started a row and they had a large kittle of boiling soup over the fireplace and the squaws helped out on their side by throwing boiling hot soup on their enemies.  The dance broke up.

 At moberly the woman across the street from us shook her fist at the darkies as they passed by and told them "We will have you back into slavery before long."  She found out that mother was a republican and she refused to let us have water from her well.  We had only cistern water and it caused us to get sick with the ague or chills & fiver.

 Our boys were rail road men one a brakeman another an engineer.  The engineer Will Lowell made his home with us before the war awhile and still made it his home when he came back.

 Oliver married Anna Graham the daughter of a Pennsylvania Dutchman (34) while we lived at Moberly.  I cried, I did not want him to get married.  Ann was my school teacher when I was living where I had those pets I mentioned.  But he married Anna and they moved to Red Oak, Iowa.

 Mother and I went there with them.  Mother had sold out first one piece of property & then another and helped Oliver and kept me too.  All of this time until she did not have much ready money and had no home except with her son Oliver or her daughter Mattie.

 We stayed at Red Oak a little while and came to Newton, Jasper Co., where my sister Mattie & her husband and two girls lived.  I was 15 years old then.  I went to school, to church, and to Sunday school.  I enjoyed my self pretty well there.  I made a great many friends and acquaintances.  While there my folks all went to plays, went to picnics, and to parties sociables belonged to a club dance there. (35) only mother of course did not go to the dances.  I was allowed to go to a party now & then with my friends & schoolmates.  But never to be out of nights running with a tough crowd.

 I was happy and contented had plenty of good clothes, plenty to eat.  And the people who raised me were good to me until I met a fellow at a 4th of July celebration.  We knew the moment we saw each other that we could never find any one else that we would care so much for as we did for each other.

 Well my folks, that is my brother-in-law and my sister-in-law but mostly her husband, set themselves to see to it that we should never be anything to each other but strangers, as far as they could go with it.

 He was a good respectable well educated young man graduated at the Newton High School.  Worked in the printing office awhile, then in his Step Fathers drug store and (36) he had no bad habits and he belonged to the Young Mens Christian Association.  Used to write and read to them at their meetings and was an all around good young man.  But they ruined our happiness.

 He was rather tall and broad shouldered but not fleshy, had black hair and dark eyes.  Not real dark complexioned but not fair.  Not much color in his face.  Rather quiet and did more listening than talking.

 I think it is wicked to make or break up young couples plans.  Let people naturally choose their own lifes partner. They know better than any one else does who they choose to live with.  It means so much to them.

 We moved to Des Moines from Newton and I never saw or heard of him again.  I asked my sister Mattie what ever became of him and she said o I don't know.  Guess (37) never liked him.  I said no more but I sure had an aching heart to think how they ruined my happiness.  It just meant a loveless life for me.

 There was one evening that we were in each others company at his Uncles that moved right next door to us.  They had a party and asked me over there and it must be that my folks did not know that they were related or that he would be there and we could enjoy each others company or they surely would never have let me go.  I had not been there long until he came.  We were playing some game with cards a little tables so he came and scooted himself by me and stayed by me most of the time until supper was ready and his folks seated us side by side.  We improved our time talking about what we liked to eat and kept up a happy stream of talk as long as we were there but Oh! Oh! Never again (38) were we to spend a whole evening together or even meet each other if they could head us off.  I did go over to their house one evening after school to borrow his little half sisters sheet music "Silver Threads among the Gold"  The song was new then and he had bought her a nice new organ and got her this music.  She went to the same school building that I did and I got permission from my mother to go over awhile and to borrow the music but was not to stay late.  I played on her organ and we visited and his mother was a lovely lady and treated me so kind and nice and asked me to stay & eat supper with them.  So I did but Earnest did not come home quite soon enuf to eat with the family because they could not both leave the store at the same time.  Supper over and he came.  He (39) He got a large new book that he had just bought and came and sat down by me at the table and was showing me the book (an encyclopedia) and time went by faster than I realized.  I was perfectly happy and interested in what he was saying when here came my brother in law and said Aint it about time you was coming home in a gruff voice so of course I got up and went home and all the brow beatings & I got I couldn't tell you what all they said.  My heart sank like a lump of lead and never was allowed to liven again.  The devil himself I guess could not have done a better job of separation.  I do not know whether he is living or not.  I have never forgotten him and I have never ceased to love him either for he should have been my life's companion.  If not, I can not see why.

 I lived in Des Moines one spring (40) and one summer until after the 4^th of July.  I was 18 yrs old then.  I worked in a dressmaking & millinery shop a few days at Des Moines.  I soon left the girls were decidedly tough for my Brother in law had been in the insurance business for several years xxx xxx, ever since he left the farm that was near our farm that Tompsons bought (we then lived ½ xxx apart).  He gradually while at Newton worked his way up into several different branches of insurance and became General Agt. For a few companies and was getting good money out of it when he went to Des Moines.

 I left with my mother and we came to my Sister Ellas to visit her and the Noyse's.  Ella was expecting a little stranger.  The coming Dec. She cried and begged me not to leave her.  Mother cried and wanted me to go home with her, said she would get me a new sewing machine, but I did not (41) feel as if I could go back there after Gus had done what he did to ruin my happiness and Mattie was not pleased to have me there because she had two girls who she of course felt should have every attention and advantage that they could and I was really no relation to them and was already 18 yrs old.

 I next stayed with my own Sister and she planned to get me married to her fellow that she had been engaged to and they had had some trouble and parted, broke the engagement.  I knew nothing of this and was not aware of her planning to get me married to a man whose people had lots of land and stock, but who were really rough uneducated, unrefined people, who when I came into their family set about it to humiliate me and snub me and curse and strike me.  So much for match making. (42)  As I said before match making and match breaking are a sin.  Well we went thru the marriage ceremony, but at heart and in the sight of God, I believe we were never husband and wife, for our hearts were not in the deal at all, and were almost wretchedly unhappy in each others presence all of the time.  If you can not love a person you can not.  It is impossible to love where there is nothing to love.  You may argue yourself black in the face, it simply cannot be done.  Love is a gift from our Creator.  Do not pick up a mistaken article and call it by a false name.  In no other place is the truth needed more than between husband and wife.  So no truth and no love.  No love an unhappy life.  People often carry on for their children's sake. (43)  The man that my sister dropped she managed to get married to me and she was acquainted with their family too, and knowing that he and his father had no respect for women.  I feel that she did me an injustice.  However we were married in 1878.

 Our children's were, Jennie May, Lydia Esther, Charles Signor, Lulu Bessie, John William, Joel Mason.  Jennie married Richard Bond.  They have one boy Ralph Wesley.  Lydia Esther married John Dean.  They have 8 children.  Leon, Myrtle, Glen, Norman, Ethel, Ray & Roy (twins) & Florence.

 Charles Signor died when he was 25 years old is buried at Springville Iowa.  He was never married.

 Lulu Bessie married Carl Schlieman.  They have 9 children.  Iva, Violet, Inda, Helen, Leonard, Hazel, Malcom, Gertrude, Hope.

 Lydia's oldest child, Leon is unmarried.  Myrtle married Ardie Mathies.  They have two little girls.

 (44) Glen married Clara Johnson.  They have no children.  Norman is unmarried

 Ethel married Bill Dahmen.  They have one child, John William.  Ray & Roy single.  Florence single.

 Lulu & Carls oldest girl, Iva married Phillip Huse.  They have two little girls, Patricia Ann & ???.  Violet. Married Pete Duimstra, they have two boys Fred Arie and Carl Oliver, ??? Inda Helen, Leonard, Hazel, Malcom, Gertrude, Hope.  All single.  I have 7 Great Grand children and 26 grand children.

 Mason Irish and I lived on 40 acres of his fathers land deeded to us but never signed until Joel was about 3 yrs old.  We then moved to the Grover place about 5 ¾ miles North West of Central City.  While we were living there Jennie was married to Richard Bond who lived at Maubeek Iowa.  He was the son of Louisa Bond a widow lady living with her mother Mrs. Nuberger and her Brother Adolph, unmarried.  Ralph Wesly was (45) born at Waubuk Iowa.  Lydia was married the same fall a month before Jennies wedding to John Dean, son of Preston & Rachel Dean at Martins Creek.

 We moved back South of Central City the next year about 15 mi to the Delaney farm joining the County farm on the South.  Lived there one year, moved to the Will Russell place down in the edge of the timber near Millwood school house.  The place used to be called Webster City.  We lived there one year and moved to the Old Jake Mann farm.  Jake was an old miser and was said to have had gold burried in his place.  His wife told me that he was so tight that he was mad when she sold eggs and bought a few cookies for her boys school dinner.   He dressed like a beggar.  He called for his money they tell me when he was dying, but what would he do with it for what can a man (46) exchange for his soul?  While I was living at the Mann place I attended some revival meetings at Mt. Zion Church at Springville Church, and at Martins Creek Church.  I decided to go forward and openly confess Jesus Christ as my Savior while at Martins Creek Revival.  Altho I had read in the Gospel of Jesus Christ a message that convicted me of sin I also prayed at that time with many bitter tears and pleadings to my Savior for forgiveness and for help to live the life He wants me to live for him.  I felt my sins forgiven and found sweet peace.  I was persecuted by some enemies from that time on for the stand I took and as I went farther and farther on in His name and striving to do his will and lead a clean life.

 I can say that the devil has surely been busy causing  (47) all kinds of sorrows and troubles for O how that old serpent, the father of lies, does hate to see anyone on the Lords side.  I have been tried in many ways, and tormented and tempted, but thanks be to the one to whom I have committed the saving of my soul, I know He is able to keep me from the power of the devil and deliver me out of every trouble.  I believe in him with all of my heart.  The devil caused many lies to spring up about me and kept me out of the Church for quite awhile, but I left it all to the Lord to bring out the truth and he did it.  He is a friend who is will never fail those who believe in Him and trust in Him.  There is no use to call on him if we do not believe that he is and is a rewarder of all who diligently seek Him.

 They finally decided after ridiculing my name and finding no reason why I should not unite with the (48) M. E. Church to take me in membership.  Altho let me say it was God and his Son and the Holy Spirit I wished to unite my life to not a creed or denomination for I never could understand why there were so many divisions of Christianity so called and only one Christ who is of course the head and why divided into so many bodies.  So Christ divided He prayed that his disciples might be in him and he in the Father that they might all be one and Paul said be of one mind, not putting Christ to shame by saying I am of Paul another saying I am of  Apollos (1Cor 1:12)  He gathers his disciples all in one as the Church is His why divide it into man made creeds & forms & ceremonies causing confusion.  Jesus says I am the door anyone coming in any other way is a thief and a robber. (John 10:9-10)  (Taking the truth away from His people and misleading them.) (49)  If Ministers only would preach the truth that is speak where the gospel of Christ speaks and otherwise keep silent.  More of Christ less of Creed or denomination.  I sincerely desire to lead a good clean honest life and can thank God that he who can not be mocked or deceived has been so good, so kind, so loving, and true to me that I fully trust in Him with a heart full of gratitude for I have seen times when I thought there could be no earthly way to get along, but I went to God and asked him to just take all of my affairs in his care and just manage it all for me for it was beyond my knowledge or power to do it myself and lo and behold he did it far and above better than any way I could have thot of.  I believe in the Lord.  He can do wonderful things.  There is nothing impossible for Him to do.  But nary his will be done not mine. 

(50)  I will wait patiently on Him and there will be no mistake made then, because He never makes mistakes.  I will humble myself before him and ask his help.  Then I will be more in a position to receive it.  If I exalt myself I am abased.  If I am humble I may find favor.  (As God is merciful) 

 I lived on the Main place for a year or two then moved on to the Blakesly place owned by John Dean my Son-in-law.  The place is about 6 mi. east of Marion.  I went to Martins Creek Church and Sunday School regularly every Sunday to Paralta Church in the afternoon once in a while, and to Martins Creek league or meeting whichever was on for the evening.  One Sunday after the revival meeting those who had gone forward desiring to be taken in to the Church were called up in front of the alter.  The minister (51) asked us which we would be sprinkled or immersed.  Altho Jesus never said be sprinkled he said repent and be Baptized for the remission of your sins so there is only one way to enter into the new life or Spiritual birth and that is by being "Baptized" or burried with Christ under water and receiving the Holy Spirit.  Baptized with water "much water" to go under the water for Paul says if ye are burried with him in Baptism ye shall also rise in Him.

 I stood at the foot of the people lined up and I said I want to be baptized for Jesus was and he said for us to be.  They smiled and right away Satin entered into my home and made himself very busy and he started stories and used my name as something rotten, and while my name was being riddled I worked on (52) and on each week day trying to earn a living for myself and family and they had sifted me until they thot I was no more they said "o yes, you may come into the Church now (if you want to)  They have decided to take you in.  They.  Can you beat it.  Would Jesus if he was here on earth and you met him and told him of all of your mistakes, sins and sorrows and asked him to pardon you and help you to be good, do you think he would say well we will see about it in the Committee will meet we can talk it over and see if you are a fit person for us to have in our congregation and a lot of bunk like that.  What did he say when asked for his forgiveness he said according to your faith be it in you.  Or if one showed (53) their faith he would say they sins be forgiven there, and not make a cast-a-way of them.  Well I went into the Church for I wanted to go to a house built for the place to pray & worship God.  They set the day and I was baptized in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.  If I had not been I would do so now, as soon as I could for the reason that Jesus said do it and be born again.  A Spiritual Birth.  An earthly birth dies a Spiritual birth in Christ lives forever.  All men die in Adam.  All men live in the new birth in Christ. 

We lived at the Blakesly place a year and moved to the Taylor place.  We lived there two years.  Lulu met Carl Schlieman and they loved each other and then we moved to the Vaso place.  Charlie, my oldest son, was sick and bed fast for months there and (54) died while we lived there.  Rev. Patterson Presbyterian Minister came out and preached a very comforting sermon.  The Praise Chapel Choir sang "We shall sleep but not forever"  Louise Lang played on the Organ.  We laid his poor thin wasted body away to rest in the Cemetery here in Springville.  He said that he had prayed to the Lord to forgive his sins and he felt that he was forgiven and I believe that he was.  Lulu and Carl Schlieman were married at Marion that fall 1907 and moved to Kenwood on the Mound Farm.  Carl and Julius LaVarscur were in the dairy business for awhile.  Ira was born at the Mound farm and a cute kid she was.  The next year they moved to S.Dak in a farm near Hartford where they lived until the rest of the children were born.  My husband ant two boys moved the Spring following Charles's death to Springville where I have lived ever since.

(53)  Starting in where I left off at the place where it tells of "The New Birth in Christ"

 In the year 1929 Aug 3^rd, having been shown that the Gospel of Christ was the only way to eternal life I accepted it and his words only, (as they are printed in the New Testament of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ I read that He is the head of the Church and that his followers are his body and that being the case it can not be divided.  It would put Christ to open shame to protest or be a protestant saying we will be a law unto ourselves which will be more covenant than His way and divide the Church.

I know that there is no compromise or substituting about the Lords way.  And there is no other name given under Heaven whereby men can be saved.  And He said if ye love one ye will keep my words.  (His words not men's)  We should serve God rather than men.  So I left denominational doctrine and united (54) with the Church of Christ.  The first and only true Church, where a few drops of water laid on top of your head would never be called Baptism.  It is what he tells us to do that counts.  When Jesus performed the first miracle at Cama where he turned the water into the best of wine.  When the people were talking about what to do, Mary his mother, said "Whatever he says to do, do it.  And see the result"  When they obeyed his command some preachers preach very pleasant sounding soothing words but they preach the Doctrine of men and twist and turn the pure Gospel of Christ until it misleads one until they don't know where they belong and there is really no comfort in it.  So will choose the New Testament Church, which is just as it was when he built it, without man made doctrines.  I thank God that I have learned the truth and that it sets me free. (55)

 John William married Grace Coupland.  Grace and her parents Israel and Etta Coupland & one brother Gage Everett live at Shellsburg Iowa.  John's have one child a son, Everett Anthony.  They live in Shellsburg own their own home.  Are comfortably fixed.  John paints and hangs wallpaper.  Grace sews, works at the creamery and is handy at many money earning kinds of work.  Everett is doing well in school.  Joel Mason Married Mamie Madge Williams the daughter of Al and Daisy Williams at ?? Iowa.  Al was a guard at the Penitentiary.  Williams had besides Madge four other children younger than Madge.  Gene, Laura, Thelma and James.  Joel & Madge have 5 living children.  Robert, Fern, Virginia, June and Ruth.  He is now married to Waneta Semple McKeraned Jo.  They have one girl Dorothy 3 yrs old one boy Joel Junior 1 yr old.  Mt. Vernon Iowa is their address.  Joel hangs wall paper and paints and does some carpentering work.  They rent.  My husbands Fathers and Mothers names were Joel Signor and (56) Mary Ann.  His fathers name was Israel Irish.  His mothers name Esther.  His father and family came from Ohio when he was just a young man.  There were 12 children in their family 4 boys 4 girls & 4 boys.  They had plenty of money and they got several hundred acres of prairie land all good tillable soil and a lot of heavy timber land several miles South of their homes.  My husband had two living sisters one his twin Sarpeta Ellen then Lydia Ann then his brother John William the youngest.  They were all born in the home where his father and mother first lived after they were married.  They lived about 4 ¾ miles northwest of Springville Linn Co. Iowa.  They accumulated quite a lot of property and were considered very well-to-do people.  Had lots of fine horses & cattle and great droves of hogs.  Good crops large orchards and plenty of money.  They were hard working people.  They were home lovers and stayed there (57) most of their time attending to their work on time.  My husband and I who were married at Marion, Linn Co., Iowa in the yr 1877, by Rev. Waterman Pres. Minister.  We lived on the 40 acres joining his fathers on the North.  A large maple grove between the houses.  All of our children were born there.  My husbands mothers father & mothers names were Tandy and Katherine Brockman.  They had 14 children.  2 girls.  Mothers sister Sarepta, died when she was 15 yrs old.  She went out one morning thru the long wet heavy grass to hunt a turkey hens nest and her feet and clothing were all wet from the dew and she took a sever cold and died.  She was just recovering from the measles.  A brother about grown was riding a horse one morning when the horse became frightened and ran away throwing Mason Broctman and letting him hang by one foot in the stirrup of the saddle.  He was tossed and bruised to death.  Serepae Ellen my husbands sister they (58) called Ellen or Ella.  She married a man a carpenter by trade who came from the far east.  John Willard by name.  He had a twin brother Will.  He had a brother Ben who was a carpenter and made his home at Springville Iowa.  Also a brother Lou, also a carpenter.  John and Ellen lived at Springville the first year where a daughter Daisy was born.  They then moved across the road from MY husband and I for a little over a year where Mabel was born.  They then moved back to Springville where Ella was born.  Ellen died when Ella was a few weeks old and Ev McShane & wife Ella raised Daisy.  Mabel and Ella stayed with Grandpa & Grandma Irish most of the time when they were not at our home where they were always welcome and had the same care and treatment as our own children.  They were all worked for & looked after just alike.

 (59) Daisy married Bernard Baily a Springville barber .  They went to Cal.  They have a boy Willard and a girl Elizabeth.  Mabel married Liso Hawkes, son of Dever Hawks & wife give name not known to one Liso had a sister Etta a brother Wid and a younger brother Charles.  Mable and Liso have 5 children, 2 boys 3 girls.  They live at Morton, Minn.

 Ella married James Dean, son of Preston & Rachel Dean of Martins Creek.  James has 6 brothers, John, Bert, Ec, Than, Sam & Albert, one sister Dorothy.  Dorothy and my 2^nd daughter Lydia are the same age to a day.  Ella and Jim have one son Paul and two daughters, Ina & Gladys.  Paul single, Ina married to Francis Gaimes.  They have two daughters Dorothy & ?? & Paul live on a farm East of Springville.  Gladys Single.  Lydia my husbands youngest sister married Eugene Wells.  She was 16 yrs old when she was married.  They lived on the 40 acres joining Father Irish on the West.  To them was born 10 children, Nellie, Lena, Joel, Plm, Mason, Emma, Valentine, Ada, Carl, & Ralph.  Nellie married Lewis Wright of Waubeck Iowa, son of ?? Wright.  They moved on to a farm have  (60)

 Lena married LeHigh Williams.  To them were born Mesvine, Charles, Roy, Dorothy, Lydia.  Glen, Marion, Fay and two younger ones I do not know their names.  I do not know who the 5 oldest ones married, the rest are single.  They live on a farm.  Joel married Edith Lacock of Peralta, Ia.  They have 2 boys and a girl single.  Edith is married again to a Mr. Fay, live at Louisa Ia., no children.  He is a carpenter.  Plin married Eva DeWald of Springville Ia..  Her father and mothers names Jake and Alice, has a sister married to a Mr. Bowdish, live north of Springville on a farm & a sister Lena who married Loren Lacock of Parelta brother to Edith and Ira and Don Lacock.  Mason married Lulu Baldwin of Springville, her fathers names was Eugene Baldwin.  She had a brother they called Pud.  Mase & Lulu have a son George, a married daughters another son and another small daughter, I do not know their names.  (61)

 Mason died a year or so ago.  Heart failure.  Valentine married a man by the name of Thumma.  They have several children, live on a farm.  Ada married Ernest Paul, whose parents lived near the Linn Co. home.  He has a sister Martha, another sister and two more brothers.  They have children, number unknown to me, live on a farm.

 Carl married name unknown, had a few children, occupation unknown.  Ralph married name unknown to me.  Lives on a farm.  John William Irish married DeEtta Holcolm.  Her fathers and mothers name was XX.  They lived on a farm a little South of Father Irish's.  De Ettas mother had formerly been married to Miller.  These were two of the Miller girls, Lavina and Maggie.  Maggie Married Tom Fowler.  They had 2 boys and one girl.  Mrs. Fowler lives in Springville now.  Floyd the oldest and Lynn the next then one girl Florence.  Lloyd married Pearl Leaf.  They have (62) one girl Maxine.  Lynn married Masy.  They have a girl Winnifred, one boy Hobert.  They are living at Springville.  Florence married Neilson, they are in Cedar Rapids at present.  De Etta has a sister Rilla Holcom.  She married Elmer Ketchum.  She has a daughter.  De Etta and John had no children.  She only lived a few years after she and John were married.  John married Irene Aler, they had only been married a short time and were on a wedding trip when they were called home on account of Mother Irish sickness which terminated in her death near a Thanksgiving day.  Only a few weeks followed until John was taken sick and died in the following January.  That year a little daughter Willa J. was born to Ilene.  De Etta, John and Irene all were burried in the Cemetery at Springville.  Willa J. is married to a Mr. Martin, they have a little son.  Father and Mother Irish are burried at Springville.  Mase and I moved to Springville in 1907.  We have made 3 moves since we came here.  We first rented the Wm Dunlap place at the extreme Southeast end of town, we stayed there 1 yr we then moved on the next street north about 4 blocks West.  Lived there 2 yrs.  We then bought the old Jessie Vale property where I have lived ever since.  Mase died in the year 1923.  He used to pray awhile he lost one of his best horses and did not much dray work after he did a little carpentering.  Worked helping farmers now & then.  He had very poor health for quite a number of years before he died.  He is burried in the Springville Cemetery.  When we moved to town, I went to Strawberry point and bought a loom to weave carpets & rugs on.  Have done quite a bit of weaving and like the work.  I used to go out to work and help do anything they called on me to do that I could do.

 I always got pretty fair wages enuf to support myself and help my folks some.  I live alone.  I prefer to one has perfect freedom which makes one more contented and comfortable and they are not in any one else's way.  I respect and love my relatives and my neighbors, but my own home is the place for me and I thank God that He gives me one.  I am contented with such things as I have for ones life does not consist in the things that he has but in a contented mind.  From the time of my birth up to the present time I will say that I thank God through Jesus for His loving care.  This is a very irregular sketch of my life and the people with whom I associated and only a little of it here and there now and then, but hope it may be some interest and value to you Lulu.

 Accept it as a birthday gift please, Mother Alice Marin Irish.