Joy Neal Kidney's Blog, page 30

Claiborne Daniel Wilson (January 7, 1888-October 5, 1946)

Death Takes Clabe Wilson

Final Rites Scheduled Wednesday Afternoon

Clabe Wilson, taken in Omaha, Nebraska, May 12, 1946 (Mother’s Day)

“Death came about 9:30 pm Saturday to Claiborne (Clabe) D. Wilson, 58 year old local farmer, at his home two miles southeast of Perry. He had suffered a general breakdown in his health.

“Funeral services are set for 2:30 pm Wednesday at the Workman Funeral home. The Rev. Lyle V. Newman, First Christian church pastor, will officiate and burial will be in the Violet Hill cemetery.

“The body lies in state at the funeral home.

Rectha, Clabe, and Alice Wilson

“Mr. Wilson, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Wilson, was born Jan. 7, 1888 near Coon Rapids in Carroll County.

“During his lifetime he farmed in various localities, including Guthrie Center, Dexter, and Minburn. He had moved to his present home about two years ago.

Newlyweds Clabe and Leora Wilson, in front of Clabe’s mother’s house at Panora, 1914

“On Feb. 15, 1944 he was married to Leora Goff, who survives. Also living are two sons, Delbert G. of Perry and Donald W., who is in the navy; two daughters, Mrs. Warren D. Neal of Redfield and Mrs. Alvin C. [called Sam] Scar of Earlham, a half-brother, Fred Davis of Des Moines; three sisters, Mrs. Alice McLuen of Stuart, Mrs. Fonnie Kiggen of Boston, Mass., and Mrs. Verna Parrott of Des Moines; and several nieces and nephews.

“Preceding him in death were three sons, all casualties of the recent world war. They were Dale R., Daniel S., and Claiborne J.”

Perry Daily Chief, October 7, 1946

Clabe Wilson died of a stroke and a broken heart. He is buried at the Violet Hill Cemetery in Perry, Iowa.

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Clabe Wilson grew up in Guthrie County, living there until the 1920s. Those stories are told in Leora’s Early Years: Guthrie County Roots. (Both of Clabe’s parents died in a state hospital when he was a young man.) Clabe and Leora’s children grew up at Dexter during tough times. Leora’s Dexter Years: The Scarcity Years of the Great Depression is filled with those stories.

Their heart-rending story of the war years are in Leora’s Letters: The Story of Love and Loss for an Iowa Family During World War II. In the Audible version, Paul Berge especially brings Clabe to life. Here’s a 5-minute clip.

All five of Clabe and Leora’s sons are remembered on the Dallas County Freedom Rock® at Minburn, not far from where they were tenant farmers from 1939 to 1944.

The Legacy, brand new book by Cherie Dargan

The Legacy by Cherie Dargan

Sarah, a widowed schoolteacher, rushes to be with her sister, Emily, about to give birth. It’s September 1864, and the war has come to Winchester, Virginia yet again. Sadly, Emily and her baby die, leaving Sarah to take Emily’s maid Rebecca and son Bobby to freedom. Her mother insists she take along a young slave named Thomas for protection. It’s almost one hundred miles to Baltimore, where they can take a boat to Boston, and then board a train west. Can Sarah lead this group to safety, avoiding stray Confederates, Union soldiers, and slave catchers? And why does Rebecca say to look for quilt squares on their journey?

In present day, Gracie and her boyfriend, David, visit Grandma Molly over the Christmas holidays. Forty years ago, Molly helped her sisters-in-law clean out a house after their Grandma Mary’s death. Molly found a red and green quilt that no one else wanted, so she brought it home. An old legal envelope was safety-pinned to the quilt, which had a faded bloodstain on the back. A great aunt warned her to burn the envelope and quilt, and after a family gathering, the envelope disappeared. Molly hid the quilt away. Now she wants Gracie to find out if the quilt dates to the Civil War and who made it? However, Grandpa Patrick walks in and makes a fuss. “Ah, Molly, what are you doing with this old quilt again? Can’t you let it go after all this time?” Gracie wonders, what’s going on with my grandparents?

Can Gracie find the story behind the red and green quilt and help her grandparents resolve their problems the way she did with the California quilt?

My Thoughts: Quilts and mysteries from Civil War days, with at least one family member not wanting one mystery to come to life. She says it will destroy their family legacy. What legacy? Over a quilt? This dual-time story is rich with details about both whites and slaves escaping from the South during the war.

It’s also the love story of Iowa descendants of those folks, and their quest to find answers to the mystery behind just who made the Rustic Rose quilt, and why did it have blood stains? Things become complicated when young people connected with White Supremacists try to disrupt anything embracing other races. Cherie Dargan beautifully weaves the two compelling stories into a satisfying novel, The Legacy.

Here is Cherie’s Amazon Author Page.

Mom’s Purse by Paul E. Kotz

Another Mom and Paul StoryBy Dr. Paul E. KotzIf you have a parent you adore, or once had in your life, sometimes you miss the time you had, the banter, the conversations and at times – the golden moments.My mom had her routine eye shots, and we had an early appointment. She had her breakfast, assisted by my brother.She was sitting in her lazy girl chair, napping..“Hey mom, it’s Pauly.”“Hi, Tom.”“It’s your other son. Your big baby.”“Hi Big Baby, Pauly!” She recognized me.“We have to get you ready.” I am all business.“Where are we going?” She asks.“You have an appointment for your eyes.”“I don’t want to go. I’m not feeling good.”“Well, you look great. Not a day over 57, and we missed last month. You need to go.”“Fifty-seven! That’s generous. You think so?”I smile. “Yes, come on let’s get up. We have an 8:15 am.”.The same tape loop ensues, we tighten her cane, debate on whether to use her walker cart, and conclude that if I take her arm, she can use the cane today.I am thinking to myself, I hope that is a good decision. Falling can be precarious.“I like your car. It’s a smooth ride. I love to drive.” She compliments.“Yes, mom, you were a good driver.”“What do you mean, ‘Was?!’”.She was a good driver, and enjoyed the freedom of having her own wheels and driving her four kids around in our youth.We get on the road, and Rita exclaims, “Where is my PURSE?”Oh, shit. I forgot this in all the excitement this morning.“My fault. It’s in the apartment.”“Is it locked? Oh, no!” She is worried.“Yes, it is. We will get it later.”.I am hoping we do not need her insurance cards and ID.So thank God for hands free options. I made a call to the eye clinic.“I forgot my mom’s purse today with her ID and insurance. Are her records up to date, so I do not have to go back?”“Yeah, you are fine. Next time, do not forget YOUR purse.”“Ha.” We both laughed. “I will try not to.”“See you soon, with Rita.” The operator concluded..Many of you are used to these kinds of stories of aging parents.Repetition, patience and a sense of humor is needed.“Did I leave my purse at your house?” She is stuck on this.“No, mom. I picked you up at your place. It is safe.”“Well, I want to get you some gas. I’m taking up all of your time.”“We just got started, mom. No worries.”I continued. “Besides, without your purse you can’t buy me any gas.”She was not deterred. “Next time, come with an empty tank, if you are thinking straight.”“Ok, then. I will get you a lunch after.”“Ha, mom, without your purse, you can’t this time. Next time, ok?” She needs her handbag.I kept going. “It’s on me.”.At the clinic, we shuffle from room to room. Mom comments on a nurse’s glittering socks.The nurse appreciates it. “Thank you. I have an ankle bracelet on top of the sock.”“Oh. I need one of those, too. Pauly, you should get one, while we are at it.”“I’ll consider it.” We all laughed.At McDonald’s afterward, she is a cheap date. We can’t have lunch.We finished at 10:45 am, borderline for lunch orders.She has a potato cake, a few sips of coffee and a piece of a pancake.“Sooooo good.” She says.“You know what?” Making a statement and inquiring at the same time.“What?”“I love you.”And, as she always says, “I love all of my kids.” My sister texted me to ask if her vision is still stable.“Yes, you do.”“Where is my purse?” Rita continues..And the dialogue continues in a beautiful tape loop, until we get her home, where her tote is safe and sound.And, I realized that a woman needs her purse.—–Paul Kotz has a new book out!The Preface: Misfits – Aren’t We All at Times?The chapters of encouragement, gentle nudges to be there for others, and affirmations of worthiness are pure Paul Kotz. How blessed are the students he’s mentored through the years. He is honest and vulnerable in this terrific collection of stories, epiphanies, and nudgings.He shares the links to two of his stories recorded for Our American Stories. You may find them and more here.

Tough Subjects, Terrific Books

Some terrific books, even redemptive ones, deal with tough subjects. Here are five you might consider: 

Bridges & Angels: The Story of Ruth by David LaBelle

Haunting and even tormenting at times, this story, which has at it core a real nightmare from the author’s past, also carries with it a redemptive beauty. The author’s gift of photography shows up in compelling similes, giving the reader the experiences right along with the characters.

Unforgettable images and drama. The nursing home scenes are so tastefully wrought.

Dave’s 16-minute interview on Our American Stories.

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Cameron Lost by Craig Matthews

Compelling characters wrestle with their beasts, their demons, even while attempting to forgive and encourage others. Cameron does something unspeakable to his family, knowing it can never be forgiven–by God, by anyone. His journey through his misery takes him on a real one, hiking and hiding in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Known by his trail name as Caveman, this miserable misfit meets Butter, also a trail name, who runs a place called the Oasis. Theirs is such a compelling friendship, deeper than that.

Cameron Lost takes the reader on a journey through rich UP vistas while sharing in Cameron’s losses and terrible choices and misery to eventual redemption.

Craig’s 24-minute interview on PJNET.tv

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Brothers Born of Adversity by Larry Dean Reese

Subtitle: How the Bonds of Friendship Helped Two Men Survive the Horrors of Japanese Prison Camps and the Infamous Hell Ships During WWII. This is a gruesome episode from World War II that must not be forgotten. The author has masterfully woven the ordeal of the POWs of the Japanese with stories two men told their families about those terrible years.

Since both men had already died, Larry Reese relied on several other sources to corroborate the memories told by their children. George Crowell and Frank “Max” Maxwell were Navy Corpsmen before the war, caught in the Philippines early in the war. They met as POWs at Bilibid prison, where they were held for more than two years.

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Courtesies of the Heart by Kenneth Breaux

A P-51 pilot is lost in Germany but not located by the Americans for decades. He left a widow and a baby daughter, who feels his absence her whole life. The area where he fell became part of East Germany, so was inaccessible for decades. But one local man buried his remains and cared for the grave for years. This is the amazing story of how several people, speaking three different languages, eventually became a “society of the heart” through the internet and in person.

The P-51 pilot’s remains are brought home for a military burial. Just incredible.

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The Rescuer by Jason Sautel

Subtitle: One Firefighter’s Story of Courage, Darkness, and the Relentless Love That Saved Him. This is such compelling book. The author explains so well the emptiness, the darkness, the haunting of a broken past while serving in the physically, mentally, and emotionally challenge as a firefighter. He contrasts it so well with the light and peace that love and salvation bring.

This book is being made into a film.

A Suburban Allis-Chalmers Tractor

Once in a while we’d get a glimpse of a vintage orange tractor driving through the neighborhood. My husband knew I liked old tractors, so one day while walking our “loop” he asked if I’d like to meet the man with the orange tractor. Would I!

Larry Swanger’s folks with the 1954 Allis-Chalmers WD-45.

Larry Swanger was in his front yard that day, so that’s when I learned about his father’s 1954 Allis-Chalmers WD-45. Leland Swanger was a lifelong farmer near Creston, Iowa. Larry had the family heirloom restored in 2008 and has been enjoying it ever since.

2020 tractor rideTractors lining the Grand Concourse of the Iowa State Fair, 2021

Larry, a retired optometrist, is President-Elect of the Central Iowa Tractor Club. He participates in tractor rides, tractor shows, Tractor Day on the Grand Concourse of the Iowa State Fair, and giving autumn hayrack rides during the local Valley Junction Pumpkin Walk.

2023

The story of Larry Swanger’s father teaching a young man to stack round bales of hay, reprinted from Shepherd Magazine, is in Iowa History Journal, the March/April 2023 issue.

The Coleman Sisters of Glidden, Iowa

Edith “Edie” Coleman Dankle, Julia Coleman Graves, and Rosie Mae Coleman Kidney

I’ve always like this old photo of Guy’s Grandma Rosie and her sisters, daughters of Jerome W. and Anna Coleman of Glidden, Iowa. 

Jerome and Anna came to Iowa from Bureau County, Illinois, with baby daughter Julia. Jerome helped form the Farmer’s Elevator Company in Glidden and eventually owned 1000 acres of Carroll County land.

Anna gave birth to two more daughters and one son, Charles William Coleman, who served in WWI.

Julia Bell Coleman Graves, Rosie Mae Coleman Kidney, and Edith Grace Coleman Dankle were the sisters.

Back: Rosie Coleman Kidney, Charley Coleman, Edith Coleman Dankle. Front: Julia Coleman Graves , Jerome Coleman, Anna Coleman. Photo taken in Carroll, Iowa

The farmland inherited from her father by Guy’s Grandma Rosie is now owned by Guy’s mother, Carol Kidney Herman, and has been designated a Century Farm, owned by the same family for at least 100 years.

The Leora Books

Leora’s Letters – Five brothers served, only two came home.Leora’s Dexter Stories – Still needs 3 reviews on Amazon!Leora’s Early Years – First published a year ago today.John Busbee, founder and host of The Culture Buzz, linked these two interviews! Leora’s Letters .  Leora’s Dexter Stories .

Favorite Redemption Novels Based on Family History

Immigrant Patriot

by Craig Matthews

What an incredible weaving of the immigrant journeys of a young couple, from Scotland and Italy, who meet in Utah after he survives WWI and the influenza pandemic. By then, she is a young widow, who has lost a young brother, her father, her husband in the war, and another brother to the pandemic.

But they have much more to face, from the deception and destruction of a rampant secretive religion. Remarkably, they escape and find redemption. Immigrant Patriot: One family’s struggle for freedom and faith in a world gone mad. is the almost unbelievable story of the author’s grandparents, written as a novel.

Two Sisters’ Secret

by Diane T. Holmes

I’m drawn to family stories and saw the author interviewed on a local TV station, so I knew I’d enjoy reading Two Sisters’ Secret. It’s a story that needed sharing, about sisters who immigrated from Germany. The much younger one (Bernadine) was so ambivalent about leaving Germany, about being left behind in Iowa when the older sister (Elizabeth) married and moved away. Even after marrying and having so many children of her own, then was widowed, Bernadine struggled.

Bernadine’s life became even more fascinating after she married a man who wasn’t really as she’d thought. And there were unpleasant surprises with two adult daughters. By then, I’d forgotten about the original secret, so when it was revealed, it came as a surprise.

Through the Eyes of Grace

by Debi Gray Walter

This compelling novel is based on a difficult chapter from the life of the author’s grandmother. Set in Oklahoma Territory, then Indian Territory, in the early 1900s, the historic details create an interesting backdrop for the unfolding drama of a girl facing an unplanned pregnancy. As Through the Eyes of Grace reminds us, even sad stories can have happy endings. I hope there will be a sequel!

Favorite Novels Based on Family History

Immigrant Patriot

by Craig Matthews

What an incredible weaving of the immigrant journeys of a young couple, from Scotland and Italy, who meet in Utah after he survives WWI and the influenza pandemic. By then, she is a young widow, who has lost a young brother, her father, her husband in the war, and another brother to the pandemic.

But they have much more to face, from the deception and destruction of a rampant secretive religion. Remarkably, they escape and find redemption. Immigrant Patriot: One family’s struggle for freedom and faith in a world gone mad. is the almost unbelievable story of the author’s grandparents, written as a novel.

Two Sisters’ Secret

by Diane T. Holmes

I’m drawn to family stories and saw the author interviewed on a local TV station, so I knew I’d enjoy reading Two Sisters’ Secret. It’s a story that needed sharing, about sisters who immigrated from Germany. The much younger one (Bernadine) was so ambivalent about leaving Germany, about being left behind in Iowa when the older sister (Elizabeth) married and moved away. Even after marrying and having so many children of her own, then was widowed, Bernadine struggled.

Bernadine’s life became even more fascinating after she married a man who wasn’t really as she’d thought. And there were unpleasant surprises with two adult daughters. By then, I’d forgotten about the original secret, so when it was revealed, it came as a surprise.

Through the Eyes of Grace

by Debi Gray Walter

This compelling novel is based on a difficult chapter from the life of the author’s grandmother. Set in Oklahoma Territory, then Indian Territory, in the early 1900s, the historic details create an interesting backdrop for the unfolding drama of a girl facing an unplanned pregnancy. As Through the Eyes of Grace reminds us, even sad stories can have happy endings. I hope there will be a sequel!

McCormick-Deering Tractor

Warren Neal on his dad Kenneth Neal’s McCormick-Deering tractor, perhaps Grandpa Kenneth’s first tractor. Dad graduated from Dexter High School in 1935, so this was probably when he was in high school. Dallas County, Iowa, early 1930s

The McCormick-Deering steel-wheeled, kerosene-powered 15-30 tractor was a popular farm model between 1921 and 1934. In 1935, when Dad (Warren Neal) graduated from high school, about 85% of tractors rode on metal wheels.

Those steel wheels were covered with piercing lugs that gouged every surface. It’s no wonder hard-surface roads often had signs that read: “Tractors with Lugs Prohibited.”

McCormick-Deering 15-30

The Ideal Three-Plow Tractor

“Powerful, fast-moving, economical, the McCormick-Deering 15-30 is the ideal three-plow tractor. With a plowing speed of three miles an hour and abundant power, the McCormick-Deering tractor owner can plow a satisfactory acreage every day and at a depth of his liking. Fast, deep plowing requires plenty of power. That is the reason this tractor meets the requirements of the practical farmer.

“The McCormick-Deering 15-30 has ample power to pull three plows and meets the requirements of tractor owners for a little more power and a little more speed to enable them to accomplish more during the rush periods of spring, summer and fall work.

Ever-Ready Belt Power

“On belt work, the McCormick-Deering 15-30 exceeds all expectations for smooth, steady running. The effective throttle governor regulates the fuel to the load and keeps the speed practically constant even though the load may vary.

“The McCormick-Deering 15-30 is designed throughout to be of maximum utility as a farm power unit. It is fully equipped with steel platform, wide fenders, belt pulley, adjustable drawbar, brakes and removable angle lugs.

“See the McCormick-Deering dealer or write us for information on this tractor.”

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How to start one of these tractors.

The history of the McCormick-Deering is complicated. Check it out if you’re interested.

I wonder whether this tractor was Grandpa Kenneth Neal’s first tractor. Grandma Ruby wrote, “Living close to town and having a nice matched team of horses, Kenneth was called upon to drive them on the horse-drawn hearse.”

These are work horses, and this is what farming looked like before tractors. The netting on the horses is to ward of flies that would bite them. The driver of the sickle bar mower is probably Kenneth Neal.