November 1, 1948 Memories...

This blogpost is the transcription of some email messages shared between James and Edna Groves' 5 children in November 2021.  It started with Linda sharing some entries from the diary of her mother, Edna, which had been written as James and Edna and their 4 children moved from Viroqua, WI to Fountain City, WI in November 1948.  These memories are shared in the hopes that future generations will find some information about earlier generations, who they were, how they lived and what their lives were like.

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Linda Groves Worden begins the email she sent to her four siblings and their families. 

Nov. 1, 2021

I want to remind us about the day our parents moved themselves and four of us from the farm in Viroqua which was owned by Minnie B. Cox Groves to the farm Dad and Mom bought and that we remember the most about near Fountain City.

While I was visiting the Berndts in La Crosse in June, we got out some boxes the Berndts are storing that have items which belonged to Dad and Mom.  We went through things and disposed of items in a few different ways.  As I prepared to leave, I asked Marge if it would be OK if I took Mom's diary that covers the years 1946-1950.  I had never read any of Mom's diaries and wanted to read about 2 major things - the 1948 move to Fountain City and the Jan. 1949 car accident when I had 6 baby teeth knocked out.

Today I am going to share about 2 weeks of entries made from Oct. 26, 1948 - Nov. 7, 1948 + a few extras...

Oct. 26 Tues 1948  A memorable day! Nellie &  I dressed 12 chickens. Put 10 in deep freeze.  Paul & James picked up corn.  All men & Uncle Harvey came & we settled with Gram.  She owed us $832.38.

Oct. 27 Wed 1948 Went to town in a.m. & tended to business matters.  James went to Foun. City. Took inlaid linoleum up.  Hazel Morrison had a party for Gram.

Oct 28 Thurs 1948  Scott, Thelma, Henry (or Harvey) & Iiva McClung & I went to Foun. City & laid inlaid linoleum.  Scott had been very ill yesterday with v.b. nose bleed.  Got home about 9.  James took a truck load up.

Oct 29 Fri 1948  I got our clothes in order to go to Halloween party & farewell for us at the School house.  Nellie helped pack.  Party collection $18.69.  ($18.69 in 1948 is worth $212.73 today.)

Oct 30 Sat 1948  Helen & kids came down & Gen, Norma & John also.  All packed Gram's things & James took them out to Gen's.  Rainy dreary day !

Oct. 31 Sun 1948 Had to work all day in order to get ready to move.  Washed clothes & did quite a bit of packing.  Fuel pump went bad on Pick-up.  Had to get a new one & put on.

Nov 1 Mon. 1948 Got up at 4:10 a.m.  Got all our things packed & were ready to leave about 11:30.  Jas & I had dinner at Tryggestad's.  Zube's took children to F.C.

Nov 2 Tues 1948  Tried to straighten up the kitchen a bit.  Gas man came & installed the stove in afternoon.  I took Jimmy to meet his new teacher.

Nov 3 Wed 1948  I was exhausted!  Felt terribly dizzy & weary so slept 2 hrs. when kiddies did.  James went to Viroqua & divided the cattle.  Olaf Walby & Uncle Harvey helped.

Nov. 4 Thurs 1948  Semi brought 27 head of cattle.  Had fuel pump trouble. Bad rainy day.  Half died on the way.  Others were down & almost died but revived when they got air. Jas. brought a load of hogs.

Nov 5 Fri. 1948  Bad, rainy day.  James had to leave the Ford truck in Winona last night so I took, him down today to get it.  Put linoleum on table top & ledge in pantry. 

The Fountain City Farm 1948 - 1978...

James, Edna and their four young children moved from a farm near Viroqua, WI to a farm near Fountain City, WI. in November 1948. Recently a photo of the farm house and another photo of the barn as they looked in 1948 have been located and are shared here.  Though our parents, James and Edna Groves are no longer living, their five children are all still alive and are sharing thoughts and memories about these photos.

 Jim says:  "MAN!!  Some of these photos are more than 70 years old!!"

 Groves Family Farm Barn as it looked in 1948.  Linda notices the hog shelter, no silo, no electricol poles or wires, no flag pole.  Can't tell what is on the far left where there was a chicken coop which maybe that is but not sure what that is.

 

 

 

Backside of the above barn photo. One of the very faint things you can read on the back of the barn photo is: 74 x 34, that's the dimensions of the barn in feet.   It also says 'drinking cups' below the dimensions.

 

 

 

 

Milk House designed by Dad being added in 1957 with help of Ludvick Matson, Mom's father.

  

Jim:  "Sometime later I will talk about the two old photos of the barn; one with the new milk house and one without.  I remember well when grandpa Matson stayed at our place for several weeks one fall to help dad build the milk house onto the barn.  Dad was always so grateful that it was a late, dry fall that year so they had good weather and the time needed to finish the construction before winter set in."

Barn as it looked after James and Edna retired and sold the farm in 1978. 

Jim:  "Some of the pictures of the barn and house must have been during the time that the Frieds lived there after Mom and Dad sold it and moved.  I never saw the place when it looked like that with that huge lean-to added to the side of the barn..."

House in 1948

Backside of 1948 house photo.  Not sure who the people are in the front yard.

Jim:"...and the tall arbor vitae out in front of the house with the concrete steps all breaking apart.  Wow!"

Jim:  "When I have more time, I will talk about noon-hour shenanigans taking long hikes down into Lemmer's woods, even all the way over

into Duehlman's woods and fields, only to hear the school bell ring a mile away across the wooded valleys!  Boy, we were in 

big trouble!"

Cross Ridge School being used as Township Meeting Hall

 

 

Cross Ridge School with bell tower and 4 windows on this side.

Linda:  "This is a photo of Mrs. Marvin Deurkop who was my first and second grade teacher at Cross Ridge School.  She resigned after that year because she was pregnant and had her first child - a baby boy.  I have a very wonderful memory of the piece of Fondant candy she put into the box of Christmas candy each student received each year.  I thought it was the most delicious thing I had ever tasted."

This Merry-Go-Round was on the playground of Cross Ridge School before the school closed in 1959.  This Merry-Go-Round is now in a park in Fountain City, WI at the South/East end of town.  Having fun there are Linda, Jamie and Sarah Worden in the mid 80's.

Cross Ridge School in 2016

Margelyn Groves Berndt, Linda Groves Worden, Sarah Worden in 2016.  Notice that the windows on this side of the building have been removed and a wall constructed in their place.

Jim:  "Ahh, memories of the past.  Isn't the human brain an amazing invention!!  Just think of the incredible mental pictures of objects,

sights, sounds, smells, etc. we experience with memories.  Speaking of smells, do you remember the smell of winter boots drying

on the furnace radiator in the center of the schoolhouse?"

 

Linda:  "My memory is more about our mittens drying on that wood burning furnace radiator and how warm they would be when we put them back on later.  But I don't think we were allowed to cover up the register with too many items."

 

 

John Isaacson - March 12,1840 - November 2, 1919... + Amanda and William Groves...

A first blogpost about John Isaacson, my paternal Great-Grandfather, can be found here.

I have found more photos which would have been taken when John and Carrie Isaacs were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.  They were married December 25, 1865 after the Civil War ended.  He was not mustered out immediately but remained in TX until August 15, 1865.  

I have also included photos of Amanda Sophia Isaacs Groves and her husband, William Floyd Groves who are the parents of James Burton Groves.

John and Carrie Olson Isaacs - March 1915 - 50th Anniversary.

Amanda Sophia Isaacs Groves in the white blouse.

Amanda in white blouse with sons Vernon, 3, and James, 17 months, on her lap with husband      William F. Groves 2nd from left on top row.

 

The John Isaacson Family home in Forest City, IA where the family lived most of their childhood lives.

Family home in Forest City, IA where the family celebrated the 50th wedding anniversary of           John and Carrie Isaacson 1915.