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. 

June 7, 1941 - Wedding Day for James & Edna Groves...

If James Burton Groves and Edna Virginia Matson Groves were still alive, this would be their 75th wedding anniversary.

William & Amanda Groves
Wedding Day November 27, 1910
Ryegate, Montana

Amanda and baby James -
born on Montana homestead -
October 26, 1913

Dad and Mom lived to celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary in 2006 but Dad died in late August of that year.


James Burton Groves was born in Ryegate, MT on October 26, 1913.  His parents met in Montana as Amanda, from Forest City, Iowa, was staking her claim to a homestead there.  William, from his birthplace in Newton, NE, was working in the harvest and supporting homesteaders in a variety of ways.

Baby James

Edna Virginia Matson
July 23, 1919

Ludvick & Tessie Matson

 Edna Virginia Matson was born in the farm home of her parents, Ludvick and Tessie Oliver Matson, on July 23, 1919 near Viroqua, WI.


James and Edna met at a Lutheran Church in Westby, WI.  My Dad was singing and playing with his 3 siblings for a service which my mother was attending.  She was introduced after the service to the handsomest man she'd ever seen.

Groves Quartet: Hubert, Vernon, Mildred and James...                                     

They soon began to date...

They shared time in the out-of-doors as they worked in the Groves' maple grove...

After a year or so of dating, he must have popped the question...

Edna Matson - age 21...

There was a bridal shower probably in early 1941 and members of both families attended.

James and Edna flanking Marit Matson,
Edna's paternal Grandmother

Ludvick and Mom's Stepmother, Ella Matson, as well as Amanda and Bill Groves attended the shower.  This was held at the Groves family farm where Dad was farming with his brother, Hubert.

James and Edna at the shower...

And finally we come to photos of the wedding day.

Pastor Ferguson had conducted tent meetings nearby which were attended by the Groves family.  They responded in faith to his message of salvation and continued to revere him as a godly pastor.

Best Man, Vernon Groves; Maid of Honor, Mildred Groves - our Aunt Ming

Hand-picked bouquets of peonies from the farm garden, a dress ordered from the Sears Catalog and love that lasted a lifetime.  

and stopped for a formal portrait in LaCrosse, WI

They headed off on their honeymoon...

Another lovely portrait of the happy couple..

How grateful I am that the Lord allowed this godly couple to be my parents.
Their love and devotion to God and each other are an example and model of how two very different people can have an enduring marriage through times of sadness and times of joy
if both remain faithful to the Lord and their wedding vows.

With these photos and deep love and gratitude,

I honor your lives, Dad and Mom.

Memories of My Family's Move in November 1948...

Linda Groves Worden shares this story with her grandchildren and all who read this...

November 1st is the anniversary of the day my family moved to the farm where most of my childhood was spent.  I share my memories of that day in 1948 when I was nearly 4 years old. 

I have only a few memories of my first home which was on my Great-Grandmother's farm near Viroqua, WI - seventy-five miles from Fountain City, Wisconsin.  Perhaps I will share some of those early memories later but I have decided to start this story as I begin life on the 200 acre farm my parents had just purchased.

My family moved to a dairy farm on Buffalo Ridge, November 1, 1948, about one month before I turned four years old. I had an older brother, Jimmy, and two younger sisters, Kathy and Barbie.

This farm was three miles from the small town of Fountain City, WI and seven miles from Winona, MN which could be reached by crossing a big bridge.  It was on top of one of the beautiful, high bluffs that borders the Mississippi River.

"I remember the day we moved to our new farm home," I said as I told my grandchildren what I remembered.

"It was a day when the weather was very cold and rainy.  The rain was turning to sleet as we drove the last few miles up the long dugway that led to our new farm.  I was riding in the car with my mother and sisters while my Dad and brother were driving a truckload of equipment and a hired trucker was hauling our milk cows in his big truck.