Young Adult Albert - 1875/85

Young Adult Albert - 1875/85
I was 18 to 28 years old during this time frame. My world was the farm with occasional trips to South Haven, Glenn, Fennville or Allegan. My first thoughts are of my mother (Sarah) who was always in control of her emotions except for the time of the 1871 Chicago fire. Then she cried for several days thinking the world was coming to an end. The smoke was so dense we did not see the sun for 2 or 3 days. Other times, Mom was in charge of our family. She kept the house running smoothly, kept us well fed, clothed and healthy with her home remedies. We were encouraged to read, attend Sunday school and love one another.

In the fall Mom was very busy preparing for winter. From the garden we would dig potatoes, carrots and turnips for winter storage. Peaches, cherries pears and plums were canned. Meat was smoked or canned and apples and cabbage stored in the root cellar. Day after day the milk cows and chickens provided us milk, butter, cream and eggs.

Church, Sunday school, my McGuffery Readers and Old Ben Franklin shaped my moral principles, and those of our community. We were taught to be self-sufficient at an early age. From the Bible, “to everything there is a season” and “more blessed to give than receive” From our reader, “where there’s a will, there’s a way.” From Old Ben, “Waste not, want not” and “don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” These were all great life lessons.

Thanksgiving type meals were shared every Sunday in the fall with aunts, uncles and cousins. The women and older girls would talk while preparing the meal. The young kids would be playing inside or outside depending on the weather. Older boys and us men would say we were going to the barn to look at the new calf or piece of equipment. When in fact, we were testing the hard cider.

We always had hired men and young boys working on the farm. These were all neighbors and many were relatives. Sam Galbreath, at age 22, came to work with us in 1873. He moved to Casco from Indiana and lived with his relatives. My oldest sister, and best friend, Olive was 13 then. Sam kept working with us until he and Olive were married August 3, 1879. The wedding photograph was taken right in the living room of our house. Justice of the Peace, Thomas Iddles performed the ceremony. At this time my brother Lonson was also married and settled on a small farm across the road to the south. Ida had married and moved away.

The year after Sam and Olive were married, Sam Leisure lost both hands working on our farm. He was running sorghum through a press. I helped take him to South Haven to get his stubs stitched up. My dad, Henry, felt so bad about the accident that he paid my new brother-in-law Sam Galbreath to construct a store building for Sam Leisure to run. It was built on the SW corner of our farm and the lumber was milled right on our farm. That same year a wood framed church was built on the opposite corner. Dad helped build the Church and was on the Board of Trustees at the time. Uncle Lonson Overhiser was also a Church leader as was Uncle Wilshire and Aunt Mary Ann (Overhiser) Johnson. That church burned and was rebuilt in 1906. The church, store and I.O.O.F. Hall, at the NW corner, were the main community gathering places all my life.

I had been taking more responsibility for selecting the fruit trees and caring for the farm. Then on March 4, 1884 my mother passed away. This loss hit me like a ton of bricks. She was 46, dad 49 and I was 27 at the time. Also at home were Charles 17, Mary Ann 15 and Minnie 10. Dad tried to run the house but it just was not the same. Olive and Sam helped keep us going. The loss of my mother got me thinking about taking a wife.

Note - above written by Martin O based on facts and speculation.

At the Farm December 2, 2009
The farm fall cleanup is almost completed. The boxes and ladders are out of the orchards. Equipment is being stored for the winter and repairs being made. Trimming has begun on apples and will continue until next spring.

Allan will be attending different agricultural meetings this winter to learn new techniques and help set policy. He continues to serve as the Casco Township Supervisor. A new fire station is being built and the Township is in the process of acquiring a parcel of land on Lake Michigan for a new park. Kim meets herself coming and going to basketball games and practice as all five kids are playing this winter. Snow cannot come soon enough for the kids who belong to a ski club.
Stay warm and eat fruit!