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Narrative |
Henry was born south of Sully on November 20, 1927. After a couple of years the family moved north of Sully where he started school. School didn't agree with him too well, so one day he just left and hid in a culvert on the way back home. His dad soon found out and brought him back to school. Later they moved near Killduff and he then went to the Killduff school. Henry was living here when he had an appendectomy. He was 10 or 11 years old. He didn't forget that ether too quickly, and never left his parents know when he had a sore throat, because he didn't want his tonsils out!
Several years later they moved to a farm just south of his mother's home place, and he attended the Sudlow school. In 1941 they moved to a farm south of Lynnville. The family then attended the Ludwick school and Henry graduated from here in May of 1942.
Henry never attended High School, because his parents wouldn't let him play football. Henry then helped his dad farm and they needed more land, so they rented this farm to Luldolf Zylstra and they rented another farm from Clarence Morsma, just south of Sully a mile and a half. He was living here when we were married in 1949.
Hermina (Arkema) was born south of Lynnville on September 2, 1930. I attended the Sully Christian School in Sully. We lived five miles from Sully so we went to school in a horse-drawn buggy driven by my brothers. My, how cold it got in that buggy in the winter.
In 1937 our farm was sold, so my Dad bought a farm one mile east of Sully. We moved in March of 1938. From then on we walked to school. I graduated from the eighth grade in 1944.
Henry saw me for the first time in 1945. He and some friends had rented a roller-skating rink in Grinnell for the evening. Young kids from Sully were invited to this skating party. My older sister and her boyfriend said that I could go along with them. Henry knew some of my family, but had never heard of me, so he asked someone who I was. He didn't ask me to skate, it did go through his mind, but he was too "shy". Later he did ask me to go out with him, but I wasn't allowed to date, because I wasn't old enough. We did ride around after Young Peoples' society on Sunday night, but I had to go home with my brother Alan, and be home by 10:00 p.m. When I turned 16, we started dating more regularly. We broke up a few times, but not for long. We were engaged about one year before we were married.
We were married at 12:00 noon in my parent's home on December 13, 1949. Our minister Rev. John Geels had to conduct a funeral service in Newton later that afternoon, so the ceremony was pushed up a couple of hours. The Uncles and Aunts were invited to the wedding and the cousins to a reception at night. We didn't go on a honeymoon due to "no money". Young kids came that night and chivalried, but didn't do much damage as they sometimes could.
We began married life on a small rented farm south of Lynnville. Henry's folks lived a short distance south of us, and we farmed together. We had milk cows (I learned to help milk by hand) and raised baby chickens each year for laying hens.
Our weekly income was from selling cream and eggs. The house was quite large, but very old, and also very cold in the winter. Some of the rooms weren't good enough to use, but we painted and papered some rooms and made it livable. This was a fun-time in our lives. Just the two of us, and after being used to a large family I really enjoyed cooking for two and Henry liked my cooking--so he said.
We had our arguments as most young couples do. One day I was very upset with him and told him "I may as well talk to a post!." So he went out and brought in a chunk of wood and set it in the kitchen! Of course, I had to laugh. We were very happy when we found out I was pregnant. Randy was born March 1,_ 1951. We lived here for three years, and then in 1952 the farm was sold, so we rented a farm southwest of Taintor. This was Hull's turkey farm near an old town by the name of Grandville. (the town has long been gone) We moved in February of 1953. For the next five years we raised turkeys. Merlan was born on October 26, 1953. This was also a very old, cold house that had no running water, no drain, no nuthin!!! We worked in it for two weeks before moving to make it livable. It was also here that I learned to drive a car.
Dale was born while we lived here also. He arrived December 9, 1956. After five years we rented a Maytag farm north-east of Taintor. We moved in February of 1958. This was a much better home. It was big and modern, a bathroom, and a furnace! What a treat!! We didn't have to go to the "out house" anymore. The bathroom was on the second floor, but anything was better than going outside to the "two-seater:, especially in the winter.
One thing can be said, You don't sit and read or waste any time. You did what was necessary and hurried back in the house as quick as possible!
Brent was born in May of that same year. We really enjoyed living here. The house had lots of room for our busy family and Henry enjoyed the big farm John and Shirley rented the farm with us and they lived across the road for three years. They really enjoyed our boys. They later rented a farm east of New Sharon. We then had to have hired men to help. On February 5, 1960 Scott arrived. The day we brought him home we had a bad snow storm and were stranded in Oskaloosa by Henry's folks for a couple of days. These were very busy years for us.
October 5, 1963 was a very exciting day for us. Rose arrived to complete our family. Three weeks after she was born she had to undergo stomach surgery. She was very ill and was hardly expected to live, but after a few days was improving and growing well. We brought her home the day she was a month old.
The children all went to the Sully Christian School in Sully. The boys attended North Mahaska High School in New Sharon, Iowa. Randy, Merlan and Dale graduated from there. Brent and Scott transferred to Lynnville-Sully when we moved. Randy went on to Hawkeye Tech. in Waterloo for Commercial Art and Merlan to Des Moines Area for Architectural Drafting. After graduation Randy joined the National Guard and was in active training for six months, and inactive for four years.
In the fall of 1972 Dale became very ill with a tumor in his sinuses. He underwent very serious surgery Oct. 19. It was successful surgery and after ten days was able to come home.
Randy and Aleda (de Ronde) from Oskaloosa were married on November 24, 1972. At last another girl in our family! Aleda was a graduated Registered Nurse from Indian Hills in Ottumwa and was employed at the Mahaska Hospital in Oskaloosa. They lived in a farm home east of Pella for a couple of years.
Our first grandchild Deanna Beth was born July 9, 1975. She was premature and had to be transfered to Iowa City, with lung problems. She was very tiny and ill, but with good care she was soon improving and able to come home ten days later. She weighed under 5 lbs. when she was born.
We lived on the Maytag farm for 16 years and then the owner decided to sell it. We didn't want to buy it so we purchased a small farm west of Lynnville. We moved there in 1975ยท(along) with this we rented a farm from Lucille Van Zante north-east of Lynnville} This house was very small and hardly had enough room for the six of us. We planned to build on to the house in the spring, so many of our things had to be stored. But before we started to remodel, Lucille decided to move to Pella, and wanted us to move to her place, which we gladly did. It wasn't hard to find a renter for our little house.
In 1976 I decided to sell Avon and did this for two years. Henry started driving a semi on a part-time basis in 1979 for Lynnville Transport.
Our second grandchild, Bradley Louis was born March 24, 1977 and all went well. Grandchildren were really a thrill. Ranly' s now lived at 1204 University St. in Pella.
Dale and Carolyn (Conover) were married June 2, 1978. They rented the little house on our farm, and are still living there. Caroly is working at Rolscreen in Pella, and Dale vas employed at Lynnville Bldg and Supply. At the present time he is driving a truck for Lynnville Seed Co.
Merlan and Sue (Bergeson) from Newton were married on June 9, 1979 in Des Moines. They began their married life together in an apartment in Des Moines near Lutheran Hospital. Merlan was employed at an architectural company there and Sue was in Nurses training. Merlan later decided to go back to school, so they are now living in Ames, 981 Pammel Ct. where Merlan is going to school at Iowa State University.
January 25, 1980 Russell Landon joined Randy and Aleda's family, and that same year on September 9, Merlan and Sue welcomed Sarah Nichole. So now we have even numbered--two of each--grandchildren.
Brent is still a bachelor and living at home. He worked at the Sully Co-op for a couple of years and then decided to "hit" the road. He is still driving the Blue Kenworth for Lynnville Transport. He and his Dad take quite a few trips together to just about anyplace in the U.S. They can almost say "I've been everywhere man". Brent is promised to Brenda Hackert and they have wedding plans in the next year or so. Brenda is now attending Cosmetology School in Marshalltown, and will graduate in September of 1983.
Scott and Valerie (Baarda) were married August 14, 1981 in Sully. Scott is employed at Rolscreen in Pella, and Valerie at the Kellogg's Savings Bank in Kellogg. They rented a house in Sully, and are living there at this time. Rose is employed at Gen Tel. in Grinnell. She also graduated from Lynnville-Sully High School. She is planning to be married May 27, 1983 to Clint Kiehl. He is from Kansas and presently living in Killduff where they plan to live after they are married. He is employed at Lynnville Seed Co. in Lynnville.
My hobbies are reading and doing handwork. At the present time I am employed part-time at the Coffee Cup Cafe in Sully. Dale and Carolyn have told us they are expecting their first baby in August, so we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our fifth grandchild. (Source: Hendrik Ludolf Rolffs book)
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