FAMILY BACKGROUND & WOMEN'S WORK
Carrie Maurer>UIS Collection K-M>UIS Collection K-M, Segment 12
- BACKGROUND
- "Aunt Carrie mentions birth date, birthplace, family names, & family history. Grandfather came from Germany. Father, Ernest Maurer, was born 07/15/1852. Mother's name was Alice Becky & was also born in Virginia, IL area. Grandfather was a bookbinder. Parents married in 1876. Bought farm in 1883. Carrie came from a family of 10 siblings. Father raised corn, wheat, oats, timothy hay; red clover. Had horses, cows, hogs, sheep. Sold wool. Boys helped father farm until they were about 16 yrs old. Mentions crop rotation. Did not have mules. Horses did the work. Farm had ~ 6 horses. Transportation included a buggy, a surrey, & spring-wagon. Siblings ages strung out.
- WOMEN'S WORK
- Women worked garden, raised chickens, & milked cows. Carrie's sister like farm work & drove tractors & did regular chores. She would get out of house early to work fields because she did not want to wash dishes. Story of sister knocking over cultivators & struggling to upright them. Carrie mentions she mowed & raked hay (rake pulled by horses).
