SEGMENT: LAND ACQUISITION, CHILDHOOD WORK, & CHILDHOOD ACTIVITIES
Stephen Black>ISM Interviews A-L>ISM Interviews A-L, Segment 4
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- LAND ACQUISITION
- Leased land in northern England was expensive, so they thought it better to buy in US. They picked prairie land, unusual for the time, when people thought timbered land was richer. Grandson came over when he was ten. He grew wheat, corn, livestock. Turf too hard to plow, so they had pastures. By 1840s, grandfather took over. He bought early reaping machine in 1845. By 1850 was more diverse with grapes, orchards, pastures, & hay. Today farm corn and soybeans.
- CHILDHOOD WORK
- He collected eggs and did other chores. Father had soybeans, oats, hay. Summer work. Hay, cultivate, drive tractors. Father always planted the corn for accuracy. Brother six years older, so did different jobs.
- CHILDHOOD ACTIVITIES
- Went to school in town. Member of Boy Scouts not isolated. Played army, hunted, fireworks, outside. In high school, did sports and band. Not in 4-H or FFA.
