SEGMENT: FAMILY BACKGROUND
Wayne "Ren" Sirles>ISM Interviews M-Z>ISM Interviews M-Z, Segment 10
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- FAMILY BACKGROUND
- Wayne Rendleman Sirles, on a farm of 137 years, grew up on his maternal grandfather's farm after his father died when he was three, leaving a widow and four children. Born in St. Louis. Rendleman Orchards is still lived on by his mother, age 97, and he lives on the property. House is 160 years old. His son is in the business, too. Daughter and family lives across the road - 6th generation. Several Rendlemans in the area, mostly descendants of the 11 cousins from Rendleman, North Carolina. Settled in Jonesboro, IL. At Buttermilk Creek. John R. married Isabel Keith, whose father owned the 88 acres he sold to John. His father, Wayne Sirle was the last of his family. He and his wife and son own the farm as a corporation. First 88 acres bought in 1873. Now there are 800 acres. Grandfather always said to buy adjacent land. In southern Illinois, so many hills, valleys, that you can farm on only 1 or 2 of every 3 acres. Level land is susceptible to frost.
