Born on a farm at home. Few births were at hospitals. "Every small town or village had a doctor." Both parents were from large families. Lived on one farm after they were married for the rest of their lives. Father's family was German and mother's family was from England through Virginia and KY. Farm was already owned by grandfather on father's side.
FARM EQUIPMENT
Planted corn, wheat, oats, and clover in a rotation. All planting and cultivating was horse-powered. Just began to use riding implements, fewer walking implements. Most popular were gang plows, with 4 horses and two plows. Some had 3 horses pulling one large plow. Used a one-row cultivator with horses, fewer people used two-row cultivators. Used old steam engine threshers; took 8 wagons to haul bundles into the machine with four men loading and three men operating the thresher. Took grain to town in wagons with 35-40 bushels per load, and had 10-12 wagons to take grain away. Took between 25-30 men total. Harvest run included 10-12 farms. Oats mostly kept for feed. Farmers could own a share of the machine but every farmer paid the same amount for threshing. Shareholders kept proceeds after paying workers their wages. Few disputes and nothing violent. Steam engines were coal-powered; everyone supplied their own coal. One man would haul water for steam, which was difficult because water pumps and creeks were hard to find. Grain was stored in elevators except for the seed and feed grain. Very few tractors locally. Began building better tractors in the 1930's.
ELECTRIFICATION
Very few farms had electricity before the REA. Most things were done by hand. Maytag made a gasoline motor for washing machines in the 1920's and 1930's.
