When Midwest farmers planned to move, they held sales early in the year. If relocating to a different farm, they needed to be settled around March 1 in order to prepare for spring seeding. This may have been when Kenneth and Ruby decided to move to Southern California because Ruby’s asthma was so troublesome. They were gone for three year, where Kenneth drove a truck for a creamery. He hated the city so they returned to Iowa, with the promise that she wouldn’t have to work so hard.
Having sold the farm and wish to dissolve the partnership, we will sell at Public Auction on the old Neal Place 3-4 mile west of Dexter on Thursday, Jan. 8, ’20
the following described property, Sale to commence at 1:00 P.M.
8 Horses and Mules
1 black gelding, coming four, weight 1400, 1 grey gelding, coming three, green broke, 1 black filly coming two, Horse and mare coming four and five, sound and green broke, weight 3000, Smooth mouth work mare, a good one, 1 good work horse, 1 weanling mule.
50 Head of Cattle
50 head of cattle consisting of 30 head of White Face springer heifers; 8 head of high grade Angus cows springers; 1 Holstein milch cow, 1 Angus cow with calf at side, 1 Shorthorn cow fresh in about six weeks, 8 Angus heifers coming two yea old, bred to Angus bull, 1 Pure Bred Angus bull coming three.
53 Sheep
15 extra good breeding ewes, bred for early lambs, 9 early ewe lambs, 9 wether lambs, __ full mouth ewes [about 3-4 years old, having a full set of teeth] bred to lamb early.
20 Hogs
10 Duroc Jersey Gilts, weight 250, 10 spring shoats.
Chickens, Machinery, Feed
Emerson gang plow, Sattley sulkey plow, Tower two row surface cultivator, P. & O two row cultivator, 12 foot Superior drill, Flying Dutchman hay loader, 8 foot McCormick Binder, Black Hawk manure spreader.
Some Buff Orpington chickens, some pure bred Plymouth pullets, some mixed chickens
Some good Seed Barley, some Russian Green seed oats, some upland hay. Set 1 1-4 inch harness, Set Concord harness.
Kenneth Neal
Col. Roscoe Spillers, Auct. – Howard Calfee, Clerk.
Such a beautiful glimpse of a time gone by, Joy. Love all of the details…there’s something super wistful about it…your beautiful stories taking me back in time. Big hugs! 🥰
Thank you, dear Vicki!
You are very welcome, my friend! ❤️🥰❤️
I find such things totally fascinating! Thank you for sharing this glimpse of rural life. Not a simpler life in many ways, and perhaps even more stressful than today’s high pressure, unpredictable and relatively unstable world. ❤️🙏🤗
Thank you, Gail. I was just thinking that they weren’t pioneers. Kenneth’s grandparents came mainly after the Civil War, so someone else had already “broken the sod,” but yes, hard work. I do think he enjoyed working with horses, but probably glad to get his first tractor as well.
Quite a list of items.
You’re right, John. And someone had to count them all!
Love the going back in time, Joy. Fun read!
Thank you, Cindy!
You’re so welcome, Joy!! xx
That must be such a big decision leaving a farm and I imagine a sale could not compensate fully for the investment of money and work that went into the farm.
Thank you, Janet. I was also amazed at how much stuff they needed to maintain and keep track of.