By Sue Sylvester
This story is the continuation from last week’s part IV story on the Haverty Family.
Mary writes, “Farms, at this time, raised almost all the items necessary for the survival of the family. There were cows, horses, pigs, chickens, and ducks. With anticipation, the children would check on the ducks and the chickens to see if eggs were hatching. Their house had a kitchen, living room and bedroom downstairs; upstairs there were three bedrooms. A combination stove stood in the kitchen, it was used for both heating and cooking. It had to be constantly fed wood to do the job.” She recalled her dad laying on the floor downstairs to keep the fire going all night when it got cold. Also the babies would be rushed downstairs in the morning and cold little fingers and faces would be held near the warmth.
“A new era of farming was born with the tractor. It was now possible to plow two furrows at a time sitting down rather than walking behind the horses guiding a one bottom plow furrow by furrow. Her father took great pride in the straight rows. His corn was the first up and tallest in the area. A mechanical corn picker sped up the process of harvesting. Her father had a hired man for several years by the name of Pat Casey. Five daughters probably were not a farmer’s ideal. On the census record of 1950 living in Chatham were James age 47 and farming with his wife Agnes age 37 years old. Daughters Lila age 16, Mary age 11 and Sandra age 3 were listed with grandparents John W. age 84 and Mary (Mollie) age 74. Also there was Patrick J. Casey age 19 employed as a hired hand and working on the farm.
Mary writes, “Mom was a super farm wife. There was caring for the little ones, cleaning, cooking, and helping with the farm work. Saturdays, mom, grandma, and the children looked forward to going to Buffalo for grocery shopping. Sundays were church days with fresh chicken for dinner and pies that melt in your mouth.” Imagine how much easier life for Mary’s mom was when electricity was installed at their farm in 1945. Mary said, “What a thrill it was, at the flick of the switch, to have light in the house or in the barn. A refrigerator was purchased and Jell-o became the family favorite.”
“My earliest memory of going to Maple Lake with dad was to get a new car, a 1941 Chevrolet. I can also recall going to Maple Lake on a Saturday night, a crowd of people in the street in front of the bank and a band playing “Roll Out the Barrel”. It was during WWII and savings bonds were being sold. I recall hearing adults talking of the black outs which I could not understand at the time.”
“The Haverty family farm was sold in 1956 after my grandparents Jack and Mollie Haverty passed away. Farm hands were hard to find as young men could find more lucrative jobs in towns. Dad and mom bought a new home in Buffalo and along with daughter Sandy sadly bid the farm farewell. Dad was employed as a custodian at Wright County courthouse. As with his farming, he took great pride in sparkling windows, shining floors, and trimmed lawns. Dad retired in 1973 at age 71.