A Legacy for the Eight of Us The Story of Our Early Family Life

This book is about our early family life. But the story is much more. It is about life itself the life experiences that all of us share.


''A Legacy for the Eight of Us'' begins with a look back at some of our ancestors, next describes Daddy and Mama's early lives and continues with their marriage in 1925. It then focuses on the early life of their family my seven siblings and myself -- concentrating on our life during the 1930s and 40s.


This life took place in another era on a farm in central Illinois. You will read vivid details of that life. You will share in our familys interactions, our heritage, our faith, our love of the land; but you also will share in our challenges and shortcomings.


As I wrote this book, I kept in mind the admonition heard at a series of Barn Lectures at the Carson Valley Museum: ''We cannot know where we are going as a people until we know where we have been.''


It can be beneficial for each of us to discover our own individual legacies. From the memories captured in these pages, I hope you discover more about our familys legacy.