After Wallace, who was in ther service, returned from Germany in February, 1954, we bought some land from Earl and Maxine BARNETT, located one mile community. Who knew I'd be coming back to live only a mile from where I was born and lived until I was four years old.

My parents were Edna and Irvin DOWELL. There were five of us children. I had an older sister, Mary, and a brother, Iven, who attended Benton School. My other sisters, Marjorie and Betty, and brother, Donald, attended a country school called West Point, before we moved to the Diagonal area.

Wallace's parents were Eva and Andrew SOBOTKA, and he has four brothers: Bernard, Walter (Joe), Charles, and Elbert Lee; and three sisters: Margaret, Maxine, and Sheryl.

When we moved to the Benton area in 1954, our daughter, Nancy Kay, was one year old. Our son, Steven, was born in August of 1955. Our children were never able to attend Benton School because at that time reorganization took place, so they went to school at Diagonal. Steve was in little league ball and 4-H at Benton.

Nancy married Rudy SAVILLE and they have one daughter, Michelle Kay. They live in Creston, Iowa.

Steven married Cyndi BENNETT and they have two sons, Michael and Martin. They live on a farm north of Mount Ayr.

On October of 1967, we bought a farm from Opal and Ralph MILLER, located one mile north of Benton. This land had been the MILLER farm for many years, belonging to his father. In 1977, we bought from the Henry TIEMAN estate some land to add to our homeplace. Wallace served on the Waubonsie Township A.S.C. committee for several years.

We are happy to have our children close by and enjoy our three grandchildren very much. We are proud to be a part of the Benton community.

SOURCE: 1887 - Benton, Iowa Centennial - 1987. p. 197. Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library, Mount Ayr IA

Transcriptions and notes by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2012

Return to Ringgold County Home Page

To submit your Ringgold County materials, contact The County Coordinator.
Please include the word "Ringgold" in the subject line. Thank you.