We would go to Grandpa and Grandma Ferris' home and they told us stories of their coming to Iowa from Illinois by covered wagon. They would stop at night, make camp, milking the cows for the babies. Others would come to the camp for milk for their babies and family. Once they got to Iowa Grandpa Ferris was in the business of manufacturing coil bed springs. Sadness came - they lost three little boys and Grandma Ferris would not stay there (Jewell, Iowa) any longer. They moved back to Humboldt County and farmed.

My father, Fay Ferris, his brother Roy Ferris, and Grandfather Ferris were in the feed and grain business and shipped car loads of grain to markets via the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad.  My father and grandfather were in the grain business together for 40 years. The old grain elevator was torn down a few years ago.

My earliest memories were when the family moved from the farm, three miles east of Rutland, Iowa. I recall the day of the move. My sister Alma and I were placed in a horse drawn hay rack. One incident I recall (rather heard about) was the men in our family all liked a "shot" of whiskey, which was kept in the barn. As the work of moving got under way the men slipped to the barn for that "shot". They did not know that my mother and her girlfriend had gone to the barn and placed vinegar in the whiskey bottle. a cry was heard from Jack Berry, the hired man, "Fay, the damned whiskey has turned to vinegar!"

I remember as a small child the Holiday family reunions. One time at our home and having other homes at different times. When is was cold and snowy our Uncle Henry came with his sleigh and picked us up for our destination. He and Aunt Dollie played an important part in our lives. (They) Never had children of their own, but did great things for the rest of us. We would go to their farm for threshing days and help. Now I wonder - what kind of help were? They just put up with us.

As children, we attended the local public school until the end of the tenth grade. We then went to Humboldt or Bode to complete high school. I attended Humboldt High School. Priscilla and Bernard attended Bode. In the winter, when I was attending High School in Humboldt, we roomed at a home from Sunday evening until Friday afternoon. Home to Rutland for the weekends. This was the home of a widow and her three daughters and an old aunt. Our room was very cold. I had a roommate from Rutland, Hazel Hoffman, and we would attend school activities in the evenings. When we returned home the old aunt had heated "bricks' and wrapped them in flannel and placed them in our beds at the foot. All meals were served in the formal dining room. We waited in the parlor until the sliding doors opened and we were invited in to eat a well set table. The three daughters, Hazel and I ate in silence. The food was good and served by the aunt.

After graduation I went to work at the Rutland Bank for two years. The bank closed as banks did then. I recall when I started to work the president of the bank asked me to stop in his office telling me; "you are to know all that goes on here - but leave it here when you go home." Good advice!