One comment - people who have ancestors who kept journals or diaries are so fortunate. I'm currently doing research for my other blog (Mary Winne Dexter Logue's Mayflower Line) and, being curious about how exactly the Dexter family came to Idaho and ended up in Long Valley, have been reading some histories of other pioneer families in Idaho. One, 'Life on a Homestead - 160 Acres and a Passel of Kids', is based on journals kept by the author, William Humphreys' father.
Sometimes the era in which we are born doesn't necessarily determine our childhood/upbringing, as much as the economic circumstances. In this book on life on a homestead, I can relate to many of the experiences they had. Sure we always seemed to have a car and later a television, but how many children of the 1950's were still bathing in a metal tub in front of a wood stove, drinking spring water from a milk can because the plumbed well water wasn't safe to drink, eating canned fruit from a fruit cellar dug into a hillside, or using an outhouse because there was no indoor facility.
Hi Reba
ReplyDeleteMy Name is Debra Koop, My Husbands Mom is Janene Humphreys, Daughter to William "Bill" Humphreys who wrote the book. I have to agree albeit Biased I loved the book. It gives the reader detailed information into what it was like, a wonderful look at life on a homestead.