I
have several versions of Jackie's story, plus updates. These span about
1979 to 1991. I have done my best to blend them, only adding some
punctuation. Any notes in brackets are for clarification or added
information.
Anita Fay Addison was born August 16, 1912 at 6:30 p.m. in the house
known as the "Old Ted Dollen Place," the last house going north, it's
the 2nd street after you come into Minden from the south, Road L66.
There is a street directly in front of this road, but that is _____.
You go right to the end of the street, it sits on the left side or west
side and still there [I believe this house is at 507 Brady Street] . If
I remember right - could {have} been across from the little house where LD
and Wilford Chase lived.
[This is the house Jackie wrote about. It was Dess and Minnie's first
house, where they moved in 1902, the year they married. This picture was
taken about 1996, and Vera told me that the back part of the house was
probably added later.]
My parents took me when I was 6 weeks old around Oct. 16 to the acreage
that was know as the "Old Cook Place." {Picture to be inserted later.}
When I was about 3 years old the house, a 2-story house, caught fire.
Mom said Pop was drinking in town one nite and sent the hired man up to
get some overcoats out of the clothes closet. Pop had parked down below
the hill so Mom wouldn't know he was there, evidently the hired man was
also drunk and used matches and caught the clothes afire. Brother
"Bud" Dessie Jr was a baby, probably 6 weeks old, and Mom wrapped him in
a blanket, we had a young hired boy who slept upstairs - "Louie Fritz"
- Mom handed him the bundle and not realizing what it was he tossed him
into a snowdrift. Our Mother made a number of trips into the house
getting drawers (Bud's clothes) from dresser, a large mirror, an old
clock, and Irene (sis) saved the thunder mug. I can remember with each
entry, Irene, Leona, and I would scream with terror for her safety.
We had an old barn or sort of a machine shop we lived in until Pop
bought the old school house in Minden and moved it out, I had measles
while living in this shed with dirt floors.
My Dad ram a rendering plant, moved houses, and dug wells.
When I was 5 years old, Irene, Leona, and I went to the country school a
mile south. We walked every day. Many winters I can remember the road
was full of snow and so deep you could barely see the top of the fence
posts. Mom always dressed us warm. I remember one night, Irene and I
decided to stay and skate on the creek, with the Ehler girls, Margaret
and Irene, and the Falk boys, Otto, Ed, and Elmer. We were having a
ball when I looked up and there stood Pop, switch in hand - we came up
that bank on high. Irene ran ahead but I loitered. Pop really laid it
on me and did I get my legs switched. Guess Mom was worried as it was
getting dark. I'll say one thing, we never tried that again.
When I was 11 in the sixth grade, Pop sent Irene and I to Minden school, paying $54.00 each for
tuition. We were not in that township and when we went into the 9th
grade, the tuition quit. We never got to participate in any school
sports or activities. I remember once going to a school carnival. I
passed every year, but they kept Irene in the eighth grade two years to
get that $54.00. Irene quit when they passed her into the ninth grade.
Pop had LD Chase and his son [Wilford] working for us. Wilford started
going with Irene. During my 9th and 10th grades, I used to go or ride
into town with Irene and Willy and always rode back with them. This was
on Saturday nights. After they got married, I was able to go with the
girls. Barn dances were all the rage. Also, Neola had a big dance hall
and the barn dance was at Hanberry's. Hester Kadel and Helen would
pick up Pearl Schuning, the two Hiller girls and me and after the dance
was over shed let me out first then Pearl, the Hiller girls, and then on
to the Kadels'. Uncle Mike lived about one mile south from the
Hillers. I spent many beautiful hours on the "Old Home Place." Bud
(Dessie, Jr.) and I were inseparable. We rode horses bareback. Bud
rode Tom (white one) and I rode Jerry (red). We spent hours at the pond
and played in the creek - knew every little pebble.
I walked two miles to town school down the railroad tracks. The summer
days were beautiful - every morning after I crossed the first RR
trestle, a pair of little bluebirds flitted through the grass.
Wildflowers bloomed on the railroad track banks. There were pick sweet
Williams, orange and yellow honeysuckle, violets, wild pink roses, and
bluebells. You could always find wild strawberries. They were small
but sweet and juicy. Also we ate the young sprouts of wild onions. I
saw my first pheasant rooster - a beautiful bird - and was telling Mom
about it. She never commented too much - now I wonder if she even knew
what kind of a bird I was referring to, as pheasants were released in
Minnesota and Iowa about that time. I was in the eighth grade, so that
made me about 13 so the year was 1924-25.
When Pop accumulated $10,000.00 he figured he could retire and decided
to move to Council Bluffs. Boy was I unhappy to leave friends and fun.
We had a farewell party and even had an orchestra. At first I missed
my friends and gradually acquired new ones and got a "housework" job.
Two dollars and a half a week, paid every two weeks. When school
started, I enrolled at A.L. High School - went six weeks and quit.
Later I attended Boyles College in 1932.
The first house the folks moved into was 1120 7th Ave, then1105 5th
Ave., then 1109 5th Ave. Three houses on one block. Depression hit
about this time and Pop lost all his cash, invested in a garage and the
crooked mechanic ruined his business. You could buy a house dress for
39 cents, a bra for 25 cents, but you didn't have any money.
Bud begged Mom and Pop for a bike. Finally they gave in. We were
living at 1127 5th Ave, and Bud had Vera on the bike uptown. A car
bumped him or he rode into the car, bruised his knee. Infection set in
and gangrene. There was no sulfa. The folks took him to Jennie Ed. and
in 3 days he died - on Mom's birthday, November 8, 1930. He would have
been 15 years old his next birthday. This was a terrible blow to Mom
and Pop. Mom lost 30 pounds and Pop quit drinking for one year. When
he started drinking again, Mom started proceedings for a divorce. We
still lived at 1127, but she went back to him.
Pop and Mom would go out and sell chicken medicine and Mom helped to
cull hens. We moved to the three rooms up over the garage. Pop had his
business below (mechanic) and later into a basement apartment. I can't
get this straightened out just when we moved into the above, but I'm
sure 1127 was the last location. While living at 1127 5th Ave. Some
days I drove for Pop and he'd pay me [a] percentage on each gallon he
sold. Mom helped Dr. Anderson with his patients - each one had had
abortions and stayed with Mom to recuperate.
About this time I was working at a little cafe on South Main Street when
I met a fellow that worked there - don't know what he did, but anyway,
Tom Sullivan was from Oklahoma. We were kidding around and when he
asked me to marry him, I jokingly said "yes, for 6 months," then if
we're getting along OK would try another 6 months.
The way the depression was, Pop decided to move back to the farm or
acreage. We were married, we went out there too. Pop hired Tom - can't
remember how much he started out with - not much wages. We lived
upstairs over the No. 2 barn. The walls had 1 x 4 boards and also
ceiling. I got a linoleum for the floors.
Pop had Tom, Wilford, and Hank [Osbahr] dig the ditch from the well in
the pasture to lay water pipes. They contacted the light company and
signed a 50-year contract to get electricity out there. He decided to
start up the plant again.
We lived upstairs and during this time in two years Tom would just come
up missing - be gone maybe two weeks or longer. Pop said, "Jack, he is
not reliable or dependable." He didn't suggest to leave him, but he
planted the seed.
Elsie and Chester Kadel, Mom's sister, and [their sons] Elmer, Ervin,
Don, and Floyd came down in 1935 until after Thanksgiving. Ervin,
Elmer, and Don decided to stay and find work. They stayed with Mike
Kadel and with Tom and I. One night after a big party at Irene's, all
the men were drinking and a fight started. I told Tom to get lost.
this was Feb. 1936. Elmer drove to C.B. or somewhere and I never saw
him again. The boys continued staying with me and Elmer and Don cut
wood and sold fish. Erv worked for Pop at the plant. I sued for a
divorce. Aunt Lucy verified my grounds, can't remember what on now.
Pop sent Vera to Shelby school - that made the town pay her tuition so
he got even on holding Irene, then sent her to A.L. where she graduated
and went to beauty school. [Vera told me that she stayed with people in
town and came home sometimes for weekends, not sure how often that
occurred.]
October 18, 1936, Elmer and I were married in Rockport, Mo. Vera and
Mom went along. Being cousins, decided not to have children. We had a
stormy marriage, smooth at first. The boys drank on Saturday nights
only, as they didn't have any money. The boys would buy a pint of
whiskey for 50 cents and a pack of tailor-made cigarettes which was a
treat as we had a roller and made our own cigarettes. Especially Wings,
Elmer said "Fatima" but that's not right. You couldn't buy a job
then. Later on, Pop raised Elmer's wages - imagine $5.00 a week, then
$7.50 up to $12.00. I had a charge at Spiegel and Elmer had 3 suits.
We were paying $3.00 a month. With the increased wages, Elmer drank
more and we both gambled - cards and dice. We were broke every Monday
morning.
I bought a Florence oil-burning stove -- three small and one large
burner. I got this from the hardware store - Hank Johanson ran it, got
it on credit. Boy, was I proud of it. We had no rent and our light was
a bright Aladdin lamp. We had a battery radio and listened to programs
such as "The Shadow Knows" and "Squeaky Door" (Inner Sanctum). We used
our imagination, then when the battery ran down, we had to wait until
we had the money to have it charged. This was a regular car battery.
On nights when we had no radio, I read to Elmer, Don, and Ervin. On
weekends when Vera was home from school, Vera and I played the guitar,
sang, and harmonized. Some nights were spent playing cards and every
noon Elmer and I played Chinese checkers. he beat me every day. Boy,
was I mad!
Henry Osbahr worked for Pop an in 1941 Pop sold the well digging
business to him. They lived in the little shack south of the orchard
where they added two rooms. When he acquired the well business, they
moved to Neola and we moved into it. I raised chickens - usually 500 a
year, but one year 1200. Kept laying hens and sold them to the Blue and
White Store to Eddie Elias and had a credit all winter for groceries.
Also had a couple hogs. We didn't eat them, sold them to get extra
money.
One Sunday morning in 1941, Mom called and said, "The Japs bombed Pearl
Harbor." Our navy troops were in the harbor and thousands
[approximately 2400] were killed. All men were told to register and
those helping the war cause were given a rating. Elmer, working at the
plant supplying grease, etc., was not called. Erv and Don did not pass
physicals, were 4F. In 1942, Elmer and Earl left for Long Beach,
California (after going to aircraft school in Omaha), and they went to
work at Douglas Aircraft. I left on Feb. 14 and drove out alone in our
1941 Studebaker. We owed quite a few bills. I got a job at Owl Drug on
Ocean and Pacific and we sent money back each week and got out of
debt. I was terribly homesick and we finally left on Mother's Day for
Iowa.
Pop bought the Overgaard 40 acres on the edge of town and we moved into it (Vera owns it now).
In 1945 a friend, Arlene Caddell, whose husband was in the navy, ran
around with us - Erv, Elmer, I, Irma, and Don. Think Arlene played them
all. Anyway, she became pregnant and we befrieded her IF she would let
us have the baby. We paid all her hospital bill and apartment rent.
On May 25th, 1945, she gave birth to a beautiful little 4 lb., 10 oz.
baby girl. We named her Karen Kolean Kadel. irene, my sis, lived in
Oakland in Dane Town so I took her there for two weeks. At this time,
we had leased the rendering plant from Pop for 5 years at $100 a week,
due every Monday morning. We had been running ir for 10 months when Pop
heard that Uncle George Addison at Oakland sold his plant for $100,000
so Pop decided to sell his and got $40,000. We released him from his
contract. Had it been reversed, I'm afraid he would not have agreed to
it.
We moved to Minnesota. Elmer went up and bought Ernie Veazie's oil
station. We had a van haul up the furniture. This was a bad move. We
moved a house in from Erhardt, material was hard to get and expensive.
It rained again and again and the basement caved in and it cost us
double. We bought a big gas truck. Lost all our money. I took the
World-Herald while living in Minn and one day saw an ad for a tavern in
Henderson, Iowa, so we drove down, looked at it, decided to take it. We
mortgaged the station for $1,000 and Elmer sent me back down to Iowa. I
paid Ed Stenger $1,000 down to take it over the first of May, 1949. We
had to dig up half of the amount, he wanted $8,000 plus inventory. I
went to Neola, saw Hall to borrow. he said, "You better get it from
your old Dad" - no way! I went to Shelby, Mr. Stoker said he'd loan us
the money IF we got two good co-signers so I went to Uncle Mike. He
told me he'd sign if Hank Johhansen would sign it (his bro.-in-law).
Went back into Minden, told Hank and he agreed so the Shelby bank loaned
us the money. We ran the tavern, Elmer stayed up over the drugstore. I
had sent for a lounge - the kind you open up, just springs and
mattress. He put a partition in the back room. We had table and
chairs and ate or cooked on a 2-hole gas stove in the tavern part. We
kept our nose to the grindstone pretty steady, only going to Playland
Park occasionally with Karen.
When we left Minn., we tried to sell the oil station. Red (Earl) Kadel
ran it for a while after he came back from the Navy. Finally sold it to
a friend in Omaha, Brenaman. We took a trailer in on it. Elizabeth
Edmondson, a good friend, sued August (Duysen) for divorce, and she
rented it and took it out to Boileau's.
Red came down after we sold the station and bought the little cafe from Boileau's and then got a beer license - it hurt us.
Elmer and Erv went to work in Wyoming for PFE. I ran the tavern. We had a fish fry every Friday night.
As the legion hall also sold beer and liquor and we had to put up with
drunks from Macedonia, I started fixing spiked drinks. When Elmer got
back we continued. One night we were having a dance for Randolph
Dinwiddie's birthday when we were raided. They closed us up for a week.
Art Fritcher was Mayor and showed his authority. I applied for a
license and the council tried to find something on me. Louie Farrington
even drove to Minden inquiring about my character.
After Red had his tavern, Elmer went to work for August Young
(plumbing). He worked 12 years until he fell into a basement and was
laid up and operated on for a crushed disc. He was in and out of the
hospital at different intervals for allergies, neck, and hernia. I was
operated on in 1969 for an infected appendix, home in less than a week.
Maxine Ford worked for us then.
In 1971, Pop decided to go into the hospital for a checkup. Irene and I
walked with him into the hospital. He began to get worse so we called
Vera and she came back. Dorothy ??? worked for him then. She was
really concerned until he had a stroke, then she backed off.
On the way home, out by the oil station on 92, I was alone and smelled
cigar smoke. I knew. By the time I got into the tavern, Elmer said you
gotta go back, your Dad is dying. We three girls were there, Vera by
his bedside. Irene got all upset, went out in the hall with her.
We leased the bar to Hap Nims and went on a vacation. Hap got a job
with the gas company so we took it back. We leased to Rolland Frain,
then sold it on a contract to Chas. Crow. He flubbed up, we foreclosed
and sold it to Joe Marchese. He didn't last long either. He was quite a
womanizer. His wife would not stay out here. Took it back and sold it
to Ott. When he didn't want to keep, we closed the doors and sold the
fixtures. This was the happiest moment of my life as Elmer was putting
in long hours and drinking heavily.
When Pop died, we were left with 136 acres of land, we leased it first
on half, then cash rented it. We purchased a house in Red Oak while
still in the tavern. Junior Gage (Opal's husband) told us about it. He
went in on half, but his health did not permit him to help Elmer
remodel so we bought his share out for $400. We rented this house for
$85 a month then sold it on contract to the one gal that runs the taxi
in Red Oak. We moved 3 houses into Henderson - one booster station
house and its office building, one house from Macedonia, remodeled them
and sold two. Gave Karen the office building after she was divorced
from Mike in July 1974. We bought two houses in Macedonia and one
acreage. Had 3 trailers, 2 trailers on lots and 2 we are renting. We
bought the May Wight building, Elmer had his tools and equipment in
there. After we sold the fixtures out of the tavern, he moved his
tools, belts, etc, into the tavern building. I went to household sales
and put junk in my building, sold lots of stuff. Elmer put an old wood
stove into the shop and cut wood all summer to save heat.
Prices have not went up in the last two years, 1977-1979. Gasoline today is almost $1.00 a gallon.
We bought shares in gasohol and they went broke. Irene, my sister,
moved to Henderson and bought the Lolla Harbor residence. Our only
grocery store closed in 1978.
The town of Henderson now has a town hall, library, firehouse, meat
market, cafe, auto wash, tavern, oil station, elevator, bank, insurance
office, and a new fertilizer co., Slump and Steiner. Three empty
buildings on the south side, 2 of ours and 1 of Ervin's.
6/1/86 - since writing this the bank closed, insurance office and cafe.
Have on main street on north side Leo Rieken's shop, Brown's building
_____, old post office building empty, post office now in cafe building,
Ole's (old Hillard shop) closed most of the time, tavern, the oil
station closed, and car wash on south side empty, barber shop. A new
firehouse has been built.
10/25/91 - Leo Reikert took the top off the old Hendrix building,
bulldozed the locker and Brown building. Gerald Viner's old garage torn
down. Glen Dean bought it, also he bought the old oil station, tore
that building down.
On some of these pages I probably have repeated, but I think I covered quite a bit about the family plus our personal life.
Karen has two sons, Guy Michael Bodwell, b. 7/14/66, and Jason Vincent Bodwell, b. 6/25/69.
Today, Ocrober 26, 1991, we sold tavern building, my bulding, all houses on contracts.
