1930s:

We were planning on visiting east Missouri to see Lydia (my sister) and her family. They were moving farther east and we realized it'd be even harder to see them after they moved. By this time Vernon was about 13.

We went through Hutchinson so loaded up in the car that a policeman pulled us over.

When we were in Sikeston, Missiouri, we decided we ought to go see dad. He had moved to Mississippi and still have [sister] Fanny with him. She had reached "the age," where the children leave home, but was still helping dad.

When we decided to go to Mississippi we tried to get Lydia to go with us to try to get papa to come back. She joined us in the crowded car. Her husband gave us $25 for expenses.

I got so sleepy I started to fall asleep and ended up in the ditch. Neither the car nor its inhabitants were hurt.

When we got within 8 or 10 miles of papa's place I was wondering how we'd find him.

We went past a few buildings where a man was standing. I hollered for him to come and answer some question. I asked him if he knew where the Amish community was.

He said, "Oh, yes. I was a mail carrier."

So I asked him if he knew where a man named Adam Hostetler lived.

He said "Oh, yeah." He started to try to tell me how to get there. I thought the way the lay of the land was I might get lost, so I asked if he'd come along and show us how to get there, then I'd take him back.

When we got there the house was just a small house, one room with a small attic overhead. It was locked with a padlock, and I said "Are you sure?"

He said "I am sure." I unlocked the trunk, got a hammer, and hit the padlock with one lick to get it open.

I told the ladies to go in and make themselves at home.

We had stopped and picked up some groceries for all of us. I told the ladies to make them a meal and the man and I took off.

The man said "sometimes he goes and tries to sell peanuts at the grocery store."

We went to the grocery store and I told them I was Adam's son and we were trying to persuade him to come up where some relatives are.

He said "Well, I'm glad to hear that. We don't like to see him over there all alone. Not long ago there was an elderly man not very far from here who lived alone, with no one to see after him. Someone went to check on him and he was dead. Every evening before I go to bed I look over to see if he's got a light, 'cause then I figured he'd be okay."