Story by Priscilla The Barn Geeks Mom in Montcalm County, Michigan

From the Barn Geeks Mom Priscilla as told by his Grandmother Doris (McCoy) Jeffers June 1939

We were a small family of five, my baby sister Elaine was on the way. We lived on a 40 acre farm with a merger income. We sold cream, my Mom made butter and cottage cheese to sell from our three cows. My dad (Ted McCoy)worked the land with two horses.

At haying time Dad had Mom (Ida (Badder)McCoy)would drive the team while he forked the hay onto the wagon. She always wanted the kids on the wagon with her for safety sake. My big sister Irene who was 7 or 8 at the time. She was to watch the littler ones while they worked hard to get the hay in.

 

One particular incident happened when my Dad told Mom to turn the team around and go to the hay barn. As she was guiding the team with the commands of gee and haa and with the reins. My big sister screamed “the baby is falling off” My mom turned in time to see her fourteen month old baby (me)as I slid off the hay and landed on the ground making no sound. Dad yelled, “there is a dead kid if I ever saw one.” Mom pulled back on the reins and shout loudly, “Whoa” Dad hurried around the wagon in time to hear my screams. I must have had the wind knock out of me. I think that is when Dad started trading work with other farmers!

 

There are more stories to come, of the happenings of my Moms family farm. The next will be the story of How my Uncle burned down one of the barns on the McCoy family farm.