Jarosh, Albert and Agnes (Klimesh)

(Dolores E. Ira)

Albert and Agnes Klimesh Jarosh, 50th Wedding Anniversary

Albert Frank Jarosh was born in Sumner Twp., Winneshiek Co., IA 4 Apr 1895 to Albert Jarosh and Marie Korbel on the Jarosh farm. He received his education in eight grades in the local country school. He farmed with his parents until at age 22 on 6 Nov 1917 he married Agnes Klimesh at St. Wenceslaus Church, Spillville, IA. After their marriage they moved to a farm 10 miles south of Protivin where they remained until their retirement.

Farming was not an easy vocation. Everything was done with horses and manual labor. This is where it all became a “family affair”. The oat bundles were stacked by hand into shocks and later the threshing crew would come to finish the harvest process. Mother would be up at the crack of dawn dressing chickens, making pies and cooking all the food for the noon meal. If the household was lucky and had some daughters the mothers had some help. At noon the house would be invaded with about 15 men wiping the sweat from their brows and dusting their overalls to be a little more presentable at the dinner table. Hay-making also took place in the summer with everyone getting involved. Hay was raised up into the barn with slings pulled by horses and then someone had the privilege of going into the hot barn and spreading all the hay around.

In the fall the corn would be picked by hand. It seemed like the end of the rows never came and the wagon never got full so the huskers could go home to eat and warm up. Many days the weather was very cold and there were times the corn was husked in the snow. A big garden was part of every summer and was needed to fill all the jars with nourishment to carry the family through the winter months. Pork meat was smoked and hung to cure. Some was fried down and placed in open crocks and then melted lard was poured over the meat to preserve it through the winter months. The harvested potatoes and apples were put in the cellar with all the canned goods.

Dad was a good musician and a self-taught violin player. He spent many evenings entertaining the family accompanied on the piano by mother. He enjoyed dancing and singing and on occasion, and after a few spirits, he would give us a demonstration on how to jig. As memory serves me, I remember having a dance in our home with some of the neighbors attending. The linoleum was rolled up, some corn meal sprinkled on the floor and the music and dance began.

Agnes was born in Sumner Twp. 5 Jan 1898 to Joseph Klimesh and Barbara Kortan. She also attended the rural country school for 8 grades. Living on a farm and being the eldest daughter in a large family, she had many opportunities to learn all the domestic trades, cooking and sewing being her specialties. As a young girl of 16 she took sewing lessons from the Cibuzar sisters in Spillville, one of whom became my mother-in-law some 40 years later. Agnes was 19 when she married Dad and the cooking and sewing continued for a family of 6 children. Mother was a very kind and patient person, always helpful whenever and wherever she could. The drudgery of farm work made her durable. At the young age of 48 she was stricken with breast cancer. The first surgery at the Cresco Hospital, Cresco, IA was not successful. A second surgery, a radical mastectomy, followed at the University of Iowa Hospitals, Iowa City, IA. This surgery was successful, even for those days, and she lived another 25 years without a recurrence. However other ailments followed as she became a diabetic and also suffered from ulcers in her later years. When they retired to Little Turkey, IA she made many new friends. She was able to attend daily Mass at Assumption Church and for the first time was able to join a Women's Club. This was also the first time she was able to enjoy running water and electricity. Mother spread her goodness babysitting and taking care of the sick.

Together she and Dad enjoyed fishing, especially for turtles. They were blessed and able to celebrate their Golden Anniversary in 1967. Mother was called to her eternal reward at age 73 when she became gravely ill, the diabetes complicating matters. She passed away 28 Mar 1971 at the Cresco Hospital of heart failure. Dad died 25 Aug 1974 at the Aase Haugen Homes, Inc., Decorah, IA also of heart failure. They are buried in Assumption Cemetery in Little Turkey.

There were 6 children born to this union: Viola (19 Mar 1918); Vendelin (4 Mar 1920); Irene,  Stanley,  Dolores and George. Vendelin passed away 11 Nov 1987 and is buried in the Assumption Cemetery in Little Turkey.

Jeffers, Stanley H. and Frances (Womeldorf)

(Stanley Jeffers)

Stanley H. Jeffers was born in Portland OR, the elder of 2 sons of Wilson Stanley Hayes Jeffers and Leona May Hardison. His father and a twin sister were born 29 Dec 1898, The Dalles, OR, the youngest children of Oregon pioneers Wilson John Jeffers and Clara Louise Hayes. Stan's mother was born 24 May 1903 also of Oregon pioneers, Gabrial Hardison and Ruth Berti (Jack-son) Dickerson. Stan’s parents were married 21 Apr 1923, The Dalles. Stan’s brother, Marvin Dean, was born in Portland.