101 years later, granddaughter still owns farm of Laurence and Mary Winslow

This home was located on the Laurence and Mary C. Winslow farm when they purchased the farm in 1907. It burned in 1970. The farm, now owned by their granddaughter, Gertrude Steinkuehler, was recently named a Century Farm. (Contributed photo) [Click to enlarge]

Laurence and Mary C. Winslow, bought their farm on Jan. 8, 1907, from a cousin, Richard C. Winslow. The farm now is owned by their granddaughter, Gertrude Steinkuehler, and was recently recognized as a Saline County Century Farm for being in the same family over 100 years.

According to Steinkuehler, her grandparents were married in 1899 and already lived on the farm west of Marshall before purchasing it. The original house burned in 1970; a new house was built on the property in 1980.

These barns and windmill were located on the Laurence and Mary C. Winslow farm when they purchased it in 1907. (Contributed photo) [Click to enlarge]

Steinkuehler and her parents, Paul D. and Mildred (Winslow) Marsh, lived down the road until Steinkuehler was 5 years old, when they moved to a farm in Pettis County.

Steinkuehler, though, was born in her grandparents' home.

"Nobody went to a hospital back then," she said. "My grandmother took care of everybody. When anybody got sick they would go to Grandma."

Steinkuehler's grandmother lived until 1976, dying at age 101. Her grandfather died on the farm in 1951, and her grandmother had moved to town after his death.

Steinkuehler's mother owned the farm "for just a little while," she said. Her father had always wanted to farm the Saline County place, but he died in 1961.

Steinkuehler has lots of memories from holiday and summer visits at her grandparents' home.

"They had everything on a farm you had on a farm back in those days, because they raised all their own food," she said. "You didn't go to town and buy stuff like we do now."

They raised wheat and corn, oats for the hogs, and chickens. They also had milk and beef cows.

"They were very self-sufficient in those days," she added.

She said her grandfather never had tractors, always farming with a team of horses.

In fact, she said that her grandfather "bought" a team for her and her cousin Virginia Bell.

"He said 'when I'm through using them on the farm, you'll each get one,' but we never did get them," she said, because he never got done using them.

They received money instead.

Her grandfather did buy her a pony, which she rode to her Pettis County school each day.

When she and her parents moved to Pettis County they used a truck owned by a relative to move furniture. However, she said, they "drove" the cattle all the way through the country to their new farm.

"We drove a team, too," she added.

Steinkuehler said, after her brother went to WWII, it left her as the only person to help her father on the Pettis County farm. "I went out and I milked cows, drove teams, helped to rake hay and helped to stack hay," she said. "I've also helped pick corn by hand. When you're a farm girl and you don't have any brothers at home, you have to."

However, her grandfather Winslow didn't believe in women helping on the farm and didn't want her in the animal lot at his farm, probably worried she could get hurt.

"Uncle Beverly (Winslow) said one time I went to the lot and I wasn't supposed to and my grandfather spanked me. I guess that's the only time he ever did. My Uncle Beverly said he didn't know who was the most surprised, me for getting the spanking or my granddaddy for giving it."

Even after Steinkuehler was married to her husband, Warner, and living in Sweet Springs, they still spent time at her grandparents'.

"After Warner and I were married, he would always want us to come home for dinner on Sundays. Grandmother would have fried chicken. He'd make a freezer of ice cream," she said. "That's what farm living was in those days."

Another part of farm living for her grandparents was attending Saline Church every Sunday. Other than the chores and milking, no other work was done. "Sunday was the Lord's day," she said.

Another farm owned by Steinkuehler was honored as a Century Farm in 1987. Located down the road, it was also owned by her grandfather Winslow. She said it surprised her to find out that he didn't inherit any of the ground he owned, although part of his ground he had purchased from his father.

After her grandfather retired from farming her Uncle Beverly farmed the ground. He, she remembers, did use a tractor, a John Deere Model A, which she recently sold.

Later, her husband, who worked at International Shoe Factory for 23 years, farmed the ground, along with her parent's Pettis County ground.

Today, her son, James L. Steinkuehler, who lives in Pettis County, plants corn and soybeans on the farm.

Steinkuehler plans to pass the farm on to James, along with her other son, Robert L. Steinkuehler and daughter Marsha K. Talley. She also has four grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Another daughter, Mary Beth, passed away in 2003.

She recalls her life as a farm granddaughter, daughter and wife fondly.

"It was a good life," she said, "But don't get me wrong, I don't want to go back to it. I like my indoor plumbing and electricity."

Contact Marcia Gorrell at marshallag@socket.net