Probably around 1910
L-R: Minnie Bishop, Floyd Hutchinson, Laura Hoesteter,
Lizzie Morphew, Eli Hutchinson, Mary Hutchinson, Myra Hiatt, and Hattie Steer.
Click HERE for a hi-res of this photo suitable
for printing an 8x10 (2.8 mg download).

I have been invited to write a few memories of my childhood days. I may sometimes sound a bit untruthful. I will write it as I remember it and who can or dare dispute what I say!

I will begin with my grandparents as I know very little before.

My father was Eli Merritt Hutchinson the eldest son of John Bullion Hutchinson and Betsy (Atkins) Hutchinson. She was of Welch descent and he was English. They came from New York state to Iowa in 1855 making their home near Osage in Mitchell County, Iowa.

John was a carpenter and taught Eli the trade.

My mother was Mary Catherine (Dudley) Hutchinson. Her father was William Green Dudley, coming to Iowa in 1856 from Kentucky. Her mother was Lavisa Anne (Ashmore) also from Kentucky. When they were married and rode away on horseback, they lived in both Illinois and Wisconsin before coming to Iowa.

Grandfather Dudley was a Baptist minister also a millright. He settled in Mitchell county on Rock Creek (now called Meroa) and built a saw mill there. Later he rebuilt the mill into a grist mill to grind feed and even corn meal and flour. William Green Dudley died at the age of 54 leaving a wife and family once numbering ten children and one twin boy who died in infancy. My mother was the youngest.

John B. Hutchinson, the father of seven children (there had been a pair of twin boys in the family who died as babies), John took a load of wheat to Des Moines to sell and never returned. The horses belonged to Eli so he hunted for his father and found him years later married and with a family. Later he must have gotten a divorce and the Kansas records have a second marriage recorded. Grandmother also remarried and later returned to New York state.

Eli enlisted in the Civil War in 1861, serving three years.

My mother taught school and took care of her parents during those years. His brothers were in the army when Eli was discharged and came home. He bought a small farm at Rock Creek, built a house and he and Mary Dudley were married Dec. 31, 1866 at Osage, Iowa.

The children were Minnette (born November 24, 1867), Myra (born march 2, 1869), Cora (born in 1870 and died when six months old), Hattie (born November 3, 1871), Elizabeth or "Lizzie" (born August 19, 1873), Floyd (born May 13, 1877), and Lura (born October 4, 1882).

Eli bought 160 acres of virgin land in Floyd County, Iowa 9-1/2 miles N.E. of Nora Springs and built a log house there.

When I was a baby my grandmother Dudley took care of us children at her home the first year and the next year we lived together on the farm until March, 1885 when we moved to Nora Springs, Iowa where I have spent my whole life, never leaving more than five miles from there. I got my education in Nora Springs.

Before I go further into my life history I better tell what I know of the ancestors of the Morphew family as I was married into that family. Humphrey Sturges Morphew, Sr. was my father-in-law. His father was James Morphew, a decendent of the French. His wife was also French. I never knew her maiden name. They came to Iowa from Kentucky and after the family was grown went back to Kentucky. Humphrey married Amanda Gish, her home was at Waverly, Iowa. They got acquainted while going to Oregon with a caravan of covered wagons (100 or more wagons). They married in Oregon in 1865 and came back to Iowa in 1868 by way of the Isthmus of Panama, leaving the boat at New York City.

There family consisted of Carrie who died at two years of age, Henry A. born in 1868, Humphrey Sturges, Jr. born August 14, 1870, a boy (George) who died at two years, Sena born October 8, 1875, Amanda who died at birth, Ollie born December 7, 1878, Harry at March 29, 1880 and Ora July 1, 1885.

H. S. Jr. was called Sturges. He was crippled after having a white swelling when eight or nine years old. He and I went to school together after 1886 (date unclear in original writing-ed.), became very good friends and later were in love. We were engaged while in high school. My mother was against our friendship and forbade me going anywhere with Sturges or have him at my home. She chose other young men for my escort and I sometimes went out with them.

I should tell you more of Amanda (Gish) Morphew. Her father was Jacob Gish, her mother's maiden name was Wilson. They were both Penn. Dutch. I never knew Jacob. I did know his wife. Humphrey Sturges Morphew, Sr. had been married at the age of 19. I never knew her name, only as Rebecca, she died very young leaving three children. Both boys died while babies but the girl, Rebecca, lived to be 90 years old. She was Sturges' (Jr.) half sister.

Now a few words about my girlhood. When I was thirteen, my parents bought a millinery store. My mother was a dressmaker and lady's tailor. She had a good business. My two oldest sisters were school teachers. Hattie, just older than I, learned the millinery trade and I was given the cooking and housework to do during vacation. Hattie and I were in high school. When school was on she helped me schooldays but worked in the shop on Saturday. When she finished high school, she went to the Nora Springs Seminary. I hoped to be allowed to do the same but I never wanted to teach school. Mother seemed determined we all should teach. She said she needed me at home and refused me the priviledge of more education.

Father was more fare. He bought an organ and said I might take lessons. I had too much work to do and little time for music. I was 17 now and a few days before my 18th birthday I went home with my girlhood friend Lettie (Benedict) Baughey and her husband on Saturday evening. We had no plans made previously but for some reason Sturgis knew I was at Letties and drove out there during the evening.

We went for a ride, talked things over and decided to go on an excursion on Sunday to Spirit Lake. With us was Charles Quinby's wife and two children, also Lizzie Elly (a girlfriend of mine and a niece of the Quinby's), Clint Birney (Sturges' boyhood chum) was with us. We got separated from the Quinby's and Clint walked away. We missed our train, having to wait until Monday morning to get back to Nora Springs. Lizzie had left the horse she drove into town at a livery barn.

Mrs. Quinby had asked me to come home with Lizzie who was staying with her two miles out of town. I did for several days when the lady I was taking music lessons from came and hired me to work for her and keep on with my music. She gave me $1.00 a lesson and time to practice. They had two small children, a girl 6 and a boy 4. I liked them and their parents very much and stayed there until October when Minnette and Lou came to ask me to go away over in Ulster township to help the Charley Bishop's as his wife was sick with rheumatism.

They had one little boy 11 months old. I liked it with them only they quarreled at times and was afraid they might implicate me, however I did need to earn more money so I stayed until after Christmas.

Anna Hyatt came to ask me if I would come to their home during January. She was to be confined in February. Her husband was Charley Hyatt a brother of Lee, Myra's husband. I had known Anna a long time, had met Charley and we girls had thought he was attracted to Hattie. He belonged to the National Guards and promenaded by in his uniform, always looking in the shop as if for someone special whom we thought was Hattie.

Now I found myself in their home late in January. She was his second cousin and nearly ten years older. They had a little girl of three. All the time I was with the Bishops and now while I was with the Hyatts, Sturges came to see me.

He worked for his uncle Richard Gish in his livery stable and often hired a team to drive. Yet I sometimes went to Nora Springs with those men. One lived eleven miles, the other six miles. When I did go it was necessary.

Anna H. often planned for me to go with her husband to lectures or entertainments. I only went once to a lecture. She had said she would go but after all were ready she refused to go and insisted on me going. I did but it worried me, it didn't look right and I got the feeling she could make something of it. She never gave up, I did.

Then one day Charley announced he was going to Nora Springs. Anna wanted some shopping done and didn't feel like going and asked me to do it for her. I hated to but knew no way to refuse so I went. I was ready early to go home but Charley was not so I went to a friend's to wait for him. There was snow and cold but nearly dark when we started. He drove slowly allowing his horses to walk most of the six miles.

We talked and sang, me feeling all the way as if something was wrong and I said we ought to get home, Anna may need us. He remarked he was the one in need and would I help him. I didn't understand. He said, "I want you to go away with me". I told him he must be out of his mind as he was a married man with a nice little girl. "You only need to say you will and we will take my girl (Marion)". I said, "I am engaged", and he said, "none of that mattered as long as I was not married".

We got home finally on Saturday. The same week Sturges had a livery drive and stopped on his way home to ask me to go to his home to spend Sunday. Alma said I could. I went and I also told Sturges of Charley's proposition. He said, "He is in earnest and I think we better get married very soon". So he got the license and we were married by Justice of the Peace (Dr. G. S. Blythe) on February 6, 1892 and I went back to finish my work as I had promised to stay until her baby was born.

We agreed to keep it a secret as no one knew but Henry and his father who had been our witnesses. A week later their baby was born with a hairlip. I was expected to stay on the farm with Charley and take care of little Marion and a boy 4 and girl 5 while Anna and baby went home with her mother. The two children were her sister's and she was to do the house work for her mother while they entertained a Christian Science Practitioner they had sent for to cure the baby's hairlip. I rebelled saying I would go home. She wanted me when she should return home so took me and the children along. I was there a week getting more homesick each day. Saturday p.m. when I heard the train whistling into Rudd station, I found Anna and asked if I might go home on it. I said, "don't say no for I will go anyway". She said, "go on, come back Monday and we will go home."

I stayed a few days and while she was out and I was caring for the baby I thought something was wrong. When she came in I told her the baby was not right. She sent for her mother who took turns sitting with baby all night. I called her in early morning and said he was dying. He was soon gone. After the funeral I went home.

I went back to my old music teacher sometimes. She was the only one I told of our marriage.

On March 22, 1893, Gladys was born. We went into a dray business with father Morphew that spring, using what money I had saved during the past 1-1/2 years with what H. S. Sr. and H. S. Jr. had.

Sturges had been learning telegraphy from Mr. Ceole at the Milwaukee depot for six months, was pronounced competent to handle a night operator's work, but coward that I was said I would never stay alone nights so he gave it up.

Two years afterwards we built a large livery barn where the creamery now stands, furnished it with buggies and driving horses along with a spring dray and other wagons for hauling building material. The Seminary was in full force and much building was going on.

My own father was a contractor with a crew of twenty men in his employ. He often came to see me and at one time ate his dinners with us when working in our part of town. My mother had never came near us.

I sometimes went home. My grandmother Dudley lived there and Hattie and Lura came and encouraged me to visit at home. We had moved to the lower floor of a large apartment house across from the livery barn, still all living together.

In January of 1894 I took Gladys and went to Myra Hyatt's for New Years day with our family. Myra and one of her little girls took sick that day with the flu and asked me to stay to help with her work. Before the week ended Gladys also had the flu. She was nine months old and beginning to walk. She was homesick as well as sick making it hard for me to take care of her. Two nights I had set up with her holding her, sometimes walking the floor much of the time trying to keep her quiet not to disturb Myra and her baby. Lee tried to help me but Gladys would cry so hard he gave up. The second night she became quiet toward morning and I went to bed.

Myra told me not to get up, she would get breakfast but I didn't think her able and started getting up but found I too was sick and lay down again. Lee went to Nora Springs with his team and wagon to tell Sturges I was sick (we had no telephones in those days). Nora Springs Doctors were all busy. There was a great deal of sickness there. He came out to see me anyway or had Henry bring him and take the team back as they were needed and he meant to stay with me. Lee went to Rudd and brought an elderly Doctor out (Dr. Arkles). After he talked with me he said it would be 24 hours before he would be needed and went home.

In order to pass the time, Sturges went to splitting wood at the pile Lee had in the yard. He came in during the p.m. and asked me to see what made him burn and sting so badly. On his back, he was completely covered with a red rash. He said he felt sick and thought he should go home as there bid fare to be enough sick at Lee's. Lee was away with the team so he walked and run the two miles to Rudd to get a train home.

The Dr. came and said he had a severe case of measles and would have to stay in bed if he got over it. The next morning I felt quite comfortable. I had been up most of the previous day but Myra insisted I must stay in bed. About noon I was in misery and Lee went for Dr. Arkles again. Little Bruce was born at 12:30, January 12, 1894, a wee three pound baby, miscarried at six months. The Dr. forbade Sturges getting out of bed. Henry had taken Gladys home to Grandma M. the time he brought Sturges out.

The next day during the p.m. I noticed something wrong with the baby and told Myra. She sent for a neighbor, an older woman who came and took charge of the baby. Lee went after the Dr. but he said there was nothing he could do. He felt sure when it was born it could never live. So Lee went after Sturges. He was still in bed. He said he would come but had better come in a top buggy and try not exposing himself. He came later just in time to see his wee son draw his breath at 9:30, January 13th, only 33 hours of this troublesome world.

The weather was fearful cold and he had a hard time finding men to dig the vault. It was finally finished on the Hyatt lot in Rudd Cemetery. On the 13th both families came. My father said a few appropriate words, made a prayer and friends buried our baby. Sturges was determined to go to the cemetery and did afterwards, going home and to bed for many days. He hired Mary Dudley (later Helm) to come to Hyatt's for two weeks and help Myra while I was there.

I finally got home the first week in February. Mother Morphew had her mother (Grandma Gish) there. She was a paralytic, had been at her son's (Richard Gish) for several months. Now it was our turn. We cared for her over two years. She was helpless and mother M. and I did the lifting of her only when Sena was at home. She was going to the Seminary.

Along in the fall mother began to worry about my lifting on Grandma Gish. We talked it would be nice if we had our own home. We could rent an apartment in the same building on the second floor. Sturges didn't seem to think it necessary but his father did so we rented and got furniture enough to keep house and moved by ourselves. Gretchen was born March 23, 1895. We lived there until late in the summer when our neighbors in the front apartment, who threw dishes, flatirons and food at each other, also was a crack hand at raising bed bugs. It got so bad nothing I could do had any effect on them so father Morphew vacated their two front rooms and we moved down there for the winter.

In the spring the older family moved to Zina Robert's farm N.E. of town and Henry and Sturges took over the Livery, Dray and Feed Barn. We moved into the back apartment where we had more room, hired another man at the barn and I boarded both he and Henry who slept in the office at the barn. Henry would read all night and not get up much before noon.

Sturges drove all livery drives many of them taking most of the night, then must get the Spring Dray on the job, which was Henry's work but Seminary was in full swing and there was a lot of baggage to haul for students who would not wait. This made work very hard for Sturges and I had my hands full keeping him from a break with his brother who was a good worker after he got going.

In early winter we sold the Livery stock, rented the barn, only keeping one work team, harness and Spring dray for ourselves.

Work was spotted that winter. I was not well so Sturges was helping me about the housework and did our washing which I had been sending away from home. In the spring he had work and on May 1, 1897 Fae was born. Help was hard to find. We finally got a widow woman who had a ten-year old boy. She was an aunt of Arthur Hostetler. She was a good woman and came but her boy got into some trouble. She had left him with friends. Now she had to go after less than a week. Etta Kelly lived across the alley and made herself very useful. I had only known her since Gretchen was a baby but she proved to be one of the best friends I had.

We had a little yard for the girls to play in so in August Sturges rented the Methodist Episcopal parsonage and we moved there. He was still draying. That fall he took a job plowing over by Portland. In horse and buggy days that was far from home. He would be gone all week and I, coward I was, lived in fear those lonely nights. Lura was a schoolgirl of fifteen, never required to do any work at home, so I asked her to stay nights with me. She was willing and did stay a few times but mother soon put a stop to that (still trying to punish me for not obeying her years before). Father M. didn't like me staying alone and used to come after us to stay at the farm until Sturges would be home.

About the first of December the M. E. church decided they would build onto the parsonage if we could be bought off. They did make a bargain with us and we moved in December to an apartment above the Millinery shop where my mother had her shop and into the rooms we girls had our sitting room and bedrooms (2). The advertiser office now stands on that spot.

We lived there during the cold weather. We still had our team but very little work, giving Sturges a lot of time to help me at home. He found three rooms on School Street, one block east of the Lutheran Church. We moved there early in March. Mrs. Babcock, an old lady I had known a long time, lived there. She was wonderful to both the children and me. The girls had a yard to play in now. Gladys was five and Gretchen three years old, Fae was ten months, very fat and good natured but showing no signs of walking. We had lived there a week when I became ill. The Dr. came and Paul was born March 26, 1898.

During the winter, father Morphew, Henry and Sturges had pooled what they realized from the sale of the barn and bought land near Windom, Minnesota without buildings. It was virgin land. The three and Sina were only waiting until I was well again to go up there and put in a crop of small grain. When Paul was three weeks old they left with camping material. They built a shed for the horses, making a kitchen at one end and having a tent for sleeping.

The same morning they left I realized Paul was sick. I took him at once to Dr. Blythe. He told me Paul was a premature baby, my milk no good and that he was slowly starving. He recommended a formula and I followed orders with no visible results. Now my mother hearing about my trouble through Hattie said if I would come to her home she would help care for baby. I knew she was almost magic where babies were concerned. I also knew father Hutchinson had taken Floyd and gone to Canada in order to keep Floyd out of the draft into the Spanish American War and she was very lonely. However, I was trying to hold no hard feelings so I went. She did help a lot with Paul.

After the crop was planted at Minnesota, father Morphew came home. He had left Olie and Harry with their mother on the farm. He came after me to go home with him. Toward the end of July Sturges got so sick with hay fever. He had thrashed the oats and put it in the elevator at Windom. The flax was still in the shock. He was so sick he drew enough money from the elevator to pay his fare home and came. That $6.00 was all he ever got out of his summer's work.

He was several weeks getting able to get his dray back in the grind. Not wanting to try to live in so small quarters as the children and I had called home, he rented the front apartment across from the livery barn. We planned on moving by September. Paul was quite well by now and Fae was beginning to walk. When mother heard our plan to move she offered to help me get settled. They moved our goods and she did go with me and help me. This is the first time she had been in our home.

During the late fall Sturges met Harry, now fifteen years, and on talking with him found his father had ordered him to leave home and he had no place to go so brought him to our home where he lived all winter. He was good to help Sturges at his work, good to the children, but the extra work was mine and I could ill afford to have any extra work. Harriett was born on March 26, 1999.

Etta Kelly was my good Samaritan again. We had some help for a day at a time. The laundry went out as it had been all winter. The food was brought in ready to eat and Sturges stayed close by all he could. Hattie was very fond of wee Harriett but Etta was always near and ready for anything.

When I got around again the milk failed until our baby was hungry. Old Dr. Blythe had died real suddenly so I took her to Dr. E. E. Birney. He tried to arrange a formula for her but she grew more and more thin and weak, could scarcely cry aloud. Then a neighbor living one block west of us called one day. She had a boy two weeks younger than Harriett. She said he was big and strong, she had more milk than he could eat and she would be glad to give it to Harriett. I told her I felt as if it would be okay but since she was under a doctor's care I better ask his opinion. Her name was Mande Frevett. I did ask the doctor. He said, "Aren't you satisfied"? I said, "No I'm not". So he said, "Then go ahead. It cannot harm the baby". I did carry her over there several times each day and within a short time we could see improvement. By cold weather I need go no more, our baby was well and growing fat.

When she was a year old Hattie took you five children across the street to the gallery and had the group taken. A cute little family to be proud of. That April 11, 1900 Howard was born. He was a nice strong baby and I could nurse him.

Now we had four babies in diapers. Fae was about trained. Now we had four under three years of age. Lou Morris, who later became Mrs. Dave O'Rourke, came asking for a job doing my housework. Such help was hard to find so in order to be sure of help when I did need it, I hired her one-week before I needed her. Then I was sick and when Howard was only a few days old she left after supper, after hiding the unwashed dishes in the warming oven, and never came back.

Gladys had started to school the fall before. She had long hair to braid and Sturges thought he never could do that so kept her at home. Hattie missed her and came down after school to see if she was sick. She stayed to get supper, put the children to bed and until after breakfast, when she got Gladys ready and they went to school.

Mrs. Bittner who lived above us came each morning to bathe and care for Howard. Sturges did for the other children the rest of the day. I was finally up doing as of yore. My mother came once during our dilemma.

Sturges wanted a better yard for the children as we lived on Main Street. Our front door opened on the public sidewalk. He finally rented a home in the N. W. part of town across the street from the Stoner home and we moved when Howard was three weeks old.

The next fall, Lura had graduated in the spring, she wanted me to let her come to our home and the two of us take in dressmaking. My machine was an old Singer mother had discarded so Sturges got me a used Domestic and we did a big business until after Christmas when Lura took sick and went home.

There was much dyptheria in town and we were keeping Gladys out of school. Now our next door neighbor had it and the same week Lura went home I became sick with a bad throat. I was making ice cream for the children when I first noticed it. That evening I told Sturges. The next morning I was even worse and he refused to go to work but sent word to Olie to come in from the farm and work his dray team. He caught a chicken and dressed it to make me some broth, as I could not swallow food. I was up and around. Howard was only nine months old and still nursing. During the afternoon he asked if it would be ok for him to go two blocks to the mill to see about some feed for the horses.

Eliza Benedict came to borrow a pattern and when I tried to talk I found I had no voice. She went home to tell my folks what a condition I was in and all alone with the children. So father being ill also asked her to get word to Dr. Henley to see me at once.

When Sturges returned and found me speechless he sent Olie for Dr. Henley but he was sick from a hard night before and his wife said "no" without consulting him so Olie then asked Dr Birney. He was new here and we had never had him. When Eliza asked Dr. Henley to come he went at once. Then Dr. Birney came and Sturges had to tell him another doctor was there. He went away peaceably. He and Dr. Henley were enemies. Dr. Henley was a young doctor and Birney wanted to drive him out of town.

Dr. Henley said I had dyptheria in its worst form, said I must not nurse Howard again. Gladys and Fae both had a little fever so he gave each a shot of antitoxin as he had me. He wanted to give Howard one but Sturges said "no" he was going to have enough trouble weaning the baby.

Aunt Betsy Swartwood heard of our troubles and came offering to do what she could. She did stay several weeks and did many things. Finally it came to the turning point and Sturges got word to Mrs. Mead, a practical nurse and my friend all through my school days.

She was ill and sent her husband who was a nurse in the Civil War and also my friend. He and Sturges worked all night. That old man never sat down if he had a minute to rest. He first leaned against the wall, he carried hot towels from the kitchen stove across the living room to the bedroom where I was. I heard everything said, was in dreadful misery only hoping each breath so difficult to get might be the last. I heard the old man say it was black dyptheria he had seen it in the army.

I heard Dr. Henley tell Sturges I was going to die because I could not swallow. I knew they thought because I could not talk I did not hear or understand. We were quarantined but after that one dreadful night I began to improve until I could eat a little, still no voice.

Dr. said I was out of danger and it would be ok for Sturges to be disinfected and go out to his work. Betsy stayed with us. Then one day I got a pleurisy pain and she sent for Dr. Henley. He was out of town so they got Dr. Birney. That was his first visit into our home. Sturges heard of him being called and broke all rules and came home and in the house. The quarantine was still on but my throat was well even if the Dr. did keep me in bed.

Then Howard, who seldom cried, screamed and no stopping him. Betsy sent for a Dr. and Birney came. He was soon better but still fussed when Betsy took him in her bed, so I made her understand I wanted him with me. She didn't like to have me bothered but he stopped fussing and slept all night. We decided he wanted me after he knew I was there. Betsy was tired and as soon as the quarantine was lifted and I was up, Sturges came home and Betsy left. Our home was once more in good health and happy being together again.

That spring we moved again to a house in the Seminary Addition two blocks west of the old Gannon home, and that summer I took in dressmaking and hired Bessie (Shimer) Crowell to help me. Later father Morphew's wanted to go to Minnesota on a visit and asked us to leave our home and go out to their home and care for their stock and thrash for them. We had done it the year before and I didn't want to but Sturges had promised, so we did go. Hattie and Lura helped me for the one meal we fed threshers and while Sturges had a good job working for the railroad, he had to take time off for his father's work.

I had been in poor health all the time we lived out there and now hayfever season had come and Sturges was very bad. We had a letter telling us to meet mother Morphew and Orva at the Junction. It was pouring rain. The horses had been in the yard but someway had gotten outside. Sturges was too short of breath to walk at all. When I told him I found the horses behind the neighbors barn he knew someone had let them out and didn't like to have me go into the barn to harness the team. I had to so I got Gladys up at midnight to carry the lantern for me. It still rained and I was soaked but I got the horses hitched to the surrey and Gladys and I started. It was so dark although our horses were gray, we could not see them. I walked and led them most of the way as I could not see the road ahead and the horses would not move unless I guided them. It was only two miles but we were hours on the road. The train was late and came in as we did. I suffered much fear that night but I think no more than my husband. He vowed then his father must look elsewhere for servants another time.

We went home very soon as we now had two little girls in school and Sturges had been taking them each morning while out there. Home seemed like heaven now and I was feeling worse by every day. February 24, 1902 Darlene came to live at our house.