The Homestead

By Emma C. Clawson
dictated 12/31/1976

This is my life from 1910.
I was 11 years old and Louis was 9.

Dad had filed for a homestead so he took Louis and I up to the homestead. Mother and Loretta and Art stayed in Princeton - she was going to have a baby so they did not come until May 1911.

We took the train to Hackensack and then rode with the man that made the trip to Longville every other day. It was very cold and Louis and I were so cold that we cried.

I still wonder how parents could leave two kids up there all alone. Most of the time God must of protected us - no school - no neighbors - and 30 below most of the time.

Dad was hauling the things from Princeton and was gone most of the time. I did have to bake bread and whatever else I cooked I do not know - but we did survive.