As I Remember It: Growing Up in 1890's Iowa - Softcover

About the Author Irene Merrill Mason was born 28 October 1888 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. When she was about two years old the family moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa and then to Webster City, Iowa. It was here that she grew up, went to school and spent her young life. On 28 October 1909 she married Leonard Nelson Mason who was born in Webster City 28 October 1887. They had four children there; Merrill Bridgeman, Robert E., Elizabeth and Maris Jack. In 1929 during the Great Depression, the family moved to Blandford, Massachusetts where Leonard had been hired to manage a farm for a wealthy landowner. Eventually thay bought a large chicken farm in Blandford and finished raising the children there. During this time as a farm wife, Irene was able to find time to write two children’s books in addition to articles for the Farm Journal magazine. She eventually found her writing niche in the Springfield Republican newspaper with a weekly Sunday column entitled “Down To Earth” where she wrote about life on the farm, raising her family and rural living. Although she never became the well known published book author she may have dreamed of in her youth, she had a large and loyal following of readers of her “Down To Earth” column over a period of more than 25 years. In this book are her writings about her childhood which she had always hoped to publish. The Compilers David M. Mason and Marilyn M. LaCamera are the children of Merrill B. Mason. the eldest son of Irene and Leonard. They grew up in Blandford, Massachusetts just a quarter mile from their grandmother’s home where they spent many hours and days there listening to tales of Iowa and her youth. Upon discovering her manuscript for this book, it was in her memory that they decided to put the writings into a publishable format. Many hours were spent re-typing from a faint copy and then gathering photographs and documents to accompany the stories. It is hoped the reader will envision and enjoy these life stories about growing up in 1890’s Iowa.