David F Wallace (my grandfather) was an amazing person. I am happy that I knew him. I wish I could have been closer. longer. In his last hours Esther called me and said, you better come see your grandpa. He suffered terrible raging emphysema, common for an ex smoker. He did quit but the damage was done. I went to visit and we talked for about 2 hours, he relating story after story, all fascinating. Most we farm related.
He farmed all his life, corn, soybeans, hogs and a cow or two. Chicken/ eggs was the last venture. He tore down the Wapello schoolhouse to take the lumber to build the 100X40 chicken house. He farmed 700 acres once with two seasonal hired hands (crops only). One would drive the tractor - planter, one would stand at the far end of the row (1/4 mile minimum) and grandpa would stay and the close end. There he would tune the tractor to get a few more miles out of it and retune most return laps. The tractor was an F30 Farmall and rusty junk. But it would pull the planter up and back, then retune, over and over. The planted operated by trip wire. every 30 inch or so a knot in the wire would trip the planter and two seeds would drop. It takes a while to do 80 acres, move the wire every row. then do it again, then again. He could have bought a new 80 horse and a 4 bottom BUT, he would have to borrow money. This he NEVER did. All his equipment was junk and all ground rented but at the end of the season the money from the farm, less rental, was his. He never paid interest to anyone!
1930 to 1940 this habit stood him well. Prices collapsed and banks went under. Debt however never goes away. Someone will pull your mortgage and your collateral (usually the farm). As he never owed, he didn't lose and he survived the depression intact. One story is he brought home a $1000 bill. That was a lot of money in 33'. All of us are capable of showing off now and then.
He drank quite a bit for several years. One time he was walking a side street in Muscatine and a bar door opened and a drunk fell out on the side walk and couldn't stand. He made a spectacle, floundering around for all to see. Grand pa told a friend " I'm glad I don't look like that when I drink". Friend said " the heck you don't"! Grandpa never drank again!
We were apart for many years, these things happen and later comes regret. If only a few hours of a day could have gone differently. I am happy to give an little account of D F Wallace here on these pages.
David F Wallace (my grandfather) was an amazing person. I am happy that I knew him. I wish I could have been closer. longer. In his last hours Esther called me and said, you better come see your grandpa. He suffered terrible raging emphysema, common for an ex smoker. He did quit but the damage was done. I went to visit and we talked for about 2 hours, he relating story after story, all fascinating. Most we farm related.
He farmed all his life, corn, soybeans, hogs and a cow or two. Chicken/ eggs was the last venture. He tore down the Wapello schoolhouse to take the lumber to build the 100X40 chicken house. He farmed 700 acres once with two seasonal hired hands (crops only). One would drive the tractor - planter, one would stand at the far end of the row (1/4 mile minimum) and grandpa would stay and the close end. There he would tune the tractor to get a few more miles out of it and retune most return laps. The tractor was an F30 Farmall and rusty junk. But it would pull the planter up and back, then retune, over and over. The planted operated by trip wire. every 30 inch or so a knot in the wire would trip the planter and two seeds would drop. It takes a while to do 80 acres, move the wire every row. then do it again, then again. He could have bought a new 80 horse and a 4 bottom BUT, he would have to borrow money. This he NEVER did. All his equipment was junk and all ground rented but at the end of the season the money from the farm, less rental, was his. He never paid interest to anyone!
1930 to 1940 this habit stood him well. Prices collapsed and banks went under. Debt however never goes away. Someone will pull your mortgage and your collateral (usually the farm). As he never owed, he didn't lose and he survived the depression intact. One story is he brought home a $1000 bill. That was a lot of money in 33'. All of us are capable of showing off now and then.
He drank quite a bit for several years. One time he was walking a side street in Muscatine and a bar door opened and a drunk fell out on the side walk and couldn't stand. He made a spectacle, floundering around for all to see. Grand pa told a friend " I'm glad I don't look like that when I drink". Friend said " the heck you don't"! Grandpa never drank again!
We were apart for many years, these things happen and later comes regret. If only a few hours of a day could have gone differently. I am happy to give an little account of D F Wallace here on these pages.
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