An oral history of Hearn rural farm life
 Listen to the humor and insight of James Daniel Hearn's son - Lloyd. None of these voices are with us any longer. We honor their legacy as we listen to their lives.
Voices

Home
Family
Faces
Voices
Reunions
Interview
Great Story
Links
Books

A priceless interview
made by
Dr. Norman E. Hearn
of his father and mother
Lloyd & Opal Hearn.
Together they recall life on the Michigan farm with their father
James Daniel Hearn.
Recorded
December 29, 1966.
The entire interview may be heard
in segments by clicking on each link below:
     
Left: The original Hearn homestead in Bethany, Gratiot County, Michigan
about 1910. Most of the structures remain today.
  01 A Little Dog - Little Judy's Story 18 Preferences 35 Farm Horses Frank and Fry frolics
  02 Introductions - Norm, Lloyd & Opal 19 Siblings 36 Milking Cows in the summertime
  03 First Recollection of dad's watch 20 Health and Farming 37 Navy Blue Suit
  04 James Daniel's terrible eyesight 21 Stolen White Oaks 38 No shopping
  05 Fish Peddler from the old Country 22 Food favorites & funny habits 39 Sent to Ann Arbor by train
  06 Dad loved to read poetry 23 Pennsylvania Dutch mixed dishes 40 Lloyd's Hospital Adventure
  07 Travels twice to America 24 Letters from Lafcadio 41 Cameras and Guns
  08 From Ohio Flour Mill to Michigan 25 Drawing a deer without art ability 42 Year of Highlights
  09 Missed calling and best farmer 26 Dad plays the accordion 43 Given control of the farm as a teen
  10 Tilling the farm by hand 27 A great chess player 44 Clearing the land
  11 The faster corn husker 28 Dinner Time 45 Just like Lafcadio
  12 Hoeing beans in the summer 29 His last days 46 Spiting' Fence Posts
  13 Reading until midnight 30 No One like Him - Opal’s Impressions 47 Talking about home
  14 Declaration Day ride to church 31 Wedding Hilarity 48 Family connections
  15 On Religion 32 Money matters & first car 49 More about Lafcadio's letters
  15 The Rainbow Sermon 33 Wanting a Bicycle - Lost steers 50 Hearn Family in Ireland
  17 Horses afraid of the cars 34 Cows in the Garden - Mother Cried 51 Writing to Aunt Lil