Creating Fiction from History -

This photo would have been a somewhat familiar scene in 1942 Kansas. However, this was not Kansas, though it was 1942. On the small New Jersey farmstead of Don and Lois Hottinger, the harvest was better than usual. The spring rains (not too much)and the summer heat (not too hot) had worked together to provide Lois and Don with the biggest and best harvest they’d seen with their own eyes.

Lois had heard tell of her great-grandparents, the Oglethorpes, bringing in over 50 bushels per acre. That historic and almost unheard of yield came in the early years of the decade leading up to what is now called The Civil War. The combine Hiram Moore had patented in 1935 had helped the Oglethorpes immensely in that banner year of 1848. In 1848, the combine had been pulled through the wheat fields by a double-team of mules. Almost 100 years later, the Hottingers were able to bring in their wheat a bit more economically.

Although both their sons had been called off to Europe to help in the war effort there, the Hottingers were able, with the help of a couple of neighbors, to bring in a bit over 48 bushels per acre in the year 1942. This was in thanks to the latest iteration of Mr. Moore’s invention, God rest his soul!

If you would like to create fiction from history with one of the museum’s photos, please contact the Ledger at (406) 287-5301 or email whledger@gmail.com.