Hello Betty--I've intended to write a note to you. I can't remember asking you if you knew John (Jack) Richards, or, perhaps his brother, Charles. I believe they had 2 or 3 other siblings---all growing up in the Weldon area. Hope this finds you well---keeping warm in that cold, Iowa weather you've been having. -Sherry > [Original Message] > From: Betty Wallace <betewal@grm.net> > To: <IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com> > Date: 12/22/2005 5:44:34 PM > Subject: [IADECATU] Thank you > > Hi to all and a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! > > > > I want to say thank you for all the notes about the good old days, Iowa > slamg. language etc.. > at 80 and having lived in southern Iowa 74 years , most of it in Decatur > Co.and having ancesters > on both sides coming to Decatur Co. in the 1850s, some befor, you know I > have heard a lot of these > and a few more. My sister and I talked about writing a book listing all the > words and odd sayings. > We didn't do it but if someone does It would be great to have. I wish I had > saved these e-mails. > I too use some words and lines that make people wonder where I come from. > One woman said to me > " I can sure tell you come from Iowa , you Talk just like my husband" It > was not a compliment. > Again thank you for a fun time > > Betty from Weldon > > > ==== IADECATU Mailing List ==== > Stacey Dietiker, Momdit@aol.com: Decatur County List Administrator, > Website Coordinator, Decatur County IA Genweb - http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx

Hi to all and a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I want to say thank you for all the notes about the good old days, Iowa slamg. language etc.. at 80 and having lived in southern Iowa 74 years , most of it in Decatur Co.and having ancesters on both sides coming to Decatur Co. in the 1850s, some befor, you know I have heard a lot of these and a few more. My sister and I talked about writing a book listing all the words and odd sayings. We didn't do it but if someone does It would be great to have. I wish I had saved these e-mails. I too use some words and lines that make people wonder where I come from. One woman said to me " I can sure tell you come from Iowa , you Talk just like my husband" It was not a compliment. Again thank you for a fun time Betty from Weldon

ditto on the thanks for reminding me of "trading". Every Saturday morning had to take the eggs and cream in to the produce to trade.....generally for some feed and a little money.....mac ----- Original Message ----- From: <KD6DKC@aol.com> To: <IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 10:39 AM Subject: Re: [IADECATU] The old days > > In a message dated 12/20/05 9:40:23 PM, BRWest@aol.com writes: > > > > In > > Missouri where we lived, everyone did their trading instead of shopping. In > > those days, you would trade your eggs or cream for groceries. > > > BR, > Thanks for causing the trade-vs.-shopping expression to resurface in my > mind. As a kid (1940s), store advertising often told how they appreciated > "your trade" or "trading here," and while actual swapping of goods was no longer > intended (in Los Angeles, anyway), I just accepted that choice of words and > never stopped to realize what it originally meant. > By the way, my Iowa grandmother used to make dresses from "a nice piece > of goods" that she bought off a "bolt" at the "dry goods" store, which often > had a "notions & sundries" counter. I wonder how many people would understand > those expressions nowadays. Rick > > > ==== IADECATU Mailing List ==== > Stacey Dietiker, Momdit@aol.com: Decatur County List Administrator, > Website Coordinator, Decatur County IA Genweb - http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu > > ============================== > Census images 1901, 1891, 1881 and 1871, plus so much more. > Ancestry.com's United Kingdom & Ireland Collection. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13968/rd.ashx

I am looking foir any one who might have a Bertha McElwee in their family. She was born 1873 and died 1947 but I do ot know where. She married a Homer William Shaof December 14, 1894. Homer was born Oct 8, 1872 ,OH. and died 1955. Thanks in advance, Wanda Wanda __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

I'm not sure this was an Iowa expression, but a dear old friend from my teens when asked if he had had enough to eat would say "I've had a flippancy floppancy and anything else would be a superfloody" Anyone ever hear of that?? A Texas friend after seeing a car wreck at the hot rod track said "Boy, that sure came all from together" Donna in OR

In a message dated 12/20/05 9:40:23 PM, BRWest@aol.com writes: > In > Missouri where we lived, everyone did their trading instead  of shopping. In > those days, you would trade your eggs or cream for groceries. > BR, Thanks for causing the trade-vs.-shopping expression to resurface in my mind. As a kid (1940s), store advertising often told how they appreciated "your trade" or "trading here," and while actual swapping of goods was no longer intended (in Los Angeles, anyway), I just accepted that choice of words and never stopped to realize what it originally meant. By the way, my Iowa grandmother used to make dresses from "a nice piece of goods" that she bought off a "bolt" at the "dry goods" store, which often had a "notions & sundries" counter. I wonder how many people would understand those expressions nowadays. Rick

Wanda - I love it that you put "fer" in your email. My grandma said that and I find myself saying it here and there. Usually it's when I'm talking about how "fer" away things are! :)) Stacey D.

Does anybody remember Van Wert being called "Squeedunk"?? My Dad always called it that... He had 'pet' names for just about everything -- always joking!! When asked how he was doing -- he'd always say, "Fair to Middlin".. When sick, he had "Hickus of the Bickus"... The oilcloth for the kitchen table, at my Grandma's, came from the 'Dime Store'... Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert

With great enjoyment I have been reading the e-mails. My children always tell me I have reverted back to the "South Iowa Brogue" when ever I return from Iowa. Can that be true?? Does anyone else do it? When our granddaughter was about 3-4 we were going shopping and she was in a big hurry and I said "Oh hold your taters". She had no idea what that meant. My grandmother used to say to hold your horses also. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sherry Balow" <balowmsg@earthlink.net> To: <IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 10:14 PM Subject: [IADECATU] Re: Iowa Brogue > My 2-cents: > > I left Iowa as a 5-6 year old and don't believe I have any trace of > "Ioway-nian" in my dialectal utterings, however, I STILL have people ask > me > where I'm from! (54 years later.) Having this discussed here reminded me > of my Mom's name...Dorothy----always pronounced "Door-thy" EXCEPT by my > great-grandmother, (and also Auntie Em in the Wizard of Oz), who > pronounced > it "Dar-ah-thy". My great-grand was born and raised in Van Wert so I'm > wondering if "Dar-ah-thy" is how it's typically pronounced in Iowa, (and > Kansas). Anyone know? > > Just got several inches of rain in Northern Calif---some snow in the > mountains---so looks like we'll get to use our ski passes afterall! > Missed > the rain since we were in Southern Calif., but we're back now and READY > for > Christmas. Hope everyone is enjoying "the season". > > Sherry > > > > > balowmsg@earthlink.net > NOW BLOGGING > http://www.settlethedust.blogspot.com/ > > "Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed > until it is faced." > - James A. Baldwin > > > > > > > > > ==== IADECATU Mailing List ==== > Stacey Dietiker, Momdit@aol.com: Decatur County List Administrator, > Website Coordinator, Decatur County IA Genweb - > http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu > > ============================== > New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your ancestors > at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. Learn more: > http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429 >

In Marie West notes she refers to "tradin". My father had a grocery store in a small town in Afton, Iowa and he would buy eggs from the farmers. If they took the egg money out in groceries he would pay them 2 cents a dozen more than the posted price at the Farmers Co-op. We didn't sack too many groceries back in those days. We would use the farmers 30 dozen or 15 dozen egg cases to put his groceries in or used the boxes that groceries came in when stocking the store. Darrell/Omaha

Trace, I get the same thing. And I can always tell when someone is from Wisconsin or Illinois. It's just something about how they pronounce certain words or phrases. They are always surprised when I tell them I know where they're from. Very interesting! Jan

Enjoying this talk about language, oil cloths, ice wagons, etc. Lynnea, I've never heard we Iowans spoke with a Scandinavian lilt. Will have to relate this to my husband whose name is Tor and is from the Swedish part of Finland. He'll get a good laugh but I don't think he will agree. He's been to Leon to visit my relatives and enjoyed the people and the countryside. I want to go back again! My cousin, Nancy, from Leon just informed me that Mary McDaniel passed away Sunday. She was 101 years old. I used to stay overnight at her house when she lived down the road from my Grandparents farm in Eden Township. Her daughter, Carolyn, and I were about the same age. We had so much fun riding her horse and goofing around! Well, Merry Christmas to eveyone on the list. This is, of course, my favorite list and my favorite county in Iowa - Decatur! Jan Lund Jan4Gen@verizon.net

Note from Mom, after reading Donna's email Golly kids, this sounds like when I was growing up, We didn't have refrigeration when I was young until I was 13 or 14, then it was called a coolerator, we had to buy ice from the ice man that went thru the country or town and you put your ice wanted sign in the window to tell him you needed ice. When I was real young , my mom always put the left overs in the cellar or in the middle of the table and covered with a dish towel or tablecloth. Having 6 children, there wasn't many left overs, She always bought an oil cloth for the table in a pretty pattern every year and every two years we bought a new 9x12 linoleum rug for the kitchen floor. and tried to match the oil cloth to the linoleum(sp) boy, do I need spell check on this computer, I use to have it, but not on this program. When little Louellen started to school. She talked like this and her teacher went to visit Warren and Nadine one day and she went back and said I can see why she talks that way and after listening to Warren, I just give up. Warren and Helen were much worse than the rest of us . Helen and family came to visit us when we lived in Minneapolis one time, we were gone, so Helen went across the street to see if the neighbors knew where we were. Helen said to Pearl, they probably went to do their trading. Pearl and Len never did get over that. They sure had a laugh out of it. In Missouri where we lived, everyone did their trading instead of shopping. In those days, you would trade your eggs or cream for groceries. These were good old days and our people had hearts of Gold. Marie West

Ohhh, don't even get me started on my Grandpa Palmer drinking his coffee out of his saucer!!! My Father used to Drink his Coffee out of his saucer! He'd said it cooled the coffee faster that way! But he used Young'un's, Teached you, and Younder as much as anyone but he got an education as an adult from his older kids on what was proper! He actually did want to loose that MO IA drawl! Pauline, still in Iowa ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mom Wade" <mnpwade@verizon.net> To: <IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 8:34 PM Subject: [IADECATU] language > This language business is so much fun. We always knew when it was spring > when I was a child because Grandma Rose Palmer would go to the J.C. Penney > store in Gresham Oregon and get a new "oilcloth" for the table. This was > a slick washable cover for her kitchen table and it HAD to have a rose > pattern. At the end of each meal, whatever was left over was put in the > middle of the table and a dish cloth was put over it. If you got hungry > before the next meal you just lifted up the dish cloth and helped > yourself. Ohhh, don't even get me started on my Grandpa Palmer drinking > his coffee out of his saucer!!! Donna in OR > > > ==== IADECATU Mailing List ==== > Stacey Dietiker, Momdit@aol.com: Decatur County List Administrator, > Website Coordinator, Decatur County IA Genweb - > http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu > > ============================== > Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for > ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx > >

Its sad that the Gresham Penny's store is closed and vacant for a long time. I think they are trying to put something else in there like a Trader Vic store. Penny's was the only store that my dad would take me to get shoes. Barry

actually, the girls got the "lickins", the boy's got "whippins"......grown men got "beatins"....and, of course, little kids got "spankins"......mac (no pun intended up there for all those of you with those kinds of minds..... ----- Original Message ----- From: <LDickin628@aol.com> To: <IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 9:48 PM Subject: Re: [IADECATU] Iowa brouge > > In a message dated 12/19/2005 9:35:02 P.M. Central Standard Time, > wmyers2005@yahoo.com writes: > > I can still hear my folks and my grandparents saying all the familiar words > yo'all have put on the site. I use a lot and I get a lot of flack from some > of my grandkids. But so be it. There is a lot to say fer the way we all talk. > I have lived in Warshington fer a good many years and I helped my mom with > the warshing every Monday mornin makin sure the cloths were hung out right fer > fear of a lickin if we didn't. > Wanda > > > > My goodness, Wanda .... I do believe that you are confusing Iowa speak with > eubonics. Had I spoken as a child, such as you note, my parents would not > have given me a lickin', but certainly would have reprimanded me! For the most > part, native Iowans speak with a bit of a Scandinavian lilt. > Lynnea > > > ==== IADECATU Mailing List ==== > Stacey Dietiker, Momdit@aol.com: Decatur County List Administrator, > Website Coordinator, Decatur County IA Genweb - http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu > > ============================== > Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. > New content added every business day. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx

All us nieces and nephews call our Aunt Dorothy Schoonover, Aunt "dor a thee.... but the "thee" is not pronounced like the biblical "thee".....come to think of it, i don't know how to spell it like it sounds......mac ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sherry Balow" <balowmsg@earthlink.net> To: <IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 10:14 PM Subject: [IADECATU] Re: Iowa Brogue > My 2-cents: > > I left Iowa as a 5-6 year old and don't believe I have any trace of > "Ioway-nian" in my dialectal utterings, however, I STILL have people ask me > where I'm from! (54 years later.) Having this discussed here reminded me > of my Mom's name...Dorothy----always pronounced "Door-thy" EXCEPT by my > great-grandmother, (and also Auntie Em in the Wizard of Oz), who pronounced > it "Dar-ah-thy". My great-grand was born and raised in Van Wert so I'm > wondering if "Dar-ah-thy" is how it's typically pronounced in Iowa, (and > Kansas). Anyone know? > > Just got several inches of rain in Northern Calif---some snow in the > mountains---so looks like we'll get to use our ski passes afterall! Missed > the rain since we were in Southern Calif., but we're back now and READY for > Christmas. Hope everyone is enjoying "the season". > > Sherry > > > > > balowmsg@earthlink.net > NOW BLOGGING > http://www.settlethedust.blogspot.com/ > > "Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed > until it is faced." > - James A. Baldwin > > > > > > > > > ==== IADECATU Mailing List ==== > Stacey Dietiker, Momdit@aol.com: Decatur County List Administrator, > Website Coordinator, Decatur County IA Genweb - http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu > > ============================== > New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. Learn more: http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429

This language business is so much fun. We always knew when it was spring when I was a child because Grandma Rose Palmer would go to the J.C. Penney store in Gresham Oregon and get a new "oilcloth" for the table. This was a slick washable cover for her kitchen table and it HAD to have a rose pattern. At the end of each meal, whatever was left over was put in the middle of the table and a dish cloth was put over it. If you got hungry before the next meal you just lifted up the dish cloth and helped yourself. Ohhh, don't even get me started on my Grandpa Palmer drinking his coffee out of his saucer!!! Donna in OR

I'm 26 and I remember when I first went off to college. Everyone thought I was from Missouri or Arkansas. Of course most of my friends were from northern Iowa & they had accents that sounded like they were from Minnesota or Wisconsin. I was the first time I was ever teased about the way I talked. Wash is still pronounced "Warsh" to me. Orange used to be pronounced "OOH rean gee" Creek is "Crik" (Had to watch Dawson's Crik.) Cement is "Sea-ment" These are just a few to mention. I still use You-ins and for kids under 15, they are "utes" to some people. Over yonder is one that Grandad (Issac E. Martin) always used. I can't think of anymore at the top of my head. Bonafide, educated Redneck, Tracie in Ames, IA :) P.S. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to ALL!!!!! :) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

I've been getting a 'kick' out of hearing what the native Iowans have been sharing.. My Dad grew up outside of Van Wert and he had some really -- goofy/funny terms he would use. I was letting my 3 -- 30-50 pound dogs out this morning, and of course they all wanted to get to the door at the same time. Out of the recesses of my brain came the phrase -- "Well, Katie Bar the Door"!!! I actually laughed at myself and wondered why that came to mind?? I hadn't thought of it in ages. My Dad used to say that all the time.. I walk my 3-6 miles every day in the snow and crisp air of southern Indiana, and love it. I love the seasonal changes. Guess I'll never be a 'snow bird' ha.. Oh, I lived in Pella, Iowa for 4 years -- and talk about brogue! I never did learn to roll my "rrrrrrrrrr's" correctly.. Have a wonderful Christmas. My Best Regards, Nancee