Matheny, Ralph 1

When my grandfather, Clifford Matheny, moved his family from Meeker County to Beltrami County in Minnesota in about 1904, he built a log house.  Several of his children were born in that house, including Dad.  Here is my dad as a baby, held by his sister, Clarice, who was three years old at that time of 1911/1912, sitting in front of the original house.  Dad told me that later, his father built another house around the log house, tearing down sections of the one as the new house was being built.

           

The photo below is of my dad and his sister, Clarice.  Dad said at that time, baby boys were clothed in dresses until they were old enough to manage the button closures on their long pants.

This next photo shows Dad and his brother Bruce, standing on a ladder.  Dad is the one on top.  The family was never wealthy and that can be seen by the condition of the boy's clothes.  I realize that now, holes in jeans are a fashion statement, but at that time, it was a sign of poverty.  The family didn't live in poverty, but as the two youngest boys in a family of five boys, and where outgrown clothing was passed down, by the time overalls reached the last kid in line, they likely were nearly worn out.

The two boys wearing overalls are my dad - the smallest - and his brother Kenneth.  I don't know who the rest of the people are.  Dad, in talking about this photo, told me that before the photo was taken, he had thrown a hissy fit.  Seems the overalls he was wearing were his new "work overalls" and he didn't want to get them wet.

The photo below was taken next to the small one room schoolhouse that the Matheny children attended up through the 8th grade.  I don't know who the three girls on the left are, nor do I recognize the kid in the hat.  The others, from right to left are Ralph (looking at his hands).  Right behind him is his brother, Bruce.  Next to him are Kenneth and Keith - twins.  The little girl in front of Keith is their sister, Clarice.

Dad went to school through the 8th grade.  He didn't further his education but went to work on his family farm or at other jobs to add to the family finances.  That was common practice for farm families at that time.  Some of the girls went on to be educated, usually as schoolteachers.  Dad's oldest sister, Lois, taught at the local country school when Dad was a student.  He said it was tough to get away with any shenanigans then, as his teacher / sister would go home and tell their Dad on him.