Geneology and Historical Fiction: Questions of Character

     As a baby boomer I remember growing up with parents, grand parents and assorted aunts and uncles, each trying to out do the others with stories of the Great Depression. It stuck. In many respects I felt like I  already had a handle on "Dust and Roses" before I even started writing. Both sides of my family lived on small farms and so, was spared the worst that the Depression could meter out. Mom's side lived in Oklahoma that did not even get dust storms. Dad's side lived southwest of Wichita and did get numerous dust storms. So, the first books of research I started were histories of the 1930s and childhood memoirs of growing up during the Depression, especially on farms and in the Midwest. I also read a few "craft of fiction writing" books, so it was a learn-as-you-go endeavor on several fronts.

Coming up with a cast of characters was easy. Mom is still doing genealogy and I even did a family history paper in high school. That is a story in itself. I've also worked with different disabled populations over the years so life gave me a broad slate in terms of brainstorming characters.

     Uncovering the lives of ancestors and developing characters for a historical novel brings up the same questions: occupation, economic situation, religion, nearby towns, "the country" around, what to do for fun. All these things and more  affect character, both real and fictional. The world in which they live also becomes a process  of discovery. Both are full of surprises. 

To me, it is the people's stories and their changing world--not the headlines--that define history.

My writing group talked about character building yesterday. I got a handout on character building, which consisted of a series of questions. As I read the handout I realized these are good question life questions when interviewing for family story info. The more journalistic family tree detectives can use this as a tool. Or not. But think of the answers you might uncover!! So read the questions and adapt however you wish.

CHARACTER PROFILE QUESTIONS:
1. Relationship with parents. What does he/she hate/like most about their father/mother? What influence/opinion does the family have about him?
2. His brothers and sisters. Who were they? What was the relationship like with each? Who did he like and who did he despise? Why?
3. What type of discipline was he subjected to at home?
4. Was he overprotected or sheltered?
5. Did he feel affection or rejection as a child?
6. What were the economic conditions of the family?
7. What were the economic conditions like in the area around? Any difference?
8. What was the religious nature of the family? Does it change for the character over time?
9. What are his political beliefs?
10. Is he street smart, book smart, intelligent, savvy?
11. How does he seem himself? Smart, dumb, uneducated, slow?
12. What is his speech like? Vocabulary? Pronunciation?
13. How did he do in school? Best friends from school?
14. What sports, clubs, activities, was he involved with in school?
15. How far did he get in school? Any specialties?
16. What did he do for a living? What does he like/dislike about it? Is he a people person or good with numbers, tools, animals, computers?
17. Did her travel? Where, when, why?
18. Any military service? Where and when. Any stories?
19. What was his deepest disillusion in the past? What is it now?
20. What was his greatest life changing experience? What event affected him the most personally?

I will finish this tomorrow. Ten more questions to go. The source for these questions is from the National Novel Writing Month website.

Marion County Kansas, The County Farm: My model

Status of Dust and Roses: 46.000 words into my 2nd revision of Dust and Roses. The 1st revision was a read through with note taking. Still smoothing out big wrinkles. Suspect I'm only halfway through. This thing is growing bigger all the time. May have to cut it  back -- hope not.

RAY BRADBURY books are out!! For far too long the vintage Rad Bradbury has not been available. Sure, some of the later stuff, which, lets face it, is lame compared to the Good Stuff. I'm here to tell you, kiddies. Many of those wonderful and scary stories we read as kids are available again.
    
Yes sirree. Many, not all, of his best books are in Kindle, and I presume in print as well. Books include: The Illustrated Man, Something Wicked This Way Come, Fahrenheit 451, and The Martian Chronicles, I truly hope there will be another batch of Bradbury releases down the road. I've downloaded Dandelion Wine, October Country and Medicine for Melancholy so far.

Main Topic: The Marion County (KS) Farm.

The story Dust and Roses would not have been written without that trip to see the "county asylum" on Old Mill Road in Marion County. I need to get back there. The history of this poor farm is interesting. In 1888 Marion county voted to build a "poor asylum'' at equal distance from Marion, Peabody, and Hillsboro Kansas. It would be a three story limestone structure that would hold 6 men and 6 women.  Its doors were open in 1890 as a shelter for the poor, and the disabled. The farm had 160 acres, a quarter section, and the land was considered all tillable.

As a rule the verdict of history has fallen hard on poor farms, or county farms, as they were later called. Poor management, poor funding, dirty and ill kept; all these things did occur at many county farm, including some gigantic ones back east. They were called poorhouses or almshouses. Unruly children were threatened to be taken to the poorhouse if they did not behave. A poor reputation suited the county's purposes as well. After all, we don't want them to become a popular destination for people to go to, do we?


In the case of the Marion County Farm I would say cost of upkeep was one big factor in its demise. In the late 1940s it was closed for 2 years for renovating, probably electrification as well. It reopened in 1950 as "Cedar Rest," a name change to take away the stigma of "poor asylum." Much of the land was sold to pay for the renovations which included a new cement floor in the bottom floor. This floor would be an open area for all residents to be during the day. The two upper floors were where the rooms would be.

     My own take is that even though they existed from around 1820 to 1945 give or take, they eventually became obsolete. In 1935 Social Security became law and later expanded. This meant an old age pension for many of the older residents. And that's what many poor farms and poorhouses were becoming anyway, old folks homes. An old age pension meant they could get out and live in town where other services were available.

For the next 14 the county continued to manage Cedar Rest in much the same way when it was a poor farm. Cedar Rest would close in late 1964. More accountability, stiffer rules, more upkeep that would cost more in taxes meant the end. This date is a relatively late one for a rest home set out in the country to close. An auction was held in November 1964 to sell off the furnishings and remaining farm equipment.

After that the place was owned by different people and tried as different things including, a restaurant, VFW post, youth hostel, and rental property. Today, it is derelict. Although someone stills lives in the back.   For more info on Marion County Poor Farm as well as a treasure trove of other poor farms around the country see poorhousestory.com