Edith Mildred Moreland

Edith came to South Dakota to care for her Uncle Milo Willey's and Mary Arnold Willey's children in Kimball, SD. She later moved to Mitchell and lived with the Snyders on South Wisconsin St. She attended Dakota Wesleyan University to be a teacher on a two year degree. In the meantime she met James Moreland, a railroad man, Chicago Milwaukee and Pacific Railroad Company through the Snyder's. He was attending the Salvation Army and played drums in their band. Being a railroad the Snyders said Edith should take him serious and marry him, which she did on April 26, 1915 in the Snyder's backyard. They lived the rest of their lives in Mitchell. They were married at the Presbyterian Church by a Rev. Williams, I believe. My Dad's father lived with them until his death. He was walking home from downtown during the Corn Palace Festival one night and got lost on 7th and Minnesota. They didn't find his body until morning. I don't remember the year, of course, must have been after 1918 because I wasn't born as yet. She at one time took care of Jesse Dethlefs, when he was a baby and later the owner of Dethlef's flower shop. She did laundry for a photographer, Eliason Photography, in town. That was the only job I believe she ever had. They finally built a house at 621 West 14th Ave. before I was born. They bought the lot from Cassem, owner of a lot of property in the northwest part of town. Later moved it to the front of the lot and raised chickens in the back yard. My father bought his first car when he was 64 years old, a 1938 Chevy. I drove it and ran into the corner of the Asher Coal Company building at the end of Rowley Street, down by the Milwaukee Depot. No serious damage, I was about 14 at the time. He still let me drive it again. You didn't need a driver's license at that time, just a permit. He lived to be 84 and retired from the depot probably around the age of 75. He had to have part of his left leg amputated when he was about 80 in 1957 I think it was, due to gangarene. He still managed to drive his car and go up and down the stairs. He was quite a remarkable little man considering he only went to school up to the age of 10 as his mother died when he was 10 years old. My mother continued to live in the house after his death and when Dave retired from the Air Force, we moved back from Topeka, KS and lived with her. We helped her out and she helped us out. We are still living in that "old" house, a homestead. Many families have lived in that house, the Judstra's lived in it while Mom was with us in Topekla after the birth of the twins while their house was being built across the street on 14th Ave. Then when Dave retired form the service in May 1964 after 20 years, 2 months and 20 days in the military, we moved into the house and have lived there every since. Our six children grew up in that little house and got their start in life

there. In fact two of our grandchilren grew up there, Melissa Livingston, Tyler Garton and even Nathan Harder lived there for a short time. It has certainly seen it's days of service.