Avoiding the Draft in WWI

Buying a farm to keep Ryle out of the war

Unexpected consequences—near foreclosure

In a tight-knit community of Scotch-Irish settlers, JL’s actions in 1934 were surprising. He went to church with JFM, served on the same session, in fact but perhaps the frugal Scotch Calvinist roots bore the answer. Twas preordained…why else would he be sitting by the door of the bank on that fateful day?

It all began in 1918. The draft was taking young men from across the county. Only those actively engaged in farming were being spared and active engagement didn’t mean working on a farm, it meant being the owner operator who worked the farm. JFM had four sons; WFM was in college apparently safe for now and EWM was in high school but two had graduated from Iowa State College in 1914 and were at risk. To complicate the situation, RSM had a new bride, his high school sweetheart. When 80 Acres came available adjacent to the 272 that JFM already had the solution was obvious. Mortgage the existing farm to buy the additional farm so that RSM would become an official farmer. In fact, the land was purchased in the name of both RSM and TBM but only one could be officially the “farmer” and RSM had a wife.

For about three or four years, the land looked like a good investment and it did keep RSM out the army. But then the price began to fall year after year until it was less than 50% of the price paid in 1918. The price for corn and livestock failed well before the 1929 Wall Street crash but the bank still had to be paid. And the banker was JL’s cousin. Remember JL; why was he at the bank door?

TBM had a girl friend in Des Moines. They wanted to get married; but TBM was living at home. ALL the income from both farms that wasn’t needed for farming expenses was going into the mortgage payment…and it wasn’t enough for the mortgage let alone obligations of marriage.

Fortunately, MFRHM had a teaching position in Perry. She had just enough in savings to make up the shortfall on the mortgage payment. So JFM was able to walk into the banker’s office in Carlisle knowing that the farm would not be lost, would not become another foreclosed farm.

But no one in the family would know why JL sat outside the door that day.

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