Germany and Scotland Immigrants to Iowa

This book offers much more than an historical account of German and Scottish immigrants in Iowa. Margaret Krug Palen’s personal recollections of her German-Scottish family breathe life into this narrative that includes school days, family and community celebrations, medical care, the Great Depression, World War II, and much more. The author presents detailed accounts of farm life on an Iowa farm in the early twentieth century. Tending animals, growing crops, and maintaining farm buildings and agricultural equipment requires a substantial amount of daily labor and the entire family pitched in. Even young children had numerous daily chores that included gathering eggs, working in the garden, moving cattle, and helping with food preparation. This joint effort was rewarded with simple pleasures, strength of character, and steadfast bonds within the family and the community. In these decades before disposable technology and fast food, nothing was wasted: not time, not food, not possessions, not money.

These pages tell the story of the American Dream; the story of hard work rewarded. The author’s German father and Scottish mother retained the admirable traits of their native culture: frugality, a determined work ethic, and strong family values. Over the years, they owned successful farmland, raised a family, survived the Great Depression, and helped those less fortunate. A strong sense of American patriotism blended with an appreciation of family heritage is obvious. These pages include travels to Germany and Great Britain where the author researched her roots.

Chapters include: Discovering the Past, Blending American Cultures, Life in Germany, Centuries of Farmers, Twentieth Century USA, Prairie Life, The Changing Seasons, The Tall Corn State, Extended Family Years, Years of Change, Connecting With the Past, and Understanding Cultures. Very descriptive and a pleasure to read, this firsthand glimpse into an earlier time invites the reader to join in a homegrown meal, harvest corn, go on family picnics, marvel at prices, and listen to news of World War II on the radio. A wealth of photographs enhance the text.