From Mountain View to Off: The Story of Alice Madeline McMurtry Farmer

Life was bit simpler in Arkansas in the early 1900s, but for young Alice McMurtry, the days were adventurous and memorable. The stories compiled here tell of simple traditions and meaningful moments of time with her family. Alice, the daughter of a farmer ahead of his time and jack-of-all-trades, shares tidbits of her life growing up in the countryside outside Mountain View. The stories all lead up to when Alice meets and marries Rodney Willard Farmer before settling down in Clarence, Missouri where the generation of Farmers continues to grow until present day. Alice shares it all, from being bullied by the schoolgirls, to racing barefoot around the farm on the first day of April. Her young eyes witnessed so much, and the stories are told as though you are gathered around a campfire, listening to a loved one tell tales of back in the day. While it may not seem like much, it’s important for these stories to be passed on, to show how our family has changed and evolved, but also in many ways how things have stayed the same. We can still relate to the excitement of visiting grandparents or purchasing your first car. And though the stories are not long, Alice’s words can bring us a bit closer to the ancestors that came before us.