Family |
Jacob C. Randall, b. 23 Jun 1883, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo, Ontario, Canada d. 27 Feb 1975, Cambridge, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (Age 91 years) |
- Appearing in the K-W Record abt. Sept 1961
PAIR WED 50 YEARS
Small Farmer Said 'Doomed'
Mr. and Mrs. Jacob C. Randall who are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary today, believe that today a successful farmer must operate on a big scale.
And the celebrants ought to know. They have been farming all their married days at RR 1, Preston.
"Like the supermarkets have replaced the corner store, so the big farmer is outdoing the small man", Mr. Randall said.
"Fifty years ago the little farmer could make a good living off the land- today he has to
have an education, a big farm and plenty of capital since machinery is so expensive".
When the Randalls started farming, they had 80 acres of land and everything from pigs and chickens to cows and horses. Now they have a modest seven acres having sold 70 to the Wellington-Waterloo Airport in 1948 and three acres to a son Lloyd, who built a house next door.
And hard work never killed anyone, the couple agree. They managed the chores themselves with their four sons helping out.
"We never had any hired help, and I even helped load grain, milk cows, and clean the stables when things got piled up." Mrs. Randall said.
Mr. and Mrs. Randall were wed at the home of the bride's parents, RR 1, Preston, where the couple have lived since their marriage.
She is the former Ida May Schiedel, a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Menno Schiedel, RR 1, Preston. Mr. Randall, 78, is a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Randall of Woolwich Township.
Their attendants were Mr. Randall's brother, the late Amos Randall, and Mrs. Randall's cousin, the late Mrs. Gerry Keffer. The late Bishop Jonas Snider of Waterloo officiated.
"Farming is not the only thing that has changed a great deal. The standard of living is about ten times as high," Mr. Randall said.
The couple, who have seven children, said it costs them as much for groceries today for just the two of them as it did years ago for the entire family.
"And a honeymoon then was as uncommon as no honeymoon today," he added.
He recalled the day after their marriage which entailed a trip to Berlin (Kitchener) to have photos taken; voting in the Dominion election when Sir Wilfred Laurier and his liberal government were defeated and later in the week in which they travelled by horse and buggy to visit Mrs. Randall's aunt at Puslinch Lake. Monday they were back to farming again.
The Randalls have four married sons, Layton of Baden, John of Kitchener, Lloyd, RR 1, Preston, and Elton, RR 2, Preston. Their daughters are Eileen of Preston, Mrs. Robert (Nora) Hammond of Galt, and Alice of Kitchener.
They have 13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Two of their sons are still engaged in farming-John was host at his farm for the International Plowing Match in 1954, the year hurrican (sic) Hazel whipped through the area.
Members fo Breslau Mennonite Church, the couple enjoy good health. In their spare time, Mr. Randall enjoys a simple stroll through the woods, while Mrs. Randall devotes her free hours to piecing quilts for relief.
Tonight the couple will be entertained at a dinner party at Zehr's restaurant with immedate families and close relatives present.
Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m., the couple will hold open house. They expect more than 200 friends will help them celebrate their golden anniversary.
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Children |
| 1. Marion Eileen Randall, b. 21 Mar 1912 d. 16 May 1997 (Age 85 years) |
+ | 2. Layton Randall, b. 16 Jul 1913 d. 27 Aug 1976 (Age 63 years) |
+ | 3. John Randall, b. 1915 d. Jun 1970 (Age 55 years) |
+ | 4. J. Lloyd Randall, b. 10 Nov 1918 d. 1994 (Age 75 years) |
+ | 5. Elton Leroy Randall, b. 2 Jun 1921 d. 7 Feb 2010, Kitchener, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (Age 88 years) |
+ | 6. Nora Mae Randall, b. 22 Mar 1925 d. 28 Dec 2019, Cambridge, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (Age 94 years) |
| 7. Alice Randall, b. 6 Jul 1930 d. 9 Mar 2012, Cambridge, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (Age 81 years) |
| 8. M. Randall |
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