A Story of the Ultimate Sacrifice
I was going through a box of newspaper clippings of Lila’s. There was a farm auction sale bill dated from January of 1944. I think you will find it very clever.
PUBLIC SALE
As I am sick and tired of farming and quarreling with my neighbors, I have joined the Navy and am going to end it all by offering the following to the highest bidder at my place, known as Poverty Point, located 2 miles south and ½ mile east of Center Point, Iowa.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 1944
Rain or shine but starting definitely at 1 pm. As will be seen, everything I offer displeases me in at least one respect, so naturally I will be glad to get rid of it.
THREE MILK COWS – Two large sized Brown Swiss and Jersey mixed. 5 and 6 yrs. old, all recently fresh and giving a good flow of milk. I have become quite weary of lugging in the heavy pails of milk that they produce; 1 Jersey heifer fresh some time ago. This one has a hole in one teat. Besides this, these cows insist on being milked twice daily, another drawback.
1 TEAM OF SMOOTH MOUTH WORK HORSES – These horses are so steady and reliable and so seldom want to rest, that it takes a good man to keep up with them. This is no team for a lazy man. Well matched; 1 black gelding, 1 gray mare. Hope they go to a good home.
1937 STUDEBAKER ½ TON PICKUP COMPLETE WITH STOCK RACK – I had this truck entirely reconditioned about 6 months ago, and it is in very fine shape. It has just one bad feature, it rides so easily that it induces drowsiness at the wheel.
PUMP-JACK WITH ½-HORSEPOWER ELECTRIC MOTOR – This combination is inclinded to make a man too soft and lazy.
ONE RUBBER-TIRED TRAILER WAGON WITH BOX AND SCOOP BOARD – The tires on this trailer are so good and the box is so poor that it makes a rather funny-looking outfit.
100 BU. CORN MORE OR LESS (PROBABLY LESS) – This corn didn’t yield quite like I expected, and furthermore, the cobs are so small that they are of little value as fuel.
ABOUT 100 BALES OF CLOVER HAY – This hay is entirely too fine as the stock eat it all up leaving none for bedding. Besides this, the bales are oversize, making it uncomfortable to handle.
ABOUT 90 WHITE ROCK PULLETS – These chickens are so nice and large that you would naturally expect them to lay more than an egg each day, but the sad fact is that they don’t and as eggs aren’t quite as high as they were. I will be glad to let them go.
BROODER HOUSE – After painting this building last summer, the color changed in the drying process to a very ghastly green.
A DOUBLE SET OF WORK HARNESESS – In good repair but entirely too heavy for any good use.
OIL BROODER – 500 size, requires too much attention.
218 STEEL POSTS –Most of these lack anchor plates and are not quite suited to the light soil that I have here.
1 NEW TWO-ROW DUSTING MACHINE – That throws such a fog that it irritates my hay fever symptoms.
COLD WATER SEPARATOR – Too small. Other articles not worth mentioning.
I will offer privately a custom-built No. 4 grade, ejector, 12-ga. Double barrel Ithaca shotgun with a liberal supply of shells and leather case. This gun sold new before the war for $150 and is in nearly perfect condition, but am sorry to admit that it has one bad fault. It handles so smoothly that it kills almost automatically, taking most of the sport out of hunting with it.
No free lunch nor anything of the kind. Terms Cash as I must report for duty Jan. 24.
Linden Hoglan, Owner
Glenn Hoglan, Auctioneer
John Ashlock, Clerk, Center Point
I called Lila and asked about the Linden Hogland Farm Sale Bill. Though his writing was funny, why a sixteen year old who lived in town keep a farm auction sale bill? She told me to dig a bit deeper in the box. I found the following.
I went to the Center Point , Iowa cemetery to view the headstone of Linden D. Hoglan.
Buried next to him was his wife, Elsie Hoglan, a widow for forty-eight years, who raised two children without their father.
To the right of Linden and Elsie Hoglan headstones were the headstones of Linden’s parents, Inez and Herman Hoglan. Inez Hoglan had a Gold Star Mother Medallion next to her headstone. Inez and Herman Hoglan were without a son for forty-nine years.
To the left of Linden and Elise were additional reminders of sacrifices made. There was the headstone of William E. Durow, who served as part of the 25th Balloon Service during World War 1.
Next to him was Dwight William Cook, who died in Vietnam in 1972.
Why do I know this? His mother Mary Cook’s headstone was to the right, with a Gold Star Mother Medallion, next to her husband Donald, who served in World War 2 and Korea.
Here was a study of the Ultimate Sacrifice made by so many in plain view in a small-town cemetery in Iowa. Without fanfare, without accolades. Few flowers or flashy headstones. Just some small metal medallions, stating plainly that a veteran gave his life, a wife lost her husband, children lost their father, and mothers and fathers lost their children.
For us.
Be Blessed!