Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-08-07
Large Family Of
Large Children
DweN Together
Special to Times-Repub,,can.

Carson, Aug. THE Fender fam
lily OF Ave grown sons tlnd five grown
daughters. all unmarried. and all
ten OF unusual size, wlao reside on
"a farm near Carson. appear to get as
much enjoyment out OF life as the
ordinary mortal despite their oelibacy
and ample proportionsA; The mem in
the family are Of suoh i,ize that dur
ing the world war but ono Of them
was able to get into the, army.
y Other, features Of this family out
OF the ordinary serve to make the
members objects Of interest. The
home Is located In a secluded spot
but where nature seems to have
strived to make up FOL, the otherwise
appearance OF loneliness. Tho family
consists Of Mrs. John Fender, "A: her
son, John Fender and his wife and
children, Elmer. Algie. Mary, Arthur,
Clarence, Glenn, Blarlche, Madge,
Forest and Ruby FENDER. The
grandfather, John Fender, came to
Iowa after the civil war. He died in
1907.
operates 50o-acre ftll.m and Is the
i proprietor Of a grain elevator at Car
son and IN addition produces fine
grade Roam Pole cattle
Jshn Fender, thirteen years ago, on
his deathbed asked his wife to
promise TO keep the place like 1t was
then. The woman promised and she
has kept that pledge for thirteen
years, altho the place has long since
been unoccupied. Mrs. Fender makes
weekly trips to the old home, almost
two miles from. the home Of her son,
where she puts In rni,0t Of day
busting the furniture. sometimes re-
arranging O piece or two. scrubbing
the kitchen floor and seeing that the
curtains are In place END that every
thing about the houss Is IN order.
She also has little flower garden In
the yard which she cares for as In
the days when her husband was
there to enjoy the flowers. On a
plush couch where her husband died
she keeps a coverlet. ''Just before he
died." she said to ii visitor the
othar day, che hung lis coat and
vest and hat where lie had always
hung them. For years left them
Just as he had arranged them, but
some one stole the hat and coat. But
keep the home Just els It was when
we lived here, as nearly as possible
and as she spoke the words she
looked upon motto ION the wall
which read: God Bless Our Home"
while tears came into her eyes. As
Mrs. Tender continued to talk she
revealed another phase in the charac-
ter OF her departed husband and
which probably accounts for the
Jealous care which she now takes OF
the old home.
envy husband and 4 came here a
long time ago" she said. ''But he
was never satisfied? He wanted to
go back TO the old place where the
sons of Jim now live. He used to sit
on the back porch and look across
!, the valley and the old farm home
and weep. So ne nsls'sd me when he
died to keep this home up, and I'm
going ia. do IT. 80
Across the creek valley 4s where
the five sons and flv,s daughters OF
John Fender live. Hidden among the
trees On a side hill are the farm
buildings. Not another farm home
or habitation 10 In sight OF their
home. And the house, Is also bit
queer. It Is built or a large plan,
with huge kitchen. big porches In
front and back. The-e Is no stair
way to tho second floor but an open
approach from each porch. The
( gables and general architecture are
/ ail ~ a.,