The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-21
BROTHERS END
MASQUERADE
AS SISTERS
Law Asked to Change Their
Names to Those of Men;
Don Male Attire.
OPERATE LARGE FARM
Pair Dressed in Feminine
Garb Since Birth by
Parents.
BY LOWELL NUSSBAUM
Times STAFF Correspondent

oOnAIAA i fAALGls A1lQ'S 1NONs Ill
Their life of masquerade at an end,
Geneva and Nola Lee Armstrong, SO
and 81, husky farm girls" today
wish the whole world to know they
are men.
Dof1ng the feminine attire they
have worn since birth, the two,
neat in masculine attire, Friday Wis
tied an attorneys Office at Ander-
son, and through him filed petition
in Madison circuit court to change
their names to those of men.
Geneva, the elder of the two,
wishes to be known as Gene, while
Nola Lee would become Noel. No
reason for the change was given.
But to their neighbors, legal &C
ton started by the Armstrong isis
ters" means little and they still use
the feminine pronoun in referring
to the girls"
Lived Like Hermits
"They have dressed for many
years in blue denim blouSes and
skirt, the last few years wearing
overalls part of the time while
working on their 20O-acre farm.
When away from home, they
dressed as women" said one close
neighbor
Complexion of one is light and
the other dark, and the dark one
has to shave often. guess they
bobbed their own hair. Their voices
were pretty husky for women's
voices.
"They we're almost hermitS, sell
dom leaving their farms, and not
associating with neighbors, except
to nod or speak in passing.
1.-The two of them do more work
on the farm than any four other
men in Madison county"
None of their acquaintance could
account for action of their par
erts, John and Mary Armstrong, in
rearing them and two older
| brothers, who died number of
years ago, as girls. The parents
died several years ago. Two other
brothers are living, neither OF whom
was reared as a girl.
Farm Well Stocked
Geneva and Nola Lee, or rather,
Gene and Noel, acquired the farm,
where they always have lived, in
settlement of their fathers estate.
Their farm is one of the most
modern in the community, two
tractors and other up-to-date equip
ment, including corn husker. They
even own a threshing machine
which they purchased a few years
ago to be as independent as possible
of help of neighbors.
They own a luxurious automobile,
neighbors said, but seldom leave
home in it.
They are known through the
countryside as growers of fine
watermelons and muskmelons, SELL
ing their produce from wagons in
nearby towns for number of years.
Usually, it was said, they would
hire neighborhood boys to make de-
| liverieS.
When they attended school near
their home, it was as girls, and they
played with boys and girls i'm
partially, former sct4oolmates said.
However, they never had dates with
either boys Or girls.
Both Are Good Looking
"They we're good looking girls"
said Attorney Arthur G. Call, repre-
senting them in their court petition,
land they were good-looking mem
when they came into my office"
The attorney, who had known the
parents for years, and always had
seen Geneva" and Noel" dressed as
girls, did not recognize them at first
when they walked into his office, in
male garb, and with their hair cut
short.
II had known of these conditions
for years." he said, but I was not
accustomed to seeing them in male
attire, and when they entered, and
didn't recognize them, one laughed
and said: We're Geneva and Nola
Armstrong"
"They told me their parents had
made mistake, and that they
wanted to change their names Gin
court.
Either of them would pass easily
for a woman, except for their
voices"
A reporter who visited the Arm
strong home was received on the
back porch by Geneva, while Nola
remained in the kitchen. Geneva
refused to talk until he had con-
suited his attorney. They refused
to pose for photographers.