MySource:Debbie V./Iva (Lefler) Woods, Oral History notes

(During the course of my family visits to southern Illinois, I was able to ask my grandmother, Iva (Lefler) Woods, about her ancestors. Not realizing at the time what a wealth of information I was passing up, I only interviewed her once or twice. She had a very sharp memory. Here is the transcription of those conversations. I have added names to clarify.)

Iva Lefler was born in Plumfield, Illinois. She lived in an area where she had to cross a creek going back and forth to school. At times, a boat was necessary. They had 80 acres of land in Plumfield. They lived close to the coal mines in Zeigler. The family did their shopping in West Frankfort and Herrin.

The Thomas Lefler family raised horses, cattle, hogs and chickens as well as onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes and beans. Thomas raised good strong horses and talked to horses to train them. He had worked in Texas as a cowboy and had a brother there. His wife, Missouri Cordell Lefler, canned fruit and vegetables. She sold butter and eggs. She sewed dresses. On Saturdays, Missouri and Thomas went into town to sell their stuff. In the fall, after the crops were in, they would buy 50 lb sacks of flour, sugar, honey and cornmeal. They got their flour from a mill in Ewing. They had a smokehouse room for staples and kept the milk and butter in a cistern.

The Leflers always belonged to the Christian Church. They went to the Miner Church and the Miner School.