Sabrina (Abbott Smith) has been sorting through some boxes in her parents' home (the late Margaret and Norman Abbott). She found this (below) can label and sent a photo to Brother Joe (Felin) and to me. Brother Joe responded with: "Tomato label is interesting and must go back to the 1920's era. Sean Madden recalls pedaling on his bike to see remaining bldg burn! Concrete foundation still remains." [Sean Madden is son of Curtis and Virginia Madden. Curtis was a younger brother of my mother (Margaret Marie Madden Felin)].
I remember Mother pointing out the concrete foundation decades ago (in the 1960's) and telling me this bit of history:
James Louis Felin (my father) owned three canning factories, one located in Fair Grove, MO, where Mother worked as bookkeeper and her mother (Margaret Stone Madden) worked peeling tomatoes. (Dad also grew the tomatoes.) That was how mother and dad met. He was very successful, tall, and handsome, "a real catch," she explained. A whole lot of history has flowed out of that tomato canning business.
Sabrina has found other equally interesting papers which Joe is also commenting on. Please, anyone else who knows tidbits about all this, weigh in here with corrections and/or more information. I'll post more from Sabrina's treasure hunt later.
Sabrina, Joe, and I are planning a Fall "Turnbo Tour." We hope to make a video to capture some of the history that Joe is so familiar with.
