Ruth Isabel Brookman was the the only child of Harry Edward Brookman and Clara Gray Brookman. She was the granddaughter of Willam Alexander and Magdalene (Maggie) Aten Gray and William Nicholas and Laura Ann Steere Brookman; she was the great granddaughter of Alexander and Amanda B. Choat Gray, Jacob and Mary Ann Squiers Aten, William and Margaret Brookman, and Nelson and Minerva Steere all of Montgomery County Illinois. She was born on December 24th, 1898 in Butler Illinois.
Ruth's father was an employee of Penwell Klar's haberdashery department in Hillsboro while her mother fulfilled the traditional role of wife, homemaker, and mother in their Cherry St. home in Butler. They attended church at St Paul's Lutheran Church in Hillsboro. When Ruth's father contracted stomach cancer in 1912 and could no longer work Clara became the postmistress of the Butler post office. Now carrying out the non-traditional role of working wife and mother Clara became active in the fight for women's suffrage and also the WCTU. Harry died in 1913 just days short of his 47th birthday.
After graduating from Butler High School in 1914 Ruth went to St. Louis to attend business school while living with her great aunt. Post-graduation she worked for a short time in the office of her uncle Dr. Martin Moyer. After Clara died in January 1917 at age 39 of complications from pneumonia Ruth married Merle Calvin Hayes, the son of Arthur and Stella Hayes of Butler Township. They were married on May 16th, 1917 at St Paul's Lutheran Church rectory. Merle's brother, Orville, and Ruth's childhood friend, Marian Busby, attended.
Merle and Ruth set up housekeeping in Clara Brookman's home on Helston Place in Hillsboro while Merle worked at the Penwell Klar department store. That same year they moved from Hillsboro to the small but original farmhouse built by Alexander Gray on what was now Alexander's son, William A, Gray's, farm in Butler Township. Their first child, Janis Lorraine, was born there on June 2nd, 1918. They continued to live in Butler Township until 1924 when they relocated to Decatur Illinois. During this time they had two more daughters. Dorcas Ann who was born on January 4th, 1920 and died with factor RH- on January 12th, and a third daughter, also called Dorcas Anne and my mother, who was born on July 11th, 1923 at Hillsboro Hospital.
The move to Decatur enabled Merle and his brother Orville, who already lived in Decatur, to work together. Their efforts turned into the family business known as Hayes Hatcheries which eventually included all five Hayes brothers. It lasted until the middle 1930's when each brother took ownership of his own part of the original business. The family lived in Decatur until 1926 after which time they moved to Pana, Illinois where Merle owned, operated, and prospered as the owner of Hayes Hatchery Leader Chicks for the next 30 years. Meantime Ruth kept her meticulous home and raised their daughters.
During the years she lived in Pana she enjoyed her many social activities and numerous friends. The family belonged to the Pana Presbyterian Church where Ruth was an active member. Although she endured many personal tragedies in her life she was always smiling and never complained. When I was growing up I remember two things she said that I would call her mottoes- they were "If you can't say something good about someone or something don't say it." and if there was a complaint, "Give it me, I've got broad shoulders, I can carry it.". These were the springboards from which she taught life lessons to the rest of us. When I was a kid and feeling sad she would sing the Depression era favorite, "Smile, darn ya, smile" to me. That was the key for her- to love life, to smile, and to find happiness in spite of whatever life handed you. It was with that attitude that she loved and cared for her entire family; she rarely considered herself.
written by grandson FJE
Ruth's father was an employee of Penwell Klar's haberdashery department in Hillsboro while her mother fulfilled the traditional role of wife, homemaker, and mother in their Cherry St. home in Butler. They attended church at St Paul's Lutheran Church in Hillsboro. When Ruth's father contracted stomach cancer in 1912 and could no longer work Clara became the postmistress of the Butler post office. Now carrying out the non-traditional role of working wife and mother Clara became active in the fight for women's suffrage and also the WCTU. Harry died in 1913 just days short of his 47th birthday.
After graduating from Butler High School in 1914 Ruth went to St. Louis to attend business school while living with her great aunt. Post-graduation she worked for a short time in the office of her uncle Dr. Martin Moyer. After Clara died in January 1917 at age 39 of complications from pneumonia Ruth married Merle Calvin Hayes, the son of Arthur and Stella Hayes of Butler Township. They were married on May 16th, 1917 at St Paul's Lutheran Church rectory. Merle's brother, Orville, and Ruth's childhood friend, Marian Busby, attended.
Merle and Ruth set up housekeeping in Clara Brookman's home on Helston Place in Hillsboro while Merle worked at the Penwell Klar department store. That same year they moved from Hillsboro to the small but original farmhouse built by Alexander Gray on what was now Alexander's son, William A, Gray's, farm in Butler Township. Their first child, Janis Lorraine, was born there on June 2nd, 1918. They continued to live in Butler Township until 1924 when they relocated to Decatur Illinois. During this time they had two more daughters. Dorcas Ann who was born on January 4th, 1920 and died with factor RH- on January 12th, and a third daughter, also called Dorcas Anne and my mother, who was born on July 11th, 1923 at Hillsboro Hospital.
The move to Decatur enabled Merle and his brother Orville, who already lived in Decatur, to work together. Their efforts turned into the family business known as Hayes Hatcheries which eventually included all five Hayes brothers. It lasted until the middle 1930's when each brother took ownership of his own part of the original business. The family lived in Decatur until 1926 after which time they moved to Pana, Illinois where Merle owned, operated, and prospered as the owner of Hayes Hatchery Leader Chicks for the next 30 years. Meantime Ruth kept her meticulous home and raised their daughters.
During the years she lived in Pana she enjoyed her many social activities and numerous friends. The family belonged to the Pana Presbyterian Church where Ruth was an active member. Although she endured many personal tragedies in her life she was always smiling and never complained. When I was growing up I remember two things she said that I would call her mottoes- they were "If you can't say something good about someone or something don't say it." and if there was a complaint, "Give it me, I've got broad shoulders, I can carry it.". These were the springboards from which she taught life lessons to the rest of us. When I was a kid and feeling sad she would sing the Depression era favorite, "Smile, darn ya, smile" to me. That was the key for her- to love life, to smile, and to find happiness in spite of whatever life handed you. It was with that attitude that she loved and cared for her entire family; she rarely considered herself.
written by grandson FJE
Ruth Isabel Brookman was the the only child of Harry Edward Brookman and Clara Gray Brookman. She was the granddaughter of Willam Alexander and Magdalene (Maggie) Aten Gray and William Nicholas and Laura Ann Steere Brookman; she was the great granddaughter of Alexander and Amanda B. Choat Gray, Jacob and Mary Ann Squiers Aten, William and Margaret Brookman, and Nelson and Minerva Steere all of Montgomery County Illinois. She was born on December 24th, 1898 in Butler Illinois.
Ruth's father was an employee of Penwell Klar's haberdashery department in Hillsboro while her mother fulfilled the traditional role of wife, homemaker, and mother in their Cherry St. home in Butler. They attended church at St Paul's Lutheran Church in Hillsboro. When Ruth's father contracted stomach cancer in 1912 and could no longer work Clara became the postmistress of the Butler post office. Now carrying out the non-traditional role of working wife and mother Clara became active in the fight for women's suffrage and also the WCTU. Harry died in 1913 just days short of his 47th birthday.
After graduating from Butler High School in 1914 Ruth went to St. Louis to attend business school while living with her great aunt. Post-graduation she worked for a short time in the office of her uncle Dr. Martin Moyer. After Clara died in January 1917 at age 39 of complications from pneumonia Ruth married Merle Calvin Hayes, the son of Arthur and Stella Hayes of Butler Township. They were married on May 16th, 1917 at St Paul's Lutheran Church rectory. Merle's brother, Orville, and Ruth's childhood friend, Marian Busby, attended.
Merle and Ruth set up housekeeping in Clara Brookman's home on Helston Place in Hillsboro while Merle worked at the Penwell Klar department store. That same year they moved from Hillsboro to the small but original farmhouse built by Alexander Gray on what was now Alexander's son, William A, Gray's, farm in Butler Township. Their first child, Janis Lorraine, was born there on June 2nd, 1918. They continued to live in Butler Township until 1924 when they relocated to Decatur Illinois. During this time they had two more daughters. Dorcas Ann who was born on January 4th, 1920 and died with factor RH- on January 12th, and a third daughter, also called Dorcas Anne and my mother, who was born on July 11th, 1923 at Hillsboro Hospital.
The move to Decatur enabled Merle and his brother Orville, who already lived in Decatur, to work together. Their efforts turned into the family business known as Hayes Hatcheries which eventually included all five Hayes brothers. It lasted until the middle 1930's when each brother took ownership of his own part of the original business. The family lived in Decatur until 1926 after which time they moved to Pana, Illinois where Merle owned, operated, and prospered as the owner of Hayes Hatchery Leader Chicks for the next 30 years. Meantime Ruth kept her meticulous home and raised their daughters.
During the years she lived in Pana she enjoyed her many social activities and numerous friends. The family belonged to the Pana Presbyterian Church where Ruth was an active member. Although she endured many personal tragedies in her life she was always smiling and never complained. When I was growing up I remember two things she said that I would call her mottoes- they were "If you can't say something good about someone or something don't say it." and if there was a complaint, "Give it me, I've got broad shoulders, I can carry it.". These were the springboards from which she taught life lessons to the rest of us. When I was a kid and feeling sad she would sing the Depression era favorite, "Smile, darn ya, smile" to me. That was the key for her- to love life, to smile, and to find happiness in spite of whatever life handed you. It was with that attitude that she loved and cared for her entire family; she rarely considered herself.
written by grandson FJE
Ruth's father was an employee of Penwell Klar's haberdashery department in Hillsboro while her mother fulfilled the traditional role of wife, homemaker, and mother in their Cherry St. home in Butler. They attended church at St Paul's Lutheran Church in Hillsboro. When Ruth's father contracted stomach cancer in 1912 and could no longer work Clara became the postmistress of the Butler post office. Now carrying out the non-traditional role of working wife and mother Clara became active in the fight for women's suffrage and also the WCTU. Harry died in 1913 just days short of his 47th birthday.
After graduating from Butler High School in 1914 Ruth went to St. Louis to attend business school while living with her great aunt. Post-graduation she worked for a short time in the office of her uncle Dr. Martin Moyer. After Clara died in January 1917 at age 39 of complications from pneumonia Ruth married Merle Calvin Hayes, the son of Arthur and Stella Hayes of Butler Township. They were married on May 16th, 1917 at St Paul's Lutheran Church rectory. Merle's brother, Orville, and Ruth's childhood friend, Marian Busby, attended.
Merle and Ruth set up housekeeping in Clara Brookman's home on Helston Place in Hillsboro while Merle worked at the Penwell Klar department store. That same year they moved from Hillsboro to the small but original farmhouse built by Alexander Gray on what was now Alexander's son, William A, Gray's, farm in Butler Township. Their first child, Janis Lorraine, was born there on June 2nd, 1918. They continued to live in Butler Township until 1924 when they relocated to Decatur Illinois. During this time they had two more daughters. Dorcas Ann who was born on January 4th, 1920 and died with factor RH- on January 12th, and a third daughter, also called Dorcas Anne and my mother, who was born on July 11th, 1923 at Hillsboro Hospital.
The move to Decatur enabled Merle and his brother Orville, who already lived in Decatur, to work together. Their efforts turned into the family business known as Hayes Hatcheries which eventually included all five Hayes brothers. It lasted until the middle 1930's when each brother took ownership of his own part of the original business. The family lived in Decatur until 1926 after which time they moved to Pana, Illinois where Merle owned, operated, and prospered as the owner of Hayes Hatchery Leader Chicks for the next 30 years. Meantime Ruth kept her meticulous home and raised their daughters.
During the years she lived in Pana she enjoyed her many social activities and numerous friends. The family belonged to the Pana Presbyterian Church where Ruth was an active member. Although she endured many personal tragedies in her life she was always smiling and never complained. When I was growing up I remember two things she said that I would call her mottoes- they were "If you can't say something good about someone or something don't say it." and if there was a complaint, "Give it me, I've got broad shoulders, I can carry it.". These were the springboards from which she taught life lessons to the rest of us. When I was a kid and feeling sad she would sing the Depression era favorite, "Smile, darn ya, smile" to me. That was the key for her- to love life, to smile, and to find happiness in spite of whatever life handed you. It was with that attitude that she loved and cared for her entire family; she rarely considered herself.
written by grandson FJE
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