Welcome to Darrell's Genealogy Stories

.... Arnold J. Coppock was born in Milnerville, in rural Plymouth County, Iowa. on May 23, 1895, to parents Harvey J. and Mary Jane (Horton) Coppock.  The family moved to Sioux City about 1904 and then to Le Mars in 1910.  Arnold was one of 6 children,:  4 sisters and a younger brother.   He met Ethel Ferguson while riding a horse, herding cows to a nearby pasture.  That was a common practice in those years, earning money taking theirs and neighbors' cows to pasture.  They were paid 50 cents per month  per cow!  Ethel was also taking a few cows to the same pasture when they met. During the summer months, he would often go to the Tom Hummel farm near Elk Point, SD, to work in the fields.  His sister Goldie was married to Tom.  Like most teens back then, he quit school after finishing 8th grade.  He would do odd jobs, tend horses, and herd cows to make money. After their marriage in 1914, he finished the harvest season on the farm and then got a job grafting trees for a nu

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY 2020 Hello Again Everyone, First, a shout-out to all the wonderful Mothers who are reading this.  Happy Mother's Day!! So, how did you all do on my email question that was sent out announcing this Mother's Day blog?  What do the names Ashton, Ferguson and Horton all have in common?  In our family, there are two correct answers.  (Hint:  they definitely have to do with celebrating Mother's Day!) Okay, first, those last names represent the maiden names for 3 of your great-grandmothers:  Elizabeth Ashton, Ethel Ferguson, and Mary Jane Horton.  (note:  Connie and I have 2 great-grandmothers in that list as Ethel is actually our paternal grandmother) Second, and this one is a bit more difficult, those names represent the "middle names" of the first 3 male descendants of Arnold Coppock:  Ashton Horton, Clyde Ferguson, and Darrell Ashton.  Now, let's discover a little more about all three. Elizabeth Ashton   was born in Holbeac

"The Shop" is what we called our family's place of business.  Its original name was Grau Company, an automobile and farm implement dealership owned by Clarence Grau of Le Mars.  Arnold Coppock began selling cars and tractors there in 1932.  Originally located in the downtown area, it was moved to a corner location on Highway 75 in 1940.  Ashton Coppock joined his Dad in the business in 1946 as an auto mechanic and salesman after returning from World War II.  Clyde was then working as an auto parts salesman for United Wholesalers, a Sioux City company. In 1948, Clarence offered to sell the business and the buildings to our family. The deal was finalized on November 15, 1948.   Arnold became the general manager, Ashton was in charge of the service department, and Clyde was the salesman. Shown above:  a metallic measuring tape used as a customer giveaway (Circa 1950) Part I:  "The Duppa-Duh" You're right, there is no such word.  It refers to a 1947 H