Mary Elizabeth (Atkinson) Klein (1916-2001)
Barney was born August 23, 1911 in Eureka, SD. He was the eldest of five children born to John Jr. and Elizabeth Freimarck Klein.
He attended Eureka elementary school and started high school. His father, who by this time was into the cement and plastering trade, kept him out of school frequently to assist him. Barney said, “I was young and something of a hot head. I thought if I had to miss so much, I’m not going to go to school. It did not occur to me at that point that the only getting short changed was me.” He had a good mind and memory and told that when he was studying and reading daily he was able to repeat almost verbatim what he read.
In the early 30’s experienced a severe depression; a period of drought turned the plain states into a dust bowl and a continuing wind kept the dust in motion. It entered every crack and cranny and piled in drifts in road ditches and sheltered side of buildings. People could not build so the Klein income shrunk to zero. As soon as the children were big enough to work they “hired out”. When Barney was about 10 he went to the farm of his mother’s half brother for the summer. He helped with haying, pitched bundles into the threshing machine and other tasks designed for men not little boys. When it was time for school to start the uncle brought him home. He presented him with a 65-cent chambray shirt. It was his summer pay above board, room and laundry!
As I mentioned, during the dirty 30s building construction was down so Barney worked at any job he could find. At one time he ran a gas station for Phillip 66 when gas was about 12 cents a gallon. On Sat. night (the farmer’s shopping time in the rural areas) he would stay open as long as anyone was in town hoping to get a few more cents. It was usually some time after midnight. Gas stations were very competitive and every one gave full service, some even cleaned the interior of the auto. Barney recalled that usually his last customer on Sat. night was a middle-aged bachelor farmer. He came into town once a week. He would buy one gallon of gas before going home. It was enough to go home and return the next week.
He drove new or used cars purchased in the Twin Cities, Detroit and other cities back to car dealers in Eureka. The dealer would send several young men by train to these destinations. It was a holiday so to speak to spend the night in a hotel; meals paid for and make a few bucks beside. He also worked as a mortician’s assistant and as a part time clerk at Melhaff’s Furniture and Mortuary. This was a common combination in rural areas and still is. He had other odd jobs, whatever was available. He helped pay for his parents home and bought a refrigerator and then a washing machine for his mother.
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