The 1960s

Author: Retter Hofbesitzer / Labels:

By 1960 the 3rd generation of our family had departed the farm, Nettie in 1956, and Russell a few short months later in 1957.  The estate of Russell divided the farm into 3 more or less equal parcels with the parcel lines being parallel with Ross Road and extending from SR 201 west to the back of the farm.  The parcel willed to Carrie Marshall included virtually all of the "woods" made of oak, hickory and maple, and an access lane that extended to the National Road.  The parcel for Mildred Jenkins included all of the frontage on Ross Road.  The parcel for Pat Myers was the middle third of the original farm.  Each parcel consisted of approximately 28 acres.  By 1960 Mildred and Bob sold their home and 2 acres and moved into New Carlisle.  In 1959 they sold the remainder of their acreage to Pat and Roy Myers.  Over the years, most of the Marshall acreage has been sold outside the family.  Thus the current configuration of 56 acres known as Retter Farm was in place by 1960.

The 1960s were a time of growth and maturing on the farm.  The fourth generation family members were moving into and through their 40s and the fifth generation was moving into and through their teen years.  By 1968 all of the fifth generation were out of school and into college or the working world, all of them off the farm.  Dennis Myers graduated from the University of Dayton and joined the US Air Force, was assigned to Scott AFB, Illinois and served in Viet Nam and Thailand.  He returned to the Dayton area and a job at the Ohio Bell Telephone Company.  Joann Marshall attended college in Cleveland and then married.  She and her husband built a home on 5 acres given to them by Carrie and Joe Marshall.  Penny Marshall married soon after graduation and lived in nearby Brandt.  Bill Marshall married soon after graduation as well and lived nearby.

Fourth generation family members continued in their occupations off of the farm with Roy and Joe maintaining farming on their parcels of the original farm during their spare hours.  By the late '60s it became known that expansion of State Route 201 would effect both families at the front of their parcels with the Myers' being forced to make a decision to tear down the original farmhouse or move it back from the highway.  They chose to relocate the original home of the family further back on the farm.