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BELOW LEFT:  Dad and Mother with their first four children in Avery County, N.C. Frances is at left rear, Laura is at left front, Wheeler is sitting on Dad's lap and Raymond is standing on stool at right.   This picture was taken about 1918.  

In 1912, they acquired a 50 acre farm parcel which had a 2 room log house.  The Farthing farm eventually totaled 300 acres. In addition to farming, dad taught elementary school in this area the eight years they lived here. He had already taught school in the years prior to moving to Avery County in 1912. School terms were usually 3 months in this long ago era. We know of at least 7 locations where he taught in the elementary school systems of WATAUGA and AVERY counties. My mother also taught school for a time when they lived in Avery County. She is listed as a teacher in 2 school locations here in this County.

When they moved to Valle Crucis, in 1920, My father taught school in this area until 1924 when he served as cashier of the VALLE CRUCIS BANK for a period. He became a partner,in 1925, with his brother, Aubyn Farthing, in the Valle Crucis Company General Store.

After they moved to here in 1920, Mother taught elementary education from the early to mid-1920s at the Valle Crucis Mission School.( EPISCOPAL CHURCH PROPERTY) Our house was located about 1/2 mile from this school facility. She taught some of my older siblings at this location, ( Raymond-3rd grade and Louis-1st grade).



BELOW RIGHT:  Dad and Mother with first five children.  This photo was made in the 1925 on Grandpa Glenn's farm on the Watauga River. Grandfather and Grandmother Glenn were my mother's parents. The Glenn farm was located about 10 miles from Valle Crucis. Back left is Raymond,Laura, Mother, Frances, FRONT LEFT is Louis ( born August 1920) Dad and Wheeler  

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