Ruth Suckow:

A Chronology

1892

Ruth born August 6 in Hawarden, Iowa, to William John Suckow, son of John and Caroline Suckow, natives of the dukedom of Mecklenburg, Germany, and Anna Mary Kluckhohn, whose father, the Reverend Charles Kluckhohn, a Methodist minister, came from the small city of Lippe-Detmold in the province of Lippe.

1894

1894 Father accepted pastorate of Congregational Church at LeMars, Iowa, town of 5,000, which he held for one year. During this time, Ruth and her sister, Emma, lived with an aunt in Paulina, Iowa, while their mother was receiving medical treatment, first in Hawarden, then in Kirksville, Missouri, and later in St. Paul.

1896

Family returned to Hawarden to live.

1898

Father accepted pastorate at Algona, Iowa. There Ruth attended Central School.

1901

Father accepted pastorate at Algona, Iowa. There Ruth attended Central School.

1902

Ruth dressed in a Martha Washington costume at age 10.

The parsonage where Rev. Suckow and his family lived.  Ruth referred to her
birthplace as "the prairie cottage with the long windows.

1906

The family moved to Manchester, Iowa, the county seat of Delaware County. This pastorate was held for one year.

1907

Father began a three-year field service for Grinnell College. The girls attended school there.

1910

After Ruth's graduation from high school at Grinnell, the family moved to Davenport where the Reverend Suckow became pastor of the Edwards Congregational Church. Ruth matriculated at Grinnell College and specialized in English. While Ruth was at Grinnell, Emma married Edwin Hunting, a Grinnell College classmate. They had two children, Robert Suckow Hunting and Judith Ann Hunting.

1912

1912 Father resigned from the ministry to take position writing lectures for the Victor Animatograph Company, manufacturer of stereopticons and moving pictures, in Davenport. Father purchased forty acres of land twenty miles west of Mobile, Alabama.

1913

Ruth left Grinnell College in June. While a student at Grinnell, she spent one summer as a waitress in Yellowstone Park

1914

Emma moved to Colorado for her health.

1915

Ruth graduated from the Curry School of Expression in Boston and came home to be with her father who had returned to the ministry and accepted in January his second pastorate at Manchester, Iowa. Ruth spent a month with her mother and Emma at Colorado Springs. Enrolled in the University of Denver.

1916

Father's church building in Manchester destroyed by fire on November 24.

1917

Ruth received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Denver.

1917-18

For one year, Ruth was assistant to Dr. Ida Kruse McFarlane, Head of the Department of English, University of Denver. After receiving her degree, Ruth spent one winter as employee of a map company in Denver. Wrote material for automobile guide books.

1918

First published poem, "An Old Woman in a Garden," appeared in Touchstone in August. "Song in October," poem, published in The Midland, September-October.

1919

In Denver learning apiary (bee-keeping) business from Miss Delia Weston. Mother died and was brought to Garner, Iowa, for services in the Congregational Church and for burial. Father's resignation from Manchester pastorate to be effective in October. He and Ruth made a trip to Mobile, Alabama. Later he accepted a pastorate at Earlville, Iowa. Ruth moved to the parsonage with him and established her "Orchard Apiary" at edge of town.

1920

Emma lost her son.

1921

First published story, Úprooted," in the Midland for February. Ather began pastorate in Forest City, Iowa, May 1, 1921. "by Hill and Dale," poem, published in Poetry, June

1921-22

For six months editorial assistant on The Midland

1922

January 25 father married Mrs. Opal Swindle in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She had two sons, Earl and Duane Swindle. During the winter of 1922-1923, Ruth lived with them.

1924

Country People first published serially in The Century Magazine; later by Knopf. From 1924 to 1935, Ruth lived in New York City in the winters and kept bees in Earlville during the summers.

1925

 The Odyssey of a Nice Girl published

1926

Iowa Interiors published. Ellan Mcllvaine became Ruth's literary agent. At Miss Mcllvaine's death, Marie F. Rodell became Ruth's agent.

1926

The Bonney Family published. Father accepted his last pastorate at Alden, Iowa.

1929

On March 1 in San Diego, California, Ruth married Ferner Nuhn, son of Mr. and Mrs. William C. Nuhn of Cedar Falls, Iowa. Ferner and Ruth lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico, until November 1929. Cora published.

1930

The Kramer Girls published. Ruth received an honorary degree from Grinnell College.

1931

Children and Older People published. Ruth and Ferner lived in McGregor, Iowa, part of the year.

1931-1932

Ferner and Ruth lived in Cedar Falls. Did some "guest instruction" gave talks at Iowa State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Iowa), the University of Iowa, and Indiana University.

1933

Spent part of the winter in Des Moines, Iowa, and part in Altadena, Califomia; spent the summer at Yaddo, the artists' colony in Sarasota Springs, New York, and at the MacDowell Memorial Colony at Peterborough, New Hampshire.

1934

The Folks published. A Literary Guild selection.

1934-1936

Residence in Washington, D.C. Lived for one year in Fairfax Court House, Virginia, while Ferner was connected with the Department of Agriculture for which he wrote pamphlets and other material.

1935-1938

Lived in Cedar Falls; took an active part in community life. During this time her sister's child, Judith Ann Hunting, was married to Wells Barnett.

1939

Father died; buried in Cedar Falls, April 6. Ruth and Ferner traveled in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and England.

1942

New Hope published.

1945

Associated with the University of Wisconsin Writers' Institute in summer.

1951

Residence in Tuscon, Arizona.

1952

Moved to Claremont, California. Purchased home which she retained as her permanent residence until her death January 23, 1960 After moving there, spent part of one summer and early fall in Moylan, near Media, Pennsylvania. Ferner studied at Pendle Hill. Affiliation with Friends Society began about this time, but interest had preceded this date. During World War II visited Civilian Public Service Camps, units in mental hospitals, fire-fighting units, starvation units under the combined sponsorship of the Service Committees of the Friends, Church of the Brethren, and the Mennonites. Ruth spoke on literary subjects, talked with young men and read manuscripts. Some Others and Myself published.

1955

1958

"The Surprising Anthony Trollope" in The Georgia Review

1959

The John Wood Case published.

1960

Ruth dies January 23 in Claremont, Califomia.