Jenny Keppen and Ann Riebe remember:

When their father left for America, Janna Nieman sat up all night making him a pair of socks to take along.
She hadn't known until the night before that he was leaving. Her family were fishermen and they lived on a boat. She was the oldest child and never went to school, having to stay home and help with the work.

Other stories I remember hearing: Janna couldn't speak English; however, one time someone came looking for her sons and she was overheard to say,
"The boys are in the potato patch." Another time, a blind piano tuner came to tune their piano ... without thinking she said, "Let me raise the
shade so you can see better."