Series: 1. Oral History Interviews, 1992-1999

Beckner, Harry, 1992-1997
Biography/History: “Harry was born in his grandparents’ bedroom on their farm in northeastern Nebraska, Wayne County, in 1937. He and an older sister grew up on three rented farms in that area. Harry was an elementary school teacher for thirty-seven years, was married for twenty-seven years, and is the father of two children. He lives on an 80-acre farm in western Iowa with his partner, Bill Hogan, where they raise cattle, hogs, turkeys, and chickens, and put up their own hay.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 6 digital files (3 redacted) (280 KB) 

Paper

Bendsten, Les (pseud. Lon Mickelson), 1992-1996
Biography/History: “Lon was born in 1961 and grew up on a 780-ace crop farm in Mower County, southeastern Minnesota. He was the seventh of ten children, with three brothers and six sisters. Lon lives in Minneapolis and works in investment products marketing.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 6 digital files (3 redacted) (272 KB) 

Paper

Bergren, Dennis (pseud. Dennis Lindholm), 1992-1994
Biography/History: “Dennis grew up on a 160-acre farm in southwestern Iowa, Montgomery County, between Elliott and Red Oak. Born in 1940, he has an older brother and a younger sister. A high school teacher, Dennis has lived in the Madison, Wisconsin, area since 1966. He lives on a small piece of land near Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, where he gardens extensively.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 8 digital files (4 redacted) (372 KB) 

Paper

Beutel, John, 1992-1994
Biography/History: “John was born in 1943 and grew up on a succession of six rented farms near Monroe, in Green County, south-central Wisconsin. He has four brothers, two older and two younger, and a younger sister. John lives in the country near Stoughton, Wisconsin, where he is a high school music teacher.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 8 digital files (4 redacted) (346 KB) 

Paper

Block, Terry, 1992
Biography/History: Terry was born in southwestern Minnesota in 1948 and grew up with one older sister, four younger sisters, and one younger brother. He spent his childhood on his grandparents’ 200-acre dairy farm, where his family also grew crops and livestock. In high school and college Terry helped his family farm other land, estimating they farmed around 1,000-1,200 acres. Terry had many responsibilities on the farm, the biggest of which was milking and managing the cows. Terry was married and fathered three children before coming out. Terry died in 1992.

Electronic
Physical Description: 2 digital files (1 redacted) (197 KB) 

Paper

Bloemke, Alan (pseud. Allen Victor), 1992-1994
Biography/History: Alan was born in 1955 and grew up in Springfield, Minnesota, the oldest of three sisters and two brothers. He and his extended family lived on and worked a 160-acre crop farm. At the time of the interview Alan lived in south-central Minnesota working as a printer.

Electronic
Physical Description: 8 digital files (4 redacted) (325 KB) 

Paper

Boyd, Jahred, 1992-1994
Biography/History: “Born in 1959, Jahred grew up on a mixed livestock and grain farm in northwestern Minnesota. He lives on a small hobby farm near Webster, Minnesota. His partner of nearly ten years, Terry Bloch, died in 1992. In this brief narrative, Jahred describes what it means to him to be gay and rural.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 2 digital files (1 redacted) (202 KB) 

Paper

Buchholz, David (pseud. David Foster), 1992-1996
Biography/History: “David was born in 1948 and grew up with four brothers, two older and two younger, on a grade-A dairy farm in Manitowoc County, in eastern Wisconsin. He lives in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 6 digital files (3 redacted) (280 KB) 

Paper

Cauffman, Kelly, 1992-1994
Biography/History: Kelly, born in the early 1960s, grew up on a small family farm in Fennimore, in Grant County, Wisconsin, with his parents and a younger sister. Together his family managed cows, horses, chickens, and hogs--the latter of which were Kelly’s main responsibility. Kelly later became politically active, and lived in Milwaukee at the time of his interview.

Electronic
Physical Description: 6 digital files (3 redacted) (303 KB) 

Paper

Cross, Jim, 1992-1996
Biography/History: “Jim was born in northwestern Iowa in 1938, where he and his parents and older brother lived with his grandparents on their 160-acre farm near the small town of Westgate, in Fayette County. His parents bought their own farm nearby when Jim was about four years old. Two sisters were born after that. Jim and his lover, George, live in Madison, Wisconsin.“ — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 5 digital files (2 redacted) (372 KB) 

Paper

Duncan, Fred, 1992
Biography/History: Fred grew up on a 225-acre grain farm near Henderson, Kentucky, with three older sisters and his parents and grandparents. His father worked in oil fields until Fred was twelve, when Fred’s grandfather’s retirement inspired Fred’s father to take over the family farm. At the time of his interview Fred lived in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Electronic
Physical Description: 6 digital files (3 redacted) (263 KB) 

Paper

Ebmeier, Larry, 1992-1997
Biography/History: “Larry was born in 1950 and grew up in Gosper County, south-central Nebraska, on an irrigated crop farm near Bertrand. The oldest of four children, Larry has one brother and two sisters. He lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, with his partner, Donald Freed, where he works as a pharmacist and writer. This brief narrative describes how German Catholic farm culture shaped Larry's identity.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 6 digital files (3 redacted) (250 KB) 

Paper

Fleer, Randy, 1992-1996
Biography/History: “Born in 1963, Randy grew up with two older brothers on a mixed livestock and crop farm near Wayne, in Wayne County, northeastern Nebraska. He lives in the Chicago area. In this brief narrative, Randy recalls coming out—to himself, to his parents, and to a small circle of gay men in his hometown.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 6 digital files (3 redacted) (272 KB) 

Paper

Freed, Donald, 1992-1997
Biography/History: Donald lived with his family on two family farms totaling almost 500 acres near Loomis, Nebraska, in Phelps County. There he raised feed grains with his two younger brothers, parents, and grandfather. At the time of his interview Donald lived with his partner, Larry Ebmeier, in Lincoln, Nebraska and worked in music.

Electronic
Physical Description: 2 digital files (1 redacted) (178 KB) 

Paper

Gay, Steve, 1992-1997
Biography/History: “Born in 1959, the ninth of ten children, Steven grew up on a dairy farm near Waterloo, in Dodge County, southeastern Wisconsin. He lives and farms up the road from his parents’ place with his lover, Jim Lawver. Steven and Jim's life as a farm couple is the focus of this brief narrative.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 7 digital files (3 redacted) (348 KB) 

Paper

Grey, Dean, 1992-1994
Biography/History: Dean grew up in the Marshfield, Wisconsin area on a small dairy farm. Born in 1962, he is the youngest of six children, both brothers and sisters. On the farm Dean helped take care of the animals, including milking them and managing their registrations. At the time of his interview Dean lived in New York City and worked in the arts.

Electronic
Physical Description: 2 digital files (1 redacted) (128 KB) 

Paper

Hale, David (pseud. David Campbell), 1992-1994
Biography/History: “David was born in 1958 and grew up on a farm in central Ohio, with two brothers, one older and one younger. He lives in the Columbus, Ohio, area where he is co-owner of a floral business.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 3 digital files (161 KB) 

Paper

Johnson, Jerry (pseud. Henry Bauer), 1992-1996
Biography/History: “Henry was born at home in 1932 on a rented dairy farm near Money Creek, Minnesota, a small town in Houston County in the southeastern corner of the state. The second oldest of four children, Henry has an older brother and a younger sister and brother. He is retired from teaching and was living in a city in southeastern Minnesota at the time of our interview.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 6 digital files (3 redacted) (300 KB) 

Paper

Junn, Norman (pseud. Norm Reed), 1992-1994
Biography/History: “Norm was born in 1945 in northeastern Ohio. Until he was seventeen, he lived on a small family farm in a Mennonite farming community between Massillon and Wooster, in Wayne County. Norm grew up with two older sisters, and older brother, and a younger brother. He was married for five years and is the father of one child. He lives in the Cleveland, Ohio, area.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 6 digital files (2 redacted) (299 KB) 

Paper

Kilmer, Richard, 1992-1997
Biography/History: “Richard was born in 1951 and grew up on a 200-acre dairy farm near Wonewoc, a small town in Juneau County, in central Wisconsin. The third of seven children, Richard has four brothers, two older and two younger, and two younger sisters. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin, where he works as a pharmacist and collaborates with lesbian friends in raising his son.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 6 digital files (2 redacted) (319 KB) 

Paper

Kummer, Ronald (pseud. Ronald Schoen), 1992-1996
Biography/History: “Born in 1947, Ronald grew up with two sisters and one brother on a small dairy farm in Dakota County, southeastern Minnesota. He lives in Rochester, Minnesota. In this brief narrative, Ronald describes why he is willing to ‘walk a tight-rope’ as an elementary school teacher in a rural district.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 2 digital files (1 redacted) (171 KB) 

Paper

Moe, Todd, 1992-1996
Biography/History: Todd was born in 1963, and was raised on a 300-acre cattle and livestock farm in St. Francis, Minnesota, in Anoka County. He helped to take care of the farm with his younger sister and older brother while his father worked full time as a superintendent for a road construction company. At the time of his interview Todd worked as a journalist in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Electronic
Physical Description: 3 digital files (1 redacted) (218 KB) 

Paper

Morse, Frank, 1992-1994
Biography/History: “Born in 1955, Frank was one of seven children on a small livestock and crop farm near Poynette, in Columbia County, in south-central Wisconsin. He was married and the father of one child. At the time of our interview, Frank lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He died in 1993 from AIDS-related causes. The farm where Frank grew up had very rocky soil. For several weeks each spring, Frank and his siblings had to pick the rocks from the fields, load them on a flatbed wagon, and haul them to a ditch. Many wagonloads of rocks were dumped in that ditch each spring, and the dulling, oppressive nature of that work haunted Frank for many years. In the last few years of his life, he made a kind of peace with that rock-picking and all that it represented by selecting colorful rocks from the farm of his childhood and hauling them to his home in Milwaukee to create borders in his backyard garden. This brief narrative describes Frank's relationship with his Father.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 7 digital files (3 redacted) (178 KB) 

Paper

Noss, Rick, 1992-1994
Biography/History: “Rick was born in 1960 and grew up with two younger brothers in north-central Iowa, near Sheffield, in Cerro Gordo County. The farm was about 450 acres when Rick was born, and it grew to about 800 acres. It was mainly a grain farm—corn, soybeans, and oats—and a hog operation. Rick lives in Omaha, Nebraska, where he works for a bank.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 4 digital files (1 redacted) (202 KB) 

Paper

Peters, Robert, 1992-1996
Biography/History: “Robert was Born in 1924, the oldest of five children, and grew up on a poor scrub-sand farm of forty acres near Eagle River, in Vilas County, northern Wisconsin. He married and fathered four children. The author of more than thirty books of poetry, criticism, short stories, and plays, Robert retired in 1993 from teaching literature and writing at the University of California, Irvine. He lives in the Los Angeles area with his companion of many years, Paul Trachtenberg.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 6 digital files (3 redacted) (292 KB) 

Paper

Pflum, Dale (pseud. James Heckman), 1992-1997
Biography/History: “James was born in 1941 in east-central Indiana, where his family lived on three rented farms during his childhood. He had an older brother and has two younger sisters. James was married and is the father of two children. He lives in east-central Wisconsin, where he is retired from a career in farm livestock health.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 5 digital files (2 redacted) (265 KB) 

Paper

Powell, Nathan (pseud. Steven Preston), 1992-1996
Biography/History: “Steven was born in 1962 and grew up with two brothers, one older and one younger, on his father’s 300-acre dairy farm in south-central Wisconsin. The farmed another 200 acres owned by his grandparents. At the time of our interview, Steven was living on a small hobby farm in southern Wisconsin and was working as a nurse.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 6 digital files (3 redacted) (292 KB) 

Paper

Pyrus, Tony, 1992
Biography/History: Born in the 1930s on a dairy farm near Medford, Wisconsin in Taylor County, Tony was a middle child amongst twelve siblings, both brothers and sisters. It was his responsibility to keep the barn clean. Tony was married for twenty years and fathered one child before coming out in later age.

Electronic
Physical Description: 5 digital files (2 redacted) (228 KB) 

Paper

Quinton, Bronze (pseud. Everett Cooper), 1992-1993
Biography/History: “Everett was born in 1957 in southeastern Indiana and grew up on a dairy farm in that region. He has one younger brother and three older sisters. Everett was married twice and is the father of three children. He lives with his husband in Wisconsin and works as an optician.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 6 digital files (3 redacted) (285 KB) 

Paper

Shulka, Joseph, 1992-1997
Biography/History: “Joe was born in 1966 and grew up on a 500-acre dairy farm near Prairie du Chien, in Crawford County, southwestern Wisconsin. He grew up with four sisters, one older and three younger. Joe lives with his partner, Dallas Drake, in Minneapolis.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 6 digital files (3 redacted) (317 KB) 

Paper

Sims, Arlie (pseud. Frankie Sanders), 1992-1995
Biography/History: “Connie was born in 1962 and grew up with three older brothers and two younger sisters on a farm in Franklin County, southern Illinois. They farmed about 120 acres, on which they grew corn, wheat, soybeans, and hay, and raised beef cattle, hogs, and chickens. Connie’s father worked full-time as a coal miner. Connie lives in Chicago, where he teaches in a college.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 2 digital files (1 redacted) (304 KB) 

Paper

Snoeberger, Terry, 1992
Biography/History: Terry was born in 1958 and grew up on a hogs and grain farm. He was the youngest of six, with one brother and four sisters. His father owned a 160-acre farm and his brother owned another 160 acre farm, both of which Terry helped to work. At the time of his interview Terry lived with his partner Craig, in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Electronic
Physical Description: 2 digital files (1 redacted) (156 KB) 

Paper

Tinker, Troy, 1992-1993
Biography/History: Troy and his family moved onto a farm in Vilonia, Arkansas when he was thirteen years old. The family raised cattle and soybeans. Troy’s chores included feeding the cattle and tending to pregnant cows. Troy was married in the 1970s and remained so for ten years, fathering a son and daughter before coming out. At the time of his interview Troy lived in Dubuque, Iowa and worked in the performing arts.

Electronic
Physical Description: 6 digital files (3 redacted) (293 KB) 

Paper

Turk, Myron, 1992-1994
Biography/History: “Born in 1944, Myron grew up with two brothers on a 160-acre dairy and hog farm near Black Earth, in Dane County, south-central Wisconsin. He married at age twenty-five and come out at thirty-eight. He lives on a 5-acre hobby farm near Madison, Wisconsin. In this brief narrative, Myron describes seeing his own childhood being relived by his nephew.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 4 digital files (1 redacted) (210 KB) 

Paper

Utz, Cornelius, 1993-1999
Biography/History: “Cornelius was born in 1909 in Buchanan county, northwestern Missouri, on a small farm about five miles south of the city of South St. Joseph, where his father was a horse and mule trader. Cornelius was the youngest of eleven children—eight boys and three girls. He was married for thirty-five years, is the father of two children, and had a career in social work. He lives in a retirement community in Cleveland, Ohio.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 2 digital files (1 redacted) (304 KB) 

Paper

Vanderbeek, Mark, 1992-1995
Biography/History: “Mark was born in 1955 and grew up with two older sisters and a younger brother in southeastern Nebraska, near Adams, in Gage County. The farm was predominantly a grain operation, with some livestock. At the time of our interview, Mark lived in Kansas City, Missouri, and worked for a printing company as an electronic prepress specialist and Macintosh consultant. Mark killed himself in 1994 in the midst of what he described as ‘an ongoing struggle with clinical, hereditary depression.’ In this brief narrative, Mark describes how his rural and small-town roots continued to shape his achievement-centered identity.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 8 digital files (4 redacted) (318 KB) 

Paper

Watson, Ted (pseud. Richard Hopkins), 1992-1994
Biography/History: “Richard was born in 1961 and grew up with three older brothers on the family farm in central Indiana. It was primarily a grain farm, about 450 acres, but they also raised horses and other animals - cattle, sheep, and chickens. Richard left the farm when he got married in 1979. He lives in Indianapolis with his best friend, Keith, and continues to parent his two children.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 6 digital files (3 redacted) (278 KB) 

Paper

Yliniemmi, Ken, 1992-1996
Biography/History: “Ken was born in 194 and grew up with two older sisters and two younger sisters on a small dairy farm in northwestern Minnesota, seven miles from Ponsford, in Becker County. He lives in the Minneapolis area and works in horticulture and plant biology.” — Will Fellows, 1996

Electronic
Physical Description: 6 digital files (3 redacted) (334 KB) 

Paper

Other Interviews and Audio Recordings, 1992
Access Restrictions: At the time of donation, some interviewees stipulated that access to their interviews (audio and transcripts) and related materials be restricted until September 1, 2026 or their death, whichever occurs first. Note that the names of these interviewees are not included in this finding aid. Additionally, the Archives has imposed a restriction on all interviews (audio and transcripts) in order to protect the privacy rights of third parties. Researchers must use redacted transcripts included in the interview files, boxes 1-4.

Series: 2. Manuscripts, Publicity and Promotional Files, 1992-2002, undated

Bestseller Lists, 1996-1998

Cream City Foundation Grant Application, 1992-1997

Folklife Festival Talk, 1998

In the Life

General File, 1994-1997

Program Segment, 1997 April/May

Physical Description: Videocassette (VHS) 
Access Restrictions: The original videocassette is restricted. Users must use the network access copy available in the archives.

UWMMss264_In_The_Life_1997
Physical Description: 1 digital video file (1 hr., 2 min.) 

Interviews with Fellows

Fabulous Farm Boys, 1996 October 25

Physical Description: Audio cassette 
Access Restrictions: The original videocassette is restricted. Users must use the network access copy available in the archives.

UWMMss264_Fabulous_Farm_Boys_1996-06-25_1of1
Physical Description: 1 digital audio file (5 min. 9 sec.) 

Inside Out (Radio Program), 1995 December 30

Physical Description: Audio cassette 
Access Restrictions: The original videocassette is restricted. Users must use the network access copy available in the archives.

UWMMss264_Inside_Out_1995-12-30_1of2, UWMMss264_Inside_Out_1995-12-30_2of2
Physical Description: 2 digital audio files (16 min. 28 sec., 16 min. 16 sec.) 

WQPT Public Television, 1997 April 3

Physical Description: Videocassette (VHS) 
Access Restrictions: The original videocassette is restricted. Users must use the network access copy available in the archives.

UWMMss264_WQPT_Interview_1997-04-03
Physical Description: 1 digital video file (28 min. 45 sec) 

Manuscripts

Second Draft, undated

Third Draft, undated

New Harvest Foundation Grant Application, 1992-1997

Paperback Cover, undated

Photos
Physical Description: 20 digital files (104 MB) 

Reviews, 1996-2002

University of Wisconsin Press

Catalogs, 1996-1998

News clippings Compilation, 1996-1999

Song Written For Gay Bar Play
Physical Description: 1 digital file (2 min. 37 sec.) 
Scope and Content Note: Steady Hum by David Gaines

Series: 3. Research Files, 1992-1996, undated

Gay Farm Boys Project Newsletters, 1992-1996

Interview Information Letter, undated

Interview Protocol, undated

Interview Subject Recruitment, 1992

Miscellaneous Clippings and Articles, circa 1990s