The Meade family farmed in Iowa for many years beginning with John Meade in the 1860s. Earl and Mary Ball farmed a portion of this early Meade family acreage beginning in the 1960s. The collection (1924-1987, undated) contains interviews of Ralph Meade (audio cassette tapes, transcripts), journals, family histories, record books, and a notebook. Most of the material relates to Ralph and Magdalen Meade but also includes material from Norbert Meade, Mary Meade Ball and Earl Ball. The materials all document various aspects of the Meade family's farming activities in Iowa.

The Meade family farmed in Iowa for many years beginning with John Meade in the 1860s. Earl and Mary Ball farmed a portion of this Meade family acreage beginning in the 1960s.

Ralph ("Riley") Meade was born September 11, 1904. Ralph married Magdalen Cecilia Walsh (born January 12, 1913) on January 2, 1936. Magdalen attended St. Mary's Grade School (located in Riverside, Iowa), graduated from St. Mary's High School (1930), and attended (1931-1932) Clarke College in Dubuque, Iowa. Ralph and Magdalen farmed on several farms in Iowa throughout their lives. They farmed for one year near Mount Pleasant, Iowa (1936), rented the Martin Hoffman Place near Cosgrove (1937), bought the 400 acre Rohret Place south of Cosgrove (1938), sold the Rohret Place (1944), and bought a 500 acre pasture farm near Oakland Mills/Mount Pleasant where they farmed for many years (1944-1973). In 1973 the couple sold the farm and bought a house in Mount Pleasant. Together they had nine children (four boys and five girls). Ralph Meade died on December 28, 1987. Magdalen Meade died October 20, 2005.

Norbert Meade (1904-1980), married to Tillie Meade, was Ralph's cousin. Norbert farmed his entire life in the Oxford-Tiffen-Cosgrove area of Iowa.

Earl Ball (from a coal mining family in West Virginia) was married to Mary Meade Ball. Earl Farmed land in Johnson County, Iowa for most of his life.

The collection (1924-1987, undated) contains interviews of Ralph Meade (audio cassette tapes, transcripts), journals, family histories, record books, and a notebook. Most of the material relates to Ralph and Magdalen Meade. The interview and family histories mostly discuss the family's experiences on the farms. The notebook (belonging to Mary Meade Ball) of the Sweeney Automobile and Tractor School contains some notes about the parts of an automobile and how they work in addition to accounts for food and farm supplies.

The Magdalen Meade Papers are located at the Iowa Women's Archive (University of Iowa Libraries).

The collection is arranged in original order.