I was born November 9, 1915, in Schuyler County, Illinois. I am a poet, novelist, fiddler, noted folk artist, and hoe-down square dance caller. I have lived on the bluffs of the Mississippi River for nine decades in the house that my grandfather built in 1863 and named “Evergreen Heights.”
I am a combat veteran of World War Two, earned...
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I was born November 9, 1915, in Schuyler County, Illinois. I am a poet, novelist, fiddler, noted folk artist, and hoe-down square dance caller. I have lived on the bluffs of the Mississippi River for nine decades in the house that my grandfather built in 1863 and named “Evergreen Heights.”
I am a combat veteran of World War Two, earned the Combat Infantry Badge, and was awarded the Purple Heart for injuries sustained near Stohlburg, Germany. I also received the Silver Star for “Gallantry in action above the call of duty,” in this same contact with the opposing forces.
I have been writing poetry, family history, music and lyrics to original songs for three-quarters of a century. My music group furnished music for local square dances, the National meeting of the Kaiser-Fraiser Club at the Museum of Transportation in Saint Louis, the re-enactment of the Lincoln-Douglas Debate in Alton, the annual Calhoun County Antique Quilt and Car Show, the Alton Historical Society, church socials, and local nursing homes.
My poems have been featured on two radio programs, and are well-known to an informal network of admirers. I was named a folk treasure by Arts Across Illinois and have been featured on their TV broadcast, and am currently represented on their website with a video clip, poetry, and historical photos.
The letters I documented for my mother and father and extended family network are archived at the University of Illinois and illuminate the living history of the early 1900s. They are considered by the collection curator as an invaluable resource for researchers of that time period. They supplement and interlock with the written history of that era. You can learn more about my work by visiting www.riehlife.com and selecting the category "Daddy 'n Me."
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