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Geneva Grace Stratton was born on August 17, 1863, on “Hopewell” farm near Wabash, Indiana.

“Hopewell”, near Wabash, Indiana, was the Stratton family farm for almost thirty years. The 240 rolling acres was heavily forested with several flowing springs and little streams crossing it in three directions. In 1872, Mark Stratton donated a corner of his land for the Hopewell Church and Cemetery which he helped to build. He was an ordained minister and the pastor of the beautiful, little red brick church for many years. The Hopewell Cemetery now contains the graves of Mark and Mary Stratton along with those of their children, Leander, Ada, Samira, and Louisa.

Gene was happy and carefree at “Hopewell.” Her parents were avid Nature enthusiasts and always taught Gene to wonder at and to appreciate the beauty of the great outdoors. From her mother Gene learned to love flowers and all growing things. She became so friendly with the birds that she could actually touch them while they brooded. When her mother became a semi-invalid following an attack of typhoid fever, Gene would go out to the fields with her brothers and play happily in the woods while they worked. At that time there were Indians living in the area with whom she became good friends. She was especially fond of the family of Chief Wacacoonah of the Meshingmesas. Gene earned her first money from selling the arrowheads and goose quills given to her by the Indians.