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PRIOR TO LEMOYNE The Holden Family had been in the business of farming for generations, providing the settlements of New Hanover with the required agriculture to feed the masses and contribute to the overall growth of the region. It was in the 1870s that the Holden Farm received its last change of ownership, unknown to them at the time, under the leadership of Tim Holden and his childhood sweetheart, Edna Holden. The farm was thriving and they had their hands in the pockets of most notable businesses across New Hanover, West Elizabeth, and even as far as Lemoyne - the increased use of the railroad playing a big part in this. It didn’t take long for the couple to have kids; the first being identical twins Stanley and Gus Holden, though their age was the only identical trait they shared due to the aftereffects of an unknown ailment at the time now known as a Monochorionic twin pregnancy. The former; an academically-minded individual who was often caught hiding in the shed with a book instead of working, and was often belittled by his Father as a "pretty boy", and the latter; a brute of a man who was stared at almost everywhere he went for his stature and gormless look behind the eyes. Stanley had always hoped to go to college, though the plan was always for him to continue the farm, and so instead he applied his intelligence to the business, becoming his Father’s trusted bookkeeper by the time he was 16. Meanwhile, Gus applied his strength into construction, physical labour and essentially anything his Father told him to do. After the twins, a few miscarriages and infant deaths plagued the Holdens. These deaths had started to take its toll on Tim, who had become a haunted man by the time Matilda Holden was born. He put all of his attention onto the farm and ensured that even his daughter was raised with the mindset to keep it going, caring less about gender roles and more about the Holden family legacy given his lack of children compared to his ancestors. His efforts were not in vain, as Matilda grew up to become just as invested as her Father, and often aiding her elder brothers in discussions regarding business. However, in the year 1895, the first tragedy hit the Farm; a fire that burned down the main storage shed and incinerated most of the crops. Local lawmen put it down to the hot summer, however Tim suspected foul play from a rival business. Regardless, the fire left an irreparable impact on the farm, as they were unable to bounce back from it. A man from the bank had also approached Tim with an offer for the land, most likely due to the ever expanding settlements and the need for space. With his wife’s health starting to falter, and a profit in the minuses, Tim accepted the offer, putting an end to the Holden Farm as they knew it. The Holden Family found what work they could, living in a small shack with one bedroom. While Stanley and Matilda could have left, they opted to stay and look after their dying Mother, their fragile alcoholic Father, and their dependent brother Gus. The money Tim had received that day continued to stay stored in the bank, however the man was reluctant to part with it, becoming paranoid about them having no money at all should Edna or his children need it, and so it sat there collecting dust. Unfortunately, in the year 1899, Edna was laid to rest, plunging Tim into the bottom of a bottle unlike ever before. The Holden siblings didn’t have time to properly grieve as their next plan of action was to convince their Father to finally use the savings to get another plot of land, hoping that would bring the whole family out of their depression and allow them to be successful once again. After many lengthy conversations between Matilda, Stanley & Tim - and Gus too, if he wasn't busy wandering off somewhere - the head of the family was finally convinced in parting with most of his money for the betterment of the family future, his only condition being that afterwards "he is left in peace." A small family home against the northern Lemoyne border purchased, they continued their search for land around the nearby town, Rhodes, eventually discovering a notice written by Sheriff Linwood on the search for farmhands on his land known as Southfield Flats; a short commute from the Holden's latest housing investment. This discovery led to a proposition being made to the Sheriff that they would tend to the farm and business matters while he holds onto the land for his retirement plans - a proposition that was accepted along with some funding provided, in an arrangement known as sharecropping. Years of family turmoil and financial instability later, The Holdens had land available to them again; though inner relations being more dysfunctional than ever, only time will tell if the family can make something of themselves once again in the shadow of those that came before them. This screenshot thread will showcase the day-to-day life of working at Holden Farm and the general lives of the family and their associates.