This is a true story that tracks back to a fortune made by driving cattle from South Texas to the Dakotas in 1880, and to loss of that fortune in San Antonio by the next generation. It is the story of Josephine and Will Fordtran, who found themselves without a job and no means of earning a living after the stock market crash in 1929. To survive, they moved 40 miles from San Antonio to farmland located near the small town of Stockdale, where they started a dairy farm and built a home. They prospered during the Depression, but were nearly wiped out again in the aftermath of the severe drought of the 1950s. This biography describes the joys and the struggles they endured, and it spotlights the many small traditions that united their family. The unique personalities and charm of these two people made a deep impression on all who knew them.

Josephine and Will have now been gone for more than 33 years. About 70 descendants remain, but none know the details of the lives of Josephine and Will. These descendants will gain insight, wisdom, and inspiration from this biography and documentary. The book also contains an appendix with notes of remembrance by family members who knew them.