Vernon Sheffield was born in Lanesboro, Iowa in February 1904. His parents farmed, and raised Vernon and his nine siblings to value education and culture. Vernon was a child piano prodigy and studied math and music at Simpson College. While in college he played piano on the Chautauqua circuit, 1920-1925. Vernon taught music and later mathematics at several midwestern colleges and earned a masters degree at the Eastman School of Music. After that he taught at Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia.
From the description of Sheffield, Vernon papers, 1909-1979. (Iowa Sate Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 50158908