https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/17/463/Families-E.pdf dbd4d983923073a04b35aec04f70182d PDF Text Text llltt .tlr,,il,':: ,l.: ':::::':ili '.,:;...r-::. ,i..,iL,. tri ,l, :;."::: , furnished horses for the rodeos at the Kit Carson Fair for several years. Some of the local riders at that time were: Rueben and Archie Anderson; Joe Ross; Dewey (Dude) and Had Compher; Carl Harrison and Guy and Carl Wigton. In 1945 O.C. retired and moved to Burlington. In 1946 he was elected Sheriff of Kit Carson County and served in that office until his death in 1954. by Isaphene Dunlap Lesher EAGLETON - REID FAMILY F176 Oliver and Elizabeth Dunlap homestead. was driven by Howard Welch, O.C.'s and Elsie's half brother. O.C. Dunlap built a 4 room square sod house on their homestead where their daughter, Isaphene, was born in 1912 and son, Verlin. in 1914. In 1915 a concrete house was built by O.C. Dunlap and Emery Eicher, where another daughter, Nina, was born in 1920. This house is still standing. A small sod house was built for Mrs. Icephene Welch on her homestead. The Eicher house was a frame building, part of which was moved from Sherman County, Kansas. There it had been a small country store and post office located near the Smokey River. After Eicher's moved to Burlington in 1914, located near the Smokey River. After Eicher's moved to Burlington in 1914, O.C. bought the buildings and tore most of them down except the part of the house that had originally come from Kansas. He moved that part to the Dunlap home. There it was used as a milk house and bunk house for hired men. In 1931 the Dunlaps improved the NE% section of Icyphene Welch's homestead. This seme little two room house was moved again and built onto for their home, where they lived for 14 years before moving to Burlington in 1945. That little building really traveled and is still being lived in. When the Dunlap's and Eicher's came to Colorado, their mailing address was Beaver- ton, Colorado. This was a little country general merchandise store and Post Office. it was located 10 miles Northwest of their homestead, which was quite a trip by horse and buggy. John Higgon ran the store and Post Office, later it was ran by George Church. O.C. Dunlap was a rancher, raising cattle and horses. The cattle that were moved to the homestead were mixed breeds, mostly Gal- loways. In about 1918 he bought some purebred polled herefords and continued to raise hereford cattle until he retired in 1945. O.C. purchased his livestock brand (quarter circle C) in 1915 which is still being used by his son Verlin. The horses and mules that Norman and Vickey Eagleton, 1985. were raised bV O.C. were mostly sold to Eastern buyers. He also furnished horses for rodeos that were held in this area, as this was a favorite entertainment in the early days. He W W W w ?gryWryryyry,t*.t:i:,&',.:,rt.,' ;'. t,:,. . #n ,;\,.'t -.- **- w t:..ir '.1.: :op -Yt bt:'. ?;:e i. .?! ,*,',, &,ri :,'r The Eagleton Children: Carma Lynette, age 11; Dawn Michele, age 13; and Norman Jason, age 8, Christmas 1946. 1985. �Norman Eugene Eagleton was born to Clinton Elijah and Clora Mae (Dungan) Eagleton on March 2, 1950 in Pueblo, CO. Nnmed for his grandfather and an uncle, Harold Norman Eagleton, Norman was the 2nd of 5 children - Sandra Louise (Turley), Norman Eugene, Charlotte Mae (Kelly), Gary Von, and April Lynn (Trujillo). Norman named his sister April (although she was born in May). He was a Captain in R.O.T.C.; he worked 4 years at Safeway and graduated in 1968 from Centennial High School. Vickey Lynn Reid was born at KCC Memorial Hospital to David Vinton and Betty Lou (Hughes) Reid on June 26, 1951. She has a younger brother, Ray Deon. Vickey was active in the high school band, chorus, newspaper and annual. She worked at Stuckey's Pecan Shoppe, Seibert and as hostes- s/cashier at the Little England Restaurant, Flagler. She graduated Valedictorian of Seibert High School in 1969. (Personal note of coincidence: Centennial and Seibert H.S. had the same colors and mascots - Red and White Bulldogs.) Vickey attended 3 semesters at Graceland College, Lamoni, Iowa. Vickey was attendant to 1968 Kit Carson County Queen, Kay Cure. She won a 4-H Citizenship Short course trip to Washington, D.C. in 1969. The various monuments, Capitol and White House were very impressive and awe-inspiring. She rememberg the seeming injustice in the vast difference between the abject poverty in one area and the gold banister and gold elevator doors of the Supreme Court Building just a few blocks away. Norman and Vickey met in 1968 on a church sponsored youth caravan to Mesa Verde. They were married by Vickey's uncle, Roger Reid on January 30, 1971. Their's was the lastweddingto be held in the "old" RLDS Church (a converted schoolhouse) in Seibert. The Eagleton's lived in Sedalia, MO where Norman was a machinist/painter for Turley Bros. Mfg. They moved to Seibert late in the summer of 1971, living in the white stucco house at the NE corner of Main Street across from the Seibert Coop where Norman was employed. Vickey worked as a teacher's aide at the school in Vona. Norman and Vickey moved to the Reid home place 7 miles north and 2 west of Seibert inLg72. They work with her parents on the Reid Femily Ranch raising wheat and Registered Polled Hereford cattle. A babygirl was born May 24,1972. She was named Dawn Michelle because she was born at dawn and she looked like a little french doll. Carma Lynette was born October 2, 1974. Her name was created by combining the names of her mother and grandmothers Clora Mae - Carma, Vickey Lynn and Betty - Llmette. Norman Jason was born July 25, 1977. He was nnmed Norman means, hopeful in the Eagleton tradition, and Jason means healer. The Eagleton's are active members of the Reorganized Church ofJesus Christ oflatter Day Saints. Norman serves in the Priesthood and Vickey occasionally seryes as church organist. Norman and Vickey have served as Church School Directors, teachers, choir members, Local and District Youth Directors. The girls have played the flute in church and in the school band. All three children take piano lessons from Carla Herman of Seibert. The family is active in the Go-Getters 4-H Club. Norman and Vickev serve as Emer- gency Medical Technicians on the Volunteer Family highlights have been trips to visit Uncle Ray and family and seeing the tourist sights of Southern California and trips to Independence, MO. to attend World Church Kanorado where they owned the telephone office. They had known the Eberharts when they grew up near St. Francis, Kansas and agreed to sign the tickets for any fuel Ted needed that first year to help him get started. Working those piles of blow dirt was really difficult, and that first year didn't turn out very well. After that things began to improve and they were able to survive. Ted also rented some ground from the Shamburgs, and one day Mr. Shnm[q1g drove out to see how things were doing and he couldn't find anybody at the house. He saw us down in the field. so came on down to talk to us. Bernice was out helping shock feed, so when he went back to town he told some of his friends that he wasn't worried about us, we would make it. In June of 1941, a tornado went through the community. It tore the third story off the Smoky Hill School house, the buses and the Conferences. garage and two ofthe teachers dwellings were Community Ambulance Service. Vickey teaches Community CPR classes and was elected Secretary of the Hi-Plains Board of Education for School District R-23 in 1987. Employed in 1987, Vickey serves as Medical Assistant to Dr. David Younger each Wednesday afternoon at the Flagler Community Medical Center. In 1986 the Eagleton's moved to the Reid's River Ranch home on the old Hoyt site between South Fork Republican River and Buffalo Creek. We enjoy the extra space when entertaining family and friends. We are also finding an interesting challenge in expanding our farm/ranch operation to include raising hogs. The kids enjoy hunting with Grandpa and fishing for trout in his privately stocked pond. They think fishing is seeing if you can toss in a hook and line and get it back out before you catch a fish. They also like Grandpa's homemade jerky, Gram's homemade grape marmalade (they didn't like seeding the grapes), and sledding in the snow on a car hood . . . "just like in the good ol' days!" by Norman & Vickey Eagleton EBERHART, TED AND BERNICE Fr77 After the terrible drought of the thirties, farnilies began slowly coming baek to the Smoky Hill community. In 1939, Ted and Bernice Eberhart and son Lonnie moved onto what was known as the Lawrence Olson farm, which had been taken over by the Foster Farms. It was 10 miles south and 8 east of Burlington and had been vacant for some time. They had been living on a farm in the Armel neighborhood, paying cash rent, which was increased every year, and it became more and more difficult to pay. Ted took a tour of the country and saw dirt piled fence-post high with blow dirt, not a bit of vegetation, and empty places everywhere. Hugh Gleason from the Bank of Burlington offered to rent the farm to Ted, and we all came down to look at it. We brought both of our parents along and it was a discouraging sight. Bernice thought there wasn't enough there to keep a jack rabbit alive, but if that was what Ted wanted to do, she was willing to go with him. In the fall of 1939, they moved. They were married in 1936, and had accumulated some household stuff, but on the way down the trailer hitch broke and upset the load of household goods in the middle of the road. Needless to say, we had a bunch of broken junk. Times were really hard, and Ted caught rabbits and sold the hides to help feed us. He had some hounds and a saddle horse and also caught some coyotes. Our first tractor was bought from Ted Backlund, a C Case and he traded two horses as a down payment. Jake Raile lived in destroyed. That was the day that Connie Eberhart was born. Ted had taken Bernice to the hospital that morning. Marlin Eberhart, who was Ted's nephew was with them and spent lots of summers with them. Marlin and Lonnie were planning to stay with George and Lois Blomendahl, but Lonnie didn't want to stay. Lois said they would come to town and take care ofthem, since her parents lived in town. During the afternoon the tornado came and the Blomendahl ranch was totally destroyed. A cement foundation for the water supply tank was the only thing left standing. The Lord must have been watching over all of us that day! The Blomendahls lived with the Eberharts for three months while they were trying to clean out their basement and make it livable. Connie didn't hardly know whether Bernice or Lois was her mother, until lunch time, for sure. Lonnie and Connie went their first eight grades at Smoky Hill. We hardly knew a soul until Lonnie was old enough to start to school. Almost all of the neighbors were bachelors, and there were so many deserted places. School activities brought us all together, and the Sunday School was probably the most meaningful of all the activities. We all seemed to blend into a united effort to improve homes and families. We had Vacation Bible School in the summer, and the children were picked up by parents for a special time of activities and learning. That community has some kind of a bond that keeps us friends and we have set up an annual picnic to be held the third Sunday in August at the Parmer Park in Burlington. You are invited and urged to attend. Lonnie graduated from C.U. in 1959 and went to work for John Deere Heavy Industrial Works in Moline, Illinois right away. Later he was moved to Dubuque, Iowa where designing equipment was available. All of the engineers were moved to Dubuque. One of the projects Lonnie helped desigrr is the big road maintainer, JD-570 which you will see being used by the City of Burlington. Ira Barnhart drove one of them for many years clearing out the snow and other maintenance jobs. One winter when we had a really bad blizzard,, Ted got in his Blazer and drove down town to look at the huge drifts. The grader was having problems attacking those drifts and they cleared only a single path in many places. Ted was telling Lonnie about �drought. We survived. In the 1930's we had terrible dust storms. When it started to rain the ground was like flour. Water didn't soak in, but ran off in the low places and through the creek. On May 30, 1935, our place was flooded. We salvaged what we could and had a sale. In August of 1935 we moved to Denver, CO where Zack Eckert worked for Dr. Herman Maul in west Denver and on his ranch at Red Feather Lakes. that and Lonnie said the operator needed to learn to wiggle its tail in order to keep maneuvering that machine. Lonnie is still working for John Deere and recently was involved in a huge Machinery Show in Las Vegas. It was Lonnie's job to be on the floor and answer questions from the viewers. Connie graduated from Adams State College and served as Dean of Students for thirteen years. She is about to complete twenty years where she teaches Psychology. She is also at the head of the Affirmative Action Program in the college. She recently spent some time in Kit Carson County recruiting students for Adams State. John Robertson was one of the popular teachers at Smoky Hill, and he joined in all the other community activities. His wife Carolyn and three children, Francis, Rick and Judy became an important part of the community. Bernice Eberhart wrote news for Smoky Hill for the Burlington Record for many Zack's children were educated in Kit Carson County at White Plains School. It was a one room sod school house which Zack Eckert and the neighbors helped build. We didn't get to town very often as our travels were made by a teem of horses and a lumber wagon. Sometimes in winter we used a bobsled to travel. Elizabeth Eckert (Zack's wife) passed away in December, 1932. We survived World War I and the big depression. I don't know much about Elizabeth Nickel's family. They lived in Lehigh, Kansas. She was from a large family. There were seven years. girls and one boy including, Minnie, Eva, Anna, Julia, Agnes, Amelia, Elizabeth and Valentine. Anna Nickel married Henry by Bernice Eberhart Zacharias Richard Eckert and Lizzie Eckert in ECKERT FAMILY 1927 Fr78 became theirs. They raised cattle, horses and Zacharias Richard Eckert was born February 7, 1880. At the age of four years he came to the United States with his family. They set sail in 1884 from Keix, Russia. There were several families on the ship. They were quarantined off shore for some time as they had an epidemic of Black Small Pox. Several perished and were buried at sea. Zack's father, Peter Eckert, settled his family for a short time in Illinois. They moved on to Nebraska and later in 1888 went further west to Colorado by covered wagon. Zack Eckert was 18 at the time and had remained behind to bring the livestock they owned by rail. The Peter Eckert family homesteaded in Lincoln County. They lived on the land and made improvements long enough that the land farmed for a living. The family saw many hard times, living on dry land farming and raising cattle on the range. Z.R. Eckert met Elizabeth Nickel, who had come to Colorado from Lehigh, Kansas. They were united in marriage in Hugo, Colorado, on January 1, 1902. They had eight children: Willson, Lelah, Harley, Iva, Archie, Eula, Zachie, and Elizabeth. The last two babies died at birth. In 1905 or 1906 Zach Eckert homesteaded north of Flagler on land close to the Arickaree Creek in Kit Carson County (just west of the Arickaree Creek). He built his two room sod house and a few other buildings. He dug a well and put up a windmill for water. There were many hard- Kliewer and moved to Colorado. They homesteaded about five miles north and east of Flagler. Elizabeth came out to help her sister, metZack Eckert and married. Elizabeth was also known as "Lizzie" . Lizzie's father was a Mennonite minister and her brother. Valentine, was a Methodist minister. As for churches, we didn't get to go very often as travel was slow, with horses and buggy. Emma Nickel, Elizabeth's sister, came out from Kansas and held revival meetings in different school houses. In Twin Lake School about 1914 they had Sunday School and church with Reverend Magill as minister. by Iva Levi (Eckert) EDMUNDS FAMILY Fl79 ships, such as snow blizzards, rain, hail and My grandparents James. H. and Sarah Ann (Weeks) Edmunds came to the United States from England. They settled in Burlingame, Kansas. My father James E. Edmunds and Lulu Rowley were united in marriage in Topeka, Kansas, and had 4 children. Lulu passed away and my father married Effie Kristen Marin and they moved to Stratton, Eula Davis, Archie, Iva Levi, Harley, Lelah Shrader and William Eckert in 1973 Colo. in 1917, by covered wagon and a team of mules. I, Maynard Edmunds, went to live with my grandparents until my granddad passed away. I was L5 years old and a friend and I decided to go off to Missouri to look for work. This was on February 14, 1920. My sister caught us and as ghe didn't know what else to do she put me on the train and sent me to Cheyenne Wells, my Dad met me and I went to live with him. On March 24, 1927, I married Violet Lillian Fuhlendorf in Burlington, Colo. and we lived on the farm north of Stratton, then lived on a farm northeast of Vona, until we moved into Vona in 1950. Violet worked as a cook at the Vona School and I worked at odd jobs until I retired. I drove a gas truck for Frank Wilson, and I worked for Ray Roberts at one time. I recall when I worked for Ray, when we got to the farms the gas had to be bucketed out of the truck, hauled up a ladder, and poured into the farmers supply tanks. �their front lines to their headquarters in Bouganville. Ray received a Bronze Star for action in this battle. When the war was over in 1945, he caught the first possible ship home with the dream in his mind to own and operate a quarter of Western Kansas land and raise wheat. During the next two years and a variety ofjobs, , b"*';'.' his dream started to come true. In April 1947 he loaded up his earthly belongings and headed for Stratton, Colorado. He had rented six quarters of land. So, with his old 22-36 International tractor and a new one-way plow, he set out to break sod and plant his first wheat crop. Plows in those days were not hydraulic and if you plugged one with dirt or weeds you would dig it out with a crow bar. When the wheat was all drilled in the fall, he headed back to Piqua, Kansas and on October 22, L947 he married Agnes Lampe. @,@7 w i''lr* She was the youngest daughter of Frank and Francis (Sicka) L'mpe. Her sisters and brothers were Cornelius, who married Co- Vernon Baxter and Maynard Edmunds. Maynard is the Indian, during the Seibert Indian Massacre Reenactment. Some of my early memories are the days I used to spend coyote hunting with Frank Jones of Seibert. Colo. I recall after the flood of '35', hunting up and down the Republican River for old bones. I was with Jess Miller and Fitzpatrick when we found one bone sticking service. On November LL, L947 Ray and Agnes again loaded up the old truck and headed for their "new" home 15 miles southwest of out of the river bank on ground north of Vona. I have this picture of Vernon Baxter and myself, when we were in the Seibert Indian massacre Re-enactment, I was in it twice; it was quite a sight to see. Violet and I had been in town to a dance the night the big fire started in Vona. We were taking Nate Sharp home; that is he jumped on the running board of our car. We drove north and only stopped long enough to let him off and went on out to the farm. We didn't even look back, we didn't know about Stratton. Times were hard, but life was great. The neighbors came over to visit and we played cards on our first dinette set . . a $4.00 table, one broken back chair and three apple boxes. Apple boxes were made of wood then. The money we had saved to buy a table and chairs went to put a new axle in the truck. The Eisenbarts: Norma, Agnes, Mike, Ray and Nona. Smith, hurried in with a tractor and chisel and put the fire out. A good many more reflection of the fire and smoke. Violets parents home was just behind all the stores neighbors came over to help also. That year we bought a new L.A. Case tractor for $2,900.00 and a new Case combine for $2,700.00. The tractor was a good invest- that burned, but was lucky not to catch fire. We still live in Vona and raised our family here. We have three sons, Glen, Bill, and Bob, ment but the combine was nothing but a headache. It never did work right. In 1949 we bought our first new car for 91,600.00. It 7 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren. by Maynard Edmunds replacedthe 1940 G.M.C. truckthathad been our only means of transportation. We got the new car in time to make the trip to Burlington for the arrival of our son, Raymond Michael, EISENBART, AGNES AND RAY The Ray Eisenbart's harvesting in 19?6 The bombing of Pearl Harbor made his draft number come up real quickly. He took his basic training in Camp Forest, Tennessee and was assigned to the 129 Infantry, 37th nine and spent the next three years living with relatives. At that time his brother Division. He stayed in this division for his entire service career. He went overseas to the South Pacific and spent 37 months on a tour ofduty through the Fiji Islands, Guadalcanal, Bouganville, and the Phillipine Islands. His married and he and his sister lived with them. He helped with the milking and farming until he went to the service. ting a Japanese company that had penetrated Ray lost both of his parents before he was Colorado. Our first wheat crop in the summer of 1948 was a good one. A wheatfield fire started by acres in one field before a neighbor, Norman before he went in he looked south and saw a Raymond Bernard Eisenbart was born September 28, 1919 to John and Nona (Skeeters) Eisenbart at Yates Center, Kansas. His one brother, John, married Alice Hoag and they live at Iola, Kansas. His one sister, Genevieve, married Hugh Keturaket and they live at Klamath Falls, Oregon. The axle twisted off during our trip to a truck muffler burned about twenty-five the fire until the next day. Nate said just Fr80 letta Kipp. Margaret married Frank Heffern, Mildred married Valentine Link, Raymond married Ruth Koester, Ella married Myrori Haugen, and Albert married Marlene Westerman. Agnes, at that time, was teaching school in a one-room country school with all eight grades. She and Ray had been dating since shortly after he came home from the company received a presidential citation from Franklin Delano Roosevelt for annihila- born March 20, 1950. That year we built a chicken house and had 300 layers. The chickens were our salvation as the eggs we sold were our only source of money for groceries and fuel. We heated our house with kerosene which we brought home from town in five gallon buckets. We didn't raise any wheat from 1953 through 1957. We would have probably left Stratton if we would have had anywhere to go. We bought our first new diesel tractor in 1954. (We traded the worthless combine in on it.) We wore out a set of tires on the tractor before we raised another crop. In the spring of 1955 the dirt storms were many and awful. Our first daughter, Nona Kay arrived June 5, 1955 between dirt storms. There were many days that spring �when you couldn't see 50 ft. because of the blowing dirt. We welcomed our second daughter, Norma, on April 22, 1958. We had a pretty good wheat crop that year so our summer was busy with a new baby and a good harvest. We built another larger chicken house in 1958 and expanded our egg production. We spent many hours gathering, cleaning, candling, and packaging eggs. Then we would load them in the pickup and deliver them to the grocery stores in many of the neighboring towns. The egg money paid the down payment on the two sections of ground that we bought in 1960 two miles north of Vona. We tore the old homestead buildings down on our new place and built a new quonset and several grain bins for wheat storage. We also tore out miles of fence that was buried under blow dirt piles. In 1964 when Norma went to kindergarten, Agnes returned to teaching at the Saint Charles Academy until it closed in 1969 for financial rearlons and the lack of Nuns to teach. After Saint Charles closed, Agnes went to the public school as an assistant and later took the job of Secretary where she still works, The 60's were rather slim picking as far as crops were concerned. Several years we fed cattle and sold them for no more than the Sears in Burlington for six months and then took a position with the Council of Government Office in Stratton. She was the Energy and Housing Coordinator. In 1981, her department formed a separate organization and beco-e the Colorado East Community Action agency. In January of 1982, with the resignation of the director of Colorado East, she took the position ofdirector and held that position until she married Larry Fox in June of 1983. Larry is a teacher in Scott City, Kansas. After moving to Scott City, Norma worked at a school with the gifted and talented children until she took her present position as secretary to the first vice president of the First National Bank there. They have one son, Lucas Lee, born March 13, 1987. by Agnes Eisenbart EISENBART, RAYMOND MIKE AND PATSY Fl8t feed cost. In the 70's crops began to be better and of course with better crops came better times. We bought more land and better equipment. We began to see the end of the tunnel. Good crops in the 80's made things look prosperous. 1982 was an exception when we had 660 acres of wheat flattened in a l0 minute hail storm. In April of 1987, we broke ground to build our new brick home at 519 New York. That was always another one of Ray's drenms. In the basement of our new home we built a large room to accomodate Ray's collection of toy farm implements and farm tractors. We moved into our new home October 1, 1987 and on October 22nd we celebrated our 4oth wedding anniversary. Our children grew up in Stratton. They attended Saint Charles Academy until it closed in 1969. They all graduated from Stratton High School. Mike went to Durango to college for one year and then enlisted in the Navy for a four year tour of Duty. He married Patsy Kordes while he was in the Navy and after coming home from the Navy, they moved to their farm seven miles northwest of Stratton where they still live. They have four children, Brandy born February 2, L974, Clint, born October L4, L975, Ryan, born October 3, 1980 and Jill, born August 18, 1982. Nona married Stanley Willer after high school. Stan had been working for us part time before they were married and they are still working with us on the farm. They have rented land of their own as well as helping with ourg. Nona has been a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician with the Stratton Ambulance Service for eleven years. She worked at Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital for two years after they were married and has been working at the Stratton Coop for the last five years. They have four children, Michelle, born January 30, 1973, Kristine, born Januar5r 25, 1974, Brian, born November 30, 1977, and Victoria, born November 17, t979. Norma graduated in 1976. She worked at his favorite sport was football, his favorite past time was Patsy, who would later become his wife. He also enjoyed farming with his Dad when it didn't interfere with Patsy. Mike attended one year of college in Durango where he learned the art of drinking, which would later cause much trouble in his life. In Oct. 1969 Mike joined the Navy and was a good sailor proud to serve his country. Boot cnmp was in Great Lakes, illinois, where for your past time you manned a broom and kept the snow off the sidewalks at nights. He went to school in Lakehurst, New Jersey and studied Metcrology. He finished 3rd in his class so he received stateside duty in Virginia Beach, Virginia rather than sea duty. Mike returned home and married his highschool sweetheart June 5, 1971 in St. Charles Catholic Church. Patsy Ann Kordes is the fourth child of Val and Leona Kordes born on August 13, 1951. She has one brother Dennis and three sisters Betty Jean, Beverly and Valerie. She grew up with many treasured memories on a farm 5 miles northeast of Stratton. The family visiting neighbors, making Christmas cook- ies, pulling taffy and learning to sew are some of the more memorable times. Patsy attended the St. Charles Parochial School in Stratton for 8 years. In her teen years she spent her summers running an 830 John Deere tractor helping her Dad farm. She graduated from Stratton High School in May 1969. After graduation she moved to Denver working for an insurance company as a receptionist and secretary for 2 years until she beco-e Mike's bride. Patsy and Mike moved to Virginia Beach; they recall pleasant memories of the carefree newlywed days of the east coast beaches. w Raymond, Mike and Patsy Eisenbart and family, 1987 March 1, 1950 the dirt has been blowing days and days, at times so bad you can hardly see your hand in front of your face. There were 3 foot blow dirt drifts on one side of the house one day and 3 foot blow dirt drifts on the other side the next. Wet sheets were hanging on the windows to keep the dust down. The wind has died down for a few days now. It's March 20, 1950. Raymond Michael Eisenbart is the first of three children born to Raymond and Agnes Eisenbart. He has two sisters Nona Kay and Norma Jean. Mike, as he is called, had younger years full of wide open spaces. He spent hours playing with his dog Bullet, pigeons, and in the dry creek beds and climbing trees. Mike worked on the farm as a kid. It was his job along with his mom and sisters, to care for 2 to 3 thousand chickens. His dad said those bird eggs kept the farm alive in the 50's. Mike remembers some pretty good egg fights where several dozen eggs never made it to market. He enjoyed those frequent trips to eastern Kansas where he fished with his Grandpa Lfmpe and played in the fishing holes with frogs, turtles, crawdads and even water snakes which were good for scaring off girls which he didn't care for at the time. That would come later. Mike graduated from Stratton High School in 1968, his favorite subject was study hall, Patsy worked for another insurance company until Mike received word in July, 1972, he would be transferred to Adak, Alaska. Limited housing on his Naval Base Island forced Mike to live in the barracks until housing was available. Patsy returned home and lived with her parents for 6 months until March, 1973, a house became available and she was able to join him. During this time Mike's drinking became more of a problem in his life. By far the most exciting event for us on Adak was the birth of our first child Brandy Joy born on February 2, 1974. Mike was honorably discharged from the Navy in March 1974. After having seen other places, there was still no place like our home town. We decided to move back to Stratton and farm. In August, L974, we bought a used mobile home and moved to a farm 8 miles northwest of Stratton that his Dad had purchased from Guy Paintin. Mike rented 3 quarters of land northwest of Seibert and farmed with his Dad. His first tractor was a 1969 XT 190 Allis Chalrners. Later that year we purchased r/z section of land that tied to the land we lived on. We ran a few calves. October 14, 1975 our second child was born, Clint Michael. That same year we started raising a few hogs. We still had calves and were farming dryland wheat. We rented more ground closer to home and started doing custom farming also. Our third child, Ryan Raymond arrived on October 3, 1980. Mike's drinking became more of a problem and he decided to get some help. He entered Valley Hope Alcholic Treatment Center in March 1982. A sober husband and father brought he family much enjoyment and �closer together. Our fourth child, Jill Ann was born on August 18, 1982. In the fall of 1982 we built a farrowing house and increased the hog operation to 45 sows, farrow to finish. Mike remained sober from March 1982 until Sept. 1983 when he took that first drink. This was a great setback in life for all concerned. As the children were getting older, our mobile home was getting smaller. In December, 1984, we were able to move into our new home. What a super Christmas present. Mike, not at all happy with his life of alcoholism, realizing it was definitely a disease returned to Valley Hope for another shot at a sober and happy life, both for self and family in March 1986. His second trip to the treatment center gave him greater knowledge of the disease and how to live without the crutch of alcohol. As 1986 progressed we decided to increase the hog operation to around 100 sows. We started selling weaners as well as finishing some. We were actively involved in 4-H. Brandy and Clint wanted to take sheep as well as hogs to the county fair. We bought them 2 lamfs ...6 and they kept their ewes to start their own herds. We all enjoyed working with the sheep so much in the fall of 1986 we bought 50 bred ewes and are slowly building our own herd. Throughout the 1980's it has been tough times for young farmers. It hae become more of a necessity to supplement the farm income from outside sources to maintain the farm. For this reason we took on a Purina Feed dealership in May of 1987. Clint and Mike tremendously enjoy birds; for recreation Mike takes the boys pigeon hunting under bridges. We have raised quite a few pheasants and turned them out. Today our farm has all sorts of animals aside from the livestock. The children enjoy their rabbits, ducks, pigeons and a horse. We have a few chickens and guineas. We are proud to be farmers and hopefully this is our future. by Raymond Mike Eisenbart ELLIOTT, BUNNIE Fl82 I was born in 1926 at the home of my parents, Ben and Bessie Short, on their homestead sixteen and a half miles southwest of Seibert. I'm next to the youngest of eight children. When my younger brother, Larry, was born I had whooping cough; so our good neighbors, Mac and Ethel McConnell, kept me at their home for 6 weeks eo the new baby would not get whooping cough. The older children took turns staying with me so I wouldn't get homesick. From then on the McConnell's were like second parents to me, and I visited them often; J.C.'s and my children "adopted" them as grandparents. It was fun growing up on the farm close to our cousins; Bud and Eleanor Shori, Bill and Rose Livingston, and Larry and I could walk to each other's homes to play or stay overnight. Once in awhile we stayed too long and got a good whipping when we got home! At our home there was a huge apricot tree in the garden, and we had a bed under its boughs. That was a great place to sleep in the summertime. We had a big orchard which was a good place for a group of kids to play games such as Hide'n Seek; Ally, Ally Outs in Free; and years. Our other two daughters, Lori and Jerri, were born while we lived there. These Hope I Don't See the Old Ghost Tonight. Of course, at the right season we also had to pick mulberries and cherries for pies. Among our other jobs were picking up cow chips on the prairie (for fuel), picking up corncobs from the pig pen, and pulling weeds in the garden in 4-H and many Sunday School and school forapennyarow! I remember well the Dust Bowl days in the 30's when the kerosene lamps would have to be lit at school; and our bus, driven by Elmer Joy, crept along taking us home. The table would be covered with dust and have to be cleaned before supper; and we'd sweep a path to the bed. Seems there was always plenty of cleaning for us girls to do we'd sprinkle - on bran dampened with kerosene the cement steps and tiled kitchen floor to keep the dust down when we swept. We were fortunate to have a pump in the house so we didn't have to carry water; but we didn't have an indoor bathroom. I attended grades one through nine at Second Central School, District 19. I liked my first grade teacher, Mrs. Winona Graham, very much, and always liked school. I loved spelling at school and was fortunate, though I was really scared at the time, to go to the county spelling contest twice when I was in ?th and 8th grades, and placed second or third each time. County music contests and track meets were also exciting and much anticipated. My older brothers and sisters graduated from Seibert High School; but my brother, Art, just older than me, felt Flagler's curriculum had more to offer. So after he went there. I and Larry followed suit. We would rent a room or two in someone'g home and "batch" during the week, and most always went home on the week-end to help with work. Of course very few high school students had cars then, and we certainly didn't. Larry helped the janitor one term, and rode a bicycle across town to work awhile; then back home for breakfast, and back to school. Class plays were fun; also roller skating on Wednesday nights, and a dance once in awhile. After graduation I helped my mother with her work on the farm since two or three of my brothers were at home, and once in awhile a hired hand. My first job was at the drug store in Flagler, where I worked for a year, as a "soda jerk." We made our own simple syrup, combining sugar and water, for the fountain drinks. Part of that year I roomed and boarded with the Aubrey Walker's. In 1947 my parents got REA on their farm. We had had electric lights from a windcharger; but having a refrigerator was great! In April 1948 J.C. Elliott and I were married in Hugo. We borrowed my brother's car and J.C. borrowed 950 from a friend to go on our hone5rmoon - two or three days in the Colorado Springs area. We lived in Hugo until 1956 with the exception of two years when J.C. was in the Marine Corps, and we lived in California. Our first daughter, Monte, was born in San Diego. In 1956 J.C. was transferred to Burlington with his job for the State Highway Department. We moved there when our son, Lynn, wag six weeks old. In the fall of 1958 J.C. quit his job with the S.H.D., and we moved to the Buol's homestead. Ly2 miles North of Burlington. J.C. worked for Buol's for ten years, then leased the feedlot from them for eight were busy, happy years with the kids involved activities. J.C. was a 4-H livestock leader for nine years and a livestock superintendent at the county fair several years.. I was a Girl Scout leader and taught Sunday School several years. Jerri caused me to almost have a heart attack of the kids were taking turns - some riding Pat Andrews' shetland pony around in our corral. They could barely get him to move 'til someone left the handgate open and he headed for the pasture (by Kermit Buol's) on a dead run. Jerri, who was only three, was hanging onto the saddle for dear life as the pony ran across the highway ! Halfway down the hill she fell off and the pony stopped immediately. Her only injury was a bruised chest from hitting the saddle horn tely! - fortuna- Each fall we enjoyed having J.C.'s brother, Grove, and family come for a week-end of pheasant hunting. I learned later of neat injuries when the kids were jumping into the silo onto the fresh ensilage. What fun washing those green clothes! J.C. also liked to go deer and elk hunting with his friends from Hugo when he could arrange it. Many times we gave gas to someone who had run out (since we had a pump on the place), and J.C. took the tractor and pulled someone's vehicle out of a snowdrift or the mud. A few times someone was stranded at our home for a few hours or a few davs because of a snowstorm. In the fall of 1976 we moved to a home we built on the north side of Prairie Pines golf course. (J.C. enjoyed playing golf very much.) Ours was the first home completed in that subdivision; but that same winter and spring the Martin Buol's, Mel Gross', Leland Reinecker's and John Harker's moved into their homes. In February 1977 we had a terrible dirt storm; then two weeks later we had a bad snowstorm with lots of drifting (especially across our driveway!). Our electricity was off for over four days. We stuck it out huddled in blankets around the fireplace for two days: then took the Jeep and went across the golf course and to tovrrn to Russ and Alene Davis' home. J.C., I, Lori, and Jerri spent three nights and three days with them. I started working at the Pro Shop in 1928 and still work there during the golf season. We sold our home on the golf course in 1982 and eventually bought the home in town where I still live. J.C. died on October 10, 1985. All of our children attended college for various lengths of time. Monte married Paul Clarke on May 25, 1985. Lori married Ernie Love on February 14,1987. by Bunnie Elliott ELLISTON CORDELL FAMILY Fr83 On my dad's side, the early Elliston history is traced to England. The people who were believed to become the "Elliston Clan',, staded in the year 825 under the leadership of Eriwulf (The Fighting Bishop). They and the people of Somerset proceeded to a stone �Over the centuries the name had been modified/modernized into many variations to include Elliston, Ellystone, Elston, Alliston, and even McAlliston which means son of Alliston. Great-grandad Robert Elliston born April 15, 1838 in Kentucky, married Milly Holt. March 25, 1863 marks their wedding date in Jefferson County, Illinois. Milly died June 13, 1864 leaving Great-grandad with a son, Uncle Al. Uncle Al was said to have 17 children. On March 23, 1868 Great-grandad married for a second time to Sarah Nichels. They had 4 ELLISTON - WRIGHT FAMILY more boys and 2 girls; Grandad, George was born March 91, 1869, Willinm, Ella, Charles, Lilly, and Benjnrnin Frank. In 1865 Greatgrandad fought in the Civil War. Moving to Nebraska in the early 1880's he and his family survived the covered wagon journey, accompanied by a wagon train. Leaving home at about 16 years of age, he rode on horseback to northern Oklahoma, Granny and Grandad Elliston (George M. and Nancy J.) where he is believed to have worked on the famous "101 Ranch". Earning his living by helping on the railroad construction, and trading with Indians proved to be sufficient for his new bride Nancy Jane Cordell. Granny was born November 3, 1876. Grandad was believed to have participated in the "Cherokee Strip". This was a race in which the Government provided free land to those who chose to run and stake their homestead. One of Dad's favorite stories to tell was that ofhis father's plight to get to the spot he had chosen for his homestead. A woman also in the race had a lame horse. The horse had fallen into a rut and had broken its leg. (In those days the only right thing to do was to shoot them to put them out of their misery.) Grandad got off his horse to do the lady a service, and she grabbed her horse and staked the homestead he had chosen. Grandad and Granny lived on the Osage Indian Reservation in Osage County, Oklaho- ma. It was there that my father James Franklin Elliston was born and raised along with two sisters, Nellie and Gladys. 1909 found the family moving to Washington County, Kansas, living on a rented farm. In 1923 they migrated to Lincoln County, Colorado, working on the ranch which was developed to include property in Washington and Kit Carson Counties as well. ln L947 Dad, Aunt Gladys, Granny, Grandad and Aunt Nellie (taken prior to 1950, in front of "Old Soddy" at Grandad's house) Mom and Dad (Marge and Frank Elliston) taken in the 1940's "D?-CAT" used in the Blizzard of '46. taken on Elliston Ranch prior to 1950 Grandad and Granny retired and moved to Skiatook, Oklahoma. Grandad passed away in Skiatook in 1968. At 22 years of age Dad married Luella Meyer to have 8 children, one of which died as an infant, Fred, Neva, Grace, George, Jim, Robert and Nancy. Fred and Charles had one daughter Lisa. Neva and Les Tyler had two sons Tim and Dave. Grace and Frank Aggus had Kenny, Connie and Gary. George and Geneva had one son Bruce. Jim and Nancy had Gary, Jerry, Dave, Dan, Pat, Tim and Jamie. Robert married the former Kay Horrigans. Nancy and Robert Myer had Christina and Stephen. by Dolly Mae Elliston John Kirkenschlager, Dad, Bert Edleman (taken in front of house in Kansas prior to 1950) which was a meeting place. Along with King Egbert they fought the "Battle of The Forest". A great victory was won. It was this victory that destined the clan to be called Aleystone. Aleystone comes from The Olde English Language meaning ancient stone. "Old Soddy" at Grandad's House Married in the 1940's my parents, well known as Marge and Frank Elliston, remembered the dust bowl days of the 30's well. "Dirty 30's" my Mom called them; "The Depression" was Dad's common term. Tum- bleweeds, drought and hunger ravaged through the plains with anger and rage. They survived those days of hardship with starnina and courage. As we unravel the tales of yarn, �Lumberyard, Apartment Houses, and owned and operated the Case Dealership under "J.F. Elliston and Sons." In 1947 they bought and moved to a place in Eureka, Kansas. Jim was 12 that year and drove one ofthe trucks loaded with furniture. This venture found the family rotating between Kansas, Flagler, and the ranch north of Flagler, depending on where the work demanded the most presence. My first and only full sister was born in Kansas on Apr. 11, 1948. It was in that big old house in Kansas that Mom, while pregnant with Ruby Luceil, sat and watched the big tree spiders make large webs of intricate designs. Mom and Jim used to walk after the cows in the evening. The handsized spiders would swing from tree to tree, as Jim would Children of Frank Elliston: Fred, Grace, George, Jim, Robert, Davie, Nancy, Scotty, Cordell, Ruby, Roy, Dolly Mae, and Doug taken in 1970. through the stories told by our parents and their parents, we see how the cloth of our family was woven. Sometimes there were only threads ofhope, love, and faith entwined with barbed wire, death and God's helping hand. They started out their life together on their property known to our family as the "Old Thompson Place". The 3 youngest children of Dad's former marriage lived with them, Jim, Nancy and Robert. Situated just west of the Arickaree Creek. 22 miles north of Flagler, they resided until the house burned down. Scotty Nathan, my eldest brother was born on Oct. 6, 1941. When the tragic fire was engulfing the house with flames, Mom remembers how she, Dad, and the hired hand carried out the piano by themselves. The basement contained fuel for the winter, cowchips and corncobs so it went down pretty fast. It was cold out so Mom thought she would leave Scotty in the house to keep warm while they carried out the piano, but Jim got worried and wrapped the baby up and carried him to the safety of the car. Having more than one house enabled them to move to a house we called the "Joe Eckert Place." Grandad and Granny Elliston lived just north of there on the "Home Place". Almost a year later my second brother Davie McClellan, was born on Oct. 13, 1942. Davie was born with the opening to his stomach closed, causing the need for much attention and special care. He was the 5th child under about 7 years old in the household. With much consideration for the baby's health, they decided that he could be given that special care staying with Grandad and Granny. When they retired and moved back to Oklahoma, he went with them. It was during the Depression that people could no longer stand up to the harsh environment. People fled the country in droves leaving behind acres and acres of windswept barren land. The government took over much of this land and later on sold it off. I remember Dad saying many times, of how he bought land for $1.00 an acre during those days. My third eldest brother was born at home on Aug. 19, 1945. God brought them their first blond haired, blue eyed baby boy, Charles Cordell. Between raising kids, cattle, horses and chickens, and farming about 4000 acres they kept pretty busy. Roy Pearl, my fourth eldest brother was born on Sept. 19, 1946. It was that winter that Colorado seemed to have been swallowed whole by a ferocious blizzard. They had over 1200 head of cattle that there was no feed for. as it was covered by almost 4 feet of snow. Desperately trying to find a solution, Dad realized he had to get the cattle off the ranch and into Flagler to the railroad station. Mom remembers it took Dad, the hired hand and some of the boys 4 days to get to town. (Only about 25 miles). They drove a D-7 Caterpillar to make tracks in the snow for the cattle to follow and some of the boys followed behind the cattle on horseback. Alot of folks were shut in for weeks so the "Cat" made them a nice track. Neighbors were known to have watched the cattle go by their houses for 5 hours. One neighbor was said to have had to stand out in her yard waving a dish towel to keep the cattle from getting in her yard. Finally reaching Flagler, there were no trains. Dad had to call the Governor and convince him that he had to have 31 railroad cars, quick, to load the cattle on. The cattle were so hungry they ate at the sides of the sale barn. The Governor took 2 days to get the cattle cars there. (A display is said to be at one of the museums in Denver, Colorado, of this event). Cattle loaded on the trains, Dad sent the hired hand and some of the boys back to the ranch on the "Cat". Mom said she was ever so glad to see that old "Cat" coming down the road with groceries, as food supplies were getting pretty low. The cattle were put on corn fields in Iowa and some perhaps Illinois. During the years to follow Dad bought property in Flagler, known as the "Sloans Addition". He and Mom moved into town and lived in the "Yellow House". While moving back and forth from the ranch and town he bought the Flagler Sale Barn, the tease Mom that the spiders wouldn't hurt anyone. "The little things would land on you and jump right off' he would say. That is until the day one of them jumped on his back. White as a sheet he turned. Mom recalls with a hint of amusement on her face. My fifth and last brother, red haired and freckled, Douglas Franklin enhanced the family on June 22, 1949. Doug and Ruby always used to argue whose "Reka" it was. Your reka or my reka. It was in'55 or'56 that found them selling the place in Kansas to return to Flagler. By that time most of the businesses they had in Flagler were no longer in operation, although most of the property was retained until after Dad's death. I being the youngest of the ? living children was born in the Flagler Hospital Apr. 4, 1957. As I allow my mind to walk slowly through the pages of my past, I remember sitting by -y Mom's side in the winter time. I would watch her darn socks and patch overalls andjeans, and listen quietly as she spoke of her childhood. The winters were cold and harsh abreasting the seemingly God- forsaken plains. With old fashioned irons heated in the coal stove to keep the beds warm at night, Mom said that there were times when the only source of food was the squirrels and jack rabbits her Dad had trapped and hunted, along with small rations of ground corn from the summers' minimal harvest. Before they had electricity the meats were hung out in the smoke house to cure or Granny would can it. "We were in God's care though, and Mom would always read the Bible to us", Mom would say. The most precious memories I hold are those times spent on Sunday afternoons after church at Thurman, Colorado. Our families would gather either at our house or at Grandad Wright's to have lunch and sing the Gospel or other old fashioned songs. Those afternoons were always a festivity with cousins, aunts and uncles gathered around the piano singing and playing the fiddles. The kids would play games like "Red Light-Green Light", "Red Rover-Red Rover" and "Simon Says". Dad and Grandad always played the fiddles and the aunts would sing and play the piano. One of my favorites was the "Red River Valley", which Grandad played on the harmonica. A blessing from God indeed, is that of the closeness felt at the family gatherings of those long-ago Sunday afternoons. During the week at home there were always chores to be tended. Living on such a big ranch seemed to invent things to do. At various times we employed hired hands that lived in one of the 5 houses on the ranch. At one time Jim and his family moved back on the ranch to help with all of the work. �Between Cordell's 8th and 9th grade, Dad kept him at home from school for a year to help with the work. Before some of us kids were old enough to brand cattle and drive the guidance just as he does his own natural children. The Elliston families try to get together tractor, we found time to build forts out of stacked fence posts and sometimes even tumbleweeds. With Jim's kids there we even had enough kids for regular Indian battles. We also used to get our summer fun out of swimming in the various ponds and playing "King on the Mountain" in the hay lofts in the barns. In the evenings was a special time aftcr the older kids came in from the fields, we would all play "Hide and Seek". Work sometimes hard to get everyone rounded up but it strengthens that family cloth ever more. couldn't elude anyone though as in the spring it was time to bring in cattle from the pastures and sort them for the cattle sales. Also the heifers needed to be put in corrals for calving. Pent safely in the wooden corrals that we all helped to build you could hear the cattle rebel at night of their sudden enclosure. Along with the bellows deep in the night, one could hear the coyotes howling at the moon. Those coyotes seemed to be right outside the bedroom window. There were always fence rows to mend; wires broken from the winter's heavy snow and new fences to put in, old ones moved or taken out. Moving a 2 mile fence is something everyone should have the opportunity to do at least once in their lifetime! Summer soon to follow found Mom and us kids in the garden. Mom would direct us where to spade spots for many vegetables for canning. We didn't mind the blisters too much, knowing that Dad would There is nothing better than fresh strawberries on also put in several rows of strawberries. top of fresh buttered bread, dipped in Granny's fresh cream! (We didn't have it too bad!) The most historical building on the ranch was what we called the "Old Soddy". A Soddy is a building the early settlers built when they first cnme to the west. Sod was dug from the pastures and homes were built by layering a row of sod and sod mixed with mud and water to form a paste to seal the next layer. The Soddy at one time even contained a grinding mill that connected to a nearby wind mill. each year for a family reunion. This is by Dolly Mae Elliston ELLSWORTH - REED FAMILY F185 Gene Ellsworth, expert sharp-shooter. Sherman and Clara Ellsworth and son Lee. Lee was born at their new homestead five months after arriving at their homestead in Colorado. On April 13, 1906, Sherman and Clara (Reed) Ellsworth anived at Burlington, from their former home in Norton, Kansas, via the Rock Island train. The Ellsworths' along with the Feese and Mills stayed three nights in a large tent near the stockyards, while they waited for the boxcars containing their livestock, wagons, buggy and household goods to be unloaded. They left their 10 year old son Clarence, with his sister Roysten, in Norton, so he could finish his school term. In a letter Clara wrote to Clarence after they arrived in Burlington, she writes that one could see for miles from Burlington. She states that there were 1000 head of sheep in the stockyards. This was at one time used to grind grain. My Dad passed away on Apr. 3, 1970. At On Easter morning, they started their journey to their homestead on the NE % of that time he had 8000 ranch acres and several properties in Flagler. My brother Doug was killed in a harvest truck accident on Aug. 5, Sec. 18-11-44 southwest ofBurlington. Their 1971, leaving his wife Darlene and one daughter Waiva Louceil. Scotty and Beverly had 5 children, Wade, John, Craig, Debra and Jessie. Davie and Kay had 2 children, Erin and Reece. Cordell and Kathy had 2 children, Jayce and Kami. Ruby and Al Dieckman had 2 children, Julie and Jenni. I have 3 children, Laurie Wilcox, Lonnie and Jennifer Vincent. All we have left of those precious days on the ranch are memories embedded in our minds forever. Some faded pictures and a few reel to reel tapes have recorded a deep personal gratification of life. Our families are scattered around the world now. and distances seem so vast. From the Middle East, to Alaska, Texas to Iowa and Arizona the threads of our parents' love is stretched. Mom has shown true spirit to the area though, as she still resides in Flagler. She calmly states as she wans a friendly smile, "This is my home". Remarried in 1973 to Floyd Rowe, they share their golden lives together in their new home west of Flagler. In the absence of our natural father, Floyd has given each of us strength, support and tff daughter and son-in-law, Walter and Cora Feese homesteaded what they thought was the SW % of Sec. 18-11-44. but when the land was resurveyed, they found that their home was on the wrong section. Sherman and Clara had four children: Roysten Matthies, Cora Feese, Clarence and Lee. Lee was born five months after they arrived at their Colorado home. by Shirley Matthies ELLSWORTH, THOMAS EUGENE F186 "Listen my children and you shall hear, Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere; On the eighteenth of April, '75, Hardly a man is now alive who Remembers that famous day and year, And the midnight ride of Paul Revere." And hardly a man is now alive who remembers a day much later April 18, - Yankee 1850. On that day a Pennsylvania and his English-born wife were delighted by the arrival of a son. The boy was christened Thomas Eugene Ellsworth. His father was A.C. Ellsworth, and his mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Jellus. This all took place at Paris, Linn County, Iowa. There, the young man remained until the year 1896. In boy- hood young Gene learned the trade of tinsmith, a trade at which he worked for many years, and to which, in 1890, he added that of gunsmithing. A natural thing for him, since at an early age he became a proficient marksman with shotgun and rifle. So expert had he become, that the Winchester Arms Co. employed him as traveling demonstrator. He thus beco-e known all over the United States. In the many matches in which he entered he became acquainted with and was often pitted against such world famous gunners as; Carver, Bogardus, Topperwein, Hardy, Mrs. Toppenwein, Cal Wagner (winner of the National match and a $14,000.00 purse), and others. In 1874, Mr. Ellsworth was married to Annie Brooks of Sumner, Iowa. Their first two children died, a boy at the age of 2, and a daughter at 7 weeks. Other children were; Frank and Ralph, both on the police force of Long Beach, Calif., Jessie, who was a sergeant in the World War, and later a farmer on a large scale near Aberdeen, South Dakota, and a daughter Hazel, now Mrs. Webster. The first Mrs. Ellsworth died at their home in Fairbury, Nebr. Two years later, Mr. Ellsworth again married, this time at Center, Nebr., his wife being Mrs. Mattie H. Lickey, whose maiden name was Wanderluss. In 1911, he came to Colorado, land seeking. He returned to Nebr. and bought a relinquishment, of John Hanis. Mrs. Bllsworth continued her occupation of nurse in Fairbury, Nebr., for five years. They came to Seibert, Colo., in 1917, to their home 8 miles south and 3 W. of Seibert. On their farm they went in for dairy cattle, horses, hogs and chickens, at which they prospered until the bad years. Mrs. Ellsworth died April 14, 1937, and soon after he moved into Seibert. He lived in �the house built by Roy Johnson, in the west part of town. by Janice Salmans ELRICK, CLYDE AND LULU F187 Clyde Elrick was the youngest son of Scott and Margaret Elrick of Iowa. Clyde's parents' history was entered in the Marshall County Historybook in Iowaas beingin awagon train to California in the Gold Rush of 1849. In Utah, their wagon and occupants, along with three other wagons chose to withdraw from the wagon train and take another route. The original wagon train continued on the planned route where the entire train was massa- cred by Indians. Lulu (LaRue) Elrick, whose parents, Edward and Jennie LaRue, came to Colorado first from Minnesota, settling north of Flagler, near where Clyde and Lulu settled in 1915. Clyde and Lulu came from Minnesota with five children: Carol, Hazel, Jennie, Lonnie and Wilma. Three of us were born in Florence, Violet and Rozella. Colorado We were- raised in a four room house with no modern conveniences. The house was heated by a cook (coal) stove and a parlor furnace, also heated by coal. We attended school in a one room schoolhouse called "Dazzling Valley" in School District No. 14. We attended the first eight grades there, later attending high school in Flagler. Since 1927, several Elricks have graduated from the Flagler High School. Farming in the early years was done by horse drawn machinery, later tractors were added. There were years when drouth and hail took the crops. We also survived the "dust bowl" days. ning was done. Pork and beefwere butchered and preserved for later use. Eggs, milk, cream and butter were supplied from the farm. On Kirk; Rozella and John Beatty: Beverly Farley. our farm was a cellar or cave which was concrete lined with shelves for canned goods and bins for potatoes, apples and vegetables. It also doubled as a storm shelter in case of tornadoes or severe storms which threatened some times. Staples and supplies were bought at Flagler. They were transported by a horse drawn wagon and later by automobiles. Our entertainment in our young years were school plays, box suppers, gatherings where the neighbor women took the food and had by Florence Gries ENGLAND, CIIARLES AND HATTIE UHL Ft88 quilting parties, the men visited, pitched horseshoes, played cards or played and watched baseball games. At one time the Elricks had their own baseball team which consisted of family members, also in-laws and grandchildren. There are many yet who are avid sport fans with the younger ones still participating in one sport or the other. Raymond Elrick, the oldest grandson and his wife, Imogene, still reside on a ranch and farm near the original Elrick farm. Clyde and Lulu retired in 1944 in Flagler on the place now owned by their daughter, Jennie Potter. Rozella Beatty also resides in Flagler and yours truly, Florence (Peggy) Gries resides in the Golden area. We, in 1985, are the remaining three of the eight children. Following are the sons and daughters of Clyde and Lulu Elrick: Carrol and Elsie (Lake) Elrick: Raymond, Scotty (deceased), Williem, James (deceased), Caroline Farmer, and Donald; Hazel and Gale Kelley: Robert, Shirley Herbert and Jerald; Jennie and Glenn Potter: Betty Dalgetty ', Charles L. England and his grandsons, Robert C. and Jeffery Doyle Coles. (deceased) and Harold; Lonnie and Opal (Charles) Elrick Allen, Gary, Linda Green and Sherry; Wilma and Pearl Johnson; Florence and Albert Horst: Keith Horst: Florence married Edward Gries; Violet and Murle Haworth: Calvin and Gardens were raised every year and can- t$tiiiig,rffi r" 1 . ' Charles England was born near Piedmont, Missouri to John and Lusetta England in 1887. His first trip to Colorado was in 1910 when he and his brother Bill worked on a cattle ranch near Lamar, Colorado. He rejoined his family in Kansas in 1914 and married Hattie Uhl in August of 1914. They returned to Lamar for a short period and then returned to Kansas where he stayed until 1950. In December of 1928, Hattie died of diabetes leaving Charlie to raise two daughters and a son. In 1950 Charles, his daughter Franceis and his son-in-law Doyle Coles moved to land purchased near Stratton Colorado. Before leaving Kansas they bought a 55 Massy Harris tractor, Jeffery chisel, John Deere 1620 drill, Massy Harris one way, and a 1000 propane tank and hauled it all to the old Kordes place west of Stratton on a 1947 Chevy truck. A good crop in 1951 and a fair crop in 1952 were followed by bad years forcing Doyle and Franceis to return to Kansas. Charles continued on the farm, hanging on by selling land and making minimal crops until 1959 when good years began to return and Doyle and Franceis were able to come back to Stratton. Charles left the farm in 1961 moving to Stratton where he purchased a small home and remodeled it, living there until his death on November 5, 1962. Charles and Hattie had three children: Charles of Port Angeles, Washington, MaxThe Clyde Elrick Family in 1940. Front Row: Florence, Clyde, Lulu, Rozella. Back Row: Hazel, Lonnie, Jennie, Violet, Carrol, and Wilma. �ine Herd of Protection, Kansas and Franceis Coles of Stratton, Colorado. by Robet and Linda Coles EPPERSON - MILLER FAMILY F189 time, so we sold the farm and moved to town. Since my father was out working most of the time and didn't want me to be alone, he asked Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Gibson, who printed The Flagler Progress, a weekly newspaper, if I could help in their office - no pay expected, of course. The old round-up days were almost over when I first remember anything. There were no fences. In the spring cattle were branded and turned loose to pasture and they strayed as far south as the Union Pacific Railroad. About the last round-up days, I remember, the men stayed and slept in the loft of our barn and started on their trip real early. Soon after, people began buying herds of sheep and fences were built. That caused some hard feelings between them and cattlemen. I have very fond memories of my parents. My father served on the school board, helped in our church activities and served as Kit Carson County Commissioner. My mother was a very kind mother. After my first week with the Gibsons at The Flagler Progress, they began paying me $10.00 a week. a small fortune then. The printing office was one of the most interesting jobs I ever had. Then after that I went to work for W.H. Lavington in his General Store, that was also very interesting. Farmers drove in from miles in the country, a day's trip with team and wagon. They would leave a long grocery list with us to fill. We would have it ready to go Edley Thomas Epperson and his bride, Nina Mae Miller Epperson, married December 25, 1892, in the first wedding in the Flagler Congregational Church. My father, Edley Thomas Epperson came west from Galesburg,Ill., where he was born on March 11, 1864. He was working for the Rock Island Railroad being built at that time. In Flagler, he met my mother, Nina Mae Miller, who was born in Kansas. They were married Dec. 25, 1892, the first wedding performed in the First Congregational Church building. They decided to make their home there and started on a cattle ranch four miles south of Flagler, near the Republican River. My brother, Roy and sister, Retta and I were born there in a sod house. I was born on April 4, 1900. My sister and I were baptized in the Republican River about 1906. My brother was later baptized in a Baptist Church in Denver. We attended school in Flagler. Our grand- father drove a covered wagon which was transportation for us and a few neighbors. One of Colorado's blizzards stranded the wagon away from home. The folks spent a sleepless, worrying night, since there were no telephones. The next day, the wagon was safely home after spending the night at a neighbor's. So before I started to school, my folks bought a small place close to Flagler, located about where the M&S Garage was located for so many years. We lived there in the winter and went back to the ranch in the summer. My mother passed away at an early age in 1911, and my sister in 1913. My brother was older and at that time was gone most of the by about 6 a.m. the next day. Then they had a long trip going home. Later Mr. Lavington turned the store over to his son, Leon, and he went full time to the Flagler State Bank of which he was president. He asked me to go to work there. Although I didn't want to leave the store, my father thought I should go. So I spent many years at the bank. During the years ahead, times were hard. Then in 1933, President Roosevelt ordered all banks closed, I believe, for three days. After that time was up, only about three banks reopened in the county, the First National Bank being one of them. Subsequently Jennie married Dan Schlagle, who had come to work for the Rock Island Railroad, sometime during the 1920's and probably quit work to raise a family. Their son, Dick, is a 1948 graduate of Flagler High School. Dick started to school in the same building where Jennie had started school many years before. (The brick school building had replaced the frame building when built, but later the frame building was put into use again for the lower grades as enrollment increased). After the beginning of WWII, some time in the 1940's, Jennie went back to the First National Bank to work and continued until her retirement. Then she went to live with her son. Dick and wife, in the Kansas City area (Raytown, Missouri) where she cared for two little granddaughters, while their parents worked. The "little girls" are now grown and there are two great granddaughters for Jennie to enjoy, now that she is nearly 88 years of age. by Jennie Epperson Schlagle ERNEST, HARRY Fr90 Harry Ernest was born February 15, 1895 near Goshen, Indiana, the youngest son of Alfred (1852-1936) and Dorinda (Fones) (1854-1934) Ernest. Alfred's ancestry was German. Harry's great, great grandfather, Conrad Ernest (1763-1815) came from Ger- many; his great grandfather, Conrad Ernest (1797 -1847) was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania; his grandfather, George Washington Ernest (1820-1897) was born in Tyrone Twp., Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, now Perry County; his father, Alfred, was born near Goshen, Indiana. Harry's mother, Dorinda, was born near Tonawanda, New York. Her ancestry was French. Her grandfather, William Fones (1764-1839) fought in the Revolutionary War from North Kingston, Rhode Island; and her father, John Fones (1795-1885), was born near Schenectady, New York. After living in South Carolina and Oklahoma, Harry moved with his parents to the sandhills of Nebraska and there met his wife, Ida Rhodes. They were married on Christmas Day 1916 in her parent's home north of Lewellen. Later the next year they moved into a sod house five miles northeast of Oshkosh, Nebraska where four of the children were born. In 1917 Hauy bought a new Model T Ford with side curtains for about $600. Harry raised hogs and farmed there until 1925. His father, Alfred, owned a quarter of land on the plains of eastern Colorado eleven miles southwest of Burlington. He deeded the land to Harry in exchange for their taking care of his parents in their latter years. So the Harry Ernest family moved with five horses, a cow, and some furniture. We lived with a neighbor, Cash Locke, until my father and a friend, Hugh Bennett of Burlington, built a tworoom cement house on the quarter of land. We then went on a six-week trip to the east coast. I remember many things about that trip as my twin brother, Elvin, and I were seven years old. My father started breaking sod, getting ready to farm. He bought two registered Hereford cows and through the years built the herd to around 100 registered Hereford cattle. His specialty was selling registered Hereford bulls to the Denver Stock Show and also to private individuals. He spent many hours weighting their horns and getting them ready for the Show. It paid off as he came home with lots of blue ribbons and sales. Harry's parents came to live with us in 1928. He had to build two more rooms on to our home. Then came the great Depression and the dirt storms! The grass was too dry to grow so for a while Harry salted down Russian thistles to feed the cattle. but he finally had to truck them to pasture on his father-in-law's place up by North Platte, Nebraska. One day the wind would blow white dust from the north and the next day it would change directions and blow red dust up from Oklahoma and Texas. Our faith was strong in God and we depended on Him to take care of us during those years. We didn't realize how really bad it was. We were a happy family. We attended the Calvary Church of the Nazarene, eleven miles southwest of our place. So many people moved away after losing their farms and some �died of dust pneumonia. My father had to mortgage our place and at times we thought we would lose it but managed to hang on to it. Finally he brought the cattle back and sometime later he put in an irrigation well. Through the years he managed to buy eight more quarters of land and rented some besides. We had some exciting things happen once in a while on the farm even though we had no electricity, phone, or radio. Charles Lindberg was flying his plane, which he had been getting ready to fly across the Atlantic, and as he came over our pasture south ofthe barn, his plane developed some kind of trouble. We read "The Spirit of St. Louis" on the side of his plane. He was flying so low it scared the cattle and he had to gain altitude to miss hitting the barbed wire fence. We read about it in the newspaper afterwards. Harry prospered through the years and in 1959 my parents moved to the Ardueser place a mile south of Bethune. They lived there for 1? years and then had a new home built at 1798 Lowell Avenue in Burlington. They moved there in 1975. Harry worked very hard through the years and it came time for him to retire from the farm. He sold his beautiful cattle to a rancher in Wyoming and had a sale of many of the farm things. A renter has farmed the land now for several years and another irrigation well has been added. My folks raise mostly wheat, pinto beans, and corn now, but have had sugar beets in the past when the sugar beet factory was thriving. (Harry Ernest passed away quietly in his sleep form a heart attack on September 1, 1986 at the age of91 years. He and his wife would celebrate their ?0th wedding Anniversary on Christmas Day 1986. by Eleanor (Ernest) Varce have had four great grandchildren. She is still raising a garden, canning and sharing. She does most of her work at the age of 93 in 1986. She has been a very devoted wife and mother, attending church faithfully, has after. always put others first in her thoughts. Ernest were married as well as sometime Then Harry and Ida moved northeast of Oshkosh, Nebraska into another sod house. On March 11, 1918 Elvin and I (Eleanor) were born one month premature. The doctor - parents not to expect me to live, we told my were both very tiny. There were six pairs of twins born in that community that year and all of them died who were both twin boys or both twin girls. Another baby boy, Stanford, came to bless our home on November 13, 1920; and on February 23, 1924 Paul was born. He weighed more than the twins both together. The twins started to school in the first grade, but went only six weeks when they both got measles, and mother taught us at home until we started in the fourth grade at Prairie Star in 1926 south of Bethune, Colorado. One of the hardest things during the Depression to contend with was to have enough clothes to wear. But Mother always found a way. She made a lot ofour clothes out of feed sacks, even a lot of our sheets for our beds came from sacks. We always had enough to eat since we lived on the farm, but we had a real problem getting much of a variety to put on the table. We couldn't always have much garden because of shortage of water since the stock needed it, until we got a large storage tank and then we could irrigate it. When we did have a big garden Mother canned and canned. Since we didn't have electricity, she had to can most of the meat; of course. we cured the hams and bacon. Another real problem was to get enough fuel to keep us warm or to cook with. There weren't any trees to cut down. So many times Mother and we children went out into the ERNEST, IDA (RI{ODES) there were very few trees with which to build homes. Ida went to Norton, Kansas to take several weeks of normal training in order to teach in the country schools. She taught in the school east of them before she and Harry F191 pasture with gunny sacks to gather cow chips. It took many sacks to bake bread twice a week and get all the meals. Later on we were able to buy a little coal and a few old railroad ties to burn. Ida Rhodes was born August 18, 1893 near Westboro, Missouri, the second daughter of George (1868-1955) and Lydia (Johnson) (1869-1943) Rhodes. Ida's great, great grandfather, Caleb Rhodes (1739-f830) was born in Schylkill County, Pennsylvania; her great grandfather, Lewis Rhodes (U98-1886) wag born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania; her grandfather John Rhodes (1827-1875) was also born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania and was in the Civil War; and her father, George Rhodes, was born in Stark County, Illinois. On December 7, 1934 our baby sister, Irene, was born, but she didn't live but two weeks. I wanted a That was a sad time for all us baby sister so very much. - Then on July 20, 1936, Leland came to bless our home. How happy we all were! Since I was 18 I had to be his first nurse as all Mother's children were born at home. most of The children have scattered them graduated from college and-did graduate work. Elvin and Stanford went into the ministry. We were all saddened when Elvin passed away with cancer on October 7, 1973 Ida's mother, Lydia Johnson, was born near Gentry, Missouri. Her grandfather, Joseph Wesley Johnson (1832-1910) was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania; her great grandfather, Wesley Johnson (18091837) was born in Fayeteville, Pennsylvania and died while young in a logging accident. After living in Iowa for several years, Ida with her parents and brother and sister moved to Orleans, Nebraska where she while pastoring at Royal City, Washington. He had pastored for 30 years or more. Paul has irrigated farms in the State of Wash- home north of Lewellen, Nebraska. All the families around there lived in sod houses as teaching. finished high school. When she was around 20, they moved on west in Nebraska to the sandhills. Her father rented a farm with a sod ington. Leland, the youngest, got his Doctor's degree in Botany at the University of Iowa and taught in the Science department in our College in Massachusetts. I did my graduate work at the University of Colorado and taught in our College in Nampa, Idaho as head of the Secretarial Department. I married a minister, got another under-graduate major in Home Economics and taught 16 more years, making a total of 20 years of Harry and Ida have 9 grandchildren and is still worked very hard through the years, and by Eleanor (Ernest) Varce EVANS - GRIFFITHS FAMILY F192 John P. Evans, a young bachelor, first cnrne to eastern Colorado in the fall of 1886 from Columbus Junction, Iowa. He was told to "go West to the dry prairie country" by a doctor in Iowa who treated him for bronchitis and a lingering cough. He filed on a homestead and pre-emption southwest of Idalia in what was then Arapahoe County. This county extended from the Kansas line to Denver and was about thirty miles wide. Later several counties were formed from a division of Arapahoe County, among them Washington and Yuma. John P. built a dugout home. There were no wells the first winter and water had to be hauled from the Republican River, about eight miles. He had met a young lady, Elizabeth Griffiths through a mutual friend, and they had corresponded several years. Elizabeth lived with her father and brothers in Macon County, Missouri. In 1893, he returned to Missouri to marry Elizabeth. It is interesting that her father would not give his consent to the marriage unless John P. agreed to try farming in Missouri for a year. The prize was worth the demand to John. and on Christmas day, 1893, John P. Evans and Elizabeth Griffiths were married and settled down to the very different environment of "Muddy Missouri". John kept his promise to his father-in-law and farmed in Missouri for a year. Their first child, Anne, was born in October, 1894, and about six weeks after her birth John and Elizabeth prepared to return to his prairie home. They came by rail with some household furnishings, a barrel or two of apples, dried fruits and a hogshead (a large wooden tub) packed with homechurned butter. The years that followed were years of hard work, battling the elements of drouth, winds and hail. A second daughter, Mary Elizabeth, was born on the homestead in the summer of 1897. They were accumulating some cattle and settlers were coming in to take homesteads. Rangeland, on which the cattleman depended to graze his herds, was disappearing and they felt the need to get where prairie was more grass. In addition to the homestead near Idalia, John had taken a timber claim about thirty miles south in what is now Kit Carson County. It was to this land that they moved to accommodate their growing herd of cattle. They added more land as they were able. Three more daughters were born to them, Margaret Alice in 1900, Elsie S. in 1904 who died in 1905 and Grace Eleanor in 1907. They built up their cattle herds, developed their land and reared their children, but they were always ready to lend a hand for the good their community. From being kind and �helpful neighbors to serving on the school board and helping organized Sunday schools, their influence was felt in many ways in the betterment of their community. They believed firmly in the value of education beyond conventional schooling and encouraged their children to read and develop their minds. Daily newspapers and magazines were always in their home. Life was not always unrelenting hard labor. As the land was more settled there were neighbors to visit with and make friendships. They had an interesting group of neighbors. Young men and women seeking new free land, a hillbilly farmer from Tennessee who never did understand the prairie, and a cultured widow from eastern Nebraska. There is a humorous story about this widow. She lived in a "shack" like everyone else, but she maintained a life style more suited to the east. The story goes that a minister from Stratton cnme to call on her one morning. the widow Loveland was doing some baking and was pretty "floury" and in her everyday house dress. The minister knocked at her screen door, introducing himself, for she was in plain sight in the kitchen. After a few minutes he heard a cultured voice say, "Mrs. Loveland is not receiving this morning". [t was told that the minister turned, scratched his head and slowly went back to his buggy and drove the long miles to town. For entertainment they had "Literary Societies" which met in the schoolhouse on a Friday night, usually. Everyone who had a talent would use it for the entertainment, debates were popular and the social value of meeting and visiting were probably the greatest value. John and Elizabeth bought more land for his growing cattle herd and also had more farm land. He was proud in 1923 of raising someone in the neighborhood would fill his wagon from the then plentiful supply of buffalo bones on the prairies, collect the letters neighbors had ready for mailing to friends and relatives "back East", and make railroad town, Haigler, Nebraska, where he would dispose ofthe bones, purchase supplies After several years of batching on the plains of eastern Colorado, he returned to Missouri to marry his sweetheart, Elizabeth M. Griffith. With his bride he began farming in Missouri, but the call of the prairies was too strong and about a year later they returned to the homestead in eastern Colo- a doctor's care, nursing those children through severe illnesses, usually without benefit ofthe doctor, for the horse and buggy transportation was slow and calls on the doctor were many. The pioneer wife and mother was on the alert for snake bites and accidents of all kinds, and if they occurred she had to keep her head and know how to meet any emergency. Once when a new building was being erected, her five year old daughter suffered a scalp wound from a falling rafter; my mother snlmly sterilized a needle and with white silk thread sutured the wound skillfully without benefit of any anesthetic. Too much praise cannot be given these pioneer wivee and mothers who worked beside their husbands building a home and community. Perhaps the greatest reward of these pioneers was in seeing the development of Kansas line. Latcr several counties were this land from bare prairie with "dugout" formed from a division of this county, among homes to fine productive ranches and farms. John P. Evans, having seen this transformation of the prairie, passed on in 1924, still on the ranch and "in the harness" as he wished to go. His widow, spending her last years County. When family larders needed replenishing, ' couraged during the panic of'93 and the dry years following. Later he bought this land back for $125.00, and it was here they moved when they felt the need of more grassland for their growing herd ofcattle, gradually adding more land as they were able. It was during these years they becnme the parents of five daughters, one of whom died in infancy. Ownership of the old home ranch now rests with the four daughters. The years they spent on the ranch, rearing a family, building their cattle herd and developing the land, were busy years. But he and his wife were never too busy to lend a hand in the upbuilding of their community, to being kind and helpful neighbors to those about them, to serving ou the school board, and develop their minds. No story of a pioneer cattleman would be complete without the part played by his wife, who suffered the privations of a harsh life gladly, bearing her children many miles from them Washington and Yuma. Kit Carson County was at one time a part of Elbert ili:r':t : ' In addition to the homestead and preemption near Idalia he had a timber claim about thirty miles south of Idalia, which he had traded off for a cow when he became dis- She died in 1938 at age 72. Ownership of the In the fall of 1886, when he was a young bachelor of twenty-four, my father, John P. Evans, heard the call of the boundless West, the call for pioneers who would dare follow the star of empire that guided into the land which has, verily, become the Promised Land of our great county. Arriving in Colorado from Iowa where he had spent his young manhood, he filed on a homestead and preemption near Idalia, in what was then Arapahoe County, with Denver as the county seat. Arapahoe County wag then approximately thirty miles across and one hundred fifty miles long, extending to the ',l F194 rado. Their influence was felt in many areas in the betterment of their community. They had a firm belief in the value of education beyond the conventional schooling and encouraged their children and those about them to read Fl93 FAMILY hauled eight miles from the Republican River. and helping to organize Sunday Schools. EVANS, JOHN P. FANSELAU BAMESBERGER and collect the mail for the neighborhood. There were no wells that first winter, and as with supplies and mail, water had to be 10,000 bushels of corn on the place. In 1924, by Grace Evans Weybright by Mary Evans the thirty-five mile trip to the nearest still on the ranch and still working vigorously, he died of a heart ailment, "in the harness" as he wished to go. His widow leased the ranch the following year and spent her last years in Stratton with her daughter, Mary. ranch rests with her daughter, Grace Evans Weybright, of Liberal, KS. more comfortably in Stratton, Colorado joined him in 1938. Henry and Lillie Fanselau, taken in 1932. Henry Fanselau was born February 28, 1890, south of Idalia, Colorado near the Kit Carson County line. He was the seventh child born to German immigrant parents, August and Wilhemina (Wolff) Fanselau. Three of his sistere died in infancy and one sister died at the age of nine of diphtheria in 1893. She was buried in what was known at that time as the Hedinger Cemetery, which is gituated on the Yuma County line and two miles west of Highway 385. At that time there was a small Lutheran Church near the cemetery. About this time the family moved 8 miles North and 2 east of Bethune. Henry's sisters Katie and Minnie Fanselau, married brothers; Gottlieb and Fred Bauder. Henry and his only brother Edward, three years younger than he, attended Blue View, a one room public elementar5r school. For a time they attended church school at Immanuels Lutheran, which was two or three miles from their home. Lillie Bamesberger, adopted daughter of Ferdinand and Dora BenegSttttt, was born on February 18, 1893, in Denver, Colorado. Her adoptive parents were also German immigrants and moved from Denver to the Bethune area a few miles from the Fanselaus. The Bamesbergers also raised a foster son, � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Families of Kit Carson County Description An account of the resource Brief biographies of the founding families of Kit Carson County Colorado. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Book Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Families- E Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1988 Description An account of the resource A brief history of the founding families of Kit Carson County whose names begin with "E." As told in the book, History of Kit Carson County. Type The nature or genre of the resource text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Salmons, Janice Hasart, Marlyn Smith, Dorothy Language A language of the resource English Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. History of Kit Carson County Volume 1 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource text/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Curtis Media Subject The topic of the resource History Kit Carson County Biography Genealogy Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a>